The Scandal That Led To Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Getting Canceled
The following article includes mentions of sexual assault.
"Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" was one of TLC's most popular shows and it captured the lives of child pageant star Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson and her colorful family. Fans first met Alana in "Toddlers and Tiaras" as a five-year-old and watched her grow up over the years into a tween when her family's reality show ended in 2014.
Although fans ate up Mama June Shannon and the rest of her daughters' hijinks, including eating 'sketti and farting at least 12 times a day, many critics slammed the show for its lowbrow content and the possible exploitation of a seven-year-old kid who does anything to win a pageant. The Hollywood Reporter called "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" a "car crash" and gave the series a hard no. Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine stated in GQ, "Seriously, 'Honey Boo Boo' is the decay of Western civilization. Just because so many people watch the show doesn't mean it's good" (via E! News).
When "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" got canceled, it wasn't because of low ratings or criticism. A behind-the-scenes scandal rocked the reality world and TLC had no choice but to pull the plug on the show that made the Georgia family infamous.
Mama June was allegedly dating a sex offender
In October 2014, it was revealed that Mama June Shannon was connected to a man named Mark McDaniel who is a registered sex offender and served 10 years in prison, per TMZ. Shannon claimed she wasn't dating him but TLC ended up canceling the show despite having already filmed Season 5. "Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority. TLC is faithfully committed to the children's ongoing comfort and well-being," the network stated.
Following the cancellation, Shannon's late daughter Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell, who sadly died from cancer in December, told Radar that she was molested by McDaniel when she was just eight years old. Amid Shannon's insistence that she was not romantically involved with the convict, Cardwell stated, "I believe she is seeing him and hanging around him. I'm hurt." She added, "I think me and Mama's relationship may well be over." Cardwell's confession naturally put a strain on her relationship with her mother, but surprisingly, her sister Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird took up an issue with the matter for an entirely different reason.
Pumpkin thought Mark McDaniel was her father
The drama between the "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" family continued. Anna Cardwell revealed to HLN that Lauryn Efird was upset at her for accusing Mark McDaniel of multiple sexual assaults toward her (via the Daily Mail). "He was supposed to be [Pumpkin's] so-called father or whatever it is," Cardwell shared. "You know, out of all the kids we have, Mama does not know who Pumpkin's dad is. And Pumpkin thinks it's Mark which kind of hurts my feelings because Mama is making her believe that someone who did that to me is her father. Now Pumpkin hates me for it," she continued.
In an interview with ET, Mama June Shannon confessed to having seen McDaniels two times since his prison sentence ended, one of which was to allow Pumpkin to ask her supposed father questions in order to get some answers. "It was a conversation that she wanted her answers: what happened, why did he leave, you know, if he was her real father. He admitted to her, no. I had already told her that but, you know, she wanted to hear from both sides of the story," Shannon shared. As for who Efird's real father is, it's the same dad as her second oldest daughter, Jessica Shannon, and happens to be another sex offender named Michael Anthony Ford. "Jessica and Pumpkin have the same dad, but Jessica's dad has had nothing to do with her over the years," Mama June stated.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).