BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A stand-up comic who took part in a comedy festival criticized for being held in a country with a spotty track record on human rights will be coming to Alabama this spring.

Jessica Kirson, who was originally scheduled to bring her show to the BJCC Theatre in Birmingham this Thursday, will instead be rescheduling her set for March 1. Kirson was recently part of a slate of comedians, including Bill Burr, Kevin Hart and Louis CK, featured at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. Her performance was held Sunday.

Many comedians have criticized the festival, citing the event as a stunt for Saudi Arabia to whitewash its human rights violations, as well as its treatment of gay people and restrictions on free speech.

While Kirson, who is gay, has not publicly spok

See Full Page