How to watch the Colbert interview CBS banned — and it already has over 2 million views

Stephen Colbert on the set of The Late Show — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Stephen Colbert may be leaving "The Late Show," but he's not going quietly. A planned interview with Texas state representative James Talarico, who’s running for the Senate, was pulled before it aired after CBS lawyers advised the show to scrap the segment. The move turned a routine late-night booking into a very public clash over what can and can’t make it to air.

At the center of the controversy is Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr, who is considering changes to how the agency enforces its equal-time rule. The rule generally requires broadcasters to provide comparable airtime to opposing political candidates. Historically, it has not applied to talk radio or late-night shows, but CBS reportedly acted preemptively, even though no formal change has been made.

With Colbert set to leave "The Late Show" in May, he didn’t hold back when explaining why the interview never aired. The controversial interview has already surpassed 2.4 million views and will likely cross 3 million shortly. "The Late Show" averaged 2.7 million total viewers in Q4.

The battle has largely been framed as partisan, with critics calling it an example of authoritarian overreach by the Trump administration. Carr has been openly critical of late-night talk shows, which are often viewed as left-leaning.

Last year, Jimmy Kimmel was briefly pulled from the air after controversy over comments he made about Donald Trump’s response to the killing of far-right activist Charlie Kirk.

Colbert also criticized Paramount Global’s $16 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by Trump. CBS later canceled "The Late Show," and a proposed merger between Paramount and Skydance Media was approved soon afterward — a sequence critics say raises questions about political pressure.

The situation highlights the growing tension between political regulation and late-night programming.

How to watch the James Talarico interview

As Stephen Colbert explained, the interview didn’t air on broadcast TV, but it is available on YouTube. As of this writing, the clip is already approaching 2 million views.

James Talarico, a Democrat running to flip a traditionally red Senate seat in Texas, addressed the controversy directly.

“I think Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas,” Talarico said to applause. “This is the party that ran against cancel culture. And this is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture — the kind that comes from the top.”

The interview may have skipped broadcast TV, but thanks to YouTube (and a little controversy), it’s already finding a far bigger audience than a single network slot ever could.

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Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.

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Kelly WooManaging editor, streaming

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