Maci Bookout is opening up about why she won’t quit Teen Mom, even when it gets really hard for the mother of three. She is currently appearing on the spinoff, Family Reunion, with other cast members and their partners. Yet, despite the hard days, she is determined to stick around for one reason. Keep reading to see what that is.
Why Maci Bookout Won’t Quit Teen Mom
Maci Bookout has been part of the MTV family since 16 & Pregnant. Along with her boyfriend, Ryan Edwards, the couple prepared to welcome their son, Bentley. Unfortunately, their teenage romance failed and Maci moved on. She eventually found love with Taylor McKinney which was documented on the spinoff, Teen Mom. They went on to have two more children while she struggled to co-parent with Ryan.
He battled substance abuse and got married to Mackenzie (Standifer) Edwards. Over the years, his issues have only progressed and Ryan was sent to prison in 2023. He has since been released and headed to rehab but Maci has been working with him to co-parent. Now, she and Taylor are opening up as to why they have stayed on the show all of these years later. According to In Touch Weekly, it is all about helping others, as Taylor noted:
“When somebody comes up – and you can kind of lose sight of this – but somebody will come up in public and just say, ‘Hey, your guys’ story helps me a lot. I appreciate what you’re doing.’ And I forget that sometimes. Because we’re just going through our everyday life that you forget that people watch and relate to it and it helps them.”
“I think I’ve just gotten to a point where, for me, it’s like, man, everything is just … it’s just not what you see on the show,” Maci, 32, explains. “Every move we make is just so public and then everything with our kids is just so public. You can’t really go out in public and be left alone, which isn’t a bad thing.”
This is an important reminder for Maci Bookout and Taylor McKinney as they have wanted to leave reality television many times. She has grown tired of having no privacy, no matter what she does or where she goes, especially with her children.
“I think I’ve just gotten to a point where, for me, it’s like, man, everything is just … it’s just not what you see on the show. Every move we make is just so public and then everything with our kids is just so public. You can’t really go out in public and be left alone, which isn’t a bad thing.”
Holding On
For Maci Bookout and her family, they have a special place in the hearts of Teen Mom viewers. They have watched her manage her relationship with Ryan Edwards and find love. Now, she is trying to improve her marriage to Taylor McKinney. That being said, Maci is well aware that she could never live a truly private life, even if she quit the series tomorrow.
“Even if we left reality TV, everything would still be so public. They’re not just going to forget that we exist and not care. So if we expect to leave and then just be left alone, that’s never going to happen. So it’s like … might as well keep trying to help people, keep trying to put real stuff out there for people to see, to laugh at. Or to judge, whatever. But hopefully, if it can help one person or one family, then [it] sounds good to me.”
It seems like Maci is living in the reality of being a very public figure who has shared her epic highs and horrible lows with the world. Now, all she can ask for is to make a difference in just one person’s life. The same goes for her husband who is along for the ride.
Do you think that Maci is sticking around for the right reasons? More so, what do you think life would be like if she quit the show tomorrow? Let us know your thoughts and watch Teen Mom: Family Reunion Wednesdays on MTV.
Amanda has been a professional freelance writer for over a decade, holding both a BA and an MA. Her passions include animals, iced coffee, gnomes, summer, music, and ‘Vanderpump Rules’.