Nine Sponsors Flee 'I've Had It' Podcast Over Charlie Kirk Clip

At least nine companies have pulled sponsorships from the "I've Had It" podcast after hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie "Pumps" Sullivan laughed at a joke about Charlie Kirk, the right-wing activist assassinated last year. A 39-second clip of the moment has drawn nearly 6 million views and 18,000 likes on X.

The backlash spread fast. Companies began cutting ties last week after the clip went viral and some X users called for a boycott of the progressive-leaning culture and politics podcast.

Chewy was the most direct. "We do not sponsor or support the 'I've Had It' podcast. We unequivocally condemn violence in all forms," the online retailer posted on X on Saturday, November 7. "The comments made by the hosts do not reflect Chewy's values or what we stand for as a company." CEO Sumit Singh doubled down on the decision in his own X post.

Cash App, Zenni, Casper and Honeylove followed. "Honeylove has ended our partnership with the I've Had It podcast. Violence of any kind is never acceptable, and those comments do not reflect our values," Honeylove said in an X post on Sunday.

What did the hosts say?

The clip showed the pair laughing at an X post referencing Kirk. The joke landed badly, and within days the podcast had lost most of its major sponsors. The clip drew criticism from X users, who organized boycott calls against the show.

Welch and Sullivan apologized on the podcast's Instagram account on Saturday. "It was an insensitive joke, and we should not have laughed. We regret it, and we apologize," the post read. "Whatever our political differences, there is nothing funny about gun violence."

The podcast also said it donated to Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun-violence-prevention organization in the United States.

Why does this fit a wider pattern?

The incident is not isolated. ABC, owned by the Walt Disney Company, suspended and later reinstated Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show over his own remarks about Kirk. Major companies including Office Depot and Nasdaq have also disciplined employees who posted negative comments about Kirk online.

Is Scott Galloway next?

The sponsor-pressure playbook now appears to be spreading to other podcasts. "Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway," which covers business, tech and politics, faces advertising-boycott calls after Galloway criticized Elon Musk last week during the first stop of the Pivot Tour 2026.

Galloway, an academic who frequently writes about the tech industry, called Musk a "traitor to the West" and referenced the Rosenbergs — Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage during the Cold War and executed by the federal government.

The remarks drew criticism from Jason Calacanis of the "All-In" podcast, University of California San Diego professor Brian Keating, and Blake Scholl, CEO of aerospace company Boom Supersonic. Scholl revealed on X that Galloway is an investor in Boom and moved to cut the financial tie.

"I don't mind disagreements but calling for an execution of a non-criminal (worse, an actual hero!) is a step too far," Scholl wrote on Friday. "Working to arrange a buy-out of his shares."

The two episodes, one week apart, show advertisers acting within days of a viral clip. For podcasters and their sponsors, the operational lesson is stark: a single 39-second clip can unwind a sponsorship roster and trigger shareholder buyouts almost overnight.