MTV has finally come through and given Teen Mom OG star Butch Baltierra his own Facebook Q&A session with fans! Every week, another one of the show’s stars answers questions asked by fans on the official ‘Teen Mom’ Facebook page. This week, MTV gave The Ashley a very special treat by giving Butch his own time on the ‘Teen Mom’ Interwebs!
Of course, Butch isn’t much for the writin’ and such, so he answered questions via a webcam instead of typing them out like the rest of the cast has done. However, he was able to tackle some major topics in his session, including how he feels about his ex-wife, April, how he’s managing to stay sober, and what really went down between him and his granddaughter Carly (and her adoptive parents, Brandon and Teresa) at Catelynn and Tyler‘s wedding.
Here are Butch’s answers to the questions asked by fans….
On his relationship with his ex-wife, April:
Butch was married to Catelynn’s mother, April, for several years before domestic violence finally put an end to what may have been the most toxic marriage ever created. April has since remarried, but Butch says that he is not jealous.
“I’m very happy for her. I don’t know how happy she is,” Butch said. “[Ours] was a toxic relationship, it just couldn’t work. I kind of sent her the divorce papers when I was in prison, and she handled the rest. I think her new husband’s a really nice guy. He’s quiet, he don’t say much.”
Butch added that the law requires that he have little to no interaction with his ex-wife.
“We don’t have no relationship,” he said. “We got a no contact thing through my parole. They put it on again so, no, we don’t mess with each other. But we don’t hate each other, we’re not mad at each other, you know. We don’t do dirty things to each other, none of that! But I’m happy for her, because right now I’m happy. I’m happy as hell!”
On how he’s stayed sober:
Butch spent many years doing drugs and drinking (pick up The Ashley’s book Teen Mom Confidential to learn more about Butch’s difficult childhood and what started him down the road to using.) However, when he was about to go to prison yet again, he decided to make a change in his life.
“I made my mind up September 8, 2011 when I was in that bullpen [for the hearing for his domestic violence charges against April]. I said, ‘It’s over, it’s done, it’s finished.’ I knew I had a hell of a journey to go on, and I didn’t want nothing to do with alcohol, drugs or cigarettes, none of that. I stayed true to it, and I’m still true to it now. I’m not going to use, I’m done. I’ve got 54 months [clean] or something like that. I feel good, I look good—I think I do anyway!
“It’s mind over matter,” Butch added. “You’ve just got to not want to use. I do not want to use nothing. I enjoy my family, and enjoy the rest of the years I’ve got left. When I die, I’m going to die a clean and sober man, not a using guy.”
On his interaction with Brandon, Teresa & Carly at the wedding:
Carly’s adoptive parents, Brandon and Teresa, made it clear that they had no desire to meet Butch, due to how he treated Catelynn and Tyler in the past regarding Carly’s adoption. However, all three ended up in the same room together during Cate and Ty’s wedding, and Butch said that, even though we didn’t see it on the show, Brandon did eventually introduce himself.
“I was walking across the courtyard and Brandon came and intercepted me,” Butch said. “I think he kind of thought I was going to see Carly but he came and introduced himself to me. I asked him if I could meet Carly and Theresa and he goes, ‘Yeah, yeah, OK’ and then he walked away and it never happened. That’s probably one of the reasons that I went and introduced myself to her. I never did get to meet Theresa but Brandon was nice enough to come up and shake my hand. I appreciated that. Next time, Brandon!”
Butch also justified his introducing himself to Carly at the wedding, even though her parents didn’t want him to talk to her.
“The reason I went to see Carly after I was asked not to was because I feel that I deserve to see her, at least meet her and introduce myself to her,” Butch said. “I know that she don’t know that I’m her grandfather, but I felt that I had to do that.”
On his daughter Amber’s speech about him at the wedding:
Tyler’s sister, Amber, held nothing back during her wedding speech! She called Butch out for not being there for her and Tyler, and for him constantly being in prison. A fan asked Butch how this speech made him feel.
