Do the Alaskan Bush People get paid? We asked! Read our interview with the Brown family.
On Tuesday, May 6, at 10pm ET/PT, Discovery Channel introduces new reality series Alaskan Bush People, which follows the nine-member Brown family as they journey 1,500 north in the Alaskan wilderness to build a one-room cabin on their new land before the winter and the darkness bring cold and death.
RELATED: What happened to Discovery Channel’s Alaskan Bush People?
Alaskan Bush People Season 1 Recaps: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | The Wild Life
Season 2 Recaps: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Wild Times | Episode 9 | Episode 10 | Episode 11 | Episode 12 | Episode 13 | Episode 14 | SHARK WEEK! | Episode 15 | Episode 16 | Lost Footage | The Wild Year
Now, when I was first told about the premise of Alaskan Bush People, I was expecting perhaps a depiction of some authentic Inuit culture or something. But this is a Discovery Channel reality show, so instead, the Brown family is more like those stoners you knew in high school, though far, far more motivated and industrious.
The patriarch is Billy Brown, who with his wife, Ami, has seven kids. The first five are boys (I’ll get to them in a bit). Billy and Ami chose to live in the Alaskan wilderness, and they’ve raised their family in a remote cabin, which, unfortunately, was built on public land and burned to the ground by the government. Harsh.
So the family is looking for a new homestead, and they’ve purchased some cheap land even more in the middle of nowhere than their previous land in the middle of nowhere. They pack up the SUV and a trailer and head from Ketchikan or thereabouts 1,500 miles north to near Chitina or thereabouts.
Now, about the boys. They’re the real color of the show. The one called Bear appears to be the most interesting. He’s EXTREME! He runs everywhere. He climbs trees … to the TOP! “One of my main skills is my extremeness, actually,” he boasts. He’s sort of like a hybrid of snowboarder Shaun White and Saturday Night Live‘s Mr. Peepers. The oldest son is Matt, who says, “Fishing is both my best quality and one of my worst flaws.” (Oh, the paradox that is fishing!) Gabe is the strong-backed, weak-minded one. The boy is an ox. “On a strength level, how strong I am would be pretty darn strong,” he says, unable to numerically quantify things. Noah is the MacGyver of the bunch, and can fix anything. Anything, that is, except his bum ankle that makes him all gimpy. Bam Bam (his grandpappy liked The Flintstones) is the bespectacled one and he seems to have managerial skills that may someday allow him to work in the one Arby’s location in Alaska.
On the route to Chitina, the trailer blows a tire, which stops their journey (and just grinds this whole TV series to a halt after 10 whole minutes). So they haul the SUV into the nearest area inhabited by humans to get a comparably sized tire, leaving two of the boys behind to build a fire and defend the trailer against a distant, disinterested moose. “The sun is literally falling,” says Bear, whose extremeness is figuratively boundless. Hours later, the rest of the family returns with the replacement tire, which is just a tad too big and requires someone to bend the hell out of the fender to install. Nice work, MacGyver boy.
The family arrives at their land the following day, and they get to work building a temporary “trapper shack” that will give them shelter and protection at least through the night. The sun is literally falling and so are the temperatures, and the trapper shack is kind of half-assed and plastic covered. They’re leaving someone outside with a shotgun for “bear watch” shifts, while the rest of the family gets their sleeping arrangements set. This involves digging “hip holes” and “head holes” into the dirt. Take note, good people at Sealy.
Some of the boys have to go and “bury the meat” (stop laughing!). No, friends, this is literally burying the meat in the ground so it stays cold.
Construction continues the following day. Our dear narrator teases us with the promise of “a deadly mistake.” A tree falls and nearly takes out Bam Bam, but other than being pissed off at his brothers, he’s perfectly fine. The deadly mistake resulted in nothing. Already the show is lying to us.
With the trapper shack built, they can finally start working on the foundation of their permanent shack. But it turns out that the trees in the area ain’t no damned good and are too scrawny for cabin construction. Billy now needs lumber, and is forced to go into the nearest town, Chitina, to try and find someone with wood who is willing to barter. (BTW, everyone in these parts has guns, and they spend most of their free time shooting at street signs.)
