Anderson Cooper broke down in tears as he read out the names of the victims of the Orlando massacre.
The veteran CNN broadcaster wept as he told brief stories about each of those identified as having lost their lives in a mass shooting at gay nightclub Pulse on Sunday (12.06.16) morning – but refused to mention shooter Omar Mateen, who was killed by police, by name.
He said: "We begin tonight with their names. The names of the 48 out of 49 people who have so far been identified.
"The victims of the deadliest mass shooting in American history. A massacre that happened in a gay nightclub … just two nights ago.
"There is one name I want to tell you that you will not hear in this broadcast tonight. One picture of a person you will not see. We will not say the gunman’s name or show his photograph. It’s been shown far too much all ready. We want to try to keep the focus where we think it belongs – on the people whose lives were cut short."
Meanwhile, America’s late-night talk show hosts all weighed in on the tragedy on their programmes.
Jimmy Fallon – who has daughters Winnie, three, and Frances, 18 months, with wife Nancy – worried about how to explain what had happened to his children and urged viewers to use the massacre as a "lesson in tolerance".
He said: "I, as a new father, am thinking, ‘What do I tell my kids? What do I tell them about this? What can we learn from this? What if my kids are gay? What do I tell them?’
"Maybe there’s a lesson from all this. A lesson in tolerance. We need to support each other’s differences and worry less about our own opinions. Get back to debate and away from believing or supporting the idea that if someone doesn’t live the way you want them to live, you just buy a gun and kill them. Bomb them up. That is not OK."
‘Daily Show’ presenter Trevor Noah devoted eight minutes of his programme to talking about the attack, admitting he was "sad and sickened" by what had happened.
He added: "The president, he made a powerful point. America has to decide if this is the kind of country that it wants to be. Every time this happens, it feels like America has already decided, this is exactly the kind of country it wants to be.
"Because we know how this always plays out. We’re shocked, we mourn, we change our profile pics and then we move on. It’s become normal. But I’m sorry, maybe it’s because I’m new, but it’s not normal.
"We shouldn’t allow this to be normal. It’s not normal thing. It’s like milk from almonds or sushi from Walgreens. It’s not normal, people."
Stephen Colbert dispensed with his usual opening sequence, with him simply seated at his desk when the show opened.
Like Trevor, he emphasised how gun crime happens "too many times" in the US.
He said: "We each ask ourselves what can you possibly say in the face of this horror? But then sadly you realise, you know what to say, because it has been said too many times before."
Seth Meyers also scrapped his opening monologue on ‘Late Night’, instead showing footage of people waiting in Florida to give blood, and of strangers helping one another.
He also blasted members of Congress for doing "nothing" about tightening gun control laws.
He said: "This was an attack on LGBT people fueled by bigotry and hatred. And the shooter was apparently inspired by ISIS. But we’re gonna talk about guns
"Because whether the shooter was a homophobe, mentally ill, a terrorist inspired by ISIS or all three, what allowed him to kill so many people on Sunday was his gun. And that means we’re likely about to enter yet another contentious national debate about gun control…
"When given a chance, Congress consistently chooses nothing as a course of action."
Anderson Cooper cries for Orlando victims
