Stephen Colbert isn’t backing down from a dispute with CBS over what he can broadcast

Instead, Colbert showed his interview with Tallarico on YouTube, but told viewers why he couldn’t show it on CBS. The network was concerned about FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s attempt to impose a rule requiring broadcasters to give “equal time” to opposing candidates when an interview with one of them is broadcast.

“We searched and could not find a single example of this rule being applied in any talk show interview, not only for my late-night career, but for my late-night career dating back to the 1960s,” Colbert said.

Although Carr said in January that he was considering eliminating the exemption for late-night talk shows, he has not yet done so. But CBS generously did it for him,” Colbert said.

He watches: CBS says Colbert’s cancellation was a financial decision, but the timing raises questions

Not only was CBS aware Monday night that Colbert was going to talk about the issue publicly, but that her lawyers approved it in his script, he said. That’s why he was surprised by the statement, which said Colbert had “legal guidance” that airing the interview could trigger the equal time rule.

“I don’t know what that is,” Colbert said. “For the record, I’m not even crazy. I really don’t want an adversarial relationship with the network. I’ve never had one before.”

He said he was “very surprised that this giant global company will not stand up to these bullies.” CBS is owned by Paramount Global.

Colbert has been working for a short time now at CBS. The network announced last summer that Colbert’s show, where President Donald Trump is a frequent target of caustic jokes, would end in May. The network said this was for economic reasons, but others – including Colbert – expressed doubts that Trump’s repeated criticism of the series had nothing to do with the series.

This week’s dispute with Colbert also recalls last fall, when ABC suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel from the air over a comment he made about the killing of conservative activist founder Charlie Kirk, only to reinstate him after backlash from viewers.

As of Wednesday morning, Colbert’s YouTube interview with Tallarico has been viewed more than five million times, or nearly double what the CBS comedy draws each night. The Texas Democrat also reported that he raised $2.5 million in donations for his campaign in the 24 hours following the interview.