So, Mama June has shed some pounds. But, really, who cares? Can a weight loss journey and a makeover truly erase the troubling history of Mama June Shannon? Apparently, it seems to have.
Let’s rewind a bit. In 2014, when Mama June’s ex-boyfriend, Mark McDaniel, was released from prison after serving ten years for aggravated child molestation, she vehemently denied any claims of rekindling their relationship. However, when TMZ published photos of her with McDaniel alongside her daughter Alana (or “Honey Boo Boo”), and reports surfaced of her buying him a car and looking at homes together, TLC decided to pull the plug on her show, “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.”
What unfolded next was nothing short of a nightmare. While Mama June was seen spending time with her convicted molester, it came to light that McDaniel had previously served time for molesting her own daughter, Anna. Yes, the man she was associating with had a history of harming her child. Allegedly, Mama June had been dating him for months before the network got wind of it and canceled the show. Court documents later detailed the abuse Anna had suffered at McDaniel’s hands, revealing that Mama June’s three-year-old daughter, Lauryn, was present during some of these horrific incidents.
It’s too upsetting to recount in detail, but for those curious, Radar Online has a link that outlines Anna’s brave recount of going to her mother for help. “A week or so after it happened, I talked to Mama and she was upset, crying and saying, ‘I don’t believe you, I don’t believe you, why would you do this to me?’” Anna recounted. This revelation was a stark reminder of the danger Mama June posed to her children by allowing any contact with McDaniel after his release.
This disastrous chapter effectively ended her reality TV career. But, as they say, a glow-up can work wonders in the public eye.
Now, we have the show “From Not to Hot,” which is being touted as the number one new reality series on cable. The premise? Mama June embarks on a “Revenge Diet” to slim down for her ex Sugar Bear’s wedding, while also trying to find a date to make him jealous. Because, of course, losing weight is the ultimate solution to life’s problems, right? As if her weight was the root of all issues. Excuse me while I roll my eyes.
It seems we’re stuck in an odd reality, where a person who once endangered her children’s safety is now being celebrated for her weight loss journey. It’s a baffling situation where trauma and controversy can be overshadowed by a new appearance and a shiny new show.
Make it stop, world.