The Real Reason Lifetime Pulled The Plug On Abby Lee Miller's New Show
Dance Moms coach Abby Lee Miller is facing accusations of racism as Lifetime pulls the plug on her upcoming show. Indeed, the fate of Abby's Virtual Dance Off is being evaluated at this time, according to Lifetime (via People). The show was described this way on the site: "Abby Lee Miller is searching for some of the most talented dancers across the country. Do you have what it takes to impress the critical Dance Moms coach?" Apparently it won't matter since former dance moms who appeared on her original show have come forward to describe truly heinous comments Miller made to them during their seasons.
The most prominent complaint comes from Adriana Smith, whose daughter Kamryn danced during season 8. On Instagram, Smith shared a particularly disgusting comment Miller made toward her: "I know you grew up in the HOOD with only a box of 8 crayons, but I grew up in the country club with a box of 64 — don't be stupid." Smith also shared another offending encounter via social media, with Miller saying, "'Do you want me to tell you why you are really here?' LOL as if I didn't know ... again showing your superiority. Let me remind you what you said in case you forgot. You told me to 'LOOK in the MIRROR! That's the only reason you are here!' Kam told me she heard 'they need a sprinkle of color!'"
How Abby Lee Miller's behavior pushed Smith to leave the show
The last straw was when, during a sit-down interview with producers, she was asked how Miller's comments made her feel. Smith addressed her decision to leave in a lengthy post that said, "As tears streamed down my face, I look over at my 7-year-old and back at the camera and say, this is my EVERYDAY life as a black woman. This is nothing new to me. But what I'm not going to have happen is have this racist person have any part of my daughter's life as of this moment. At that moment, I knew that it was more important for me to show my daughter that she had to stand up for what's right and not care about anything else. But in that interview, my little 7 year old cried like a GROWN black woman and stood up and said, 'Mom I understand it's not right here and I want to go home too....'"
Sadly, Smith isn't the only person who is accusing Miller of unacceptable behavior. According to USA Today, when Miller posted a Blackout Tuesday square to show her support of protesters enraged by the death of George Floyd, those she targeted with her racist remarks felt compelled to come forward to expose her hypocrisy.
More moms come forward and Abby Lee Miller responds
Producer Kori Kingg could not defend Miller's behavior. "Some would say I should be quiet about this. But THIS THIS!?! THIS broke me as I was working on show and pregnant with my own black daughter. In hind sight, I too should have left," she shared via social media (per E! News). Another former dance mom, Camille Bridges also shared her experience with racist behavior and comments from Miller towards her daughter Camryn: "[Abby] tried to spin Camryn as being the poor one and there on scholarship. I shut that down immediately. She loves appropriating our culture and never appreciating it. She did not give black choreographers on the show acknowledgment of their work. She continuously put Camryn in afros."
Miller has responded to the accusations on Instagram with a statement of her own: "I genuinely understand and deeply regret how my words have effected and hurt those around me in the past, particularly those in the Black community," she wrote. "To Kamryn, Adriana, and anyone else I've hurt, I am truly sorry. I realize that racism can come not just from hate, but also from ignorance. No matter the cause, it is harmful, and it is my fault."
Her apology has not had any effect in moving the needle on her relationship with Lifetime. "We currently do not have plans to air the show," Kannie Yu LaPack, a spokeswoman for the A&E network (it owns Lifetime) told USA Today.