Dave Chappelle faces backlash over remarks about Charlie Kirk's murder

Comedian Dave Chappelle has provoked outrage across social media after saying he feels "better" following the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk during a stand-up performance in New York City on Friday night.

Despite rules barring cell phones from the Madison Square Garden show, a video circulating on social media shows Chappelle appearing to make the remarks during his "Karmageddon" tour stop in New York City.

In the video, Chappelle can be heard saying, "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." He added, "I know I shouldn't say that, but it's just a feeling. I didn't ask to feel this way."

He then described his unexpected high spirits in the aftermath of Kirk's killing, saying, "I just be driving around like, 'Why am I in such a good mood? Oh!'"

TPUSA pointed Fox News Digital to Erika Kirk's statement on X, in which she wrote that treating the destruction of human life as a punchline is "disgusting." She wrote, "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."

Elon Musk posted, "Shame, shame, shame on Chappelle." Benny Johnson, host of "The Benny Show" podcast, called Chappelle's remarks "sick," while political commentator Meghan McCain asked, "What the h--- is wrong with Dave Chappelle?!" Former communications director to former Vice President Mike Pence Katie Miller tagged Live Nation, the entertainment behemoth that sold tickets for Chappelle's tour, on X and asked, "Is this something we agree with?"

Journalist Piers Morgan wrote that Chappelle's comments were "especially egregious given that Chappelle himself survived an attack on stage in 2022."

Many on X pointed out that Charlie Kirk himself posted in support of Chappelle after the comedian was attacked. Kirk wrote that refusing to charge the comedian's assailant sent "a clear message that public acts of political violence are justifiable." The man who attacked Chappelle was ultimately charged with four misdemeanors.

Kirk was murdered at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University in Orem on September 10, 2025. A trial date for Tyler Robinson, 23, the alleged shooter, has not yet been set.

Robinson has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges filed against him. His attorneys are seeking to block cameras from an upcoming hearing.

Chappelle has received backlash for his edgier jokes over the years. Pushback against part of his stand-up show "The Closer," released on Netflix in 2021, led to a small group of Netflix employees staging a walkout in protest.

Kirk's murder has been the subject of multiple comedians' sets. Pete Davidson faced backlash after an explicit joke during Netflix's "The Roast of Kevin Hart" at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. "Saturday Night Live" "Weekend Update" co-anchor Michael Che also joked about Kirk's killing during his Netflix special, "Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota." Che said he didn't know who Charlie Kirk was before the activist was killed, joking that he initially thought people were talking about "the dude from Star Trek."

Fox News Digital reached out to Chappelle's team and Madison Square Garden for comment but did not immediately hear back.