In the special, Chappelle reacted to claims made by some figures on the political right following the fatal shooting of Kirk, which led to comparisons with King, who was assassinated in 1968. Media personality Glenn Beck was among those making the comparison, calling on cities to name streets after the Turning Point USA founder and describing him as “a civil rights leader as much as Martin Luther King.”
Chappelle dismissed the comparison outright. “That’s a reach,” he said, adding that while both men were murdered in tragic ways, the similarities ended there. He referred to Kirk as “a motherfucking Internet personality” and asked the audience to imagine how absurd it would be if King behaved like a modern online influencer.
The comedian then launched into a parody of King’s distinctive speaking voice mixed with internet slang, joking lines such as, “Smash that like button and subscribe!” and “Follow me for more content like this! I believe all Black people should be free, change my mind!” Clips from the routine quickly spread across social media.
The special also highlighted Kirk’s past comments about King. Although Kirk had previously spoken positively about the civil rights leader, he later criticized him. In 2023, Kirk called King “awful” and claimed he only “said one good thing he actually didn’t believe,” according to reporting at the time. Kirk has also said he believes the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a “huge mistake.”
Tags:
News
