Comedian Michael Rapaport on Friday condemned the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and warned that public expressions of celebration for the assassination could invite political violence against anyone, including those who now praise it.
On the latest episode of his "I Am Rapaport" podcast, Rapaport — an outspoken liberal and frequent critic of former President Donald Trump — said there was "no excuse" for rejoicing in Kirk’s death and urged public figures to be mindful of how their words may be interpreted by others. "Any public person that would, in any way, shape, or form, support, laugh at, excuse, the public killing of Charlie Kirk, is sick," Rapaport said. "It’s 500% unacceptable."
Rapaport said he understood that he has been outspoken and offensive at times, but stressed that failing to condemn the killing crossed a line. "And for anybody to think that you can go online and say, ‘Yeah, I’m happy about what happened,’ and ‘Yeah, I support what happened to Charlie Kirk,’ and excuse it and laugh about it and belittle — I’m saying this with all due respect and no malice, anybody can get touched in a way that we do not want to get touched," he said.
He warned that public figures have "no control" over how audiences interpret online statements and that the current media environment amplifies words and reactions. Rapaport said celebrations of the killing have come from across the social and political spectrum and cautioned that such responses could have dangerous, unintended consequences. "We don’t know how we’re affecting people. We don’t know what kind of sick lunatics are out there," he added.
Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed in public earlier this week. The killing has prompted a wave of public reaction and debate about political rhetoric and the security of high-profile figures. Coverage and commentary since the shooting have included scrutiny of security protocols and questions about the risks faced by public and political personalities.
Rapaport said he had seen footage and posts of people celebrating the death "with their face on wax, cameras in front of their face in 4K," and that such reactions were not confined to any single demographic or political tribe. He urged a full and unequivocal condemnation of the killing, saying that to fail to do so was "really, really, really twisted."
The remarks add to a broader conversation about the tone of public discourse after the killing of a prominent conservative activist and the potential for violent acts to escalate political tensions. Rapaport’s comments, made on a widely distributed podcast, underscore concerns about how social media and partisan commentary can shape responses to political violence and may affect the safety of public figures across the spectrum.
Representatives for Rapaport and Turning Point USA did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.
The shooting of Kirk has continued to generate reactions across political and media outlets, with calls from various quarters for restraint and unified condemnation of violence. Rapaport’s statement on his podcast reflects one prominent voice from the entertainment sphere urging those who influence public opinion to consider the consequences of their words.