Comedy Central has pulled a recently aired episode mocking Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk following his assassination on Wednesday. Although Kirk appeared to take the satire in stride—going so far as to use the caricature of himself from the episode as his social media profile photo—the timing of the rerun’s airing sparked immediate backlash online.
The pulled episode, titled “Got a Nut,” ridiculed Kirk’s campus debates and was scheduled to rerun Wednesday night on cable. Comedy Central, which is owned by Paramount Skydance, abruptly replaced it with the premiere episode of South Park Season 27, according to reporting by the New York Post.
The decision came after social media erupted with posts accusing the network of fostering hostility toward Kirk. One viral X post read, “South Park skipped four years of Biden just to demonize a guy who does speaking events. Charlie Kirk did nothing wrong.” Another user wrote, “The only thing the show has to offer is hateful rhetoric that leads to tragic events like today. It’s time to shut South Park down for good.”
Although authorities have not officially released a motive in the shooting, sources say the ammunition found near the weapon used in Kirk’s killing was etched with phrases linked to trans and Antifa ideologies, suggesting a potential political motivation.
The FBI has released images of a person of interest and is asking for the public’s help identifying the individual in connection with Kirk’s murder. Tips can be submitted to 1-800-CALL-FBI or through the FBI’s online portal.
