It’s hard to believe that Amber Portwood is only 25 because she has lived through so much: teen pregnancy and motherhood, drug addiction, prison, reality television, dysfunctional relationships – and Gary Shirley! With all of the worst portions of her life reflected back to her via reality TV and social media, Amber is focused on moving forward.
Amber took a break from reality TV to spend time in prison. Since being released 2-years-ago she has been working hard to get her life together – including losing weight. As a bonus Amber found love (ish?) resulting in a bizarre engagement to much older man, Matt Baier, whom she calls “the love of my life.” Matt was recently exposed for having 7 secret kids, which the Teen Mom OG star vehemently denies.
“He doesn’t have seven kids but he does have more than what people know because we decided to keep it private,” maintains Amber. “It’s nobody’s business.” Except you’re on the TeeVee there makin’ it our biznits.
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Amber does admit to People that she and Matt “had a little rough patch,” and wedding plans are “at a halt,” but Amber promises their October 10th nuptials are still happening. Bad decision no. 5937590734 for Ms. Amber there!
Thankfully, Amber’s relationship with Gary has also improved. In the middle of their custody battle, Amber recognized that all the animosity “isn’t healthy for me or you or Leah.” She and Gary decided,”we really need to be adults and figure out what we are going to do.” Imagine that. The exes ultimately decided to share joint custody of Leah, 7. “I am enjoying it. And hopefully it stays this way between us.”
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Amber gets candid about her determination to change her life, make amends with Gary, and how she really feels about Farrah Abraham.
“I’ve tried to transform my life into something new since I’ve been out [of prison].” Maintaining sobriety was Amber’s number one priority. “That takes so much out of you that you really have to be dedicated and have the energy to do it.”
Now sober, she’s gotten healthy and happy. “I live my life, I make my money, and I take care of my family. That’s all I care about,” she declares. As part of building a future, Amber invested her TMOG money to start her own business as a “home investor and house flipper.” A venture that proved successful and growing.
Still, it remains a consistent challenge for Amber to accept that the darkest moments of her life are out there in the MTV archives. “I do not watch any reruns of the show, ” she says. “I can’t handle it. I can’t do it. I don’t think it’s healthy for me to see myself back then in that way, because I’ve already dealt with it in my own personal life. I could just see myself falling back into depression. It was such a horrible time of my life.”
Now Teen Mom OG is a different experience for Amber, who says the current season demonstrates positive changes, “not only physically but mentally.”
“You’re also going to see me working the hardest that I probably ever have to change the relationship between me and Gary, and getting my daughter back,” Amber dishes. “This is going to be a pretty intense season, I feel. I can’t really say season. It’s a very intense part of my life.”
Of the premiere Amber insists her fears about Gary trying to turn Leah against her weren’t unwarranted. “I really felt like something was going on. Everybody could see it, not just me.”
Of the Farrah Abraham Factor, Amber is not concerned about her co-star’s distaste for Farrah; professionally or otherwise. Because duh bitches – Farrah makes great TV! “We have respect for each other.”
“We understand each other. We know how we are, how we can be,” defends Amber. “People don’t know this, but she’s not this horrible person. She’s Farrah. She’s been this way. Let’s stop acting like we don’t know who she is. This is her.” Sadly.
On Farrah’s most–recent allegation accusing James Deen of rape, Amber is supportive, “We love Farrah no matter what the hell she says, no matter what happens in her life. We love her, we support her, in every single thing she does.” Really? Who is this ‘we’ Amber speaks of.
As for Amber, what she’s learned: she has to take accountability for herself.
“You can’t count on MTV and TV and fans to keep your life going,” proclaims Amber. “You’ve got to build your own life.” Quite agree… MACI.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK AMBER HAS TRANSFORMED HER LIFE? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF TEEN MOM OG THIS SEASON?
[Photo Credit: MTV]