“I thought [her speech] had nothing to do with the bride and groom,” Butch said. “I don’t know where she come up with that, or why she thought that was relevant to whatever was going on. I didn’t feel too good about it but I love her unconditionally and it doesn’t matter what she does or says, I still love her the same. She’s got some problems and so do I and we just have to try to work on our relationship and we’ll move on from there. I’m OK with it.”
On his future plans:
Fans wanted to know what’s next for Butch now that he’s clean, sober and out of prison.
“My career goals? I don’t know,” Butch said. “Being a counselor, that was one of my thoughts. I’m a fence contractor by trade, and I’m still busting my ass really hard at 53…I think I’d make a good counselor but I’m still learning. Once I come on five years clean, I’ll reconsider maybe trying to help…
“That’s a lot of work…that counseling thing, but maybe I could work in a sober living house or do some talks or something like that,” Butch added. “That’s definitely in the works.”
The Ashley is still holding out hope that Butch joins up with Teen Mom 2 star Barbara Evans and does a talk show! Make it happen, MTV!
If you’d like to read the recent Facebook fan Q&A sessions done by other ‘Teen Mom OG’ stars, you can click here for Maci’s, here for Taylor’s, here for Amber Portwood’s, here for Catelynn’s, and here for Debra Danielson‘s.
(Photos: Facebook, Instagram)
39 Responses
Man I like Butch, I hope nothing but great things for him and his future. I can understand why TeresanBrandon set the boundaries they do, but it was a dick move to not let her meet him briefly. It’s pretty insulting, even though Butch has a past he is trying to overcome. I’m glad he at least got to meet her, when she gets older at least she will be able to choose who she can associate with. And Amber’s speech was a dick move, you were there to celebrate Cate and Tyler. Not bring everyone down and say something ugly.
Way to go butch, one day at a time , he’s doing it right put your recovery first and everything else will fall into place good things happen
“Coming up next: BUTCH’N’BABS.”
I’d watch the HELL out of that. With special appearances from Randilicious, Mary South Dakoooota, and JenNLarry? It would be ON.
I absolutely love the new butch. I’m rooting for him!!! I truly believe he will stay sober.
I really felt for Butch when Brandon and Theresa didn’t want to even meet him. I felt the situation was unavoidable as they were all in the same place at the same time. They could have at least sat down with Butch (sans Carly) and gone over some things. I thought Butch handled introducing himself to Carly in the classiest way. All he did was say she looked beautiful. Never mentioned that he was her grandfather as he didn’t want to confuse or overwhelm her. I thought the side-eye from Theresa was a little much.
Teresa seems a little bit stuck up.
Teresa seems kind of insincere and judgmental.
I follow Butch on Facebook, so,I would like to say that he goes to addiction and recovery meetings, he has a job and he spends Saturday’s with Nova. I saw the comments hoping that he was in meetings and saying that he needs to work , well…he does.
Addiction changes a person. He is finally getting himself together , yet some of you still feel the need to belittle him.
People should not be defined by their mistakes. They should be defined by the person they are and the way they love after their mistakes. We all mess up. Sometimes , time and time again.
I’m happy too that Butch is working hard on his recovery. I give him credit for taking things seriously now. His daughter was wrong to say those things about Butch in front of the whole world like that. Theres a time and a place for that and certainly not on national tv.
I cringed. Why in the world did she say those things in front of all of those people, on a wedding day? I’ve given a wedding speech before, and if it doesn’t tie back into the couple and how you wish them well, and how wonderful they are blah blah, it’s not a wedding speech. What she said was definitely not a wedding speech. Even Butch’s own apology speech to Tyler, which was not wedding-centric, went back to how proud he was to see his son get married.
I think they aren’t scared of butch however I think they saw how awful he was to Cat in season 1. Who would want to meet a father like that?
No they are probably scared of him or him slipping up on the language in front of Carly. Season 1 was damn near 8 years ago, it’s time to let it go. Cate and him have a good relationship now.
