SD. Left-wing podcaster sparks outrage with meme depicting Erika Kirk as ‘fake grieving widow grifter’
🔥 Outrage Across Political Lines
A well-known progressive commentator is facing intense backlash after posting a meme widely condemned as cruel and dehumanizing toward the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kyle Kulinski, host of the “Secular Talk” podcast and a prominent left-wing voice with more than 500,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), shared a photoshopped “Spirit Halloween” costume image mocking Erika Kirk — Charlie Kirk’s wife and the new head of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) — calling her a “fake grieving widow grifter.”
The viral post — now deleted — depicted Erika with exaggerated “fake tear drops” causing her mascara to run dramatically, and labeled her outfit as “skin-tight black leather mourning pants.” The fake packaging also showed her holding a bag overflowing with money, implying she was profiting from her husband’s death.
⚡ Social Media Erupts
The image, part of a long-running internet meme format that imitates the look of Spirit Halloween costume packages, is typically used for satire. But in this case, many saw it as crossing a moral line.
Anna Khachiyan, co-host of Red Scare, rebuked the post, writing:
“God, some of you are awful. I don’t know how you negotiate your love for your family and friends with your nihilistic contempt for your ideological enemies.”
Charles C.W. Cooke, senior writer at National Review, called it “extremely ugly behavior” and added,
“You should feel ashamed of yourself.”
Carol Roth, author and media personality, warned,
“When one of your loved ones passes, someone will remind you of this.”
And Colin Wright of the Manhattan Institute didn’t mince words:
“Politics has rotted your brain and soul.”
🕊️ Context: The Loss That Shook the Movement
Charlie Kirk, 31, the outspoken conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated during a speaking event at a Utah college campus on September 10, 2025 — a tragedy that sent shockwaves through political and faith communities nationwide.
In the wake of his death, Erika Kirk — a podcaster and advocate in her own right — has stepped in as CEO of TPUSA, vowing to continue her husband’s mission to “preserve faith, family, and freedom.”
Her public mourning, including emotional podcast appearances and high-profile tributes such as the upcoming “All-American Halftime Show” initiative, has drawn both admiration and criticism — even from within conservative circles.
💬 The Fallout
Following the backlash, Kulinski’s post was deleted from X, but screenshots continue to circulate widely. As of press time, neither Kulinski nor Erika Kirk has issued public comment on the controversy.
Kulinski, who has appeared at events like Politicon 2019 alongside figures across the political spectrum — including Charlie Kirk himself — has faced criticism before for his combative tone, but never on such a personal matter.
Observers note that this latest incident underscores the growing toxicity of online political discourse, where even moments of grief become battlegrounds for ideology.
As one user poignantly wrote:
“Disagree with her politics all you want — but mocking a widow’s pain isn’t activism. It’s cruelty dressed up as commentary.”
🕯️ A Nation Still Divided
While the political fallout continues, many say the real tragedy lies in how personal grief has become public ammunition. In an age where every loss becomes a headline, the question remains: When did empathy become partisan?
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