'Beyond Disgusting': Erika Kirk Condemns Comedians After Dave Chappelle's Charlie Kirk Joke

Erika Kirk has condemned public figures who make light of political assassination after remarks attributed to comedian Dave Chappelle about her late husband, Charlie Kirk, circulated online and prompted criticism.

The 53-year-old comedian reportedly made the remarks during one of his performances at New York's Madison Square Garden on 6 or 7 November. The shows were advertised as phone-free events, with attendees required to secure their devices in Yondr pouches.

Despite the restrictions, a short video purporting to show the performance circulated on social media. The footage appears to show Chappelle saying he felt better following Charlie Kirk's killing, although he also appears to express discomfort about admitting this publicly. The recording's authenticity and full context have not been independently verified.

What Did Erika Kirk Say About the Jokes?

On Sunday, 8 November, Erika addressed jokes about political assassination in a post on X. She condemned public figures who treated such violence as entertainment, describing the behaviour as 'beyond disgusting'. Although her comments came amid criticism of Chappelle and other public figures, she did not mention him by name or identify a specific incident.

She described her husband's killing as political violence and said its impact would remain with her and their two children for the rest of their lives.

Erika described a culture that laughs at assassination as one of profound moral decay, arguing that it threatens the country's democratic principles.

She added that people did not need to agree with someone's political views to recognise the value of their life, insisting that political violence should never be tolerated, excused or celebrated.

Podcast Hosts Also Face Backlash

Separately, Jennifer Welch and Angie 'Pumps' Sullivan, co-hosts of the I've Had It podcast, faced criticism after laughing at a social media post about Charlie Kirk's killing during an episode released on Thursday, 5 November.

The social media post read: 'We're digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again.' The hosts laughed after reading it, and footage of the exchange later circulated online, prompting criticism and calls for advertisers to withdraw their support.

Cash App announced that it was no longer a sponsor of the podcast. Chewy, meanwhile, said it did not sponsor or support the programme and condemned violence in all forms.

On Saturday, 7 November, Welch and Sullivan issued a joint apology on the podcast's Instagram account, describing their reaction as an 'insensitive joke' and acknowledging that they should not have laughed.

The hosts also announced a donation to Everytown for Gun Safety, which they described as the largest gun violence prevention organisation in the United States.

Charlie Kirk Was Killed in September 2025

Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was 31 when he was fatally shot while speaking at a student-sponsored event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on 10 September 2025.

Erika's statement came amid growing criticism of public comments about her husband's killing. However, she did not identify the individuals or incidents she was addressing, and the circulating footage of Chappelle does not independently establish the full context of his performance.