Erika Kirk condemns assassination jokes as Dave Chappelle clip spreads
Kirk's post followed a leaked clip of Dave Chappelle discussing her husband's murder; she did not name the comedian.
Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, wrote on X on Sunday that watching people laugh about political assassination is "beyond disgusting." Her post followed the release of a leaked clip in which Dave Chappelle said he felt "better" since her husband’s murder.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
"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," Erika Kirk wrote. She wrote that political violence killed her husband, leaving "something our two children and I will live with every day for the rest of our lives."
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.
— Erika Kirk (@MrsErikaKirk) November 8, 2026
My husband, Charlie Kirk, was killed in an act of political violence, something our
"A culture that laughs at assassination is one of profound moral decay," she wrote. Newsweek reported that she did not explicitly name Chappelle. When the outlet sought comment, Turning Point USA, which Charlie Kirk co-founded, directed it to her post.
Chappelle spoke at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show in New York, part of his Karmageddon run at the New York Comedy Festival. "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!'" Chappelle said.
Though the shows prohibit phones, a short recording reached the internet and spread on X. The Blast reported that the footage captures only part of the longer set, leaving out what Chappelle said around his comments about Kirk.
Mediaite placed the remarks on Saturday, while The Daily Wire said Chappelle spoke Friday night.
"Shame, shame, shame on Chappelle," Elon Musk wrote on X.
It was not immediately clear whether Chappelle or his representatives would respond, or precisely when the show took place.
Erika Kirk’s post followed a Thursday episode of I've Had It in which hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan laughed at an X post. It read, "We're digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again."
"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," Welch and Sullivan wrote on Instagram. The hosts said they had donated to Everytown for Gun Safety.
Cash App and Chewy were among the sponsors that left the podcast. "We do not condone violence of any kind, and we are no longer sponsors of this podcast," Cash App wrote on X.
Charlie Kirk was 31 when he was fatally shot on Sept. 10, 2025, while answering questions outdoors at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Tyler Robinson, 22, faces an aggravated murder charge and other counts, and prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty. On Sept. 1, a Utah judge ordered Robinson to stand trial. He has pleaded not guilty.
Robinson’s defense attorneys have asked the court to exclude media coverage, arguing that broadcasts and livestreams could compromise his right to a fair trial. The trial timeline is expected to be addressed at a hearing scheduled for Monday.
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