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I Know Despair Is a Victory for Hate': How Late-Night TV Handled the Orlando Massacre
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I Know Despair Is a Victory for Hate': How Late-Night TV Handled the Orlando Massacre

"...let's remember love is also a verb and 'to love' means to do something...and I don't know what else to say."

Less than 48 hours after Sunday's terror attack in Orlando, two out of the three network television premiere late-night hosts opened their Monday shows with monologues focusing on the tragedy.

Jimmy Kimmel's ABC show did not mention the Orlando massacre, instead, it focused on the NBA finals and the show's typical entertainment and comedy.

However, on NBC and CBS, both hosts opened their shows with statements on the deadly attack.

Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show" monologue took place in its typical location — in front of the blue curtain. However, the content had a somber tone as Fallon discussed that "another senseless shooting, this time at a dance club in Orlando, Florida — a dance club."

A new dad, Fallon wondered, "What do I tell my kids?"

But he wasn't without hope. "This was just one bad guy here — 49 good people and one bad guy. And, there will always be more good than evil," he said.

"Keep loving each other, keep respecting each other and keep on dancing," he concluded.

Watch Jimmy Fallon's show opener:

Over on CBS, Colbert opened "The Late Show" from behind his desk and not standing on the stage in his typical monologue position.

After talking about the incident for almost two minutes, Colbert expressed frustration with what he believes to be the country's apparent acceptance of mass shootings: "I don't know what to do, but I do know despair is a victory for hate, and hate wants us to be too weak to change anything."

Colbert wrapped up the monologue in atypical fashion. "Love your country, love your family, love the families of the victims and the people of Orlando. But let's remember love is also a verb and 'to love' means to do something ... and I don't know what else to say ... hopefully my guest will," Colbert said, before introducing Bill O'Reilly.

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