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Pete Davidson Under Fire For Horrific Charlie Kirk Joke At Comedy Roast
Pete Davidson is under fire for a ‘horrific’ joke about Charlie Kirk.
Davidson is facing major backlash after delivering what many viewers are calling one of the most shocking jokes of the year during Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart.
The former Saturday Night Live star stunned audiences Sunday night when he referenced the late Charlie Kirk — the conservative political activist who was assassinated in 2025 — during a brutal roast aimed at comedian Tony Hinchcliffe.
The controversial moment immediately exploded across social media, with critics accusing Davidson of crossing a line by joking about a murdered public figure less than a year after his death.
Others defended the comedian, arguing that roast culture has always pushed boundaries and that no topic is considered off-limits in that environment.
The roast itself was packed with celebrity insults, edgy one-liners, and deeply personal attacks, but Davidson’s comments quickly became the focal point of the night.
The comedian also reignited his long-running feud with Kanye West during the set, adding another layer of controversy to an already chaotic evening.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Before the backlash can be understood, it’s important to understand who Charlie Kirk was and why mentioning him in a comedy roast triggered such an intense reaction.
Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, one of the most influential conservative youth organizations in America.
Born in Illinois in 1993, he rose to prominence during the Trump era as a vocal supporter of conservative politics and a fierce critic of liberal ideology.
Through podcasts, campus speaking tours, political rallies, and constant media appearances, Kirk became one of the most recognizable figures in the MAGA movement.
Supporters viewed him as a fearless political activist who energized younger conservatives. Critics, however, frequently accused him of spreading misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric.
A 2023 Brookings Institution study ranked his podcast among the worst offenders for false and misleading political claims.
Regardless of political opinion, Kirk’s death shocked the nation.
In September 2025, Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University during an event tied to his American Comeback Tour. The public assassination sparked national headlines, political outrage, and months of intense media coverage.
A 22-year-old suspect, Tyler James Robinson, was later arrested and charged with aggravated murder. Prosecutors allege Robinson deliberately targeted Kirk after growing enraged by his political views. The case remains ongoing, and prosecutors are reportedly pursuing the death penalty.
The trial has recently become even more complicated after bombshell court filings revealed that forensic ballistics testing could not conclusively match the bullet fragment recovered during Kirk’s autopsy to the rifle found near the scene.
Defense attorneys argue the inconclusive evidence raises major questions about the prosecution’s case.
Because the murder remains both recent and highly politicized, Davidson’s decision to bring Kirk into a comedy roast immediately drew strong reactions.
Netflix’s roast was designed to be brutal
Netflix promoted The Roast of Kevin Hart as an anything-goes comedy event, continuing the streamer’s growing success with celebrity roast specials following the viral popularity of The Roast of Tom Brady in 2024.
The three-hour event featured appearances from comedians and celebrities including Jeff Ross, Lizzo, Chelsea Handler, Katt Williams, Tom Brady, and Tony Hinchcliffe. Nearly every performer targeted Hart with savage jokes about his height, scandals, relationships, and career.
Davidson’s appearance quickly stood out as one of the night’s harshest sets.
The comedian spent much of his time roasting Tony Hinchcliffe, the controversial stand-up comic and host of the Kill Tony podcast.
Hinchcliffe himself has frequently faced criticism over offensive jokes and politically charged humor, particularly after backlash tied to remarks he made at a Donald Trump rally before the 2024 election.
Davidson leaned heavily into shock comedy while attacking Hinchcliffe’s appearance and persona.
He also revived his feud with Kanye West, joking that nothing said during the roast could hurt him because he had already survived public attacks from the rapper.
The Kanye reference drew loud reactions from the audience due to the pair’s very public history. Davidson dated Kim Kardashian in 2021 and 2022 following her split from West, leading to months of disturbing online attacks from the rapper.
West repeatedly mocked Davidson on social media, spread false rumors about him, and publicly insulted him during the height of the feud.
In recent years, West’s repeated antisemitic remarks and extremist rhetoric have caused enormous controversy, with the rapper even publicly proclaiming admiration for Adolf Hitler in 2025 before later attempting to walk back some of those statements.
Davidson clearly used that history as fuel for some of the roast’s harshest material.
Fans split over whether the joke went too far
As clips from the roast circulated online, reactions were immediate and deeply divided.
Many viewers condemned Davidson for joking about someone who was assassinated less than a year ago, arguing that the timing was insensitive and unnecessarily cruel.
Some social media users said the comedian appeared desperate for attention, while others argued that roast comedy has become more about shock value than actual humor.
Several audience members inside the venue could reportedly be heard gasping after the joke landed.
Online reactions ranged from outrage to disbelief. Some critics accused Davidson of exploiting a political murder for laughs, while others claimed the joke reflected a broader trend of increasingly mean-spirited comedy.
Comment sections quickly filled with debate over whether comedians should have any boundaries when it comes to public tragedy.
“Comedy used to be funny and, even if it was at someone’s expense, not cruel,” one viewer wrote in response to coverage of the roast.
Others questioned Davidson’s place at the event entirely, with another commenter writing: “I thought they brought comedians to these roasts? Why is Pete Davidson there?”
But Davidson also found defenders.
Supporters argued that roasts are intentionally offensive by nature and that audiences attending those events understand the format involves brutal humor. Others pointed out that Hinchcliffe himself frequently traffics in edgy jokes, making him a fair target.
Some fans even praised Davidson for being one of the few comics willing to take risks in an era where comedians are increasingly scrutinized for controversial material.
The debate also reignited broader conversations around comedy, cancel culture, and whether public figures should remain off-limits after death.
Davidson’s joke left the crowd stunned
Although Davidson made multiple controversial remarks throughout the roast, one line in particular instantly became the most talked-about moment of the night.
While roasting Tony Hinchcliffe, Davidson first compared the comedian to Charlie Kirk before escalating the joke even further.
“Tony reminds me of Charlie Kirk, in that he’s definitely been on camera letting a guy unload in his throat,” Davidson said, drawing audible gasps from the crowd.
Moments later, he doubled down with another savage line aimed at Hinchcliffe’s podcast.
“‘Kill Tony.’ Please, someone f***ing ‘Kill Tony,’” Davidson added before pivoting into his Kanye West material.
Related Article: Erika Kirk Has A Surprising New Job Months After Husband Charlie’s Assassination
Related Article: Former Classmate Reveals What Charlie Kirk Was Really Like In High School
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