TV host Jimmy Kimmel announced on Wednesday that his interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico would not be broadcast on television, citing pressure from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC, which issues broadcast licences and regulates radio, TV and satellite airwaves, allegedly threatened Kimmel and his network, ABC, over the guest booking, according to Kimmel on his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live.
During the episode, Kimmel said the FCC had “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.” He added that the interview would instead be posted on YouTube to accommodate ABC affiliates, particularly in Texas.
A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, denied that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had threatened Kimmel about the Talarico interview or any other candidate. In a statement to the BBC, Ingle called Kimmel’s claims “play‑acting” and said Carr had not issued any threats.
The FCC has long been at odds with ABC, with Carr, a Trump appointee, threatening action against the network after Kimmel’s comments on the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September. ABC has sued the FCC over what it calls unfair targeting of its editorial content.
Trump‑backed Republican Ken Paxton will face Talarico in November’s midterm elections, a race that could decide whether Democrats regain control of the U.S. Senate during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
For now, viewers can watch the interview on YouTube, while the FCC’s stance remains unconfirmed by the regulator itself.
