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 support for 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 left out entirely. Speaking on “The Maverick Approach” podcast on 22 March, Sutta disclosed she had been caught off guard by the reunion and alleged that her alignment with Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign, combined with her public health advocacy following her own medical struggles, had effectively sidelined her from the comeback.

The Reunion That Abandoned Participants Out

The Pussycat Dolls’ reveal of their PCD Forever Tour in March came as a shock to several original members who were clearly excluded from the lineup. Sutta disclosed that she, Bachar and Thornton neither got advance notice of the reunion, learning about it instead via rumours and press coverage. She stated she tried multiple times to contact founder Robin Antin before the news went public, only managing to 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 removal from consideration was especially painful for Sutta given her deep attachment to the band’s history. When Scherzinger rang the next day after the official announcement, Sutta was too hurt to answer the phone. While acknowledging 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 simply showed me exactly why I’m not in the group,” she said, suggesting that the manner of the reunion demonstrated deeper issues within 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 notification given to excluded original members
• Sutta labelled reunion as a “cash grab” venture

Political Beliefs and Workplace Repercussions

Sutta has become increasingly vocal about her support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., particularly during his 2024 presidential campaign. She attended campaign events, frequently shared content on social media and delivered speeches at events, publicly aligning herself with Kennedy’s platform. However, she thinks this political stance could have played a role in her removal from the reunion tour. In her podcast appearance, Sutta indicated that her connection to Kennedy—and by extension, the broader political movement he represents—made her a liability for the group. “I align with Bobby Kennedy, which is aligning with MAGA,” she acknowledged, though she clarified her support was based on particular policies rather than blanket endorsement of any political party.

The singer described the reunion as fundamentally a commercial venture, indicating that commercial considerations superseded any commitment to inclusion or acknowledging all original members. “It’s a money grab. I mean, come on. Let’s keep it real, right?” Sutta said bluntly. She voiced concern that her political views seemed to have been deemed at odds with the group’s public image or financial interests. Notwithstanding her disagreements with certain aspects of contemporary politics, Sutta maintained that her main reason for supporting Kennedy arose from advocacy for those affected by vaccine-related health concerns—a cause profoundly personal to her own health journey.

Healthcare Advocacy as Political Driver

Sutta’s political engagement is deeply connected to her own medical difficulties. In recent years, she has been candid regarding dealing with serious persistent health problems that she attributes to a COVID-19 vaccine received in 2021. She has also revealed that she is dealing with a neurological condition, struggles that have significantly affected her worldview and advocacy priorities. These health experiences led her to become involved in organisations centred on vaccine safety and bodily autonomy, eventually bringing her to Kennedy’s campaign, which emphasised these issues.

For Sutta, backing Kennedy offered a tangible chance to elevate the voices of those in the vaccine-injured community who she considered had been sidelined by conventional media narratives. “We didn’t have a pathway for the vaccine-injured community to get help without him,” she stated, underlining that her political alignment was driven by individual need rather than political allegiance. This health advocacy has become fundamental to her public identity, yet it seems to have created professional separation between herself and former bandmates who may have chosen to steer clear of association with such controversial health discussions.

Maintaining Firm Stances on Controversial Topics

Despite the professional fallout from her public position, Sutta has shown no signs of backing down from her convictions. She remains steadfast in her support for Kennedy and the causes he championed during his 2024 presidential campaign, showing up at events, posting frequently on social media and speaking publicly about concerns regarding vaccine safety. Rather than moving away from these stances to salvage her career prospects, Sutta has kept advocating openly for what she stands for, even as it appears to have resulted in losing a lucrative reunion chance to work with one of her ex-group’s most important ventures.

Sutta’s unwillingness to soften her position reflects a fundamental divide in contemporary entertainment, where artists’ personal beliefs more frequently overlap with market appeal. She has recognised the potential professional consequences of her public campaigning, yet seems committed to champion her convictions over professional standing. Her candid acknowledgment that association with Kennedy’s views may be interpreted as backing “MAGA” politics reveals her recognition of how her approach is understood, whilst at the same time declining to apologise for or substantially alter her open promotion on health issues that she deems personally essential.

• Sutta attended multiple Kennedy campaign events throughout 2024’s presidential election
• She has maintained an active social media presence advocating for vaccine safety awareness
• The singer continues discussing openly about her personal health struggles openly
• Sutta recognises her positions could be seen as politically controversial
• She prioritises health advocacy ahead of possible career reconciliation prospects

A Professional Path Outside the Group

Whilst the reunion tour exclusion marks a notable career disappointment, Sutta has sustained an ongoing professional presence separate from the Pussycat Dolls throughout the past two decades. The singer has undertaken solo work, media appearances and continued performing engagements that have helped her preserve her standing within entertainment. Her work as a public personality and performer has stretched far past the pop ensemble that initially brought her fame, demonstrating her skill in creating a distinct professional identity apart from the group responsible for her fame.

Looking ahead, Sutta appears positioned to continue her campaigning efforts and artistic endeavours irrespective of the reunion tour’s outcome. Her readiness to speak candidly about her principles, whilst admittedly costly in terms of group reconciliation, has also made her an outspoken voice on health and political matters within entertainment sectors. Whether through musical work, campaigning or public appearances, Sutta seems determined to maintain her independence and explore possibilities consistent with her values rather than compromise her principles for the sake of commercial reunion.