Gay Comedian Jessica Kirson Apologizes for Performing at Riyadh Comedy Festival

Comedian Jessica Kirson was as surprised as everyone else that she was invited to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, considering that she’s 1) Jewish and 2) gay. Before she agreed to perform — and she did appear at the festival in late September — she got a guarantee from the event that she could be “openly out as a lesbian on stage and perform gay material.”

Apparently, the set was well-received. On Real Time With Bill Maher, Louis C.K. marveled about “a woman who’s a lesbian and Jewish who did a show there, and she got a standing ovation.” A check of the comedian roster shows only one stand-up who fits that description.

Like C.K., who discussed blowback from his fellow comedians with Maher, Kirson is all too aware of the criticism from peers and fans. A quick review of the comments section on one of her recent Instagram posts reveals frustration like:

• “Hey I love you but why the fuck are you selling out to authoritarians? Like seriously.”
• “Heartbroken Jessica. You should be ashamed.”
• “Lost a fan. Genuinely disappointed. Not allyship”
• “Why did you do it @jessykirson? You were my favorite and I just don’t understand. I guess there’s nothing like cashing a juicy check from the same people who’d throw you in prison for half your jokes.”
• “You know you didn’t have to go, right? We understand it was a lot of money, we aren’t stupid. You made your choice.”

Unlike C.K., who still halfheartedly endorses the festival, Kirson is now expressing public regret about participating. 

“I hoped that this could help LGBTQ+ people in Saudi Arabia feel seen and valued. I am grateful that I was able to do precisely that — to my knowledge, I am the first openly gay comic to talk about it on stage in Saudi Arabia. I received messages from attendees sharing how much it meant to them to participate in a gay-affirming event,” Kirson said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. “At the same time, I deeply regret participating under the auspices of the Saudi government.”

Kirson said she was “deeply sorry to all the fans and followers” who were hurt by her decision to perform, and pledged to donate her entire fee to an unnamed human rights organization.

“I have a special relationship with my fans because of the vulnerable nature of my comedy and the trust they place in me as part of the queer community,” she explained. “To my fans: I see you. I hear you. Your voice matters to me. I love you all, and I am genuinely sorry for making a poor decision that had repercussions I didn’t fully consider. I will take full responsibility for my actions and dedicate myself to making amends, so that my words and choices reflect the respect and care you deserve.”