Colbert Says Network Lawyers Pulled Talarico Interview Over FCC Equal Time Fears

Late-night host says CBS lawyers barred interview with Texas Senate candidate over regulatory concerns.

Feb. 19, 2026 at 2:23pm

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Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert said his interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico was pulled from Monday night's broadcast of "The Late Show" due to network lawyers' concerns that it would violate FCC regulations on equal time for political candidates. Colbert noted the interview was subsequently posted online, as the equal time rules do not apply to streaming platforms.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the evolving regulatory landscape around political coverage on television, with the FCC under the Trump administration issuing new guidance that late-night and daytime talk shows may need to provide equal time to all political candidates, even if they have traditionally been exempt from such rules. It raises questions about the ability of media outlets to freely interview and feature political figures ahead of elections.

The details

Colbert said his network's lawyers directly told the show they could not have Talarico on the broadcast, and that Colbert was even prohibited from mentioning that the interview was pulled. The FCC issued guidance in January warning late-night and daytime hosts that they need to provide equal time to political candidates, with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr questioning the traditional talk show exemption. As a result, Colbert's nearly 15-minute interview with Talarico was only posted online, not aired on the broadcast.

  • The interview was scheduled to air on the February 17, 2026 episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert".
  • Early voting in the Texas primary elections began on February 17, 2026, the same day the Talarico interview was set to air.

The players

Stephen Colbert

The host of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert", a late-night talk show on CBS.

James Talarico

A Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Texas, running in the 2026 primary election.

Brendan Carr

The Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), appointed by former President Trump, who has questioned the traditional exemption of late-night talk shows from equal time rules for political candidates.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Stephen Colbert, Host, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"

“This is the interview Donald Trump didn't want you to see. His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we're about to flip Texas.”

— James Talarico

What’s next

The FCC has not yet commented on the situation, and it remains to be seen if the agency will take any further action regarding late-night talk show interviews with political candidates ahead of the Texas primary election.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the growing tension between media outlets' traditional editorial freedom and the FCC's evolving regulatory stance on political coverage, particularly in the lead-up to elections. It raises concerns about the ability of voters to access unfiltered interviews with candidates and the potential chilling effect on political discourse in the media.