"We have a ritual now in America whenever something terrible happens. Our nation goes into shock and hundreds of people like myself come on television and try to make sense of it all. Now it used to be a task for newscasters and pundits. But over the years it has inexplicably expanded to include celebrities and comedians. Now sadly I've had to do this too many times whenever there's been an act of terrorism or a school shooting. But today feels very different. We're rightfully sickened by the needless killing of a black man named George Floyd. But it doesn't feel right right for me to talk about my feelings of sadness and anger. To do that feels inadequate and even somehow wrong. Our national crisis is that a large and vital community in our country is in real pain. Pain because they do not feel safe or dignified or seen and, most important of all, they do not feel heard. So I'd like to use my very small piece of television today not to speak, but to listen to someone I respect who knows what it's like to be black in America in 2020. Van Jones is here and I am very grateful for his time tonight." In his interview with Jones, the CNN commentator expressed "hope" for a bipartisan bill tackling police brutality. ALSO: Conan expresses solidarity with Black Lives Matter by announcing his show and Twitter accounts will take Tuesday off.
TOPICS: Conan O'Brien, TBS, Conan, George Floyd, Van Jones, Black Lives Matter, Late Night