In the newest episode of their podcast, Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra have come out swinging at accusations that they are exploiting their biological daughter Carly— and accusing Carly’s parents, Brandon and Teresa Davis, of doing just that behind closed doors.
During Wednesday’s episode of the Cate & Ty Break It Down! podcast, the Teen Mom stars spilled some behind-the-scenes tea about Brandon and Teresa, revealing that the couple has repeatedly used their situation with Carly for their own fame and money.
As ‘Teen Mom’ fans know, Ty and Cate placed Carly for adoption with Brandon and Teresa at birth. Over the years, Brandon and Teresa have made several appearances on the show, but have forbid Cate and Ty (and MTV) from showing Carly’s face. Last year, Carly’s parents blocked Catelynn and Tyler and cut off communication, essentially closing Carly’s adoption. Since then, Ty and Cate have been very outspoken about the grievances they have with Brandon and Teresa— as well as the concept of adoption in general— but Wednesday’s podcast episode marked the first time they had exposed some of the things Carly’s parents have demanded over the years.
“I know a lot of people say we are exploiting Carly or posting stuff when we were asked not to,” Catelynn said. “Part of this podcast is to also get my part out of that’s not all factual.”
The couple told creator Jordy Cray that Brandon and Teresa have, in her opinion, used Carly and her adoption to garner themselves fame and money plenty of times, despite them acting like they want privacy.
“When it’s beneficial for them to exploit Carly and post…” Catelynn began, later stating that, “They’ve kind of exploited their situation too. It’s those things. People want to put all the blame on us like, ‘You’re on a reality TV show and they didn’t sign up for that’ but they did.”
As fans know, Brandon and Teresa agreed to appear on Catelynn’s 16 and Pregnant episode, believing it was a one-off documentary and did not know at the time that Catelynn would be chosen for the spin-off ‘Teen Mom.’ However, Brandon and Teresa have made several appearances on ‘Teen Mom,’ even allowing MTV to film the most-recent visit Ty and Cate had with Carly in 2023, as long as Carly’s face wasn’t shown.
Tyler then spilled the tea that Brandon and Teresa allowed MTV to show the back of Carly’s head on the show— but only if MTV paid them for it.
“‘If you don’t compensate us, then you’re not allowed to use these pictures on TV,'” Cate claims Carly’s parents told the network.
Tyler added that Brandon and Teresa have financially benefitted “hugely” from Cate and Ty being on TV.
“It’s hypocritical. I don’t understand,” Ty said. “If it’s really a moral standpoint that you’re taking, OK. But it’s not, because you literally went on the magazine when she was five and put her face out there, and that was fine and that was OK.”
(In case you’re wondering, Tyler is referring to a 2012 issue of Lifelines magazine, an adoption-centered publication put out by the Bethany Christian Services adoption agency that Brandon and Teresa appeared on the cover of, along with Carly and her little brother.)
Later in the podcast episode, Tyler and Catelynn discussed another time where Carly’s parents were upset with them, due to Cate and Ty “costing” them some MTV money.
“They called us [after we posted the photos from the 2023 visit],” Cate said
Tyler and Catelynn said they respected Carly’s parents’ wishes and only posted approved photos that didn’t show Carly’s face; however, Teresa and Brandon were still mad. According to Catelynn, Brandon told her that they were upset that Cate and Ty posted the pics of Carly, because “now MTV can’t pay us.”
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“Because now it’s not an exclusive picture, we [posted] it first,” Tyler added.
“A lot of people don’t know that there’s so much backstory to our story!” Catelynn added.
The couple claimed that they have always shied away from painting Carly’s parents in a bad light, so they never publicly discussed the times Brandon and Teresa were money-hungry.
“My thing is that we’ve stayed silent on all those little details up until now, because now we have nothing to lose,” Tyler said.
Catelynn gave more details about Carly’s parents being mad about losing out on the MTV money.
“And it’s not like they get the money and they put it in an account for Carly,” Cate said. “No, they’re using it to pay for their flights, pay for their hotel [for the visit], which I get. But when we had that conversation about [them not getting paid] on the phone, I said, ‘I wish you would have told me. I would have helped you. I would have said, ‘You ain’t getting my picture either unless you help them with their travel!'”
