Chappelle says he feels better since Kirk's death, sparking new debate
The comedian's remark at Madison Square Garden joined a week of reactions from other entertainers and Kirk's widow.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
The laughter died down after a single line from the stage.
Dave Chappelle told a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night that he feels better now that conservative activist Charlie Kirk is dead. The comment came during his Karmageddon tour. Although the venue requested a phone-free environment, videos of the set quickly spread across social media. Chappelle said he knows he should not share the sentiment publicly. He called it a personal feeling.
Piers Morgan reacted to the clips on X. The British broadcaster labeled the remark disgusting. He noted that Chappelle survived a stage attack in 2022, which made the comment seem especially egregious to him. Chappelle's representatives did not answer messages seeking a response on Sunday.
Other entertainers have faced similar criticism for their timing. Hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Pumps Sullivan apologized on Saturday for their reaction to a joke about Kirk. The hosts laughed during a Thursday episode of the I've Had It podcast when a listener shared a comment about digging up Kirk to do it again. Several advertisers, including Cash App, pulled their sponsorship. Cash App wrote on X that it does not condone violence of any kind.
The podcast hosts posted a statement on Instagram. They called the joke insensitive and said they should not have laughed. They donated money to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety as part of their apology. Comedian Michael Che also addressed the topic in his Netflix special Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota, which released last month. Che joked that straight white conservative Christian men are being silenced. He told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that he wants people to laugh at things that horrify them.
Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, responded to the recent jokes on X. She did not specify which incident prompted her statement. She wrote that seeing leftist podcasters and comedians laugh about political assassination is beyond disgusting. She described a culture that laughs at assassination as one of profound moral decay. She said this trend threatens the foundation of the country and the principles that hold democracy together.
Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA. He was shot and killed in September 2025 while speaking at a college event in Utah. Tyler Robinson of Utah has been charged with his death.
