FCC Chair Debunks 'Hoax' Narrative as Late-Night Interviews Spark Equal-Time Debate

FCC Chair Brendan Carr pushed back on the claim that Jimmy Kimmel’s YouTube interview with Senate hopeful James Talarico violates the Equal Time rule, calling the hoax accusation misleading and noting that the statute addresses broader speech considerations. He cited updated FCC guidance that narrows exemptions for late-night interviews and urged stations to seek declaratory rulings for certainty. The interview, posted on YouTube and now drawing massive views, has become a fundraising focal point for Talarico, while the piece traces the shift in how late-night chats with candidates are treated under the law.