Colbert says CBS barred interview with Texas Democrat amid FCC crackdown

Stephen Colbert said Monday that CBS barred him from interviewing Texas Senate candidate James Talarico on “The Late Show” and instructed him not to tell viewers, the host said on air.

Colbert told viewers that CBS lawyers had told his show “in no uncertain terms” he could not interview Talarico and then “in some uncertain terms” that he could not mention the restriction, according to the comedian. He tied the network’s decision to the Federal Communications Commission’s recent push to enforce the long-standing equal-time rule, which requires broadcast networks to give legally qualified candidates equal airtime, regardless of party.

Colbert criticized FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, saying Carr had accused liberal talk shows of being “motivated by partisan purposes.” Colbert quipped, “Well, sir, you’re chairman of the FCC, so FCC you,” and added that he believed Carr was motivated by partisan purposes himself. He also accused the Trump administration of trying to silence critics on broadcast television, saying in part, “Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch TV.”

Colbert noted that Talarico’s appearance on ABC’s “The View” prompted an FCC probe and said that his own Talarico interview would appear on his show’s YouTube page, which he said is outside the FCC’s jurisdiction. He also said CBS would not allow him to show Talarico’s image during the segment.

Representatives for CBS, Paramount and the FCC did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital, which reported Colbert’s remarks. In an interview with Fox News Digital earlier this month, Carr defended enforcing the rule, saying it “goes back to the 1950s” and that the agency would apply it on his watch. Carr told Fox News Digital that programs can avoid the rule by moving to cable, podcasting or streaming, but that broadcasts using the public airwaves must comply. Fox News Digital’s Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi contributed to this report.

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