Who is Kyle Kulinski? Backlash Erupts as Podcaster Mocks Erika Kirk With ‘Fake Grieving Widow’ Meme

A left-wing podcaster, Kyle Kulinski, has come under fire online after sharing a meme ridiculing Erika Kirk, the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kulinski, who hosts the Secular Talk podcast with over two million YouTube subscribers, posted the meme on Halloween to his half a million followers on X. The image was an edited version of a Spirit Halloween costume package portraying Erika Kirk with smeared mascara and a bag or hat overflowing with cash.

The fake costume was labeled “Fake Grieving Widow Grifter,” with listed contents such as “fake teardrops” and “skin-tight black leather mourning pants.”

Since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Erika has frequently appeared emotional at public events, often crying during speeches. Critics, however, have accused her of insincerity, calling her displays of grief “performative.”

Kulinski’s meme drew sharp condemnation. One of the top replies shared a screenshot of conservative commentator Blaire White’s post that read:

“No one is requiring you to mourn Charlie Kirk. They’re asking you not to be a satanic piece of sh*t who celebrates brutal murder. The bar couldn’t be lower, and it’s still too high for millions of you. Sick.”

Another user mocked Kulinski by posting an edited Spirit Halloween costume labeled “Garbage Human,” featuring his photo. Others expressed simple outrage, with comments like “Awful. Shame on you,” and “Wow, you’re a horrible human being.”

Kulinski later shared another Spirit Halloween–style meme targeting House Speaker Mike Johnson, calling him a “deeply closeted self-loathing homosexual.”

Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September while hosting a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Following his death, Erika Kirk assumed leadership of the organization as Chief Executive Officer and began making public appearances.

Her conduct during these appearances has divided audiences. Detractors claim she is exploiting her husband’s death to promote merchandise and expand Turning Point USA’s reach. Kulinski echoed these allegations in another meme that read:

“She’s going through the normal five stages of grief: Pyrotechnics, Merch, Podcasting, Grifting, and Acceptance.”

Similar jokes have circulated across social media. A TikTok video showing Erika dabbing tears at an event after hearing a recording of Charlie’s voice drew comments such as, “Everyone is such a hater. She is clearly going through the five stages of grief: denial, anger, marketing, world-tour, run-for-congress,” and, “Nothing says grief like skin-tight leather pants.”

Even within conservative circles, Erika has faced criticism. Far-right podcaster Nick Fuentes remarked on his show, “I’m getting this vibe from her that she’s very fake… I don’t really like how they, the whole organization, has been handling his death. It’s gratuitous.”

In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, numerous individuals who mocked his death online faced professional repercussions, including an NBA employee, a U.S. Marine, and MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd, all of whom were fired for “disgusting” remarks.

Unlike them, Kulinski remains unaffected by such consequences since he owns his Secular Talk platform.

Following widespread outrage, Kulinski appeared to address the criticism on Sunday by posting an edited Scooby-Doo image showing Fred unmasking a villain wearing a MAGA hat to reveal a snowflake underneath. Accompanying the image, he wrote in all caps:

“THE SAME RIGHT-WING IDIOTS WHO DEFENDED EDGY JOKES FOR A DECADE AS SOON AS THE JOKE ISN’T ABOUT BLACK OR TRANS PEOPLE.”

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