Do the Alaskan Bush People get paid? We asked! Read our interview with the Brown family.
In Discovery Channel’s Alaskan Bush People Season 2 Episode 12, “Bloodlines” (June 19), the Browns have boat trouble which sends the boys into Hoonah looking for work to pay for the repairs. Ami is forced to confront her past when an Alaska State Trooper requests a meeting with her.
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
Another beautiful day in the bush. It looks really nice out there with the white, fluffy snow and the mist over the water. It’s the perfect day to lose your boat.
Yes, the Lorcan pulled up its own anchor and just floated away into the bay with the tide. Billy says the Lorcan is cursed, but we all know that this is the sinister work of the Skiff.
The Skiff, who has hated the Lorcan since he stole his date at the junior prom, saw this as an opportunity to get rid of his nemesis while screwing the Browns at the same time. The Skiff is all iced over again, and he ain’t goin’ nowhere. Gabe and Matt have to take a canoe out into the foggy bay to try and track down the Lorcan. They find the ghost ship, board it, and try to fire up the engines. One of the engines won’t start. Bam opens the engine compartment, looks inside, and determines that it’s shot without even touching it. Must’ve blown the Johnson rod.
It’s going to cost money to have it fixed, and one has to work to acquire money, so that counts Billy out. Bam, Gabe, Matt and Bear head into Hoonah to look for work, and find a posting for a demolition job. “What else do you need to know?” Bear asks. “DESTRUCTION!” This lady, Barb, has this old shed she wants torn down, and she’s gutting the inside of the main house. The demolition job won’t pay much money, but the Browns can salvage whatever they want from the places. The main house has a tanning bed, which one of the boys mistakes for a grill. Actually, he’s not entirely wrong.
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“This does look like it might be some kind of advanced torture chamber in a sci-fi movie,” Bear says, also not entirely wrong. I can imagine Alaska has quite a few tanning beds still in operation, given the amount of daylight they get — or don’t get. The main house has tongue and groove planks on the ceiling, and the Browns could definitely use those in their Brownton Abbey cabin. Tongue & Groove sounds like a sleazy disco club, no?
But there’s no tonguin’ and groovin’ in the morning, as we get more OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING and more ONSCREEN TITLES OF IMPENDING DEATH: “The next morning, Alaska State Troopers reach out to the production crew. They request a meeting with Ami in town.” Ami flips out and overreacts to this information, complaining about being “treated like a common criminal.” Birdy says that this is “so unfair.” Yes, Brown family, you are so oppressed by The Man.
I believe that the whole sequence of events from when the Browns were informed of the Alaska State Trooper’s request for a meeting up to the meeting itself was filmed after the meeting took place, just so the producers could play up the drama and tension and have Ami act all indignant. Seriously, watch Billy and Ami talk to each other. It’s like they’re reading from cue cards.
Ami and Birdy meet with Officer Blurry Face of the Division of Alaska State Troopers at Misty Bay Lodge. We’re told that the officer requested that the TV production step out, so the scene is filmed with concealed cameras and microphones. So, uh, does the trooper know he’s on Candid Camera? And if the trooper was so concerned about this being on camera, why would he do this thing at a public place like Misty Bay Lodge? There’s probably some dude two booths over who just wants to enjoy his pizza and instead has to listen to Ami’s crazy talk. The officer gives Ami the opportunity to call her mother (that explains the smartphone on the table), but there’s no answer. Oh, well.
We’re all disappointed that Ami’s not getting thrown in the Hoonah hoosegow, at least not this time. Officer Blurry Face is only responding to a request for a welfare check from Ami’s estranged family that she’s had no direct contact with for 35-some-odd years. So officer Blurry Face has to do due diligence and ask Ami if she’s been put in danger by Billy or any of her children. Ami gets all defensive, saying that Billy treats her like royalty. “I’ve seen that. I’ve seen it on TV,” Officer Blurry Face says. “But TV only tells part of the things. It doesn’t show the whole story, right?” Officer Blurry Face watches Alaskan Bush People and knows it’s totally fake, too!
