Oxygen Scraps 'All My Babies' Mamas' Special

Controversial project sparked online campaign for cancelation

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/15/2013 5:54:51 PM

Oxygen is not moving forward with a planned one-hour special titled All My Babies' Mamas about a man and the multiple women who are mothers to his children.

"As part of our development process, we have reviewed casting and decided not to move forward with the special," Oxygen said in a statement Tuesday. "We will continue to develop compelling content that resonates with our young female viewers and drives the cultural conversation."

Announced in late December, All My Babies' Mamas was from executive producers Liz Gately and Tony DiSanto and was to premiere in the spring. After a video used in the pitch for the special featuring rapper Shawty Lo leaked online, activists criticized it for reinforcing negative stereotypes of African Americans.

The civil rights group ColorofChange.org collected over 40,000 signatures demanding Oxygen cancel the show, while a petition on Change.org drew 37,000 signatures.