Since its premiere on the Discovery Channel in 2014, “Alaskan Bush People” has maintained its status as a reality television mainstay. Following the Brown family’s efforts to survive in the remote wilderness of Alaska, the show has struck a chord with audiences around the world. Despite its popularity, however, the series has faced criticisms hinting that not everything shown on camera maybe the way it’s told.
Nevertheless, the show’s continued success has led to multiple renewals, with website Radar Online reporting in April 2019 that the show had been given the green light for a 10th season. Mere months later it was announced that season 11 would premiere in December of 2019, with season 12 following in August of 2020.
Filmed in various locations over the years, including Copper Center, Hoonah, and Chichagof Island in Alaska, as well as Okanogan County in Washington, the show has attempted to portray an authentic look at the Brown family’s lives in the wilderness.
Despite these efforts, however, the title has come under fire for its authenticity, or lack thereof, with adamant accusations that it is staged and inauthentic coming from both the critics and average viewers. Nevertheless, the show’s portrayal of the Brown family’s determination to survive in harsh conditions had by that time captured the hearts of enough viewers to keep the whole project afloat.
The newest Brown fledgling
Rain Brown is definitely one of the most familiar faces among the popular bunch, being the youngest daughter of the family. She quite literally grew up in front of the camera, with her journey being closely followed by viewers since the show’s premiere in 2014.
She is known for her upbeat personality and positive attitude, which have endeared her to fans over the years. Despite the challenges of growing up in such a remote and isolated environment, she has maintained a sense of optimism and a deep love for those around her.
One of the hallmarks of Rain’s personality is her one-of-a-kind close relationship with her family members. The Browns have always been a tight-knit group, with Rain representing an important part of that dynamic since birth. Her warmth and affection remained a bright spot in the show, and viewers were always drawn to her infectious energy.
Rain’s journey has not gone by without its struggles, however. In recent years she has been open about her battles with depression and anxiety, which only got compounded by the isolation of living in the Alaskan wilderness. She has used her platform in the show to advocate for mental health awareness, in doing so having become a source of inspiration and support for many viewers who are going through similar struggles.
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Rain’s presence in “Alaskan Bush People” has also helped to humanize the Brown family, who have faced criticism and skepticism over the years due to the show’s perceived inauthenticity. Her openness and true-to-life faults and virtues have helped to dispel some of these doubts, making the Browns a more reliable source of family life in the viewer’s mind.
As the Brown family continues to navigate the challenges of life in the wilderness, Rain’s role as its member remains an important one. Her positive attitude and infectious energy have made her a fan favorite, and her struggles with mental health have helped to shed light on an important issue that affects many people around the world.
Despite the criticisms that “Alaskan Bush People” has faced over the years, there is no denying the impact that the show has had on popular culture. It has inspired countless imitators and captured the imaginations of viewers who long for a simpler way of life.
Rain Brown, the cast of the hit reality show, Alaskan Bush People is the most popular personality of the Brown family. Click the link to know whether Rain Brown is in a relationship or not as of now.https://t.co/7JQoQp7V2c pic.twitter.com/fBikNk0kjJ
— eCelebrityFacts (@ecelebrityfacts) January 31, 2022
The sudden downfall of a household name
Everything seemed to be going well for the group near the end of the 12th season until 19 August 2020, when cast member Bear Brown revealed on Instagram that the family’s home had been destroyed in the devastating 2020 Washington wildfires. Despite the loss, the family’s tenacity in very trying times only served to further bolster their image around the world.
Next year, however, the show suffered a devastating blow when patriarch Billy Brown passed away at the age of 68 on 7 February 2021. Brown’s death came as a massive shock to pretty much everyone, with fans and cast members alike mourning the loss of a beloved figure. Billy had suffered a sudden seizure and, despite efforts to revive him, passed away at the hospital.
As the patriarch of the Brown family, he had been a central figure in the show’s narrative, guiding his family through the challenges of life in the wilderness. His death has left a void in the show that will be impossible to fill, leading the other members to stray even further from the idea of ever coming back to the screen.
Additional legal issues have also contributed to the gradual decline in the Brown family’s popularity and eventual departure from the show. Patriarch Billy Brown has a criminal history of horse theft in 1980, while Ami has a criminal history of welfare fraud.
However, their most notable legal troubles arose in 2014 when an investigation by the Alaska Department of Revenue resulted in the Browns being indicted on 60 counts of first-degree unsworn falsification and first- and second-degree theft regarding Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) forms for their residency, in the period between 2009 and 2012.
In Alaska, the state provides a yearly monetary stimulus to eligible residents called the PFD. Applicants must meet certain requirements to receive these payments, such as having lived in Alaska for at least one year and intending to remain there indefinitely.
To verify their residency, applicants must provide proof of having resided there, such as utility bills or lease agreements. The PFD program is a critical source of income for many Alaskans, and making false statements on these applications is considered a serious offense that can lead to significant legal consequences.
