James Talarico, along with Stephen Colbert (CBS is pulling the plug on his show in a few weeks) have been caught lying by trying to claim that President Trump and the FCC refused to allow The Late Show to air an interview with the Texas congressional candidate. The narrative they were going for was that Trump "banned" Colbert's interview with Talarico. That, of course, is not what happened.
Even Jasmine Crockett has called BS on Colbert and Talarico:
BREAKING - A fuming Jasmine Crockett has released a statement defending the federal government, confirming that Stephen Colbert and her Democratic opponent James Talarico were lying about the Trump administration pulling his interview. pic.twitter.com/gO8H14IbcO
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) February 18, 2026
You won't be surprised to know that this has turned into a fundraising stunt for Talarico:
BREAKING: Our campaign raised $2.5 million in 24 hours after the FCC banned our Colbert interview. pic.twitter.com/g6v4gzGAhS
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) February 18, 2026
Annnnd that's what it was all about.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins kind of spoiled CBS and Colbert's argument that he hosts an entertainment program after saying the quiet part out lout by comparing The Late Show to a lefty version of right-wing talk radio:
Kaitlan Collins to Colbert:
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 18, 2026
“[Republicans] don't want a Democratic administration saying that Right Wing talk radio must give equal time to Democrats."
Welp, at least she’s admitting what Colbert's show actually is. pic.twitter.com/XXoOhuMgow
Colbert's show is essentially a nightly recitation of DNC talking points about Trump and other issues.
Yep, she basically said the quiet part out loud, Colbert’s just DNC talk radio with a studio audience and a laugh track.
— JoelAwe (@Joe1Awe) February 18, 2026
Recommended
I think she might be confusing Equal Time with the Fairness Doctrine
— AlexaShrugged (@AlexaShrugged) February 18, 2026
That too. Ah, "journalism"!
Yep, she basically said the quiet part out loud, Colbert’s just DNC talk radio with a studio audience and a laugh track.
— JoelAwe (@Joe1Awe) February 18, 2026
Bingo.
The willful blindness here is stunning. It's so intellectually lazy to default to "How about Right Wing talk radio, huh? What now, conservatives?" when every "Right Wing" radio host would leap at the chance to have a Democrat candidate for office on their program during election…
— Jason Beale (@jabeale) February 18, 2026
Yeah, some conservative talk radio shows will occasionally openly invite Democrats to join them on the air but that hardly ever happens for some reason.
You’re right.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 18, 2026
But Kaitlan isn’t going to spend one second dwelling on things like this.
That’s not how she views her job.
She knows what her job expectation is, and unbiased "journalism" ain't it.
*****