Billy and one of the boys head to Uncle Tom’s Tavern, which looks like it might be the Mos Eisley of Alaska, and meet a few of the locals. Billy explains his situation. The locals laugh at him, telling him that it gets really cold out there and he’d better get his house built soon, because that’s the kind of local wit and wisdom you can only get at Uncle Tom’s Tavern in Chitina. The barkeep knows a lumber guy, but the lumber guy’s price is $10,000 (lumber guy has acting lessons to pay for). Billy barters with lumber guy, offering caribou and the indentured servitude of his five male offspring. Lumber guy eventually accepts, probably because the show’s producers told him to, and because the death of nine people is not something you want on your conscience.
And so, what do you think of Alaskan Bush People? Are the Browns rugged individualists or nutjobs? And, more importantly, do you care enough to keep watching this show to see if winter comes and they’re forced to eat the camera crew?
Photo: Credit: Discovery Channel
If they are so isolated, how do they know phrases like ‘good to go’? Or how to do Tai chi?
Well, obviously they are not that isolated. They are just homesteaders not head hunters from Papua New Guinee.They have guns, sun glasses, modern clothing and winter shoes, etc.Homesteadres trade conveniences of modern living, for freedom.Ofcourse they have to go to town from time to time.More than likely, if you have a driver licence, you will know words like these and others…They also have money., even if they barter…
because it’s fake..and a poorly written show…
http://muskogeemugs.com/single.php?id=8257
Well,I have read many of the comments you people have wrote. It seems many do not have an idea of what it would take to live this way. Hey maybe these people lived this way at some time in their life or even live sorta like this now, how do we know? This is a reality show people. To live this way is interesting for sure.Maybe at some time in their life they lived this way and they are showing what it could be like. I did enjoy watching this show. Will I watch this show again sure. Keep up the good work guys.
Good Luck to you too….
http://muskogeemugs.com/single.php?id=8257
I went over the comments, again. Those negative ones. Something is missing from these comments. Many repeat this word like lemings : ” fake”, and few even use the expression : ” Even for Discovery Chanel is a new low” (sic!)…Perhaps they said this after they took a break from MTV, HBO, Maury Povich Show, Jerry Springer, and other classy and real shows….Back to this ” fake ” word…Well, these wise experts refuses to tell us, those with bad spelling and under 14, ” WHATS FAKE ?????…The story?…hundreds of famillies did this in the last century?…The individuals are fake???…What?…Are they hollywood actors playing hillbillies?…The run down SUV is fake?…or the trailer?….maybe the woods…or the other people in Chitina…Or parhaps that hamlet named Chitina is fake. And everything is filmed in an hangar somewere in Burbanks California…Why do the Browns do not speek english without accent?…Well for some intelligent people, thats enough evidence that the show is ” fake”….OK! You wise guys with pefect spelling and bonafide american names, you convinced me….From now I will watch only unfake reality shows like White House press conferences, Obama speeches(“If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.Period !”), The Kardashinas show, Jersey Shores, Cheaters, Here comes Boo Boo, and manyn many other, unfake shows that are not at this low level like the Browns familly…Onother day in Assylum, where the Patients are running it….
is this the “supposed” Dad on the show…..
hmmmm….
http://muskogeemugs.com/?post_date=2011-09-17
What a scam artist…
No idiot! The dad’s full name is Billy Bryan Brown!
Well,
there was nothing else on…so I watched 3 episodes of this.
I don’t believe it’s real, but is entertaining. The father just seems like an old lazy hippie. he has no real skills, and is just a lazy bull-shitter who has smoked WAY too much cannabis in his day. They seems like squatters rather than real, whatever a bush person is. The dad probably comes from California and the 60’s were good to him and his baked wife.
To keep 5 grown men in the same room, tent, shelter, whatever you call it..with 2 girls…one is 18?…come on….who would do that.That is wrong. To keep them from contact from people…that is wrong. Only a selfish, burnt out ex-hippie like the father would think it would be OK to do this.
The Mother is fried as well. If they do this…really?…Kind of abusive don’t you think?
The tent must stink, how do they wash after a long day of cutting trees down and whatever else they do. They look like they are just camping, not surviving. There is a difference.
