Dave Chappelle Sparks Outrage With Remarks About Charlie Kirk Murder

Comedian Dave Chappelle told a audience at Madison Square Garden in New York City that he has felt better ever since conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered, the New York Post reported. The remark was made during back to back weekend performances that closed his Karmageddon tour and opened the New York Comedy Festival. Video of the comment circulated on social media, drawing criticism from conservative commentators and fans, according to reports from Raw Story, JFeed, Breitbart News, and Townhall. [1][5][6][7][8]

The controversy comes alongside similar backlash facing podcasters Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan, who hosts the podcast I have Had It, Fox News and HuffPost reported. Fox News and HuffPost reported that Welch and Sullivan released an apology on Saturday after laughing on their Thursday episode while reading social media posts about Kirk's death following the 2026 midterm elections. The duo stated on Instagram that it was an insensitive joke and that they should not have laughed, according to HuffPost. [2][3][4]

Chappelle is an American stand up comedian and actor who co created Chappelle's Show and has won multiple Primetime Emmy Awards and Grammy Awards for his stand up specials. Kirk was an American political activist who co founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and served as its executive director until his death. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Kirk died in September 2025. [9][10][11][13]