Bill Maher slams those mocking Charlie Kirk’s death; calls remarks 'gross'; urges civility

Comedian Bill Maher has slammed people who mocked the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calling such reactions "gross".

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the comedian, during a Friday episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, began by calling it "a very ugly week in America" pointing to political violence and division across the country.

Billy Maher says it's a ugly week in America

"It's a very ugly week in America with violence of all kinds: political violence, regular violence, and a lot of people talking about a civil war," Maher said, as quoted by THR.

"And then today in Congress, because Charlie Kirk got assassinated, [Colorado Representative] Lauren Boebert stood up and said, 'We need to have a prayer.' So they started to have a silent prayer. And then she started screaming, 'No! Silent prayers get silent results.' As if praying out loud gets big results," Maher continued. "Then the Democrats started screaming at her that there was a school shooting in her state. I tell you, so far, the civil war is not very civil."


Kirk was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. The suspect gunman, identified as Tyler Robinson, was later taken into custody. The activist was discussing mass shootings in the U.S. when he was struck.

Later in the show, Maher spoke in more detail about the reactions to Kirk's death, condemning "the people who mocked his death or justified it."

"I like everybody, I talk to everybody, I'm glad I took that approach. But he was shot under a banner that said, 'Prove me wrong,' because he was a debater, and too many people think that the way to do that -- to prove you wrong -- is to just eliminate you from talking altogether," he said. "So the people who mocked his death or justified it, I think you're gross. I have no use for you. The people who are saying now we're at war, I have no use for you."

"The governor of the state said, 'Social media is a cancer,' which I think is true because when you read some of the comments from people, they really are in such a bubble that they don't understand that it's happening on both sides," Maher added. "And I think the only way this starts to get better is if both sides admit, 'OK, let's not have this debate about who started it. Let's not debate about who's worse because, plainly, both sides do it now.' And the right has done it too. A lot."