Colbert Challenges CBS Over Talarico Interview Amid FCC Scrutiny

Stephen Colbert publicly confronted CBS over the network’s decision to prevent him from airing an interview with Texas State Representative James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for Senate. The move comes as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) considers revisiting the “Equal Time” rule, potentially impacting late-night talk shows.

The Interview and CBS’s Response

During Monday night’s broadcast of “The Late Show,” Colbert explained that CBS’s lawyers directly instructed him not to conduct the interview with Talarico and even forbade him from mentioning the cancellation on air. Defying the network’s directive, Colbert addressed the situation head-on, stating, “Because my network clearly doesn’t want us to talk about this… let’s talk about this.”

Colbert revealed that the interview with Talarico ultimately aired on the show’s YouTube page, though CBS prohibited him from sharing the direct URL or a QR code on-air. He too noted that he was not permitted to display any images of Talarico during the broadcast, resorting to a stock photo instead.

The Equal Time Rule and FCC Involvement

The controversy stems from FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s recent indication that he is considering waiving the long-standing exemption for talk show interviews with political candidates. The Equal Time rule traditionally requires broadcasters to provide equal opportunity for all candidates in a race if they feature one candidate on their program.

Colbert criticized Carr, referring to him as a “smug bowling pin” and accusing him of being “motivated by partisan purposes.” He argued that the Trump administration aims to silence criticism of the former president on television, noting, “Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch TV.”

CBS’s Preemptive Action

Colbert expressed frustration that CBS was “unilaterally enforcing” the potential rule change even though Carr had only stated he was “thinking about” doing away with the talk show exception. He suggested the network’s decision was driven by financial concerns.

Impact on Other Shows

Colbert highlighted that he and Jimmy Kimmel are among those most affected by the potential changes to the Equal Time rule. He also pointed out that the FCC’s focus appears to be solely on television, with right-wing talk radio remaining unaffected.

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.