The Riyadh Comedy Festival attracts senior American comedians amid controversy

The Riyadh Comedy Festival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attracts international stars, including Dave Chapheel and Beit Davidson and Kevin Hart, with reports that some of them receive more than a million dollars each. This event is part of the campaign of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to restore the conservative kingdom through sports and entertainment. Human rights groups say the campaign is an attempt to whiten violations, noting the restrictions imposed on freedom of expression and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.