Much like a leather pocket TTM t-shirt, Maci Bookout‘s decision to support her ex Ryan Edwards (the father of her eldest child, Bentley) through his latest addiction struggles and legal issues has people feeling some type of way.
Despite having a tumultuous past with not only Ryan, but his parents, Jen and Larry Edwards, and Ryan’s (now) estranged wife Mackenzie Edwards, the current season of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter shows a wildly out of order timeline Maci having a change of heart towards Ryan and his parents, and supporting Ryan through his addiction, arrests and split from Mackenzie.
In a new interview, several of Maci’s ‘Next Chapter’ co-stars praised her for standing by Ryan, despite everything he’s put her— and Bentley— through. Many of the show’s fans, however, did not feel the same way, instead slamming Maci on social media for defending and downplaying Ryan’s shocking behavior and drug use on the show.
As The Ashley previously reported, Maci attended Ryan’s court hearing in June, later telling The Ashley, “as Bentley’s mom it was important for me to show up for not only Ryan, but Bentley as well.”
At a court hearing in July, it was ruled that Ryan would be allowed to leave jail–- where he had been since April, serving a one-year sentence-– in order to give rehab another shot.
Ryan completed his 28-day treatment program as of last week and is now staying at the rehab’s halfway house.
Maci’s decision to support Ryan through his addiction and divorce–- and all of his legal woes along the way-– was recently praised by a few of her ‘The Next Chapter’ cast mates, including Leah Messer, Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra, who complimented both Maci and her husband Taylor McKinney for not giving up on Ryan.
“I just wanna say that I commend Maci for just supporting Ryan through it all,” Leah told Us Weekly in a recent interview. “I know me and [my ex-husband] Corey [Simms] had went through our challenges with that, and it was … difficult.”
(As fans will remember, Leah struggled with drug addiction for several years. She denied she had a drug problem at the time, but in recent years has confessed to struggling with drug addiction.)
Leah said she is pleased to see Maci be “so supportive” of Ryan recently.
“I commend her for that,” she said.
Catelynn and Tyler also praised Maci and Taylor.
“We always say, we’re just proud of you, you know, Taylor and Maci, because they do go off [of] what’s best for their kids and are open and honest to their children,” Cate said. “They’re doing the best that they can with the best that they have and I’m just super proud of them.”
As someone who grew up with a father who struggled with addiction, Tyler said he “really sympathized with Bentley” and believes Maci is “doing a good job as a mom” in helping her son navigate the difficult situation his father has caused.
“I commend her and Taylor for how they’re handling the whole situation,” he said. “I think they’re doing a killer job at this whole parenting thing.”
While Maci’s castmates are quick to give her kudos for the way she’s handling Ryan’s recent issues, some viewers of the show remain skeptical, criticizing Maci for making light of Ryan’s actions and legal issues, and helping to shift the blame for some of the events to Ryan’s soon-to-be-ex-wife Mackenzie.
“I’m on Taylor’s side,” one viewer commented under a clip of a recent episode posted to Instagram. “Maci needs to complete[ly] disconnect from Ryan.”
“This has to be a joke! The whole entire time she’s been on 99% of the time is about Ryan,” another wrote. “He’s been on the show maybe 30% of the time. Maci needs to focus on her current family and the beauty of having a stepdad that loves her son or struggles.”
Another viewer noted how “unfortunate” it is that Maci continues to keep Bentley in the public eye by remaining on the show.
“ … do all your kids a favor & live your lives OFF camera,” the person added.
Viewers also shared their thoughts on Maci’s truce with Ryan on Twitter, with many of the comments seemingly cautioning Maci about being so supportive of Ryan, given what has occurred between Ryan and Mackenzie.
“Ryan is a menace. He’s a danger to himself and the people who love him,” one person wrote. “I hope Maci keeps her wits about her on this journey of being there for him.”