Tyler and Catelynn also claimed that Brandon and Teresa are calculating about what they decide to participate in, attempting to make sure whatever they do makes them— and their adoption story— be seen in a positive light.
“If it benefitted them, they were going to do it,” Cate said, with Ty adding, “And if it made the adoption look really good.”
The couple also claimed that Brandon and Teresa got upset whenever they’d say anything even remotely negative about the adoption.
“If you expressed your feelings, or [said] anything negative about [the adoption], it was like, ‘You can’t do that. Now it’s bad. Now we’re mad,'” Tyler said. “It’s a weird power dynamic and it feels like for so long we had to be silent because, I don’t want to ruffle feathers, I’m not in control. So, we have to kind of be like, “OK, because I don’t want you to take her away’ so we didn’t speak out about a lot of things that happened behind closed doors. Because priority number one is to be able to see her and have access to her. So now that the access has been taken away [we are talking about it].”
Tyler also accused Brandon and Teresa of constantly changing the rules on them as to what is– and isn’t OK— often for their own personal gain.
“My whole thing is your moral ground can’t be shaky,” Tyler said. “It has to be firm…if your concern is for her privacy or her safety, then why are you agreeing to getting paid for a photo of the back of her head?
“Why does the moral ground keep moving?” he continued. “For years, those things would be happening behind closed doors and obviously we were kind of like [not wanting] to shake the basket at all so we were like, ‘Oh we’re not gonna say anything,’ but at this point I think it’s only fair that the full scope of the story gets put out there.”
Catelynn— who previously revealed that Carly’s parents demanded that she stop sending gifts to Carly– also gave more background about that situation.
“They don’t want people to look at them in a negative way,” she said. “For instance, when Teresa told Dawn to tell us, ‘Don’t be sending any more gifts, it’s uncalled for,’ she also told Dawn to tell us that, ‘You can’t send any more gifts or anything, it’s uncalled for and disrespectful. But don’t tell anybody that I said that.’
“Does that make any sense?” Cate said. “It’s almost like you don’t want the full truth out because then it’s actually showing how you really are being as an adoptive family. And then you’re telling me that I can’t say that so in turn it’s making me look like the bad guy all over again.”
Brandon and Teresa have never publicly responded to Catelynn and Tyler’s statements.
You can listen to the full episode of Cate & Ty Break It Down! below.
(Photos: MTV; Lifelines; Instagram)
60 Responses
Wow C&T thought they did something with this “expose” LOL.
Carly’s parents wanted MTV money so it could play for the flights for them to have a visit with Carly? If true, so what? How is that bad???
We all know why the gifts had to stop. I’m sure Carly’s parents felt bad having to stop them and would rather it didn’t get out for fear of being judged. Little did Carly’s parents know, that we actually get it. Still not the earth shattering info that C&T thought it would be.
““My whole thing is your moral ground can’t be shaky,” Tyler said. “It has to be firm…” (LMAO!!!! Does Tyler even think before he talks? He needs to point that finger right at himself)
These two are getting more stupid by the day, I swear. I can’t wait for Brandon and Theresa to finally get a restraining order and get them to shut tf up already about somebody else’s child.
One thing I don’t understand is why Dawn did not encourage C&T to look at couples in Michigan when they said they wanted an open adoption and to be able to send gifts. I think that would have been better since it would be easier to plan visits, and all of this could been avoided.
So they’re big “truth that will come out” is that Brandon and Teresa wanted the travel expenses covered by MTV? Curious as to how much money Catelynn and Tyler made off of those visit episodes…
As far as the accusation that none of the money for appearances was saved for Carly, how would they possibly know that? These are two well-off people, one of whom is a financial advisor, I’m sure both of their children are set with a full college fund and then some. Meanwhile, Catelynn and Tyler still can’t figure out how to pay their taxes and undoubtedly have nothing set aside for the Not-Carlys unless the law/MTV forced them to.
Them comparing B+T and Carly being on the cover of a small, very niche magazine over a decade ago to C+T’s very publicized lives is more of a stretch than Mrs. Incredible could make.
**their
How embarrassing.
Imagine obsessing over someone else’s kid. They need to get a protective order and a gag order. I can’t imagine obsessing over someone else’s kid while neglecting the 3 that are with me. What weirdos.
These two need to drink a big cup of shut the hell up!
