Back in July, Amber Portwood was arrested after allegedly assaulting boyfriend Andrew Glennon.
The details of the incident were brutal — according to the police report, Amber attacked Andrew with a machete and struck him while he held the couple’s 1-year-old son — and things only got worse from there.
At this point, several audio recordings have emerged in which Amber threatens to kill Andrew and can be heard assaulting him in the presence of their baby.
Fans assumed such horrific abuse would result in Amber being fired from Teen Mom OG — but according to a new report from The Ashley’s Reality Roundup, Portwood still has her job at MTV.
Here’s what we know about the situation thus far:
Unscathed
Amber Portwood has been accused of truly horrific acts of abuse, and there’s a mountain of evidence pointing to her guilt. Despite this, it seems she has not been fired from Teen Mom OG.
Getting Away With It
In a shocking new report from The Ashley’s Reality roundup, a production insider confirms that Portwood still has a job, and will continue to appear on new episodes of Teen Mom OG.
A Baffling Decision
“Amber has 100 percent filmed for the new season,†says the source. “She is not being fired by MTV.”
Letting It Ride
It seems insane that MTV and parent company Viacom would risk so much by continuing to employ someone who is quite clearly guilty of domestic abuse.
Ratings Rule
But it seems the powers that be believe Portwood’s story will continue to attract viewers. And with ratings at an all-time low, TMOG needs all the help it can get.
Courtoom Drama
“[The producers] plan to film with Amber through her court trial [for the domestic battery charges],” says the insider.
A Judge Will Decide Her Fate
Amazingly, MTV is unconcerned with the earlier allegations against Amber and will fire her only if she’s convicted for the most recent incident. “Whatever happens, [in court] will obviously dictate if she remains on the show or not,” the source adds.
Friends In High Places
According to The Ashley, top brass at MTV and Viacom held a meeting after a wealth of evidence pointing to Amber’s guilt emerged last week.
Stunning Turn of Events
Many took this meeting as an indication that Amber would soon be fired. But amazingly, the execs decided to do nothing.
Absolutely Appalling
Not only did Amber keep her job after the meeting, MTV and Viacom decided not to issue a statement about the recordings in which Amber is heard assaulting Andrew and hurling bigoted slurs.
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
“They want to show her redemption story,” says the source, adding that the decision was not entirely up to Teen Mom OG producers.
Passing the Buck
“It’s not just the producers who make the call whether or not to fire someone. It has to come from the network,†the insider claims.
A Dangerous Situation
Unsurprisingly, not all of the show’s crew members are in agreement with their bosses’ decision to keep Amber on board.
In Harm’s Way
“Some of us are uncomfortable working with her after what we heard [on the audio clips],†says the insider.
Safe For Now
Amber has already filmed most of her scenes for the show’s next season, and the crew is no longer in Indiana.
High Stakes
They will presumably return to tape additional scenes once Amber’s trial for domestic violence begins later this year.
Everything on the Line
Obviously, Portwood has a lot to lose if she’s found guilty. There’s an outside chance she could serve jail time, and a guilty verdict would likely cost her both her job and custody of her son.
Worst Reality TV Mom Ever?
Currently, Amber is only permitted to see her son in brief, supervised visitation sessions. Andrew has requested permission to move back to California with James — and the court will likely grant the request in the event of a guilty verdict.
Saving Grace
Fortunately for Amber, it’s unclear if the evidence that emerged this week will be admissible in court.
The Proof
In three separate audio recordings obtained by journalist Katie Joy, Amber can be heard verbally abusing and physically attacking Glennon.
Just Awful
She hurls slurs such as the r-word. She threatens to stab him to death. At one point, she fantasizes about Glennon being gang-raped.
Nauseating Behavior
Much of the abuse takes place in the presence of Amber and Andrew’s 1-year-old son.
A Shocking Move
Needless to say, fans are shocked by MTV and Viacom’s decision to continue employing Amber.
Fired For Less
After all, Farrah Abraham was let go simply for being difficult and performing online sex work.
The Other Monster
Jenelle Evans is the only Teen Mom who has been accused of behavior as abhorrent as Amber’s.
Long Overdue
Evans was fired as well, but only after her husband shot and killed the family dog, prompting a CPS investigation that led to Jenelle losing custody of her kids.
This Might Actually Be Worse
But even in that case, producers didn’t have as much hard evidence of abuse, as they do in Amber’s case.
Boycott On the Way
Already, fans are talking about boycotting Teen Mom OG, MTV, and all Viacom properties until Amber is fired. We can only hope they go through with it.
More to Come
We’ll have additional updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.