The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode Title: BONUS: Rep. James Talarico
Date: February 17, 2026
Guest: Texas State Representative James Talarico

Overview

This special bonus episode features Stephen Colbert in conversation with Texas State Representative and U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. The episode confronts the chilling effects of the FCC’s possible change to the Equal Time Rule, corporate and partisan threats to free speech, religion and politics in Texas, a brewing Senate race, viral internet rumors, and the ever-absurd “furries in schools” hoax. Notably, this conversation was forced off broadcast television and onto YouTube due to new legal pressures, which Colbert openly mocks and critiques throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. FCC, Equal Time Rule, and Media Suppression

• FCC Crackdown: Colbert opens with an explanation of why Rep. Talarico couldn’t appear on the broadcast. Lawyers cited the Equal Time Rule, restricting candidate appearances—rules being newly and selectively enforced as the FCC mulls dropping longstanding talk show exceptions ([00:05]–[03:36]).
• Colbert’s Satirical Take:
  • He jokes, “Let’s just call this what it is. Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch TV, okay? He’s like a toddler with too much screen time.” ([01:45])
  • Critiques FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: “You smelt it. Cause you dealt it. You are Dutch ovening America’s airwaves.” ([01:28])
  • Responds to Carr’s suggestion to leave broadcast TV for cable or streaming: “Great idea, man. Whose job is to regulate broadcast tv? Suggest everyone just leave broadcast tv.” ([02:38])

2. The Interview: Flipping Texas & First Amendment Threats

• On Political Motivation:

  • Talarico claims, “Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas. And…this is the party that ran against cancel culture. And now they’re trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read. And this is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture…” ([07:24])
  • Colbert’s “fact check” that CBS claims cancellation is a "purely financial decision" ([08:30]).

• Why Texas Could Flip:

  • Talarico details grassroots movement: “We’ve recruited 14,000 volunteers…shattered grassroots fundraising records, all without taking a dime from corporate PACs.” ([09:08])
  • He adds: “I can’t tell you the number of people who come up to me at the end of these events and whisper, ‘I’m not a Democrat,’ like it’s some kind of secret.” ([09:18])

3. Religion, the Religious Right, and Policy

• Talarico’s Faith Perspective:

  • Currently a Presbyterian seminarian, he distinguishes faith from politics:
    • “They [the religious right] convinced a lot of our fellow Christians that the most important issues were abortion and gay marriage, two issues that aren’t mentioned in the Bible. Two issues that Jesus never talked about … Jesus… tells us exactly…how we’re going to be judged: by feeding the hungry, by healing the sick, by welcoming the stranger.” ([11:07])
    • “Don’t tell me what you believe. Show me how you treat other people and I’ll tell you what you believe.” ([11:32])
    • “When the church gets too cozy with political power, it loses its prophetic voice.” ([13:06])

• Separation of Church and State:

  • On bills requiring the Ten Commandments in schools:
    • “Forcing our religion down their throats is not love…when the church gets too cozy with political power, it loses its prophetic voice…” ([13:06])
    • “There is nothing Christian about Christian nationalism. It is the worship of power in the name of Christ, and it is a betrayal of Jesus of Nazareth.” ([13:42])
  • Colbert concurs: “How must it diminish God to be associated with something so small as a present political party?” ([15:17])

4. Online Rumors, Misinformation, and Handling Smears

• Viral Accusations:
  • Colbert asks about a viral accusation that Talarico made a racist sexist remark regarding a rival’s campaign: “You denied that you ever said that” ([16:42])
  • Talarico: “We know that misinformation spreads on the Internet…it’s sometimes like a game of telephone. I did critique Colin Allred’s campaigning as mediocre, but I would never attack him on the basis of race…” ([16:59])
  • He underscores the greater imperative: “I’m trying to get us all to keep our eyes on the prize, which is remembering we’re on the same team and getting out there doing the organizing work so that we can win in November.” ([17:59])

5. Legislative Absurdities: “Furries in Schools” Hoax

• Talarico describes his role debunking a Republican-propagated hoax that Texas schools were installing litter boxes for students identifying as cats:
  • “When I ran for public office, I never thought I’d be talking about furries in this job.” ([18:43])
  • “I just asked him a pretty simple question. Has there been a single documented case of a school providing a litter box to students? And he couldn’t name one.” ([19:37])
  • “They want us talking about furries and bathrooms so we don’t realize…they are picking our pockets…The culture wars are a smokescreen because the real fight in this country is not left versus right. It’s top versus bottom.” ([19:44])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Colbert on Legal Absurdity/FCC:
  • “I’m absolutely not allowed to show a photo of Texas State Representative James Talarico. That’s not him. That’s a stock photo we found when we Googled. Not James Talarico… I’m not even allowed to show you a drawing of him.” ([05:04])
• Talarico on Christianity and Politics:
  • “Christianity is a simple religion. Not an easy religion…but a simple religion. Because Jesus gave us two commandments: love God and love neighbor. And there was no exception to that second commandment, love thy neighbor, regardless of race or gender or sexual orientation or immigration status or religious affiliation.” ([11:32])
• On Church and State:
  • “When the church gets too cozy with political power, it loses its prophetic voice…This separation between church and state is something we have to safeguard.” ([13:06])
• Colbert on Religio-Political Cynicism:
  • “Imagine if you managed to convince everybody that Jesus was on your side. If you then lose the election. Sounds like you’ve got a pretty weak Jesus.” ([15:17])
• Talarico on Culture Wars:
  • “The culture wars are a smokescreen because the real fight in this country is not left versus right. It’s top versus bottom.” ([19:44])

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |:---|:---| | 00:05 | Colbert explains FCC/Equal Time Rule censorship | | 02:38 | Jimmy Kimmel faux-interview, Colbert mocks FCC advice | | 03:32 | Transition to YouTube interview with Talarico | | 07:24 | Talarico discusses First Amendment and party hypocrisy | | 09:08 | “Why Texas Might Flip” — grassroots organizing details | | 10:32 | Talarico discusses his faith and progressive Christianity | | 12:49 | On separation of church/state, Ten Commandments in schools | | 16:42 | Addressing online rumors about Allred | | 18:37 | Legislative absurdities—“furries in schools” hoax | | 20:37 | Closing remarks; Colbert thanks Talarico for his online-only appearance |

Tone & Style

The episode balances sharp satire with earnest analysis. Colbert’s witty, irreverent tone exposes the absurdity of legal restrictions and political censorship, while Talarico’s answers blend sincere faith-based argument with a calm, policy-oriented approach. The discussion is timely, candid, and lively, offering both humor and substance whether or not you’re following Texas politics.