‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’: Kaitlin Olson Still Stands by Banned Episodes
The FX comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia always pushes the boundaries. They’ve had episodes on abortion, welfare, and pooping in the bed to name a few. Some episodes have been pulled from Hulu. However, Kaitlin Olson stands by the banned It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode.
Olson was a guest on the Basic! podcast on Oct. 19 to discuss It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. When the question of controversy came up, Olson explained why she stands by the banned episodes.
Kaitlin Olson thinks people who hate the banned ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ episode didn’t watch it
The season 6 episode “Dee Reynolds, Shaping America’s Youth” was pulled from streaming services because it features blackface. While Dee (Olson) becomes an inner city substitute teacher, the boys make their own Lethal Weapon 5. Mac (Rob McElhenney) decides to play Murtaugh, and wears blackface to impersonate Danny Glover. Olson stands by that and another banned It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode.
“The way the comments are worded makes it very clear they haven’t seen the episode,” Olson said on Basic! “We’ve had a couple of episodes taken down because Dee thinks she’s an incredible sketch comedy actress. She is so proud of her sketch comedy characters but we’re making fun of people who think they have sketch comedy characters just because they either have a bad accent or change the color of their skin or something insane and ridiculous like that. So I stand by those episodes and think they’re genius and I love them and I’m pissed that they’re taken down.”
The banned ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ episodes are actually against racism
Olson pointed out that episodes like Lethal Weapon 5 and Dee’s sketch comedy act are against their characters’ behavior. Olson says if you pay attention, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia agrees with you.
I actually had my publicist several years ago call me and wasn’t suggesting I get ahead of it, but was like, ‘Just if you want to, do you want to take those down proactively?’ I was like no, if you have a problem with that episode, you didn’t watch the entire thing. You didn’t listen and hear Dennis and Mac and Charlie tell Dee how insanely stupid she was for thinking something like this constitutes a character. I’ll just go back to I feel like people either didn’t see the entire episode or they just grabbed a still and want something to be angry about but don’t understand the context. What, am I going to argue with everybody? That’s okay, have your opinion but I don’t think you watched it or understood it.
Kaitlin Olson, Basic!, 10/19/22
Every new controversy could be another episode
The changing social climate has given It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia new material for 15 seasons. Olson believes the show’s writing makes it palatable.
“With every new development, there are extremes and there are people who feel very strongly about the new developments on both sides,” Olson said. “The great thing about our show, or at least what we’re trying to do is make fun of extreme viewpoints on either side. Hopefully it’s not super divisive and it’s enjoyable for everyone to watch, because it is a comedy at the end of the day, but we’re happy to make fun of ridiculous people, ridiculous behavior.”
