Stephen Colbert is not backing down in a unprecedented public dispute together with his bosses at CBS over what he can air on his late-night speak present.
On “The Late Show” Tuesday, Colbert mentioned he was stunned by an announcement from CBS denying that its attorneys instructed him he could not present an interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico — which the host mentioned had occurred the evening earlier than.
He then took a duplicate of the community assertion, wrapped it in a canine poop bag, and tossed it away.
Colbert had as a substitute proven his Talarico interview on YouTube, however instructed viewers why he could not present it on CBS. The community was involved about FCC Chairman Brendan Carr making an attempt to implement a rule that required broadcasters to provide “equal time” to opposing candidates when an interview was broadcast with considered one of them.
“We looked and we can’t find one example of this rule being enforced for any talk show interview, not only for my entire late-night career, but for anyone’s late-night career going back to the 1960s,” Colbert mentioned.
Although Carr mentioned in January he was fascinated by eliminating the exemption for late-night speak reveals, he hadn’t carried out it but. “But CBS generously did it for him,” Colbert mentioned.
Not solely had CBS been conscious Monday evening that Colbert was going to speak about this challenge publicly, its attorneys had even authorised it in his script, he mentioned. That’s why he was stunned by the assertion, which mentioned that Colbert had been supplied “legal guidance” that broadcasting the interview may set off the equal time rule.
“I don’t know what this is about,” Colbert mentioned. “For the record, I’m not even mad. I really don’t want an adversarial relationship with the network. I’ve never had one.”
He mentioned he was “just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies.” CBS is owned by Paramount Global.
Colbert is a short-timer now at CBS. The community introduced final summer time that Colbert’s present, the place President Donald Trump is a frequent goal of biting jokes, would finish in May. The community mentioned it was for financial causes however others — together with Colbert — have expressed skepticism that Trump’s repeated criticism of the present had nothing to do with it.
This week’s dispute with Colbert additionally remembers final fall, when ABC took late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air for a comment made in regards to the killing of conservative activist founder Charlie Kirk, solely to reinstate him following a backlash by viewers.
As of Wednesday morning, Colbert’s YouTube interview with Talarico had been seen greater than 5 million occasions, or roughly double what the comedian’s CBS program attracts every evening. The Texas Democrat additionally reported that he had raised $2.5 million in marketing campaign donations within the 24 hours after the interview.
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