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Dem Blasts Late-Night Host Over Government Interference Claim

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Stephen Colbert
Photo Credit: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuqEZx6TmfI

Democratic candidate James Talarico ignited a censorship firestorm by claiming President Donald Trump’s FCC “refused to air” his interview with Stephen Colbert — and his political opponent quickly shut that claim down.

Talarico took to social media with a dramatic warning. “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,” he declared.

He doubled down at a campaign rally Tuesday, alleging the FCC “colluded with corporate media executives at CBS … But I think it’s safe to say that their plan backfired.”

CBS responded with a blunt statement that contradicted both Talarico and Colbert. The network said Colbert “was NOT prohibited” from airing the interview.

Lawyers advised the show that broadcasting the segment could trigger the FCC’s equal-time rule, which may require comparable airtime for other Democratic candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas.

CBS explained that the show chose to run the interview on YouTube and promote it on-air instead of navigating potential equal-time obligations on the broadcast.

That clarification undercut claims of federal interference or a White House directive.

CNN’s Brian Stelter reported that the FCC had sent a “letter of inquiry” to ABC regarding possible equal-time violations on “The View,” which contributed to caution among network executives.

Executives viewed the regulatory environment as uncertain, but that does not amount to government censorship.

Talarico did not backtrack, instead he lauded Colbert in glowing terms, telling him, “You have really shown people in this country what Christianity should be.”

Colbert also lashed out at the Trump administration after learning the interview would not air on CBS.

“[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 told his audience, adding that he had been instructed not to discuss the matter.

“And because my network clearly does not want us to talk about this … let’s talk about this,” he continued.

“I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself,” Colbert charged.

“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 screen time. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diapers. So, it’s no surprise,” Colbert added, finishing with a curt “FCC you!” before welcoming Talarico onto the show’s digital platform.

Colbert said the network would not allow him to advertise links or a QR code on-air, but he directed viewers to YouTube.

“But I promise you if you go to our YouTube page, you’ll find it,” he boasted.

After the interview went viral online, Colbert publicly mocked CBS’ official statement.

“Without ever talking to me, the corporation put out this press release, this statement. This is a surprisingly small piece of paper given how many butts it was trying to cover,” he quipped.

He called it “written by and for lawyers” and vowed to go through it line by line.

“I’m not a lawyer and I don’t want to tell them how to do their jobs but since they seem intent on telling them how to do mine, here we go,” he told the crowd.

Colbert noted that he had previously welcomed Talarico’s primary opponent, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, twice.

“Fellas, I am well aware that we can book other guests. I didn’t need to be presented with that option,” he said.

He claimed CBS would not allow him to display proof of Crockett’s past appearances without raising equal-time concerns.

“So I’ll just show this photo of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein instead,” he said before displaying a widely circulated image of the president and the disgraced financier.

Colbert argued that CBS’ statement could not be accurate because lawyers approve his scripts nightly.

“They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’ lawyers, who for the record, approve of every script that goes on the air,” he said.

He revealed he received notes from network attorneys between segments, which he described as unprecedented.

“I had to go backstage to get more notes from these lawyers and they told us the language they wanted me to use to describe this equal time exception and I used that language, so I don’t know what this is about,” he said.

Colbert claimed staff reviewed decades of precedent and could not find an example of the FCC enforcing the equal-time rule against a talk show host.

He insisted he was “not even mad” and described himself as “grateful” to work for CBS despite the controversy.

“I’m just so surprised that this giant, global corporation wouldn’t stand up to these bullies. For the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising. I don’t even know what to do with this crap,” he said before crumpling the statement and tossing it in the trash.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett rejected the censorship narrative out of the late-night host.

“We did receive information suggesting that the federal government did not shut down the segment, number one,” Crockett said.

“That is my understanding that the federal government did not shut this down, and we will do an official statement once we get another official statement that we anticipate is going to be coming from Paramount,” she added. “So we will read what they say, and then we’ll go from there.”

Crockett noted she “did not get a request” to appear on the show and described the decision as internal.

“It is our understanding that Colbert, either Mr. Colbert or CBS, decided that they just didn’t want to air it,” she said. “And this was because of a fear that the FCC may say something to them and that there may have been advice to just have me on and then they could clear the issue.”

“It was my understanding that someone somewhere decided we just don’t want to do that and instead, we’re going to just do it this way,” she added.

The controversy unfolded as CBS prepares to end “The Late Show” in May after announcing in July that it would conclude due to financial considerations.

The FCC also confirmed that “The View” is under investigation for possible violations of the equal-time rule.

“The FCC has an enforcement action underway on that, and we’re taking a look at it,” Chairman Brendan Carr said Wednesday.

“We haven’t seen the same issues on the radio side,” he added. “We’ll take a look at anything that arises at the end of the day.”

“There was no censorship here at all,” Carr told reporters.

“I think you guys should feel a bit ashamed for having been lied to and then just run with those lies,” he said. “I think it was an embarrassing episode for the media.”

“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,” Carr wrote on X.

“Today, the FCC reminded them of their obligation to provide all candidates with equal opportunities.”

On Wednesday, Carr said that it’s “tough to be Colbert,” now that his “limelight is fading.”

“But look, I get it, it’s tough to be Colbert. He’s had what he probably views as a long and distinguished career in the limelight. He sees that that limelight is fading, is coming to an end. That’s got to be a difficult time for him, I get it. But that doesn’t change the facts of what happened here,” he remarked at a press conference on Wednesday.

The FCC boss said that he was “highly entertained” by the controversy over Talarico’s interview. “It was one of the most fun days I’ve had on the job watching the hilarity of how this story played out,” Carr quipped.

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