Melissa Gilbert is facing mixed reactions online after sharing an upbeat video just days after her husband, Timothy Busfield, pleaded not guilty to felony assault charges.
On Monday, February 23, the Little House on the Prairie alum posted a clip to the official Instagram account for her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie. In the short video, the 61-year-old is seen singing and dancing along to Des’ree’s 1994 hit “You Gotta Be,” belting out the chorus: “You gotta be bad / You gotta be bold / You gotta be wiser / You gotta be hard / You gotta be tough / You gotta be stronger / You gotta be cool / You gotta be calm / You gotta stay together / All I know, all I know / Love will save the day.”
Her caption was nothing but encouraging, writing: “It’s Monday…and we’re starting this week the Modern Prairie way, together. 🤍Melissa’s been singing the chorus of a Des’ree song 🎶 ‘You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser…’ 🎶So here’s our invitation: Sing it with us. Out loud. In the car. In the kitchen. Wherever you are on your journey right now. Because life isn’t a straight path. It twists. It surprises. It humbles. It strengthens. And somewhere along the way, we become a little braver… a little steadier… a little wiser.”
It concluded, “You’ve handled hard things before. You’re still growing. And you don’t have to walk this road alone.”
While some followers praised the message, others were less enthusiastic.
“Strange,” one person posted, while another wrote, “I hope you are strong enough to speak the truth when needed.”
Another advised, “I sure wouldn’t be making light of any of this. Shameful.”
“She harbored a predator. Remember that,” a fourth stated.
READ MORE: Timothy Busfield Case Takes Major Turn as Several Past Accusers May Testify
The reaction comes as Busfield, 68, faces four counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and child abuse tied to alleged incidents in 2022 and 2023. He pleaded not guilty on February 10, after surrendering to police in January. “I did not do anything,” Busfield said at the time. “They’re all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it.”
Gilbert has publicly supported her husband throughout the proceedings, calling it an “extraordinarily difficult” season. She, along with her youngest sonMichael Boxleitner, wrote letters to the court in support of the West Wing alum, calling Busfield the “rock” in their family and a “hero,” respectively.
And new court filings reviewed by TMZ on Friday, February 20, indicate that prosecutors plan to call several additional witnesses at trial. The state’s preliminary list reportedly includes four individuals who have previously accused Busfield of sexual misconduct. Prosecutors say the alleged incident dates back roughly 25 years, and one of the accuser’s fathers is also expected to testify.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available 24 hours a day through RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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