Home · Entertainment · Sep 13 archive
FCC Chairman Accuses Talarico of Running 'Hoax' in Late-Night Interview Controversy
Confirmed
In Short: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has accused James Talarico of running a 'hoax' following a late-night interview with Jimmy Kimmel that was moved to YouTube.
Brendan Carr, the FCC Chairman, has accused James Talarico, a Texas Democrat running for Senate, of orchestrating a "hoax" with his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show. The interview, which was originally intended for broadcast, was moved to YouTube due to concerns over the FCC's equal-time rule.
Carr's comments come as the FCC has been scrutinizing talk shows for their compliance with the equal-time rule, which mandates equal coverage for candidates. In February, Stephen Colbert faced similar issues when his interview with Talarico was pulled from air due to concerns about the equal-time rule.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Carr alleged that Talarico was using the controversy to generate attention and donations, comparing it to a similar episode involving Stephen Colbert. "He’s just running the same hoax he did a few months ago on Colbert for the purpose of getting clicks and donations," Carr wrote.
The FCC's recent guidance to broadcasters has sparked debate, with critics arguing that it targets hosts the president does not like. In January, the FCC issued a statement suggesting that talk shows might not be exempt from the equal-time rule, a move that has been seen as an effort to crack down on partisan hosts.
Talarico's campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Talarico himself has defended the interview, stating that the FCC is targeting him for interviewing a political candidate. "We are being targeted by the FCC for the crime of interviewing political candidates," he said in an interview with.
The controversy has gained significant traction, with Jimmy Kimmel's interview with Talarico nearing 7 million views on YouTube. The FCC's decision to move the interview to YouTube has been seen as a way to avoid the equal-time rule, which does not apply to cable or streaming platforms.
What's confirmed
- “He’s just running the same hoax he did a few months ago on Colbert for the purpose of getting clicks and donations, he’s banking on people not understanding the statute or operating as partisan lemmings,” he wrote in a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter).
What's still developing
- Earlier this week, Kimmel told viewers that he would be sitting down with an interview with Talarico for his ABC late night show, but that it would be posted to YouTube and not broadcast because of the FCC’s crackdown on its equal time rule.
- For decades, daytime and late-night TV talk shows have operated on the assumption that they were exempt from the FCC’s equal time rule, which requires broadcasters who feature candidates to provide comparable time to their rivals, if it is requested.
- Within weeks, the agency launched an investigation of ABC’s The View after it featured Talarico as a guest.
- The FCC chairman noted that the equal time rule would not apply to Cruz’s appearance because it was on a cable network and because the regulation covers only legal qualified candidates, or contenders who are in the midst of an election campaign.
- The FCC chairman has alleged that talk shows like “The View” function as partisan mouthpieces for Democrats and should be subject to agency regulations like the equal-time rule and a prohibition on “news distortion,” given they are using publicly licensed TV spectrum.
- “Government censorship should be a concern to all of us, regardless of our political party,” Talarico said in an interview Thursday on MS NOW.
- Carr, who was appointed chairman of the FCC by Donald Trump in 2025, noted that the FCC’s equal-time rule doesn’t apply to ESPN’s “GameDay” because Congress applied it to broadcast TV stations, not cable networks.
- He also posted a meme of Talarico riding on a bicycle on Kimmel’s back before Kimmel puts a stick in the spokes and it crashes to the ground.