Leaked Clip Shows Chappelle Saying He 'Feels Better' Since Kirk's Murder; Widow Erika Kirk Calls Assassination Jokes 'Beyond Disgusting'
On the night of November 7, comedian Dave Chappelle played a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in New York, closing his Karmageddon tour as part of the New York Comedy Festival. A clip of under a minute then circulated on social media in which, according to TMZ and other outlets, he said he has felt better since conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered. On November 8, Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, posted a statement on X condemning those who treat political assassination as entertainment as "beyond disgusting." The clip is low-quality and appears to be a recording of a screen, taken at a phone-free show; its full context is unknown and its authenticity has not been independently verified.
In the clip, Chappelle says: "I feel f***ed up saying this. It's scary being a public speaker. Ever since that guy Charlie Kirk got murdered, and I shouldn't say this publicly, but I feel better." He continues: "I know I shouldn't say that, but it's just a feeling. I didn't ask to feel this way. I just be driving around like, 'Why am I in such a good mood? Oh!'" Rob Henderson, a writer and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute who said he attended the show, gave a different wording in a post on X, quoting Chappelle as saying, "I'm so happy Charlie Kirk was killed. I can't help it, it's involuntary." According to Consequence, Henderson's post and the clip together were viewed nearly 7 million times.
Erika Kirk did not name Chappelle in her statement. "To see leftist podcasters, comedians, and commentators laugh about political assassination as though it's entertainment and the destruction of a human life is a punchline, is beyond disgusting," she wrote. "My husband, Charlie Kirk, was killed in an act of political violence, something our two children and I will live with every day for the rest of our lives," she continued. "A culture that laughs at assassination is one of profound moral decay. You do not have to agree with someone's politics to recognize the value of their life. This should not be so hard. Political violence must never be something this country tolerates, excuses, or celebrates." Asked by Fox News Digital, Turning Point USA pointed the outlet to Erika Kirk's statement.
Among other public reactions, Elon Musk wrote on X on November 8: "Shame, shame, shame on Chappelle." The post Musk shared noted that Kirk had defended Chappelle after the comedian was attacked onstage in 2022. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet responded by posting the Bible passage John 15:18-25. As of November 8, Chappelle had not publicly addressed the criticism; Entertainment Weekly said a representative for the comedian did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University. He was 31. The case against Tyler Robinson, who is charged with his murder, is still pending. Chappelle had previously discussed the assassination in his December 2025 Netflix special The Unstoppable, saying at the time that the shooting had left him shaken, a markedly different tone from the remarks in the circulated clip.
Related: Judge Puts Off Decision on Trial Date in Robinson Murder Case; Defense Seeks 2029 Trial
Source: Erika Kirk's statement on X
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Photo: 图：喜剧演员 Dave Chappelle 资料图（2025年8月摄，Kolby Ari 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons），非麦迪逊广场花园当晚演出画面。/ Dave Chappelle in an August 2025 file photo (by Kolby Ari, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons); not a photo of the Madison Square Garden set.
