The hosts of the progressive podcast I've Had It have accused Turning Point USA (TPUSA) of targeting their show. This happened after several advertisers withdrew their support following backlash over a joke about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Jennifer Welch and Angie 'Pumps' Sullivan found themselves at the centre of a growing controversy after laughing at a social media post about Kirk during an episode released on Thursday, 5 November. The comment referenced digging up Kirk's body and killing him again. This prompted criticism from conservative commentators and an online campaign urging the podcast's sponsors to cut ties.
The backlash quickly reached the show's advertisers. Cash App, Chewy, Zenni, and other companies publicly distanced themselves from the podcast, while Welch and Sullivan later apologised for laughing at the joke. However, the hosts have since pushed back against what they describe as TPUSA's effort to cancel their programme.
'We're Digging Up Charlie Kirk and Doing It Again'
The controversy began during an episode of I've Had It titled 'Drinking MAGA Tears'. While reading social media reactions to the 2026 US midterm election results, Welch came across a post that read: 'We're digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again.'
Both hosts laughed at the remark. Sullivan then referred to the fact that Kirk had been shot by someone she described as being from a MAGA family, while Welch also commented on the political affiliation of his killer.
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The exchange later circulated online, drawing criticism from people who considered the laughter disrespectful toward Kirk and his family. The segment was later removed from the original episode, although clips continued to circulate on social media.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated during an outdoor event at a Utah university in September 2025. His death drew condemnation across the political spectrum, although his political views and influence remained subjects of intense public debate.
Sponsors Withdraw Support as Backlash Grows
The controversy soon became a commercial problem for the podcast, with several companies issuing statements distancing themselves from the programme. Cash App announced on X that it no longer sponsored I've Had It, adding that it did not condone violence of any kind. Chewy also said it did not sponsor or support the podcast and that the hosts' comments did not reflect the company's values.
Zenni said it had cancelled advertising on the show and was reviewing its podcast placements against its brand-safety standards. Other companies, including Boll & Branch and Lola Blankets, also made statements indicating that they did not currently advertise with the programme or would not do so in the future.
The withdrawals followed calls from Kirk supporters to contact the podcast's advertisers. Turning Point USA figures also publicly discussed the companies that had distanced themselves from the show, adding to the hosts' concerns about the campaign against them.
Not every company gave the same explanation or confirmed it ended a sponsorship specifically because of the joke. Some statements described existing advertising arrangements rather than a newly cancelled partnership.
Hosts Accuse TPUSA of Trying To Cancel Them
Welch and Sullivan addressed the backlash in a joint statement posted to the podcast's Instagram account on Saturday, 7 November. 'On Thursday's show, we laughed at a joke about Charlie Kirk. It was an insensitive joke, and we should not have laughed. We regret it, and we apologize,' they wrote.
The hosts also stressed that political differences did not make gun violence something to celebrate. They said they had long supported gun-safety reform and had made a donation to Everytown for Gun Safety following the controversy.
Their apology did not, however, end the dispute. In a follow-up video published on Sunday, Welch and Sullivan accused TPUSA of using the controversy to mobilise pressure against their programme.
Welch alleged that the organisation's representatives were trying to turn the incident into a campaign to show that they could cancel left-leaning commentators. She specifically addressed TPUSA figure Andrew Kolvet, who had publicly discussed the sponsors withdrawing their support.
Welch said her apology had not been made to please TPUSA but because she personally regretted laughing at the joke. She explained that gun violence was a subject close to home, referring to the death of someone she loved, and said she wanted to be able to advocate for gun-safety reform without compromising her position.
Sullivan also rejected the idea that the hosts should accept a lecture from the conservative organisation. The two made clear that, although they regretted their reaction to the joke, they would not allow TPUSA to dictate how they addressed the controversy.
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A Dispute Over Accountability and Political Pressure
The dispute has developed into a broader argument about the influence of online campaigns, political organisations and advertisers over media personalities. The sponsor withdrawals are not simply a consequence of criticism over an insensitive joke. They argue that the pressure has been amplified by a political organisation seeking to use the controversy against them.
The episode has also exposed the difficult position of political commentators whose content relies on sharp humour and criticism. Welch and Sullivan have acknowledged that laughing at a joke about an assassination crossed a line and have apologised for their reaction but appear unwilling to retreat from their political commentary, setting up a continuing confrontation between I've Had It, its former advertisers and the organisation whose supporters helped drive the backlash.