There is a 50/50 chance that Butch will stay sober and out of trouble. As long a the MTV checks keep coming and he gets a little check for being on and Tyler throws him some crumbs he will be ok, but when the checks stop and they are all scrambling for money, the tide can turn very quickly for any of them. As far as Carly, if Brandon and Teresa had any concerns about Tyler’s family meeting Carly they shouldn’t have attended the wedding, simple. The whole Carly situation has been troubling from the very beginning IMO. They both have tattoos with Carly’s name and DOB on them, if that’s not bad enough during the vows Catelyn mentioned “two children” The MTV cameras panned over to Teresa and Brandon for the best reality TV moment vantage point. MTV should be held accountable for many issues, including exploiting the very obvious mental illness of Farrah and her family it’s just disgusting any way you look at it. As far as Carly, she will be on the internet before too long she will be 7 in May and she will know EVERYTHING, the age of consent in North Carolina is 16 that’s 9 years from now, she can basically start having a very close relationship with Tyler and Cate and Nova and any other children they have. Will she? Time will tell, this is not a normal adoption by any stretch. I’m sure everyday Cate especially regrets that she gave Carly up, she and Ty probably have more money now than Brandon and Teresa and would have struggled for a year or 2 but would have been fine after that. They both know that, Amber was not in a better situation than either of them and she kept Leah, they both if they are honest have regrets, it’s very obvious by they themselves always referring to her as their daughter, that’s all that needs to be said. It’s a very sad situation IMO. Time will tell if the two of them stay together 50/50 chance of that, the big indicator will be in 10 years from now, let’s see where everyone is…Time will certainly tell.
agreed it is very awkward for ty and cate to have her name and bday tattooed so big on them. carly even recently saw and was like wow, why? this whole open adoption thing is just hard all around. i think cate and ty waiver. on one hand, i don’t believe if they’d kept carly they’d still be together, or that april would be sober. i think the catalyst for her getting straight was realizing her daughter couldn’t trust her with her grandchild. then nick would have a much different life. after having nova, both have said now, knowing how hard it is day in and day out, that they would not have handled carly very well back then. they would’ve been better off financially than they thought, but the maturity wouldn’t have come faster. ty still does some very immature things. it must be very hard for teresa to care for carly and love her so much, only to worry will she have to share her grandchildren with cate one day, share her holidays with her grown daughter? as she said, biologically she is yours, in every other way she is ours. i would think having nova now, cate could better see how hard it would be to have another woman tattoo this child’s name on her and call her daughter, despite having not seen her 364 days that year. i do not think carly will just run back to ty and cate like so many seem to think lol, as if all those mornings and nights will mean nothing to her.
No but as an adult she will have a relationship with them, and maybe even before. In this day and age one has to be on the internet for school, she will be able to see everything about herself on the internet, there is no one way B and T can shield her from any of that. I’m trying to think if it were me, and I knew these two people my entire life, and little by little I find out that that these two are my actual parents, and then I go and see the footage which clearly shows how tormented they were with the decision to place her, and how they constantly talked about me all the time, maybe not all the time, but that’s what MTV put out there, I would have a relationship with these people,there is no way I would just not have anything to do with them, if you’re going to give up a child for adoption, I don’t think this is the way to do it. It’s only easier for the biological parents, not the child.
I think that the child is fine. How beautiful was the moment that they all danced together? Carly wanted to dance with Tyler, and Catelyn respected her parents enough to ask permission, her parents respected Cate and Ty enough to say yes, and they all danced together. It’s a struggle, sure, but I think over the years they have really, truly figured it out. They’ve had professional counseling help along the way the entire time. Teresa and Brandon have the final say. Carly will be just fine!
I think Carly is very lucky to have so many people who love her, and that her parents love her enough to make room for Catelyn and Tyler in their lives.
I don’t think she will ever forget that Brandon and Teresa are her Mom and Dad, but I think she will grow up thinking of Cate and Ty as family, and have a close relationship with them like you might with a favourite aunt and uncle. I think it’s wonderful that Brandon and Theresa can put aside any jealousy and let Carly have that.