To make this long story short, Ami left her unstable home at age 17 to escape an alcoholic father. She hitched up with Billy, who was a drifter after his family died in a plane crash when he was 16, and just completely cut off any contact with her mom or brother. “I don’t let them know physically where I am,” Ami says. I guess Ami was really gambling on her mom not having cable.
Back to the funny stuff. In Hoonah, the boys are attempting to take down Barb’s shed without killing themselves. Always levelheaded Bam takes charge and thinks safety first, while his brothers just want to goof off and break some stuff. Matt is thrilled to find a container of muriatic acid, the label on which reads “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND MATT BROWN.” It’s highly corrosive, so Bear may want to use it as cologne. “I’m an interior desecrator!” Bear yells. Gabe just bashes himself through walls. It’s all fun and games until someone gets a roof dropped on them. Matt has an idea that will speed this job up without someone having to file a workers’ compensation claim on Barb.
Back at Brownton Abbey, Ami and Rainy do a little crafting, making bush clothes hangers out of sticks and twine, because NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!!! Ami tells Rainy something about haunting her after she dies. I wasn’t really listening. But OMG! LOCKET POWER!!
Matt returns with his secret weapon: Crazy Kenny From The Dump! I love this guy. He’s a few rungs down on the evolutionary ladder, but Kenny’s still freaking Einstein compared to Matt. Kenny could’ve turned that roll of plastic wrap into the Taj Mahal. Billy should swing a barter to acquire Kenny and get rid of Matt. Kenny’s got “The Beast” of a pickup truck, and they’re going to chain the shed’s supports to the truck and have Kenny give ‘er gas until the shed comes down. Kenny brings that shed down somethin’ fierce. “How you like them apples?!” Kenny yells. I like them apples fine, thank you. Someone else is going to clean up the shed debris, because hiring someone to do both demolition and clearing would make too much sense. I don’t know what Barb paid the Browns, but she essentially paid them to goof around and take whatever they want. The only real work was subcontracted out to Kenny, who did the job pro bono.
Ugh. More Ami stuff. Now I’m being forced to confront bad memories from earlier in the show. Hoonah police sergeants Pixelated and Anonymous show up at Brownton Abbey with urgent news. Hoonah friends can set me straight on this, but aren’t these two guys like half of the Hoonah police force? (Remember when the Browns tried to “date” a Hoonah cop?) At the request of Alaska State Trooper Blurry Face, the Hoonah cops deliver the message that Ami’s mother has had a stroke. Ami heard from a friend that her mom had a stroke three or four years ago, and Ami has the show’s exec producer call to determine if this urgent news is about the Old Stroke or a New Stroke. Turns out this message was regarding the Old Stroke and the Hoonah cops wasted more taxpayer money on the Browns.
Ami is really pissy about this whole thing, and she takes her family’s attempt to contact her as some kind of threat against her family. “I think it’s probably because I’m on TV,” Ami says, perhaps implying that they’re trying to extort something from Ami’s cable-TV-reality-show stardom. On this show, Ami pretty much gave her mom and brother the big “F you.” Ami writes a letter to her mom and brother, but we’re not told if she actually sends it.
So if Ami’s mom happens to read this, know that your daughter is fine. She has everything she needs except teeth and grandbabies.
Back at Brownton Abbey, the Browns are enjoying their new “Uptown Bush” tongue and groove wall coverings and having a meal that consists of cannibalizing Gabe.
So aside from The Skiff’s evildoings and a Crazy Kenny cameo, there’s not a whole lot I liked about this episode. The Ami stuff was mostly irritating, which seems to be the general direction they’re taking this series.
Oh, and sorry I’m so late with this recap. Had a busy weekend. Whether you like the show or not, I appreciate you guys for keeping me going on this thing.
I don’t think that Ami using the trooper’s phone explains the phone on the table. In the shot of “next on” you could clearly see the phone right next to her right hand. During the episode, it was blurred out. And the blur was still there when she was using the trooper’s phone. At least that’s how it appeared to me.