Billy was hence charged with 24 of those counts, which took place from 2010 to 2013, as well as for the theft of over $21,000 in dividend money for himself and others. The charges suggested that the family spent more than 180 days a year living outside of Alaska and falsely claimed residency on their PFD applications.
On 18 November 2015 a plea deal was reached for the whole family except Matt and Rain, who were exempt due to Matt not living with the family and Rain being too young. Billy and Joshua pleaded guilty on behalf of the family for lying on PFD forms, resulting in restitution, fines, and 30 days of house arrest at a Juneau hotel for stealing over $21,000.
Despite the hardships that the Brown family has faced over the years, their determination to persevere has made them a symbol of resilience and strength for many viewers. Through their struggles against the elements, each other, the scrutiny of the public, as well as self-control and thus the law, the Browns have definitely created a legacy in the limelight.
With that being said, it’s difficult to see a future in which the production of “Alaskan Bush People” resumes once everything is considered, leaving its continuation up to whatever else may come the Browns’ way. For the time being, in early 2023, it doesn’t look like there will be a continuation to the saga, leaving Rain and her siblings without a great source of income.
Rain’s impact on the series’ success
One of the most important things featured in the whole of “Alaskan Bush People” was the prospect of young hardworking children living remotely for almost their entire childhoods, with their innocence unspoiled by the influence of social media and oftentimes unhealthy teenage trends.
Being only 12 years old in 2015, Rain served as an inspiration to many parents around the world, who hoped that their children could be just as pure. This earnest lack of a bad influence was made apparent in moments such as when Rain and Snowbird explored a local town very briefly, which is a luxury they’re rarely afforded.
They followed their mother to Juneau as she needed dental surgery, but were allowed to roam around for a while in the downtime prior to the medical procedure. Billy said ‘While we’re waiting for the appointment with the dentist, the girls are gonna go out and explore the town. It’s something they don’t get to do very often. They’ve almost always got a brother or us with them, they’re kind of excited about it.’
Naturally, both of the girls felt more at ease exploring their curiosity without any adults around to potentially tease them for whatever interest they may have, going on the hunt for all manner of interesting with a great sense of enthusiasm.
Snowbird said ‘Well, we live so far out in the bush, so when we come into a big city like this, it’s a kind of a special occasion. There’s so much stuff, my eye goes to everything. I’m just looking at everything.’
Of course, not all of the items they encounter will make perfect sense to the whole-bodied forest dwellers whose general daily focus is survival instead of beauty or glamour, such as fake eyelashes. To that end, Snowbird said ‘Some of the stuff we’re seeing, I don’t really get it.’ Rain also added ‘And some stuff we’ve never seen before, we don’t even know what it is.’
It was also apparent just how ancestral their lifestyle was when the girls ran into breath freshening slices of gum, with both of them wondering whether that’s some strange form of dental floss. Snowbird said ‘The first one was almost good, but then, like, by the third one, I was, like, almost crying. It’s so much.’
They eventually ran into the magazine stand, and the audience was further shown just how little contact the girls have with modern technology, especially the media. Snowbird said ‘All of the popular culture and popular music, and even popular actors and stuff, I feel like we’re a little bit behind. For me, when I think about, like, an actor, Goldie Hawn, she’s good. Kurt Russell, where did they go?’
Rain’s life in the modern day
Most Browns seem to have gone separate ways after the collapse of the series, with Rain choosing to remain true to her roots while still enjoying a fair bit of contemporary luxuries, such as regular access to the internet and thus social media.
According to posts on her Instagram page, it can probably be concluded that she no longer follows an extremely remote lifestyle, and that her children are being raised quite differently from how she was.
Her description states ‘Member of the @alaskanbushppl family, mother to Jakson and Harley. child of God, inspirational writer, and a full time warrior #staystrong #stayhappy,’ telling the fans that her interests have somewhat expanded since they last saw her on the screen, mainly into literature.
While it’s unknown whether Rain does anything to secure a steady stream of income, there’s the fact that she offers cameos for $20 per video, most of which are personalized greetings or happy birthday messages ordered by her numerous fans around the world.
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Still, it can be said with certainty that her 378,000 Instagram followers are a far cry of the numbers “Alaskan Bush People” used to pump on a regular basis, but there isn’t much any Brown can do about that now. All Rain seems to have left from the series is a sort of springboard for whatever she chooses to do next, and it looks like she’s aware of that.
The description of her picture with a goat posted on 22 February 2023 reveals more information about her current lifestyle, stating ‘Lowered prices on my subscription and cameo for this weekend only!! As many of you know February was the month my sweet daddy left this world so for the last weekend of February I want to donate a fair percent of proceedings to seizure research.’
The last part of the message shows what her income may be coming from, saying ‘The rest will fund the ranch. Hopefully together we can make the world a brighter place. #goat #alaskanbushpeople #rainbrown #cameo #subscribe.’
