Stephen Colbert did not hold back on live television, making sure everyone knew exactly what he thought of CBS’s recent statement about him. The “Late Show” host grabbed a dog waste bag and disposed of the network’s official press release right there on air, in a clear act of defiance.
According to Huffpost, the situation started earlier this week after Colbert interviewed Texas state Representative James Talarico. The segment was ready to air, but CBS stepped in and told him he couldn’t broadcast it without offering “equal time” to Talarico’s rivals in the state’s U.S. Senate primary. This was surprising because talk shows have traditionally been exempt from these kinds of rules.
The decision came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr made a statement last month, threatening to enforce equal time regulations for TV talk shows. Colbert pointed out that Carr had only said he was thinking about removing the talk show exception, not that he actually had. “He had not gotten rid of it yet,” Colbert explained to his audience, “but CBS generously did it for him.” The crowd responded with jeers.
Colbert’s frustration with CBS reveals a deeper tension between the network and its own host
Later that day, CBS released a statement disputing Colbert’s version of events. Colbert held up the statement for the cameras and said, “Without ever talking to me, the corporation put out this press release, this statement.” He added, “This is a surprisingly small piece of paper considering how many b—- it’s trying to cover.”
Colbert said he was baffled because he felt nothing in his Monday segment should have surprised the network or its legal team. “They know d— well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’s lawyers, who, for the record, approve every script that goes on the air,” he stated.
In the latest round of Stephen Colbert vs. CBS on the Talarico interview, Colbert alleges "They [the lawyers] know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS's lawyers, who, for the record, approve every script that goes on the air, whether it's about… pic.twitter.com/IY0tknMEkf
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 18, 2026
He also revealed that the network’s attorneys contacted him backstage during Monday’s recording, something that had never happened before. They gave him specific language to use when describing the equal-time exception, and he followed their instructions. “So, I don’t know what this is about,” he said.
BREAKING: BRAVO! Stephen Colbert defies his corporate bosses and reveals that CBS REFUSED to air his interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico due to bullying by Trump’s FCC!
— Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats) February 17, 2026
It would appear that Trump and his team are very, very, very worried about losing the… pic.twitter.com/WA8lBCkehB
Despite his public display of frustration, Colbert said he wasn’t angry and didn’t want an adversarial relationship with CBS. But his disappointment was clear. “I’m just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies,” he said. Some insiders believe CBS canceled the show for darker reasons beyond simple budget cuts.
This conflict comes as “The Late Show” is set to be canceled in May, and Colbert is not the only CBS personality caught in the middle of the network’s ongoing shake-up. Gayle King’s future at CBS also remains uncertain, with her continued stay depending on a key decision amid reported pay cuts. The original interview with Talarico is available on YouTube and has already received millions of views.