Just curious: how much do these folks make per episode?
Can’t the afford some dental work for mom and the girls?
Can you afford a new face bet your not so hot shit your self
you folks have been asleep at the wheel, Did you miss the propane tanks and electrical extention cords in the background, as well as the recharable CFB’s in the camp lights in the tire house. I must have missed the portable generator somewhere!
Next week they spend days digging and filling a hot tub up, then the week after they once again will be near death and out of food with “winter coming” and Billy telling them not to come back without food.
Wow, haters gonna hate, hate, hate huh? I really enjoy watching this show, but I guess it’s like sausage, you don’t want to be told what’s really in it. They don’t have hunting license’s? They didn’t build their Brown Town Abbey? They live in a lodge in town? They said they HATE towns. I have always wondered what “bush” did they raise their kids in for the past 30 plus years. Is the child Billy left behind a verified fact? Can’t believe they haven’t come forward to meet their siblings – well maybe not. I am “hooked” on ABP – no license required. It gives me ideas for primitive camping – minus the bear lookout.
OMG ! I left this site and checked in with the discussion site and what did I see? De ju vue! A post asking the members to please help Earlene Brown get in touch with her daughter. I am not saying a word. I am ……….”stepping back”. Compliments of David for that sound advice.
This is Sherlock…….signing off for now……..once more.
Burning dumpster ! Good one, Ryan !
And David……point taken. I have “stepped back”. You brought up a couple of things that I was totally unaware of.
My basic concern was that the situation with Ami and her mother is no ones business. It is a highly sensitive and personal issue that should be left for them and them alone to work out or not work out. Awhile back in the discussion group this was a hot topic in which I made the above statement and thought I was going to get tarred and feathered. You said it so perfectly clear that we have no clue as to what the REAL truth is. Family dynamics are volatile and need to stay within the boundaries of the family, plain and simple. Whether DC found ample opportunity to exploit the situation, and whether Ami and Billy helped that along….who the hell knows…..but pockets are getting lined, regardless. The word “alcoholic” did set a fire under the ghosts of Christmas’s past and I reacted in kind. Can’t help but wonder, though, what REALLY happened to that young teen-aged Ami and hope that it was nothing in comparison to what I endured ……but one thing is certain…..her choices and mine have been as different as night and day.
Sherlock here……..signing out for now.
This show is quite ridiculous! I always enjoy your commentaries though! I have to say I agree with the skiff. I tried to watch it on Friday, but I had our cousins from Montana over and I explained to them as they left that I was in no way trying to persuade them to start watching ABP…
Ryan, you are back baby. Great recap, good laughs. I predict that the demon skiff is not finished with its evil ways. Perhaps the skiff made the fake phone call demanding a welfare check. After all, when the cameras are off, the skiff sees & hears the truth, and does not like it, hence the mischief. Beware Lorcan, beware Ami & your made for television family secrets-skiff is coming for you, around Jauary2016. Got an orange jumpsuit with your name on it.
Thank you, Diane! I think the Skiff has big plans for the Browns’ new boat, the “Integrity.”
Lol, that skiff is the most interesting character on the show.
Ronald: The scenes where the Browns are shooting deer are fabricated. None of the Browns have valid hunting licenses. A local, who owns the Misty Bay Lodge, has shot the deer for the DC filming crew and has placed the deer in the bush for filming purposes. Nothing you see on the show is the real deal. Everything is scripted. The Browns do not own the land, nor did they build the cabin. They do not live in the bush. They live in a nearby town in one of the lodges there. The show is listed as a “documentary” ……which it is not, because nothing in it represents the truth.
Funny to see how many deers they shutdown. I would be in jail in no time. How come no body from Alaska stop them from being who they are? Weird show but I guest people watches it.
Fake or real, I think the show is one of the best on tv today. There are no gangs killing each other, no foul mouth people popping off. I think it is a nice clean show for a change
Just welfare fraud, tax evasion, lies, and probably incest, and denying your wife and kids medical treatment so you don;t have to work,
Not allowing Medical care when they need it and check ups is another joke. But for the cult or should I say the wolf pack, to do things that put them all in danger so the TV people can have this fake show is SAD. But when we do watch it we all feel sorry for THE POOR BROWN FAMIL.(now rich) But it is sad to have a show about how many mistakes a family can make as a living?
