Colbert Slams CBS Over Blocked Talarico Interview on Late Show

Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show on CBS, said this week that network lawyers stopped him from airing an interview with James Talarico, a Texas state representative running for U.S. Senate as a Democrat. The decision came down to worries about an FCC rule on equal time for candidates, which Colbert linked to pressure from the Trump administration. He taped the talk on Monday, February 17, 2026, but it ended up only on YouTube after CBS flagged potential issues with other candidates in the Texas Senate primary.

Background

James Talarico serves in the Texas House of Representatives. He announced his run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate from Texas, aiming to challenge in a primary that includes U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and former Rep. Colin Allred. Talarico has drawn notice for his stands against Christian nationalism and what he calls made-up culture wars pushed by Republicans in Texas. He talks often about keeping church and state separate, fighting corporate media control, and pointing out how Republicans distract from real problems like school closures, health care cuts, and tax breaks for the rich.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs weeknights from the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York. Colbert took over as host in 2015. His show mixes comedy, satire, and guest talks on politics, entertainment, and news. Late-night programs like his have long gotten a pass from strict broadcast rules thanks to exemptions for news interviews and talk shows.

This case ties into bigger tensions between broadcasters and regulators. The FCC's equal time rule dates back to 1927. It says if a station airs one candidate, others in the race can ask for the same amount of time. In 1959, Congress added exemptions for things like news coverage and bona fide interviews to avoid choking free programming. Late-night shows fell under that until recent changes.

President Trump, back in office since January 2026, has pushed the FCC to rethink those exemptions. Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, sent out new guidance. It says talk shows with candidates must log the airtime, letting rivals request equal slots. Carr has named late-night and daytime shows in his notes. Trump talked about using the rule against hosts during his first term. Since returning, his team has gone after shows like Jimmy Kimmel's on ABC after comments on a conservative activist's death. Trump also called out NBC hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon.

Key Details

Colbert brought this up on his show Monday night. He said CBS lawyers told his team they could not air Talarico. They warned it would trigger equal time for Crockett and maybe Allred. CBS offered ways to handle equal time, like giving slots to others. The show chose to post the full interview on YouTube with a promo on TV instead. That platform skips broadcast rules.

Colbert did not hold back. He called the rule changes partisan and aimed at silencing critics of Trump. He mocked Carr directly on air.

“Well, sir, you're chairman of the FCC. So FCC you. Because I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself.” – Stephen Colbert

CBS pushed back in a statement. They said they did not block the interview. Legal advice just pointed out equal time risks for Crockett and another candidate. The show picked the online route to avoid those steps.

Talarico spoke in the YouTube interview about his campaign. He hit on separation of church and state, corporate media power, and Republican distractions like furries in bathrooms. He said those issues hide bigger ones: schools shutting, health care gutted, taxes up for most while down for billionaires. Talarico also addressed an FCC probe into The View for his earlier appearance there. He blamed Trump for fearing a Texas flip to Democrats.

“Donald Trump is worried that we're about to flip Texas… this is the party that ran against cancel culture and now they're trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read.” – James Talarico

FCC Democrat Anna Gomez called CBS's move corporate surrender to administration pressure. She said the FCC has no right to push broadcasters for politics or chill speech. important, CBS's parent, faces government issues, but that does not justify skipping news content, she added. The FCC did not comment right away on Colbert's remarks.

Equal Time Rule Explained

The rule requires equal chances for qualified candidates who ask. Broadcast TV and radio must follow it; online does not. Exemptions cover news interviews, but Carr's guidance narrows that for talk shows. Hosts must track candidate airtime in public files. Critics like lawyer Adam Bonin say Carr uses his role to keep candidates off night shows. Fox News reported the FCC probe on The View as government overreach, not real review.

What This Means

Broadcasters now weigh every candidate chat against equal time hassles. Networks like CBS face choices: air and offer slots to rivals, or go online only. This could cut broadcast exposure for lesser-known candidates like Talarico, who relies on free media to build name recognition in a crowded primary.

For late-night TV, the shift adds red tape. Shows built on quick guest spots might limit politicians to avoid logs and requests. Colbert's case shows how hosts chafe at limits on their content. He joked about the rule but made clear his frustration with what he sees as censorship by proxy.

The Texas Senate race stays key. Democrats want to unseat Republican Ted Cruz. Talarico positions as a fighter on free speech and against what he calls corrupt ties between media execs and politicians. His online push gets eyes without FCC strings, but broadcast reach matters more for swing voters.

Trump's FCC moves signal wider media pressure. Past actions on Kimmel and calls for NBC probes set a pattern. If chairs like Carr keep reinterpreting rules, more stories could go digital. That changes how news and campaigns mix on TV. Gomez warns of chilled expression; networks cite legal caution. The balance tilts toward caution in a high-stakes election year.

Talarico keeps campaigning. He clarified past comments on Allred, saying he respects him and critiqued strategy, not race. They talked after rumors blew up. The race heats with primaries ahead. Colbert's show moves on, but this flap highlights rules reshaping airwaves.