Matt Brown hasn’t appeared on Alaskan Bush People since the show’s eighth season in 2018, but he recently dropped a shocking video about his time on the show, ranting for over nine minutes about how “everything” on the show was a lie, and how all the money the family earned for appearing went to his father, the late Billy Brown.
In the video– which was posted to Instagram on Sunday— a barely visible Matt wrestles with the idea of what he is about to reveal. In the end, however, he decides he just needs to speak his truth, telling his followers that he couldn’t sleep until he said something.
“Everybody’s told me that other people’s secrets aren’t mine to tell, but they’re destroying me, and they’ve been destroying me for a long time,” Matt— who struggled with addiction but will celebrate three years of sobriety in July— said.
“I’m cold, and I don’t have any money. And I hardly have anything to eat.”
He later confessed that he has kept the secrets regarding the show at his own “detriment and… mental dismay.”
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There were a lot of scandalous revelations in this Instagram video, but The Ashley has broken it down for you below!
On how the pitch for the show was only about a small part of their lives:
One of the first things Matt mentions in his rant is that producers pitched the show on the premise of the first part of his father’s book. They wanted the idea of the family living by candlelight, without any modern conveniences. However, Matt says that wasn’t how they really lived. He explains that when the production team started “filming our lives” they made them “act like that’s who we were,” despite the reality being the opposite.
He explained that, although they weren’t shown, they had a television, a box of movies, and even a generator they “carried around in the middle of nowhere all over the place.”>
On drugs, alcohol, and his affair:
In a shocking reveal, Matt explains that the production crew gave his parents drugs, “mainly cocaine.” It’s where he got it from too, and what ultimately led him to “acting really weird” and going to rehab.
Matt also revealed that this all culminated in him starting to drink heavily and become alcoholic, as well as having an affair with a married woman. He admitted his actions were wrong, even though he fell in love with her.
On how Matt didn’t get any of the earnings from the show:
“We made a lot of money off the show, and because my dad controlled everything, all the money went to him… I didn’t have any money or anything. My dad kept that all,” Matt claimed.
This is similar to the claims Derick and Jill Dillard made regarding the earnings from their family’s TV shows 19 Kids & Counting and Counting On. In recent years, the couple has accused Jill’s father, Jim Bob Duggar, of keeping the family’s profits and telling his adult children and their families that they are “volunteers” for the show.
(The Duggars’ shows air on TLC, which is under the umbrella of Discovery, which also airs ‘Alaskan Bush People.’)
Anyway, Matt claimed his parents stole $360,000 from him. In order to get the company transferred into her name, Matt explains his mother needed to do some paperwork. She sent some over, but Matt read the fine print and saw this revelation.
According to Matt, when he asked his mother for $100 for food, she told him she didn’t have it.
On how one of his brothers is getting the same treatment by production:
While he doesn’t reveal which Brown brother it is, Matt says his sibling is suffering the same treatment that he received and that he is being “pushed to the edge of sanity.”
He also reveals when he went back to try and reconnect with his family that his sisters looked at him with disgust and one of them started “tearing things down.”
On how private investigators spied on him:
Another shocking revelation from Matt’s video is his accusation that his family hired private detectives to follow him, as well as put spyware on his phone. He said this was so they could always know what he was doing.
He explained he kept seeing “the same people in different places,” and when he told his family about it, they started “making me think I was crazy.” According to the revelation, this led to Matt threatening people.
Calling back to his father, whom he said always got his way through screaming and yelling, Matt figured this was the only way to get them to stop.
“No one would listen to me compassionately, so I started screaming and yelling,” he revealed.
To prove what was happening to him, Matt admits he broke into his father’s hotel room and laptop. There, he says, he found the names of the private investigators. However, according to his rant, everyone tried to gaslight him and tell him none of it was actually happening.
On why he made this video:
While Matt admitted that he loved filming the show, he didn’t like lying about the way his life really was.
“I don’t know what to do anymore except tell the truth,” he said.
He also accused members of the production company, especially one security guard in particular, of bullying him and painting him “as a crazy person.” Matt admitted he just can’t deal with it anymore.
“Life is supposed to be better than this,” Matt says near the end of the video. “I just feel so set upon.”
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In two follow-up videos posted on Sunday, Matt thanked his fans for their support and offers of help. He told them that he is unable to accept money, due to his sobriety plan. However, he did ask his fans for help finding a good attorney.
“[I need] more good legal advice about what to do,” Matt said.
