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You might have seen the clips for the new season of Teen Mom OG, in which Farrah Abraham is seen being a complete nightmare - screaming, cursing and threatening to quit the show.
"I don't need to be a part of a trashy ass show anymore because I make millions of dollars doing other sh--!," she says to a producer. "What a dumb, twisted motherf---er!"
Farrah is appropriately horrible in this insane Teen Mom OG trailer
Of course, she didn't quit. Abraham is back, along with Amber Portwood, Catelynn Lowell and Maci Bookout, who've been vocal in their disdain for Abraham's presence on the show and called her some unprintable names on social media. They're all compelling in their own ways - Amber Portwood is sober, off probation and fighting for custody of daughter Leah; Catelynn is married with a newborn and wrestling with the guilt of giving up Carly for adoption; and Maci is dealing with a newborn and her flaky baby-daddy Ryan - but among them, only Abraham has turned her time on Teen Mom into a launchpad for an empire.
She's written a New York Times bestselling book, released an album, sold pasta sauce, endorsed hair extensions, and of course, done two sex tapes as well as launch a line of erotic toys molded after her bits. Say what you will about their quality, or what many might see as a total lack of dignity in those choices, but girlfriend is clearly in hustle mode. And when talking with her, she sounds grounded and grateful - not at all like the maniacal monster we've seen on Teen Mom.
The show, she says, has "opened my eyes to let me know I needed therapy. From losing friends to having horrible relationships, it has helped me be a better Farrah. I'm forever thankful the show has allowed me the opportunity to watch myself grow. " Um, ok. Wasn't expecting that!
That's the thing. There's porn star Farrah; and the Farrah we see being delicate and patient with her daughter Sophia, even cautioning her about seeing nude people on the beach in this season's second episode. There's the Farrah who's so callous with her mom that her mom cries, and then there's the hopeful Farrah you'll see being vulnerable enough to try again with boyfriend Simon Saran yet again. When that fails and she storms out in frustration and hurt feelings, she hops into a black chauffeured SUV, the clear message being that this is a girl that ain't got time for the B.S. "Currently I'm single," she says. "I have so much going on in my life, I don't have time for a lot of drama. Which led to us being broken up."
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So who is she really? That's still not entirely clear. But one thing's for sure: The girl is her own boss. As for what her co-stars - or anyone else for that matter - have to say about her, she is completely not bothered. "I have no time for stress, I just stay positive," she says. Does that sound like trite speech copied and pasted from some Pinterest quote? Sure. But her Instagram is full of reflections on God and faith, suggesting a woman who has morals and a spiritual center - and ones that are, um, very, very different than most. Weeks after this interview, news broke that Abraham would adopt a child. " I always have been passionate about adoption as it means so much to me, my family, my community, my church and my heart," she wrote in an Instagram post. Of course, that announcement came on World Adoption Day, so there's that.
She's a new, post-Kardashian reality star, one whose focus on her bottom line has no relation to societal taboos about sex or "appropriate" behavior for young women. "I'm writing a new book," she says, "and in it, I say you don't pick who you love or what helps you be successful. I never imagined to be in love with that person I had my child with, or to meet certain people whether in the adult entertainment industry or publishing. We don't pick where we are successful, it chooses us."
She hadn't even watched the show at the time of the interview to retort to her castmates' comments; she was focused on opening a fro-yo restaurant in the Los Angeles area. She's looking to buy a house there too. She's too busy looking forward to hear criticism, so if you're looking for Farrah to express shame or remorse over her choices, don't bother. "I would do it all again," she says. "(Daughter Sophia) has helped me have so many opportunities. I'm so glad I got pregnant in the younger part of my life."
Sound off: what are your thoughts on Farrah?
Teen Mom OG premieres Monday Jan. 4 at 10/9c on MTV