What Is Honey Boo Boo’s Real Name?

For many viewers, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was the ultimate in unsavory reality television. Focusing on the family of a child beauty pageant contestant, known to viewers as “Honey Boo Boo,” the show ran for two years until controversy caused the show to come to an abrupt end.

While many have seen the slow crash and burn of “Mama June” Shannon, the matriarch of the family, Honey Boo Boo herself has been out of the spotlight for some time. Read on to discover how Honey Boo Boo became famous in the first place and what the former reality star is doing now.

How did Honey Boo Boo get famous?

At only six years old when the show started filming, Alana Thompson, better known as “Honey Boo Boo” was precocious, funny, and full of life. The show revolved around her career as a child beauty pageant contestant, and also featured her large family, including her mother, “Mama June” Shannon; her father, Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson; and her three older sisters: Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon, Jessica “Chubbs” Shannon, and Anna “Chickadee” Shannon. 

The first season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo aired on August of 2012 and was very well-received by fans. Critics of the show were less impressed and labeled it as everything from exploitative to deeply offensive. Talk show hosts and comedy specials made fun of it to no end. Many were concerned about the issues of child obesity, teen pregnancy, and poverty-stricken lifestyle that the show seemed to glorify. Still, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was a runaway hit and aired on the TLC network for two years. 

Why did ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ end?

Just as it started, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo ended in controversy. In late 2014, reports surfaced that Shannon was dating a man who had been convicted of child molestation. While Shannon denied the report, TLC unceremoniously canceled the show and refused to air their brand-new episodes.

Even though Here Comes Honey Boo Boo ended, Shannon couldn’t stay away from reality TV for long. In 2017, following several weight-loss surgery procedures, Shannon appeared in her own standalone series called Mama June: From Not to Hot. The show featured infrequent appearances from her daughters and centered around Shannon’s desire to live a healthier lifestyle in order to maintain the weight she had lost.

However, in the past few months, Shannon has struggled with both addiction and the law. In March 2019, Shannon and her boyfriend, Geno Doak, were arrested at an Alabama gas station and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. In spite of the incident, Shannon has been seen recently with Doak, leading many to wonder if she is still having problems with drug abuse.

What is Honey Boo Boo doing now?

With Honey Boo Boo stepping away from the spotlight, fans have been wondering how the child is faring. Following the troubles that Shannon had with law enforcement, Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson started spending the majority of her time with her older sister Lauryn Shannon. Recently, she decided to give a small update and shared a sweet snap of her younger sister preparing to start her first day of high school.

Fans couldn’t believe that the young woman was the same one that they had seen grow up before their eyes on reality TV, and left a lot of supportive comments on the post. In spite of the negativity that Here Comes Honey Boo Boo received while it was airing, it seems that fans still have a soft spot for Alana Thompson and ultimately wish her all the best.