It reminds me of the episode of “Friends” where Ross’s ex-wife currently in a new relationship has their son and there’s a bitter debate over who gets to be on the birth certificate, interrupted by Phoebe’s earnest exclamation of how great that was and contrasts it to her own experience of “trying to have enough pieces of people left over to shove together to even make *one* parent.” (Or something to that general effect.)
I think he will never change.He will benefit from his son’s hospitality and never go to work at all.He has his childeren made a lot of pain.Soon he revert to his old behavior.A fox will lose his hair but not his habits.He seems nice for now and i hope he will stay honest.I respect Kate for shelter the man who hit her mother and ruined his family.
(Thanks to Google translation i write this,ik hope my message is a little bit clear.)
Not sure if someone already said this but he could run Amber & Matt’s sober living house.
Between the three of them, it would be the most successful sober living house in the country! Even if Amber is talking to Matt about how she is living a sober life less than a foot away from a bottle of wine and a bottle of vodka. It’s not like being sober is an important part of running a sober living house or anything
He’d be the only sober one…
Wrong place, wrong time for that speech. But in saying that she is highly pissed at her dad and she knew it would make it to air. He wasn’t good father and yet she sees most of the viewers think he is brilliant, that would have to hurt. When your whole life he has been a let down but everyone thinks he’s tops.
I was actually surprised that Teresa was so adamant about not meeting Butch. She seems to be such a caring person. It would be nice if folks could stop focusing on Butch’s transgressions and start focusing on his recent accomplishments. The past has happened and he can’t change any of that, but he can choose to be sober and healthy in the present and future and that’s exactly what he’s doing. I think a little support would go a long way for his sobriety.
I agree, but I also feel like they were blind sided. He legit just came out of prison so he never had the time and opportunity to show he is sober and changed. Maybe that’s why?
At the end of the day, Brandon and Theresa have to do what they think is best for their daughter. It doesn’t mean they don’t care. They have never wanted to keep Carly away from Tyler’s and Catelynn’s family members; not even April. The way April treated Catelynn and Tyler was awful, but Brandon and Theresa still want her to be a part of Carly’s life. They just needed some time to get to know her first. What he did was beyond disrespectful and crossed a major line. I wouldn’t blame them if they decide to not allow Butch to be a part of Carly’s life at all now. They have every right to make that decision. Their number one priority is Carly and doing what’s best for her. They don’t have an obligation to do what everyone else wants and keep everyone happy. If they do decide to not allow Butch to be a part of her life, he has no one to blame but himself.
Even if they didn’t have an issue with Carly meeting Butch per se, there’s still the matter of Butch and not understanding the boundaries of the adoptive relationship.
I give him credit for not introducing himself as her grandpa, at the very least. Random adult at a wedding is a fairly neutral category as a kid. (“I don’t know who they are either. Oh, look, they’re going to cut the cake.)
The fact that he thinks he deserves to meet Carly is a perfect indication of him not understanding the boundaries of an adoptive relationship. He doesn’t even think he did anything wrong. Was there a section about Butch in the scrapbook Catelynn and Tyler made for Carly? It would seem like she would know who he was without having to be told, but I can’t remember if he was included in it or not. Or if he was, if there were pictures of him
butch has become the most reasonable, level headed and lovable character on the show!! I have to say he looks really good and you can tell how genuine he’s being. I hope he’s going to AA meetings and really finding his place in this world. best of luck to him!