The accent?…wtf is this…I don’t know if it is Australian, British, …or somehow they watched Thor too many times….come on.
They are a bizarre bunch, never the less.
The comments crack me up….
Well, jackcash, depends from which angle see this situation.Your observation about the hippy parents, cannabis, biker, ’60 ,etc. are more than likely correct. The second paragraf of your comment, I think is off mark…You ignore(even thou you mentioned), that the children , exept the last girl, are all old enough to decide if they want to have this life style or to go to town, to civilization. So the word ” abuse” does not apply in this situation. Now regarding the stink ,hygiene, crowded tent, etc.,etc…I have a sugestion for you jackcash…Maybe will be more palatable for you. Think of the Browns like those hippies,in that park,in New York across from Stock Exchange building, on the Wall Street, a couple a years ago. The 99% ers…remember them?…Think of Browns as being the 99% ers, without doing drugs, alcohool,cursing , defacating in park,and being anti capitalists and anti succes….I tough that ,to be a 99% er was something nobil and to be aplauded and respected…jackcash , regarding skills, between the ex hippies of this show and those of the 99% ers, you are wrong. At least the father hunts, forages, and raised 7 kids.And he did this without moaning, with envy , protesting and demanding freebees, because has no skills.On the other hand, those human debree, in NY park, whishes to take down the capitalist sistem just becouse they are a failure in life, demanding that others to support them. So think as the Browns as the 99% that doesn’t bother no one, specially those with skills and rich… Why do you feel the need to go back decades ago in ’60 to make your point ?…That was half century ago…Don.t you believe in forgiveness,redemption, etc.,etc…jackcash I know a guy without any skills, and totally a real fake, an empty suit, that was in ’70 in a constant stupor , smoking cannabis , and drinking beer almost daily. And that guy is today the president of this country…Probabil you jackcash voted for him twice…What do you think?…Do the Browns deserve some lenience and understanding, from you and others ?…
You Hvae WAY too much time on your hands dude…..you try to appear intelligent…but we all know the truth.
It’s ok….not your fault I guess…your just ignorant.
BTW the father is fake…dumbass…as is this made up show…..search him out…see what a smart person like you finds…Billy Ray Bryan…also Billy Brown….
Good Luck fool….
look, to everyone who has shit in there mouth to say about the browns, this is there life not yours! you don’t have to watch it if you don’t like it or agree, I would do anything to live like that one day. one on one with the world first hand and if you really think about how in the hell did the first settlers live? they do it the right old way, and there is no life better. every one today doesn’t even notice the leaves change or how beautiful the sky is, you never look up and you never look around! the brown family is perfect in there own way and if you don’t like tough shit bitch. you don’t like them don’t watch them but I love them all, and I respect there choice and honor there way of living. and just for the record matt is the most sexiest man I have ever seen. if I ever saw him in person I couldn’t look him in the eye because he is just too beautiful in every way.
and for all you other men out there if you cant do anything that they can then you are not a real man. and a real man is hard as hell to come by and damn right im watching them and I will as long as I can.
http://muskogeemugs.com/single.php?id=8257
Now I see how Obma got elected……some people will believe anything.
This show is ridiculous. When they left the two guys to guard the trailer they acted like no one had ever slept outside in Alaska before…. ” they could be killed by bears, or moose, or even people”
Next episode, they waited until they ran out of water before even looking for more, then they drive into town to find it? Because the rivers are too muddy? Anyone who has ever been outside the city limits for fifteen minutes knows you look for water first of all, before you need it.
Will I watch it? Hell yeah!
