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By Megan Cartwright
Associate News Editor
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At least 10 brands have ended advertising relationships, ruled out future placements or distanced themselves from I've Had It after hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan laughed at a joke about Charlie Kirk.
The companies include Cash App, Boll & Branch, Zenni Optical, Chewy, iRestore, Casper, Nobl Travel, Honeylove, HexClad and Monarch Money.
The hosts later apologized, calling the joke "insensitive" and saying they "should not have laughed."
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The controversy comes amid broader criticism of public figures commenting on Kirk's death, including comedian Dave Chappelle, whose remarks during a recent stand-up performance also drew backlash.
Welch and Sullivan have since pushed back against criticism, releasing a new episode on Monday titled "Not Today, TPUSA" with the description: "Turning Point wants to cancel us."
During the episode, Welch also said the podcast had gained 30,000 subscribers "over the last couple of days," suggesting the controversy may be boosting its audience even as advertisers distance themselves. The figure has not been independently verified.
The episode follows a social media video in which Welch and Sullivan accused Turning Point USA of spearheading a campaign to cancel their podcast, an allegation the organization pushed back against.
Newsweek contacted the I've Had It podcast and Turning Point USA via email for comment on Monday.
Why It Matters
The backlash comes amid a wider debate over commentary involving political violence, with both the I've Had It hosts and comedian Dave Chappelle drawing criticism over remarks related to Kirk's killing.
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What To Know
Podcast Hosts Apologize
The controversy began after Welch and Sullivan read social media posts reacting to the midterm elections during an episode of I've Had It. One post read: “We’re digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again,” a reference to Kirk, who was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in September 2025. The hosts laughed after reading the post, and a clip of the exchange subsequently circulated widely online.
Welch and Sullivan addressed the backlash in a statement posted to the I've Had It Instagram account.
"On Thursday's show, we laughed at a joke about Charlie Kirk," they wrote. "It was an insensitive joke, and we should not have laughed. We regret it, and we apologize."
The hosts added that "there is nothing funny about gun violence" and said they had made a donation to Everytown for Gun Safety.
Their apology did not stop the commercial fallout.
Cash App said it was no longer a sponsor of the podcast. Chewy said it did not sponsor or support I've Had It and "unequivocally" condemned violence, adding that the hosts' comments did not reflect its values. Honeylove said it had ended its advertising partnership with the show, while Casper said it had ended its sponsorship and would "no longer be associated with that program."
iRestore went further, announcing it had "severed all ties" with the podcast and canceled future advertising. Nobl Travel similarly said it was no longer a sponsor and did not condone "violence or the promotion of violence in any form."
HexClad said it was no longer advertising on I've Had It and had no future placements planned.
Other Brands Distance Themselves
Other companies said they were not current sponsors or that previous advertising relationships had already ended.
Boll & Branch said it did not currently advertise with I've Had It and "will not in the future."
Monarch Money said its advertising relationship with the podcast ended in September 2026, making clear it was not a sponsor of the episode at the center of the dispute and was no longer a current sponsor.
Lists of purported sponsors had been circulating online, leading social media users to press brands about their ties to I've Had It.
Turning Point USA Responds
Welch and Sullivan accused Turning Point USA of "spearheading" an effort to cancel their podcast and referred to those behind the campaign as "losers."
Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, rejected that characterization.
"Just don't legitimize political violence," Kolvet wrote on X.
"You can blame me or Turning Point all you want, but we're not the reason all your sponsors are fleeing," he added. "You are."
The Wider Charlie Kirk Backlash
The I've Had It dispute comes as Chappelle faces separate criticism over comments about Kirk's killing during his Karmageddon stand-up show at Madison Square Garden in New York.
In footage from the November 7 performance that circulated online, Chappelle acknowledged that being a public speaker could be frightening before shifting to the subject of Kirk. "Ever since that guy Charlie Kirk got murdered, and I shouldn't say this publicly, but I feel better," Chappelle said.
He continued by saying he knew he "shouldn't say that" but had not asked to feel that way, before joking: "I just be driving around like, 'Why am I in such a good mood? Oh!'"
The remarks drew criticism online and were followed by a statement from Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, who did not name Chappelle or the I've Had It hosts individually but condemned those making light of political killings.
"To see leftist podcasters, comedians, and commentators laugh about political assassination as though it's entertainment and the destruction of a human life is a punchline, is beyond disgusting," Erika Kirk wrote on X.
"You do not have to agree with someone's politics to recognize the value of their life," she added, saying political violence should "never be something this country tolerates, excuses, or celebrates."
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Megan Cartwright and Rhian Morgan.
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