Weird Al: I Turned Down 7-Figure Offer From Saudis

"Weird Al" Yankovic says he walked away from what would have been the biggest paycheck of his career rather than play Saudi Arabia's high-profile comedy festival. Speaking to TribLive, the parody legend says he was offered a seven-figure sum—he wasn't more specific—to perform at last fall's Riyadh Comedy Festival. "I'm not dissing anybody that took the money because ... I'm sure they had their own reasons and justifications for doing it," he said. "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 government-backed festival has divided the comedy world, reports Variety. Big names including Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Louis CK, Pete Davidson, and Aziz Ansari took the stage, with some arguing their presence could help open up the kingdom. Others publicly refused. Atsuko Okatsuka said she turned down a lucrative offer that came with bans on jokes about the Saudi government, courts, or religious practices, calling out Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's human-rights record. Shane Gillis similarly said he rejected a "significant bag" on principle. The festival's future—reportedly eyed for a 2026 return—remains uncertain.