I definitely agree with Butch about Tyler’s sisters speech. Talk about cringe worthy and having nothing to do with Cate or Tyler. There’s a time and place to bring up past situations like that, and that wasn’t the time or place. Tyler’s relationship with Butch doesn’t have anything to do with his wedding. She didn’t even really tie it into Cate and Tyler’s relationship. She wasn’t like Cate you saved Tyler, she was just like yeah our dad sucks, our mom raised us. You can tell Brandon and Teresa are already pretty uncomfortable with Butch, and Tyler’s sister just further solidified their decision of Carly not meeting him any time soon. Last thing. I don’t think Butch should have spoken to Carly. Unfortunately that wasn’t his call. Her parents said they were uncomfortable with it and by him not respecting their wishes could’ve jeopardized them coming to any other event that Cate or Tyler have. I get that he wanted to meet her, but it wasn’t about him, it was about Cate, Tyler, Carly,Brandon and Teresa, and that could’ve ended disastrously. Luckily Brandon kept a level head about it.
Well. actually did ask Brandon if he could meet Carly and he said he could so I don’t think he did anything wrong. If Butch hadn’t of asked Brandon and gotten his permission then it would’ve been wrong but at least he asked. Honestly, I think it was only Teresa that had a problem with meeting him, not Brandon.
Brandon and Teresa are probably afraid of Butch. As much of a loose cannon he was up until this season, Brandon probably wanted to tread lightly. Notice he said that Brandon said yea, and it never happened. Brandon was probably afraid of the possible scene Butch could’ve created had he said no. Butch not taking the hint when Brandon didn’t bring Carly over, and introducing himself to her anyway was pretty selfish on Butch’s end. Brandon and Teresa have said over and over they’re not comfortable with Butch, they won’t even bring Carly to the reunion shows in fear that they’re going to run into him. I don’t know how else they can politely say they’re not ok with Butch without actually speaking to him which we all know they don’t want to do. Butch said that he deserves to see her and meet her. No he doesn’t DESERVE that, it would be nice, but he doesn’t DESERVE it if her parents aren’t comfortable with it yet. Brandon and Teresa deserve to be respected as Carly’s parents and have their wishes respected. It’s unfortunate for Butch to be treated that way,but once you break peoples trust it’s really hard to gain it back.
Yeah I get what you’re saying but Butch just seems like such a softie that I feel bad for him sometimes. He has struggled with addiction but that doesn’t make him a monster. If he was, I’m sure Tyler and his sister wouldn’t have him in their lives.
Butch doesn’t seem to understand that he’s not entitled to Carly. Does he not care about potentially damaging the relationship Tyler and Catelynn have with Brandon and Theresa? It seemed like he decided to take advantage of the situation, knowing that Brandon and Theresa would feel like they couldn’t really do anything without causing a scene. Whoever was with Carly couldn’t get her away from him fast enough. If he was my dad and pulled that shit, I would be livid and would probably be telling him to leave.
It was their adoption counselor. I’m very glad she has stuck with them. She has done a good job of helping everyone respect Brandon and Theresa’s boundaries. I was so glad she just got her out of there, she shortened what could have been an extremely awkward situation if it went on any longer.
Was it Dawn? I didn’t catch the face of who it was, but it makes sense that it was her. She has always seemed like a wonderful woman who genuinely cares about everyone involved and wants to do everything she can to help and support all of them. Even if it’s something as simple as Catelynn or Tyler feeling overwhelmed and needing someone to talk to. She has certainly done an incredible job mediating things between two couples that had no previous experience with adoption and the challenges on both sides that come with it.
Yea, Tyler’s sister’s speech was weird. Everyone looked really uncomfortable and it had nothing to do with the wedding or Cait and Ty.
Yeah, I felt really bad for Butch when Amber said that. Butch obviously has made mistakes but the wedding was supposed to be a happy day for him, not to be yet again put on blast for being a lousy father.
My thoughts exactly. Maybe she was nervous? But still, anyone with common sense would know that day and event was about Cate and Tyler celebrating THEIR relationship. Not how Tyler and Amber were raised. Butch should’ve been on of the last things on Ambers mind, but I guess thats how she felt?….My kinda heart went out to him, because that day was almost like an attack Butch day…meeting Carly (which I fully get why Brandon and Teresa were uncomfortable) and Amber’s speech. Not defending his past actions, but it was a lot for a recovering addict to handle. He should’ve yelled out MONKEY as soon as Amber started talking about him.