Commission Clears Colbert
There was “nothing actionable” under FCC indecency rules about Late Show host Stephen Colbert’s use of the phrase “cock holster” to describe President Donald Trump during a May 1 CBS broadcast (see 1705080032), an FCC spokesman emailed. “The FCC received…
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thousands of complaints about the May 1 broadcast of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the spokesman said. “Consistent with standard operating procedure, the FCC's Enforcement Bureau has reviewed the complaints and the material that was the subject of these complaints.” Colbert’s remarks were “tasteless” but didn’t violate rules, blogged Free State Foundation President Randy May. “Given that the Commission under Ajit Pai's leadership is looking, justifiably, to reduce unnecessary regulation in other areas, it would not have made sense to let the complaints sit at the agency as some sort of sword of Damocles that might have the effect of chilling free speech,” May said. “It was crude. It was indecent. But it was protected speech,” said Parents Television Council President Tim Winter, praising the FCC decision.” The audio of the profane broadcast was muted and Colbert’s mouth was pixilated. And even more importantly, the broadcast aired after 10:00 pm in all time zones, which is outside the reach of the FCC’s longstanding broadcast indecency enforcement oversight.”