Tinley Park Mayor Doesn't Want '16 And Pregnant' To Film There
TINLEY PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- Most communities are thrilled to host a TV or movie shoot, but the mayor of Tinley Park says he wants nothing to do with a controversial program that wants to film in his village.
WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports, when Tinley Park Mayor Edward Zabrocki heard MTV reality series "16 And Pregnant" might be filming at a local train station restaurant, he persuaded the owner to keep the cameras out.
"It sends the wrong message out there," he said.
As a former high school guidance counselor, Zabrocki said he personally objects to the show.
"The show may show some of the ramifications and difficulties that are involved with unwed pregnancies. We are in a society of reality shows, and basically what happens: an individual like that is glamorized," he said. "I can see a very impressionable young lady who's 14, 15, 16 years old saying 'Hey, this is my way of getting on TV.'"
Zabrocki said he can't stop the show from filming on private property, but doesn't want any village buildings involved.
He said he's not worried about losing revenue.
"Usually these kinds of programs, they use handheld cameras. They breeze through town, they breeze out of town. It's not like a full production company who comes in for three or four days," Zabrocki said.
He said he'd prefer to keep the village out of the show entirely, but isn't willing to incur a court fight over it.
