'The Brady Bunch's star Susan Olsen claims CBS axed reboot as her political beliefs were 'too dangerous'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Susan Olsen, widely recognized for her role as Cindy on 'The Brady Bunch', has recently claimed that a planned revival of the series at CBS Studios was abruptly canceled due to her outspoken support for Donald Trump and conservative views.
However, a source associated with the show contests Olsen’s claims, attributing the project's cancellation to what they described as her "controversial comments and hate speech" rather than her political leanings, as reported by People.
What was Susan Olsen's role in revival?
Speaking on the WalkAway Campaign podcast, Olsen discussed a possible reboot of the classic sitcom that originally aired from 1969 to 1974.
The actress shared that the updated series would portray her and her on-screen siblings as adults, with her character taking on the role of a libertarian podcaster.
Susan Olsen's past controversies resurface in reboot talks
Olsen alleged that her agent informed her CBS Studios took issue with a “homophobic rant” she had made to a guest on her political show, 'Two Chicks Talkin' Politics' on LA Talk Radio.
Olsen, now 63, did not specify the guest involved, describing the situation as “fake news,” yet she was dismissed from the radio show in 2016 after openly gay actor Leon Acord-Whiting accused her of making homophobic remarks during a debate on her program, as reported by Vulture and Time magazine.
LA Talk Radio fired Susan Olsen for 'hateful speech'
Shortly after, LA Talk Radio confirmed her termination, issuing a statement saying, “We will not tolerate hateful speech by anyone associated with our radio station and have severed our ties with a host that veered off the direction in which we are going."
Susan Olsen calls out CBS for '50-Page' report as reason for her exclusion from show
Olsen stated that she consented to undergo a “political correctness” course, despite being outspoken in support of Trump and sharing her opinions on the Covid-19 vaccine.
She claims that CBS Studios amassed a “50-page” report detailing her past controversial remarks, ultimately leading to the decision that she wouldn’t be included in the show.
Reflecting on the turn of events, Olsen stated, "Those 50 pages were like my greatest hits. I stand by everything I said I don't just say things" adding that she was "hoping to be a little bit controversial" with the proposed reboot.
"I did have a phone call with my (TV) siblings and my agent,” Olsen shared. Everybody was saying, 'We're sorry, but they just won’t budge. They just will not have you in this.' I'm like, Wow, I've been canceled. A role that I’ve played for over 50 years, I can't play it now because I'm too dangerous. I was like, 'Well, okay guys, good luck, I hope you can sell it.' "
Susan Olsen describes Zoom meeting as 'inquisition' over her views on current issues
Susan Olsen claims that she subsequently participated in a Zoom meeting, which she characterized as an "inquisition" with the showrunner, producer, and her agent, during which she was interrogated about her views on "every single issue of the day."
After her agent suggested there might be a way to "circumvent" CBS Studios, Olsen reportedly replied, "No, I'm done. At this point, you're going to have a woke Brady Bunch, and I want no part of it."
CBS Studios did not make an official public statement directly in response to Susan Olsen's claims. However, a source close to the studio reportedly clarified that the Brady Bunch revival project was not halted because of Olsen’s political support of Donald Trump, as she claimed, but rather due to her “controversial comments and hate speech.”
