The “Maury” talk show first aired a DNA-test episode in 1998, meaning ‘Maury paternity babies’ are reaching the age when they can finally tell their stories. Some pop culture phenomena stick with you long after they’re gone, even if you would prefer that they didn’t. “Maury” might be one of the best examples of that. Hosted by Maury Povich, the show became known for allowing men to take paternity tests, with Povich gravely announcing before a studio audience whether or not they were the father.

“Maury” was perhaps one of the most obvious examples of daytime TV mimicking the drama of reality shows. Sure, some people tuned in religiously and ate up every dramatic second, but others were decidedly uncomfortable with such personal matters being discussed on a TV show for all the world to see. In retrospect, it makes you wonder what happened to all of those people who aired their dirty laundry for any interested viewers.

A ‘Maury paternity baby’ has decided to speak out after the host told her dad, ‘You are not the father.’

A woman named Kayla shared a TikTok video that showed her watching part of the episode of “Maury” she was involved with. 

“My ‘Maury’ episode is my ice breaker and I’ll never stop talking about it,” she wrote in the caption. 

Kayla laughed as her TV showed her mother, Missy, and her possible father, Freddie, talking to Povich about their relationship. In his overly intense way, Povich informed Freddie, “You are not the father.”

Naturally, people wanted more details, and Kayla provided them in two subsequent videos. 

“So, I don’t know if this is real or fake,” she admitted in the first video. “Uh, my mom claims that it was all an act. Freddie claims that he didn’t know, and his reaction was real.”

In the second video, Kayla shared more information about her family. She said that her mom had a total of six kids, with most, if not all, having different fathers. Missy was unable to care for them, so most of them were sent to live with various family members or placed in foster care. 

“Life was troubling,” she concluded. “I’m not gonna say that it was wonderful … I don’t wanna tear her down, but I don’t wanna, like, hype her up either.”

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It’s not fair for children to have their lives televised in this way.

Kayla’s life sounds like it has been difficult. It leaves one to wonder what kind of impact being on national TV at such a young age had on her. In the “Maury” clip she showed, she looked like she was a toddler when she was featured on the show. And, of course, at that age, she had no say in the matter.

This issue mirrors what we see today, with the rise of parenting influencers and the constant filming of children for social media. Kids’ most vulnerable, and sometimes embarrassing, moments are being shared for the whole world to see, with no thought of what they might want.

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Having your most personal moments shared as a kid has major psychological consequences.

Mental health practitioner Ankita Guchait, MBPsS, stated, “Although the psychological toll of kidfluencing is often invisible, it is profound. These children face emotional abuse, developmental disruption, and identity loss, alongside the known risks of burnout and online harassment.”

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Guchait also said that being filmed in this way causes children to lack autonomy over their own lives, something that follows them into adulthood. This can cause anxiety, identity confusion, and emotional dysregulation. Perhaps the worst part is that it’s all happening with their parents’ OK. “The boundary between caregiver and content producer collapses,” she said.

It’s impossible to know how much of the difficult life Kayla described came as a direct result of being on “Maury” when she was just a few years old. But evidence shows that children placed in this position do not fare well. Having such a personal part of your life put on display when you have no control over it is hugely unfair.

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Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.