Teens Becoming Pregnant to Get on 'Teen Mom'?

By Rob Shuter Posted Dec 7th 2010 07:20AM

Now that 'Teen Mom' cast members like Amber Portwood are in their twenties, MTV is looking for a new crop of teenage girls to keep its monster hits 'Teen Mom' and '16 and Pregnant' alive, and [surprise!] industry insiders tell me young ladies are so eager to be on reality TV that they are actually getting pregnant just to score an audition. OK, not much of a surprise. Simply take a spin around the various Internet forums filled with young girls inquiring about what's required to score a role.

"This is yet another example of the desperation of fame," Matt Titus, a relationship expert from TheLoveConsultants.com, tells me. "The sad state of reality television has created a lowbrow vehicle for untainted train wreck personalities to display their private lives. Getting pregnant to be famous is like eating as many cockroaches as possible in a one minute period."

(Didn't they do that on 'Survivor'?)

Casting any reality show right is essential to whether it is a hit or not. Networks spend top dollar auditioning throughout the country to make sure they get the right mix. However, what makes 'Teen Mom' and '16 and Pregnant' both so difficult to cast is that, thankfully, the "talent pool" of potential stars that are both pregnant and teenagers is relatively small.

Mommy expert Beth Feldman, creator of RoleMommy.com, says it would be "horrifying" if teens are actually getting pregnant for a TV show. "Becoming a parent is a responsibility that no one should take lightly, and for a teenager to think that a pregnancy could lead to instant fame and fortune is absurd. Parenting is a lifetime commitment and teens have there own lives ahead of them. Let them grow up before they take the responsibility of caring for another human being."

Rabbi Shmuely Boteach, a friend of the late Michael Jackson and author of 'Kosher Sex,' agrees. "This is out of control celebrity culture. Reality TV first began by exploiting people's problems, assuming they would do anything for fame. The idea of teenage girls getting pregnant to be on television shows that reality TV is going a step beyond exploiting problems. It is now creating the problems."

Anyone who has had a child knows that it is the most serious commitment a person can make. Rabbi Shmuley correctly points out that when young girls begin making this ultimate decision in order find fame, it "shows the moral rot in American society."

"These girls are ignoring the fact that this decision must followed by a lifetime of responsibility," he says.

Maybe my friend Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of the hit HLN show 'Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell,' says it best: "Children should not be having children, period."

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'Teen Mom' Snapshots

NEW YORK - MAY 05: (L-R) TV Personality from MTV's "Teen Mom" Maci Bookout, Bristol Palin and Brianda Diaz attend The Candie's Foundation Event To Prevent at Cipriani 42nd Street on May 5, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maci Bookout;Bristol Palin;Brianda;Diaz

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Teen Mom Snapshots

NEW YORK - MAY 05: (L-R) TV Personality from MTV's "Teen Mom" Maci Bookout and Bristol Palin attend The Candie's Foundation Event To Prevent at Cipriani 42nd Street on May 5, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maci Bookout;Bristol Palin

Teen Mom Snapshots

NEW YORK - MAY 05: TV Personality from MTV's "Teen Mom" Maci Bookout attends The Candie's Foundation Event To Prevent at Cipriani 42nd Street on May 5, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maci Bookout

Teen Mom Snapshots

NEW YORK - MAY 05: (L-R) Farrah Abraham, Maci Bookout and Bristol Palin speak to Dr. Drew Pinsky during " The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All" Town Hall Meeting sponsored by The Candie's Foundation at Lighthouse International Conference Center on May 5, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Farrah Abraham;Maci Bookout;Bristol Palin;Dr. Drew Pinsk

Teen Mom Snapshots

NEW YORK - MAY 05: (L-R) CEO of Candie's, Neil Cole, Bristol Palin and Dr. Drew Pinsky attend " The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All" Town Hall Meeting sponsored by The Candie's Foundation at Lighthouse International Conference Center on May 5, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Neil Cole;Bristol Palin;Dr. Drew Pinsky

