Alana Thompson is getting ready to celebrate her 16th birthday, planning for her future, and letting fans know she’s not the same girl they met on Toddlers & Tiaras in 2012.
The former pageant queen– who went on to star on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Mama June: From Not to Hot– sat down with Teen Vogue to talk about her future career plans, why she doesn’t have many friends, and the difficulties of growing up under the microscope of television.
Throw back some Go-Go Juice as The Ashley breaks down the 5 most interesting things from Alana’s interview below!
1. Honey Boo Boo and Alana “are completely two different people.”
While some may still refer to Alana as “Honey Boo Boo,” her childhood nickname, she wants everyone– including her high school peers– to know it’s not the name she prefers.
“My mama did not name me Honey Boo Boo,” she said. “My name is Alana.”
Alana said she tries her hardest and just wants to be the best she can be, make money, and make straight A’s.
“I would say that I do like this Alana now, rather than the younger Alana,” she said of her more grownup identity.
2. Alana says she doesn’t have many friends, because most people want to use her.
Despite having nearly 1 million followers on Instagram, Alana revealed that, aside from her boyfriend, she doesn’t have many real life pals.
“To be honest, I do not have many friends. At all,” she said. “Because I feel like folks are so much like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m friends with Honey Boo Boo.’ I don’t trust nobody really, so I don’t have friends.”
Alana explained that she is on the lookout for certain things when she meets someone new—whether they call her “Honey Boo Boo,” and whether they offer to pay for things, or just assume she will because they thinks she is rich.
3. She is heavily scrutinized by fans & often criticized for how she looks.
Alana spoke about her appearance– specifically her long lashes and long nails– and the fact that some people have recently deemed her new look “too grown.” Alana believes people still expect her to look and act the way she did on ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,’ noting the stereotypes that come with being from the south may have contributed to the criticism as well.
“ … people expect me to be all country bumpkin, out riding four wheelers all the time, but that’s not really how it is,” she said. “There are so many folks on my Instagram that do not like my nails or my eyelashes. But I do not care. As long as I like myself, I’m good.”
Alana’s older sister Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon has also come forward to defend the teen’s evolving look, though Alana is confident in who she is, despite what body shamers on social media or anyone else have to say.
“ … Just because I got a little bit of extra meat on my bones, you want to hate me? I’ll never get body shaming,” she said. “Like, I know I’m beautiful, and I know I got a banging body, so…I don’t care.”
4. Alana wants to go to college, have a family, become a neonatal nurse & get off TV someday.
Alana admits being on reality TV has been a smart financial decision, but she knows eventually she and her family will stop filming.
“I want to have a life, you know? I want to be able to support my kids when I do have kids and stuff like that,” she said. “It’s definitely something that is good for the time being, [and] good for later on in life.”
When she finally does say goodbye to reality TV, Alana plans to work as a neonatal nurse. Before then, however, she plans to buy a car, graduate high school, move out when she turns 18, purchase a home, and go to college– while continuing to work, as she’s already started thinking about student debt.
“I don’t know what future Alana’s like,” she noted. “I haven’t met her yet.”
5. She says her sister Pumpkin took her in when she had nowhere to go.
Shortly after Alana’s mom, June Shannon, was arrested in 2019 for possession of crack cocaine, Alana began living with Pumpkin, Pumpkin’s husband, Josh Efird, and the couple’s daughter, where she still resides today. Though her mom is sober now, Alana said having a parent who is dealing with substance abuse is something she’d “wish on nobody.”
“A lot of folks in this world do not realize how many people are actually really affected by drug and alcohol [use],” she said. “It’s very, very hard. It’s something I’d wish on nobody, for real.”
“[My sister] stepped up when I had nobody,” Alana said. “But I know it’s stressful on her, because she has another person to take care of.”
As she and her mom continue working to get “back on track” to where they used to be, Alana said she’s proud of her mom for working on herself.
“I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come,” she added.
(Photos: TLC; Teen Vogue; Instagram)
18 Responses
My name is Alana and not Honey Boo Boo……..says the girl who’s IG is Honey Boo Boo
I don’t have any friends because I don’t trust anyone and so they can’t say I’m friends with Honey Boo Boo…..says the girl who’s boyfriend is probably saying I’m dating Honey Boo Boo. LOL
Seriously, you aren’t THAT famous that everyone wants to be your friend. Clearly this girl thinks extremely highly of herself. It’s not normal….imo.
These ppl are rich. They dont have the same excuse we plebes have.
The can hire chefs, they can buy quality produce. They can also hire trainers or nutritionists as well.
Or the network can help them. That are on TV still.
If she can afford nails and eyelashes, she can afford vegetables.
Instead of posting online all the time, and focusing on the drama, she can take a walk.
She and her family have no excuses. They have support systems and opportunities to succeed that we could only dream of.
I’m definitely in the minority with this one. I can’t stand her at all.
I like her. She’s resilient and has a fabulous personality.
We now live in a world if you mention a child being overweight you are body shaming and we ignore, placate and tell the child they are beautiful just the way they are.
Completely ignoring the issue.
The whole I have thin friends who have health issues and obese friends who don’t is BS.
