Stephen Colbert Mourns Death of ‘Dear Friend’ Amy Cole on ‘The Late Show’

Stephen Colbert had to fight his emotions on Monday night’s Late Show, ending with a short, simple close where becomes clearly emotional before saying good night and standing up from his desk.

After the host walks off, the screen turns to a tribute card for Amy Cole. She was Colbert’s longtime executive assistant who passed away at 53 earlier in the day. The card reads, “Dedicated to our dear friend Amy Cole, 1970-2024.” Cole’s reported cause of death was some type of cancer, hinted at by co-workers at the Late Show.

The Late Show paid tribute to Stephen Colbert's longtime assistant Amy Cole in the closing moments of Monday night's show. Full story: https://t.co/qjCinGz6nG pic.twitter.com/ObWO9xNeN8

— LateNighter (@latenightercom) April 2, 2024

According to Latenighter, audience members reported after that the taping was the typical fun experience throughout, but turned serious in the end. Colbert requested the crowd to hold their applause at the end of the show, appearing to be at a loss for words.

The moment played out as seen on television, but Latenighter reports that the live crowd didn’t see the card and Colbert’s emotional exit was unexplained. If anything, it shows how suddenly the news might’ve been reported when the episode was being taped.

Cole had been in the television industry since 2002, joining shows like Tough Crowd, The Colbert Report, and then eventually the Late Show. “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,” her obituary reads.