Stephen Colbert blasted CBS for refusing to air his interview with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico — which wound up being shared online anyway.

“We were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast,” Colbert claimed on Monday night’s episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

According to the host, he was then told “in some uncertain terms” that he was also prohibited from mentioning that cancellation to the audience.

“Because my network clearly doesn’t want us to talk about this, let’s talk about this,” Colbert said to thunderous applause.

He went on to explain that Brendon Carr, the MAGA-friendly chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has pressured late night hosts on broadcast TV stations to adhere to an old, rarely enforced rule that requires networks to give equal time to all candidates on a ballot regardless of political party.

“There’s long been an exception for this rule — an exception for news interviews and talk show interviews with politicians,” Colbert said.

He then went on to reference the FCC announcing in January that it would begin cracking down on the rule and, as Colbert explained, consider “dropping the exception for talk shows because [Carr] said some of them were motivated by partisan purposes.”

The host said he believes Carr is the one motivated by partisan purposes, and accused the Trump administration of wanting to silence anyone who speaks critically of the president.

Colbert still interviewed Talarico, but their discussion was posted on his show’s YouTube feed, where the FCC has no influence.

“If people are watching this right now it’s because they found us online on YouTube,” Colbert said at the start of the interview.

Multiple outlets reported the FCC launched an investigation into ABC’s morning show “The View” after Talarico appeared on the program on Feb. 2. Colbert mentioned that to the 36-year-old Democrat hoping to fill the Senate seat occupied by 74-year-old Republican John Cornyn.

“I think that Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas,” Talarico told Colbert.

He repeated that theory on social media where he shared video of their interview.

The Republican-controlled Congress could fall into Democratic control after the November elections. Polls show the Senate and the House of Representatives will be in play for the minority party. President Trump has expressed concern that he’ll be impeached for the third time if Republicans lose control of Congress.

Colbert and CBS are also facing big changes.

After more than a decade with the network, Colbert, 61, is leaving in May. “The Late Show” will also be retired after 32 years on CBS, whose parent company appears to be pulling the network in a more populist direction. In October, conservative commentator Bari Weiss was hired as the editor-in-chief of CBS News.

“Our strategy until now has been to cling to the audience that remains on broadcast television,” she told staffers in January. “If we stick to that strategy, we’re toast.”

Her arrival has raised questions about what’s next for the storied outlet.

CBS has not returned a request for comment regarding Talarico’s appearance or Colbert’s criticism of the network.

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