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Stephen Colbert has drawn the attention of the FCC and could face a fine over a rude joke about President Donald Trump that some viewers branded 'homophobic.'

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a Thursday interview that the agency has received 'a number of complaints' about the joke and would investigate the incident for a violation of standards. 

On Monday, Colbert included the bit in a monologue mocking Trump: 'You talk like a sign language gorilla who got hit in the head. In fact, the only thing your mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin's c**k holster,' Colbert said.

'I have had a chance to see the clip now,' Pai told Philadelphia radio station WPHT. 

Stephen Colbert (above on Wednesday) refuses to apologize over a joke about President Donald Trump that viewers branded 'homophobic'. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says the agency has received complaints about the joke, and a fine could result if a violation is found

Colbert said he doesn't regret making the joke and that he would do it again. He said: 'So while I would do it again, I would change a few words that were cruder than they needed to be'

'So, as we get complaints, and we’ve gotten a number of them, we are going to take the facts that we find and we are going to apply the law as it’s been set out by the Supreme Court and other courts and we’ll take the appropriate action.'

'We have received a number of complaints, as I said, and 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,' Pai said.

Pai indicated that any penalty would likely come in the form of a fine. 

'Traditionally, the agency has to decide, if it does find a violation, what the appropriate remedy should be. A fine, of some sort, is typically what we do,' he said.

The Late Show airs at 11.35pm, during the 'safe harbor' period in which stations are allowed to air 'indecent' or 'profane' material between 10pm and 6am under FCC guidelines.

However broadcast standards laws prohibit airing 'obscene' material at any time, a legal term referring to prurient sexual content lacking any serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

Colbert (pictured Tuesday) dodged the issue on Tuesday's show, following uproar over a joke in which he said the 'only thing' Trump's 'mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin's c**k holster'

On Wednesday, Colbert addressed the controversy, saying: 'I have jokes, he has the launch codes. So, it's a fair fight.' 

He responded to the #FireColbert backlash that exploded on Twitter earlier this week which called the 52-year-old comedian out for his jokes about Trump during Monday's monologue.

'Welcome to The Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. Still? I am still the host? I'm still the host!' he said to open Wednesday's show.

On Monday's show Colbert made several jokes about the president after Trump made comments regarding the 'fake media' in his interview with CBS' John Dickerson and calling his show 'Deface the Nation.'   

'Now, if you saw my monologue Monday, you know that I was a little upset at Donald Trump for insulting a friend of mine,' Colbert added in reference to Dickerson.  

'So at the end of that monologue, I had a few choice insults for the president in return. 

'I don't regret that. He, I believe, can take care of himself. I have jokes, he has the launch codes. So, it's a fair fight.

'So while I would do it again, I would change a few words that were cruder than they needed to be.

'I'm not going to repeat the phrase, but I just want to say for the record, life is short, and anyone who expresses their love for another person, in their own way, is to me, an American hero. 

'I think we can all agree on that. I hope even the president and I can agree on that. Nothing else. But, that.

'For once, for once the big story is not Donald Trump. It's why we have Donald Trump.' 

Colbert said the only thing Trump's 'mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin's c**k holster' on Monday

Colbert blasted FBI Director James Comey after he testified in front of Congress about his decision to reveal he re-opened the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server. 

The comedian also poked fun at White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and how he left the daily briefing on Tuesday early.  

Colbert is hosting a 'Daily Show' reunion on his late-night show with Jon Stewart, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Ed Helms and Rob Corddry next week. 

CBS promised a 'special evening of comedy and conversation' with them on the May 9 episode of 'Late Show.'

Colbert was part of Comedy Central's 'Daily Show' hosted by Stewart before launching the channel's 'The Colbert Report.' Bee, Oliver, Helms and Corddry all were 'Daily Show' correspondents.

During Tuesday's show, Colbert dodged the Trump issue following uproar over a joke in which he said the 'only thing' Trump's 'mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin's c**k holster'.

Instead he spoke about Clinton's return to public speaking and Trump's early start on 2020 campaigning. 

'Guess who's back?' he asked. 'Hillary Clinton. Just this afternoon she emerged from the woods here in New York City,' Colbert said as he showed video of Clinton's talk with CNN's Christiane Amanpour at a Women for Women International event in New York.

'Asking if Hillary Clinton thinks sexism exists is like asking Serena Williams if she's heard of this tennis thing,' he said.

He went on to compare Trump to author Stephen King, saying he 'makes things up' but did not mention his joke from Monday night.

On Tuesday, Colbert joked that Hillary Clinton had come 'out of the woods' and returned to the spotlight

The comedic host discussed Trump's 2020 campaign, saying to the president: 'No new elections until you've finished your wars.'

Colbert sparked uproar on Monday night with his 'c**k holster' joke, which many people branded homophobic and offensive.

The episode, filmed at the end of President Trump's first 100 days in office, ended in a long-winded attack against the commander-in-chief - who he called a 'pr***tator' who attracts 'more skinheads than free Rogaine'.

What critics took issue with was Colbert's comments about President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

'You talk like a sign language gorilla who got hit in the head. In fact, the only thing your mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin's c**k holster,' Colbert said.

At the mention of the term 'c**k holster', the entire audience - which had been laughing through the more than 12-minute monologue - erupted into gasps. 

The reaction was so loud that Colbert had to wait for them to settle back down to finish the rest of his speech. 

The reaction online was just as pointed. Immediately, Trump supporters started branding Colbert a homophobe and called for CBS to fire him.

Trump supporters and members of the LGBTQ community alike condemned Colbert's comment

MSNBC journalist Lawrence O'Donnell was impressed by Colbert's monologue on Monday 

Others supported Colbert, expressing their feeling that the late night host did not intend to offend the gay community.

Ever since Trump took office, Colbert's once flailing show has taken the lead in the late night ratings thanks to his pointed criticism of the president, which the previous ratings leader, Jimmy Fallon, has failed to muster.

After taping the show Monday afternoon, Colbert put on a tux and took  his wife to the Met Gala

While Colbert has remained the leader for total viewers since the second week of Trump's administration, he still lags behind Fallon in the key 18-49 age bracket.  

It's unclear how Colbert's latest comments will impact his ratings. Ratings are usually released the Tuesday as the previous week. 

Colbert also has one of the stronger bookings this week with scheduled appearances by Amy Schumer, Jim Parsons, Charles Barkley and Richard Gere. Chris Rock, Chris Pine, Paul Giamatti and Gisele Bundchen are stopping by Fallon's show.

Colbert's other competitor in the 11:35pm time bracket is Jimmy Kimmel Live. Kimmel will be taking the rest of the week off for paternity leave, since his newborn son recently had open heart surgery. 

Kimmel detailed his family's heartbreak in a tearful monologue Monday, while Colbert was taking down Trump. 

Will Arnett, Anthony Anderson, Kirsten Bell and David Spade will be filling in for Kimmel while he is out.