In Teen Mom's History, This Controversy Caused The Most Backlash
"Teen Mom" has weathered more scandal and controversy than the average reality TV series, but those moments only made fans love it more. The off and on-screen drama has proved a massive success for MTV. "Teen Mom OG" premiered in 2009, followed by "Teen Mom 2" in 2011, featuring the original cast and new arrivals. In May 2022, MTV announced that "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter" would be launching soon. And that "Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant," "Teen Mom Girls' Night In," and "Teen Mom: Family Reunion" would all be returning to TV.
With so many new spin-offs, even hardcore fans seem to be getting "Teen Mom" fatigue. There are some calls for these young moms to move on. "99% of the comments say end the show, and I agree it's time. Maybe if they aren't getting paid for their drama it will end. Grow up ladies your kids are watching. Time to end this show!" One fan wrote on a"Teen Mom" Facebook page.
"These children are forced into traumatic and abusive situations so that MTV and Morgan J. Freeman are able to film for higher TV ratings," a Change.org petition claimed. It cited Jenelle Evans' multiple arrests, DUIs, and drug issues, as well as Kailyn Lowry and Javi Marroquin's domestic violence problems. It also referred to Leah Messer's struggles with addiction and Farrah Abraham's infamous sex tape. All that's just scratching the surface. However, in all of Teen Mom's history, one controversy caused the most backlash.
Amber Portwood opts to enter prison
Over the seasons, there's been a lot of unpredictable behavior on "Teen Mom." Jenelle Evans told a bizarre tale (via The Sun) about her husband shooting the family dog. Farrah Abraham checked herself into the British Celebrity Big Brother house, with dire results. Catelynn Lowell was slammed (via The Sun) over her one-year-old daughter appearing on TV without any pants on. One controversy caused the most backlash in the show's history and Amber Portwood was at the center of it.
Portwood has made some controversial decisions. Following yet another parole violation (via E! News) — this time for not attending the court-mandated treatment program she'd agreed to in her 2011 drug bust plea — the mom-of-two was told that if she entered a rehab facility, the charges would be dropped. However, Portwood nixed the offer and requested that the original five-year prison sentence she'd pled out be reinstalled. Amber Portwood shocked "Teen Mom" fans when she chose to go to prison.
"I went to prison just to get clean for my daughter," she explained in a tweet. "I literally opted out of drug court because it wasn't helping! I begged and begged to bring my daughter to school and pick her up constantly and was always told No! I tried repeatedly and fought for her!!" However, the Twitter court was in session, and their verdict was in.
Portwood's scandals keep coming
In Teen Mom's history, the Amber Portwood jail controversy caused the most backlash. "All choices come with consequences," wrote one Twitter juror. "Stop lying! U know u went to jail to get away from your kid and Gary. These other people may be stupid enough to believe your lies, but I'm not falling for it," another claimed. "Ummm. No you went to prison because you would never pass a drug test if left out on probation," determined a third.
"For more people than anyone might imagine, short-term, out-patient rehab simply doesn't work; they have to be locked away, physically prevented from acting on the overpowering temptation to get high until they develop the will to resist drugs," The Daily Beast wrote in 2012, calling the move a "smart decision." Portwood, clad in orange-and-white striped jail garb, spoke to "Good Morning America" days after entering a correctional facility and vowed to make the best of a bad situation. "I'm gonna do substance abuse classes. I'm gonna get my G.E.D.," she said.
Portwood was released 17 months later upon agreeing to random drug testing (via Today) and weekly probation meetings. She was arrested again in 2019 for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend with a machete while he was holding their son (via E! News). She was sentenced to probation and parenting classes. She has since gone on speak out about living with mental illness, including bipolar disorder and BPD.