Confession time: I love Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. You know, the guilty-pleasure TLC reality series that's a spinoff of -- god help me -- Toddlers & Tiaras? The show that focuses on Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson and her goofy family? I mean, look, it's no Breaking Bad, but I've watched like four episodes and I enjoyed every single one.
Every time I tune in, though, I end up wondering what TLC is paying the family to be ruthlessly mocked on national television each week. From the unnecessary subtitles (come on, their twangy Southern dialects don't actually require translation, for crying out loud) to the repeated clips of mom June sneezing violently into the camera, the intent of the show is clear: these people exist to be made fun of.
So, how much is the network paying Boo Boo & Gang for this exciting opportunity? Not nearly enough, if you believe the rumors.
The show has been a runaway hit, with close to 3 million viewers the night of August 29. In other words, Honey Boo Boo easily beat the Republican National Convention last week in cable ratings. If you've watched even one episode, you know it's heavily sprinkled with commercial breaks (god bless the DVR), and since reality shows are notoriously cheap to produce, I assume TLC is making a ton of cash off the Thompson family.
Especially since they're reportedly only paying them $2,000-$4,000 per episode.
I know that sounds like a decent amount of money, but consider the millions MTV paid the Jersey Shore kids. Or whatever crazy salaries the Kardashians are pulling in.
It may be that Honey Boo Boo's paychecks are relatively modest because this is the first season, but I'm guessing the network figured it would be easy to get away with giving the family a crappy deal. Hopefully Boo Boo's parents have an agent at this point that can help them negotiate for more cash next time, because it doesn't seem fair that TLC should be reaping all the profits from the show, even if it's their snarky editing that's made it so popular.
It's kind of a mean show, but that's not why I like it. I like the Boo Boo family because they so clearly don't give a damn what people think, and they seem genuinely happy in their weird little world. Since millions are tuning in because of them, and other reality stars are getting obscenely rich -- well, I think they should be getting paid better than a few grand per episode.
If only so they can buy a house that isn't in the middle of the damn train tracks.
Do you watch Honey Boo Boo? Do you think they should be paid more?
Image via TLC
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Comments 8
I think they should not be paid at all. This kind of show is appalling and exploiting. That poor child has to grow up and live in the real world. If her idiot parents want to put themselves out there to be mocked, fine. But that children should be protected.
It's more money than that family could EVER dream to make doing anything else. If it puts that child through school more power to them. Lord knows they need all the help they can get.
Isn't TLC "The Learning Channel"? What are we learning from this family? How much of an ass we can make of ourselves, or how much ridicule you can heap on your young impressionable daughter? TLC should be ashamed of themselves for putting these people on their own show, much less T&T's. The only positive thing about this show is that with the money they are making they will be able to put that child in college, but for some reason I have this sinking supspicion that won't happen.
While I am not a native of the south (unless you count Florida, which as everyone knows isn't the REAL south, except geographically) I live one state away, about a three hours' drive from the Thompsons. At first I reacted with wide-eyed horror at the prospect of this becoming a show, but I now feel the same way - there are plenty of families similar to this one in this region and what they most have in common is the family connection, the closeness of the kids to the parents, the ability to laugh at themselves and not giving a crap what the rest of the world thinks of them. As they say, we better "redneckognize!"
who friggnin cares what they earn? Shame on anyone who watches this trash.