Did Derek Hough pay tribute to Charlie Kirk on Dancing with the Stars? Viral claim debunked

Claims of choreographer Derek Hough paying tribute to Charlie Kirk have been trending everywhere. Notably, the rumors emerged from a report by Book Nest on September 22, 2025, stating that Hough said a few words for Kirk in an episode of Dancing with the Stars.

However, the news is untrue, as it is an AI-generated claim, and the popular reality series has not taken any such initiative for a tribute. Moreover, as of this writing, Derek has not reacted to Kirk’s death anywhere.

Book Nest stated that Derek Hough was on stage when he expressed his grief over Kirk’s demise by saying:

“You may erase his presence, but you’ll never erase his message.”

The outlet also reported that Derek’s words led to a silence inside the ballroom, where the contestants were spotted smiling with the audience keeping their heads low, and the judges staring at the same time. Moreover, Derek also performed as part of a tribute to Kirk.

Another report by Book Nest stated that Derek was accompanied by Hayley Erbert and Mark Ballas, with all of them paying tribute together. Notably, the report claims that around 90,000 people were inside the ballroom while the trio paid tribute.

Meanwhile, Derek Hough, or Dancing with the Stars, has not shared any reaction to the rumors of the tribute.

AI-generated photos and videos start going viral after Charlie Kirk’s death

The popular political activist’s death on September 10, 2025, led to a lineup of tributes on social media and other platforms. Notably, he was speaking at Utah Valley University during an event when he was shot.

However, a different kind of situation emerged after Charlie Kirk’s death, where multiple pictures and videos created through AI started trending. One of them was a cloned version of Charlie’s voice, where he addressed what he would say after his death, as per the Independent.

The response was seemingly made with AI, and the audio clip was played during the services of the Arizona-based Dream City Church and the Awaken Church in California. But the main source from which the audio clip was obtained remains unknown.

The Independent stated that most of the photos and videos used the concept of Charlie Kirk appearing in heaven, including the media personality looking into the camera with music playing in the background.

The AI-generated video shows Kirk claiming that he lost his life due to his faith. A few Christian martyrs and saints then appear in the clip, recalling their journey to martyrdom, following which Kirk requested everyone to join a battle where they would make everyone realize the power of Jesus Christ.

A few more clips feature Charlie Kirk clicking pictures with personalities such as John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln. Another one includes Charlie and Jesus approaching the camera with a Make America Great Again hat in their hands.

Following Kirk’s death, a suspect named Tyler Robinson was taken into custody. According to KSL, Tyler will appear in court on September 29, 2025, and the judge will determine if the prosecution’s evidence is sufficient for the case to go to a trial.