Ever wonder why so many celebrity magazines cover the “stars” of MTV’s reality series “Teen Mom” week after week? How about because the show is a runaway hit for the cable network that used to be all music all the time? The New York Post reports the show’s season finale brought in 6 million viewers when it aired earlier this month.

Now Life & Style magazine is reporting the teen mothers featured on the show make an estimated $60,000 to $65,000 per season–more than most reality stars. And while you’re thinking that should be enough to make the teens and their kids comfortable, a source tells the magazine “stars” like Amber Portwood and her ex-fiance Gary Shirley (the one she’s been filmed hitting on the show) have done little to save and hang onto what they’ve been earning.
Shirley’s best friend Jordan Sanchez tells Life & Style, “Gary says
he’s broke. The money is the only reason he’s willing to do the show.
You can’t walk away from money like that.” Indeed, the drama-filled
couple is already filming the next season of the MTV money-maker in
Tennessee.

These kids might not be making as much as their “Jersey Shore” counterparts are, but they do command
magazine covers week after week. No small thing in the bankability
department.

And in case you were wishing the glorification of teen motherhood would
just go away altogether, we’re sorry to disappoint you. MTV has already
cast a “Teen Mom” spin-off. For those of you who can’t get enough, good
news: MTV’s other teen drama “16 and Pregnant” returned for its new
season this past Tuesday.