If you are obese you do have health issues. They just haven’t shown up clinically YET.
No one should ever feel shame about their body. Ever. But neither is denying reality.
This delusional thinking now has Alana buying into she has a banging body.
Pumpkin has started to make different choices on the show and has lost weight. She has gotten into looking at nutrition because she also wants to raise Ella differently.
She keeps trying to get Alana to change but her reaction on the show demonstrated she clearly needs food as her emotional crutch.
Obesity runs in the family as does diabetes. Letting her continue without intervention to lose weight is a mistake.
She had so many traumatic experiences way too young. Her parents separating, her mom dating the same pedo who molested Anna, then becoming an addict, leaving her family behind, her dad not giving a crap about her either, oh and let’s not forget the constant online bullying about her weight. Sure she needs to make healthier choices but a lot of ppl straight up comment things to her like “you should kill yourself, disgusting pig” etc. Yet, despite all this she seems to have her shit together and so does Pumpkin. My heart breaks for them and I wish them nothing but the best in life!
I didn’t ” know” Honey Boo Boo, but I have come to love Alana & Pumpkin & Josh & Ella. They are all trying to be better than the generation before them & they support each other.
You have to start somewhere & I believe they are off to a good start.
Alana is an amazingly insightful young lady!
Good for her on her future plans!
She IS a fierce beautiful person who can overcome anything! It’s so nice to hear a teenager that has an actual plan for her future and to not just sit back and expect everyone to do everything for her.
I feel for her having to grow up with a mom with substance abuse issues and thank good for her amazing sister to step up and be responsible.
No body shaming here!!
Alana is going places!! 🙂
Funny how people assume just because someone is overweighed then must have health issues. I have an obese friend who actually lost weight and had great health while pregnant, didn’t have diabetes or high blood pressure. Then another friend of ours, skinny and “healthy” who got pregnant and suffered gestational diabetes and high blood pressure but nobody told her “check your eating habits, you are unhealthy” yada yada.
When your only “concerns” are for overweighed people then yeah, you are fatphobic. And I’m pretty sure Alana or any other person didn’t ask for our opinions on their health or weight
She may not have health issues now (I truly have no idea), but you cannot seriously dispute that being overweight can lead to a greater chance of health issues later, including very serious health issues. People being concerned about a child who has not had good examples to follow in making healthy food and activity choices isn’t fatphobic, it’s normal. Someone has to show concern for this girl – no one in her family has.
She must have PCOS like Hulk. Can’t be her fault.
stay lit
Alana is a child, not even 16 years old, and she is not living with either biological parent. Neither parent has acted like a parent to her in years. I just want her to stay in Lauren’s stable home, go to school, and try to start to build her own happy life. I worry about her falling into depression and addiction. Just pray for her. NONE of this was her fault, or her own doing.
How is Alana rich?
Can she access her money before she’s 18?
We all know her mom sold every one’s belongings including house & cars for her & her BF addiction.
Obesity can be hereditary.
I’m sure their manager Gina will hook her up if she wants to at 18 for ” Her” make over. These last few years including covid have probably been hard on her.
Given what she’s gone through in life, I’m glad to see that she is doing well. But her weight is out of control – people should not be body shaming a child online, but I hope she gets some education and begins taking steps to make better health choices. It has to begin somewhere, and unfortunately she doesn’t have good examples to follow, so it’s really up to her to educate herself and make those choices.
Agreed. Sedentary lifestyles and higher weight/BMI lead to serious health problems. Scientific and medical fact..
But cant speak on that or you’re “fatphobic” and a hatter, right?
No one is saying she needs to be a beam pole, but now is a great time to start eating better and getting up and moving. She will feel 100% better once she takes charge of her own health. She’ll be a lot less angry and resentful of how she feels ppl treat her as well..
I very much agree with what you’re saying but at the same time that’s a lot easier said than done and it’s veryyyy easy to judge without being in the other person’s shoes. Idk if it’s the same where Alana lives but I know where I live we don’t have many healthy restaurant options because we are so rural. Then other stuff like work, school, etc. may get in the way of being able to cook at home instead of eating out. I 100% know the struggle and know how she feels. It doesn’t feel good at all to be judged and looked at like you’re disgusting when you’re constantly battling with yourself about how you look and feel while attempting to make better choices with what you have to work with.
I replied to you but it appears elsewhere here, Summershine
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These ppl are rich. They dont have the same excuse us plebes have.
The can hire chefs, they can buy quality produce. They can also hire trainers or nutritionists as well.
Or the network can help them. That are on TV still.
If she can afford nails and eyelashes, she can afford vegetables.
Instead of posting online all the time, and focusing on the drama, she can take a walk.
She and her family have no excuses. They have support systems and opportunities to succeed that we could only dream of.
I can’t stand this trend of addressing her significant health concerns as body shaming. Like let’s not sugar coat the fact that she’s still a child and she’s morbidly obese. No one in her life makes good food or exercise decisions, so she isn’t either. It’s not cute and it’s not about having a “banging body”. Barf. And I won’t even get into the disgusting fingernails, which are germ collectors.