After sustained criticism from outsiders, Oxygen has canceled plans to air a reality show starring the rapper Shawty Lo and his unconventional extended family, The Daily Beast reports. The program, which was to be titled All My Babies' Mamas, drew sharp criticism for a concept that was believed to promote negative stereotypes about African-American families.
In one of several online petitions started against the program, whose existence was revealed via a leaked promo, critics condemned the show's producers for exploiting the situation of Lo, who has 11 children by 10 different women.

Sabrina Lamb, author of the most popular petition — which drew over 38,000 signatures — said the show's most egregious offense would have been its impact on the children.
"This show is about more than a rapper and his girlfriends," she said in an interview with The Daily Beast. "This is a show about kids who had no choice in how they came into the world. This show sets them up to be ridiculed and made fun of. None of us should be OK with that."

In addition to petitions, the conservative group Parents Television Council had promised to boycott All My Babies' Mamas. Oxygen formally announced the cancellation of the program in a statement to the media following initial reports of the axe falling.

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

The special was being produced by Liz Gately and Tony DiSanto of DiGa Vision.

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(Photo: Oxygen)