Oxygen Defends ‘All My Babies’ Mamas’ Despite Petition To Cancel Reality Show

Oxygen is defending its reality special, All My Babies’ Mamas, which will focus on the life of rapper Shawty Lo as he juggles having 11 children by 10 different women.

A petition was started on Change.org to cancel the show, which has yet to air. Sabrina Lamb of New York started the petition and asked signers to “tell Oxygen that their viewers will not tolerate a show that exploits and stereotypes Black children and families.”

The petition has received over 15,000 signatures since its creation.

Oxygen quickly fired back at protestors, saying that the show isn’t mean to stereotype anyone.

Oxygen Media told RadarOnline:

“Oxygen’s one-hour special in development is not meant to be a stereotypical representation of everyday life for any one demographic or cross section of society. It is a look at one unique family and their complicated, intertwined life. Oxygen Media’s diverse team of creative executives will continue developing the show with this point of view.”

Lamb, and others who have signed the petition, don’t see it that. In an interview with Essence, Lamb, who works with underserved youth in the New York City area, said:

“To me, ‘baby’s mama’ is a slur. It’s denying the humanity of a child’s existence. Every child deserves to come into the world loved by two parents, safe and wanted. In the clip I saw, Lo [born Carlos Walker] couldn’t even remember the names of all of his 11 children. This is not funny to me. What’s funny about this?”

When asked if she felt more people should be as outraged as she is, Lamb said, “Black people do not feel like they have the power to say anything different. I’m just one person. I’m just someone who said, ‘Excuse me, the emperor has no clothes on.'”

Lamb said that if the show airs, “you’re going to have to come and get me from in front of the Oxygen studio.” She said that it is not only black people who are frustrated with the show, but white people as well.

“I got an email from a 68-year-old White woman saying, ‘I am sick and tired of Black stereotypes.'”

The 36-year-old rapper, who is probably best known for his fight with T.I., not only has 11 children by 10 different women, but several of those children are around the same age as his 19-year-old girlfriend. He was 15 when his first child was born, and he now has nine daughters and two sons.