Elon Musk has joined a growing wave of conservatives calling for a boycott of Netflix, announcing that he has canceled his own subscription after a controversy involving a children’s show creator and viral social media posts about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.
The backlash began after screenshots circulated online that appeared to show Hamish Steele, creator of the animated Netflix series Dead End: Paranormal Park, referring to Kirk as a “Nazi” in a profanity-laced post.
Steele’s comments were in response to the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s condolences to Kirk’s family after the commentator was shot and killed at an event in Utah on Sept. 10. Steele’s X account, where the remarks allegedly appeared, has since been set to private, and the images could not be independently verified.
Conservatives seized on the alleged remarks, pointing to Steele’s work on Dead End, which includes transgender characters, as proof of what they argue is Netflix’s embrace of “woke” children’s programming.
One X user posted a screenshot of their Netflix cancellation, writing: “Just cancelled my Netflix subscription. If you employ someone who celebrated the murder of Charlie Kirk and makes content that pushes pro-trans content on my kids… you will NEVER get a dime of my money.”
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 30, 2025
Musk reshared the post with a one-word reply: “Same.”
He later amplified other critiques of Netflix’s children’s programming, including series that promote LGBTQ+ themes.
“This is not ok,” Musk wrote in one post. He also added, “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids.”
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO’s announcement quickly gained traction, with thousands of users echoing the call. Some pledged to follow Musk’s lead and end their own subscriptions.
Musk, who has long been outspoken about what he calls the “woke mind virus,” also used the moment to renew criticism of Democrats and progressive activists. In posts after Kirk’s death, he condemned left-leaning users who mocked the assassination online.
“They are celebrating cold-blooded murder,” he wrote, calling his opponents “evil people.”
Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids https://t.co/uPcGiURaCp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2025
He went further, writing: “The Left lectured us for the last decade about the dangers of violence from the Right… Now to Charlie Kirk. The danger was actually on the Left.”
Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University. He later died in the hospital. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, surrendered to authorities two days later.
TRUMP AND MUSK SHAKE HANDS DURING CHARLIE KIRK’S MEMORIAL IN ARIZONA
The Netflix boycott discussion has also roped in other shows. Conservatives have highlighted scenes from titles like Ada Twist, Scientist, Ridley Jones, CoComelon Lane, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, and Gecko’s Garage, arguing they push LGBTQ+ themes on children.
Meanwhile, Netflix stock slipped on Wednesday. While analysts noted the decline was unrelated to Musk’s cancellation or the online boycott push, his high-profile announcement has ensured the controversy remains in the spotlight.
