Comedian Bill Burr is showing no remorse for performing at a controversial comedy festival in Saudi Arabia.

The Emmy- and Grammy-nominated funnyman is defending his decision to headline the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which kicked off last week in the Middle East.

Burr is among dozens of comics — including A-listers Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, Whitney Cummings and Pete Davidson — who are participating in the inaugural event.

Due to the Muslim country’s history of abuses and oppression, including critics of the government being jailed and sometimes executed, the festival has received rising backlash from human rights groups and fellow entertainers.

Comedians such as David Cross, Marc Maron and Shane Gillis have publicly condemned the festival, while Atsuko Okatsuka said she previously declined an invitation after being given a contract that included bans on political, religious and LGBTQ+ content.

But Burr, 57, said the “mind-blowing” event was among “the top three experiences” he’s ever had.

“It was great to experience that part of the world and to be a part of the first comedy festival over there in Saudi Arabia,” he said on the latest episode of his “Monday Morning Podcast.”

“The royals loved the show. Everyone was happy. The people that were doing the festival were thrilled,” he added.

However, the “King of Staten Island” star did address his own apprehension about participating in the festival after being “fed” years of the Western media’s negative portrayals of the region.

“You think everybody’s going to be screaming ‘Death to America’ and they’re going to have machetes and want to chop my head off,” Burr said, noting he was surprised by how diverse and receptive the locals were.

He also confirmed Okatsuka’s claims about restrictions on material, but said the limitations were negotiated down after comedians pushed back. According to Burr, he was able to perform his set with only minor changes.

Billed as “the biggest comedy festival in the world,” the event overlaps with the seventh anniversary of the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who’d been widely critical of the Saudi Arabian government.

A Saudi national and U.S. resident, Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018.

In 2021, former President Joe Biden ordered the release of a declassified intelligence report which detailed that Khashoggi’s murder was approved by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — a claim their government denies.

Ahead of the festival, the Human Rights Watch had accused the event of aiding in the “whitewashing” of the government’s severe repression of free speech. The group called on anyone who participates to speak out about the abuses or “risk bolstering the Saudi government’s well-funded efforts to launder its image.”

But despite the criticism and calls to action, Burr remained firm in his stance.

“People are cool. Governments are the problem,” he rationalized. “And the people I met there? They just wanted to laugh. And they did.”

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Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner sue Ray J for defamation over racketeering claims

Kim Kardashian and her mother, Kris Jenner, are suing her ex-boyfriend Ray J for saying they are under federal investigation and on the verge of being indicted.

The defamation lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday by the reality TV stars and businesspeople is a fast and aggressive pushback against allegations they say are entirely baseless.

They say Ray J, whose legal name is Ray Norwood Jr., falsely claimed that he was working with federal investigators on a racketeering case against them that will soon lead to their indictment.

The lawsuit says Ray J's comments are part of a “sustained campaign of harassment and defamation” that has gone on for years.

“Unable to accept the end of his fleeting relationship with Ms. Kardashian over twenty years ago, Ray J has repeatedly sought to attach himself to Plaintiffs’ names and exploit their prominence for personal gain,” the lawsuit says.

The women say two recent statements crossed a line and forced a lawsuit.

The court filing points to a TMZ special that aired in May, in which Ray J said “racketeering charges against the Kardashians would be appropriate,” and “if you told me that the Kardashians were being charged for racketeering, I might believe it.”

He went further in a Sept. 30 livestream that according to the lawsuit had millions of viewers, saying, “The federal RICO I’m about to drop on Kris and Kim is about to be crazy” and “the feds is coming.” He added that the racketeering case would be “worse than Diddy.”

An email to a Ray J representative seeking comment was not immediately answered.

The lawsuit says he gave no evidence for his “blatantly false” statements.

“No such federal investigation exists; no law enforcement agency has initiated any criminal proceedings or investigations related to racketeering charges against Ms. Kardashian or Ms. Jenner; and no credible evidence whatsoever supports these inflammatory allegations,” it says.

Ray J is a singer, actor and brother to pop star Brandy. But he probably remains best known for his relationship with Kardashian, and a sex tape showing the couple that was leaked in 2007.

“Ray J’s acknowledged animosity toward the Kardashian family, coupled with his demonstrated willingness to lie for attention, leaves no room for doubt that his recent RICO statements were neither careless nor impulsive,” the lawsuit says. “They were the latest salvo in a deliberate and malicious campaign of harassment and defamation intended to defame Plaintiffs while reviving his own fading notoriety.”

The lawsuit says the “media storm” set off by the comments has caused them reputational and financial damages that will be established at trial.

Kardashian and Jenner are represented in the case by attorney Alex Spiro.

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Rush announce reunion tour five years after the death of drummer Neil Peart

Five years after their influential drummer and lyricist Neil Peart died of glioblastoma, the Canadian band Rush have announced a reunion tour.

On Monday, Rush co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson revealed a 12-date, seven city tour is scheduled for summer 2026, kicking off in June at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles — where the band played their final show in 2015.

The reunion tour will end in Cleveland in September 2026. They'll also hit Mexico City, Fort Worth, Texas, Chicago, New York and Toronto.

Taking Peart's place is celebrated German composer and producer Anika Nilles. She has previously toured with Jeff Beck.

“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of Rush alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil. A lifetime’s worth of songs that we had put our cumulative hearts and souls into writing, recording and playing together onstage,” Lee wrote in a statement.

He added that he and Lifeson “could not be more excited” to introduce Nilles to their fan base “whom, we know, will give her every chance to live up to that near impossible role.”

They are also hoping to add additional musicians into the fold for the performances.

Earlier this year, the band released a greatest hits collection titled “Rush 50.” Fittingly, it ended with the last songs the band played at their final concert a decade ago.

Their 2026 tour is titled “Fifty Something.”

“We are thrilled to support the Fifty Something tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist,” Peart's widow and daughter, Carrie Nuttall-Peart and Olivia Peart, shared in a joint statement.

“Neil’s musicianship was singular … As the band enters this new chapter, it promises to be truly unforgettable. We are excited to see how their new vision unfolds, and to hear this legendary music played live once again.”

From combined wire services