He does not appear to have regrets about spilling the tea on his family and their TV show.
“Now that my truth is out, I feel such a weight lifted,” Matt said. “I feel whole, or healing inside.”
He stated that he is currently looking for a book publisher, saying he wants to “finally tell my story.”
“I think that would help me get over a lot, everything from the past, as well as help other people who are dealing with the same kind of issues.”
The rest of the Brown Family have yet to publicly respond to any of Matt’s claims.
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RELATED STORY: ‘Alaskan Bush People’ Star Billy Brown Dead After Suffering a Seizure
(Photos: Discovery, Instagram)
7 Responses
Awe, my heart breaks for Matt here 🙁
Altho NOT a celebrity, but was a highly successful & independent woman , I too know VERY WELL the pain & suffering of one whom was raised among & has a HIGHLY DYSFUNCTIONAL family dynamic. I’ve ALWAYS BEEN the lone ranger among my own immediate family of five when it came down to ANY EFFORT/ATTEMPT to seek out & participate in therapy programs focused on improving the dynamic of the family &/or learning & growing 2B a better version of oneself for the purpose of improving not only my quality of life, but a quality of Life significant better than that which my family members might enjoy. To NO avail.
Unfortunately, my immediate family are but one family among a much larger extended family wherein my mother was the “baby” of her family of 13 siblings. Aside from one of her siblings whom committed suicide at age 42 & two sisters whom died as a result of SEVERE alcoholism prior to age 50, ALL of my mother’s siblings ,(my aunts & uncles) ALSO function within their families in perhaps slightly different overall styles, yet eerily similar, GROSSLY DYSFUNCTIONAL inter-relationship dynamics.
Even before I became of age & chose to seek & get help/therapy, I KNEW the way I was raised & constantly treated &/or interacted with among “family” members HAD 2B verifiable F’d up …. by ANY even half decent standard(s). I just KNEW it!
I was right (for once, lol). Upon having an agency get involved w/every one of my immediate family members at various intervals whilst being in their presence during what I agreed to present as being MY OWN therapy, I was advised by EACH ONE of the 6 member mental health “team” tasked to investigate my situation & make a determination on issues in order to provide me w/feedback on what/how I COULD DO to improve the situation for not only myself, but hopefully my entire family as a whole.
Until THAT day when I was sat down & given the report/assessment which was completed by the aforementioned highly EDUCATED,LICENSED,/CERTIFIED/EXPERIENCED mental health professionals
** all 6 members held minimally a Master’s degree in one or more mental health fields & all but one had a minimum of 10yrs experience working with dysfunctional family units **
Yeah, BEFORE that day of receiving an initial report/assessment (which would be merely the first of several that would follow), I’d never heard of or knew about such a thing known today as a ‘personality disorder’? What I came to learn regarding such a thing is that BOTH of my parents as well as older adult sister were definitely, positively, undoubtedly & most assuredly ALL functioning at the chaotic level they ALL did as a result of being SEVERELY NARCISSISTIC in both their thinking (perceptions), judgements (processing of their thoughts) & ultimately their actions (behaviors). And, as a result of MY having vokuntarily gone through several different forms of testing and evaluations, assessments & investigation of MY LIFE & LIFESTYLE via interviews w/friends, teachers, employers & fellow employees, I was simultaneously determined bybthe same group of professionals … plus a few additional Ph.D’s… to (quoting the report here) “NOT BE suffering from ANY significant abnormality &/or defect, or developmental deficiency of either character trait(s) or construct of personality”
Meaning?
I’d sought out help for WHY I had always and then still was seemingly in near constant emotional/mental anguish/pain or outright suffering….. from the time I can even remember HAVING a memory? I mean I NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH ME & how to go about fixing MYSELF ? I was “there” …. meaning …. I was (barely) existing & the thoughts of suicide were never ending.
What I came to learn was the origin of my persistent pain & suffering despite being a straight A, working since age 14 w/impeccable performance reviews & a good amount (a handful) of VERY dear friendships I’d established in Grammer school & maintained into up until THAT time (in my early 20’s) and my reputation among any whom knew me as a highly self motivated, effective, hardworking OVER achiever …. yeah, DESPITE my consistent TRYING 2B as perfect possible in my DEEP DESIRE/NEED to please my parents & family …. my NEED for any pittance of value/worthiness 2B bestowed upon me …. that pain/suffering was ALL DUE TO MY HAVING SEVERE PTSD …. constantly surrounded by my “loved ones” whom were ALL highly narcissistic (selfish, self centered, immature, illogical, unreasonable, unempathetic, & abusive in EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE) people !
