Unforced Errors

Arthur Ashe, Bill Burr, and the cost of money for nothing.

One of the first names that came to mind upon seeing the lineup of the Riyadh Comedy Festival, was Arthur Ashe. Or more specifically, his playing in South Africa in 1973. Like Ashe, Bill Burr has made a point in using his chosen field to shine a light on some of the world’s wrongs-calling out what he sees as hypocrisy, injustice, and greed in his routines. But unlike Ashe, who argued that he needed to witness apartheid firsthand to speak about it knowledgeably and saw playing in South Africa as a way to expose the system’s horrors, Burr’s reasons for performing at this festival can only really be summed up in one word: money. The sunlight as the most powerful disinfectant argument doesn't quite work here.

Ashe would spend many years having to explain his actions; many in the anti-apartheid movement argued that any engagement with the country’s sporting system, regardless of intent, served to normalize and legitimize the regime. Sound familiar? Have you heard Marc Maron recently? By the time the 1980’s rolled around, Ashe would be seen in cuffs, being arrested at an anti-apartheid protest. In the end, his intellect and commitment to justice would allow him to overcome his decision to play in South Africa. An unforced error.

The comedians who played in Riyadh may have a tougher road to travel . There seems to be very little principle, and mostly a whole lot of cash. One wonders would this bunch have played Sun City? The Steven Van Zandt project also came to mind reading about the controversy surrounding the festival. Is Saudi Arabia the equivalent of 1980’s Bophuthatswana? No, but is it a bastion free speech and the free speech principles that many of these comics riff on? Eh… I would say no. On second thought, considering the times we live in, this may simply be a tempest in a teapot. They have plenty of platforms to fend off the BlueSky mob.

But there is something ironic and telling about our times that this has become so controversial. It's not a bed-in for peace, a massive billboard campaign, a star studded concert, or leading a march down 5th Avenue, that is causing the outcry. No, that was the stuff of a more noble, and yes, naive time. There is nothing noble or naive about this story. Get your money for nothin’, get your chicks for free.

Money for nothing indeed.