Stephen Colbert's Show Halts Interview with Texas Senate Hopeful Amid Legal Alert

Stephen Colbert's "Late Show" interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico was stopped from airing by CBS lawyers, who Colbert believes faced political pressure. The interview was taped but never broadcast.

Interview Blocked

On Monday night, Colbert informed viewers that although the interview with James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate, had been recorded, it was not shown on television. Colbert stated that network lawyers directly instructed them to exclude Talarico from the broadcast.

FCC Equal Time Rule Concerns

The decision possibly relates to discussions about the FCC's equal time rule, which mandates comparable airtime for candidates. Typically, late-night shows have been considered exempt as news coverage. However, FCC chair Brendan Carr has challenged this view recently.

Digital-Only Release

Colbert released the interview online due to FCC rules not applying to streaming platforms. In the interview, Talarico criticized what he termed as cancel culture being pushed by some in political power. Colbert also voiced his disagreement with the current FCC stance during his show.

CBS and Brendan Carr have not yet commented on these developments. The situation raises questions about the future of political discourse in late-night comedy.