Stephen Colbert has reignited tensions with CBS, following the network’s denial of allegations that it prohibited him from featuring a Democratic guest on his show.

The 61-year-old host criticized CBS on Monday for allegedly blocking an interview with James Talarico, a Texas Senate hopeful, due to concerns regarding the FCC’s ‘equal time’ regulations.

In response, CBS refuted Colbert’s claims, stating that their legal team merely offered guidance indicating that the interview could potentially infringe upon the rule.

By Tuesday, after the so-called banned segment had gained traction on YouTube, Colbert openly mocked CBS’s official statement during his show.

“The network issued this press release without consulting me,” he joked, adding, “The paper is remarkably small considering how many behinds it aimed to protect.”

He described the statement as crafted exclusively for legal minds and expressed his intent to dissect it thoroughly.

‘I’m not a lawyer and I don’t want to tell them how to their jobs but since they seem intent on telling them how to do mine, here we go,’ he said to raucous applause. 

He pointed out that he had welcomed Talarico’s primary opponent, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, twice.

Stephen Colbert continued his feud with his employers at CBS, claiming they were lying when they denied having banned him from having a Democrat guest on his show Monday

The lame duck late night host, 61, called out his network Monday for refusing to let him air an interview with James Talarico, a candidate for US Senate in Texas, over the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rules

‘Fellas, I am well aware that we can book other guests. I didn’t need to be presented with that option.’

Colbert added that he could prove that Crockett had been on the show but that CBS wouldn’t let him show a photo of it without threatening the equal time rules.  

‘So I’ll just show this photo of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein instead,’ he said, before displaying the now infamous photo of the president and the disgraced financier.

He quipped that he wished he could have aired the interview with Talarico, though he pointed out the irony that ‘no one would have watched it’ on CBS.

The nearly 15-minute chat with Talarico has amassed four million views on YouTube.

Colbert then explained that it was impossible for the network’s statement to be true because they give a thumbs up to everything he says on his show every night. 

‘They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’ lawyers, who for the record, approve of every script that goes on the air,’ he said.

He said that he was answering to notes from the network’s lawyers in between segments of last night’s show, an unprecedented occurrence.  

CBS has disputed Colbert’s account, saying its attorneys only ‘provided legal guidance’ that broadcasting an interview with Talarico could trigger the rule

‘I had to go backstage to get more notes from these lawyers and they told us the language they wanted me to use to describe this equal time exception and I used that language, so I don’t know what this is about,’ Colbert said, holding up the statement.

Colbert also noted that his staff had looked back as far as the 1960s and could not find an example of the FCC enforcing this rule on a talk show host.  

The host said that he’s ‘not even mad’ and despite his impending cancelation, has been ‘grateful’ to work for CBS. 

‘I’m just so surprised that this giant, global corporation wouldn’t stand up to these bullies. For the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising. I don’t even know what to do with this crap,’ he said.

Colbert than crumbled up the statement, put it in a doggie bag and tossed it in the trash. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to CBS for comment. 

Colbert began Monday’s show with the revelation, before identifying the voided visitor as Texas Rep. James Talarico.

Talarico, a 36-year-old Democrat, is currently running to flip a Republican’s seat in the Senate.

The network claims that under equal time rules, Colbert would have to offer interviews to Talarico’s opponents in the Senate race, fellow Democrat Jasmine Crockett (pictured left) and Republican incumbent John Cornyn (pictured right). Colbert noted that he’s interviewed Crockett twice 

Colbert accused his network of cowardice in front of the Trump administration. Pictured: Paramount (which owns CBS) CEO David Ellison

Colbert explained: ‘[Talarico] was supposed to be here, but 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.’ 

He went on to reveal showrunners asked him to ‘not mention’ any of the saga.

‘And because my network clearly does not want us to talk about this… let’s talk about this,’ the host declared.

He proceeded to lay out the drama, explaining to the Ed Sullivan Theater audience the ‘equal time rule’ and how the 92-year-old guidance was stripped of exemptions that had been in place since the 1990s just last month.

The exemptions allowed hosts like Jay Leno to welcome any guest to their shows regardless of political affiliation. 

The original rule, put in place by Congress and enforced by the The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), was meant to ensure broadcast stations provided equal air time to opposing political candidates in the 1930s.

Shows like The View, The Tonight Show, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert were nonetheless affected. The move was masterminded by The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr.

Colbert repeatedly took shots at Carr on Monday, referencing how the official said shows like Colbert’s operate out of ‘purely partisan political purposes’ in the climate of today when announcing the change last month.

Stephen Colbert embarked on a politicized rant Monday after the Federal Communications Commission’s equal time rule upended a planned guest appearance

In another act of defiance, Colbert welcomed the guest, 36-year-old Texas Democrat James Talarico to the show anyway after his rant, which took aim at CBS and the administration 

‘I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself,’ Colbert said in retort. 

‘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. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diapers. So, it’s no surprise,’ Colbert continued, concluding with a curt ‘FCC you!’ – before taking more shots at his soon-to-be former bosses by welcoming Talarico on.

The interview, however, only aired on web. Colbert further explained that that network hadn’t allowed him to advertise links or a QR code the audience, given the sitdown was essentially taboo.

‘But I promise you if you go to our YouTube page, you’ll find it,’ the host bragged.

Sure enough, the interview was posted there as promised, with Colbert also welcoming outspoken liberal Jennifer Garner to the TV portion of the show. 

During Talarico’s appearance, the rising star in the Texas House of Representatives also accused the administration of censorship.

‘I think that Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas, and, Stephen, this is the party that ran against cancel culture,’ he said of the pulled TV appearance. 

‘They’re trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read.’

Colbert’s show was cancelled for financial reasons, CBS said in July. 

The show was losing $40million a year, according to a report from Puck.

Colbert was named as David Letterman’s replacement in 2015.   

Days before CBS announced his show was to be canceled, Colbert openly criticized Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for its $16million settlement with the president earlier that year – a move tantamount to ‘a big fat bribe,’ according to the comic.

The show will air its last episode in May, the network confirmed. Colbert, a vocal critic of Trump, has yet to announce any future plans.