Dave Chappelle’s Charlie Kirk Joke Prompts Response from Erika Kirk: Using the ‘Destruction of a Human Life’ as a ‘Punchline Is Beyond Disgusting’

After Dave Chappelle joked that he feels better ever since Charlie Kirk was murdered, Kirk’s widow, Erika, has responded to those using her late husband’s death as a punchline.

“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,” she wrote on X Sunday. “My husband, Charlie Kirk, was killed in an act of political violence, something our two children and I will live with every day for the rest of our lives.”

She continued: “A culture that laughs at assassination is one of profound moral decay. It threatens the very foundation of our country and the principles that hold our democracy together. You do not have to agree with someone’s politics to recognize the value of their life. This should not be so hard. Political violence must never be something this country tolerates, excuses, or celebrates.”

Chappelle has been receiving backlash across social media after footage from his Friday show at Madison Square Garden — which was advertised as a phone-free experience that would require devices be stored away in Yondr pouches – showed the comedian quipping about Kirk’s death.

“I feel fucked up saying this. It’s scary being a public speaker,” Chappelle said. “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!’”

“I’ve Had It” podcast hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan also came under fire recently for laughing at a joke about Kirk during a Thursday episode of their show. The two released a joint statement on Saturday, writing that they “regret it” and “apologize.”

The conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder died on Sept. 10, 2025, after being shot during a college event in Utah. He was 31.