Why CBS Didn't Broadcast Stephen Colbert's Interview With James Talarico

Transcript

[music] [music] Give it up for the band, everybody. [cheering] Welcome back, my friends. OH, THIS IS EXCITING. OH, FRIENDS, [cheering and applause] >> this is so exciting. >> Yes.

>> Uh ladies and gentlemen, uh you guys, you know, you know the band. Well, I' I've got I've got some great news. [cheering] >> [applause] >> This is a whole new band tonight because we got a whole new band name. Lewis, tell everybody the new band name. >> Man, well, if you look right down here, you'll see we are now Louis Ko and the great big joy machine.

>> There you go. [cheering] [applause] >> Not only that, but there self-titled album is releasing on April 16th, [cheering] The Great Big Joy Machine. And you are you are a great big joy machine. All album proceeds are going to Music Cares. So go get this album.

>> That's right. [cheering] >> Their new single, the new single, the name of the single, Friendo, >> that's that's the song we were just playing called Gratitude. >> Gratitude is available now wherever you stream your music. Scan the QR code below to visit their new social pages and pre-save the album. Congratulations, you guys.

That's fantastic. [cheering] And [applause] coming up and stick around for my guest this evening, Jennifer Garner will be here. What a joy. [cheering] What a joy. Always Jennifer Garner.

And you know you know who is not one of my guests tonight? That's Texas State Representative James Talerico. He 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. Then then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. [cheering] And because my network clearly doesn't want us to talk about this, let's talk about this. [cheering] You've probably heard >> [applause and cheering] >> So, you've you you might have heard of this thing called the equal time rule.

Okay? It's an old FCC rule that applies only to radio and broadcast television, not cable or streaming that says if a show has a candidate on during an election, they have to have all that candidates's opponents on as well. It's the FCC's most timehonored rule right after no nipples at the Super Bowl. [laughter] There's there's long been an exception for this rule. an exception for news interviews and talk show interviews with politicians. Now, that's crucial.

How else were voters supposed to know back in '92 that Bill Clinton sucked at saxophone? But on January 21st of this year, a letter was released by FCC chairman and smug bowling pin Brendan Carr. In this letter, Carr said he was thinking about dropping the exception for talk shows because he said some of them were motivated by partisan purposes. Well, sir, you're chairman of the FCC. So, FCCU cuz I [cheering] think [applause] because I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself, >> sir. Hey, you smelt it cuz you dealt it.

You are Dutch ovening America's airwaves. Let's just call this what it is. Donald Trump's administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch TV. Okay? He's like a toddler with too much screen time. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diapers.

So, it's no surprise. No surprise that two of the people most affected by this threat are me and my friend Jimmy Kimmel. When this letter dropped, we both talked about the letter on air and then later Carr defended it like this. If Kimmel or Coar want to continue to do their programming uh and they don't want to have to comply with this requirement, then they can go to a cable channel or podcast or a streaming service and that's fine. >> Great idea.

a man whose job is to regulate broadcast TV. Suggest everyone just leave broadcast TV. It's like when Arby's changed their slogan to Arby's, would it kill you to eat a salad? Anyway, anyway, am I being clear? >> Am I being clear so far? >> Yes, I do. >> Okay, this one up. Super important.

Okay. Anyway, I decided to take Brendan Carr's advice. I am going to interview James Tarico tonight, but it's not going to be on the Late Show. It's going to be on the Late Show's YouTube page. The network says I can't give you URL or a QR code, but I promise you if you go to our YouTube page, you'll find it.

[cheering] Now, what after the show, right? Little late. Little later. Okay. [applause] Now, Carr here claims he's just getting partisanship off the airwaves, but the FCC, as I said, is also in charge of regulating radio broadcasts. And what would you know? Brendan Carr says right-wing talk radio isn't a target of the FCC's equal time notice.

No, no, I get this part. It makes sense. You can't get rid of talk radio. What else would your angriest uncle do in traffic? [cheering] Talk to your saddest aunt. >> [laughter] >> Now, as I said, at this point, he's just released a letter that says he's thinking about doing away with the exception for late night.

He hasn't done away with it yet, but my network is unilaterally enforcing it as if he had, but I want to assure you, ladies and gentlemen, please, I want to assure you, this decision is for purely financial reasons. And if and and this doesn't just affect interviews. The rules forbid any candidate appearance, including by voice or picture. That's right. I am absolutely not allowed to show a photo of Texas State Representative James Terico.

[cheering and applause] And cuz that's not him. That's a stock photo we found when we Googled not James Terico. Heck, I'm I'm not even and this is true. I'm not even allowed to show you a drawing of him, okay? Which is why I cannot show you [laughter] what I'm drawing out of fear that James Tarico looks like Snoopy. [cheering] Okay.

[applause] [cheering] cheap high [applause] car is not joking around here folks. He is serious. He is as serious as the season cliffhanger of Matlock. Matlock. Watch it or don't watch it.

I leave in May [cheering] because a couple of weeks ago, she's great. Kathy's great though. You should [cheering and applause] Kathy's fantastic. Okay. Because a couple of weeks ago on Car's orders, the FCC opened an investigation into ABC's The View after their James Tarico interview.

That is absolutely shocking. James Tarico did The View before my show at two Woop. So, I cannot show you any form of James Terico. I can't interview James Terico. I can't show any pictures of James Terico.

I I'm not even sure I can say the words James Taller Rico. But what I can show you is what we always show when we have to pull material at the last minute. This tasteful nude of Brendan Carr. We'll be right back with Jennifer Garner. [music] [music] >> [music] >> Yeah.

[cheering]