Stephen Colbert has no issue with calling out CBS. Especially now that the network has decided The Late Show will end in May this year. In July 2025, CBS announced The Late Show would end once its current contract expires. The decision was cited as “purely financial” by the network. Viewership figures for the show consistently remained strong.
The host revealed on the show that he received a call from lawyers representing CBS regarding his interview with Texas State Representative James Talarico. Stephen also stated he was informed he could not have Talarico on the show and could not tell viewers why. With the show’s demise looming, Stephen was defiant of this order.
Stephen Colbert’s James Talarico was pulled
“You know you know who is not one of my guests tonight? That’s Texas State Representative James Talarico,” Stephen told viewers. “He was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers who called us directly that we could not have him on the broadcast.”
“Then I was told in some uncertain terms that, not only could I not have him on, 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.”
“You might have heard of this thing called the equal time rule,” he continued. “If a show has a candidate on during an election, they have to have all that candidate’s opponents on as well.” He went on to explain that there has “long been an exception for this rule.” Talk show interviews with politicians are typically exempt.
“On January 21st of this year, a letter was released by FCC chairman and smug bowling pin Brendan Carr,” Stephen added. “In this letter, Carr said he was thinking about dropping the exception for talk shows because he said some of them were motivated by partisan purposes.”
The comedian then addressed the FCC head straight on. “Well, sir, you’re chairman of the FCC. So, FCCU, cause I think because I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself, sir. Hey, you smelt it cuz you dealt it.”
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE THE LATE SHOW’S CANCELLATION WAS POLITICAL?
