Dave Chappelle Slammed as ‘Out of Touch’ After Disrespecting Charlie Kirk in New Special

Comedian Dave Chappelle addressed the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk during his latest Netflix special, The Unstoppable. The special, which premiered recently, included jokes and commentary that have sparked controversy among fans.

Chappelle rejected claims from some of Kirk’s supporters who compared him to Martin Luther King Jr. “I’ll tell you what I don’t believe, and the whites were quick to say this. They said, ‘Charlie Kirk is this generation’s Martin Luther King [Jr.]’ No, he’s not! Yeah, that’s a reach,” Chappelle said.

He acknowledged one similarity, the tragic way both men were killed, but said the comparison ends there. “You know, they both got murdered in a terrible fashion. They both got shot in the neck. But that’s about where those similarities ended.”

Chappelle also explained why he felt the comparison didn’t make sense. “Charlie Kirk is a motherf***** internet personality. By design, fundamentally, he can’t function like Dr. King,” he said. He even joked about how King’s message might look if delivered on social media today: “‘Smash that like button and subscribe! Follow me for more content like this! I believe all Black people should be free — change my mind.'”

Earlier in the special, Chappelle reflected on being shaken by Kirk’s September killing. “If you talk for a living and see Charlie Kirk get murdered that way, Imma be honest, n**** I was shook,” he said. He added that he was struck by the fact that Kirk was perceived as a “wholesome white guy.”

Chappelle also touched on conspiracy theories circulating after Kirk’s death, some of which linked his death to transgender issues. He joked about his own fear, saying, “When all the information was still shoddy, they came out, they were like, ‘Apparently, there were transgender messages inscribed on the bullets.’ I was like, ‘Oh no! I’m dead as fried chicken!’”

He addressed Congress’s vote to make October 14 a National Day of Remembrance for Kirk. “Everybody voted for it,” Chappelle said, adding that he wasn’t going to criticize the decision. He later compared Kirk’s remembrance to Dr. King’s, noting that King faced much more difficulty being remembered.

“A lot of people don’t know that Martin Luther King, unlike Charlie Kirk, had a harder time being remembered,” he said. Chappelle also expressed sympathy for Kirk’s supporters, acknowledging the pain of losing someone they admired. “This is why I feel for Charlie Kirk’s fans — because I know what it’s like to see someone you look up to and admire gunned down by a f***** nobody,” he said.

Fans’ reactions to Chappelle’s comments have been mixed. Some criticized him for going too far. “You don’t even have to like Charlie Kirk to see this was unnecessary,” one fan said. Others noted that Chappelle’s comedy has shifted over time. “Old Chappelle punched up at power. New Chappelle punches down at trans people and snipes at dead activists. He’s lost the plot,” another commented.

A few defended his political edge, praising his willingness to speak his mind.

Chappelle continues to push boundaries in comedy, but his approach is clearly polarizing. He blends humor with social commentary in ways that will not sit well with everyone, especially when discussing recent deaths.

Whether you find his jokes bold or offensive, he sparks conversation about free speech and the limits of comedy. What do you think about Chappelle’s comments on Charlie Kirk and the backlash they generated? Share your thoughts in the comments.