Late-night host Stephen Colbert revealed that an interview with James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the Texas Senate, was pulled from the broadcast due to concerns from CBS over regulatory guidance from the Trump administration regarding equal time for political candidates on air. Colbert explained that the show was explicitly directed by network lawyers that Talarico could not be featured on the program.
In his remarks on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” he stated, “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.” Moreover, Colbert noted that he was also instructed not to mention the fact that Talarico would not be appearing on the show. This incident unfolded just hours before early voting commenced in Texas’ primary elections.
Talarico shared part of the interview on social media, branding it as “the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.” Traditionally, broadcast networks are required to provide equal opportunity to political candidates; however, this rule has not generally been applied to talk shows. Recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued new guidelines cautioning talk show hosts to offer equal time to political candidates, with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr questioning the exemption typically afforded to talk shows.
The FCC noted, “The FCC has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late-night or daytime television talk show program on air presently would qualify for the bona fide news exemption.” In response to these developments, Colbert highlighted that the equal time provision pertains to broadcast television but not to streaming platforms. Consequently, the nearly 15-minute interview with Talarico was uploaded to the YouTube page for Colbert’s show, with the host specifically indicating that the segment was exclusively available online.
Talarico also shared a one-minute clip from his conversation with Colbert on X, emphasizing, “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.” Despite attempts to reach comments from CBS and the FCC regarding the situation, no immediate responses were provided.
As early voting started in Texas, Talarico and fellow Representative Jasmine Crockett are among the Democratic contenders vying for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Senator John Cornyn. The primary election is scheduled for March 3.
A significant part of this situation is tied to FCC Chairman Carr, who was appointed by Trump and has repeatedly criticized network talk shows, suggesting investigations into shows that have frequently voiced opposition to Trump could be warranted.
Colbert's tenure as host of "The Late Show" is nearing its end, as CBS has announced that the show will be canceled in May due to financial challenges, effectively closing the door on a long-standing television legacy within an evolving media landscape. The timing of this announcement raised eyebrows, especially as it came shortly after Colbert’s public criticism of a settlement involving Trump and Paramount Global, CBS's parent company, over a story aired on “60 Minutes.” This move appears to have been a strategic maneuver to eliminate one of Trump's most vocal late-night critics.
