The satirical juggernaut South Park has unleashed its trademark irreverence on the comedy world’s latest controversy, skewering high-profile comedians who accepted lucrative paydays to perform at Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival while simultaneously preaching about social justice back home.
In the Thanksgiving-themed episode “Turkey Trot,” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker didn’t pull punches as they lampooned the October festival that drew comedy heavyweights like Dave Chappelle, Pete Davidson, Kevin Hart, Louis C.K., Jimmy Carr, and Jack Whitehall. All of them agreed to perform under strict censorship rules that prohibited jokes about religion or Saudi royals.
The episode features the town of South Park seeking Saudi sponsorship for their annual Turkey Trot, with residents casually noting: “I mean, they’re giving money to everyone else. Why not us?” A promotional video for the fictional race mirrors the real festival’s restrictions, declaring: “Disparaging remarks towards the Saudi royal family are strictly prohibited.”
The controversy has spawned public feuds within comedy circles. Chris D’Elia unleashed particularly harsh criticism against his former friend Whitney Cummings, who championed the #MeToo movement before performing in Riyadh. D’Elia, who was abandoned by Cummings when allegations surfaced against him in 2020, sees her Saudi performance as the ultimate betrayal of her stated principles.
“If you’re out there saying, ‘Hey, the Me Too movement, hey, Black Lives Matter, hey, this is all important [stuff]’… And then you take the bag, you’re a [sellout]. Now I can’t believe anything,” D’Elia stated on his podcast.
His frustration extended to what he views as Hollywood’s performative activism: “Don’t you know it’s like if you’re you, whether you’re going to Saudi Arabia for money or you’re pretending you are an ally to save your money, it’s the same thing.”
Cummings, who declared during the #MeToo movement that “This abuse of power is enabled by silence. Now that I’m aware, I won’t be silent,” has defended her participation by dismissing critics as racist. She responded to D’Elia by suggesting the criticism comes from someone “who was just bummed that they weren’t invited.”
Perhaps most remarkable was Louis C.K.’s appearance on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, where he revealed that Saudi organizers imposed only two restrictions: “Their religion and their government.” His response? “I don’t have jokes about those two things.”
This from a comedian who has spent years complaining about cancel culture and free speech restrictions in America. C.K. acknowledged “mixed feelings” but defended the festival as “a good opportunity,” expressing enthusiasm about comedy “opening up” in the region: “I love standup comedy, and I love comedians. So, the fact that that’s opening up and starting to bud, I wanna see it, I wanna be part of it. I think that’s a positive thing.”
The claim that he lacks material on censored topics appears dubious to critics familiar with his previous routines touching on religious themes, including jokes about Islamic beliefs regarding martyrdom.
Comedian David Cross pulled no punches in his written response to festival participants: “All of your bi**hing about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech’ and all that s**t? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again.”
The South Park episode captures the absurdity through a confrontation between Cartman and Tolkien Black, who refuses to participate in the Saudi-sponsored Turkey Trot. Cartman’s defense drips with the show’s sarcasm: “What, Tolkien, you don’t like that Saudi Arabia is buying American stuff? They’re trying to be progressive, OK? You want them to go back to what they were doing? Do you want Saudi Arabia to just go back to cutting people up and paying Kevin Hart? Is that what you want? You can’t whine about a country trying to come into the 21st century.”
Stone and Parker recently explained their approach to The New York Times, noting that speaking out against certain topics has become “taboo.” Stone said: “Trey and I are attracted to that like flies to honey. Oh, that’s where the taboo is? Over there? OK, then we’re over there.”
Parker clarified their targets span the political spectrum: “We’re just very down-the-middle guys. Any extremists of any kind, we make fun of. We did it for years with the woke thing. That was hilarious to us. And this is hilarious to us.”
Human Rights Watch had urged performers to use their platforms to highlight detained activists and acknowledge the anniversary of journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. Most chose silence instead. The show’s mockery serves as a reminder that principles become meaningless when they’re negotiable—even for substantial fees paid in Saudi riyals.