Hey Stu…Thats not fair.Comparing the low information voters of Obama with those that like the Browns’ show….Its one thing to believe Obama when he said in Colorado,in 2008, that with his election the oceans will stop rising(sic!) and the planet will heal, and another thing when Billy(I think that’s his name), shakes hand with the guy from lumber mill promissing him a caribou in 24 hrs. and his 5 adult sons to work for him as a payment in exchange for the lumber…Now Stu which kind of people are morons? Obama voters or those who like this show?…The oceans are still rising(even after the morons re elected Obama), and the planet refuses to heal.On the other hand the lumber mill guy got his caribou within 24 hrs. and we shall see if the Brown boys will work at the lumber mill as a payment for the lumber…
Give it a rest duse defending them…..do you have nothing better to do?…or do you just defend everyone that likes guns…..and stinks…
http://muskogeemugs.com/single.php?id=8257
I can’t believe all the mentally challenged comments on here bashing something they know nothing about. what did you expect some outback aboriginals? I know these people and the show is about the family and some people in Alaskan bush country. The Forrest service (forrest cops 0 have so many ppl they are running rampant in the woods. they actually got snowmobiles to patrol the mountains around Ketchikan and our clubs lands and then crashed end over end and we had to ride their sleds out ,we never saw them again . they are burning down forrest service cabins like crazy although theirs plenty o locals that want to adopt them. The feds have turned the entire state into a giant park for the lower 48 scum , who want to run it because they have turned the entire lower 48 into a toilet. These people are super hardworking, not on the Obama welfare state. watch all six episodes before rendering judgement. Ive lived in cessafornia and Oregon and Washington theyre cutting down trees at breakneck speed , they’ve banned most logging here. Just stay down there and keep outta my state . oh and by the way the natives here are all taken care by the government , billions spent every year fre eye nose throat full medical houses land etc. unreal, then they hack down all their trees and leave devastation then go broke an ask for more , you poor ppl from down under are pathetic.
Can you please make even broader statements?
Throw in a little bit more racism while you are at it.
You are definitely making a great impression on people not from “your” state.
This show makes Amish mafia believable.
I agree….
look up Billy Ray Bryan…
he used the name Bill Bryan Brown to write his made up book…
what is wrong with you people I like this show most of you ar a bunch of haters I would love to live like this it is a good show
. . , . , ! . , . . ?
(Feel free to use some)
Lets see : they don’t dink alcohool, check!…The Browns don’t do drugs, not even “medicinal” drugs, check!…They don’t cus, check!…They don’t steal, they buy or barter,check!…They don’t go..postal…after the Goverment goons burn their shack with All their possesions, check!…Ah!…One more for the followers of the new religion.For the Church of Ecological Fundamentalism, the Browns have a minuscul carbon foot print. Exact what the multi milionares from Hollywierd demand from everybody else.Check this one too!…Well, I will watch the Browns….One more thing. I never understood(but I do), why so many say that ” its a new low for Dicovery Channel”…The snobs , the stone throwers, the holy ones amongst us, write this…I can fill this blog with a lot of shows, where the blipping happens at every other word, and where, the crassness, vulgarity, fakeness, immorality, are presented as ” familly shows”, and “normal” life style…Repet: The Pacients are running the Assylum…
This article made Gabe so mad that he ran to Chitina to post this reply. He just wanted to prove that he knows big words like “pacients”…
Hi, Gabe.
Like I said, your name isn’t helping much. Sounds like your about 14 and almost hitting puberty. Thats where you mature and learn respect.
Scott I am sorry.You see…not everybody is… blessed…with a deep and inteligent name like “Scott”.I’m sure Einstein’s nickname was : Scott,before the age of 14. I asume you passed the threshold of puberty. I say that becouse you sign with : ” Scott ” , and not : ” Scotty “…. But , Scott, if my nickname impressed you so much, I will explain to you where it comes from. I will do it. Just for you. Out of respect for you, of course. ” Alamar” contain the first 3 letters of the state of Alaska, followed by the first 3 letters of my first name. Your comment it’s another example that conffirms, that the Patients( Hello Derp Dee Doo),are running the Assylum…I say that becouse the NICKNAME of “Alamar” is dissturbing to you, vizavi of intelect, age and respect, but the nick name of your compatriot : Derp Dee Doo, which oozes of inteligence,maturity and commonality, does not make uou to scratch your head…Otherwise, I tell you Scott what I told the other nimrod arrogant and condescendent : You two/too don’t disagree with my comments written above.No.The only weapon you and your intellectual twin, Derp Dee Doo, have, is : personal attacks…that marinates in : arrogance, condencendence, ignorance and intolerance, elements wich strugle hopeless to cover the thin film of inteligence, exposed in yours patetic comments. P.S. Scott, when the time I hope will never arrive, to have your respect, I will have to reasses my view of Life itself. And run in the opposite direction. Good lack(sic!) to you…
Alamar is obviously a Bush Troll..
