Dave Chappelle drew criticism after saying during a Friday night performance in New York that he felt “better” since the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
A video circulating online appears to capture the remarks at Madison Square Garden, where phones were reportedly prohibited. Chappelle said he felt uneasy admitting it, then explained that he had found himself in unexpectedly high spirits since Kirk was murdered.
“I know I shouldn’t say that, but it’s just a feeling. I didn’t ask to feel this way,” he said, adding that he would catch himself driving around in a good mood and then remember why.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, called making a joke of a human life “disgusting.” She said that laughing at an assassination reflected a serious moral decline and threatened the country’s democratic principles, adding that people should be able to recognize the value of a life even when they disagree politically.
Elon Musk condemned Chappelle’s comments, while podcast host Benny Johnson called them sick. Political commentator Meghan McCain questioned what was wrong with the comedian, and former Mike Pence communications director Katie Miller asked concert promoter Live Nation whether it agreed with the remarks. Journalist Piers Morgan also criticized Chappelle, noting that he had survived an onstage attack in 2022.
Some online commenters pointed out that Kirk had defended Chappelle after that attack. Kirk said at the time that not charging the assailant would send the message that political violence in public was acceptable. The attacker was later charged with four misdemeanors.
Kirk was killed at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10, 2025. Tyler Robinson, 23, who is accused of the shooting, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges. A trial date has not been set, and his attorneys are seeking to bar cameras from an upcoming hearing.
Chappelle has faced criticism before for material considered provocative, including jokes about transgender people. His 2021 Netflix special, “The Closer,” prompted a small group of employees to stage a walkout.
Other comedians have also drawn backlash for jokes about Kirk’s death. Pete Davidson made an explicit joke about him during Netflix’s “The Roast of Kevin Hart,” and Michael Che, a “Saturday Night Live” “Weekend Update” co-anchor, joked about Kirk’s killing in his special “Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota.”
