'Teen Mom' Taylor Selfridge Dropped By MTV For Racist Tweets
By TheBlast Staff on June 10, 2020 at 3:38 AM EDT
MTV
MTV has officially cut ties with Taylor Selfridge days after racially insensitive tweets she wrote in 2012 resurfaced. The network did not air "Teen Mom OG At Home: Cory & Taylor’s Baby Special" when it was supposed to on Tuesday night, and then issued a statement announcing its decision.
"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," an MTV spokesperson said.
They continued, "MTV strongly condemns systemic racism and stands with those raising their voices against injustice."
Among the controversial tweets were comments such as, "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."
Selfridge, however, claims it was her decision to stop doing the special for MTV, not vice versa.
"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 in an Instagram message.
"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."
The entire special was filmed by Selfridge and boyfriend Cory Wharton while they were in quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic. It was set to show the final weeks of her pregnancy.
Wharton seemed to have no idea the special was being pulled. Just before it was set to air, he wrote on Instagram, "During a Worldwide pandemic, I had one of the happiest days of my life and now I get to share it with you guys. You’ll see ALL the struggles it wasn’t always smiles and rainbows."
Unsplash | munshots
The decision to cancel Selfridge comes as there is a heightened awareness of racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers on May 25th.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of protestors have gathered in all 50 states to demand an end to police brutality and systemic racism.
Floyd was laid to rest at a funeral service in his hometown of Houston, Texas on Tuesday. He was buried next to his mother.
