Colbert’s CBS Confrontation

On Tuesday evening, Stephen Colbert emerged inside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, with the audience especially fixated on what he was about to say. Throughout the day, the outgoing “Late Show” host had found himself at the center of national controversy yet again—this time after telling viewers that CBS lawyers had barred him from interviewing a Democratic Texas Senate candidate on Monday’s show over concerns related to the Federal Communications Commission, now headed by Donald Trump stooge Brendan Carr.

Colbert said that a corporate lawyer phoned his show “directly” and told them “in no uncertain terms” that they could not host Texas state Rep. James Talarico on the broadcast. Colbert added that he was later told, in “some uncertain terms,” that “not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on.” The comedian then went on to roast CBS, which canceled his show last year, for blocking the interview. Colbert also delivered a clear message to Carr: “FCC you.”

Then in the afternoon, in an eyebrow-raising move, CBS went on the record to dispute Colbert’s version of events. The David Ellison–owned network, overseen directly by the company’s linear television boss George Cheeks, said in a statement that the comedian “was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview.” Instead, CBS said “The Late Show” was merely “provided legal guidance” and warned that airing the interview could trigger the so-called “equal time” rule—an archaic regulation that Carr has indicated he would like to revive and enforce against television talk shows, which have long been treated as exempt.