Stephen Colbert said that CBS stopped airing his interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico because they were afraid of what the Trump administration’s FCC would do. The host of The Late Show put the whole segment online after network lawyers stopped it from airing.
CBS lawyers said not to air the February 16 interview because of FCC rules that say all political candidates must get the same amount of time. These rules are enforced by Trump-appointed Chairman Brendan Carr. Carr has gone after late-night shows and The View, saying that “fake news” exemptions might not apply. This comes after CBS paid Trump $16 million last year to settle a lawsuit over a 60 Minutes segment.
Talarico, who is running for U.S. Senate against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, said in the interview that Trump is afraid Democrats will turn Texas blue. He criticized the administration for “cancel culture from the top,” which he said hurt the First Amendment in order to help politicians. The crowd clapped as he said that threats to free speech put all rights at risk.
Colbert said that the block was “Donald Trump’s administration wanting to silence critics on TV.” He compared the president to “a toddler with too much screen time.” He made fun of Carr right to his face, saying, “Sir, as the FCC chairman, I say FCC you.” The team put the interview on YouTube, which broke the FCC’s rules about streaming.
