“Late Present” host Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night time referred to as CBS’s denial of his declare that it blocked the published of his interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico “crap” — and urged the community and its father or mother, Paramount Skydance, to face as much as the “bullies” within the Trump administration.
Colbert’s broadside got here hours after CBS issued an announcement on the controversy.
The host, whose present will finish in Could because it was canceled by CBS, held up a printed copy of the community’s assertion about Talarico’s interview throughout his present Tuesday night time and stated, “I do not even know what to do with this crap.”
He then pulled a plastic doggy bag from behind his desk, picked up the assertion, tied a knot, and mimed throwing it away earlier than chopping to industrial.
The controversy is the newest flap to spark hypothesis that CBS is currying favor with the Trump administration as Paramount makes a hostile tender bid for Warner Bros Discovery. If WBD’s shareholders settle for Paramount’s bid, the federal authorities regulators would want to log off on the deal.
Colbert had invited Talarico, who’s working within the Democratic main for a U.S. Senate seat from Texas, to look on the “Late Present” for Monday night time’s broadcast.
However early in that night time’s present, Colbert stated to his studio viewers that CBS’ legal professionals had advised him “in no unsure phrases … that we couldn’t have him on the published.”
Colbert stated the legal professionals needed to keep away from working afoul of recent steering by the Federal Communications Fee Chairman Brendan Carr that implies broadcast speak reveals could possibly be required to abide by the so-called equal time provision requiring broadcasters to offer political candidates equal protection if their opponents seem on air.
Colbert famous that he had put Talarico’s interview on the “Late Present” YouTube channel — the video has been seen greater than 4.4 million occasions.
CBS, in its assertion on Tuesday afternoon, denied Colbert’s fundamental allegation that it had barred the interview from being aired.
“The Late Present was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico,” the community stated.
“The present was offered authorized steering that the published might set off the FCC equal-time rule for 2 different candidates, together with Rep. Jasmine Crockett [D-Texas], and introduced choices for a way the equal time for different candidates could possibly be fulfilled,” CBS stated.
Colbert scoffed on the assertion throughout Tuesday’s present.
“They know rattling properly that each phrase of my script final night time was authorised by CBS legal professionals who, for the document, authorised each script that goes on the air,” Colbert stated.
“In truth, between the monologue I did final night time, and earlier than I did the second act speaking about this subject, I needed to go backstage,” he stated.
“I bought referred to as backstage to get extra notes from these legal professionals. One thing that had by no means, ever occurred earlier than, they usually advised us the language they needed me to make use of to explain that equal time exception, and I used that language,” Colbert stated. “So I do not know what that is about.”
Colbert went on to say that he wasn’t “mad” on the community and doesn’t need an “adversarial relationship.”
“I am simply so stunned that this big international company wouldn’t stand as much as these bullies,” he stated.
“Come on. You are Paramount. No, no, no, you are greater than that. You are Paramount+,” Colbert cracked. “And for the legal professionals to launch this [statement] with out even speaking to me is actually stunning.”
The host additionally famous that there has lengthy been “a really well-known exception to” the equal time rule, “and that exception included speak reveals, interviews with politicians.”
“We seemed, and we will not discover one instance of this rule being enforced for any speak present interview, not just for my whole late-night profession, however for anybody’s late-night profession, going again to the Nineteen Sixties,” he stated.
Colbert stated that Carr has “not gotten rid of” that exception for talk-show hosts “but.”
“However CBS generously did it for him and advised me, unilaterally, that I needed to abide by the equal time guidelines, one thing I’ve by no means been requested to do for an interview within the 20 years of this job,” he added.
“Now, that call, I wish to be clear, is their proper, similar to I’ve the correct to speak about their choice on air final night time,” Colbert stated.
Paramount didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s request for remark.
Early voting within the Texas Democratic main started Tuesday. Talarico is in an in depth contest towards Rep. Jasmine Crockett. The winner will face the victor of the Republican main between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Legal professional Basic Ken Paxton.
Democrats haven’t gained a statewide race in Texas since 1994.
