MTV fires 'Teen Mom OG' star Taylor Selfridge for racially insensitive tweets from the past, axe baby special
At a time where the entire country is up in arms to fight racial injustice, MTV seems to have woken up from its slumber and decided to clean up its backyard. The network, on Tuesday, June 9, severed all ties with 'Teen Mom OG' star Taylor Selfridge.
The network also confirmed pulling off air a special featuring Selfridge and her boyfriend Cory Wharton. Titled 'Teen Mom OG At Home: Cory & Taylor’s Baby Special' it was supposed to premiere on June 9 but the network replaced it with an episode of 'Catfish'. MTV also made it clear that this is the end of their working relationship with her in the light of her racially insensitive tweets that resurfaced on the internet, earlier this week.
"We have to greet everyone at work but sometimes I won't greet the Black people because they scare me," and "My uncle is dating an Asian. Aunt Ping please make me sushi," were some of the tweets that she's posted back then.
"MTV pulled Teen Mom OG At Home: Cory & Taylor’s Baby Special from its Tuesday schedule and is ending our relationship with Taylor Selfridge in light of her past racist statements on social media.MTV strongly condemns systemic racism and stands with those raising their voices against injustice," read MTV's statement.
Selfridge had apologized for the comments she made in the past during Season 8 of 'Teen Mom OG' during her conversation with Wharton's ex, Cheyenne Floyd. "At the time, because I was younger, I wasn't thinking it was anything negative. I thought 'Oh, this is funny' or something like that, but it's not," she said. She'd also mentioned that all of that happened long ago and even though it was way back from her past she maintained that it was her "biggest mistake". She admitted that all she needed was to "grow up and experience other places," to realize her mistakes.
'Cory & Taylor’s Baby Special' was completely self-recorded and was about to provide fans with an intimate look into the final weeks of Selfridge's pregnancy as the couple tried to figure out a way to quarantine together while also adapting to their labor plans. A couple of hours before the premiere, Wharton had made his happiness and excitement known to his fans by way of a now-deleted Instagram post. He also set his account to private after MTV's announcement.
After the special didn't air on the network, Selfridge in a now-deleted post on her Instagram page which is also private wrote addressing the development that she would like to "move on and continue to be the best version of myself."
"As you guys know already our special didn't air tonight. I made the decision last week to not film the next season of Teen Mom OG with Cory for the benefit of myself and my daughter," she wrote. "I don't believe the reality tv lifestyle benefits me any further at this point in my life. With current events being what they are and reality tv being selective in who they apply rules to or what is considered acceptable behavior, I do not have any further respect."
She continued: "Once again, I apologize for anyone I have hurt or offended in the past. I have addressed my mistakes many times on the network and I would like to move on and continue to be the best version of myself. My past does not define who I am today and I hope you guys can see the change. Please respect my decision to provide a normal, healthy life for my family."