Pussycat Dolls Singer Defends Political Stance After Tour Exclusion

Former Pussycat Dolls member Jessica Sutta has defended her political views after being left out of the girl group’s highly anticipated reunion tour, claiming her backing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made her a “liability” to the project. The 43-year-old singer was conspicuously missing from the PCD Forever Tour announcement in March, which featured only three original members — Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt and Ashley Roberts — whilst Sutta, Carmit Bachar and Melody Thornton were excluded entirely. Speaking on “The Maverick Approach” podcast on 22 March, Sutta revealed she had been blindsided by the reunion and alleged that her alignment with Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign, combined with her health-related campaigning following her own health challenges, had essentially removed her from the comeback.

The Reunion That Excluded Attendees Out

The Pussycat Dolls’ announcement of their PCD Forever Tour in March came as a shock to several original members who were clearly excluded from the lineup. Sutta revealed that neither she, Bachar nor Thornton got advance notice of the reunion, learning about it instead through rumours and media reports. She stated she tried multiple times to contact founder Robin Antin before the news went public, only succeeding in reach the choreographer on the night the tour was announced. “None of us were called. None of us were told about anything,” Sutta explained. “In fact, we were blindsided.”/p

The exclusion was especially painful for Sutta given her deep attachment to the group’s legacy. When Scherzinger rang the next day after the official announcement, Sutta was too upset to answer the phone. Despite expressing genuine admiration for Scherzinger’s latest Tony Award win for her role in “Sunset Boulevard,” Sutta felt the manner of her exclusion exposed something troubling about the band’s values. “The way they did this just showed me exactly why I’m not in the group,” she said, suggesting that the reunion’s execution demonstrated deeper issues in the group’s internal workings and decision-making process.

• Sutta, Bachar and Thornton removed from PCD Forever Tour
• Three members picked: Scherzinger, Wyatt and Roberts only
• No advance warning given to excluded original members
• Sutta labelled reunion as a “cash grab” initiative

Political Convictions and Career Implications

Sutta has grown more outspoken about her backing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., especially throughout his 2024 presidential campaign. She attended campaign events, posted regularly on social media and spoke at rallies, publicly aligning herself with Kennedy’s platform. However, she believes this political stance could have played a role in her removal from the reunion tour. In her podcast appearance, Sutta suggested that her connection to Kennedy—and by extension, the broader political movement he represents—made her problematic for the group. “I align with Bobby Kennedy, which is aligning with MAGA,” she stated, though she clarified her support was based on specific policy positions rather than wholesale support of any political party.

The singer portrayed the reunion as essentially a commercial venture, suggesting that commercial considerations overrode any dedication to inclusivity or recognising all founding members. “It’s a money grab. I mean, come on. Let’s keep it real, right?” Sutta remarked candidly. She voiced concern that her political beliefs appeared to have been considered at odds with the group’s public image or financial interests. Notwithstanding her disagreements with elements of contemporary politics, Sutta insisted that her primary motivation for backing Kennedy stemmed from advocacy for those affected by vaccine-related health issues—a cause profoundly personal to her own medical journey.

Health Advocacy as Political Force

Sutta’s political involvement is fundamentally tied to her own medical difficulties. In recent years, she has been candid regarding managing significant long-term health concerns that she attributes to a COVID-19 vaccine received in 2021. She has also revealed that she is coping with a neurological disorder, struggles that have significantly affected her beliefs and advocacy aims. These medical circumstances prompted her to engage in communities focused on vaccine safety and health autonomy, finally directing her to Kennedy’s campaign, which emphasised these issues.

For Sutta, championing Kennedy offered a tangible chance to amplify the voices of those in the community of vaccine-injured individuals who she considered had been disregarded by dominant public conversation. “We didn’t have a opportunity for the vaccine-injured community to get help without him,” she remarked, stressing that her political stance was rooted in personal circumstance rather than partisan ideology. This advocacy work has become fundamental to her public profile, yet it seems to have created a professional divide between herself and former bandmates who might have preferred to avoid association with such contentious health discussions.

Maintaining Firm Stances on Divisive Matters

Despite the professional fallout from her political stance, Sutta has shown no signs of backing down from her beliefs. She remains steadfast in her support for Kennedy and the initiatives he promoted during his 2024 campaign for president, attending rallies, posting frequently on social media and speaking publicly about vaccine safety concerns. Rather than distancing herself from these stances to protect her professional future, Sutta has kept advocating openly for what she stands for, even as it appears to have cost her a lucrative reunion opportunity with one of her former group’s most important ventures.

Sutta’s refusal to soften her position illustrates a broader tension in modern entertainment industry, where creative professionals’ personal views more frequently overlap with market appeal. She has acknowledged the likely industry backlash of her public campaigning, yet seems committed to prioritise her principles over industry acceptance. Her open recognition that association with Kennedy’s views may be seen as endorsing “MAGA” politics reveals her recognition of how her stance is understood, whilst yet continuing to refuse to express regret about or markedly modify her public campaigning on health issues that she considers personally vital.

• Sutta attended several Kennedy political gatherings during the 2024 presidential race
• She continues to maintain a prominent online platform advocating for vaccine safety awareness
• The singer keeps speaking publicly about her own health struggles openly
• Sutta recognises her positions may be perceived as politically controversial
• She prioritises health-related advocacy over possible career reconciliation prospects

A Professional Path Beyond the Group

Whilst the reunion tour exclusion represents a considerable professional challenge, Sutta has preserved a dynamic career trajectory outside of the Pussycat Dolls across the previous two decades. The singer has pursued solo projects, broadcast engagements and ongoing performance commitments that have enabled her to maintain her position in the entertainment sector. Her work as a public personality and performer has extended well beyond the vocal group that originally launched her career, showcasing her ability to carve out a distinct professional identity independent of the ensemble that established her reputation.

Looking ahead, Sutta appears well-placed to continue her campaigning efforts and artistic endeavours regardless of the reunion tour’s outcome. Her willingness to speak candidly about her convictions, whilst certainly costly in terms of group reconciliation, has also positioned her as an vocal advocate on social and political matters within the entertainment industry. Whether through music, activism or public speaking, Sutta seems committed to maintain her autonomy and seek out opportunities consistent with her convictions rather than sacrifice her standards for the sake of professional reunion.