“Maci acting like Ryan [is] not the problem now that they are on good terms,” one viewer tweeted. “Ryan is responsible for the relationship he & Bentley had. Did she see how Ryan tore up his & Mack’s home. He pulled a knife on her.”
“Maci went from hating Ryan for every little dumb thing… to worrying about his well-being while he’s trashing his house and getting arrested. Like. What? #TeenMom,” someone else wrote.
“They are literally blaming Mackenzie for everything & acting like she’s the problem,” another person tweeted. “Ryan KEEPS using drugs & is even telling them that & yet Maci’s like oh well stay away from her and saying how different he is? He’s exactly the same but on an escalated level.”
Over the weekend, Maci confirmed that things remain on good terms between her and Ryan’s parents by posting some photos of herself and the Edwards while the cast was in L.A. to film the Season 1B reunion.
“A family doesn’t have to be perfect,” Maci captioned the snapshots. “It just has to be united.”
The comment section of Maci’s post was flooded with varying opinions from fans– a number of whom asking how Taylor feels about Maci playing nice with Ryan’s parents. (As The Ashley previously told you, Taylor and Larry nearly came to blows on stage back in 2021 while filming the Teen Mom OG Season 9 reunion.)
New episodes of ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter’ air Wednesdays on MTV. Click here to read The Ashley’s Season 1B Episode 23 recap.
(Photos: MTV; Instagram; Twitter)
They’re split, yes he’s Bentleys dad, be there for Bentley. Doesn’t need to really be seeing Ryan or anything, can still be supportive for Bentleys sake without doing that. Ratings/just never got over him
Maci chases that MTV money just as much as any of the other mothers on the show. She uses Bentley in order to afford nice homes and cars. Taylor is not nearly as good of a father as many of you think. He just married Maci for the MTV ride.
Maybe he ought smear shit in this slags house and see how supportive she’d be about that!
Right!!
Or break a refrigerator and choke her while spitting in her face. Yeah, we saw how she reacted with just the threat at Taylor… She’s so full of shit!!
Yep!! You’re right! She ran to the police station and put a 1 or 2 year restraining order on him… for a voicemail… . Why is it so hard for her to put herself in Mack’s shoes, the mother of his 2 other children. I don’t get it.
I don’t commend Maci for shit. Rhine was a complete dick to her ever since before their son was born. He remained a piece of shit all throughout Bentley’s life and was cruel to Maci, wouldn’t lift a finger to be any kind of present or productive father to his son. And now that Rhine has trashed his children’s home, threatened bodily harm to his wife, and STILL continues to not be present in his son’s life, Maci wants to keep pushing for Rhine to be a part of Bentley’s life?? Gtfoh. Bentley is turning into a young man. How much do you want to bet Rhine would absolutely lay his hands on his son if Bentley ever said or did something Rhine didn’t like? Maci needs to think more about her son’s well-being & less about taking another ride on Rhine. She will always be obsessed with that PoS & she’s definitely creating more problems than she is trying to ‘fix’ things.
Please notice how her husband Taylor has been completely silent through all her shenanigans. He’s probably secretly talking to a lawyer to file divorce papers.
Exactly!!! Well said!
I think Maci is openly supporting Ryan now due to Bentley, yes, but also because she’s been waiting for him to hit rock bottom for years. Ryan isn’t voluntarily doing treatment, but he is still doing it. Substance abuse happens to cope with emotions, trauma, and/or psychological issues. Maci would be a good support system to have in your corner going through rehab and therapy. Everyone has the ability to grow and change, if they choose to. Ryan especially needs it, he’s a pos.
“Rock bottom” for Ryan is going to be his death.
I don’t…really understand. Why support someone who has been CLEARLY off the rails for long enough (who can forget killing those innocent cats?), dude is not well, scratch that, he was never well and now that he is in jail, rehab, you are all suddenly praising Maci for trying to keep in touch with an abuser? Because HE IS an abuser, he tried to kill his own wife! I’m sorry but no amount of being Bentley’s dad can overlook that. MTV is really trying to make this seem like it was all Mack’s fault and the cast is siding with them cuz they want the money.
