Stephen Colbert to release James Talarico’s interview on YouTube as CBS refuses to air it for ‘financial reasons’

Stephen Colbert said CBS did not allow his planned interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico to air. The network cited concerns related to the Federal Communications Commission’s equal time rule, the Late Show host said.

The comedian told viewers that the network’s lawyers had clearly informed his team that Talarico could not appear on the broadcast. He also claimed he was advised not to discuss the matter on air. However, he chose to raise it publicly during the show anyway.

According to Stephen Colbert, the FCC rule requires television networks to give equal airtime to opposing political candidates during election periods. However, he noted that talk shows and news interviews have traditionally been exempt from this requirement.

Stephen Colbert then strongly criticized FCC Chair Brendan Carr over the notice. He suggested talk shows should not lose the usual equal-time exception.

“FCC you!” Colbert used sharp language to express anger.

“…because I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself,” he added.

Colbert accused the FCC leadership of political bias. According to him, the Donald Trump administration wants to silence television voices that speak against the president.

Colbert then compared Trump’s media habits to a child with excessive screen time. The seasoned host said that he and Jimmy Kimmel were among those most affected.

Colbert also criticized his own network, CBS. He pointed out that the FCC had only issued a notice. It has not yet officially removed the long-standing exemption. However, CBS chose to follow the rule in advance and blocked the interview from airing.

“He’s just released a letter that says he’s thinking about doing away with the exception for late night. He hasn’t done away with it yet, but my network is unilaterally enforcing it as if he had,” Colbert said.

As the audience booed, Colbert joked that the decision was taken for “purely financial reasons.”

James Talarico’s interview

FCC Chair Carr defended the restriction. He said that if talk show hosts like Colbert or Jimmy Kimmel did not want to follow the proposed equal-time rule, they could move to cable, podcasts, or streaming platforms.

Colbert mocked this suggestion. He said it was strange for a broadcast regulator to encourage people to leave broadcast TV. He then revealed that the interview would be streamed online instead.

“I am going to interview James Talarico tonight, but it’s not going to be on The Late Show. It’s going to be on The Late Show’s YouTube page,” he said.

Colbert–Trump conflict history

Donald Trump’s long-running conflict with Stephen Colbert comes from years of sharp political satire that Trump considers personal and insulting. Since 2015, Colbert has frequently mocked Trump in his comedy using harsh language. Trump has responded with equally strong criticism, calling Colbert “boring,” “talentless,” and a “failure.”

Tensions grew further in 2025 when Colbert accused CBS' parent company, Paramount Global, of paying Trump $16 million ( ₹145 crore). The company allegedly resolved a lawsuit linked to a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris.

Colbert suggested the payment was meant to secure government approval for Paramount’s planned merger with Skydance Media. Soon after this controversy, CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end in May 2026. It officially cited falling ratings and financial pressure.

Donald Trump publicly celebrated the cancellation. The US president said he was pleased Colbert had been “fired.” Critics and fellow comedians, including Jon Stewart, argued the timing raised concerns about political influence over media decisions.