Charlie Kirk Honored by a Nation; TPUSA Marches On; and Disney Puts Kimmel Back On
Let's unpack today's conservative conversations
The Memorial That Stopped the Country
“Back home today, after attending Charlie Kirk's magnificent memorial service yesterday, an event too big for an NFL football stadium with some 200,000 people making their way to Arizona,” Megyn Kelly opened, adding: “It was like a state funeral… from President Trump to Vice President JD Vance… Elon Musk was in attendance… It was incredible.” (The Megyn Kelly Show, Ep. 1154)
Michael Knowles put a finer point on what made the day different: “Hundreds of thousands of people, including virtually the entire US government, turned up to Phoenix… the most significant aspect… the top leaders of our nation… spent five hours proclaiming the gospel.” (The Michael Knowles Show, Ep. 1819)
Clay Travis told listeners he carved out his Sunday around it: “I wanted to make sure that I saw every minute of JD Vance, every minute of Erika Kirk, and every minute of Donald Trump as the keynotes for a day of memorial for Charlie Kirk.” (The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, 9/22)
Ben Shapiro, who watched “from the vice president’s box,” called Erika’s address “one of the great speeches I’ve ever seen.” Then he said the quiet part loud about what comes next: “The enemies of civilization will not succeed at killing Charlie's mission. They won't even succeed at killing his tour.” (The Ben Shapiro Show, Ep. 2285)
Takeaway: This wasn’t just mourning. It was an unmistakable public declaration—of faith, of gratitude, and of intent. In a secular age, the country spent an afternoon speaking plainly about God, courage, forgiveness, and duty. That matters.
Erika Steps Forward. The Movement Does Too.
Shapiro again: “If there are any doubts about Charlie's legacy being carried on by everybody, yesterday's memorial service gave the answer.” (Ep. 2285)
Kelly—who’s been inside TPUSA this week—agreed: “That organization is in great hands. Erica can do this. And that staff, hand selected by Charlie, can do it with her. So, we're good. We're all going to have to chip in and help, but we're good.” (Ep. 1154)
Knowles captured the spiritual center of the day with four words that defined Erika’s address: “I forgive him.” (Ep. title)
Takeaway: TPUSA is not pausing; it’s professionalizing through grief. The tone is sober, the leadership is clear, and the mission is expanding.
“American Comeback Tour”: The Show Goes On—Tonight
Shapiro opened with the pivot from mourning to marching: “Tonight's TPUSA American Comeback Tour returns with its first stop since the murder of Charlie Kirk… Michael Knowles will host live from Minneapolis… what began as a conversation between Michael and Charlie is now a special tribute to Charlie and an open forum for Q&A.” (Ep. 2285)
His charge to supporters was blunt: “We are all making it clear. The left wants to silence so many of us. We're not going to give them that satisfaction. Charlie wouldn't. TPUSA will not.” (Ep. 2285)
Knowles framed the tour’s restart as proof-of-life for a country many wrote off as post-Christian: “Our nation… has become quite secular and even hostile to Christianity… [yet] the top leaders… spent five hours proclaiming the gospel.” (Ep. 1819)
Takeaway: Grief gave way to momentum in less than 24 hours. The tour is the answer to the assassination—speech, not silence.
Disney Lets Kimmel Back—Affiliates May Not
By evening, Morning Wire broke the other big media story: “Jimmy Kimmel's Late Night Show will return tomorrow night. The program was pulled last Wednesday… but Disney says after some thoughtful conversations… they're letting him back on the air. The company said they suspended the show to ‘avoid further inflaming a tense situation…’ and because they ‘felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.’” (Evening Wire, 9/22)
But there’s a catch: “It’s not clear, however, if all ABC affiliates will actually be showing it. The largest of those, Sinclair Broadcasting, has said… it would not go back to running Kimmel's show until [he] fully apologized.” (Evening Wire, 9/22)
Knowles’ meta-critique still applies: “They’re rallying around Jimmy Kimmel as a free speech martyr—not Charlie, who was literally assassinated for his speech.” (prior ep., echoed throughout)
Takeaway: Corporate PR is trying to downshift this to “tone” and “timing.” Affiliates—and viewers—will decide if consequences are real. Accountability from the public is legitimate. Government pressure is not.
What Yesterday Revealed—In Their Words
On proportion: Kelly: “That's how much of a mark Charlie made… at age 31.” (Ep. 1154)
On national witness: Knowles: “[Leaders] spent five hours proclaiming the gospel.” (Ep. 1819)
On priorities: Clay: “Sunday taken over by the Charlie Kirk Memorial… I wanted every minute of Vance, Erika, and Trump.” (9/22)
On resolve: Shapiro: “The enemies of civilization will not succeed at killing Charlie's mission… or his tour.” (Ep. 2285)
On censorship vs. consequences: Morning Wire: Disney acted to “avoid further inflaming” and because comments were “ill-timed,” while Sinclair won’t air Kimmel without a full apology. (9/22)
The Bigger Picture: Faith, Forgiveness, and Public Life
Kelly called the memorial “incredible” multiple times—not as hype, but because a culture that pretends faith is passé just watched millions lean into it. Knowles—who has spent months chronicling secular drift—saw the same: a political class openly speaking about God without apology.
That’s not incidental. It’s corrective. Charlie’s life was a case study in public Christianity without cringe—serious faith fused to cheerful courage. Erika’s “I forgive him” wasn’t just grace; it was leadership. It denied evil the permission structure it seeks: reciprocity of hate.
Takeaway: A nation that remembers how to forgive has remembered how to live together. A movement that can grieve, forgive, and rebuild is a movement that can win.
One More File for Your Cabinet
Evening Wire added a foreign-policy note worth watching: “The United States is reportedly considering sanctions for the International Criminal Court and a decision could fall as soon as this week.” (9/22) The administration’s willingness to push back on the ICC—if it materializes—will say a lot about how it intends to handle lawfare abroad as well as at home.
Final Word: What We Do Now
Show up. The tour is back. Pack the halls. Make the line longer than the narrative.
Protect speech—especially when we’re angry. The answer to a political assassination is more debate, not fewer voices.
Insist on accountability—without hiring censors. If Kimmel’s going back on air, affiliates and audiences should decide if that’s acceptable.
Keep faith public. Yesterday proved America still wants it. Keep it unapologetic and real.
Honor Erika’s lead. “We’re good,” Megyn said. Yes—if we all chip in.
Charlie’s voice didn’t end yesterday. It multiplied.