Jimmy Kimmel Says James Talarico Interview Won’t Air on TV After Trump’s FCC Threats

Jimmy Kimmel revealed that his interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico will not air on his show Thursday night due to a threat from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). During his Wednesday night monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel announced the interview would take place on Thursday, but it would not be broadcasted on television.

Instead, it would be available on YouTube. Kimmel stated that the FCC has threatened his show, network, ABC, and its affiliates, citing a disagreement with his editorial decisions and guest bookings. The decision to not air the interview on television was made to protect ABC station licenses in Texas, as the FCC's threat could cause issues for local stations in the state.

This comes after Stephen Colbert faced similar concerns from CBS about airing an interview with Talarico, which he later posted on YouTube. Kimmel noted that while Republicans are "very nervous" about the upcoming midterm elections, Talarico is leading in polls over his Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, giving Democrats a chance to win a Senate seat in Texas.

Kimmel recalled his interviews with various political candidates, including Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, who was initially eager to participate in future interviews. However, Kimmel believes that something has changed since Trump became president, leading to the FCC's threats against his show. Kimmel emphasized that despite the challenges, they will post the interview on YouTube for viewers to watch.