Yep
Fact !
* right hand raised
in front of my chest
palm facing outward*
Sigh
So, yeah …. I “get” how much one’s “loved ones” CAN cause pain, suffering & inner chaos/turmoil for one whom DOES NOT do as does their family. Do I EVER!
MY situation was/is NOT the norm tho.
…. nowhere NEAR the norm.
Matt’s family may surely function as a result of some few – or even many – unhealthy facets of an overall challenged dynamic. In fact, just watching the show for any length of time, it is obvious the Brown family does NOT function at any level NEAR the higher end of a spectrum with standards recognized 2B “healthy”. Sure. NOT difficult to give Matt that much.
However?
The overall dynamic of his family,
and whether or not significantly “faked”
* watchers of the show are NOT in-the-know of what TRUTH exists among members of the Brown Family & the Brown Family dynamic via having ONLY that which is viewed in regards to ACTUAL knowledge of his family.
….. anyhoo? Yeah, from even the minimal amount of awareness gleaned of the Brown Family Dynamic, to those of us whom KNOW very well & have experience of the grossly dysfunctional dynamic … it is fairly ascertained the Browns DO NOT LACK empathy, support of/for and or authentic concern, admiration & indeed LOVE for one another as individuals AND as a family unit – and this no matter the amount of faults that can be found or are genuinely present among the clan.
I am quite certain there ARE facets of not only each of the individuals in the Brown Family , but the family dynamic as well which are less than perfect & surely even unhealthy in varying degrees. No doubt. NOT that I have ANY right to pass a single judgement of any one of or all of the Brown clan, but only to validate I CAN percieve their being nowhere near perfect, I share one perception I’m left with after watching several years of show episodes: I DO find several family members to be somewhat “lacking” in the areas of maturity via what/how certain members speak/communicate &/or especially behave (act/react). Intending NO disrespect here: seems rather obvious a couple of the kids are undoubtedly delayed in terms of developmental milestones of at least a few IMPORTANT milestone expectations/standards determining one 2B “mature” in their thinking AND doing. I also find one member 2B quite advanced in manner of usually sound/logical abilities TO THINK & DO …. tho at the same time it could be puzzling same individual REALLY appears to get into medieval life w/the swords, weaponry, and (God Love him) long list male chivalry *wink*. Petsonally tho, I don’t find it all too puzzling this conflict of personality.I have a son w/Asperger’s, so enuf said there, lol.
Okay. So, MY POINT (?):
I DO “get” [at least some idea of] what/how Matt may be thinking &/or feeling. I genuinely do. As a result of what/how/why I can EASILY relate to that certain pain/suffering which originates from one’s family of origin & thus, will forever remain a challenge for an individual to overcome … AND for MANY YEARS to come should one NOT CONTINUE to work on that which can ONLY be under one’s control: themself.
Still?
Tis MY sincere hope & prayer for Matt that he find a therapist or mental health professional to support him as he faces these challenged he has begun to share w/the world. He surely has NOT YET met with or well matched w/such a mental health caregiver or YET been sufficiently helped by the type of professional individual Matt IS IN DIRE NEED OF authentic, productive support from!
*praying hands*
Whilst opening the closet door to family skeletons &/or secrets for ALL THE WORLD 2C & make further assessments/assumptions MIGHT bring Matt some momentarily satisfying relief, he WILL ALL TOO SOON realize his OBVIOUSLY though scattered “truth telling” which demonstrate not much more than unhealthy rambling to the average Joe – will be (very) short-lived in terms of any peace finding mission. Sadly, should Matt CONTINUE behaving in such an unhealthy, unproductive, unfocused, goal-lacking manner, he WILL find himself no better the fare or mental state w/which tonproceed in Life either DOING OR BEING in ANY BETTER state than he has currently found himself 2B in. Thatsa fact !
Rather, I DO (sincerely) pray for Matt to find some center which will enable his ability to seek out & find the specific help/support he needs from one educated, licensed, experienced and most of all willing & wanting to help those in need of navigating the complex & challenging dynamics of any level of dysfunction within one’s family: should the dysfunctional behaviors be on the part(s) of only the patient &/or one or multiple family members OR the entire family.
Because NOT UNLESS/UNTIL Matt realizes that HE CAN CONTROL BUT ONE PERSON FIRST AND FOREMOST …. himself …. indeed, Matt will NOT be ready/prepared to tackle a larger issue/situation: that being those situations involving individuals other than himself.
