I almost didn’t recognize her – this is Honey Boo Boo’s mom, June Shannon, all gussied up at the GLAAD Awards in New York City.
Shannon and her daughter Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson star in TLC’s reality show, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.
I have watched a few minutes of the show here and there and it seems quite exploitative. I’m generally not a pageant fan for that same reason, but Shannon is starting to change my mind (a little).
A couple months ago it was reported that Shannon puts all the profits from the show into trust funds for her four daughters and one granddaughter. The kids can’t take the money out until they are 21, except for medical and educational purposes.
“I want my kids to look back and say, ‘Mama played it smart. Not like those other reality TV people,’” Shannon told TMZ.
She makes a point. Her children would probably not have access to financial resources if it weren’t for the show and wouldn’t be able to afford to go to college. I still think being on a reality show can be harmful to a seven-year-old, but when it’s your only option to make it big, who’s to say it’s wrong?
Another factor that makes me like the Shannon-Thompson family a little more is that they are vocal supporters of LGBT rights, hence why Shannon was at the GLAAD Awards.
The GLAAD Awards honour the media for outstanding images of the LGBT community, and Shannon’s show has featured her openly gay brother-in-law.
While I’m still not convinced the show is a good thing, I am less eager to bash it for being exploitative.
Glamorous at GLAAD
Shannon made a jaw-dropping red carpet appearance at the GLAAD Awards. She left her usual sweatpants, jeans and T-shirts back home in Georgia and showed up in a black floor-length gown and black heels. Her blonde hair was curled and she chose pink lipstick to finish her look. I love it! Shannon looks great and good on her for showing off her new 100 lbs. thinner frame.
