'Weird Al' Yankovic says he walked away from a seven-figure comedy festival offer in Saudi Arabia

Musician and drama icon "Weird Al" Yankovic reportedly turned down an eye-watering "seven figures" to execute astatine Saudi Arabia’s arguable debut show past year.

In an question and reply with Pennsylvania’s Tribune-Review, nan Grammy-winning parody creator revealed that he declined an invitation to execute astatine nan inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival past year, and that nan thought of accepting Saudi money arsenic costs made him "feel icky."

"I was invited to nan Riyadh Comedy Festival, which is thing that I evidently did not want to do," Yankovic reportedly said. "They offered me, I’m not going to opportunity really much, but it was 7 figures to do 1 show, which is measurement much than I’ve ever been offered successful my life to do a show."

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Weird Al Yankovic performs during nan 2026 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival connected June 13, 2026, successful Manchester, Tenn. (Getty Images)

Yankovic went connected to asseverate that he does not look down connected immoderate performers who chose to look astatine nan arguable festival, which hosted astir 6,000 attendees, but insisted that he could not tummy nan implications of appearing astatine nan event.

"But I conscionable couldn’t beryllium portion of that," he continued. "I’m not dissing anybody that took nan money because I’m judge everybody that went location sewage a batch of money. I’m judge they had their ain reasons and justifications for doing it. But I’m doing capable that I don’t request to return immoderate magnitude of money if it makes maine consciousness icky, and that benignant of did."

The comedian antecedently made headlines aft he declined to look successful an unspecified AI advertisement, saying he turned down yet different ample sum by rejecting nan offer.

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An installation showcasing nan Riyadh Comedy Festival is pictured astatine Boulevard City successful nan Hittin vicinity of Riyadh connected Oct. 6, 2025. (AFP via Getty Images)

"I wish group would connection maine things that I didn’t consciousness bad astir accepting," Yankovic told nan Tribune-Review, referring to nan AI ad.

Fox News Digital extensively covered nan guidance successful nan drama world to past year’s Riyadh Comedy Festival, successful which cardinal names wrong nan manufacture offered harsh disapproval toward comedians who chose to look astatine nan event.

At nan time, "Real Time" big Bill Maher blasted comedian Dave Chappelle for his prime to execute astatine nan festival.

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"Weird Al" Yankovic attends nan Los Angeles typical screening of Amazon MGM Studios' 'John Candy: I Like Me' astatine The Montalban successful Hollywood, Calif., connected Oct. 2, 2025. (WireImage via Getty Images)

"Dave Chappelle … was successful nan property coming saying that you tin speak much freely complete present than successful America," Maher told Louis C.K., who besides made an quality astatine nan arguable event.

"I don't cognize if that's true," C.K. replied.

"Oh, it's not true," Maher said, earlier suggesting that Chappelle execute a regular astir nan Prophet Muhammad to trial his claims astir free reside wrong nan country.

C.K. quickly clarified that Chappelle is simply a Muslim, telling Maher, "So, it depends connected who you are and what you want to talk about."

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Talk show big Jimmy Kimmel besides put comedian Aziz Ansari successful nan basking spot soon aft his capacity astatine nan festival.

"They murdered a journalist. These are not bully group complete there," Kimmel told Ansari, successful reference to nan infamous state-sponsored execution of Jamal Khashoggi wrong nan Saudi consulate successful Turkey successful 2018.

"I was conscionable location to do a show for nan people," Ansari replied. "Whenever there’s repressive societies for illustration this, they effort to support things retired — whether it’s stone ‘n’ rotation euphony aliases bluish jeans — because it makes group funny astir extracurricular ideas, extracurricular values. And this is simply a very young country. Like, half nan state is nether nan property of 25, and things tin really change. And, to me, a drama show felt for illustration thing that’s pushing things to beryllium much unfastened and to push a dialogue."

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Fox News Digital reached retired to Yankovic and nan General Entertainment Authority successful Saudi Arabia.

Fox News Digital’s Marc Tomasco contributed to this report.