The 2025 Emmy Awards drew sharp criticism Sunday night for failing to acknowledge the assassination of conservative patriot and outspoken Christian Charlie Kirk just days earlier, a glaring omission that critics say showcases Hollywood’s entrenched hostility toward God and Christian values.
The ceremony at the Peacock Theater featured crass political statements on issues like Gaza and immigration but offered no tribute to Kirk, who was gunned down Sept. 10 during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Host Nate Bargatze, in pre-show remarks, defended the choice by calling the event “a fun silly night” and stressing “I want this night to be an escape” from the tragedy he described privately as “the saddest thing in the world.”
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Kirk, a devout Christian and vocal defender of biblical principles, had long warned against the moral decay he saw in media elites. His death has sparked national mourning among faith communities, with evangelical leaders framing it as an attack on spiritual warriors. Yet the Emmys’ avoidance stood in stark contrast to past shows that honored figures like George Floyd with repeated mentions, fueling accusations of selective outrage.
This silence is hardly isolated. The awards have a history of overt mockery toward God and believers. In 2007 at the Creative Arts Emmys, comedian Kathy Griffin used her acceptance speech for “My Life on the D-List” to declare “a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus” before adding “____ it Jesus this is my god now.” Backstage she doubled down: “I hope I offended some people. I hope I offended the Holy Ghost.” The Television Academy edited out the remarks deeming them “offensive” but the damage lingered, igniting protests from Christian groups who saw it as emblematic of secular arrogance.
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Similar barbs have marked other ceremonies. During the 2018 Emmys opening monologue Stephen Colbert lampooned then-Vice President Mike Pence’s evangelical faith through a puppet sketch that portrayed Pence proclaiming devotion to Jesus while rejecting others, drawing fire for ridiculing core Christian tenets.
Such moments serve as a thermometer gauging the spiritual temperature of American culture and media, where secularism increasingly displaces reverence for the divine. The Emmys and similar spectacles like the Grammys – rife with performances and speeches that glorify the profane – signal a nation adrift from its godly moorings. Kirk himself often decried this drift calling for a return to Judeo-Christian foundations amid rising moral relativism.
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The awards’ snub of Kirk isn’t mere oversight; it’s a symptom of deeper enmity toward those who champion faith over fleeting fame. As polarization deepens and violence mounts faith leaders urge a Holy Spirit revival to heal the land. Events like these Emmys cry out for such awakening, reminding us that true cultural renewal begins with exalting God above golden statues. Kirk’s legacy as a bold voice for righteousness endures, challenging Hollywood to confront its anti-God bias before it’s too late.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
