When Here Comes Honey Boo Boo came out in August 2012, people quickly became hooked on the reality series, which told the story of the incredible child pageant star and her mother. Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson and her mother, June Shannon (called "Mama June"), are both larger-than-life personalities. In fact, personalities like theirs are the reason why reality TV was invented in the first place.
When Mama June lost weight and changed her look, fans of the reality star were surprised. There are a lot of things that we should know about the reality star. Mama June has had a difficult time and her family has gone through a lot of pain.
It's easy to focus on the drama of a young girl entering beauty pageants, but there's much more to know about June Shannon, from her personal history to her current family life. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Mama June.
15 Her Ex, Mike 'Sugar Bear' Thompson, Is Now Remarried
According to Little Things, Mama June's ex, Mike Thompson, also called 'Sugar Bear', is now remarried. He and Jennifer Lamb tied the knot in 2017.
Heavy says that Mama June and Sugar Bear were engaged for a total of 16 months, but they didn't get married. They then decided to break up.
14 Mama June Is Freaked Out By Mayo And Thought A Hypnotist Could Help
Some people don't love mayo or other condiments, but we wouldn't say that these toppings really freak most people out, even if they really hate them. Mama June does get freaked out by mayo.
Mama June is scared of mayo, and her strange phobia is something that she worried about as a kid. She thought that a hypnotist could help her with this, but that wasn't the case.
13 She Was Arrested In March 2019, Due To Her Drug Addiction
Mama June was arrested for possession of illegal substances in March 2019. We might have forgotten about this, but this is one of the biggest things to know about the reality star and mother.
She and her boyfriend, Geno, were both arrested, according to Cafe Mom. Alana's daughter Pumpkin said, "We're sharing our story in hopes that it helps another family and I sincerely want to thank our fans for always being there and loving and supporting us."
12 Her Daughter Pumpkin Is Honey Boo Boo's Legal Guardian
Many people have wondered if June Shannon is a good mom and she has definitely had her ups and downs.
Mama June's daughter, Pumpkin, is the legal guardian of Honey Boo Boo, which makes sense because of June's arrest, and the many lows that she has been experiencing in the past year or so.
11 June Is Mom To Four Girls
Because of the popular reality show, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, it's easy to think that June's only daughter is Alana aka Honey Boo Boo. However, according to Heavy, she has four daughters, including Jessica (also called "Chubbs"), Lauryn (named "Pumpkin"), and Anna (called "Chickadee").
10 June Had Cataracts When She Was A Kid - They Weren't Fixed, So She Doesn't Drive
According to Little Things, Mama June doesn't drive and there's a really good reason for it. She had cataracts when she was a kid, and these sadly weren't fixed. She had trouble seeing for a while and would talk about squinting.
According to Prevention, Mama June tragically started losing her eyesight in 2018.
9 She Says She Put Her House On The Market Because She Ran Out Of Money
According to CNN, June Shannon explained that she put her house on the market because she ran out of money. It's always tough for kids when their parents put the family home up for sale, but sometimes there's a good reason for it, as in this case.
8 She Paid $2,500 A Day To Feed Her Addiction
According to CNN, Mama June paid $2,500 a day for substances when her addiction was out of control. That's really tough to hear about, as that's definitely a lot of money to spend on an unhealthy and dangerous habit.
7 She Wears Socks A Lot Because Her Foot Was Damaged In A Forklift Accident
Fans often comment on June Shannon wearing socks, and there's an explanation for that. Sportingz reports that June pretty much always wears socks because her foot was in a forklift accident. Ouch...
6 During Her Time On Reality TV, She Would Make Ketchup Spaghetti And Other Crazy Dishes
We might remember putting ketchup on pasta or other meals when we were kids, but chances are, we grew out of that habit as our tastebuds changed.
Mama June would make a lot of crazy dishes when she was on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Cosmpolitan mentions that she would make ketchup spaghetti on the show. She and the family called this questionable concoction "Sketti".
5 Her Daughter Anna Had A Baby At 18, Making Mama June A 32-Year-Old Grandmother
According to Sportingz, Mama June's daughter, Anna, had a baby when she was 18. This made June Shannon a 32-year-old grandmother, which is definitely very young. In March of 2020, Anna revealed her own plastic surgery transformation, according to Daily Mail.
4 She Lost Over 100 Pounds
According to The Huffington Post, June Shannon's weight loss has been dramatic. She's lost over 100 pounds.
In 2017, Mama June shared with Women's Health that she loves grapes, so she had been eating those, and she was quoted talking about her healthy lifestyle change: "And now I feel like becoming the person on the outside that I always felt like on the inside.
3 Her 2008 Arrest Was For Contempt Of Court And Theft
According to Cosmopolitan, Mama June was also arrested in 2008. This was for contempt of court and theft. The reality star has had quite a rough time over the past few years. We hope that Mama June gets a handle on all these problems.
2 'Honey Boo Boo''s 2004 Cancellation Was Because Of Mama June's Sketchy Boyfriend
Mama June had a very sketchy boyfriend who was said to be involved with some very inappropriate things, and this was why Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was canceled in 2014, according to The Sun. The network pulled the plug on the series for the sake of the children.
1 She Left High School When She Had Her First Daughter, Anna, At 15 Years Old
According to Cosmopolitan, Mama June left high school when she had her first daughter, Anna, at 15. The star is currently 40 years of age.
Mama June hasn't had an easy time of it, but let's hope that we hear some better news form the reality star soon.