Dave Chappelle jokes about Charlie Kirk's death and is attacked by his widow

In depth

Comedian Dave Chappelle performed at Madison Square Garden in New York, where he said he feels better since the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Recordings of the show that were leaked captured his remarks, which sparked widespread outrage online.

Chappelle said Kirk looks at the crowd from below and laughs so hard that he cannot breathe, and added a sentence associated with George Floyd, who was choked to death by police officers. Erika Kirk, the widow of the conservative activist, responded sharply, saying that a culture that laughs at a political murder is a culture of deep moral decay.

Prominent figures online rushed to condemn Chappelle's remarks, recalling that Kirk himself had supported Chappelle when the comedian was previously attacked on stage.