CBS’ loss proved to be a major financial win for a Texas Democrat. The network chose not to air an interview between Stephen Colbert and James Talarico on an episode of The Late Show.
It was, however, posted onto YouTube, and plenty of people were interested in hearing what James had to say. Among the topics discussed with Stephen were the separation of church and state and fabricated culture wars reportedly pushed by Republicans in states like Texas. The nearly 50-minute chat has over 5 million views on YouTube. Meanwhile, James says that he’s raised $2.5 million in campaign donations.
CBS refused to air Stephen Colbert’s interview with James Talarico
Fear of backlash from the FCC appears to have played a role in CBS’ decision not to air the interview. The network has taken a lot of heat from the Trump administration in the past, and Stephen himself has taken heat. Their affiliates, Paramount, settled a suit with the President last year, drawing widespread criticism from the late-night comedian.
The number of views online for that interview is astounding, making it the most-watched YouTube clip so far this year. On other social media platforms, the video is also scoring high ratings. Over 4 million people have seen it on TikTok, and it has over 40,000 likes on Instagram.
Stephen himself previously shared that he’d be posting the interview online to the show’s YouTube channel this week. The hosts highest rated political interview on the show was in 2015 with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. Over 17 million people have seen that video.
As for James, he has plenty of strong publicity and money for his upcoming campaign. In September, he announced his candidacy for the Texas Senate race. He has represented the 50th district of Texas since 2023.
This rating should serve as a positive note for Stephen, whose show will go off the air in the coming months. The Late Show will end in May.
TELL US – DID CBS MAKE A MISTAKE NOT AIRING THIS INTERVIEW ON ITS NETWORK?
