Footage from TMZ’s live broadcast on the day of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s death has sparked outrage online, as several staff members appeared to laugh and cheer during the announcement of his assassination.
TMZ founder Harvey Levin later addressed the incident, claiming that the staff’s reaction was unrelated to Kirk’s death. According to Levin, employees in a separate room were watching a live car chase at the time, and their reactions were mistakenly perceived as a response to the breaking news.
DISGUSTING:
During the @TMZ livestream today, employees at TMZ could be heard CHEERING 30 seconds before @charliekirk11’s death was announced on the TMZ livestream. They were happy to hear the news of Charlie Kirk’s death and can be heard clapping and cheering before passing the… pic.twitter.com/gqtQdq9Gwi
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) September 10, 2025
“We were livestreaming all day during this tragedy when something happened in our office,” Levin said during a follow-up statement. “As we were reporting the assassination of Charlie Kirk, there were some people in the back room away from our news desk who were watching a car chase and they were laughing, they were clapping, and you could hear it out here. We want to make a couple of things clear: I know these people, and they were not reacting that way about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. They were not. They would not work here if they did.”
Ich habe den ABC7-Livestream mit dem TMZ-Livestream synchronisiert.
TC: 00:00:00:00
Im ABC7-Livestream (Autoverfolgungsjagd) wird angekündigt, dass es einen Sonderbericht zum Attentat auf Charlie Kirk gibt und dass dieser in Kürze gezeigt wird.TC: 00:00:02:00
Im TMZ Chat wird… pic.twitter.com/SGSgHFMT7g— _horizont_ (@hori_____zont) September 12, 2025
However, critics remain unconvinced. Conservative journalist Laura Loomer posted the original livestream clip on X (formerly Twitter), demanding accountability and calling the incident “shameful and disgusting.”
“Charlie is a husband and a father. He was murdered in cold blood,” Loomer wrote. “Shame on TMZ.”
Further scrutiny came from German X user @Hori_zont, who posted a side-by-side video comparing the TMZ livestream with footage from the ABC car chase in question. The edited clip suggests that the chase did not feature any particularly dramatic or humorous moments, casting doubt on Levin’s explanation.
Many online are calling for further clarification from TMZ, accusing the outlet of insensitivity and attempting to cover up the real reason for their staff’s reaction during a solemn moment.