Charlie Kirk Show’s First Episode Featuring Megyn Kelly and Erika Kirk Surpasses 1 Billion Views: “It’s Gonna Break Records”
The debut episode of The Charlie Kirk Show — hosted by Charlie’s widow Erika Kirk and former Fox News heavyweight Megyn Kelly — reportedly surpassed one billion views within 72 hours of its release.
The program, billed by ABC as a “tribute, talk show, and spiritual movement rolled into one,” aired Sunday night and was simulcast across multiple platforms. By the end of the broadcast, analysts say it had “shattered modern viewing records.”
The first episode opened with Erika Kirk addressing a live studio audience of 3,000. “Charlie was not just my husband,” she said tearfully. “He was America’s brother. And tonight, we bring his vision to life.”
Megyn Kelly followed with a dramatic entrance, walking out to Kid Rock’s “Born Free,” clutching an American flag. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most important show in television history,” she declared. Donald Trump called in via FaceTime, Tucker Carlson read a poem titled Ode to Charlie, and Kid Rock performed a medley of his hits. Elon Musk announced that every Tesla dealership in the United States would now include a “Charlie Kirk Memorial Lounge,” looping the episode on a 24/7 basis.
According to ABC, the premiere episode racked up 1.07 billion views in under three days — more than the global audience for the FIFA World Cup Final and twice the views of Stranger Things’ entire run combined. Within hours, social media was abuzz with hashtags like #CharlieForever and #OneBillionViews. Clips from the episode went viral on TikTok and YouTube, while merchandise such as “One Billion Strong” T-shirts and a Funeral Tour Box Set of Charlie’s speeches sold out rapidly.
Not everyone was impressed. Rolling Stone questioned whether the show was “a funeral or American Idol on steroids,” while The Guardian called it “a carnival of grief weaponized for clout.” Erika Kirk responded: “If Rolling Stone can’t handle 1 billion views, maybe they should go back to writing about Harry Styles’ outfits.” Megyn Kelly added: “This is bigger than cable news. This is bigger than Taylor Swift. This is America, unfiltered.”
Internationally, the episode sparked unusual responses. In France, a columnist remarked: “Only in America can a funeral become a blockbuster series.” In China, state media accused the show of being “imperialist propaganda,” which inadvertently boosted viewership after clips went viral on WeChat. In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly considered a Canadian version.
Rival networks were reportedly unsettled. NBC executives discussed rebranding The Tonight Show, CNN aired a special titled The Life and Times of Anderson Cooper’s Dog, and Netflix greenlit a docuseries called Kirk: The Funeral That Broke America.
ABC has already renewed the show for 50 episodes this season. Upcoming guests include Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Marco Rubio, and Tulsi Gabbard. Rumors suggest Taylor Swift may appear in a limited role.
At the end of the episode, Erika Kirk said: “Charlie always dreamed of changing the world. Tonight, he did. One billion people can’t be wrong.” Megyn Kelly added: “This isn’t the end. This is just Episode One. Stay tuned, because we’re about to break records nobody’s even imagined yet.”
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