"Alaskan Bush People" just a liiiiiitle exaggerated

**Garandman** · 12-20-14, 06:29 AM

My kids got interested in this show last year, about what was supposed to be an authentic Alaskan family leaving far off the grid. They started building a homestead when some gunshots at night convinced them, in a dramatic fashion, that the locals weren't welcoming. This led to more drama.

Hilarious episode guide and video.

Things didn't seem quite right when the family was charged with felony theft of Permanent Fund (given to legitimate residents) distributions over three years. Then those meanies at an Anchorage Newspaper busted out Reality Reality.

The property, abandoned after filming ended in late 2012, sits in a subdivision less than 10 miles south of Copper Center, easily accessible from a dirt road just off the highway. There’s a pizza place about a half-mile away. The surroundings are wild enough -- the production crew even hired someone to carry a shotgun for bear protection, numerous locals say -- but the area is by no means wilderness.

And yes, the Browns had company living right next door: Jason Hoke, a 46-year-old regional economic development director originally from Albany, N.Y., but an Alaskan since 1996.

The area is pretty remote and wild: there are 2500 residents in an area the size of Ohio. But as fhe local tavernkeeper said: "Ninety-five percent of the people pretty much saw the farce there,. I compare it to wrestling, professional wrestling, as far as reality TV goes. There’s always some people in the audience that really think it’s real.”

Discovery Channel: soap operas with occasional reference to reality...

R7 · 12-20-14, 07:21 AM

It's a reality show, are any of them actually true? I'd say based on facts at best is more like it.

I watched it some last year, but like most of those shows, it's easy to pick up on the acting.

I used to really like watching moonshiners as well, but even that show is easy to pick up on a lot of things that are not real.

**Garandman** · 12-20-14, 07:34 AM

Alaska The Last Frontier seems legit, they've been there a long time.

I had high hopes for Moonshiners and some of the characters are awesome. Alaskan Bush People is so contrived it's fun to think about what they'll come up with next.

Kinda wierd the whole village showed up to help them build a cabin, but didn't want them there....

**Chippertheripper** · 12-20-14, 08:29 AM

All of those shows are rubbish. From the pickers to the pawn shops to all the hillbilly hootenanny, it's just junk tv.

I'm still watching Dora and doc mcstuffins with my offspring, so I'm not sure which is worse.

**bryco13** · 12-20-14, 09:32 AM

Octonauts.

**slowkermit** · 12-20-14, 09:56 AM

I like the fake fights on the logging shows. How come nobody ever connects?

**nhbubba** · 12-20-14, 10:15 AM

I am so sad I canceled my cable TV.

**obsolete** · 12-20-14, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Garandman

Alaska The Last Frontier seems legit, they've been there a long time.

I had high hopes for Moonshiners and some of the characters are awesome. Alaskan Bush People is so contrived it's fun to think about what they'll come up with next.

Kinda wierd the whole village showed up to help them build a cabin, but didn't want them there....

Moonshiners? I'm pretty sure no one allows the filming and airing of illegal activities...

**butcher bergs** · 12-20-14, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Chippertheripper

I'm still watching Dora and doc mcstuffins with my offspring, so I'm not sure which is worse.

Search for "Disney Collector" on YouTube.

**CBR929RE** · 12-20-14, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Chippertheripper

All of those shows are rubbish. From the pickers to the pawn shops to all the hillbilly hootenanny, it's just junk tv.

I'm still watching Dora and doc mcstuffins with my offspring, so I'm not sure which is worse.

hey American Pickers is good........cause Danielle is so hot

**Garandman** · 12-20-14, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Chippertheripper

All of those shows are rubbish. From the pickers to the pawn shops to all the hillbilly hootenanny, it's just junk tv.

I'm still watching Dora and doc mcstuffins with my offspring, so I'm not sure which is worse.

No SpongeBob? Why you hate America?

**theducman** · 12-20-14, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by CBR929RE

hey American Pickers is good........cause Danielle is so hot

Yes!!

**Chippertheripper** · 12-20-14, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by CBR929RE

hey American Pickers is good........cause Danielle is so hot

She's not THAT hot. Hotter than Jim, yes.
Hotter than scarlet? Nofuckingway.

The pickers at least find interesting shot sometimes, but it isn't offset by the space filling of them bantering and talking to kooks trying to get at piles of schtuff.

**Trouble** · 12-20-14, 08:03 PM

I spent two years in McCarthy, where "Edge of Alaska" takes place. It was a 12 years ago but most of the people were there when I was. Discovery is missing a lot of key players in town but there was actually more human drama than what's being shown. It's a small, isolated town where everybody was in everybody's business. The fear of bears, etc is hyped up of course. Most of the black bears were passing through and never presented a problem even if they encountered a human.

