“The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert criticized CBS on Monday night, saying the network blocked his interview with U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico from airing.
“You know who is not one of my guests tonight? That’s Texas State Representative James Talarico,” Colbert told his studio audience. “He was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast. Then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. And because my network clearly doesn’t want us to talk about this, let’s talk about this.”
Colbert said the reason CBS prevented “The Late Show” from broadcasting Talarico’s appearance was rooted in new guidance from the FCC for daytime talk shows and late-night TV programs, which requires the shows to provide equal time to opposing candidates.
While “The Late Show” didn’t air Talarico’s interview on TV, it did post it on YouTube, where FCC rules don’t apply.
“The network says I can’t give you a URL or a QR code, but I promise you, if you go to our YouTube page, you’ll find it,” Colbert said.
Talarico, a Democrat, has served as a Texas state representative since 2018 and is campaigning in the Democratic primary to represent his state in the U.S. Senate.
CBS said in a statement: “THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. THE LATE SHOW decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.”
CBS News has reached out to the FCC for comment.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, said Tuesday that CBS is protected under the First Amendment “to determine what interviews it airs.”
“That makes its decision to yield to political pressure all the more disappointing,” Gomez wrote on social media. “Corporate interests cannot justify retreating from airing newsworthy content.”
The FCC issued a notice last month that daytime talk shows and late-night programs must give equal time to opposing candidates. The announcement hinged on a decades-old federal law requiring any FCC-licensed broadcaster that lets a political candidate appear on its airwaves to also offer “equal opportunities” to all other candidates running for the same office. The law exempts “bona fide newscasts” and news interviews from the equal time rule.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who was appointed by President Trump and is an ally of the president, wrote on X as he shared the notice: “For years, legacy TV networks assumed that their late night & daytime talk shows qualify as ‘bona fide news’ programs – even when motivated by purely partisan political purposes. Today, the FCC reminded them of their obligation to provide all candidates with equal opportunities.”
On “The Late Show” Monday, Colbert said, “Well, sir, you’re chairman of the FCC, so FCC U, because I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself.”
“Let’s just call this what it is: Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV, because all Trump does is watch TV, OK? He’s like a toddler with too much screentime. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diaper,” Colbert said.
In a statement to CBS News, White House spokesman Davis Ingle called Colbert “a pathetic trainwreck with no talent and terrible ratings, which is exactly why CBS canceled his show and is booting him off the airwaves.”
“FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is simply doing his job and enforcing the rules,” Ingle said.
Talarico shared a clip on social media early Tuesday, saying, “This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see. His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.”
Tuesday marked the first day of early voting in Texas for the March 3 primary, in which Talarico faces U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and businessman Ahmad Hassan. They are facing off to take on the winner of the Republican primary, in which longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn is being challenged by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt. Both races could go to runoffs if no candidate in either party gets 50% of the vote.
Networks, individual shows and talk show hosts have come under fire by Mr. Trump for what he has claimed is their politically biased programming. Mr. Trump has at times called for broadcasters to lose their FCC licenses.
After taking over “The Late Show” from David Letterman in 2015, Colbert is preparing to wrap his final season as its host in May, when CBS will retire the late-night franchise. Although many suggested the cancellation was politically motivated, as Colbert has been an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump and his administration, the network insisted its decision was purely financial.
