TMZ is reporting that TLC has canceled Here Comes Honey Boo Boo after news broke yesterday that “Mama June” was allegedly dating a man previously convicted of molesting an unnamed eight-year-old relative of hers in 2004.
TLC has shot an entire new season of episodes but will not air them. Although the show has fallen off its ratings high, we’re told it’s still very profitable, so TLC is taking a financial hit.
But the network is not turning its back on the kids, telling us, “Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority. TLC is faithfully committed to the children’s ongoing comfort and well-being.” Our sources say the network will pay for tutors and counselors for the kids.
For their part, the Honey Boo Boo family is vehemently denying the allegations, as June’s 14-year-old daughter told Radar Online that the photo of her mother and the 53-year-old Mark McDaniel was apparently “photoshopped”:
“They story is not true. My mom left Mark 10 years ago,” Lauryn, 14, insists. “They haven’t seen nor talked [to each other] in 10 years.”
“She is all about the kids. She only needs us girls, no one else,” Lauryn explains. “We are all sticking together as one happy family with us four girls.”
June echoed her daughter’s sentiments on Alana Thompson (Honey Boo Boo’s) Facebook page:
You can say a lot about TMZ and their unsavory journalistic tactics, but one thing for certain is that they almost always have their story straight — regardless of what seedy route they had to take to break said story. I highly doubt that TMZ would release photo evidence of something of such a serious nature unless they were 100%, without a doubt, positive that the evidence was real, and obviously TLC wouldn’t take that kind of financial hit unless they were likewise convinced.
Ugh, this whole thing is just gross. At this point all we can do is hope for the well being of those kids.
(Via Huffington Post)