Kaitlin Olson on High Potential, Family Pranks, and Danny DeVito Cameo
Kaitlin Olson's Balancing Act: High Potential and Family Chaos
Kaitlin Olson navigates an extraordinary career phase with three simultaneous shows—ABC’s High Potential, Max’s Hacks, and FXX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. During her recent late-night appearance, she revealed how this workload creates hilarious confusion: "I was reading a Hacks script and shooting High Potential today... It’s starting to get real confusing." Yet Olson’s professionalism shines through, with her secret being Rob McElhenney’s full-time parenting—a role that sparks creative family mischief.
Rob McElhenney’s Legendary Prank Campaign
Olson shared how McElhenney convinced their sons he dated Kim Kardashian pre-marriage. The elaborate hoax peaked when his COO fabricated "evidence"—a photoshopped Kardashian-McElhenney engagement photo aged in her purse for authenticity. "She wrote a fake note with her non-dominant hand," Olson laughed, questioning if "there was nothing else to do over there." This isn’t McElhenney’s first fabrication; he previously had the boys believing Olson wanted to name them "Jorhal" and "Jamortimer." Olson’s solution? "Mommy never lies. Dad’s just a flat-out liar."
High Potential’s Unique Fan Dynamics and Crossover Magic
As a genius crime-solver in High Potential, Olson encounters a new fanbase starkly different from It’s Always Sunny devotees. While Sunny fans challenge her to shots or scream "Sweet Dee’s a bird," High Potential viewers approach her to "bond over having extremely high IQ." Olson humorously admits discomfort: "There’s been a giant mistake. Can I do a fart joke instead?" The show’s ABC finale featured Danny DeVito as a Golden Bachelor contestant—a crossover Olson pitched after McElhenney mused, "What if Frank was the Golden Bachelor?" Though Olson missed filming at the Bachelor Mansion ("I was working on Hacks"), she confirms DeVito "loves being surrounded by women and enjoyed every moment."
Actionable Viewing Guide
- Watch High Potential: Tuesdays at 10 PM EST on ABC or stream next-day on Hulu.
- Spot the Pranks: Revisit Season 15, Episode 4 of It’s Always Sunny to see Olson’s real-life sons in their cameo.
- Study Comedy Craft: Analyze Olson’s physical comedy in Sunny versus her dramatic range in High Potential to understand versatile acting techniques.
Final Thought: Olson’s career mastery lies in embracing chaos—both on-set and at home. As she told Jimmy Kimmel: "Whatever makes Rob happy makes me happy." Except maybe when he invents celebrity exes.
"When your kids ask about dad's fictional engagement to Kim K, how do you redirect the conversation?" Share your parenting hacks below!
