Kimmel says Talarico interview won’t air after FCC concerns over equal-time rule

Published September 10, 2026 4:37pm ET | Updated September 10, 2026 4:37pm ET



Comedian Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday said his interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico would not air on national television due to pressure from the Trump administration. 

Kimmel, who has a late-night show on ABC and has long feuded with President Donald Trump, inferred the Talarico interview would not air on TV because the president’s Federal Communications Commission “has threatened me, threatened our show, threatened our network, ABC, our affiliates, our local stations, based on simple, traditional editorial decisions, guest bookings it would seem they don’t like.” The interview will instead be posted on Kimmel’s YouTube channel. 

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