The Talk’s Grand Finale: Sheryl Underwood Supports a Tearful Amanda Kloots
Amanda Kloots did not hesitate to show her emotions alongside her co-hosts during the final episode of The Talk.
The show concluded its run on Friday, December 20, after a successful 15 seasons. Kloots, 42, became visibly emotional as she took the stage one last time with Sheryl Underwood, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell, and Akbar Gbajabiamila. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause, giving the Talk team an extended standing ovation.
“Don’t make us all emotional!” Morales, 52, remarked while Underwood, 61, relished the moment. “This is our final time experiencing this, and we’re going to savor it,” Underwood added.
As they settled in, Kloots was spotted wiping away tears. Underwood, seated at the center, reached out to O’Connell, expressing gratitude for her support over the years. Kloots was next to convey a heartfelt message.
“When I first joined [the show], we didn’t have an audience due to Covid,” she recalled. “In fact, for the initial episodes, I was at home over Zoom. … When we finally had the audience back, Sheryl’s reaction was incredible. I realized that the audience is part of the show. You are as much a part of our cast. It has been a tremendous learning experience for me.”
As Kloots became emotional, Underwood took her hand in a comforting gesture. The cameras zoomed in on this poignant moment, reminiscent of another viral hand-holding instance that recently captivated the internet.
In November, Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo made headlines during a press tour for the first segment of their two-part movie musical. During an interview with Out magazine’s Tracy Gilchrist, the two discussed how “people are connecting with the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and finding empowerment in them.”
Erivo was touched by the comment, while Grande reached over to hold just one of Erivo’s fingers. This moment quickly went viral, leaving both stars as bewildered as the rest of Us.
“I didn’t grasp any part of it,” Grande explained to Variety recently. “I was lost from the first sentence, and then definitely didn’t follow Cynthia’s response. I just wanted to be present because I sensed something significant was happening and I was unsure how to engage.”
Erivo concurred, joking, “Eventually, I was at a loss for how to be present, too.”
After sharing a touching moment with Underwood during Friday’s finale, Kloots reflected on her experience on The Talk since joining in 2021.
“I have a child,” Kloots said, referencing her 5-year-old son, Elvis. “Coming here every day to converse with four people — five, if I include the audience because they are part of it — about everything from fun, light-hearted topics to serious issues … I truly appreciate that.”
Kloots struggled to hold back tears, prompting an “uh oh” from one of her co-hosts. Underwood quickly reached over again to clasp her hand.
“We must remember this,” Kloots continued. “Listen to each other, engage in conversation, and avoid conflict. Truly value each other’s viewpoints … That’s what this show stands for. It’s about conversation and not conflict, and genuinely being a part of one another’s lives.”
O’Connell passed around a box of tissues, playfully declaring he would have them on hand for the remainder of the episode. He and his co-stars revealed to Us Weekly prior to the finale that they expected tears to flow.
“These are friends for life,” O’Connell stated. “I don’t think our journeys are truly over. It’s amusing how, when a job wraps up, you suddenly have to make plans to meet again. But it will be funny if we come across a story we used to discuss at work. I can already picture myself sending it to you all in our group chat!”
Underwood, a member of The Talk since its second season, gazed toward her upcoming endeavors. “We have learned so much from one another. … We came together for our time. We accomplished what we set out to do. Now, it’s time for all of us to move on to greater things,” she expressed to Us.