It’s funny that nobody does anything to stop them from shutting deers whenever they fell like it. or decide to go for a hunt. I would be in jail in no time doing such a thing. No permits with all sorts of rights.
First: the show is ludicrous. And I really enjoy the recaps.
But, I will say this Ami business seemed to me the only part of this show that hints at reality. If not so, then I’ve become gullible. I thought she and Billy and Snow Bird seemed genuinely stunned.
And I think troubled families often have this kind of dynamic in their background.
Perhaps this made people uncomfortable because it was actually true?
On the other hand, Billy’s continued incredulous remarks this season that they are ‘actually doing it’ and that they have chickens! make me wonder how the heck they survived all these years. They remind me more of travelers than of bush people.
Just remember JR that you heard only Ami’s side of the story, not her families. Ami couldn’t seem to keep her story straight and flip flopped from sad to angry. I don’t believe a word of it, but I don’t believe anything about them.
Why don’t they eat bear meat as other Alaskans do? The fur would also be a great resource.
Because most animals in Alaska have certain seasons you can hunt them and times of the year you cant. Also they have no valid Alaska hunting and fishing licenses. The locals are hired to kill for them. It is all made up.
As for the furs I have no idea what they would do with them besides try to sell them for money. As far as using them it pretty obvious the Browns don’t make any of their own clothes or use the hides for anything. There was one scene where Ami pretended to try to care for the deer hide, but lasted all of a few minutes and that deer hide was never to be seen from again.
They said on an earlier show that they don’t like the taste of bear meat? Never eaten it so I couldn’t tell ya??
It seems as if so many jealous individuals are rooting for the demise of the Browns. What have they done that is so terrible to make people constantly spew venom? There are reality stars that are far more sickening. Where is the outrage in regards to their behavior? The Brown family does not go around drinking up a storm, sleeping with anything that moves, having multiple baby daddies, drugged out, constantly picking fights…etc. They are a close knit family trying to work together to live the way they feel is right. Leave them alone.
How many times do people come on here and ask the same question (and you have posted on this a number of times)? So tired of even answering it so here is the cliff notes. They lie about everything and their own stories (and book) undermine their whole story. They are accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the State of Alaska and the people who are residents of this state. I am a resident of this state so the Browns are accused of personally stealing money from me. Somehow I am not okay with them being accused of stealing money from me. Billy alone faces up to 120 years in prison. So these are very serious charges. It hasn’t gone to court yet because the Browns keep getting it pushed back. While other reality shows might be awful, they are not accused of stealing money from me.
I also get tired of people who know as much about the Browns as they know the Kardashians coming on here and telling me all the great things about this family and what they represent, when they don’t know crap. You know what a TV show WANTS you to see. Otherwise you know nothing about them. For all you know Billy is whaling on Ami right now as we speak and the makeup covers up the black eyes. Why you would come on a site that is obviously satirical humor of the Browns and somehow be stunned that we all aren’t holding hands and singing the Browns praises is beyond me.
Yes they seem tight knit as nobody ever leaves the cult, oops I mean family. Weird that all the kids stay with mom and Dad, never move out and start their own lives, go to school, get jobs or have girlfriends or wives. So yea, pretty tight knit. By living how they feel is right do you mean lie about their lives, don’t own their land, didn’t build their house, and are not allowed to hunt or fish in Alaska because they have no licenses? Kind of like that? That is quite the life.
Also by leave them alone you mean only say nice things? If it isn’t nice I shouldn’t say it. Hmmm, I need to go down to city hall tomorrow and welcome my new Russian government because there was obviously an Alaska takeover I wasn’t aware of. Thought this was America and that whole first amendment stuff. If you are reading this new government all I can say is… I love Putin!
Hope that answers your question. Now I can just cut and paste this for all future questions.
