In the latest episode of the political sideshow, it seems that late-night television has plunged into satire-clad chaos once again. The scene of the spectacle? The Late Show, starring Stephen Colbert, who’s stirring up more drama than a daytime soap opera. Our leading man, Colbert, captivated his audience with tales of thwarted interviews and mysterious interventions. He solemnly spun a yarn about how he was firmly instructed by network lawyers to steer clear of featuring Texas State Representative James Talarico on his show. Why, you ask? Because the nasty Trump administration and mega-corporations, apparently complete with twirling mustaches and evil laughs, were dead set against him having this Democratic hopeful grace his stage.

But of course, there was more twist to this story than a pretzel factory. Stephen was not actually barred from allowing Talarico on his show. No, it turns out that this tale was as fabricated as a plastic Christmas tree. CBS was merely advising Colbert on the trusty old equal time rule. For those not in the know, this rule insists that networks either avoid bias in contested races or give all candidates a fair crack at the media spotlight. That’s hardly censorship; it’s more like a gentle nudge towards fairness. A suggestion to make sure tax dollars aren’t paving the way for one-sided political campaigns.

Amusingly enough, Colbert didn’t let reality get in the way of a dramatic story. No siree! Shunning reality, he crafted a narrative that blew up faster than popcorn in a microwave. The alleged drama was broadcast to the masses on his YouTube channel, gaining millions of views. Meanwhile, the other folks elbowing for that Senate seat—hello, Jasmine Crockett, among others—were left out of his spotlight. This selective approach is somewhat puzzling. I mean, is there a reason Colbert wouldn’t offer a similar opportunity to these other candidates, especially given the equal time nudge? One would think a man of fairness wouldn’t play favorites, but alas, the grapes of bias appear rather sour this season.

Now, one might wonder, what was gained by all this hullabaloo? Well, Talarico got a nice bump in publicity. A neat round of applause for elevating his profile on the back of this so-called censorship scandal. While the votes may yet speak in another language, it’s amusing to see how a fabricated narrative gains momentum at the speed of social media light. Perhaps, Colbert and Talarico saw this whole saga as a cunning strategy to tack a ‘victim’ badge onto a campaign jacket that otherwise blended in with the crowd.

In conclusion, the irony is almost poetic. As Colbert slips on banana peels of his own making, his performance underscored a larger truth: sometimes, crafting villains for a story is more entertaining than sticking to the facts. Nevertheless, viewers and voters alike deserve honesty far more than sensational headlines that artfully dodge reality. In this ongoing theater of the absurd, perhaps it’s time for Colbert to exit stage left and leave the world of political grandstanding to the professionals—politicians themselves.