Do the Alaskan Bush People get paid? We asked! Read our interview with the Brown family.
AWESOME and EXXXTREME news: #AlaskanBushPeople are back for Season 3 on Nov. 11! https://t.co/csWIiiibrP pic.twitter.com/pVaPOVz4cS
— Ryan Berenz (@ChannelGuideRAB) October 22, 2015
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
NEW! Is Alaskan Bush People Fake? Does It Matter?
There were a lot of things about Discovery Channel’s unscripted series Alaskan Bush People that didn’t pass the smell test. Now there’s more foul air surrounding the Brown family, and it’s very likely we’ve seen the last of them on TV.
Commenter Talkeetnachris tipped us to this:
Billy brown was just charged with stealing over $13000 filing fraudulent PFD claims in Alaska. His near life will be in prison. A few other family members were also charged. This guy and his family are frauds. I have lived off the road system for years and these people won’t last a year. You have to be self sufficient. Hell, I even had to stitch a band cut on my leg once. Many of these shows only have entertainment value with no real practical lessons on what really living on your own is about.
Many commenters doubted that the Browns were actually living off the land, as the show depicted. Instead, it appears the Browns may have been living off of fraudulent Alaskan Permanent Fund Dividend applications. According to Anchorage’s KTUU, patriarch “Billy Brown alone faces 24 felony counts and is accused of illegally obtaining $13,080 in dividend cash for himself and others. The charges do not describe why investigators believe the Brown family was not eligible for the dividends that some members received between 2010 and 2013.” Also indicted were five of Billy’s seven children: Amora Jean Snowbird, Joshua “Bam Bam,” Gabriel “Gabe,” Solomon “Bear” and Noah.
This will come as disappointing news to the many fans of the show who appreciated the Browns’ family values and the off-the-grid lifestyle that they claimed to represent. The credibility of Discovery Channel and Park Slope Productions has to be questioned, as they apparently weren’t diligent about checking the Browns’ backgrounds (even before these indictments came to light) and then aired a special episode with the family defending their authenticity. And personally, recapping Alaskan Bush People has been great fun, and I’m going to miss writing about it and reading all of your comments.
I’m so mad, I could punch a fish.
Update: Get this. Discovery Channel says they are “currently filming new episodes.” From the Alaska Dispatch News:
Stair said that between October 2009 and August 2012, the family did not meet the “physical presence requirement” to receive PFDs. This means the state believes the family spent more than 180 days a year living outside of Alaska and lied about it on their applications, Stair said.
Sean Martin, director of communications at Discovery Channel, wrote in an email Thursday that “we don’t divulge our actual shoot dates, so cannot let you know when filming concluded on season one, but can confirm that we are currently filming new episodes, but have not announced those air dates yet.”
I don’t even…
I love this show. It is purely for entertainment and not intended to make any political statement or anything like that.. I like seeing different ways of living this life and the wide variety of personalities.
So, sit back , enjoy the show, and, if you can’t do that, leave the room.
how do they charge that chain saw all chain saws need electric eve the battery pack ones it never dies ,what the name of it I want one like that it will last forever and never have to be charge
It is a gas powered chain saw. No electric needed. I own one myself.
……i dont care if show is fake ir real keep show running,,,,my hub is real sick as well as i …with cancer real bad,,,would love to send the brown family some gifts,,,how do i do that?………cant wait for the next season wheather or not its real or not idc we love the show…………thank u missy…..
The show has made our lives better ,,,,we are very sick with cancer and this show fills our livesvwith enjoyment who cares if its real or fake as long as pep like it thats all that matters,,,,too much evil in the world with killing and death and sickness,,,,its nice to watch something thats not evil on tv,,,,keep it running,,,,,would love to send them gifts how do we do that,,,,,please tell me how to send them gifts…..anyone know ,,,,,.thank u stacey
Well I like the show but realize it is fairly fake.
The food thing gives a lot away as how they are managing – how are some of these people so big muscular and the dad is very overweight when they supposedly eating wild animal and fish?
That can’t be healthy or fat building like on the dad of the show. And their teeth, the condition that can seem to be in can cause serious illness. How did their teeth get so bad – nutrition lack? Are they taking some kinda of tablets to get some vitamins since all they appear to eat is a skillet of fried wild animal?
And the filming crew. What are they eating and sleeping in while out there? Doubt they can all exist on a bite or two of a deer or a fish?
It is a job, understand that but do not believe the crew is eating and sleeping out in the weeds even if the Browns are.
Maybe the Browns and film crew pack up at end of day and head to motel and resterant
No new Bush People recap this week, but I still managed to write many words about many Bush People thoughts: Is Alaskan Bush People Fake? Does It Matter?
I love a show were a family sticks together and resolves problems in the bush, you can see how close they are. it sure beats all the evil , vampire , zombie and mans lack of humanity shows that seam to fill TV screens
I admire how this family works together. They demonstrate family unity and cooperation. Imagine if we lived in a society where Mothers were actually home to raise the children they chose to bring into this world as opposed to tossing the children in daycare to be raised by others. I love the Brown family values. They are an example to every human being.
