Clip of Chappelle Joke About Kirk Draws Criticism

A short video circulating online shows comedian Dave Chappelle telling a Madison Square Garden audience that he felt better since conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered, drawing criticism from Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and others. The clip includes laughter from the audience but does not show the full routine or the remarks surrounding the excerpt.

Chappelle made the remark during a Karmageddon performance at the New York venue on November 7, according to reports. In the clip, he says he knows he should not say it publicly, then describes feeling better since Kirk’s death. He also says the feeling was not something he chose and recounts wondering why he was in a good mood before remembering the killing.

Erika Kirk condemned jokes about political assassination in a social-media statement on Sunday, saying they treated the destruction of human life as entertainment. She said her husband’s death was an act of political violence and that she and their two children would live with its consequences. She also said political disagreements should not prevent people from recognizing the value of another person’s life.

Elon Musk criticized Chappelle on X, posting “Shame, shame,...