As Stephen Colbert ascended the stage on Monday afternoon, the audience applauded. Instead of his usual comic routines, he broke the news of a tragic shooting in Texas that claimed the lives of at least 19 children and two adults.
Before continuing with his monologue, Colbert needed to take a few moments to gather himself, going silent for six seconds.
“Nothing can ever come close to expressing the immense anguish of those families,” Colbert added.
He prayed for the victims and their families, as well as for government officials to exhibit courage and work to avoid further shootings. Then he continued.
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“However, prayers will not solve the problem. Voting could help, so think about it: “Who among the candidates for office has openly said that they will do everything in their ability to safeguard your children from the criminally crazy quantity of weapons in America?”