“Late Present” host Stephen Colbert mentioned CBS didn’t air his Monday interview with Senate candidate Rep. James Talarico, D-Texas, out of worry of the Federal Communications Fee.
Colbert kicked off Monday night time’s present by virtually instantly mentioning Talarico’s absence.
“He was imagined to be right here, however we had been instructed in no unsure phrases by our community’s legal professionals, who known as us straight, that we couldn’t have him on the published,” Colbert mentioned. “Then, then I used to be instructed in some unsure phrases that not solely may I not have him on, I couldn’t point out me not having him on. And since my community clearly does not need us to speak about this, let’s speak about this.”
CBS and the FCC didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
“The Late Present” printed the unaired interview with Talarico on YouTube. Within the interview, Colbert and Talarico focus on the FCC crackdown, together with opening a probe into ABC’s “The View,” after Talarico appeared on the present.
“I believe that Donald Trump is fearful that we’re about to flip Texas,” Talarico mentioned, which was met with viewers applause. “That is the social gathering that ran in opposition to cancel tradition, and now they’re making an attempt to manage what we watch, what we are saying, what we learn. And that is essentially the most harmful sort of cancel tradition, the type that comes from the highest.”
Talarico accused the Trump administration of “promoting out the First Modification to curry favor with corrupt politicians.”
“A menace to any of our First Modification rights is a menace to all of our First Modification rights.”
CBS’ transfer to not air the phase comes because the FCC, the federal government’s media regulator, and most notably its chairman, Brendan Carr, have been notably combative with networks which have drawn the ire of the president.
Trump has for months prompt the FCC may revoke the licenses of tv broadcasters. Extra just lately, Carr, who was appointed by Trump to guide the FCC, has mentioned that daytime and late-night TV discuss reveals should adjust to the equal time rule relating to political candidates.
The FCC’s equal time rule prohibits radio and broadcast channels from internet hosting political candidates throughout an election with out giving airtime to their opponents. Throughout his present Monday, Colbert highlighted that information interviews and discuss present interviews with politicians are exceptions.
On Jan. 21, Carr launched a letter warning networks concerning the rule, saying that he’s contemplating eliminating exceptions because of the networks’ potential partisan motivations.
Colbert fired again at Carr on Monday, accusing the chairman of being motivated by partisan functions.
“Let’s simply name this what it’s: Donald Trump’s administration desires to silence anybody who says something dangerous about Trump on TV as a result of all Trump does is watch TV,” Colbert joked.
This comes months after ABC pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Stay!” off the air “indefinitely” after Carr criticized feedback the host made concerning the assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel accused “the MAGA Gang” of making an attempt to “rating political factors” by characterizing the suspect “as something aside from one in all them.”
Kimmel’s present was pulled a few days later and returned to the air after a few week.
Austin Mullen and Allie Canal contributed.