Teen Mom Snapshots

Bristol Palin and Dr. Drew attend " The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All" Town Hall Meeting sposored by The Candie's Foundation at Lighthouse International Conference Center on May 5, 2010 in New York City. "The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All" Town Hall Meeting Sposored By The Candie's Foundation Lighthouse International Conference Center New York, NY United States May 5, 2010 Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com To license this image (17257527), contact WireImage.com

Teen Mom Snapshots

Bristol Palin attends " The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All" Town Hall Meeting sposored by The Candie's Foundation at Lighthouse International Conference Center on May 5, 2010 in New York City. "The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All" Town Hall Meeting Sposored By The Candie's Foundation Lighthouse International Conference Center New York, NY United States May 5, 2010 Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com To license this image (17257536), contact WireImage.com

Teen Mom Snapshots

Tags: teen mom

Comments

(111)

Tuesday 07 December

By Mary

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

What a load of crap.

By Lynn

I wonder if your mother knows this is how you feel about women. Remember, if not for her, you wouldn't be here to post your idiotic opinion. Other than sperm, men are of no use to women at all. Probably why increasing numbers of women are opting for single motherhood. I am in agreement with most posters here. This show was a bad idea from the get go, although I have never seen it. Teen prenancies and motherhood should not be glorified.

Wednesday 22 December

By DarkeRose

Vote down Vote up Report this

If it weren't for sex, men would have little value to women too.

By Nicole

well at least the rich kids won't have their kids on welfare and medicaid. and yes I would have to agree these girls are poor and should probably get on some type of birth control

By Son Beams

My son's girlfriend watches the show all the time and that worries me no end. I've talked to my son very candidly about the realities of unprotected sex and what his responsibility is. He knows first hand what dammage teen pregnancy can do. His biological mom was 16 when she had him. She was unequiped to be a mother and he was taken into foster care when he was five. We adopted him when he was seven but not all children are as fortunate. I've been a foster/adoptive parent for ten years and have cried myself to sleep many nights from seeing the dammage that is done when teens have babies. It's ironic that those of us who are more equiped to have children are often unable to do so. I would love my son to wait till marriage for sex but he knows never to be unprotected because he can't depend on the girl to take the precautions. Especialy when her favorite show is teen mom.

By fathertimema

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Mary
My responds to your post.
Just remember when your man is taking you for a ride remember why your here !!

Again, what a load of crap.

You probably haven't been taking any rides for quite a while now, have you? I honestly feel sorry for any women in your life. Especially your mom.

Monday 20 December

By CherreeJayne

Women are here so u men don't have to play with urselves. We allow u some creativity.

By You are no Wizard

yes, Bristol Palin in fact is a little prostitute

By themeeker

It's mind boggling how thoughtless these girls are. It's also amazing that they have any chance at all for fame. Shame on these selfish little morons and the "reality" tv world. They will all lose in the end.

You're either the most obnoxious idiot on earth or the most obnoxious troll on the web. Either way, you're a loser.

I'm referring to you FATHERTIMEMA.

By Fathertimema

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Thank you themeeker.

By Jessica

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Already two girls from this season 16 and pregrant already said how they would love to be on teen mom it is just shame they are being reward for bad behavioral. mtv is already doing casting call from 16 and pregrant season 3 and 4 mtv is not helping the cause they are the reason why pregrancy is going to even higher because girls see the so called original girls from teen mom on the red carper and magazines and they want to be famous and have 60,000 to 65,000 dollars a season. And the girls get pay from every interview and magazine covers they are on so how are is mtv helping.

By Chris

This show appeals to trailer-park trash, like Bristol Palin. Is there anything that family doens't do to prostitute themselves?

By mgoodr32

I watch this show. I thought this show was to help teenager girls learn that its not easy when you have a baby. Its true they are making the past moms look like stars but there is a point to this show.

By hemenite

Your right. When I watched the show I thought it would show the girls NOT to have a baby. Go figure.

By ajschrod

For one thing, there should be a national network funded by infertile couples that want to adopt these girl's babies. These kids should have help during their pregnancy but no money changes hands until final papers are signed and baby is in the hands of adopting couple. As it is now, the only alternatives are keeping the baby, abortion and a few private adoptions with all kind of bottlenecks. How about a BETTER choice?

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