Pussycat Dolls Singer Defends Political Stance After Tour Exclusion

Former Pussycat Dolls member Jessica Sutta has stood by her political views after being excluded from the girl group’s much-awaited 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 excluded entirely. Speaking on “The Maverick Approach” podcast on 22 March, Sutta revealed she had been caught off guard by the reunion and alleged that her association with Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign, combined with her health-related campaigning following her own health challenges, had effectively sidelined her from the comeback.

The Gathering That Abandoned Participants Behind

The Pussycat Dolls’ announcement of their PCD Forever Tour in March proved surprising to a number of 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 claimed she tried several times to reach out to founder Robin Antin before the news broke publicly, 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 caught off guard.”/p

The exclusion was especially painful for Sutta due to her deep attachment to the group’s legacy. When Scherzinger rang the next day after the official announcement, Sutta was too hurt 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 revealed something troubling about the group’s priorities. “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 reflected deeper issues in the band’s dynamics and decision-making process.

• Sutta, Bachar and Thornton not included in PCD Forever Tour
• Three members selected: Scherzinger, Wyatt and Roberts only
• No advance notification communicated to excluded original members
• Sutta described reunion as a “cash grab” initiative

Political Convictions and Workplace Repercussions

Sutta has grown more outspoken about her support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., especially throughout his 2024 presidential campaign. She went to campaign rallies, frequently shared content on social media and spoke at rallies, publicly aligning herself with Kennedy’s platform. However, she thinks this political stance could have played a role in her exclusion 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 acknowledged, though she explained her support was rooted in 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 dedication to inclusion or recognising all founding members. “It’s a cash grab. I mean, come on. Let’s keep it real, right?” Sutta remarked candidly. She expressed frustration that her political views seemed to have been deemed at odds with the group’s public image or commercial interests. Despite her reservations about certain aspects of contemporary politics, Sutta insisted that her main reason for supporting Kennedy arose from support for those affected by vaccine-related health concerns—a cause profoundly personal to her own medical journey.

Health Advocacy as Political Force

Sutta’s public advocacy is deeply connected to her own medical difficulties. In the past few years, she has been open about dealing with serious persistent health problems that she links to a COVID-19 vaccine taken in 2021. She has also made clear that she is coping with a neurological disorder, difficulties that have deeply influenced her perspective and campaigning focus. These medical experiences motivated her to participate in groups dedicated to vaccine safety and bodily autonomy, ultimately drawing her towards Kennedy’s campaign, which highlighted these priorities.

For Sutta, backing Kennedy constituted a practical opportunity to magnify the voices of those in the community of vaccine-injured individuals who she felt had been overlooked by dominant public conversation. “We didn’t have a chance for the vaccine-injured community to get help without him,” she declared, stressing that her political position was driven by personal circumstance rather than partisan ideology. This advocacy work has become integral to her public identity, yet it seems to have created professional distance between herself and former bandmates who may have preferred to steer clear of association with such controversial health discussions.

Taking Strong Stands on Contentious Issues

Despite the career consequences from her public position, Sutta has demonstrated no inclination to backing down from her beliefs. 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 commenting openly about concerns regarding vaccine safety. Rather than moving away from these stances to salvage her career prospects, Sutta has kept advocating vocally for what she believes in, even as it seems to have resulted in losing a highly profitable reunion opportunity 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 performers’ individual convictions increasingly intersect with business success. She has recognised the possible career repercussions of her public campaigning, yet seems committed to champion her convictions over industry acceptance. Her frank admission that alignment with Kennedy’s positions may be perceived as supporting “MAGA” politics reveals her recognition of how her approach is interpreted, whilst at the same time declining to express regret about or significantly change her public campaigning on health issues that she considers personally vital.

• Sutta participated in multiple Kennedy political gatherings during 2024’s presidential election
• She continues to maintain a prominent social media presence promoting vaccine safety advocacy
• The artist keeps discussing openly about her own health struggles openly
• Sutta recognises her positions may be perceived as politically controversial
• She prioritises health advocacy ahead of potential professional reconciliation opportunities

A Professional Path Beyond the Group

Whilst the reunion tour exclusion represents a notable career disappointment, Sutta has sustained an ongoing professional presence separate from the Pussycat Dolls throughout the past two decades. The singer has developed independent ventures, media appearances and ongoing performance commitments that have allowed her to sustain her standing within entertainment. Her work as a public personality and performer has stretched far past the pop ensemble that first established her reputation, 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 activist initiatives and artistic projects independent of the reunion tour’s outcome. Her willingness to speak openly about her beliefs, whilst undoubtedly costly in terms of collective harmony, has also made her an outspoken voice on health and social matters within entertainment sectors. Whether through music, advocacy or speaking engagements, Sutta seems determined to maintain her self-determination and explore possibilities in keeping with her principles rather than compromise her standards for the sake of commercial reunion.