USA10 September, 20262 min read
Jimmy Kimmel Says FCC Threats Stop ABC From Airing James Talarico Interview
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Talarico interview will not air on ABC; moved to YouTube under FCC pressure. Kimmel cites FCC threats to ABC and affiliates causing cancellation.
20 outlets told this the same way.
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Kimmel moves interview online
Jimmy Kimmel said his interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico would not air on ABC television because the Federal Communications Commission has threatened him, his show, and local stations.
Kimmel told viewers, "For the sake of our local broadcasters, 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," and said the conversation would be posted on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" YouTube channel.
The dispute is tied to FCC rules on equal time for candidates, with the FCC, chaired by Brendan Carr, stating that talk shows should no longer be treated differently from other programs.
NBC News reported that Talarico, a Democratic state representative in Texas, is locked in a competitive Senate race with Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and that the Talarico campaign and the FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
FCC intimidation disputed
The White House accused Kimmel of "play-acting" after he said the interview was pulled to avoid provoking President Donald Trump and the Federal Communications Commission with a guest "it would seem they don’t like." White House spokesman Davis Ingle said, "Chairman Carr has not threatened him regarding interviewing James Talarico, or any other candidate," and argued that any media outlet amplifying Kimmel’s claims should insist on proof.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the lone Democratic commissioner, condemned the decision as "FCC intimidation" and said, "No host, local affiliate, or network should have to weigh federal retaliation before booking a guest for a newsworthy interview." In a separate account, HuffPost quoted Talarico calling the FCC’s actions "the most dangerous form of cancel culture" and saying it should concern "everyone who believes in the First Amendment and believes in the freedom of speech."
Race and legal fight
The political stakes are framed around Texas Senate control, with Clarin saying a Democratic victory in a historically conservative state would jeopardize Republicans’ control of the U.S. Senate.
Clarin also reported that Talarico leads or is in a close race in Texas against the Trump-endorsed candidate Attorney General Ken Paxton, while the FCC’s position shift is described as requiring broadcasters to offer equal time to candidates for public office.
The FCC’s pressure is also linked to ABC and Disney’s legal fight, with Clarin saying ABC sued the FCC last month and sought a court order preventing the FCC from taking further action on license renewal applications or attempting to modify editorial discretion.
USA TODAY later reported that the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" YouTube channel uploaded the full conversation on Sept. 10 after Kimmel said it would not air on TV, and it quoted Kimmel asking, "This same very same thing happened. Why are they so scared of you?"