CBS claims it didnt ban Stephen Colbert interview from broadcast. Heres what he says about that.

Stephen Colbert has addressed CBS‘ denial that it barred his interview with Rep. James Talarico from airing last night. In short, he’s calling it “crap.”

“I was ready to let the whole thing go,” Colbert said. “Until a few hours ago, when my group chat blowed up. Because, without ever talking to me, the corporation put out this press release, this statement.”

Released on Tuesday, CBS’ statement read: “The Late Show was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. The Late Show decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.”

In response, Colbert retorted that he didn’t need CBS’ lawyers to tell him how to do his job.

“I am well aware that we can book other guests,” Colbert retorted. “I didn’t need to be presented with that option. I’ve had Jasmine Crockett on my show twice. I could prove that to you. I can prove that to you, but the network won’t let me show you her picture without including her opponents.”

CBS’ statement also didn’t appear to adequately address Colbert’s actual concern, which was its unprecedented enforcement of the equal time rule despite talk shows being a well-known and long-standing exception. In fact, his team couldn’t find a single example of the equal time rule being enforced on any talk show going back to the 1960s. Though FCC chair Brendan Carr has expressed a desire to remove it, the exemption is currently still in place.

“[Carr] had not gotten rid of [the exemption] yet, but CBS generously did it for him and told me unilaterally that I had to abide by the equal time rules, something I have never been asked to do for an interview in the 21 years of this job,” Colbert said. “Now, that decision, I want to be clear, is their right. Just like I have the right to talk about their decision on air.”

Expressing bafflement at CBS’ actions, Colbert noted that the network knew and approved of what he was going to say during yesterday’s show, yet still released a statement refuting it after the fact.

“They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’ lawyers, who for the record approve every script that goes on the air, whether it’s about equal time or this image of frogs having sex,” Colbert continued, showing a mercifully censored illustration of frogs having sex. “They told us the language they wanted me to use to describe that equal time exception. And I used that language. So, I don’t know what this is about.

“For the record, I’m not even mad. I really don’t want an adversarial relationship with the network. I’ve never had one….  I’m just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies…. And for the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising. I don’t even know what to do with this crap.”