Colbert Wore A Black Lives Matter Bracelet On ‘The Late Show’

Stephen Colbert wore a bracelet given to him by an audience member in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on the Friday episode of “The Late Show.”

Patrick Waldo, who attended the New York City taping with a friend, brought the bracelet in hopes that Colbert would call on him during the pre-show Q&A session. He said he wanted to ask “The Late Show” host about his support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Waldo explained further in an Instagram post:

Tonight I went with my friend @sharronicanyc to a taping of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. It was awesome, but that was expected. Less expected: I brought a Black Lives Matter wristband with me on the off chance that he would call on me during the Q&A before the show. The group I’m a part of, @nyc_shutitdown, got a bunch of these made and we use them to fundraise for our weekly #PeoplesMonday actions. I’ve been wearing them all day every day and they have sparked several needed conversations with people who notice them. I was sitting in the last row but somehow he called on me anyway. I was the first of three people he called on. I stood up and nervously told him I’m a longtime fan. Then I told him I’ve been involved in the Black Lives Matter movement for the last year. I said “From one member of the ruling class to another,” and he laughed and interrupted me and said “The ruling class? What do you rule? Because I rule this theater!” I said “You do! So I’m gonna put you on the spot right now and ask you to wear this Black Lives Matter wrist band on the show, AND say Black Lives Matter at least once during the show because I think your audience needs to hear it!” He responded immediately, “Bring it to me” and then “But I make promises to no one!” I ran it up to the stage and handed it to him and shook his hand and thanked him. He put it on immediately and said “I’ll see what I can do. But I make no promises.” Then he took two more questions from the audience. After the last one, I could see he was kind of distracted and thinking of something, and he turned back to me and said “This wrist band feels like it was made for someone with much bigger wrists than mine. I want to wear it around my neck like a lovely necklace.” Then he said if he couldn’t work it in tonight, he’d find a way to do it within the next couple of shows. He said something like “Does that work?” and I said yes and thank you and then he kept it on for the rest of the night. Pretty commendable. Taking a stand on the right side of history is no small thing. After the show, as we were walking away, a security guard said “Black Lives Matter!” and “He’ll put it in. He’s a man of his word.”

A photo posted by Patrick Waldo (@moustachemannyc) on Sep 11, 2015 at 8:17pm PDT

Here’s a collage showing Colbert’s #BlackLivesMatter bracelet in action.

The man did not hide it! Thank you @colbertlateshow for your not so subtle support of #BlackLivesMatter

A photo posted by Patrick Waldo (@moustachemannyc) on Sep 11, 2015 at 10:28pm PDT