Erika Kirk Calls Assassination Jokes 'Beyond Disgusting' After Podcast Uproar

Erika Kirk, widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, posted on X on Sunday that leftist podcasters and comedians who joke about political assassination are "beyond disgusting." Her post followed reports of remarks by a podcast and by comedian Dave Chappelle that two outlets describe as mocking her husband's killing.

"A culture that laughs at assassination is one of profound moral decay," she wrote in the post. She also wrote: "Political violence must never be something this country tolerates, excuses, or celebrates." The text here is taken from the versions embedded by two outlets, and those versions match. We did not open the post on X directly.

According to The Gateway Pundit, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a campus event in Utah, which it dated to "last year." Neither outlet gives a date, and that detail has not been independently verified. The Gateway Pundit also describes him as the father of two young children, a detail we have not confirmed elsewhere.

The Podcast Laugh That Started It

The trouble began with the Thursday, Nov. 5 episode of "I've Had It," hosted by Jennifer Welch and Angie "Pumps" Sullivan. The Gateway Pundit reported that the pair read aloud a post reading "We're digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again," then laughed for nearly 30 seconds. Breitbart put the laughter at more than 20 seconds. The Gateway Pundit also reported that Welch said "No comment" on the show, and that the segment was later cut from the episode. It gave no detail on what was removed or who made the call.

Breitbart reported that the pair apologized, calling it "an insensitive joke," and quoted them: "we should not have laughed. We regret it, and we apologize." Breitbart also says the pair called the moment "just a joke," though the order of that remark and the apology is not established in the reporting. The apology is tied to a linked article dated Saturday, Nov. 7. Neither outlet had the full, unedited episode.

Sponsors Head for the Exit, by One Account

Breitbart reported that Cash App dropped the show as a sponsor and that Chewy.com, Boll & Branch and Lola Blankets also cut ties. That account comes from a single outlet, and the departures have not been confirmed with the companies.

Chappelle at the Garden

Breitbart also reported that Dave Chappelle, speaking Friday evening at Madison Square Garden, said "I feel better" in connection with Kirk's killing. That report rests on a partial transcription of a video, and the fuller remarks are profane. No other outlet reviewed here has reported Chappelle's comments, and the full context of what he said on stage remains unclear.

What She Said, and What She Didn't

Breitbart's headline framed Kirk's post as a direct attack on Chappelle and Welch. The Gateway Pundit reported that she responded without naming them directly, and the post itself names neither. Kirk's words are aimed at a culture rather than at any individual. The Gateway Pundit also highlighted a post dated Nov. 6 from commentator J.D. Haltigan criticizing Welch. His characterization of her is his opinion, not reporting, and we do not repeat it here.

One more caution: the coverage so far comes from two right-leaning outlets. Mainstream outlets have not been checked for this report, and the facts above reflect what those two sites have published.

What Comes Next

Chappelle, Welch and Sullivan have not publicly answered Kirk's post, as far as these reports show. The open questions are whether the sponsor departures are confirmed by the companies, whether a full recording or transcript of Chappelle's remarks surfaces, and whether the unedited podcast segment is released.