Comedian Bill Burr has argued that healthcare executives should scrutinise their own policies and practices rather than simply increasing security measures, following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione in December 2024. Burr suggested in a Rolling Stone interview that the industry's response—removing their public presence and hiring security—avoided the more difficult question of whether their corporate decisions contributed to the incident. Mangione, who pleaded guilty to charges connected to Thompson's murder in August 2024, had expressed opposition to the healthcare industry's practices.

Attorney Rafael Mangual of the Manhattan Institute sharply rejected Burr's position, characterising it as an endorsement of violence as a means of expressing grievances with corporations. Mangual argued that Thompson was simply a victim of cold-blooded murder and questioned the implications of Burr's comments, asking where lines would be drawn if homicide became an acceptable form of protest. The exchange highlights broader tensions around corporate accountability and how public figures discuss violence in response to institutional practices. Burr also discussed his evolving perspective as a comedian, noting that his views on women have substantially changed from his earlier career.