If you watch Teen Mom 2 online, you know that the young mothers who star on the show aren’t always portrayed in the most flattering light.
Some of the ladies have publicly bitten the hand that feeds them by blaming the network and the show’s producers for making them look like negligent, irresponsible, or otherwise unfit parents.
Back in March, Leah Messer slammed Teen Mom 2 editors after she was criticized by viewers for seemingly rushing her daughters off to school without breakfast.
Just this week, Jenelle Evans threatened to quit the show after a scene in which her boyfriend, David Eason, referred to her 6-year-old son as a “bitch” was captured on camera.
(We’re not sure how she can blame that one on editing, but it’s best not to try and understand Jenelle’s reasoning.)
But it’s not just the Carolina Hurricanes and Hot Messers who have been critical of the show and its creators.
Viewers have frequently taken to social media to demand the show’s cancelation on the grounds that it sets a bad example to young mothers, encourages self-destructive behavior in its stars, or damages the lives of their young children.
(Though it’s worth noting that teen pregnancy has dramatically declined in the years since 16 and Pregnant debuted, a fact that many attribute in part to the popularity of the Teen Mom franchise.)
Apparently fed up with the criticism he receives from all sides, longtime TM2 producer Morgan J. Freeman (the “J” is crucial) vented his frustrations on Twitter today:
“Sometimes having more eyes on a situation is inherently safer than none,” Freeman tweeted, apparently addressing critical viewers. “Do your homework.”
He added, “You are the eyes. this is the process … I can’t make people do what I’d prefer they do. Can you?”
Freeman then took down both hate-watchers and the Teen Moms themselves by reminding everyone that the role of documentary and reality television crews has traditionally to observe, not to intervene or skew perception:
“We document what is happening,” he wrote. “We are not parents. We are not police. We do open up powerful discourse about many many things. That is good.”
It’s an important reminder to both the stars of the show and the folks who are disgusted by their behavior that no one is responsible for what Leah and Jenelle do – except for Leah and Jenelle.
Watch Teen Mom 2 online to decide for yourself if the show is an innocuous entertainment, a force for good, or a cancer on society.