Damn aint this a pot meet kettle moment if I’ve ever seen one lol
Perpetual teenagers. Uneducated, Immature, Opinionated and Ignorant.
Exploited ? If anything C & T have exploited B & T’s daughter Carly. Get a life and remember when she gets old enough to know the crap you have said about HER parents, she will most likely not want anything to do with C&T. Again, Cary is B & T is her parents. Just because you gave birth to someone doesn’t mean you are her parents. That ended when you gave her up for adoption. I have no sympathy for C & T.
Catelyn and Tyler, Carly is not your child. Stop talking about someone else’s child and parents!! You are delusional and have crossed all of the boundaries.
I hope B&T get a restraining order that covers all contact, including posting and talking publicly about her and her parents.
Unpopular opinion: B+T are trying to protect Carly same as C+T’s parents SHOULD HAVE protected them. Ultimately they were ill advised about what an open adoption means and they were minors at the time.
It worked out for Carly but I put myself in the place of C+T and I feel the obsessive ache to know the child that came from this situation.
Like them or not, C+T are doing well despite their own parents’ failings. Yes yes yes they need to pay their taxes. But neither ended up in jail/ with addiction problems ~ two cycles that are very hard to break in a family trajectory.
When you grow up without guidance, you enter adulthood as an immature person. There’s no magic wand that turns you into a normal adult that knows how to self-regulate. It’s strange to me that the empathy stops for these individuals on the day they turn 18.
So it’s no surprise that C+T don’t know how to manage their money. No surprise that they don’t know how to navigate this situation and are doing the most awkward, provocative thing they can to bring attention to it. What is a surprise is they haven’t turned to drugs, haven’t gone to jail, take care of their families, and stayed together through all of this. It’s a sad situation all around.
Carly is clearly a 3 year old toddler in that picture. It has nothing to do with her privacy now. It’s the stupidest point to make about Brandon and Theresa. She was a baby and now she’s not.
And of course they wanted to be compensated for their travel?? Why would they ask Cate for money instead of MTV? Maybe because Cate and Tyler got $70,000 for that episode? Talk about that Cate. Mention how you got tens of thousands of dollars, but are. Is acting like Brandon and Theresa exploited Carly for getting their travel reimbursed.
I’ve come to really hate these two.
They shouldn’t be taking money if they want privacy.
That money was used to pay for their travel for the visit. That’s more than fair.
You can’t be for real Monica.
Am I the only one not getting this?!?!?!
So B&T are “exploiting” Carley by:
1. Agreeing to do 16&P when they thought it was going to be a one-off special
2. Doing one parenting magazine over 15 years ago.
3. Expecting to get paid to be on a show the C&T are F**KING getting paid to do
4. Expect that if Carly is filmed even just the back of her or her image is used in any way, she gets paid
5. TM pays their travel expenses to fly them to film a TV show that is making A LOT of MONEY.
Yet C&T are the moral arbitrators…. the two of them have spent the last 16 years using Carly to make all of their money. These two dumb-dumbs are multimillionaires because of Carly… yet her parents just want to be compensated for working and get travel expenses covered, and there are monsters!??!!?
These two are too stupid to have a podcast.
I think it’s because B &T have said for years that they don’t want Carly on the show. But then they agreed to shot pictures as long as they got paid. So, they changed the rules when money was involved. I don’t think they’re saying that B&T are monsters, just inconsistent.
I’m convinced the decision to close the adoption was actually Carly’s. She never looked comfortable with C&T, even in photos we see of them from behind. And things like the photo albums probably weirded her out and were inappropriate gifts anyway.
On Catelynns 16&pregnant episode, one of the very first things she told B&T when she meets them for the first time is that she wanted to be able to send gifts. So, If mean, yeah, it’s messed up that suddenly now it’s a problem.
Except sending gifts is only something Cate has been doing recently to love bomb Carly. She admitted to not sending gifts before. Also, Carly is now a teenager with a voice, not a baby who has no opinion.
