Charlie Kirk’s Friends Criticize Pete Davidson Over Assassination Joke at Netflix Roast

Friends and colleagues of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk criticized a joke made by comedian Pete Davidson during a recent Netflix roast special for Kevin Hart.

During the event, Davidson made a joke referencing Kirk’s 2025 assassination while roasting comedian Tony Hinchcliffe. The remark drew backlash from people close to Kirk, who discussed it on the latest episode of The Charlie Kirk Show podcast.

Andrew Kolvet, a friend and former colleague of Kirk, said he found the joke “distasteful” and said it made him cringe when he saw the clip online.

“It’s not that we can’t laugh at jokes,” Kolvet said. “This is about somebody who was murdered in a very public and tragic way, and he was our close friend.”

Kolvet added that he supports freedom in comedy and understands that comedians often push boundaries, but said the timing and subject matter felt inappropriate.

Podcast host Daisy Phelps also defended Davidson’s right to make jokes but questioned whether he should have made this one. She said comedians should think about the impact their words may have on families affected by tragedy.

Phelps also brought up Davidson’s own personal loss. Davidson’s father, a New York firefighter, died during the September 11 attacks in 2001. Phelps noted that Davidson himself has been the subject of jokes about his father’s death during past roast events.

“I think those jokes are disgusting too,” Phelps said, adding that Kirk’s children may now have to grow up hearing public jokes about their father’s death.

Blake Neff, another former colleague of Kirk, said he was more upset by online attacks aimed at Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, after the assassination. He argued that public figures often become subjects of comedy and comparisons, even after death.

Neff said Kirk had become an influential political figure whose death drew national attention, comparing the situation to the way public figures like President John F. Kennedy continue to be referenced in jokes and pop culture.

Kolvet concluded by saying that while he personally disliked the joke, public figures often become part of comedy and satire over time.

Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in 2025 during an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University. He was the founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA and remained a controversial figure in American politics.