The widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk took to X on Sunday to address remarks made about her husband’s 2025 killing. Erika Kirk specifically called out leftist podcasters, comedians, and commentators who had treated the shooting as material for jokes.
She wrote, “To see leftist podcasters, comedians, and commentators laugh about political assassination as though it’s entertainment and the destruction of a human life is a punchline, is beyond disgusting.”
Kirk described the death as an act of political violence that she and the couple’s two children must carry for the rest of their lives. She said a culture willing to laugh at assassination shows profound moral decay and endangers the country’s foundation along with the principles that support its democracy. She added that disagreement over politics does not erase the value of a life and that political violence should never be tolerated, excused, or celebrated.
Hosts of I’ve Had It issue an apology after midterm remarks
On their Thursday episode, Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan of the I’ve Had It podcast laughed at an X post that read, “We’re digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again.” The post appeared after Democrats gained control of both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections.
The following Saturday, the two hosts posted an apology on Instagram. They stated, “On Thursday’s show, we laughed at a joke about Charlie Kirk. It was an insensitive joke, and we should not have laughed. We regret it, and we apologize.”
They went on to say, “Whatever our political differences, there is nothing funny about gun violence. We’ve long supported common-sense gun safety reform.” The hosts noted that they had donated to Everytown for Gun Safety, calling it the largest gun violence prevention organization in America, and said they would continue using their platforms to work for the safety of all Americans.
Several sponsors responded to the backlash, with Cash App and Chewy canceling sponsorships after the joke. Zenni Optical and NOBL Travel were also among the others that withdrew support.
Separately, comedian Dave Chappelle addressed the same subject during a sold-out set at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. According to Mediaite, he told the audience, “I feel f–ked up saying this. It’s scary being a public speaker. And I mean look, ever since that guy Charlie Kirk got murdered … and I shouldn’t say this publicly but, I feel better.”
He continued, “I know I shouldn’t say that, but it’s just a feeling. I didn’t ask to feel this way. I just be driving around like, ‘Why am I in such a good mood? Oh!’” Erika Kirk has also been at the center of a separate comedy dispute, with Trump urging her to sue Druski over Instagram skits.
Published: Nov 9, 2026 09:45 am