Unfortunately, just from the one 9minute “Instagram confession” video I viewed, tis apparent Matt is at a place where he percieves his PRESENT state is a direct result of that which OTHERS dictate. This is simply NOT SO! Matt does need first to learn AND ACCEPT even God cannot change the past, but the future is 100% unwritten & much of the future IS within HIS control. Best he FIRST unscramble himself & calm the chaos WITHIN b4 planning to interact with those outside of himself.
….. back to basics if ye will *wink*
Matt IS an adult
Therefore, Matt needs TO STOP blaming & BE ACCOUNTABLE to & for HIMSELF. Once he’s attained THAT level of independence- and DROPS THE NEED TO BLAME &/or believing himself helpless w/out (xxxx fill in the blank here of whatever tangible support he believes or finds himself in need of) from somebody or anybody or even certain people …. yeah once Matt figured out the what & how to stand on his own- in HIS OWN calm/PEACE, only then can he be TRULY capable of seeking out the resolutions he now finds himself 2B in such great need of.
Dunno if any of this has made sense? LOL
I guess my ultimate prayer/wish is Matt learn & find the inner healing he so desperately needs …. which is actually 2B discovered & grown in ONLY ONE PLACE: within & I HOPE & PRAY Matt finds it WAY QUICKER THAN DID I, for whom it literally took DECADES 🙁
I understood the (primitive) need to defend oneself to others … and 2B heard, validated, KNOWN . I understood because, like Matt is now, THE ONLY THINGS I KNEW WERE SUCH THINGS: that which were OUTSIDE OF ME
Until I found a therapist well suited to help/treat me for MY assessed & determined major issue(s) (PTSD), I too got caught up believing what I now know is pretty foolish:
I’ll BE BETTER, when THEY ….
Yeah, Matt?
If ur reading this ?
STOP incestingbyour energy/efforts continuing the public “shaming” of your family members &/or production staff!
It’s really NOT helping you or affording you the relief you NEED &/or providing you with that which is necessary to live the best version of yourself 😉
Rather?
Reach out for help from a mental health practitioner whom is BEST prepared & CAPABLE of providing you with the REAL HELP YOU NEED.
FORGET the “coulda, woulda, & shoulda ‘s” AND the “if only …. they ….” thoughts. STOP ALL THAT CHATTER in ur mind driving you near the brink.
Seek & ye shall find Matt 😉
Seriously!
IF you ARE NOT learning, growing, healing w/the help of a therapist you are paired with (?), that is okay! Poo happens pal *wink* Remember “if at first, you don’t succeed, try & try again”, right?
…..just go find ANOTHER therapist!
This one step is one you WILL hear from many (if not most) ANY person whom has been in a bad place mentally/emotionally and managed to overcome their troubles w/the help of a GOOD therapist.
Trust me or rather,trust THAT process!
Be authentic, mindful, WILLING and cooperative w/your therapist & if/when you find that therapist whom CAN & WILL HELP YOU in terms of helping YOU heal YOURSELF ?
Awe man, it’s a possible and beautiful thing 😀 ! And it’s available 2U if/when you are REALLY & HONESTLY READY to DO THE WORK necessary: to work on the stuff INSIDE OF YOU so you can reap the rewards life on the outside wants you to receive w/an open heart ♡.
Think (hard) on this too: after ur public “shaming” session? WHAT was any better than before you did it? Heh? And? WHAT was made worse?
* Eyes looking upwards *
Okay, no worries- we ALL make mistakes there pal *wink*
Now that you been there &,done that?
How about you get serious and get down w/getting better & FEELING/BEING better?
Seek & ye shall find Matt 😀
(anybody actually)
May God or whatever Higher Power you CAN AUTHENTICALLY find faith in – even merely Nature – bless you abundantly and FIRST by steering you towards an appropriate mental health provider/caregiver – where you can & WILL begin the first steps of what WILL EVENTUALLY BE your journey – your blessed journey 🙂
Be well Matt & all ….
BE SOUND
*hugs to all & a sign of peace*
Isn’t he the rapist?
Yes he was accused of rape by two different women
I think everybody felt the same about Billy. He was always standing to the side barking
orders at his kids and would rarely lift a finger and this was with cameras pointed at him. You think he would have been at his best behavior. He seemed so controlling and lazy.
praying someone heals this family!!!
For God sake give him his portion of the money owed to him. Nothing like a family member that throws you under the bus. There is one in every family. Mine is my brother.