See, that’s the real issue isn’t it. People keep saying that C&T need to focus on the kids they do have and leave Carly alone… but when they did that, it was a problem because they were being inconsistent. So they became consistent and suddenly it was a problem again. So really they get criticized either way. They either don’t send enough gifts or too many. I think that’s the point C&T are trying to make. They get criticized for exploiting Carly but it’s fine for B&T to ask for money to show Carly. It’s a double standard thing
Wait, you’re saying that Cate and Tyler didn’t send Carly birthday and Christmas gifts for years because they were too busy with their other children?? And they were trying to give her space? And you’re saying that with a straight face??
Those are two presents a year. That’s it. Weird they found time to have fake birthday parties for Carly (complete with forcing Nova to participate) – televised of course, but couldn’t manage to send her an actual gift. These people don’t have actual jobs. They have the time. They didn’t have an excuse for why they didn’t even though it was their idea and it was agreed to. And now they apparently have the time to send her completely random gifts.
They didn’t start sending gifts until the relationship was already rocky. That’s called love-bombing and it’s manipulative. They know things weren’t going well so they start sending “sister” gifts as a way to remind Carly that she’s theirs.
These two dig this grave for themselves and they keep digging deeper.
Exactly. Cate couldn’t even get that memory/photo album done to give to Carly on one of their visits. She had 13 years or some shit.
Right but it’s like 16 yrs later now and they’re obsessed on national tv. Why do they have to post pics and constantly talk about her? This is prob her decision. They’re embarrassing and delusional
My GO TO SLEEP comment was meant for Kristine.
They have got to stop. This is not helping anyone.
I kept reading to see what B&T had done wrong – never saw it.
God forbid they want compensated for their travel.
Same! I kept reading and saying “Okay,and…?”
Oh my heck. I have questioned C & T’s decision making from the time they have allowed Catelynn’s mother to babysit their kids. Second, regarding the mental health comment, yes Catelynn your actions have been a burden on the mental health of this family due to the public nature of your comments. You likely don’t have a clue regarding the full picture of their lives. B & T are older than you. Did you ever consider they are caring for an aging loved one? A personal health issue? Financial concerns? You think well they haven’t shared that with us. You darn right they wouldn’t because I would trust you to keep it private either.
Notice how Cate said “In my opinion” meaning she is lying. Think about this, what has been their story lines for the last 10 years or so ? CARLY. If it weren’t for Carly no way would they be getting a paycheck from MTV, same goes for Macy.
I also believe she’s lying when she says, and Teresa said, you can’t tell anyone though. I’m almost certain, it was probably said more as this is private, I’d appreciate it if they didn’t talk about it on the show or in a post.
Clearly, Catelynn and Tyler regret the adoption and are taking it out on Brandon and Teresa. They act as if Carly was stolen from them. As an adoptive parent, I feel for Brandon and Teresa. They were trying to do right by Carly, as well as, Catelynn and Tyler. It came back to bite them big time. They should have really limited access and information years ago to just the most basic of updates through the agency. Now Catelynn and Tyler have years of information to twist and skew for their benefit.
Also, can Catelynn and Tyler stop acting like Brandon and Teresa had Carly on the cover of People magazine?! It was an adoption magazine that most people have never heard of, let alone seen.
Well said.
My dad was adopted and we knew his biological mother until she passed away and she never once referred to my dad as HER son or HER boy. She never tried to say she was my grandmother either. She was treated as a family friend. That’s it. She respected the boundaries set by my grandparents and father. And that’s exactly why she got to be in his life and later mine and my siblings until she passed away. C&T stepped over every line that was drawn and now they are vilifying adoption as a whole. It’s so gross. What about the children in foster care that need homes? What about couples who are infertile? I guess screw them all because C&T got their little feelings hurt because someone stood up to them and told them no. It makes me so mad. Also, thank you for being an adoptive parent. That’s a very selfless and hard path. 🩵
I would like everyone to look at that magazine. Bethany Christian Services. Adoption magazine. Their family and the main story Nurturing 2 open adoptions. Let that sink in for all you thinking it was never really open. Those of you thinking they bio parents didn’t want to see her past age 3.
At minimum shame on Bethany. What does that tell you about the information they give and show to birth parents? The couple were claiming at the time they got their hands on another newborn they are open adoption people. Expected at the time of Carly‘s adoption. We saw nothing like an open adoption. Ever.
Open adoption does not mean carte blanche access to the child. It doesn’t even necessarily mean visits. It can literally just be birth parents getting an occasional update and/or picture.
