Joe Rogan was captured reeling in stunned silence the moment he learned conservative influencer Charlie Kirk had been assassinated during a live taping of his latest podcast episode with actor Charlie Sheen.
The podcaster clutched his head in disbelief after his producer told him that the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder had been shot dead during the Wednesday recording of his latest episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which aired Thursday.
“So this just happened, we just found out that Charlie Kirk got shot,” a visibly rattled Rogan said before asking if the right-wing activist was dead.
Podcaster and media personality Joe Rogan found out about the murder of Charlie Kirk during a taping of his latest episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” recorded Wednesday and released Thursday. YouTube/PowerfulJRE
“So this just happened, we just found out that Charlie Kirk got shot,” Rogan said. YouTube/PowerfulJRE
“I met him once. I met him once at a gun range of all places. He was a nice guy when I met him,” said Rogan, who also added, “It’s a f–ked up time. People are so divided in this country.” Instagram/Charlie KirkThe media personality was left speechless and exhaled sharply when his producer confirmed that Kirk had succumbed to his wounds, and later asked if the gunman had been caught.
“It’s a f–ked up time. People are so divided in this country,” Rogan said.
Sheen called the heinous act of violence “f—ing awful,” adding that Kirk was “murdered for having a different opinion from somebody else, different ideology from somebody.”
Rogan, who never interviewed the conservative firebrand on his show, recalled meeting him once at a gun range, praising Kirk as a nice, intelligent guy who was simply speaking to students on college campuses.
“He’s not a violent guy, he’s talking to people on college campuses,” Rogan said.
“He wasn’t even particularly rude, tried to be pretty reasonable with people. He’s a very intelligent guy, whether you agree with him or don’t, and there’s a lot of stuff that I didn’t agree with him on.”
Here's the latest on the Charlie Kirk shooting in Utah
- Police identified Tyler Robinson, 22, as the alleged assassin who fatally shot Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
- Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice.
- Law enforcement confirmed that Robinson was living with a transgender roommate, and communications between the two helped the feds catch the alleged assassin.
- Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder, was attending an event on his American Comeback Tour when he was struck in the neck by a single shot.
- President Trump was among many who have called for the assassin to receive the death penalty.
- Kirk’s body was brought to Arizona from Utah on Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, and taken to Phoenix’s Hansen Mortuary Chapel.
- Kirk’s funeral, which Trump has promised to attend, is scheduled for Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
- Kirk, a rising MAGA star, is survived by his wife and two young children.
Kirk was killed Wednesday afternoon by a single shot fired by a sniper atop the Losee Center, a building on the Utah Valley University campus, about 200 yards from where he was speaking to thousands as he kicked off his multi-city “American Comeback” tour.
The married father of two was fatally shot in the neck while speaking on stage at the outdoor event, creating instant chaos.
Students in the crowd ducked, screamed and ran for their lives as blood poured from Kirk’s wound and he fell off his chair.
Charlie Kirk at a Utah Valley University speaking event before he was shot and killed. via REUTERS
Social media users tweet out their hit list after Kirk was murdered.
People rushed away from the scene after the shooting at Utah Valley University. ZUMAPRESS.com
Law enforcement officials arrive at the scene where Kirk was fatally shot by an unknown assailant at Utah Valley University. Getty ImagesTwo individuals were taken into custody for questioning but later released after the horrific attack, while the real killer remains at large, with the multi-agency manhunt intensifying.
The FBI — which released surveillance camera photos of a lanky “person of interest” wearing dark clothing, wrap-around sunglasses and a T-shirt bearing an eagle and an American flag — is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his identification and arrest.
During the episode, Rogan blasted now-fired MSNBC contributor Matthew Dowd’s twisted comments on the network, claiming the hateful slaying could have been a supporter firing off bullets in “celebration” and Kirk only had himself to blame for being targeted.
“What a crazy take, like it might not have been someone assassinating someone for the wrong opinion,” Rogan pressed, condemning those in the public and media “celebrating” Kirk’s death.
“What the f–k. There’s gonna be a lot of people celebrating this. It’s so dangerous to celebrate or in any way encourage this kind of behavior from human beings. You’re allowed to disagree with people without celebrating the fact they got shot.”
While lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle immediately spoke out against political violence, some Democrats and liberal pundits blamed Kirk and the conservative movement he championed for his own death within hours of his life being taken.






