Comedian Bill Burr defended his decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, calling critics “sanctimonious” and accusing them of hypocrisy. Burr told a live podcast audience for Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend that detractors don’t “sincerely give a sh*t,” while insisting the performance felt meaningful and welcomed by audiences.
He argued, according to reporting by the Hollywood Reporter, that such events are necessary to bridge cultural divides, as he dismissed his critics as “phony.” Burr’s comments come amid backlash from fellow comedians and human rights groups who see the festival as a PR effort by the Saudi government to whitewash its record.
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