June Shannon doesn’t want to help Alana Thompson pay for college.
Even though Mama June Shannon’s net worth is far from where it once was, she’s a reality star who’s active on Cameo.
And, at least according to her family, she has money. Not as much as she did before she spent $1 million on a drug-fueled downward spiral, but enough.
So why isn’t she willing to help her youngest daughter pay for college?
In a clip of the Friday, March 15 episode of Mama June: Family Crisis (which you can watch below), 18-year-old Alana is talking with 24-year-old sister Lauryn Shannon after a talk with June went nowhere.
“That’s just crazy as s–t to me,” Lauryn expressed relatably. “The fact that she was like, ‘Oh, I’m not going to help you.’”
Lauryn acted as Alana’s guardian for years, because June was clearly unfit and Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson would have been even worse. And Lauryn is also a mother herself — and cannot relate to June’s twisted priorities.
Alana shared her older sister’s disappointment. June had apparently declined to contribute even “a dollar” to her own child’s college fund.
Notably, Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson is the one who put their family on the map. Her charisma and wit as a young child led to her entire family’s success.
Of course, no child should have to become a TV star to “earn” a parent’s support. June gave birth to Alana and failed her many times — to many viewers, helping her daughter get an education is the least that she could do for her now.
But Alana makes another point during the clip — one that highlights that June has money to spend on people, just not on her teenage daughter.
June has a young, terrible husband named Justin Stroud.
And, as Alana points out, she doesn’t seem to bat an eye at treating him to things like expensive jewelry.
“She’s stingy when it comes to money,” Alana then observed to her older sister. And, unfortunately, her refusal to help did not catch her by surprise.
“Mama said no and I was kind of expecting that, I’m not gonna lie,” Alana admitted on camera.
She saw this refusal coming “because just how negative she’s been about college the whole entire time.”
“She’s had nothing really positive to say about it,” Alana lamented. “And it kinda just pisses me off.”
The former child beauty pageant contestant noted that June “can help everyone around her. She can help Justin. She can help this man and that man.”
June does seem to have a pattern of spending a lot of money on men. Sometimes, people develop skewed priorities when they’re thirsting after someone.
“And she knows she’s got the money,” Alana then pointed out. “Be for real.”
Speaking to sister Lauryn, Alana said that it felt like June doesn’t “believe in” her. Truth be told, this probably goes well past whatever June thinks about her daughter’s academy plans, but Alana’s feelings are valid.
Meanwhile, Lauryn noted that Alana has money in a Coogan account — which safeguards some of a child actor’s money. And she has some savings. But if Alana can’t access the Coogan money yet, Lauryn and husband Josh Efird might have to help Alana.
Viewers have already heard Alana accuse June of stealing her money during June’s downward spiral. This was a few years ago, and fortunately they were eventually able to cut off June’s access to Alana’s money.
Right now, Alana’s focus is on attending Regis University in Denver. Last summer, we reported taht she had confirmed these plans.
One wonderful piece of news is that Alana told Entertainment Tonight that she had earned a $21,000 scholarship. That won’t cover everything, but it’s great news! It’s just a shame that June balked at helping Alana with college.
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