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stephen colbert late show

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Stephen Colbert is to be investigated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over a joke about President Donald Trump.

The FCC chairman Ajit Pai said the commission received several complaints about the monologue, which some viewers branded homophobic.

It concerned references involving Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

On Twitter, angry users set hashtag #FireColbert trending worldwide.

Ajit Pai told radio host Rich Zeoli he had now had a chance to watch the controversial clip, which aired on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show on May 1.

“We have received a number of complaints,” he said.

Image source Wikimedia

“We’ll follow the standard operating procedures, as we always do, and make sure we evaluate what the facts are and apply the law fairly and fully.”

CBS could be fined if the FCC decides that Stephen Colbert’s joke was indecent.

The FCC definition includes remarks that appeal to “an average person’s prurient interest and, taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value”.

Despite demands for him to be fired over the alleged slur, Stephen Colbert said on May 3 that he would change “some of the words” in the monologue but did not regret it.

Stephen Colbert then offered an olive branch to the LGBT community, saying: “Anyone who expresses their love for another person in their own way is, to me, an American hero.”

One Trump supporter who took part in the movement #GaysForTrump, tweeted on May 3 that Stephen Colbert’s original rant was “homophobic” and “disgusting”, while others repeated calls for his sacking.

However, many defended the comedian.

Others noted that Donald Trump had himself been recorded using inappropriate language.

Former Republican Governor and presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee argued that Stephen Colbert should be protected by the First Amendment, which enshrines the right to free speech in the US.

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Stephen Colbert has made his debut as CBS’ Late Show host, succeeding David Letterman who retired in May after 33 years.

George Clooney and Republican White House contender Jeb Bush were among Stephen Colbert’s first guests.

The former Colbert Report host opened the show with a sketch, singing the national anthem around the country.

Stephen Colbert also paid tribute to his predecessor David Letterman, calling himself “a fan”.Stephen Colbert Late Show debut 2015

“We will try to honor his achievement by doing the best show we can and occasionally making the network very mad at us,” he said.

“As long as I have nine months to make one hour of TV, I could do this forever,” Stephen Colbert added.

The comedian played a hardline conservative in his previous show, Comedy Central’s satirical news show The Colbert Report, but he appeared as himself for his mainstream debut.

Stephen Colbert presented his first guest George Clooney with a belated wedding gift for his marriage last year to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin – a Tiffany paperweight inscribed with the phrase: “I don’t know you.”

He also binged on a bag of Oreo cookies as he made jokes about Donald Trump, who recently vowed never to eat Oreos again after makers Nabisco Inc said it was opening a new plant in Mexico.

Fellow late-night TV figures also wished him well – including NBC rival Jimmy Fallon who said: “Have a good show, buddy. See you in the locker room.”

The broadcast ended with Stephen Colbert singing with his new house band, led by Jon Batiste, in a cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s Everyday People.

They were joined by Mavis Staples, Aloe Blacc, Ben Folds and Buddy Guy, amongst others.