Tuesday’s Ben Kissel Politics opens with a 1985 speech from John Denver, reminding us that when information is hidden from the public, curiosity only grows. That idea frames a conversation about what happens when politics and performance take over spaces meant for sincerity.

We look at the odd spectacle of Charlie Kirk’s funeral, where many speakers used the podium less to eulogize and more to push their own political messages or promote their brands. What should have been a farewell often felt like a rally.

And in one of the most unsettling turns, a pastor used AI to recreate Charlie Kirk’s voice, projecting the idea that Charlie demands people: “Do not mourn me for one second because I am in heaven.” It raised questions about authenticity, technology, and how far people are willing to go to make a point.

It’s a journey from Denver’s warning to a modern media circus—proving that the more politics hijacks our grief, the more we should all stop and ask: who is this really for?

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