Louis C.K. defended his and other comedians’ decision to perform at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia amid a wave of criticism from fellow comics.

Appearing on Real Time With Bill Maher Friday ahead of his scheduled Riyadh set on Monday, C.K. said he initially had “mixed feelings” about taking the gig, and that he previously turned down opportunities to perform in Arab countries due to censorship concerns. However, he said Saudi Arabia has “kind of opened up.”

“I’ve always said no to Arab countries,” C.K. said ( via The Hollywood Reporter ). “When this came up, they said there’s only two restrictions; their religion and their government, and I don’t have jokes about those two things. It used to be when I got offers from places like that, there would be a

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