After the assassination of conservative Christian figure Charlie Kirk, the reactions from some leftists have sparked a flurry of debate. The responses can be split into two groups: those who revel openly in their twisted delight and those who mask their pleasure behind a veneer of moral righteousness. Comedian Trevor Noah, former host of “The Daily Show,” belongs to the latter group.
During a recent performance at the Comedy Cellar in New York City, Noah mocked Kirk’s killing, eliciting laughter from his liberal audience. His approach to these sickening jokes is insidious. Initially, he claimed he had no intent to address Kirk at all. However, he proceeded to underscore how comedians often feel limited in discussing sensitive subjects, suggesting that Kirk’s murder was ripe for humor. “You can’t say there’s nothing funny about it,” he said. “The guy was shot while defending guns,” he added, highlighting his view of the incident as an incongruous punchline, stating, “As a human, you have to admit, that is an incongruous, funny thing that happens.”
This attempt to frame humor within such a grave event is alarming. Viewers of Noah’s performance reacted strongly on social media, with one user stating, “When people show you who they are, believe them. This is beyond disgusting.” This sentiment captures the core of the outrage directed at his remarks.
Newsmax host Rob Schmitt spotlighted Noah’s decline in relevance, labeling him a “failed late-night host” and now “an obscure comedian.” Schmitt’s comments reflect a growing skepticism toward Noah’s ability to connect with audiences, especially considering Noah’s ratings plummeted from 3.47 million viewers during his debut in September 2015 to a mere 383,000 by August 2022, shortly before leaving “The Daily Show.” Schmitt aptly noted, “He ran the show into the ground.”
The contrast between Noah’s take on Kirk’s death and the way he presents himself as a champion of free speech is a glaring hypocrisy. For Noah, laughter at tragedy seems to be the order of the day, a grim reflection on his perspective of rights and violence. By his logic, if a person supports the Bill of Rights and faces a violent end, that qualifies as an acceptable subject for humor. This, however, may not be the most shocking revelation about him or his peers. The true repugnance lies in their duality—pretense of being appalled by violence while effectively condoning it against individuals they deem unjust.
The reactions to Kirk’s murder from figures like Noah unveil an unsettling truth about a portion of contemporary comedy, where morality takes a back seat to jest. When violence against the “right” individuals garners laughter, it signals a troubling acceptance of a new normal in public discourse. The real tragedy, in this case, extends beyond the fatal act itself; it is the way certain entertainers have embraced a vicious cycle of ridicule and disdain, further fueling the division in society. The sentiment expressed in tweets and posts regarding Noah’s comments reinforces the idea that respect for life is becoming an increasingly rare commodity in the arena of humor.
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