Colbert brings the receipts over CBS pulling Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico interview and literally trashes network’s lawyers

Stephen Colbert has slammed CBS’s statement denying his claims that it blocked him from airing an interview with Texas State Rep. James Talarico this week, calling it “crap” and tossing it in the trash.

Colbert told his audience on Monday night’s show that his conversation with Talarico, who is running for the Senate, had been dropped because “we were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast.”

The host said his producers were informed that the decision was made to comply with the Federal Communications Commission’s equal time rule, which requires broadcasters to provide equal airtime to rival political candidates to prevent bias.

In this case, that would necessitate the show also hosting Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Talarico’s primary opponent, who has, in fact, guested on The Late Show twice before.

Colbert rejected the explanation, noting: “There’s long been an exemption for this rule, an exception for news interviews and talk show interviews with politicians… Let’s just call this what it is: Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV.”

While the Talarico interview did not air as part of Monday’s broadcast, it was uploaded to YouTube, where it had been viewed by more than 5.6 million people at the time of writing. The candidate himself also shared excerpts on X (Twitter).

CBS responded Tuesday by issuing a statement that read: “The Late Show was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico.

“The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.

“The Late Show decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.”

Responding last night, Colbert held up a printed copy of the statement and said that “every word” he had said the previous night had been “approved by CBS’s lawyers, who, for the record, approve every script that goes on the air.”

He added that he had been called backstage between delivering his opening monologue and commencing the second act to take further notes from the lawyers on how to explain the equal time rule to viewers.

“And I used that language. So, I don’t know what this is about,” Colbert said, adding, “I really don’t want an adversarial relationship with the network. I’ve never had one.”

“I’m just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies,” he continued. “Come on, you’re Paramount! No! You’re more than that, you’re Paramount Plus!”

“For the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising, he concluded. “I don’t even know what to do with this crap.”

He then crumpled the printed statement, scooped it into a plastic bag, and dropped it in the trash.

The controversy has only helped Talarico, who has already seen his national profile and campaign cash skyrocket over the affair, raking in a further $2.5 million in donations in just 24 hours.

Talarico and Crockett are battling for the Democratic nomination and ultimately seek to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, who is himself in a bitter primary with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

While the Democratic race was initially cordial, former congressman Colin Allred, who previously dropped out, has moved to endorse Crockett after it was alleged that Talarico had told Morgan Thompson, a TikTok influencer, that he had signed up to run against a “mediocre Black man,” not a “formidable, intelligent Black woman” like Crockett.

Allred hit back angrily in a social media video in which he said, “This man should not be our nominee for Senate. I was not going to get involved in this race, but don’t come for me unless I send for you, OK James? And keep my name out of your mouth.”

Talarico responded by calling his reported comments “a mischaracterization of a private conversation,” saying he had been criticizing Allred’s “method of campaigning,” not his “life and service.”

He also addressed the affair in his Colbert interview, saying he had called Allred to iron out the misunderstanding.