Probably the first nasty thing I heard about Erika Kirk after the assassination of her husband at a campus Turning Point USA event came from Ellen Barkin, who didn't approve of her wardrobe for her appearance at a TPUSA event, saying, "Those must be her mourning jeggings." Yes, she wasn't in a long black dress with a veil. Is that OK?
Apparently not, because a meme started circulating of a Spirit Halloween costume called "Fake Grieving Widow."
Sadly, John Cleese was TDS-infected enough to claim she was applying fake tears before going onstage. To anyone else, it would have looked like she was dabbing her eyes with a tissue, but video doesn't lie.
I have a lot of admiration for Kirk stepping up and taking the reins at Turning Point USA.
But since Ann Landers isn't around anymore, I'm not sure how much time you have to wait after your husband's political execution before smiling again.
The epitome of “grief.” pic.twitter.com/m8g6XoFuUz
— ThePatrioticBlonde🇺🇸 (@ImBreckWorsham) December 8, 2025
This is an alleged constitutional conservative saying this.
Yes, God forbid a widow ever smiles again (even when she's with her friends as she is here) for the rest of her life https://t.co/tJ6Tpr8N7q
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 8, 2025
Mary Katherine Ham knows what it's like to be a widow:
Widows smile. Widows function. Widows raise their children and work jobs. Widows read the Bible and pray and have dark moments behind closed doors, often shielding other people from them. Hope this helps. pic.twitter.com/PZ6CqYbU5f
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) December 8, 2025
Ouch. If anyone could make this post, it’s you. Wish that wasn’t true, though.
— Excelsior Strategies (@Excelsior_PR) December 9, 2025
I just don't get it. Her husband was assassinated. She cries, she's working the room. She smiles, she's an uncaring widow capitalizing on her husband's death. She can't win. Grief affects everyone differently, and being a public figure along with it can't be easy.
— Michael Butler 🇺🇸 (@MDButler81) December 9, 2025
The cruelty and cynicism that people have displayed in the last three months has shocked me to my core.
— Andrew Moser (@Andrew_Moser) December 9, 2025
I’m always floored at the callousness of people. They hide behind their emojis and their keyboards. She suffered mightily and there’s nothing wrong with her having a smile on her face. I hope that person never has to experience her life being shattered.
— billy barou (@bspurloc) December 8, 2025
What do they expect her to do exactly?
— SonofLiberty357 (@SonofLiberty357) December 9, 2025
Just shut up and go away. That's what they want her to do. And she's not doing it. She's carrying on.
They're pissed that she won't just succumb to the intimidation and go away.
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) December 8, 2025
It's been three months since her husband was shot to death … I think it's OK for her to smile now and then.
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