I love this show I want to know what they going to do for the winter.please bring it back this summer. Keep show on.
Bye bye I hope they can bush in prison lol
I love the show who cares if they did maybe they had a good reason to do what they did.
So, theft and fraud is alright as long as you have a good reason. SERIOUSLY????
I would like to send a gift to rain and snow bird a gift what is the address or how can I do this
That is a great idea, I think they all could use some oral hygiene products.
We enjoy the show and my husband which is sick and has to pass his time by watching TV can watch the Alaska Reality Show over over over and over again and wait for the new ones.
Thank you for making my husbands life a little more enjoyable.
I love this show. I admire and respect The Browns. If only I were in my twenties again. I would be a neighbor and knock on a tree. I am living a dream through The Brown Family.
Um, I think you need some serious professional help.
Too many things happening all time billy getting sick both times while cabin being built. Stressing about how they don’t need the outside world to survive. Making it a point that they have lost everything, suddenly they have a huge roll of plastic wrap that the son claimed he had been hanging on for years. How everthing they own is in two boats yet when the begin to build a cabin the have saws,hammers, shovels, nails chain saws that run on blended gas. Now even hard hats. Children that each have their own accents. On that note. There are more Alaskan wilderness shows out their on other cable channels where the second generation of children don’t have strange accents.? Being driven from their home twice, always the pressure of getting a safe shelter before the snow flies. I watched for a while but cannot anymore you have insulted your audiences intelligence and that is incourageable. Previous comments compare the Alaskan bush people to Alaska The Last Fronteir? You wish ,in your wildest dreams folks. I’m done with the bush people, I’d rather watch my car rust. Take the money that you stick into this comic book and put a few more live cams up around Ottos and Charlottes homestead. Or their kids place. They make no premise that they choose a moderate subsistence lifestyle and embrace it. By for more respectful .
I am sure they have received monies for the show. If this is only
A show and not real it was sure entertaining. And most of reality shows aren,t true, just let us see what they want us to see.
All fake douchbags. They’d never last a week I the real “bush”. Fake pieces of crap. All the boys Re maladjusted freaks.
I think these people are real. They are much like the Kilchers from Alaska The Last Frontier, accept they got their piece of land a lot later. They are those kind of people who just like to be in nature, people who do not like crowded cities. In the first episodes of season 2 they worked to get the money for everything they need in the bush. It makes sense, living in the bush does not mean running around bare naked. Living in the bush has it advantages. No tax, no utility bills and no mortgage payments. These people live off the land maybe 95%. They barter some stuff for other stuff and yes, the probably get some money for being on the show. They want to live in the bush, not to be 100% cut off from other people. The money they earn can be used for ammo, fuel, medicines and other important necessaries. It’s a choice of life. Take Otto Kilcher from Alaska the Last Frontier, the man has a net value of $ 4 million, but still chooses to homestead with his family. In the near future the Browns maybe doing the same, with each family member having its own house. I hope they never cancel this show. It’s a show, enjoy it or turn off your tv.
Well said Patrick…I agree!!
I think the bush people are not what they want you to believe they are come on 3 full ground guys and a daughter that is in her 20’s and they still live with their Mother & Father. why do you think they got run out of their other home they built because the boy’s go to town and go after the girls there. Do you really think that the men that live there are are going to just let some guys come in and try to take the girls from the town. And were do they get all this gas they use. And why didn’t they use the logs in the woods to build a cabin that’s what people do when they live in the woods.
It is difficult and TIME CONSUMING to use logs. You need specific equipment. If on a time crunch before winter, I would not be a purist either. You do what you can with what you have. Clans and tribes used to all live, work and play together. It is healthier to have a tribe outlook. Peopke are way too selfish these days. Looking out for the community or clan as a whole creates a more well adjusted, compassionate centered human being. What straight single male would not be interested in dating within their area? If you watched the proram, it has been stated a plethora of times that they will all have their own dwellings. Even after the cabin was built the boys were staying in other dwellings, like the trapper shack. Allreality programming is entertainment, not a documentary. Watch it or don’t.
Did anyone notice that Matt seemed more excited about the guy at the junk yard than he did the girls at the pizza place?
That was strange behavior to me for a young guy.
I found that behavior strange. He was excited to meet the guy but the girls not so much. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
I don’t like scammers though.
I don’t think Matt and the monkey brother (don’t know his name) are mature enough to be interested in girls. The two seem to mainly want to play most of the time, one in the trees and Matt in his seran wrap house.
Hee hee that part cracked me up. I think Matt just made a friend. He was way more interested in the junkyard than the girls. I can’t help but like Matt, he’s my favorite.
Great show if everthing isn’t real it’real enough for me keep the series running
Well said
I absolutely love this show and hope it doesn’t get canceled.
Damnit!!!
I looked forward to this show..