Jamie Lee Curtis Reflects on Charlie Kirk’s Death and the Emotional Impact of Violent Imagery
Jamie Lee Curtis became emotional during her recent appearance on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast as she reflected on the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The actress, known for her decades-long career in Hollywood and her outspoken support of progressive causes, shared her thoughts on the tragic event and its broader impact on society.
Jamie Lee Curtis opened up on Marc Maron’s podcast about Charlie Kirk’s death, media imagery, and the psychological toll of repeated violence.
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Curtis began by referencing the incident directly. “I’m going to bring something up with you just because it’s front of mind,” she told Maron. “Charlie Crist was killed two days ago.” Maron quickly corrected her, clarifying that it was Charlie Kirk, not Charlie Crist. Curtis apologized for the slip and explained that her mind had associated the name with Kirk’s strong religious convictions.
The Halloween star admitted she disagreed with nearly all of Kirk’s political positions but expressed empathy for him as a person of faith, a father, and a husband. She said she hoped that, at the time of his death, he felt connected to his beliefs. Curtis grew tearful as she emphasized that her reaction was less about politics and more about the overwhelming state of constant tragic news.
Her comments came the day after the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Curtis drew a connection between re-watching footage of 9/11 and the circulation of video surrounding Kirk’s assassination. She highlighted the psychological toll of repeatedly witnessing violent imagery, warning that the long-term effects are still not fully understood.
Curtis also spoke about her personal association with historical violence, noting that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on her fifth birthday. She said this reinforced her awareness of how televised violence embeds itself in public memory, often in ways people do not realize.
“Today, we as a society are bombarded with imagery,” she explained. “We don’t know what the longitudinal effects of seeing those towers come down over and over, or watching his execution again and again. What does that do?”
Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot last week during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was 31 years old. His death has drawn widespread reactions across the political landscape. Authorities confirmed that an alleged shooter is in custody, but Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated that the individual is not cooperating with investigators.
