Political violence isn’t entertainment, Erika Kirk says after Dave Chappelle’s Charlie Kirk joke draws rebuke at MSG

Joke at Madison Square Garden

Chappelle performed for a sold-out audience at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. While discussing pressure on public figures to speak carefully, he referred to Charlie Kirk’s killing. “I feel fucked up saying this,” Chappelle said, before describing fear around public speaking. He added that he felt better after Kirk was murdered, while acknowledging he felt he should not say so publicly.

Erika Kirk condemns laughter

Erika Kirk, who took over as CEO of Turning Point USA after her husband’s death, responded on X on Sunday. She condemned people who laugh about political violence and said the killing had left lasting consequences for her family.

She wrote that she and their two children would live with the loss. Kirk argued that people need not share someone’s politics to value their life, and said political violence should not be tolerated or celebrated.

Earlier backlash over comments

ABC also took Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air for nearly a week after Kimmel discussed the response to Kirk’s death. Chappelle has not publicly answered Erika Kirk’s statement. The Hollywood Reporter said it sought comment from his representative but had not received a response by Monday.

Podcast sponsors pull support

Separately, I’ve Had It hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan apologized on Thursday for laughing at a joke about Kirk’s death on an earlier episode. The hosts had read social media posts about the midterms, including one calling for Kirk’s body to be dug up and killed again. At least two sponsors, Cash App and Chewy, later said on X that they were ending their sponsorships.