Honey Boo Boo Claims No Earnings from TLC Show Amid Mother’s Addiction Struggles

Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson, now 19, has revealed a troubling side to her child stardom, claiming she never saw a cent from her TLC reality show, "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo." Rising to fame at age 5 on "Toddlers & Tiaras," Thompson alleges her mother, June "Mama June" Shannon, mismanaged her earnings, including taking $35,000 from her 2019 "Dancing with the Stars" appearance, only recently repaid without an apology.

Shannon’s struggles with drug addiction cast a long shadow over Thompson’s childhood. During her mother’s active addiction, Thompson’s older sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird, stepped in, taking custody when Alana was 14. "She started locking her doors," Thompson recalled, sensing something was deeply wrong. Public humiliation followed, with school peers taunting her about Shannon’s televised lows, including a 2019 arrest for drug possession alongside her then-boyfriend, Geno Doak.

Shannon, now five years sober, admitted to a staggering $2,500-a-day drug habit that led her to sell her home and belongings, leaving the family broke. Despite this, Thompson has forged her own path, now a junior in college studying nursing in Colorado, where she lives with her boyfriend, Dralin Carswell. Forgiveness for her mother has been tough but necessary. "She’s my mom," Thompson said, though she keeps expectations low.

Thompson’s resilience shines through as she focuses on her future, determined to rise above her reality TV past and build a meaningful career in healthcare.