The ‘Charlie Kirk Show’ criticizes UVU citing safety for abandoning controversial speaker
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The producers of “The Charlie Kirk Show” were shocked by the reason given that the Utah Valley University (UVU) canceled the invitation of the first speaker of the author and teacher Sharon McMahon, whose choice sparked anger among the followers of the late leader, who was killed on his campus.
On Thursday, UVU released a statement saying, “Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and consultation with public safety staff and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without the first featured speaker for this year’s festival.”
A statement that didn’t go down well with podcast hosts Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff.
UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY CELEBRATED FIRST COMMUNICATION SPEAKER PRAISE CHARLIE KIRK AFTER MURDER.
Charlie Kirk tosses a “Make America Great Again” hat to the crowd at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking on the “American Comeback Tour” when he was shot and killed. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
“Here’s the annoying thing,” Neff said. “They say it’s not because ‘Oh, we chose a bad speaker and that was our bad.’ They said they had ‘raised safety concerns’ about what happened.”
“It’s really our fault that we behaved badly,” Neff said. “But regardless of the speaker they should have chosen… No one threatened this. Not on this show or anywhere else.”
“We thought it was a bad idea,” Kolvet replied before saying, “Hallelujah.”
UVU representatives did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY FACES FIGHT OVER SPEAKER INAUGURATION PROGRAM AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S KILLING.
Utah Valley University announced it was suspending its speaker due to “safety concerns.” (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
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UVU was criticized for its appointment of McMahon, who attacked Kirk just days after he was killed.
“Millions of people feel they’ve been hurt, and the horrible and needless killings don’t magically erase what was said or done,” McMahon wrote in X at the time.
A now-deleted social media post posted two days after Kirk’s death also included several quotes that many Kirk fans say were omitted.
“It is important to remember that the incredible tragedy of the public killing does not erase the damage done by many of his words, and the subsequent actions taken by his followers,” said McMahon.
Author Sharon McMahon criticized Charlie Kirk just days after he was killed. (Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)
The university’s selection of McMahon as its speaker sparked outrage among Kirk supporters. A spokesman for McMahon declined to comment.
His team previously dismissed the idea that he celebrated Kirk’s death, telling Utah outlets that he “unequivocally condemned the killing of Charlie Kirk, repeatedly and publicly, calling his death a tragedy and insisting that public debate should not be mixed with violence.”
The 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was participating in a public speaking event sponsored by the Turning Point campus when he was shot and killed on September 10. The suspect, now 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, has been charged with seven counts, including murder. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
Fox News’ Max Bacall contributed to this report.
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