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After Stephen Colbert claimed that CBS had scuttled an interview he’d booked with Texas Democrat James Talarico over concerns about the FCC’s equal-time rule, the network released a statement on Tuesday disputing his account. Colbert responded on Tuesday’s episode of The Late Show, saying he had not been consulted on the statement and seemingly questioned its credibility by noting it was a “surprisingly small piece of paper considering how many butts it’s trying to cover.”
As CBS tells it, “The Late Show was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. The Late Show decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.”
Colbert scoffed at the statement, which he said read like it was “written by and, I’m guessing, for lawyers.” He went on to note that he has already hosted Rep. Jasmine Crockett, another candidate in the Texas Democratic Senate primary, twice, and claimed that “every word” of Monday night’s script had been approved by CBS lawyers before his interview with Talarico was canceled.
“I don’t know what this is about. For the record, I’m not even mad. I really don’t want an adversarial relationship with the network,” Colbert continued. “I’m just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies. Come on, you’re Paramount. No, no. You’re more than that: you’re Paramount Plus. Plus what? I guess we’re all going to find out pretty soon.”
“And for the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising. I don’t even know what to do with this crap. Oh, hold on.” Colbert then proceeded to crumple up the statement and throw it out in a dog poop bag.
English (US) · 