Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for Turning Point USA, is publicly criticizing podcast hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan, as well as comedian Dave Chappelle, over comments mocking the murder of Charlie Kirk.
“We’re not asking people to, you know, be evangelical Christians here. We’re asking don’t celebrate, condone or glorify political violence. Don’t be happy when someone’s assassinated. It’s a very, very low bar,” Kolvet told Fox News Digital in an interview.
The controversy stems from an incident last week in which Welch and Sullivan, hosts of the “I’ve Had It” podcast, were seen laughing uncontrollably while reading an online post stating, “We’re digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again,” in the context of celebrating Democratic wins in the 2026 midterms.
After the clip circulated and several sponsors pulled their advertising from the podcast, Welch and Sullivan issued an apology. Welch later said the apology was not directed at Kolvet or others who were offended, stating the apology “was for us.”
Kolvet rejected that framing. “Pro tip, an apology is for the other person,” he said. “It is for people that you’ve aggrieved and hurt. It’s not for you, unless you’re a narcissist. And then I guess it is about you. So, that was pretty shocking.”
Kolvet said neither he nor Turning Point USA organized the sponsor boycott that followed, describing it instead as a “grassroots” movement, though he welcomed the outcome.
“I’m generally not pro-cancel culture, but I also believe that these brands get their own free speech,” he said. “These brands get to have the speech to say, ‘I don’t want to be associated with somebody that celebrates the murder of an innocent man because of his politics.'”
He added that he is not seeking punishment for Welch. “I’m not asking for Jennifer Welch to be imprisoned. I’m not asking for her to not have a show or to be able to express her opinions. … All I’m saying is it’s not that hard. Don’t celebrate political violence,” he said. “Don’t laugh at it. Don’t rub it in our faces that one of the most important people in the conservative movement in the country for Gen Z was murdered in cold blood. Don’t do it. Don’t be a ghoul, don’t be vile, don’t spew that venom and don’t perpetuate that culture.”
“Cause when you do, you’re participating in something very dark and brands, consumers, Americans all have a right to say what they feel about your antics and your behavior,” Kolvet added.
He disputed Welch’s characterization that the backlash amounted to Turning Point USA waging war on her show. “Nobody’s done this to you, Jennifer. You’ve done this to yourself,” he said. “I don’t expect you to listen to me but maybe, just maybe you will listen to all those brands who no longer want to be associated with you.”
Despite Welch’s stated refusal to sit down with him, which Kolvet called “petty,” he said he would be willing to meet with her. “I wouldn’t do it for content. I would sit down in a closed-door space, and my heart would be open, and I would be generous and gracious to her and hope that it would be a fruitful conversation,” he said. “My expectation for that is infinitesimally low, but certainly I would be open to that.”
Kolvet invoked Kirk’s own approach to political disagreement. “Charlie modeled that,” he said. “He was willing to talk to anybody. He was willing to talk to people that hated his guts. … But Charlie wanted to have those conversations because he knew that once conversations stopped happening, that’s when violence happens. And, so, our conversation, our debate is an escape hatch. It’s a release valve for the tensions in our culture.”
Reaction to Chappelle
Kolvet also addressed comments from Dave Chappelle, who told a crowd at Madison Square Garden that he “feel[s] better” after Kirk’s assassination. Kolvet said he has no desire to “speech police” Chappelle but called the remark “a really crazy thing to say.”
He drew a comparison to the national reaction following the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, noting that only one little-known comedian made a joke about it at a Los Angeles comedy club at the time, and that the joke “bombed.” He also pointed out that the Academy Awards ceremony was delayed by a day out of respect for the recovering president.
“Ronald Reagan was not a popular president in the media in 1981. He was much maligned, as a matter of fact, but the country as a whole understood that political assassination is an evil, evil thing,” Kolvet said.
Kolvet noted that Kirk had defended Chappelle in 2022 after a man attacked the comedian during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl amid controversy over his jokes about transgender people.
“Charlie saw the writing on the wall,” Kolvet said. “Charlie was always warning against the rise of political violence, warning against the rise of assassination culture. And, obviously, it’s deeply disappointing that Dave Chappelle couldn’t return those sympathies to Charlie when Charlie lost his life.”
“We need to be kind to our fellow Americans,” he continued. “We need to wish the best for them. We need to hope for their safety and that just because I disagree with you politically doesn’t mean that I wish ill upon you or physical harm. As a matter of fact, I hope you’re safe, and I hope that you live a long life and I hope I can convince you on the merits of my arguments, or you can convince me of yours. But political violence is not something to be toyed around with, and our culture literally depends on us having a bright line right there.”
“I want to live in a culture where comedians don’t even tell those jokes because they know nobody’s going to laugh,” he added. “And that’s the best way to make sure that we’re not replaying the same scene a hundred times more in the future.”
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