abstract
| - One Million Moms is a website aimed at mobilizing parents to engage content creators alleged to have connections with the exploitation of children in popular media. The site is administered by the American Family Association, an organization created to promote fundamentalist Christian values who are most often concerned with issues related to same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion. Following the premiere of The Muppets on ABC, One Million Moms published a blog expressing their interpretation of the show's tone. The article claimed that parents would be "shocked" that the show did not represent "what Jim Henson imagined and created", and placed special emphasis on the Muppets openly discussing their nudity and the nature of the characters' (and subsequent promiscuity). They took issue with Miss Piggy's stance as a feminist and pronounced the Muppets as "not suitable for family viewing". The assertion was made that ABC had "ruined" the Muppets, and that parents would discover the show's "perverted nature" too late. In turn, they urged their followers to raise awareness amongst friends and family, and stressed that their readers take action against ABC to "drop all plans to air the program". Following news that the series had been assigned a new showrunner, the article was updated to imply that the show would take a new direction, and would reduce "blatant adult references". Blame for low ratings was placed on the initial attempt to take the Muppets in a more adult direction during the creation of the series. They further suggested that their involvement in a public outcry for keeping the Muppets kid-friendly may have been responsible for the network's decision to tone the show down. After ABC decided not to renew the series in May 2016, One Million Moms claimed responsibility for its cancellation in a memo issued a month later. Monica Cole, speaking on behalf of the organization, stated "The show was a flop mainly because it was aimed at a mature audience and addressed subjects not suitable for family viewing." Cole went on to call the series "crude" and "perverted", finally praising The Lord that the show got the axe: "These accomplishments are the result of the Lord's blessing on the prayers, action alerts, email letters, and gifts from concerned and generous supporters."
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