Colbert slams CBS statement, accuses Paramount of not standing up to "bullies"
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Host Stephen Colbert on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Photo: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images
Stephen Colbert criticized CBS and parent company Paramount on Tuesday night over the posting on YouTube only of his interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico, who's running for a U.S. Senate seat.
The big picture: "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" interview segment didn't air on CBS because the comedian said the network barred him from broadcasting it due to concerns about a recent Trump administration directive to give equal time to candidates in an election.
- Colbert said on his Tuesday night show that CBS didn't inform him of the statement it put out saying it didn't prohibit the show from airing the interview, but it did provide legal guidance "that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates" in the Texas race.
- "This statement, it's a surprisingly small piece of paper considering how many butts it's trying to cover," he said.
- The late-night host said the statement was "clearly" written by and for lawyers, but they should "damn well" know "that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS' lawyers," who approve every script that goes on the air.
- Colbert said after his Tuesday night monologue and before his second act, that he discussed with lawyers backstage at New York's Ed Sullivan Theater FCC guidelines, which he cited on the show.
Zoom in: Colbert explained there's "a very famous exemption" to the equal-time rule, and that's talk shows' interviews with politicians.
- The comedian said he's "well aware that we can book other guests" and noted he'd hosted Talarico's Democratic primary rival Rep. Jasmine Crockett twice.
- "We obeyed our network and put the interview on YouTube, where it's gotten millions of views," the comedian said.
Of note: Colbert, whose show's latest season will be its last after it was canceled, said he doesn't want an "adversarial relationship with the network" and expressed gratitude to have worked at CBS for the past 11 years.
- "I'm just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies," he said. "Come on, you're Paramount! No. No! No, you're more than that! You're Paramount Plus! Plus what?" he said, in reference to CBS' parent company and its video streaming service.
- "I guess we're all gonna find out pretty soon," Colbert added. "And for the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising."
- Representatives for CBS and the FCC did not immediately respond to Axios' Tuesday night request for comment.
Go deeper: What to know about the "equal time" rule at heart of Colbert, CBS fight
