On September 10, the world was shaken by the death of one of America’s most well-known young political activists, Charlie Kirk. He was ass-ssinated at Utah Valley University while addressing students. As news of the tragedy spread, shockwaves rippled across the globe. Joe Rogan, too, was in disbelief when he learned of Charlie’s passing right in his podcast studio. In episode #2378 of The Joe Rogan Experience, featuring actor Charlie Sheen, the UFC commentator reacted to the news, saying, “So it just happened. We just found out Charlie Kirk got sho-.”   

At that moment, Rogan was still unsure whether Kirk had survived after being shot. He turned to his producer and asked, “Is he dead?” Though his producer replied no, a visibly shaken Rogan continued, “One of the guys out there just confirmed that he’s dead.” It may have been one of the darkest moments in JRE history. But that wasn’t all. The podcast’s guest, Charlie Sheen, went on to reveal some behind-the-scenes details about how their mostly positive conversation suddenly turned grim once they learned of Kirk’s death.

Charlie Sheen reveals how Joe Rogan struggled to process Charlie Kirk’s death

On the Impaulsive podcast, Sheen recalled, “Then, we got into some s–t towards the end, and it was a night rhythm, and a great energy, great sense of humor. That dude is like… he dials right in on now, and it was like… yeah…  I felt totally connected, great laughs with him. So we are into this thing, right? And I had to go to the bathroom, really bad. So I said, ‘Hey man, can we take a break?’ He was like, ‘We’re close to wrapping up.’ I said, ‘ What if we do that, and come back for a couple of minutes?'” As the Emmy Award–winning actor wrapped up his break, both he and podcast host Joe Rogan were blindsided by what unfolded next.

The 60-year-old recounted how Rogan’s producer, Jamie, warned him that something might have gone terribly wrong. He went on to describe how the UFC commentator was visibly devastated when one of his bodyguards confirmed that Charlie Kirk was indeed dead.

Charlie Sheen said, “And, his producer pauses, and then he says to Joe, ‘Don’t check your phone. ’ And Joe is like, ‘F– that, what’s going on.’ It was breaking news and everywhere. He says, ‘Tell me what happened?’ and He says, ‘Charlie Kirk has been sho-. He’s clinging to life.’ So, we are trying to process that, and suddenly everything’s different. From one second to the next. And so, we go out into the lobby, and one of his security guards just said, ‘He just died.’ So we make it to the bathroom, and Joe says, ‘We need to go back on the air and talk about this.’ And I said, ‘Yes, we do.'”

It was a hard revelation not only for Rogan, but for the rest of the country. Many people are still paying tribute to the fallen activist. Even the UFC held a special tribute during the UFC Noche event last week in his honor.

The UFC paid tribute to Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk was an American Republican figure with a massive following behind him. After news of his tragic passing spread, UFC fans also expressed their sadness and stood in solidarity with his supporters. Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling posted on social media: “RIP to Charlie Kirk. Just because you don’t agree with someone’s opinion doesn’t mean you just start k-ng people.” His words carried a clear message—that everyone deserves the right to speak their mind.

Former UFC title challenger Dominick Reyes also wrote, “Pray for Charlie’s soul and his family. To m**er someone you don’t agree with is pure cowardice.” Many UFC fighters followed suit, sharing their own reactions. During the UFC Noche event, the promotion went a step further by paying tribute to the social activist. 

The broadcast featured a short segment highlighting how Kirk made a massive impact through his debates and interactions. UFC president Dana White received praise from the audience for making that decision. With that being said, it’s always deeply unfortunate when someone is forced to leave this world so tragically and in such a brutal way.