Kaitlin Olson Says Her and Rob McElhenney's Kids Adopted Their 'Horrifically Inappropriate' Humor: 'You Can't Say That at School'

Mar. 15, 2025

Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney.Photo:Mark Von Holden/Variety via Getty Images

Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney at the premiere of “BlackBerry”

Mark Von Holden/Variety via Getty Images

Kaitlin Olson’skids have inherited more than just their parents' genetics.

As she notes that her sons “love” to yell “Dee’s a bird” to her — a reference to a long-running bit with her character Dee onSunny— Olson says she and McElhenney have tried to keep their kids away from the series, but have ultimately failed.

“My son, my 14-year-old, is…we’ve tried to keep both of them away fromSunny,“she begins. “I had both of them while we were shooting the show. That’s how long it’s been. And we can’t keep it from him anymore.”

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Seth Meyers asks if they’re young teens, which Olson affirms, saying they’re 12 and 14.

“I would imagine a show likeAlways Sunnyis catnip, even if your parents didn’t star in it,” Meyers says.

“We’ve tried so hard, but we walked in on him the other day, the 14-year-old, watching the episode where Mac builds the Ass-Pounder 4000 which is an exercise bike that has a penis coming out of it to motivate you,” Olson says. “But it’s a ‘fist,’ but it’s not a fist.”

Meyers, laughing, notes that it’s hard to discipline their kid for watching the show when Olson and McElhenney are behind it.

“Yeah, then I like pause it and go like, ‘Ahhh, um, we gotta give this some context,’ ” Olson says. “And then I don’t know what context to give it.”

Meyers then asks if they ever try to get away with things like comedy bits, since they’re entering their teenage years.

“Listen, they’re both very funny. But at this age, the sense of humor they’ve adapted from us is just so horrifically inappropriate,” jokes Olson. “We’re like, ‘Ooo! You’re so close! Like in a few years, you’re going to fine-tune that and be so funny, but you can’t say that at school.’”

“It’s really, it’s such a fine line. I mean, they make us laugh, but it’s a fine line,” she continues. “I talked to my therapist about it, and she was like, ‘Okay, you can laugh, but what you need to say is, “Now, I think that’s funny, but let’s imagine you’re out in the real world. People don’t understand who you are. They might think you’re a rapist or a murderer.”’

“Oh my god, this parenting thing is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be,” Olson jokingly adds.

source: people.com