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5 outlets covered 2026.11.07 21:25 created · 11.08 15:39 updated
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Podcasters Welch and Sullivan apologize for Kirk joke

Podcasters face sponsor losses over jokes about a murder.

Event Overview

Podcasters Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan of the 'I’ve Had It' podcast apologized after laughing at a social media post about digging up the body of the late Charlie Kirk. The incident occurred during an episode titled 'Drinking MAGA Tears' while the hosts were reading posts celebrating Democratic midterm election victories.

Following the viral clip, sponsors including Cash App and Chewy cut ties with the podcast. In their apology, the hosts described the joke as insensitive and announced a donation to Everytown for Gun Safety.

Source facts (6)
1.

Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September 2025 in Utah.

Mediaite
2.

Tyler Robinson was charged with the murder of Charlie Kirk.

Mediaite
3.

Voter registration data from Utah shows that Tyler Robinson was unaffiliated.

Fox News
4.

Welch and Sullivan claimed without evidence that Tyler Robinson was a 'MAGA person.'

Fox News
5.

The hosts issued an apology via Instagram.

Fox News
6.

The hosts announced a donation to Everytown for Gun Safety to promote gun safety reform.

Mediaite

Message Distribution

critical framing Democratic podcasters apologized and donated to a gun-control group after facing advertiser boycotts for laughing at a joke about the murdered Charlie Kirk and mischaracterizing his killer. 100%
5 articles
● Breitbart — Democrat Podcasters Apologize for Charlie Kirk Joke, Donate to Gun Control Group
Message

Democratic podcasters apologized and donated to a gun-control group after facing advertiser boycotts for laughing at a joke about the murdered Charlie Kirk and mischaracterizing his killer.

Fox News — Liberal podcasters apologize after laughing at joke about digging up Charlie Kirk's body
Message

Liberal podcasters Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan apologized after laughing at a joke about digging up Charlie Kirk's body and making unsubstantiated claims about his killer's political affiliation.

Mediaite — Left-Wing Podcasters Apologize for Laughing Uncontrollably at Idea of ‘Digging Up’ Charlie Kirk and Killing Him Again
Message

Left-wing podcasters Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan apologized for laughing at a joke about desecrating the body of the assassinated Charlie Kirk.

Deadline — Jennifer Welch & Angie Sullivan Apologize For Laughing At “Insensitive” Charlie Kirk Joke On Podcast: “We Regret It”
Message

The hosts of the 'I’ve Had It' podcast apologized and donated to a gun safety organization after losing advertisers for laughing at a joke about Charlie Kirk's killing.

Variety — ‘I’ve Had It’ Podcast Hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan Apologize for Laughing at Charlie Kirk Joke: ‘We Regret It’
Message

Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan apologized and lost advertisers after laughing at a joke implying violence against Charlie Kirk.

Editor's Analysis

The tension between political satire and the gravity of assassination

The core of this matter lies in the boundary between political mockery and the celebration of death. The hosts of 'I’ve Had It' laughed at a post regarding the exhumation of Charlie Kirk, who was killed in September 2025. They also attributed the killer's political leanings to a specific movement, a claim that contradicts the suspect's voting record.

Whether this incident constitutes a momentary lapse in judgment or a deeper pattern of malice is the point of contention. One side views the laughter as an insensitive act of cruelty toward a murder victim. The other side may see it as a reaction to the absurdity of social media discourse. The sincerity of the apology and the donation to Everytown for Gun Safety are weighed against previous statements where one host suggested the victim justified his death. The resolution of this conflict depends on whether the apology is viewed as a moral correction or a reaction to the loss of sponsors like Cash App and Chewy.

Coverage focused on moral failure and the timing of remorse

The coverage across Breitbart, Fox News, and Mediaite converges on the theme of hypocrisy. All three outlets highlight that the apology followed the withdrawal of sponsors, framing the remorse as a financial necessity rather than a moral awakening. Fox News and Breitbart specifically emphasize the spread of misinformation regarding the killer's political affiliation to suggest a narrative-driven dishonesty.

Mediaite provides critical context by digging into the hosts' history, noting that one host had previously called the victim's wife a terrible person. This detail transforms the story from a single insensitive joke into a broader pattern of hostility. While the outlets agree on the insensitivity of the act, they differ in focus: Fox News brings in external political strategists to argue the hosts damaged their own political cause, while Mediaite focuses on the internal contradiction of the hosts' past rhetoric.

Updates

Nov 9 · Cash App and Chewy pull sponsorship of I've Had It podcast Updated 15:39

During a Thursday episode of the progressive podcast 'I've Had It', hosts read an X post referencing the September 10, 2025, shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. According to Variety, the post suggested Kirk be 'dug up' following the 2026 midterm elections. On Saturday, the hosts issued a statement on Instagram stating that gun violence is not funny regardless of political differences and pledging to continue using their platform to advocate for the safety of all Americans. Cash App and Chewy cited a condemnation of violence as the reason for pulling their sponsorship.

The hosts' pledge to advocate for gun safety and their donation to Everytown for Gun Safety attempt to shift the narrative from a personal attack to a broader social cause. These actions do not resolve the central question of whether the remorse is a moral correction or a strategic response to the loss of sponsors like Cash App and Chewy.

Variety provides a summary of the events but treats the incident as a standalone lapse in judgment [1]. By focusing on the timeline of the apology and the sponsors' reasons for leaving, it omits the hosts' past hostility toward the victim's family and the misinformation regarding the killer's politics identified in previous reports.

Source facts (8)

Charlie Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA.

Deadline

The incident occurred during a Thursday episode where the hosts read an X post referencing Kirk's shooting on September 10, 2025.

Deadline

In an Instagram statement, the hosts stated that gun violence is not funny regardless of political differences.

Deadline

The hosts pledged to continue using their platform to advocate for the safety of all Americans.

Deadline

The social media post read by the hosts suggested Charlie Kirk be 'dug up' following the 2026 midterm elections.

Variety

The hosts issued their Instagram statement on a Saturday.

Variety

Cash App and Chewy cited a condemnation of violence as the reason for pulling their sponsorship.

Variety

The 'I've Had It' podcast is described as a progressive podcast.

Variety

Coverage flow

Coverage volume

11/07 · 3
11/08 · 2

Focus shift

11/07
Jennifer Welch
3
11/08
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1
Jennifer Welch
1

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Story: Sponsors drop 'I've Had It' podcast over Charlie Kirk joke

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Where it started
Podcasters Welch and Sullivan apologize for Kirk joke
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↳ Follows “Dave Chappelle comments on Charlie Kirk's murder”

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