FCC chair Brendan Carr’s threatened revisiting of the Equal Time rule has come to fruition, forcing CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to not air an interview with Democratic politician James Talarico.
Instead, Stephen Colbert’s sit-down with the Texas State Representative currently running for Senate was posted to the late-night program’s YouTube page—the URL for which Colbert was not allowed to share on-air.
Colbert detailed his run-in with CBS over the interview during Monday night’s broadcast.
“[James Talarico] 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,” Colbert said. “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 does not want us to talk about this… let’s talk about this.”
Colbert recapped the Equal Time provision—”the FCC’s most time-honored rule, right after ‘No nipples at the Super Bowl'”—which he’d previously addressed in the immediate wake of Carr indicating that he was looking into waiving the long-standing exemption for talk show interviews with politicians.
“Carr said… some of [the talk shows] were ‘motivated by partisan purposes,'” Colbert said, before adding: “Well, sir, you’re chairman of the FCC, so FCC you.”
The Late Show host then went off on Carr, saying that the Trump-installed FCC chair is “motivated by partisan purposes” himself, and in that capacity has been “Dutch oven-ing America’s airwaves.”
“Let’s just call this what it is,” said Colbert plainly. “Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV. Because all Trump does is watch TV.”
Colbert observed, “It’s no surprise that two of the people most affected by this threat are me and my friend Jimmy Kimmel.” He then cued up Carr’s response to him and Kimmel discussing the rejiggered Equal Time rule on their respective programs:
“If Kimmel or Colbert want to continue to do their programming,” Carr said, “and they don’t want to have to comply with this requirement, then they can go to a cable channel or a podcast or a streaming service and that’s fine.”
Quipped Colbert, “Great idea, Man Whose Job Is to Regulate Broadcast TV! Suggest everyone leave broadcast TV!”
It was then that Colbert revealed that his interview with Talarico would see the light of day—albeit on The Late Show‘s YouTube channel. “The network says I can’t give you the URL or a QR code, but if you go to our YouTube page, you’ll find it.” (We’ll save you a step; you can find/watch Colbert’s Talarico Q&A below.)
Colbert went on to note, “at this point, [Carr has only] released a letter that says he’s thinking about doing away with the exception—but my network is unilaterally enforcing it as if he had. But I want to assure you, this decision is for purely financial reasons.
“And this doesn’t just affect interviews,” he explained. “The rules forbid any candidate appearance, including by voice or picture”—leading him to point out that the photo of Talarico appearing over his shoulder was, in fact, a stock photo.
“So I can’t interview James Talarico, I can’t show any pictures of James Talarico, and I’m not even sure I can say the words ‘James Talarico,'” Colbert recapped. “But what I can show you is what we always show when we have to pull material at the last minute–this tasteful nude of Brendan Carr.” [Cue a mock-up of a nude Carr with his bits covered by a (small) cactus.]
In the actual interview below, Talarico ventures that “Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas,” ergo the enhanced scrutiny of his TV appearances, including on ABC’s daytime talker The View. “Corporate media executives are selling out the First Amendment to curry favor with corrupt politicians,” he opined.
Colbert then fact-checked the politician, saying, “My network said our cancellation was a purely financial decision.”
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This *rump administration is trying to kill this county, we cannot let it. I just gave James Talarico $500 to his campaign. He is a fresh voice in the Democratic party.
Enough of the hate – these idiots must be voted out before they do any more damage in the name of profits for our corrupt idiot in charge, yes, you DONALD F-face.
THIS… IS REALLY BAD. AND he only has 3 months left, which only widens the wound. It explains why Colbert put a “NOT” when he listed Talarico in his show’s IG, and not just cuz they chose to re-air Robert Duvall’s interview as a tribute since his passing.
I didn’t expect Colbert would be scorching hell on the FCC the moment he returned from break, so this does feel like the beginning of double-downing the chaos Colbert should step into before he bids good bye to the god-awful new management at CBS. If THIS makes Colbert snap and made him dedicate a whole DAMN segment to the FCC’s stupid machinations, I am all in for seeing him rebel against the high authorities in his own comedic way before he leaves CBS.
Also: Fuck Brendan Carr ~
To be sure, See BS has always been censorious as the Great Satan’s #1 network. It’s just that they used to have better PR pretexts for them. As for Mr Colbert and team, hope it serves as a lesson to him and others like Mr Kimmel to not give-up to either of partisan hackery or even pressure from other lobbying like the former reportedly did when interviewing NYC Mayoral candidates* last year, and the latter far worse which the former actually corrected on. *After all, the incumbent NYC Mayor is the only one to one-up CBS’ subservience through the use of very same FCC’s rules they have always lo-lo-loved to hide behind.
What the fuck are you on about?
@ a:
First of all, learn to have some patience — for fuck’s sake!
A) It’s what Kimmel did in 2024 when interviewing then-VEEP ‘Momala’..
B) …Which Colbert did better when his turn came.
C) …But he squandered that goodwill when deciding to interview the only mayoral candidates he had over bullying by nepobaby community “leader” of highly-networked figures.
Bari Weiss interviewed Trump and Erika Kirk in primetime. Did Carr object to that?
Technically that’s not a picture of James Tallarico. Stephen joked that it’s a stock photo they found when they Googled “Not James Tallarico.”
Loved the “financial reasons” joke. Skewering CBS’ reasoning to cancel the show in the first place. By the way, Paramount Skydance was looking to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery for $20 Billion. As a comparison, that money could cover the supposed $40 Million losses from the “Late Show” for the next 500 years.
Republicans and Trump know James Talarico will beats the republicans in November. Let’s pray there’s enough informed democrats in Texas to nominate him and not unelectable jasmine crocket who polls net-10% approval statewide in Texas.
SIDENOTE: Ahh.. Welcome, Mr Mitovich from outside the clutches of monopolistic Empire of your former employer!
More incessant whining from cry-baby Colbert. Geez, have some dignity!
Since the TX primary election is coming up, CBS correctly came to conclusion that he would have to give equal time to Talarico’s opponent: Jasmine Crockett
Racist Colbert, however, didn’t want to give a black woman equal time on his show.
And during Black History Month!
Months ago….he’s supposed to have Crockett on the same show or a later show in the week.
But Colbert endorsed the white man, not the black woman
Colbert should be wearing a KKK outfit.
Obamababoon says there were aliens.
Tell that Brown Nazi we already know…he’s married to a Wookie.
So you agree with the point that Michelle Obamababoon is a Wookie?
Glad you agree!
What makes you think you think you can keep posting your racist shit here?
Jasmine Crockett would like to be alone in a room with you!
Why do you keep on spreading your lies and bullshit here?
OBSERVATION: Whoa, whoa, whoa..
Didn’t know my welcome message to the reporter would unleash such a reddit/YouTube-comments esque drama here.
I am cancelling Paramount and CBS as soon as they cancel Late Night w Stephen Colbert
Good for you! Jon Stewart and the Daily Show don’t need your viewership!
So you’re saying he should only help the Democrat party?
Very biased of you.
That’s why you like him, isn’t it Mucky Boy?
Don’t try to gaslight us, you don’t have the brain capacity for that!
Not an accurate story. CBS said equal time must persist and Colbert said no
You’re full of shit for saying they do!