If '16 and Pregnant' Has a Local Connection, Will You Watch?

Mayor Ed Zabrocki first heard that MTV might be filming a local teen for its 16 and Pregnant show from Tinley Park's village manager.

Not an avid watcher of the show, Zabrocki had caught an episode of the show—which documents the lives of girls who fit the criteria set forth in the title—six or eight months ago when he was channel surfing.

"When the program started out, it was probably laudable," he said. "… [I] watched it, and I thought it glorified unwed mothers."

Because of that message, Zabrocki and the village asked MTV not to shoot any footage for the show at the 80th Avenue Metra station. The show's production complied, but the mayor pointed out that this doesn't stop them from filming at other locations that aren't owned by the village.

However, the show was not allowed to shoot at Andrew High School, where the subject, Maddy Godsey, attends school, according to a Chicago Tribune report.

An MTV spokeswoman for 16 and Pregnant would not comment on the show while it's in production, but other websites have reported that Maddy, who turned 17 last month, has been cast in the fifth season of the show.

An "official" Facebook fan page also has been set up for Maddy, claiming she will be featured during the next season of the show. Although the page states that it is being run by a fan and not Maddy, it does contain numerous ultrasound images of the baby and other personal photos, all of them with "Maddy Godsey Official" watermarks.

Zabrocki said his only concern with stopping the show from filming was the potential for the village drawing a frivolous lawsuit. Response about the decision, the mayor said, has been "98 percent positive."

"I would like to take a moment this morning to thank the Mayor of Tinley Park for not allowing the crew of MTV's 16 and pregnant to film in areas of our community," a post from reader Jenny Botica stated on Tinley Park Patch's Facebook page. "I myself was a teenage mother and the glorifying of this is completely ridiculous! The education of abstinence and birth control should be what MTV is teaching our youth!"

Asked if he would catch another episode of 16 and Pregnant given that it has a Tinley Park connection, Zabrocki said he might be curious because of the local tie, but he probably won't be watching.

"I couldn't even tell you what channel [number] it is," he said.

No date has been set for when the show's next season will air in 2014. But SPOILER ALERT: Maddy gave birth to a daughter Oct. 20, according to the Facebook page.

YOUR TURN: Will you watch the next season of 16 and Pregnant now that you know there's a Tinley Park connection? Share your thoughts in the comments section.