Colbert Demands Exemption From Equal-Time Rule in Talarico-Crockett Kerfuffle

As we reported, Stephen Colbert and one of the Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate in Texas, state Rep. James Talarico, whipped up a controversy when Talarico claimed that the FCC "refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert," and that this is the "interview Trump didn't want you to see."

None of that was true, as CBS News later revealed in a statement. CBS just gave the show legal guidance that they should account for the "equal time rule."

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.

Meaning account for/give time to the other Democrats in the primary, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) and businessman Ahmed Hasan.

Instead, the show decided not to run the interview on CBS and put it on YouTube. Then we get this "censorship" controversy to give Talarico victim points. So, adhering to the rule, giving more Democrats time and more speech is somehow, in this twisted claim, a suppression of free speech by "Trump." An astonishing twist of reality.

Meanwhile, it's Colbert making the choice not to put on other Democrats as suggested.

You could tell that Crockett was not a happy camper when she made brief remarks on Tuesday about the matter, saying that she did receive information that the federal government did not shut down the interview.

UPDATED: Stephen Colbert Makes Newest Dumb Censorship Claim; CBS Responds

But she's in the difficult political position of appearing to take the FCC's side, which doesn't look good in leftist land.

So by night, on Jen Psaki's MS NOW show, Crockett also added this comment, appearing to support the move. Incredible.

“No. We didn’t have an issue. We’ve never run into an issue with Colbert,” Crockett said. “Supposedly, this FCC campaign complaint came about because I had more time than Mr. Talarico when I went on [The View] after I declared my candidacy.”
“I will tell you, I have no love for [CBS News Editor‑in‑Chief] Bari Weiss. I have no love for Brendan Carr whatsoever. But I do think that … it’s important that we resist in this moment. So, there were a number of options that could’ve been put on the table. And, frankly, the ‘Late Show’ decided that this was the option and I think that it was a good strategy.”

Again, this was CBS telling Colbert about the equal time rule, not the FCC saying they could not air the interview. So they just ran over her, and that's her response?

Then there was a real meltdown from Colbert on his Tuesday show in response to the CBS statement. He tried to claim it qualified for a "news" exemption.

WATCH: Stephen Colbert's full reaction to the CBS statement saying he wasn't actually barred from broadcasting the Talarico interview, which concludes with a dramatic crumpling and picking up of the press release as if it were dog poop. pic.twitter.com/W9SF0GMaDE
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) February 18, 2026

He was furious that CBS undercut him and that CBS revealed what actually happened, "without even talking to me." He tried to cover, saying they had Jasmine Crockett on before. Yes, but not during the campaign, which is sort of the point. Never mind leaving out Ahmed Hasan. Or, for that matter, the Republicans he virtually never has on his show.

He bragged about the Talarico interview getting a lot of views on YouTube. Translation? Probably more views than his regular show. And he continues to try to blame the Trump administration for being "bullies" and crumpled up the CBS statement in a bag like it was dog poop.

But it wasn't the FCC telling him what to do; it was him telling his bosses that, effectively, he was going to do what he wanted rather than adhering to the equal time options they suggested. Are they bullies for saying to give time to other Democrats? And how is any of that twisted into censorship by Trump? Liberals live in an alternate reality where the "cred" is victim points.

Absolutely ridiculous tantrum. It's not hard to see why this guy has been losing money and is on his way out the door from CBS in May.

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