EXCLUSIVE: For Amber Portwood, being in the spotlight is not always easy.
The “Teen Mom OG” star made headlines in January after the 30-year-old received a restraining order against her ex, Andrew Glennon, in the midst of the custody battle for the couple, People magazine reported.
Portwood and Glennon share a 2 year old son named James. She is also the mother of 12-year-old daughter Leah, whom she shares with ex Gary Shirley. She had already opened up about her legal problems in an episode that aired in April 2020.
“I personally believe in being honest,” Portwood told Fox News. “If you are going to appear on TV, on a reality show or in a series of documentaries, if you are not honest, there is no reason for you to be on TV. We are here to defend a position or use our platform for a good reason. All of us we have different stories. We all have our own way of telling them, and that’s the beauty of it. “
STAR AMBER PORTWOOD ‘TEEN MOM’ ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
‘Teen Mom’, which debuted in 2009, debuted is a spinoff of MTV’s ’16 and Pregnant ‘. Amber Portwood joined the cast in 2009.
(Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images)
“There are people who come to us and give us incredible strength because they show us that they feel the same way,” she continued. “They are going through the same things or even worse, and that puts things in perspective for me. I am beginning to understand that I am not so much alone.”
Portwood faced other personal battles while telling the story of his life for the MTV series. She was arrested in 2019 for allegedly attacking Glennon while he held his son, People magazine reported.
According to the vehicle, Portwood was charged with domestic assault, criminal recklessness with a lethal weapon and domestic assault in the presence of a child under 16. Glennon filed for custody shortly after his arrest.
Although MTV cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom, Glennon’s testimony about the victim was heard through audio, the shared communication channel.
‘TEEN MOM’ STAR AMBER PORTWOOD SAYS HE STARTED TO TAKE PILLS AT 11
In happier times: Andrew Glennon, left, and Amber Portwood participate in the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California.
(Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)
Portwood said he does not regret appearing on the reality show. Despite public scrutiny, she hopes her story will resonate with other young parents experiencing similar struggles.
“Sitting here and discovering that you have helped so many people over more than a decade of your life – I mean, it is a beautiful thing to have this platform,” she explained. “It’s a beautiful thing to understand that you may not have a degree in something, but you’ve helped so many people … move on. Because we need this. It’s been incredible, honestly. If I’m not authentic, I don’t want to be filmed. “
Portwood co-star Maci Bookout also told Fox News that women suffer harsh criticism from the press. However, she insisted that her children were always the focus. The 29-year-old woman is the mother of three children.
“I feel like what’s on the show is real,” Bookout told Fox News. “I’ll be honest, I don’t really look at social media … I know that in the tabloids, I am constantly pregnant or something. I had 30-something kids now. This is annoying.”
MACI ‘TEEN MOTHER’ BOOKOUT COMPARES EX-FIGHTS WITH SUBSTANCES ABUSE
Still, Bookout said it has been “very important” to document their lives.
Maci Bookout is one of the stars of MTV’s ‘Teen Mom OG’.
(Denise Truscello / WireImage / Getty Images)
“I think the purpose changes for all girls from one season to the next,” she explained. “I think it is important for people to see that we are human, so we all go through different struggles and experiences like everyone else. I think for many people, when we share our struggles or something we are dealing with or trying to navigate help with, and maybe they are going through something similar. ”
“… And it makes us feel that we are not alone too,” shared Bookout. “So it is very important for us to share our stories and be authentic about it. It is definitely not easy.”
The new season of “Teen Mom OG” explores the biggest challenge the cast faced: raising children during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s been difficult,” admitted Portwood. “I have to drive to see my children [at least] an hour there and an hour ago, so it’s usually about a four hour drive just to see my kids most of the time. It’s me going out in public a lot, touching the gas burners a little more. I’m doing a lot. This is a little scary. It exposes me in public more than I wanted to, but it’s something that happens every week, and you just move on. “
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“You do what you need to do,” shared Portwood. “Stay clean. You try to hear what the scientists are saying, what I really believe. You just try to make sure that everything you are doing is the safest thing for you, your children and your family. It is difficult .. . But I still am. I drive in that cold weather and still try to be the best mom I can be and be there for my kids. “
“Teen Mom OG” will air on Tuesday at 8 pm (Brasília time) on MTV.