Jimmy Kimmel Takes Talarico Interview to YouTube Amid FCC Pressures
By Editor • September 10, 2026 • 1 min read
In a surprising turn of events, Jimmy Kimmel has opted to shift his highly anticipated interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico from traditional television to YouTube, citing concerns over political pressures from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This decision was made public during Wednesday night's episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live," where Kimmel expressed his apprehension about the potential repercussions for local ABC affiliates in Texas.
Kimmel explained that the FCC, under Chairman Brendan Carr, has been known to threaten broadcast licenses over editorial decisions that do not align with its political stance. He remarked, "Out of consideration for our local stations, especially our ABC affiliates in Texas who would have to deal with this nonsense, my interview tomorrow with James Talarico will not air on television." Instead, viewers will have to visit the show's YouTube channel to watch the interview in its entirety.
This is not the first time Talarico's appearances have been curtailed; earlier this year, CBS lawyers prevented Stephen Colbert from airing a similar interview due to fears of FCC backlash. Kimmel noted that the political landscape for late-night talk shows has changed dramatically, stating, "For a lot of years, for the whole 20-plus years of our show, I’ve been interviewing Americans who are running for office with no problem at all." He highlighted that candidates like Donald Trump have appeared on his show in the past without issue, lamenting the current climate of intimidation that has altered the landscape for political discourse on television.
Source: variety.com
