Post Riyadh Comedy Festival, There’s A New Saudi Backed Hollywood Studio

I didn’t see the vision when Saudi Arabia hired Louis C.K. for the Riyadh Comedy Festival. Why, in their goal to appeal to the West, or whatever the objective was, would they bring the semi-canceled, formerly semi-erect prolific masturbator over to the Middle East? Then, the news broke that Saudi Arabia would be backing a new production company spearheaded by Erik Feig. 

Immediately, I understood a bit more clearly why someone like C.K. would be paid the big bucks to go over to Saudi Arabia. They needed to get familiar with the dick-swinging and rampant non-consensual sexual contact so prevalent in Hollywood. I mean, there’s got to be at least one more Harvey Weinstein using casting sessions as hunting grounds, though from the unsubstantiated rumors floating around, there are at least a dozen. 

According to Puck, which first reported the news, Feig has secured roughly $1 billion in funding for his new Arena SNK Studios, which will work on films and TV series. Feig at least seems like a better American investment for the Saudi royal family compared to hiring someone like Whitney Cummings for their comedy festival. Feig’s credits include La La Land, The Hurt Locker, Sicario and the Twilight and Hunger Games. 

Of course, a slew of comedians you wouldn’t want to be stuck in an elevator with all performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival and Arena SNK Studios aren’t the only entertainment investments the crown has made. The Saudis also invest in golf, soccer and video games. But per Puck’s Matthew Belloni, Arena SNK is the biggest investment they’ve made to date, and could have ramifications for what we’re watching on big and small screens for decades to come. 

Feig himself hasn’t commented on the news, but if I was just given a billion dollars by a government best known for dismembering a journalist with a bone saw, I too would be very quiet. What’s there even to say? “Sorry I took the billion dollars, however, I will make that up by adapting your favorite animes into live-action blockbusters that will keep people coming to movie theaters for years to come.”

It’s clear though that we’ve fully broken the seal on Saudi Arabian involvement in American entertainment. Whether that’s Pete Davidson accepting huge volumes of cash to perform at the comedy festival, or Feig accepting huge volumes of cash to produce movies invested in by the Royal family, that cherry has been popped. 

Here’s my only request to Feig as he invests all this dubiously sourced money into future franchises: Please, keep Jared Leto off of my television.