Colbert blasts CBS for denying it shut down Talarico interview

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today

Updated Feb. 18, 2026, 9:21 a.m. ET


With just three months left before "The Late Show" ends, Stephen Colbert is giving CBS a piece of his mind.

The comedian slammed the network on Tuesday for releasing a statement denying that he was prohibited from airing an interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico due to concerns about running afoul of the FCC's "equal time" rule. Colbert denied the CBS statement, doubling down on his original claims and saying he was "so surprised" by how the situation has unfolded.

"For the lawyers to release this [statement] without even talking to me is really surprising. I don't even know what to do with this crap," he said before taking out a bag and disposing of the piece of paper where the statement was written as if it was dog poop.

The "Late Show" host also maintained that CBS "told me unilaterally that I had to abide by" the FCC's equal time rule ahead of his interview with Talarico, "something I have never been asked to do for an interview in the 21 years of this job." USA TODAY has reached out to CBS for comment.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/02/18/stephen-colbert-cbs-james-talarico-interview-statement/88735752007/

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REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143617386
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143617704
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143617775

[hamsterjill]

1. I so applaud Colbert for speaking up.

I know he's in the last months of his show, but he's still exhibiting bravery by speaking his mind. Good for him.

May he be a role model for many of the other wimps who won't speak up! There are some who are speaking, but the vast majority of the media are cowering under the threats from the Orange Administration.

[PJMcK]

2. CBS sucks

Their owners suck.

Their management sucks.

Their programs suck.

Colbert will do fine elsewhere.

[Jack Valentino]

3. It would be the best public relations move for CBS to CONTINUE the show for another year, at least---

but at this point I don't know if Colbert would go along with it....

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. MaddowBlog-'Their plan backfired': Colbert's James Talarico interview generates large online audience

Far more people watched the interview on YouTube than probably would have seen it if it had aired on CBS without controversy

Link to tweet

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/their-plan-backfired-colberts-james-talarico-interview-generates-large-online-audience

On Tuesday afternoon, as public interest in the story grew, CBS issued a written statement insisting that Colbert was not prohibited from airing the Talarico interview. Rather, the network said the CBS lawyers “provided legal guidance,” which included “options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.”

Soon after, while the host filmed Tuesday night’s show, Colbert referred to CBS’ statement as “crap” and picked up a copy of the statement in a dog waste bag. “I’m just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies,” he added.

The host received some backup from Anna Gomez, a Democratic member of the FCC, who said in a statement, “This is yet another troubling example of corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration’s broader campaign to censor and control speech. The FCC has no lawful authority to pressure broadcasters for political purposes or to create a climate that chills free expression.”

Gomez added, “CBS is fully protected under the First Amendment to determine what interviews it airs, which makes its decision to yield to political pressure all the more disappointing.”

But as the developments unfolded, a related question needed an answer: Would all of this lead more people to take an interest in the interview that wasn’t included in the broadcast? The New Republic summarized:

Instead of including the interview in his CBS show Monday night, which the network’s lawyers had warned against, Colbert posted the interview to YouTube and other social media channels, where it has already garnered millions of views on each platform, much more than a single TV broadcast of the show, which averages 2.3 million viewers.

As of this writing, the YouTube video of the interview has generated more than 5.2 million views.

What’s more, the hullabaloo appears to have given Talarico a boost just two weeks before primary day in Texas. The Democrat raised $2.5 million in the 24 hours after the segment was posted online — the single best day of fundraising for his candidacy thus far.