I would like to apologize.My english is limited.Especially the spelling. English is my second language.I see that your first language is personal attacks.I also see that you don’t disagree with what I wrote above.The only thing you found is my miss spelling.Good luck to you…
No No No……that’s not accurate ……
They don’t drink alcohol…or do drug’s…….Anymore……
See…….it’s accurate this way.
Thank you for your attention.
Very disappointed in regard to your take on the show. It’s been my experience that people with low self esteem find joy in degrading other people. I do not think this is a family of idiots and I would love to see you star in your own reality show where YOU survive and THRIVE in the Alaskan Bush…..what a review that would be!
Step one… point out your special “experience”.
Step two… prove your experience correct by degrading the author.
Step three… profit.
? <that's a question mark
I think you just type whatever is on your obviously small mind. I'm actually starting to feel sad for you. Like Will Ferrel said on step brothers. "You need f&"king medicated. < that's what's on my mind. < I'm trying to see it from your point of view!!!
I sense some jealous people talking bad about this tv show. Just because you didn’t get picked for your lame idea and embarrassing life doesn’t mean you trash talk this family. Discovery channel doesn’t survive on your tv show, now does it? This is a interesting show, and I will watch it. Thanks discovery. I enjoy the jealous fools that trash talk this family and this show. I look forward to more trash talking. Show me how jealous you really are!!!!!! Hahaha
So jealous.
Extremely jealous.
I wish I could be myself from 15 years ago. I’m super jealous of that person.
That person actually watched semi-educational shows on the Discovery Channel. That person probably even learned something on the History Channel that had to do with history and not pawn shops, aliens or swamp people.
Super jealous.
What’s 15 years ago have to do with this conversation? Sounds like your jealous of that person you was. Obviously you didn’t learn much from your “semi-educational” show.
I don’t believe the Browns could survive the coast of Oregon in the winter. What a slap in the face to those Alaskans who live the simple but hard way of life that they live. Survival is not easy in extreme conditions and the longer you do it the better you get but it don’t get any easier!
You don’t believe, bla, bla, bla…There are many…unbelievers like you…Many don’t believe in guns either…But guns exist…Why don’t you have the pacience a wait to see the next episodes ?…After few episodes I bet, you will beleive…
You should believe in a spell checker.
I agree……hope they have enough Duct Tape…
geesh……
Wow! This show is incredibly stupid and I am so disappointed in Discovery for airing it as a “non-fiction” reality show. Im from Alaska and the show starts with many many flaws! 1) You CANNOT drive to “The Bush”. You can only fly or boat to those locations. 2) Anyone living in the Alaska Bush would know you cannot build a shelter using rope and duct tape. People in the bush would be FAR more prepared for the winter and ready to build a shelter. 3) If the Brown Family have lived in Alaska and the bush for many years, they would not “move” right before winter hit. They would make due until winter was gone and use the warm months to build a home. People can die in the cold and if there is anyone that would know that best, it would be people living in the bush.
There were soooo many things wrong with this show. I just hope that people dont actually think people in Alaska are THAT stupid. Its really ashame, because the people that actually live in the bush are some of the most interesting people in the world, and Discovery gives us THIS? Wow!
