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Maury Povich has long been the go-to name for a weekly fix of TV drama and escapism. Since first airing in 1991, his synonymous show, Maury has been digging up secrets and delivering the iconic “you ARE the father” line. But with so many episodes to watch, what are the biggest controversies uncovered on The Maury Show?
Povich’s show became an almost instant success due to its tabloid-like format and the compelling life stories it brings to the coffee table each week. Over the course of 40 minutes, viewers and guests experience a rollercoaster of emotions: heartbreak at tragic paternity tests, horror over shocking revelations and even rage at the antics of guests. We’ll be reliving all these moments as we look back at the most controversial moments seen on the show so far.
7 Scottie Deem's Dilemma
Scottie Deem is no stranger to controversy. Her mother, Angela Deem, is the star of 90- Day Fiancé, and it was Angela who pushed Scottie into Maury's limelight.
Angela insisted that Scottie’s boyfriend, Terry, was not the father of the couple’s baby girl, Anna Sky; she believed that Scottie’s ex was the baby daddy. Scottie responded by calling her mother "delusional" and after taking a DNA test, Terry was confirmed as the father. In 2016, Angela challenged the parentage of Scottie's second daughter Ariah. During the show, she shared how the repeated allegations affected her and her daughter's health, Scottie responded that “I might be sick physically, but I am not sick enough that I ... don't know who the father of my kid is!”. Terry was also found to be Ariah's daughter.
6 Three of a Kind Paternity Test
The hallmark of any Maury episode is a botched paternity test and Harry's attempt to clear his name is particularly memorable.
Harry already had five kids when, certain that he had been wronged, decided to bring three different women onto the show to prove he wasn't father to any of their babies. However, his plan backfired when Harry was revealed to be father to all three youngsters and the father of 5 ended up leaving the show a father of 8.
5 Father’s Heartbreaking Rejection of His Transgender Daughter
One of the most heartbreaking family rifts addressed on the show was between Ivy and Bobby. Ivy was born a male and made the decision to transition in her teens. But rather than finding support from her family, Ivy was met with disbelief and rejection from her father Bobby.
Appearing on The Maury Show, Bobby was closed off to the idea of healing his relationship; what's worse, Bobby spent his time on the show trying to completely disown his daughter by claiming that Ivy's mother was with another man at the time of her conception.
4 Twins That Defied All Odds
In 2008, Alejandrina contacted The Maury Show to prove that her ex-boyfriend Jose was the father of her twin boys, Jayla and Julius.
Although Alejandrina promised that she had not been anyone else while dating Jose, Jose suspected otherwise since the twins bore no resemblance to him.
Both Jose and Alejandrina were shell-shocked when it was revealed that Jose was only the father of one of her twins: each boy has a different father. As Povich explained on the show, the odds of this happening are almost miraculous: "Less than one percent of fraternal twins are from different fathers... and this is one of those less than one percent."
3 The Husband Caught In The Act
For Crystal's husband Dennis, things were never going to end well owing to a secret camera.
Dennis appeared on the show to clear up rumors that he had a secret love child with another woman. Things unraveled when Dennis admitted that he had slept with someone several weeks earlier but the final nail in the coffin was the footage of Dennis with another woman - footage filmed only 12 hours before. Dennis's attempted explanation for his actions was especially controversial as she argued on the show that "men cheat because women don’t take care of them in bed".
2 Daughter Pregnant by Her Father-In-Law
Chatton was convinced her daughter, Jalen, and husband, Steve were having an affair in an attempt to try and hurt her so Steve could leave their marriage. The drama was founded on a joke Jalen made years before but adding more fuel to the fire was the fact Jalen was pregnant - with Chatton convinced Steve was the father.
Over the course of the episode, it was proven that Jalen and Steve weren't having an affair, and Steve certainly wasn't the father of Jalen's baby but, needless to say, the allegations shattered the bond between mother and daughter.
1 The Tape That Never Aired
In 2015, an Ohio couple were set to feature on Maury's show as a part of a routine paternity test episode.
However, the day the tape was due to air, tragic news was revealed. As NewsTimes reported, the couples baby daughter - who had been the subject of the paternity test - was sadly found dead at a hotel following a tragic accident. Producers decided not to air the tape out of respect.