The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has launched a blistering verbal attack on comedian Trevor Noah, after the South African star made a controversial joke about the death of American political commentator Charlie Kirk during a recent stand-up routine.
The controversy began when a short clip from Noah’s performance at New York’s famed Comedy Cellar began circulating widely online. In the footage, Noah addresses the perceived reluctance of US comedians to make light of Kirk’s assassination. He can be seen teasing the audience, suggesting their warnings not to speak on the topic only piqued his comedic interest.
He went on to question the assertion that there was nothing humorous about the situation, pointing to the ironic circumstances of the event.
“The guy was shot while defending guns. I’m not even writing that as a joke. As a human, you have to admit that it is an incongruous, funny thing that happened,” Noah told the crowd.
He then enacted a hypothetical scene, mimicking someone on stage advocating for firearms before being interrupted by the sound of gunshots.
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Musk Fires Back At Trevor Noah on Social Media
The clip quickly drew the ire of Elon Musk, who did not hold back in his criticism on his social media platform. The billionaire accused Noah of having lost his comedic edge, framing his critique within his typical rhetorical style.
Musk fired back in a post: “Trevor was lauded for being a libtard cuck for so long that he hasn’t realised that he stopped being funny. The guy actually has talent, but needs to get the woke virus out of his brain.”
The term “woke virus” is commonly used by critics to describe what they see as an infection of progressive social ideologies. The post predictably ignited a fierce debate in the comments section, with users passionately taking sides. One user, @JoyfulAICreate, supported Musk’s stance, stating,
“The woke virus takes the good potential away from so many.”
Conversely, another user, @Prasad_C_, found humour in Noah’s bit, commenting,
“This video was ironically funny… it doesn’t mean I support any kind of life-harming threats or actions. But situationally, his comment was guarded and funny.”
A History of Bad Blood
This public disagreement is not an isolated incident in the increasingly fraught relationship between the tech magnate and the comedian. The feud has been simmering for months. Earlier this year, on his podcast “What Now?”, Noah delivered a pointed critique of Musk’s business practices and overarching influence.
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During the podcast, the “Born a Crime” author questioned the billionaire’s methods, suggesting a calculated strategy behind his public persona.
“He is supremely talented at finding the right lever to pull, and he will pull it. To start businesses that break things and don’t follow the rules, what do you need? You need people who make the rules to lose power,” Noah claimed.
He elaborated that Musk allegedly capitalises on public discontent, stating,
“You find people with the most hate fermenting, you encourage that, you grow and nestle it. These guys are essentially investing in disruptors across the world.”