Stephen Colbert alleges CBS prevented him from interviewing Texas State Rep. James Talarico, a U.S. Senate candidate, citing pressure from the FCC. Colbert criticized the network's legal team and suggested the move was influenced by the Trump administration's efforts to control media coverage.
CBS Late Show host Stephen Colbert said the network blocked an interview with Texas State Rep. James Talarico , who is running for the U.S. Senate in Texas, preemptively caving to pressure from the FCC .
Pictured, Talarico speaks during the League of United Latin American Citizens’ Chorizo & Menudo community breakfast at El Ranchito on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Dallas.Speaking Monday night, Colbert criticized the network’s lawyers, who he said told the show’s staff that “in no uncertain terms” the interview could not be broadcast. He was also told not to discuss the matter on air. “Then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on,” Colbert told the audience, “I could not mention me not having him on, and because my network clearly doesn’t want us to talk about this, let’s talk about this.”guidance change, which requires broadcast networks provide opposing political candidates equivalent airtime. News interviews and talk shows were long considered exempt, he said, joking “how else were voters supposed to know back in ’92 that Bill Clinton sucked at saxophone?”“Let’s just call this what it is: Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV, because all Trump does is watch TV, OK,” Colbert said. “He’s like a toddler with too much screen time. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diaper.”CBS has not publicly responded to Colbert’s comments, and a spokesperson for the FCC did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.“I think Donald Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas,“ Talarico said to applause. ”This is the party that ran against cancel culture, and now they’re trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read.", which will have its final episode this May. The network cited financial reasons and a changing late-night advertising landscape. Days before the cancelation, Colbert criticized aSarah Bahari is a trending news reporter. She previously worked as a writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she covered a bit of everything. She is a graduate of Kansas State University.Early voting begins today in Texas for 2026 primaries. Here’s what to know
Stephen Colbert CBS James Talarico FCC Political Censorship
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