B&T had no idea this would turn in to a 3 ring circus so they had to set new boundaries.
Did every one forget that C & T had to be told to send a Birthday card or Christmas presents?
That apparently skipped their minds for years. So now they are trying to over compensate.
And I have a feeling the gifts are inappropriate. All about what Carly is missing” by not being with them.
Exactly, I believe she asked them to stop, after she sent the “sisters” blanket. She told scare it was inappropriate
Cate*** not scare😊
The time they were late for a visit because cate just HAD to make a creepy scrapbook.
Yes! Cait was so late that they had to almost cancel their plans to see Carly! Cait didn’t care that she was given an opportunity, by B&T, to see Carly. All she cared about was that stupid scrap book ( she threw together at the last minute) even though she doesn’t work.
GO TO SLEEP.
You have no idea what you are talking about. An open adoption can mean as little as you get photos every now and then. My dad’s bio mother got birthday and Christmas photos and one visit a year. But unlike the idiots you are defending she didn’t gross every line that was drawn. Bottom line, and read this CLOSELY, the moment C&T signed over Carly for adoption THAT WAS NOT THEIR CHILD!
*cross
We never saw an open adoption? That’s a wild thing to say when we saw Carly be Cate’s flower girl, there have been multiple visits, and they have (had) cell phone access. That’s beyond any bio parent’s wildest dreams for an open adoption. These two just abused the incredible privilege they were given because they are too dysfunctional to respect people’s boundaries.
Open adoption doesn’t mean an open public adoption which is what C & T have always wanted. When they didn’t get it the adoption became closed. Simple enough.
Cate and Ty are trying so hard to make Brandon and Teresa look bad, and it just proves B&T’s case time and time again. First, B&T do not need anyone’s permission to decide what is best for THEIR daughter! Second, any person with Farrah Abraham’s brain capacity can understand that Teresa specifically said “tell them not to say that I said that” because she felt she had to be clear that her business is not to be made public. This is a safety issue, as Cate and Ty’s insane fans are ready, willing, and able to stalk their family at a moment’s notice.
Finally, Cate and Ty gave no proof that B&T weren’t saving money from the show in an account for Carly!
It is a very clear, and frightening fact, that Care and Ty refuse to face the reality that Carly is not AND NEVER WILL BE their daughter.
*have
Brandon works as a financial advisor. He’s pretty high up at a financial firm, somewhere in the c-suite.
For these two dummies that can’t even figure out how to hire an accountant to pay their taxes, to tell the world they don’t think B&T were saving any of the money for Carly.
They can go touch grass.
They have no idea.
C&T are so hell bent on hating the people who gave Carly a loving home, instead of being angry at the people who actually hurt them, like their own parents. It’s a projection. It’s a mentally handicap garbage dump. Like most abusive people, they won’t let them be happy. Focusing on their own crap would be too much for them, it’s easier to tear down someone else’s life.
The fact that B&T protect Dawn… the woman was a predator. She manipulated them. Dawn and Bethany Christian Services are just the worst for what they have done to bio-parents.
Dawn got a commission for
sellingplacing Carley with B&T.Yet, B&T take it out on the adoptive parents.
I have three kids. Guess what? I’ve never been in contact with or spoken to a single adoption agency. Guess why? Cause I wanted to keep my children with me. I don’t judge people who give up their kids, but when someone goes to an agency designed to find their baby new parents, the agency is going ro do what it’s designed to do. All this “dawn and the agency are predators” is such delusional bullcrap from people who regret giving away their child now that she is raised and they are rich.
Catelynn and Tyler are absolutely repulsive. End of story.
You’re usually less agreeable with C&T than this. The wording choices are super exaggerated to skew in their favor. This write up is weird and redirecting to their episode to listen to? Hmmm.
I do think it’s interesting that they feel that they have nothing to lose. In a short amount of time Carly will get to decide for herself what their relationship will look like. That does seem like something to lose to me.
They wanted to recoup travel costs?? THE NERVE!!
They have a totally different experience on the other end of the adoption and it’s .. gasp… Positive?? OMG!!! HOW DARE THEY!!
C&T must enjoy burying themselves.
Maybe they can all squeeze on Ambers couch together and commiserate over why their kids went NC with them at 16.
Then they can pay their back taxes and get a fkn job.