Radio host Charlamagne tha God criticized comedian Dave Chappelle on Monday over comments Chappelle made about the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
A video circulated on social media Friday appearing to show Chappelle making the remarks during a stop of his “Karmageddon” tour at Madison Square Garden in New York City, despite the venue’s rules barring cell phones during the show.
“I feel f—– up saying this. It’s scary being a public speaker. And I mean, look, ever since that guy, Charlie Kirk, got murdered, and I shouldn’t say this publicly, but, I feel better,” Chappelle said in the clip.
Chappelle went on to describe an unexpected lift in his mood following Kirk’s death. “I just be driving around like, ‘Why am I in such a good mood? Oh!'” he said.
Charlamagne played the audio on his radio show, “The Breakfast Club,” and said he didn’t share in the laughter.
“I don’t find the humor in people getting clapped, okay? Any of us can be shot, and I don’t want anybody getting shot because somebody disagrees with their opinion. So yeah, you have the freedom to, you know, joke and talk about whatever you want to joke and talk about, but personally I don’t want to deal with the energy of that. Like I don’t wish stuff like that on my worst enemy.”
Some of Charlamagne’s co-hosts pointed out that the clip circulating online lacked additional context. Charlamagne agreed, but said the footage still read to him as Chappelle stating a personal reaction rather than performing a bit.
“It just sounded like he made an observation — at least from what that clip just played, that it was just like he felt better after Charlie Kirk got shot and killed.”
Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for both Charlamagne and Chappelle for comment.
The clip drew criticism elsewhere online, with some commentators calling the joke “sick.” Turning Point USA directed Fox News Digital to a statement Erika Kirk posted on X, in which she called it “disgusting” to treat the taking of a human life as a punchline.
“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.”
Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet made a similar point in an interview with Fox News Digital, saying the group wasn’t demanding reverence, just restraint.
“We’re not asking people to, you know, be evangelical Christians here. We’re asking don’t celebrate, condone or glorify political violence. Don’t be happy when someone’s assassinated. It’s a very, very low bar. But if we don’t keep it, then everything else falls apart.”
