So the article has a link to the "visit saudi" page with the line up. Some additional disappointments are hannibal burress, Omid Djalili (... not sure how dissapointed I should be of him, since I consider him a fellow ethnic minorty Brit, but he could be "the people in Riadh could do with a laugh, ~~just like when I was in Tehran~~ that MF is british born and raised), aziz ansari, Wayne Brady (I guess he was tired of looking like a bitch?) .

But the jewel is the "about saudi" section which shows you what a fun holiday destination Saudi Arabia is :

Alcohol and Substances

Alcohol and narcotics are strictly prohibited by law, and violations can carry serious penalties.

General Conduct: Courtesy and modesty are highly valued.

Because nothing says "fun holiday" like "you better wear that burkha, and not drink anything, or your ass is going to jail for a very long time".

You want soft power? Stop being an oppressive, economic hole, and be a place actually worth visiting. The reason Japan and Korea can get away with their horrid conservativism is that they allow artistic expression, and can maintain an economy and social presentability in a way that people aren't fleeing the country/region in droves and foreigners want to experience their culture firsthand because it seems safe, novel and luxurious. Flavours of Ice cream and chocolate aren't going to cut it.

(EDIT : The reason I mention economic issues is that the people that make the culture you need to be present to witness, like food, dances, theater works etc have already left the region. No one needs to go to the middle east for authentic shawarma. Sushi is available, but the idea of having "real sushi" in Japan has an allure that eating a "Real fallaffel" in Saudi Arabia does not. because it's an overtly oppressive place. Even though there are plenty of places in Japan that will literally have "no foreigners" signs, which I doubt exist in Saudi Arabia)

The most notable recent cultural export from Saudi Arabia is Masameer county, and that's not the kind of place anyone wants to visit.... although I really had fun watching it. Doesn't mean I want to go to Riyadh to live like those idiots, the same way I don't want to go visit Nova Scotia after watching Trailer Park Boys.

EDIT2 : HAH! Not even fucking Masameer County is safe!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masameer

On June 26, 2024, Masameer creator Abdulaziz al-Muzaini announced that a Saudi court was prosecuting him with charges that he and his company had "sponsored and supported terrorism and homosexuality" in Masameer. The case had been set in motion in 2021, coinciding with the series' release on Netflix. Muzaini was sentenced to 13 years in prison and a 13-year travel ban, increased to a 30-year travel ban following Muzaini's attempt to appeal the verdict. As of August 2024, the case was pending an appeal to the Saudi Arabia Supreme Court.[8]

Way to cripple your only worthwhile cultural contribution to society since your formal founding. You are a constant disgrace to the Islamic Golden Age.

A recent U.S. State Department report on Saudi Arabia's human rights record in 2024 listed abuses including "arbitrary or unlawful killings, disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, and serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom," among other issues.

Sounds like 2025 in the US. Seems like the report was a blueprint.