Jimmy Kimmel announced that an interview with James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Texas, would not be broadcast on ABC, the network that airs his late-night show. Instead, the interview was planned to be posted exclusively on Kimmel’s YouTube channel. The decision follows ongoing tensions between Kimmel’s program and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which, according to Kimmel, has exerted pressure on the network over its guest bookings.
During his Wednesday monologue on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” Kimmel referenced his long history of interviewing political figures, including Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump, noting that such appearances previously aired without issue. He said the current environment changed under the Trump administration, with the FCC “threatening” his show, ABC, and its affiliates over editorial choices related to guest selection. Out of concern for ABC’s local stations in Texas, which would face regulatory consequences, Kimmel elected not to air the interview on television.
The FCC did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Kimmel’s statements. This development is part of a broader pattern of heightened FCC scrutiny of broadcast media during the Trump administration, particularly under FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who has pursued investigations into several major networks and their programming practices. Earlier this year, the FCC issued guidance emphasizing enforcement of the “equal time” rule, a century-old regulation intended to ensure that political candidates receive comparable airtime on broadcast stations. While talk shows have generally been exempt from this rule since a 1996 FCC decision, the new guidance applies specifically to candidates running for office, prompting networks to reconsider their guest bookings carefully.
Stephen Colbert previously experienced a similar situation when his CBS network reportedly prevented the broadcast of an interview with Talarico. Colbert posted the interview on YouTube after the network’s lawyers cautioned against airing it, citing FCC concerns. Both Colbert’s and Kimmel’s experiences highlight the challenges talk shows face in booking political candidates under the reinterpreted FCC guidelines.
The tensions between ABC and the FCC escalated last year when Kimmel was temporarily suspended following a monologue addressing the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which FCC Chairman Carr criticized as misleading. Subsequently, ABC and its parent company, Disney, filed a lawsuit against the FCC alleging that the agency was retaliating against ABC by initiating an early review of the network’s station licenses and interfering with its editorial independence. The lawsuit claims this review was motivated by the FCC’s disapproval of ABC’s content and represents a violation of the First Amendment.
Chairman Carr has denied these allegations, describing the lawsuit as “meritless” and asserting that holding broadcasters accountable to public interest and statutory requirements does not infringe on free speech. The FCC has requested dismissal of Disney’s lawsuit.
Meanwhile, political candidates and broadcasters continue to navigate the complex regulatory environment amid ongoing debates over media fairness, free expression, and the role of government oversight in political coverage.