Charlamagne tha God has publicly criticized Dave Chappelle for remarks the comedian made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, saying he finds no humor in people being shot and would not wish such a fate on his worst enemy. The criticism came on The Breakfast Club, the radio show Charlamagne co-hosts, and it set a sharper tone than the show's initial reaction to the clip.
The remarks surfaced through an unofficial video recorded during Chappelle's "Karmageddon" tour at Madison Square Garden in New York. In the clip, Chappelle said he felt "better" after Kirk was shot and killed, describing an unexpected good mood after hearing the news. The venue reportedly barred phones during the performance, which means the recording was not made by the production itself. The clip began circulating on social media on Friday, and it spread quickly among users who had not attended the show.
On the show, Charlamagne's co-hosts noted that the clip lacked context, and Charlamagne described Chappelle's remarks as an "observation." He nonetheless rejected the humor behind them. Charlamagne said that he does not find it funny when people are shot, and that he would not wish such things on his worst enemy. The reaction online was more hostile than the discussion on the show, and some social media users called the joke "sick." The disagreement over how to read a short clip taken out of a live set was itself part of the debate, with some viewers arguing the remark deserved to be judged as a joke and others treating it as a statement of feeling.
Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded, responded through a statement from Erika Kirk posted on X. She called the joke disgusting and warned that laughing at an assassination signals moral decay. Her statement framed the matter as one of character rather than comedy, arguing that a society that treats political killing as entertainment has lost a basic moral reference point. A TPUSA spokesperson, Andrew Kolvet, offered a more measured response. He asked people not to celebrate political violence and acknowledged the importance of free speech, while urging basic decorum in how people discuss the death of a political figure.
Fox News Digital sought comment from representatives for both Charlamagne tha God and Dave Chappelle. The report does not include a response from Chappelle, and it is not clear from the available material whether he has addressed the criticism or the reaction from the organization Kirk founded.