Ryan please ad the burning dumpster if you would. Thanks Buddy
[This one goes out to you, David.]
Billy was in his mid 20’s when he started with 15 year old Ami, he lied to her and her family about being divorced with a kid that he does not take care of. So he has a baby mama that he took off on. Billy also got caught stealing electricity and water to grow weed.
I could go on and on…
If this is true, and I believe it may very well be, why take your frustrations out on the entire family? It is not the children’s fault that they were born into this life style. I do believe Ami to be a brainwashed victim of Billy.
I agree NoLeNa
I get the distance she needs to stay healthy from her brother and mother. However, she was the one to have the producer call and find out if its stroke one or two. What is the difference. Really the whole bunch are liars and grifters. Disgusting people…..a train wreck to watch.
LP: I’m guessing that you did not read my earlier post. Your question: why on earth can Ami not call her mother? If you spent the first 15 years of your life under the control of an alcoholic and had to endure the hell of such a lifestyle you would understand. The pain goes invisibly deep and the baggage accumulated will cause you to run amuck in other situations of your life, as well. But one thing will remain a constant, which is your inner oath that your own children will never endure the hell that you did. Her inner fury is one I understand well. The message to her mother is crystal clear. I had no say in how I was raised but YOU will have no say in how I raise my own children. She lived in a very toxic environment and ran like hell at her first opportunity. It was a matter of survival to her. And perhaps it still is. That is why I say that this is a deeply personal thing with Ami. One in which no one has the right to interfere……and I mean no one. Not even her husband or her children, because even as close to her as they are they will still not understand the hell that encompasses that lifestyle. They should allow, without judgement, whatever her decision concerning her mother is, and know that it is the best decision for HER. In my opinion, DC will stoop at nothing as long as good ratings are involved……and unfortunately…..the dirtier the laundry……the happier they are to film it. As for Ami’s family…….I think it is a little late to “make amends”………if you couldn’t do it in 30 plus years than waiting for someone to be on their death bed is a cheap trick……for both mother and daughter….and applaud Ami for telling them to pound sand. All people can see is a poor mother on her deathbed……what is not seen is the internal damage that her mother did to Ami by allowing the abuse of her husband to over ride her inner motherly need to PROTECT her child at any cost……forcing that child to run at her first opportunity and make a life for herself away from the toxic lifestyle of alcoholism. What many do not realize, as well, is that it is not just the alcoholism that one deals with……it is all of the “other” things that may accompany it. Issues like abandonment, rejection, physical abuse, sexual abuse……one or all in a nice little package. That is why this is a situation that must be left alone for Ami to handle……plain and simple.
Also, Ami’s feeling that her family decided to contact her when she became a reality tv celebrity speaks volumes in its own right. The “excuse” that they had no idea where she was is like not knowing where the moon is every night.
Sherry, I think you might need to take a step back here. What you and I know of this family is that they lie, fabricate and stretch the truth on 99% of everything we see and everything that comes out of their mouth. Your group you are involved in seems to be completely based on this whole idea of them lying about everything. So now Ami says her father was an alcoholic and not only are we supposed to believe this, but now we are going to fill in the blanks and assume that she had this horrible childhood AND that her mother stood idly by and let the whole thing happen? I think you are giving way to much credit and benefit of the doubt to a family of confirmed fibbers. I have never read anywhere about this part of her childhood. Maybe it did happen, but I am not willing to believe anything these people say. They have zero goodwill with me. So it seem pretty far out on a limb to slam her father and her mother for being poor parents. In fact what I am reading is her brother is reporting that the welfare check came from somebody pretending to be him and he never called it in. So if he has any credibility, and in my eyes he would have way more then the ABP, this whole storyline is a bunch of hooey. That would line up with everything on this show is hooey. I just am a bit surprised the venom toward the family and the poor lil Ami tilt to this. Billy was much older than Ami when she ran away from home at 15-17 (depending on who is reporting the story) with him and has never had contact with any of her family. Hmmm, weird. So then I assume the brother was also a terrible person who also allowed this whole terrible situation because she has never had contact with him either. Hmmm, also a little weird. Then there is the kids who nobody has ever left home, got married, has any education or seems to have any life outside of Billy and Ami. Hmmm, little weirder. Seems to smell a little bit like somebody might be an overbearing father/husband at best, and maybe a lot more sinister at worst.