It’s weird that everyone forgets Ryan was a piece of shit BEFORE the drugs.
I’ve gone through what Maci is going through. My dad was addicted to opioids for years (which eventually took his life in 2016). I stood by him through everything. That didn’t mean I excused his bad behavior. I was actually furious with him most of the time. But I also knew that the hell he put me and other people through wasn’t because he was a bad person. It was because he was sick. He eventually succumbed to his addiction and I’m grateful everyday that I held onto our relationship until the day he died. Supporting somebody that is an addict doesn’t mean you are condoning the bad things they’ve done. Maci is in a tough spot. Ryan is her father’s child. He’s not just some random dude. Everything she’s doing is for Bentley. He’s probably very worried about his dad and needs Maci physical and emotional support to get though it. The fans are wrong for criticizing her. She’s doing the right thing.
Well said, Rachel 🫶🏻
We’re looking at a very small amount of their lives that’s been edited for maximum drama. I think Maci is trying to keep that line of communication open for Bentley but he’s getting old enough that he can choose for himself, however, that’s just my interpretation.
No matter what, Ryan and Maci will always be linked together through Bentley. It doesn’t make sense to add more drama onto whatever Ryan is doing and honestly, his marriage isn’t Maci’s business. Her business is the relationship her son has with his dads side of the family. It sounds like she’s doing the best she can, regardless of how exhausting Ryan’s bs is.
Is this like us being Pranked? Is MTV bringing back PUNK’D?
Leah was a drug addict who Corey took to court and got full custody of the girlses because of her addiction. So of course the addict that refuses to acknowledge any responsibility to be proud of Maci, she sees herself in Rhine.
C&T have spent their ENTIRE lives dealing with their drug-abusive and physically abusive parents who have been in and out of jail. They have both talked about the negative effects of having addict parents around and don’t want that for their kids, but are cool with Rhine’s kids being around that.
I feel like Maci supporting Rhine shows how much of a wedge Mack drove between everyone. Not trying to make Mack the villain, but the Edwards went all the way to hell once she showed up. She brought out the worst in everyone.
Wow. I’m not a Mack fan at all. She knew what she was getting into from the beginning. But, THIS STATEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!
I’m truly just curious, with all of the enablers involved here, who among the violent/drug-addicted/abusive men MTV once employed is going to actually kill someone (or themselves) first? Because it’s inevitable at this point.
If it’s between Ryan, Nathan, and UBT – my money is still on Ryan first.
Anyone know how Adam has been lately?
That’s a scary thought, but it’s not like it’s wrong…that’s even scarier.
Nathan. He choked someone unconscious, statistically, that’s a sign bad things ahead.
They are all a bunch of enablers, the same way they are enablers with Amber.
I don’t know why Maci’s playing Mother Theresa here, maybe he wants to screw Ryan again but it’s pathetic. He’s the worst kind of example for his kids and now she’s teaching Bentley that he has to forgive everything he did and still does “because they are family”. F*ck that
Can’t help but to think that this abrupt devotion to Rhine is more about a storyline or a big F you to Mackenzie. Ryan has proven that he is a danger. He has murdered cats and bragged about it, completely destroyed their house..most disturbingly was that he wrecked his kids’ bedrooms and smeared actual shit on the walls. That’s just a little of who he is. Including threatening to shoot Taylor in the head, being arrested multiple times, driving while completely doped out of his mind. I could go on and on.
Maci can do what she wants but I would be protecting my son, other kids and husband from this toxic, dysfunctional asshole. Bentley has a father. His name is Taylor.
although i do agree with tyler and commend maci for helping ryan but i don’t agree that she’s making mackenzie seem like the true villain when she was a victim of domestic violence same way she did with amber and andrew