Stephen Colbert Gets Emotional On-Air, Pays Tribute to Recently Passed Staffer

Stephen Colbert was visibly moved and struggled to find words after the passing of his longtime executive assistant Amy Cole. The news came to light during the closing moments of the Monday, April 1 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. As Colbert became emotional while delivering the final line, the news of Cole's death was shared. After bidding his audience goodnight, an emotional Colbert left the screen, leaving behind a black title card. It read, "Dedicated to our dear friend Amy Cole, 1970-2024," as reported by PEOPLE.

Audience members who attended the show reported that the lively atmosphere of the show took a serious turn towards the end of the night. Colbert asked them to refrain from applauding, as stated by The Independent. The host appeared at a loss for words before finally uttering a simple “Good night." Studio audience members, unaware of the title card shown to viewers, were left puzzled by Colbert's visible distress as he quietly exited the stage. An obituary for Cole revealed that she had worked alongside Colbert for 16 years. She passed away peacefully on March 31 at the age of 53 after a brief illness.

"Working with Colbert for 16 years was more than a job to Amy. It gave her a purpose and provided an opportunity to showcase herself as an incredible teammate to everyone involved. She was adored by her entire Late Show work family, and she will be greatly missed," the obituary reads. Numerous writers and staff members from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert have taken to social media to honor Cole, with some mentioning a recent cancer diagnosis. Writer and Producer Opus Moreschi wrote on X, "Amy Cole was a beacon of light and joy and calm in the swirling chaos of our workplace. I am absolutely gutted that she’s gone."

He added, "If you love somebody with cancer (or even if you don’t) please consider giving to Amy’s favorite charity in her name." Jake Plunkett wrote, "Words cannot measure how big a loss Amy Cole is to this world. Fuck cancer. One of Amy's passions was helping children with cancer.  So, I ask you to help spread the light that she gave to this world by donating to the link below." The hyperlink is directed to Radio Lollipop's website, a global children's charity dedicated to providing hospitalized children care, comfort, play, and entertainment. Cole dedicated over two decades to working with the organization, holding a senior leadership position where she was responsible for recruiting volunteers.

Colbert recently voiced remorse for his earlier jokes about Kate Middleton's absence on his show. He had previously made light of the Princess of Wales' disappearance and engaged in conspiracy theories about her absence from public view. This came before it was revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer. Colbert admitted that he was aware of having upset people even before the cancer diagnosis was made public. He said, "There is a standard that I try to hold myself to, and that is, I do not make light of somebody else’s tragedy.” He also wished the Princess a quick recovery.