I think you are completely buying into this whole thing. Again, the brother is reporting that the family did not try to contact her. Remember, Ami was INCENSED that the family would blame Billy because he was the one who has encouraged her to contact her family. How would they know that Ami? They haven’t ever heard from you about 35 years. Every time a Brown opens their mouth a bunch of junk comes out and Ami is top of this list.
Lets look at what they have done here though. As Ryan brought to our attention ABP are trying to attract new viewers and especially women. Wouldn’t a little family drama go right along with this new theme? The Browns have kind of run dry on the whole lets find a place in the wilderness, build a home and live off the land thing. They have accomplished most of this already (this week they squeezed in at he end for like 15 seconds that they installed the tounge and groove on the wall … AS IF!) . Kind of seems like somebody is running pretty dry on storylines doesn’t it? Does to me. Well wouldn’t this be a convenient time to drop the whole long lost awful family coming after us thing. Sure plays nicely in the whole “The Browns are this awesome family that just wants to live in the wild and be happy but all these bad things happen to us for no reason” thing. I think Ami came off like a complete ass, has completely turned her children against a family they have never met, and didn’t seem to be keeping her facts straight. I am convinced this whole storyline is 100% made up to try to spice things up until I see something concrete.
Have to love writing about this family week after week. Never a dull moment.
I can understand if Ami had an awful childhood, and really I always thought she seems like a nice lady… BUT her “children” are mostly adults now (besides Raini), and of course the motherly instinct doesn’t go away, but it seems kinda sad that these adults are all following their parents in this web of deceit or shall we just say reality TV.
Indeed it is, my friend. The dirtier the laundry the higher the ratings, which equals $$$$.
Why on earth could Ami not call her aged mother. She claims to be a family type person. I think she is just using this situation to move forward with the show. Evidently they have run out of bush things to do. I think you could probably get some wire hangers for next to nothing at a laundry at or dollar store. Twigs and twine, give me a break.
Hey Ryan. I do agree that this episode was “lacking”, indeed, but you were funny as hell. My favs this week: “The Skiff hates the Lorcan since he stole his date at the senior prom”……..”Tongue and Groove….sounds like a sleezy disco….no?” (I say “YES! And I should know….I was in a lot of them back in the day !” LOL); “keep out of reach of children and Matt Brown”; “Kenny…a few rungs down on the evolutionary ladder but Einstein compared to Matt”; (I got a kick out of them…..put me to mind of Tonto and the Lone Ranger rushing in to save the day !!!”) and of course…..”its highly corosive so Bear might want to use it as cologne.” Funny funny stuff. Great recap, as always.
Ami really played up that “victim” card. Poor me, poor me. I am being treated like a common criminal. If you think that was bad, Ami, you better brace yourself for January 11, 2016. News flash!! You are more than a common criminal in the eyes of the State of Alaska.
In regard to this issue with Ami and her mother, it is no ones business. Especially that of DC. How dare they even want to put that issue on display in front of the entire country. Ami stated one thing that hit me like a ton of bricks. She said that her father/stepfather (can’t remember which) was an alcoholic. That spoke volumes to me as I also grew up with not only an alcoholic father but an alcoholic mother as well. A double whammy, that to this very day has held consequences. I had the where withall to at least get through high school and left that house the next day and never looked back. Ami was a couple of years younger than I was but escaped from that hell in the only manner in which she knew how. I have made the statement previously that that issue with Ami and her mother is a PRIVATE one that should be left entirely to the two of them to work out……or not. The decision is completely that of Ami’s and should never be held in judgement because you do not know the entire story and never will. I have a clue, because I lived it. Unless you have lived in an alcoholic’s world where you, as a child, have absolutely no control over the kind of life you are forced to live you have no right to “insist” that Ami should call her mother, regardless of the mother’s health. You reap what you sow. I do not know the particulars, but if her mother was NOT an alchoholic perhaps Ami ran away to protect herself because HER MOTHER DID NOT.