It's been cool for me to "catch up" with some of my former friends that I lost touch with over the years. Some of you may remember Splash, the big white Akita Husky mix I had a few years ago. That dog came from Jeremy Keller, one of the principal characters on the series. Jason Lobo was a pilot for the flight service that I worked for and we were good friends. I loaned my Leatherman to Tim one evening at the bar so he could extract a tooth. Etc, etc. I miss the town and will go back some day.

**Garandman** · 12-20-14, 09:30 PM

They make Jeremy seem a little "off" - is he? And they make Neil seem avaricious and devious? Tim Mischel seems like a cool dude.

**CBR929RE** · 12-21-14, 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by Chippertheripper

She's not THAT hot. Hotter than Jim, yes.
Hotter than scarlet? Nofuckingway.

The pickers at least find interesting shot sometimes, but it isn't offset by the space filling of them bantering and talking to kooks trying to get at piles of schtuff.

we are no longer friends

**maxim_X** · 12-21-14, 05:19 AM

Danielle is an 8.5 at best. If it weren't for the ink I think she would be closer to a 6 or 7. She has an unconventional hot about her.

**Trouble** · 12-21-14, 06:43 AM

Both Jeremy and Jason are quirky. Jeremy wasn't the confrontational type when I was there but that probably adds to the story line. Neil had arrived in town the second year I was there and was stirring things up quickly. I didn't dislike him but even then he was trying to "improve" the town which very few residents liked.

**FAST GSXR750** · 12-21-14, 09:24 AM

Pickers frustrates the shit out of me! They're standing in a barn full of classic bikes and car stuff without even looking and end up buying a fucking lamp? One episode there's three XR750"s sitting right there and they buy a junk pile covered with a tarp in the back yard. Just staged. And Danielle is quirky hot.

**Garandman** · 12-21-14, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by maxim_X

Danielle is a 6. Even without the ink I think she would be closer to a 7 at best. She has an unconventional hot about her.

FFy

**DucDave** · 12-21-14, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Trouble

I spent two years in McCarthy, where "Edge of Alaska" takes place. It was a 12 years ago but most of the people were there when I was. Discovery is missing a lot of key players in town but there was actually more human drama than what's being shown. It's a small, isolated town where everybody was in everybody's business. The fear of bears, etc is hyped up of course. Most of the black bears were passing through and never presented a problem even if they encountered a human.

It's been cool for me to "catch up" with some of my former friends that I lost touch with over the years. Some of you may remember Splash, the big white Akita Husky mix I had a few years ago. That dog came from Jeremy Keller, one of the principal characters on the series. Jason Lobo was a pilot for the flight service that I worked for and we were good friends. I loaned my Leatherman to Tim one evening at the bar so he could extract a tooth. Etc, etc. I miss the town and will go back some day.

REALLY? Did I know that? I was there this summer with Bruce Tessier and two others. Stayed at Ma Johnsons and did a Flightseeing tour. Really interesting place. Crashed on the second bridge coming out of McCarthy and broke my 3rd Metacarpal! Rode another 4 days and 1000 miles and finished the trip. Pretty sure the 'drama' in the show is mostly that but the history is really interesting. I remember when prepping for the trip I 'googled' McCarthy and several of the entries on the first page were about the Louis D. Hastings murders...!

I would really like to go back and spend a few days there....

**Trouble** · 12-21-14, 06:22 PM

Dave, that's awesome you made the trip into McCarthy! Not many do. I worked for Wrangell Mountain Air who I'm guessing was probably your flight service. It's worth spending a summer there and becoming a local. When I was there the main drama was about the footbridge going onto town. The state and some locals kept putting up bollards to keep it a footbridge. Others would cut/rip/excavate it out so they could come and go on quads.

Glad you didn't bin it on the Kuskulana bridge. That would have been a heart stopper!

If you want to learn more about the other "excitement" in town read a book called "Pilgrims Wilderness". It's about the folks they mention in the series and it's truly amazing how screwed up people can be.

**Garandman** · 12-22-14, 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by Trouble

Glad you didn't bin it on the Kuskulana bridge. That would have been a heart stopper!

Ya think?

**Stoneman** · 12-22-14, 07:29 AM

The Bush People show was a crock straight from the get go. The Last Frontier and Edge of Alaska seemed pretty up & up the couple of times I've seen 'em...

**Garandman** · 12-22-14, 04:04 PM

There are something like 11 shows active or being planned for Alaska.

In the Army it is the #1 requested duty station, way ahead of Hawaii.

"Alaskan Bush People" just a liiiiiitle exaggerated

Thread Tools