Bill Maher and Louis CK Torpedo Dave Chappelle’s Free Speech Rant in Riyadh

MAHER: “I still think the guy, people who are doing it are a brave, and it’s apparently the ones over there enjoying it.”
Louis CK: “Yes, they’re all — what I’m talking about, the comedians that have been there, they’ve been really surprised by what’s going on. There is a woman who’s a lesbian and Jewish who did a show there, and she got a standing ovation. So there’s stuff going on that’s unexpected in this thing. And people have been playing Saudi Arabia for years. Like, comedians have been going and playing Arab countries. There was a film festival there recently. Like, it’s kind of opened up. But I’ve always said no to Arab countries doing — I do shows everywhere. Like, this show I’m playing in India, I’m playing in Turkey, I’m playing in Bangkok, Hong Kong, all over the world this year. And when this came up, they said there’s only two restrictions: it’s their religion and their government. I don’t have jokes about those two things. It used to be, when you got — when I got offers from places like that, there’d be a long list and I just say, ‘No, I don’t need that.’ But when I heard it’s opening, I thought that’s awfully interesting. That just feels like a good opportunity. And I just think comedy is a great way to get in and start talking. And there’s Saudi Arabian comedians there. And I’m going to a comedy club in Saudi Arabia the first night I get there to just see what’s going on. I love stand-up comedy and I love comedians. So the fact that that’s opening up and starting to bud, I want to see it, I want to be part of it. I think that’s a positive.”
(Applause)
MAHER: “I think so too. Dave Chappelle said — he was in the press today saying that you can speak more freely over here than in America.”
Louis CK: “Yeah, I don’t know if that’s true.”
MAHER: “Oh, it’s not true. Yeah, do your hunk on Muhammad, Dave.”
Louis CK: “Yeah. Well, he’s a Muslim, David. You know?”
MAHER: “I understand.”
Louis CK: “So it depends on who you are and what you want to talk about.”