CBS Spiked Colbert's Talarico Interview and Created the Biggest Campaign Ad of 2026

"Screenshot CBS kept a Democratic Senate candidate off of Late Night and instead staged a breakout moment for him, and terrific promotional material for a show that will go off the air in May. Something extraordinary happened on late night CBS when host Stephen Colbert candidly revealed to viewers that a planned interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico had been spiked, then went into great detail as to why, not at all hiding his abject disdain for the decision."

"The explanation was anxiety over the byzantine FCC equal-time rule, a 1934 statute governing broadcast license holders. Rather than quietly pivot to another guest, Colbert turned the kill into the show. The ban became the bit. Fueled by both genuine outrage and sharp showmanship, he understood the rules of modern attention: nothing travels faster than something framed as forbidden. Talarico is running in a crowded Texas Senate race where name recognition is oxygen."

"Yet by spiking the interview and publicly attributing the move to regulatory fear, CBS delivered him something far more valuable than a late night appearance. He received a national storyline about suppression. Talarico wasted no time leaning into it. Sharing a clip of Colbert explaining the spike, he posted on X: 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."

CBS canceled a scheduled Late Night interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, citing the 1934 FCC equal-time rule and regulatory anxiety. Host Stephen Colbert disclosed the spike on air, criticized the decision, and transformed the cancellation into a televised bit. The stunt framed the ban as forbidden, amplifying attention and creating a national narrative of suppression. Talarico amplified the moment on X, calling it the interview Donald Trump didn't want you to see and alleging FCC refusal to air the segment. The network's regulatory caution produced greater name recognition for Talarico and a promotional narrative that benefited Colbert as his show ends in May.

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