Stephen Colbert Fires Back at CBS: Claims Paramount Won’t Stand Up to “Bullies”
Stephen Colbert took aim at CBS and its parent company, Paramount, during his Tuesday night show after his interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico didn’t air on the network. The segment, which featured Talarico, who is running for the U.S. Senate, was instead posted on YouTube, where it quickly racked up millions of views. Axios reported on the story.
Colbert explained that CBS blocked the interview from airing on television over concerns about a Trump-era directive requiring networks to give equal time to all candidates in an election. “This statement, it’s a surprisingly small piece of paper considering how many butts it’s trying to cover,” he joked, referring to the official CBS statement. He added that the statement appeared written for lawyers, but “every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’ lawyers.”
It’s important that you understand what happened last night.
— Joshua Reed Eakle 🗽 (@JoshEakle) February 17, 2026
Last night, Stephen Colbert interviewed Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, a candidate who, by all accounts, is on track in the polls to flip Texas blue.
In response, Trump’s FCC reportedly threatened… pic.twitter.com/IEyWg7KnuW
The comedian said he discussed FCC guidelines with network lawyers backstage before the show. He pointed out that the show had previously featured Talarico’s primary opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, twice. “We obeyed our network and put the interview on YouTube, where it’s gotten millions of views,” Colbert said.
Despite the dispute, Colbert emphasized that he doesn’t want a conflict with CBS. “I’m just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies,” he said. He also poked fun at Paramount, CBS’ parent company, saying, “Come on, you’re Paramount! No. No! No, you’re more than that! You’re Paramount Plus! Plus what?”
Colbert’s show is ending after its current season, but he expressed gratitude for his 11 years at CBS. Representatives for CBS and the FCC did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment.
Colbert’s reaction highlights the ongoing tension between late-night comedy and corporate networks, especially when political topics intersect with legal and regulatory concerns. Do you think CBS and Paramount should have stood by Colbert, or was their caution justified? Share your thoughts in the comments.
