Overview
- On his Club Random podcast with guest John Stamos, Maher said he would only star if the show dropped “age-appropriate” casting, with Stamos noting director Ken Fuchs was in the room.
- Maher described a version featuring much younger women and claimed he would “straighten out their lives,” contradicting the franchise’s established format for senior contestants.
- Social-media commenters condemned the idea and his remarks about dating women in their early 20s, calling the proposal inappropriate.
- ABC and the show’s producers have not indicated any interest in recruiting Maher or changing casting rules, and no format shift has been announced.
- The remarks reignite sensitivities after Season 2 lead Mel Owens faced backlash and later apologized for comments about avoiding older contestants.