Overview
- Stephen Colbert said CBS lawyers told him his taped interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico could not air and that he could not even mention it on his show.
- CBS countered that it did not ban the segment and instead warned it could trigger equal‑time obligations for rival candidates, saying it offered Colbert’s team alternative options.
- Colbert posted the full interview on The Late Show’s YouTube channel, where it drew more than two million views after the broadcast segment was withheld.
- The FCC stated that late‑night programs are not automatically exempt from equal‑time requirements if appearances are politically motivated and it has scrutinized The View over a Talarico appearance, prompting a public rebuke from Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez.
- The dispute unfolds as Paramount/Skydance reshapes CBS leadership, including the appointment of Bari Weiss, with Colbert’s show set to end in May 2026 and Anderson Cooper announcing his departure from 60 Minutes.