Stephen Colbert addressed the death of Charlie Kirk with a reflective and sympathetic tone on The Late Show. He stated that after completing the show's scripts for the evening, they learned that Charlie Kirk, the well-known right- wing activist, had been fatally shot during a speaking event in Utah. Colbert extended his condolences to Kirk’s family and loved ones and expressed his hope that the shooting was the "horrific act of a madman" rather than a sign of a troubling trend. He recalled the political violence of the 1960s to emphasize that political violence does not resolve disputes but only leads to more violence. Colbert prayed that the act was an aberrant tragedy and urged Americans to understand that such violence is not the way to solve political differences.
He emphasized that political violence only begets further political violence and voiced a desire for peace and sanity amid the tragic incident. This message set a somber and serious tone for his show, highlighting the gravity of the event regardless of one's political stance.