Nancy,after I red your…to quote you : ” incredibly stupid and disappointed ” comment, I said like yoy did : ” Wow!”..#1)You could drive if you can in the bush.You can use ATV, snow machine,and any and every means of transportation, including dog sleds.The land that Brown purchased its about 1 hr. drive to the closest hamlet.Its of the grid.I don’t know what it is your deffinition of : “alaskan bush”, but compared with the 125 residents of Chitina which live on the grid, Browns live “in the bush”.To drive 1 hr. to get water, that alone,qualifies as living in the bush.Don’t you think?…#2) Anyone living in Alaska knows that when you arrive in the bush late in the season, with limited supplies and a wife a child you will build a TEMPORARY shelter out af any and everything.Including duck tape, rope, tarp, moss, and any thing that will keep you and your familly alive, until you built something else more permanent…#3) The Brown familly moved from panhandle of Alaska(South East) WHEN the events permited them to move.You , I , and others dont know the details.Details like : when the transaction of purchasing the land ended.When the Browns could earn enough money to purchase tools, fuel, chain saws, food, supplies,etc.,etc.When the hand me down beat up SUV occured, to have transportation.Perhaps, the Browns have choosen between living another WET cold winter around Ketchikan, without shelter, or to take the chance late in the season to go north and try to build a cabin before the freeze arrives up north.About the stupidity of alaskans…Hmmm…Just turn the radio , tv or computer on and you will be bombarded every day every hour with stupid things that people do, inside or outside Alaska…What its realy ashame Nancy, its your IGNORANCE, your rush to judgement, premature and whitout all the relevant facts.I don’t know if there “so many things wrong with this show”, to quote you again, at this early stage of the serries, but I can say with certainty there are so many thing wrong with your understanding of life in the bush, understanding when to judge something AFTER you gathered all the facts, and is something very wrong with your miopic and distorted view of Browns….P.S. I own 15 Ac. in “the bush” few miles north east of Talkeetna.I’m planing to build a cabin there in the future, with a friend and his sons, they build houses for a living in Seattle area.I hope I will have de skills, wisdom, cojones and fortitude that the Browns have,to live free and out of this rat race, and so call “civilization”. And of cource criticised, and ridiculised by the arm chair experts in bush living and of the grid living…Good luck to you Nancy…P.S.Do not become an reality show critic…And avoid been part of trials as a impartial juror.
Dictionary much?
actually Discovery gave us this…..
http://muskogeemugs.com/single.php?id=8257
Come on Discovery Channel. Sounds like you’re trying to mimic the real life of Bobby Hale, aka Papa Pilgrim.
Are Billy and Ami the parents real names?
If Billy wrote children’s books, what name did he write them under? What about the other books he has supposedly written? Where are he and Ami from originally? What are their backgrounds?
Their children were home schooled; how many languages do they speak?
No.
Their real names can’t be used because they are in the witness protection program.
Billy Longbeard
He has written many well known books. Unfortunately, none of them were about proper tooth care.
His other books include wilderness survival guides. His books are so good that he actually becomes one of the next hosts of Dual Survival.
Billy and Ami are from the corner of Haight and Ashbury.
Their backgrounds include smoking pot, riding motorcycles and building houses on random land that isn’t theirs.
Two
1 – “Bush English”
2 – Whatever language they use when they speak to each other
Stop asking so many questions!
Producing a show is hard enough without worrying about things like “back story” or “context”…
WOW!!!!!!
This person is definitely jealous of this family. Someone who puts this much time into down grading this family must not have a life. Can’t say your not jealous now. And by the way, your name doesn’t really show you watch semi educational shows. Quit while your ahead.
Look into……
Billy Ray Bryan…….
and Billy Bryan Brown….also, I guess if you grow up in a cabin, somehow you take on a very odd Australian accent of some sort..
Five adult sons ages 20-30 and still content to live without female companionship? Not likely. Also, they say they are bush people, but one has Elvis sideburns and the other one glasses. It just doesn’t add up. I’ve lived in Alaska for 64 years, and in my opinion, the show is more like a SNL skit than reality.
I completely agree with you Coleen. We laughed the entire time. There are far too many things wrong that just dont add up. How did they find out about doing the TV show, if they havent lived with electricity?
Ups…You two spoke too soon…Did you see the second episode?…Some say that what you two have is a condition of what some call : ” foot and mouth disease”…
I suffer from two feet and mouth disease.
It’s like “foot and mouth disease” but with less limping.
yeah…..those poor girls…….it’s the father’s fault, whatever happens..
How much is the Discovery Channel paying the Browns? I doubt that they are doing this gratis.
I hope they get pay!…Just reading theese nasty comments around here, and the annal exam they get from ignoramuses, and the guy Ryan Berenz,the Browns deserve a hefty pay…
at least they were polite to each other and the folks at the bar, not like all the other “reality” shows
dont know how dad got such a big belly living in the wild