Colbert Says Network Blocked Talarico Interview After FCC Guidance
Stephen Colbert said his network barred a James Talarico interview after FCC guidance on the equal-time rule, and Colbert posted the unaired segment online.
Overview
Stephen Colbert said his network's lawyers told him he could not have James Talarico on his broadcast and barred mentioning the decision.
The directive came after FCC guidance in January questioning the talk-show exemption to the equal-time rule and after the FCC opened a review of a daytime talk show that had aired a Talarico interview.
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez condemned the decision as "censorship," saying it reflected corporate capitulation in the face of political pressure.
Talarico and Rep. Jasmine Crockett are competing in the March 3 Democratic primary where candidates seek to avoid a May 26 runoff by winning at least 50% of the vote.
Colbert published the unaired Talarico interview online.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as corporate capitulation to regulatory pressure, foregrounding Colbert and Democratic voices and describing the network action with charged verbs like "pulled" and "refused." They highlight FCC chair Brendan Carr's actions and omit substantive FCC rebuttal, while presenting CBS's legal rationale later, producing a censorship-focused narrative.
Sources (23)
FAQ
The equal-time rule is an FCC regulation requiring broadcasters to provide equal airtime to competing political candidates[1]. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's January 2026 letter suggested removing the exemption that previously allowed talk shows to avoid the rule, claiming some talk shows were motivated by partisan purposes[2]. CBS's lawyers interpreted this guidance as creating legal risk, leading them to block the Colbert-Talarico interview since Talarico is a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate[1].
Yes. Since Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, FCC leadership has targeted multiple media institutions[2]. The FCC pressured ABC and television operators to temporarily remove Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show in September 2025 after he made critical comments, and Trump called for similar action against NBC hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon[2]. The FCC also opened an investigation into ABC's 'The View' after it aired a Talarico interview[1].
Talarico characterized the situation as an example of 'cancel culture from the top,' stating that Trump's administration was 'trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read'[4]. He argued that attempts to suppress his appearances on 'The View' and Colbert's show, as well as the investigation into Jimmy Kimmel, represent dangerous governmental interference in free speech and media freedom[4].
Colbert publicly addressed the situation on his February 17 broadcast, stating 'Let's just call this what it is: Donald Trump's administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV'[2]. He criticized FCC Chairman Carr for partisan motivation and defied the broadcast restriction by publishing the Talarico interview on YouTube as an online-exclusive[2]. Colbert also noted he was initially told he couldn't even mention the interview being blocked[1].
Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, the sole Democrat on the FCC, condemned CBS's decision as 'censorship' and 'corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration's broader campaign to censor and control speech'[1]. She emphasized that while CBS has First Amendment rights to determine its programming, yielding to political pressure is 'all the more disappointing' because it demonstrates how corporate media decisions can undermine free expression protections[1].
History
5 sources