Key Takeaways
- Weird Al Yankovic says he turned down a seven-figure offer to perform at Saudi Arabia's inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival because, despite it being the biggest single-show payday of his career, he "just couldn't be part of that" and it made him feel "icky."
- He stresses he's not judging comics who took the money, even as other refusers like Atsuko Okatsuka and Shane Gillis cite human-rights concerns, content restrictions, and the festival's ties to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
- The revelation comes weeks after Yankovic also walked away from a lucrative AI software commercial, saying he's doing well enough that he won't take any check that clashes with his values.
Weird Al Yankovic has revealed that he turned down a seven-figure payday to appear at a comedy festival in the Middle East last year.
In an interview with TribLive, Yankovic discussed being invited to perform at Saudi Arabia's inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival and how he declined the offer despite it coming with hefty fee.
"I wish people would offer me things that I didn't feel bad about accepting," Yankovic said. "I don't think I've mentioned this anywhere, but I was invited to the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which is something that I obviously did not want to do. They offered me, I'm not going to say how much, but it was seven figures to do one show, which is way more than I've ever been offered in my life to do a show. But I just couldn't be part of that."
He went on to add that his hesitation was personal and not a condemnation of any performer who opted to take the stage at the festival.
"I'm not dissing anybody that took the money because I'm sure everybody that went there got a lot of money," he said. "I'm sure they had their own reasons and justifications for doing it. But I'm doing enough that I don't need to take any amount of money if it makes me feel icky, and that kind of did."
The festival, which ran from September 26 through October 9, 2025, was organized by Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority as part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 push to expand its entertainment sector. It drew more than 50 comedians whose paydays ranged from mid-six-figures to as high as $1.6 million per show, per Variety.
The event attracted significant criticism from other performers. Marc Maron, Jimmy Kimmel, and David Cross cited the festival's ties to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi Arabia's role in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, who also turned down an offer, wrote on X that the money "is coming straight from the Crown Prince, who actively executes journalists, [people with non-lethal] drug offenses, bloggers, etc w/out due process." Okatsuka also noted her invitation came with content restrictions barring jokes about the Saudi government, legal system, or religious customs.
Shane Gillis said he declined a "significant bag" and held firm even after organizers reportedly doubled the offer.
Those who performed saw it differently. Aziz Ansari defended his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, arguing it was unfair to project "the worst behavior of the government" onto ordinary Saudi citizens. Bill Burr called it "one of the top three experiences I've had," and Louis C.K. described it as a "good opportunity." Dave Chappelle quipped onstage: "It's easier to talk here than it is in America."
The Saudi revelation lands weeks after Weird Al Yankovic drew attention for backing out of an AI software commercial earlier this month, a deal he had initially accepted for what he called a "nice pile of money" before learning the product involved AI. "I'm not down with that," he said of his decision to back out.
