Jimmy Kimmel interviewed James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas, but the conversation was not broadcast on ABC. Instead, it was released on YouTube after Kimmel said pressure from the Federal Communications Commission placed the network and its local stations at risk.

The controversy involves the FCC’s treatment of the federal equal-opportunities rule. That rule generally requires broadcasters that give airtime to one political candidate to provide comparable opportunities to competing candidates. For decades, qualifying news interviews—including some late-night programs—have received exemptions. Recent FCC guidance, however, has raised questions about whether daytime and late-night talk shows automatically qualify.

During the roughly 21-minute interview, Talarico discussed:

• His campaign against Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
• Why Republicans appear concerned about Democrats winning in Texas
• His decision not to accept corporate PAC money
• His Christian faith and belief that MAGA has distorted the teachings of Jesus
• Republican efforts that he says make voting more difficult
• Donald Trump calling him a “freaky guy”
• His campaign’s effort to reclaim Trump’s “Talafreako” nickname
• The Republican National Convention being held in Texas

Talarico argued that his campaign is challenging more than one opponent—it is confronting what he described as a corrupt political system. Kimmel framed the online-only release as an effort to preserve editorial independence while protecting ABC affiliates from possible regulatory consequences.

The strategy may have backfired on Talarico’s opponents: the interview attracted millions of YouTube views shortly after its release, giving the candidate a national audience that the television broadcast might not have delivered.