Headline Roundup • February 18th, 2026
Did CBS Block the Colbert-Talarico Interview?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert claimed that CBS (Lean Left) blocked the airing of his interview with Rep. James Talarico (D-TX), prompting a rebuttal from the network.
Claims of Censorship: Outlets on the left frequently identified the situation as "censorship." The Atlantic (Left bias) wrote in an opinion piece, "The Talarico dustups are among several incidents in the past few days that show the Trump administration's enthusiasm for censoring speech." The Guardian (Left) highlighted Colbert's accusations of censorship and said that this incident "comes amid a renewed crackdown on media freedoms by the Trump administration."
Critiques of Colbert: Outlets on the right tended to emphasize Colbert's criticism of CBS with sensational word choices. New York Post (Lean Right) wrote in its headline, "Stephen Colbert rips CBS." Daily Wire (Right) said that he threw a "Hissy Fit" and that he "whined" about President Donald Trump's administration. Fox News (Right) said Colbert "fumes" at CBS. Fox included multiple statements from Colbert from the episode as well as quotes from Talarico in the interview that was posted on YouTube.
Worries from Inside the FCC: The Hill (Center) highlighted statements from Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, who said, "This is yet another troubling example of corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration's broader campaign to censor and control speech. The FCC has no lawful authority to pressure broadcasters for political purposes or to create a climate that chills free expression."
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"Late Show" host Stephen Colbert is furious that CBS decided not to air an interview he did with Texas representative James Talarico (D) due to "equal time" laws, which require broadcast networks and radio stations to give equal time to all candidates in an election.
Colbert's show is canceled and will air its last episode in May. But in the meantime, he's not going quietly as he defied the network's request that he not bring up the Talarico interview situation. The host threw a hissy fit during his Monday night...
A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) member is going after Paramount over the company's apparent decision to bar CBS late night host Stephen Colbert from airing an interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico.
"This is yet another troubling example of corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration's broader campaign to censor and control speech," said Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat. "The FCC has no lawful authority to pressure broadcasters for political purposes or to create a climate that chills free expression."
Stephen Colbert's Late Show ends in May, and he's in almost open warfare with his soon-to-be ex-bosses at CBS. Last night, he had planned to broadcast an interview with James Talarico, a member of the Texas state House who is running in a heated Democratic primary for United States Senate. But it was not to be.
At the start of his show, Colbert told viewers that CBS had barred him from airing the interview, citing threats from Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission. (You may remember Carr...
