Staff Reports
Podcast sponsors dropped the Jennifer Welch show after a clip of the hosts laughing at a social‑media post about digging up Charlie Kirk went viral. The fallout was fast and public: Cash App, Chewy, Boll & Branch, and Lola Blankets all said they no longer sponsor or advertise with the “I’ve Had It” podcast. The episode has become a test case for how brands respond when comedy crosses into celebrating real violence.
What happened on the “I’ve Had It” podcast
On a recent episode, hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan read a comment aloud that said, “We’re digging up Charlie Kirk and doing it again.” The two laughed on air for more than 20 seconds. That mattered because Charlie Kirk is a real conservative activist who was fatally shot while speaking at a college event. The clip was shared widely, later edited out of the episode, and became the reason listeners and advertisers demanded action.
Brands move fast: Cash App, Chewy, Boll & Branch, Lola Blankets
The response was quick. Cash App replied publicly that “we do not condone violence of any kind, and we are no longer sponsors of this podcast.” Chewy told customers it “does not sponsor or support the ‘I’ve Had It’ podcast” and condemned violence. Boll & Branch said it “does not currently advertise with the ‘I’ve Had It’ podcast and will not in the future,” and Lola Blankets told a customer it no longer works with the show. Those short statements show how fast corporate PR teams hit the eject button when a clip becomes a headline.
Hosts apologized and made a donation — but the damage stuck
The hosts posted an apology saying the laughter was “insensitive” and that they “should not have laughed.” They also said they donated to a gun‑safety group as part of the response. Fine — apologies and donations are the modern checklist for cleaning up a viral mistake. That doesn’t erase the clip. Nor does a cash donation cure the wider problem: a podcast that treated a real death like a punchline.
Why the episode matters for free speech and corporate risk
There are two clear takeaways. First, celebrating or joking about an actual killing is morally wrong and politically toxic. Second, companies will cut ties fast to avoid being dragged into controversy. Conservatives should call that what it is: market signaling, not deep moral clarity. But we can also say this plainly — if the hosts want to build a brand around mocking real victims, they will find wallets closing faster than any hashtag. Accountability works both ways. If we want a culture that tolerates robust debate, it must also reject applause for violence, no matter which side cracks the joke.
