I & I Editorial Board‘Late Night” host Stephen Colbert must have thought he had a three-fer with his “canceled” James Talarico interview. He could blame Donald Trump for censoring an opposing voice, get his name in the headlines before his show is (mercifully) canceled, and boost the prospects of his favorite Texas Senate candidate.
But almost immediately, his ruse fell apart.
Colbert told his audience that he’d planned to interview James Talarico – one of three Democrats competing in the primaries to run for senator in Texas – but CBS forced him to pull the interview.
“We were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast,” he said.
Talarico, in what appears like a perfectly choreographed move with Colbert, added that “they were pressured by the most powerful man in the country to change their broadcast. And that should be alarming to all of us, whether we’re Democrats, Independents, or Republicans.”
Except it is all bull(expletive deleted).
As CBS officials quickly made clear, they never told Colbert to kill the interview. What they did tell him was that he could run afoul of a federal law that requires broadcasters to give equal time to other political candidates.
“The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett,” CBS said in a statement, “and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.”
That left Colbert sputtering that the FCC hasn’t consistently enforced this rule.
That equal-time rule dates back nearly 100 years, when Congress decreed that broadcast networks had to provide political candidates who appeared on non-news programs the same amount of air time. Since the Texas primary is less than two weeks away, the Federal Communications Commission would have been within its legal rights to insist that Colbert give equal time to the two other Democratic candidates. (Network news has always been exempt from the equal-time rule.)
Colbert’s show isn’t funny. But it’s also definitely not a news program.
What’s even more amusing is Colbert’s claim of censorship.
The “canceled” interview aired on the CBS program’s YouTube channel and got 6 million views, which is nearly three times the number of people who tune into his low-rated show on a given night. And Talarico’s campaign says he raised $2.5 million in the 24 hours after the “cancelled” interview.
As a PR stunt, that is impressive.
But Colbert and Talarico must think the public is really stupid if they expect us to believe that Trump was trying to silence a critic.
The equal-time rule wouldn’t have required Colbert to provide airtime to a Republican – but to the two other Democrats running for Senate, one of whom, Jasmine Crockett, is also virulently anti-Trump.
Crockett herself said she was told that Colbert “could go ahead and move forward with the interview of James Talarico. They just needed to offer me equal time. I did not get a request from [Late Night] to go on.”
Colbert and Talarico got the publicity they wanted. But they managed to make themselves – and anyone who bought into their stunt – look like fools.
— Written by the I&I Editorial Board
The problem which we have today regarding broadcast channels is that only older people grew up pre-cable and understand the difference between the rules for broadcast and cable channels. Colbert is one of them. The fact that, to receive broadcast channels beyond signal distance, you have to pay cable is, to me, mind boggling. It muddies the water for newbies to the difference.
Talarico’s remark about Colin Allard reeks of consescending patronizing from an ivory tower perch. Disappointing that colbert should associate with such a candidate but perhaps his own true “colors” are on display. At least the Orange Man is honest about his.
Colbert isn’t very bright, although I wouldn’t want to be the one standing between him, his career and the wealth it’s generated. I would’t expect someone in Colbert’s position to be bright. Intelligence and knowledge are not among the traits required of an entertainer. However, I am always surprised by viewers obtuse enough to think that they should follow the lead of an entertainer. That’s the silly side of democracy.
This was a deliberate act by the Democrat party to elevate Talarico over Crockett. Yes, they are both rabid Trump-haters, but Talarico is a Dems loyalist. Crockett is a wild card, and Dems will never, ever tolerate anyone who will not follow orders.