Stephen Colbert slams CBS for canceling James Talarico interview
After a lawyer for CBS recommended that the show not air an interview with Congressman James Talarico, host Stephen Colbert slammed the network.
With three months left until “The Late Show” ends, Stephen Colbert is thinking about CBS.
The comedian slammed the network Tuesday with a statement denying that he was banned from broadcasting an interview with Texas Rep. James Talarico over concerns that it violated the FCC’s “equal time” rules. Colbert denied CBS’ statement and doubled down on his original claims, saying he was “very surprised” by the turn of events.
“It’s really amazing that my lawyer would release this (statement) without even talking to me. I don’t even know what to do with this crap,” he said, removing the bag and disposing of the piece of paper with the statement on it as if it were dog poop.
The Late Show host also claimed that CBS “unilaterally told me I had to abide by the FCC’s equal time rules” before interviewing Talarico, but in my 21 years on the job, I have never been asked to do an interview.
USA TODAY has reached out to CBS for comment.
Colbert’s controversy began Monday after the late-night host claimed that a CBS lawyer advised him not to interview Talarico, a Democrat who is running in the Senate primary against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, on “The Late Show.”
“Our network’s attorney called us directly and told us in no uncertain terms that we could not have him on the air,” he said Monday. “We were then told in no uncertain terms that not only could we not not wear him, we could not even mention not wearing him.”
Colbert explained that this has to do with the FCC’s equal time rule, which requires broadcast networks and radio stations to give equal time to all candidates in elections.
There is an exception to the same-time rule for news interviews and talk shows, and in 2006 the FCC determined that “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” was exempt from news interviews. But the FCC signaled in January that new guidance could change that. The station’s media bureau said, “No evidence has been presented that the interview portions of currently airing late-night or daytime TV talk show programs fall under the exemption from the equal time rule.”
At the time, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said, “For many years, traditional television networks have considered late-night and daytime talk shows to qualify as ‘genuine news’ programming, even when motivated by purely partisan political objectives,” adding that the agency was reminded of its “obligation to provide equal opportunity to all candidates” in the new guidance.
Colbert claimed Monday that this is an example of President Donald Trump’s administration “trying to silence people who say bad things about him on TV.” The comedian interviewed Talarico, but the segment was not aired on CBS and was instead posted on YouTube. The interview has been viewed more than 5 million times on YouTube as of Wednesday morning.
But on Tuesday, CBS issued a statement pushing back on Colbert’s comments, saying “The Late Show” “does not prohibit CBS from broadcasting its interview with Congressman James Talarico.”
Instead, the station said Colbert “provided legal guidance that this broadcast could trigger the FCC’s equal time provisions against two other candidates, including Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how to achieve equal time for other candidates.”
CBS’ statement continued: “Rather than offering a same-time slot option, ‘The Late Show’ has decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel to promote it on air.”
Colbert said Tuesday that he was prepared to let the situation go until CBS released this statement written by “I think four lawyers” who “never spoke to me” about the matter.
“I’m not a lawyer, so I don’t want to tell them how to do their job,” he said. “But it seems like they’re trying to teach me how to do it, so here we go. Guys, you’re well aware that we can book other guests. I didn’t have to be presented with that option. I’ve had Jasmine Crockett appear on my show twice!”
Colbert said he was “not angry” and “doesn’t want an adversarial relationship with the network,” but said he was taken aback by the statement because CBS “knows full well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS lawyers.”
Talarico’s interview controversy is the latest example of late-night tensions with the FCC after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s show in September following pressure from Kerr over Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about the murder of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel then returned to the skies.
Colbert’s segment this week featured his most outspoken criticism of the network’s longtime home, where he has hosted “The Late Show” since 2015. The show, which was canceled by CBS last year, is scheduled to air its final episode in May. Critics have accused the network of ending the show to appease the Trump administration, and the network said it was a “purely economic decision.”
In November, Colbert told GQ that he “has had a great relationship with CBS” even amid the controversy surrounding his cancellation, and that he did not want to get involved in speculation about the network’s motives. But Colbert didn’t hesitate to take a jab at CBS, either. On his segment Monday, he teased why CBS is canceling the show, sarcastically saying the network is enforcing the FCC’s equal-time rules for “purely economic reasons.”
Contributors: Taijuan Moorman and BrieAnna J. Frank; Reuters
