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In Saudi Arabia, Dave Chappelle jokes that ‘I stand with Israel’ would be his code for censorship

JL;DR SUMMARY Dave Chappelle's performance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia stirred controversy as he humorously suggested using "I stand with Israel" as a code word for when he faces censorship, highlighting his critique of free speech limitations in the U.S. Despite criticism from other comedians and Human Rights Watch, Chappelle used the stage to comment on cancel culture, contrasting the freedoms in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. His remarks are in line with his history of controversial political commentary, including past criticism of Israeli policies and comments on Jewish influence in show business, reflecting his ongoing advocacy for Palestinians. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

PalestineSaudi ArabiaMiddle EastCensorshipFree SpeechControversyCancel CultureComedyDave Chappelle

Places mentioned

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
"During his controversial set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, comedian Dave Chappelle joked that he would use the phrase I stand with Israel as a code to alert fans he was facing censorship."
New York City, New York, United States
"Dave Chappelle speaks onstage during the Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala on April 30, 2025 in New York City."
United Arab Emirates
"At a May 2024 show in the United Arab Emirates, Chappelle called Israels military campaign in the Gaza Strip a genocide."

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Cairo Item ID 63057
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2025-10-04 05:31:06 UTC
Curated 2025-10-04 08:30:46 UTC