MTV "Teen Mom OG" star Mackenzie McKee, nee Douthit, said she was "confused" about the "cancel culture" controversy surrounding six Dr. Seuss books being pulled from production.
Teen Mom OG star Mackenzie McKee, nee Douthit, said she was “confused” about the controversy surrounding six Dr. Suess books being pulled from production. The decision was made by the beloved author’s estate, though those upset by the choice have blamed “cancel culture.”
“I’m a little confused why people are upset with Dr. Seuss pulling books before knowing facts. If you read, Dr.Seuss was NOT CANCELED. The own private company was becoming more educated on problems we as the minority can be blind to. (I’m on my own journey of learning daily),” Mackenzie tweeted on March 5.
“[They] pulled six of the books to stop printing and selling them due to racial photos and words. They chose this ON THEIR OWN because it was the right thing to do and should have been done long ago,” the mother-of-three continued. “These books were written long ago in a very awful time. Let’s applaud them.”
Dr. Seuss titles like If I Ran the Zoo, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, On Beyond Zebra! and McElligot’s Pool “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” the estate said, according to a New York Times report. Still, a backlash erupted from those who want the books to be preserved, leading some of Dr. Suess’s most famous titles to become No. 1 sellers on Amazon, as noted by CNBC.
On the current season of Teen Mom OG, viewers have watched Mackenzie struggle to navigate her relationship with her husband Josh. After getting a work opportunity in Florida, Mackenzie decided to pack up her life in Oklahoma and move to Sarasota, Florida with their three children: Gannon, Broncs and Jaxie. After going back and forth in their relationship, Josh ultimately decided to go down to Florida so he could be with his family.
Mackenzie Was Slammed For Racially Insensitive Comments
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Mackenzie defending six Dr. Seuss books being removed comes after she made racially insensitive comments about Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman and first woman of color to become to fulfill the veep role.
She referred to Harris, who is the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, as “colored.” Out of “all the amazing colored women in this world,” Harris is the one who is “making history,” she had said on Facebook.
She later removed the post.
Mackenzie Apologized For Her Comments
After receiving blowback from Teen Mom fans, Mackenzie issued an apology.
“Growth is being called out and learning from my mistake, even if I meant no harm versus making excuses for myself and justifying it,” she tweeted. “I’m thankful for being called out so I can learn, grow, do and be better.”
“Those articles are so far off of who I am,” she continued. “And my sincere apology is owed to anyone I hurt because that is not who I am or my intentions.”
She also wanted to have conversations so she can educate herself. “I know also I can’t learn something overnight,” Mackenzie said in the comment section on a Teen Mom fan page. “Anyone willing to get on the phone with me and having a genuine conversation with me to help me understand do better I would love.”
To find out what happens next, don’t miss Teen Mom OG when it airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern time on MTV.
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