Comedian Aziz Ansari defended his decision to perform at Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Comedy Festival on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', despite criticism over the country's human rights record. Ansari argued that performing at such events could promote openness and dialogue. Kimmel, who had called the Saudi government a 'brutal regime', acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating, 'Nothing’s black and white.' The festival, which hosted over 50 comedians including Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle, has been criticized by Human Rights Watch for deflecting attention from Saudi Arabia's 'brutal repression of free speech.'

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.