No problem, Ryan. We would wait for your recaps until the cows came home ! You, unlike so many, have a life !!!!
Sherlock here…….signing off for now.
It’s a sad, unfortunate situation for everyone involved, and therefore perfect to exploit for TV.
And yes, I agree with Ryan in that this whole thing is sad in so many ways
I would go another way with this. Ami chose to go on a reality TV show so she made her life the worlds business by her own doing. Even so I am sure she could have tried to cover things up if she wanted. For instance allowing the hidden camera during her Trooper interview? Didn’t look like to me the Troopers were dying to have this on television and even asked the crew leave. Completely up to her. More importantly, what did we really learn? They haven’t talked in over 30 years? I already knew that before this episode ever aired. Her brother seems to post on Facebook and many people report on it. Other than that she mentioned the alcoholism (note: SHE mentioned it and not anyone else). Honestly there was very little learned about the situation. Much of it was very out of context and the series of events was either made up or filmed and shown completely out of order (She gathers the family up near the beginning of the episode to tell them she is going to talk to the Troopers and then the whole family walks her down to the beach. Then at the end of the episode she gathers the family around the campfire to tell them she talked to the troopers blah blah blah. Yes Ami, they know, you already told them). As you all know I think this production company is a complete joke. Seriously, take your lemons and at least make lemonade. Don’t just keep making this worse. So I am sorry but I have less that zero sympathy for Ami here because all of this was her choice. In fact I think she tried to play it up as much as she could. This was the first episode I saw in a while and it seemed like the Ami welfare check was a good 70% of the airtime. All the while I thought she came off as pretty bad about the whole affair. Love that kids who have never met Ami’s family have all of these horrible feelings for them while only ever hearing one side of the story. Doesn’t sound very grounded to me.
I have come down with Alaskan Bush Paranoia and just assume that everything is orchestrated for the cameras and even offscreen things like the Brown-Skaflestad Battle Royale on the dock are staged to amuse us on social media.
So when the show drags serious issues like Ami’s past into the story, I don’t know exactly how to feel. I don’t trust what I’m seeing, but even if there is a hint of truth to Ami’s troubled upbringing, I’m not going to snark on that. Not snarking on ABP makes me uncomfortable. But I will snark the bejesus out of how the producers and Ami handled this business onscreen.
You are 100% right not to snark on the Ami situation. It is a no win. If she is telling the truth you look horrible for making fun of a very serious family situation that may be much darker that we know. On the other hand you don’t know for sure she is lying, and certainly can’t prove she isn’t telling the truth. So either way it just looks bad. Making fun of serious social issues like race and rape for instance are just recipes for disaster as many famous people have found out. It is just a no touch in todays overly political correct world.
On the other hand I don’t think we have the right to take sides in this fight and trash Ami’s family for being bad people based on her side of the story. I have not seen much of anything in this series to give the ABP any benefit of the doubt. Further more trying to just play up this angle of the family trying to get in touch with her now because she is famous is pretty ludicrous to me. Most reality people are paid much less than a lot of people think. I highly doubt the ABP are making giant bank off of this show. So I can’t imagine the family would even think that by having a welfare check on Ami done, that somehow that would get them in good graces and rolling in money. On the other hand Ami has all the reason in the world to lie about things. Making herself look good and spicing up her TV show are just two of a bunch of reasons.
For me the ABP have zero credibility and at this point I just assume everything is complete BS until I see it confirmed. This case is no different with Ami for me. She has every reason to lie. I very well may be wrong but until it is confirmed, sorry. Mostly though I don’t think the family should be dragged through the mud.
Once the dumb kid at the lumber yard I worked one summer was asked if we had shiplap pine. He asked me and I told him, “No, we just stock tongue and groove”. He told the customer “we only have Italian Groove”.
Italian Groove! https://twitter.com/italiangroove