Celebrities Show Their Support for Orlando at Monday Night Vigils

Photo: Instagram

In the wake of a tragedy like the shooting that took place at Pulse nightclub in Orlando over the weekend, people often feel helpless to enact any real change—but if you’re a celebrity, your microphone is just a bit bigger than others. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that many famous faces have banded together to mourn the loss of 49 souls and reflect on the numerous factors that allowed that to happen.

On Monday, June 13, a large crowd gathered in front of New York City’s iconic Stonewall Inn (the site of a 1969 police raid often credited as the start of large-scale gay rights activism in the United States) in honor of the Orlando victims. In addition to politicians including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, stars Titus Burgess, Nick Jonas, and Andy Cohen all lent their support to the shooting victims, their families and the LGBT community.

Burgess was clearly emotional as he looked out at the hundreds who showed up for the event. “I have to tell you, being here and seeing all of your faces has comforted me in a way that I did not expect coming down here,” he said. “I am indeed Orlando, and in times like this, I find myself at a loss for what to do.” Being at a loss for words, the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star opted to do something else: He sang—or, to be specific, he sang “Somewhere” from West Side Story.“I love you guys,” he said as he exited the stage.

Shortly after, pop star Nick Jonas took the mic. “More than anything, I just want to speak from the heart and say I woke up yesterday to the news, like all of you, and my heart broke,” he explained. “I grew up here in New York City and New Jersey, performing on Broadway shows, surrounded by some of my closest friends from the LGBT community. My father, a minister from New Jersey, shaped my view that love is love, that we are all equal. That no matter who you are, or where you’re from, or where you’re going in life, you have the right to love and be loved. So yesterday, thinking about the families of the victims and the lives lost, I just thought that could be my friend. That could be my people.”

For his part, Bravo mastermind Andy Cohen took to Instagram to share a snap of the rally in real time. “Rally at Stonewall with thousands of my LGBT brothers, sisters, and allies to #PrayForOrlando,” he captioned the shot.

On the other side of the country that same night, Lady Gaga stopped by a rally at Los Angeles City Hall. Clad in a plain black ensemble with little makeup or fanfare, the pop icon read from a small notecard to the thousands who had gathered together. “Orlando, we are united with you,” she began. She went on to call the massacre “an attack on humanity itself” and joined with other speakers in reading a list of the names and ages of all of those who were killed in the attack.

Like Cohen, Gaga also took to Instagram to share her thoughts.“We can always count on one another’s pain to remind us what strength is all about,” she wrote beside a photo of herself with her fist raised in determination and tears running down her face. “#UnitedAsHumans #UnitedAsFriends."

Next to another shot of herself speaking to the crowd, Gaga reflected on her experience. "I saw fear and sadness in the faces of so many, but I felt comfort knowing there are millions all over the world who are not only part of the LGBT community, but are part of the straight community and are so impassioned by this tragedy. You are not alone.” No doubt many feel comforted by the honest, emotional support of stars such as these.