If there's one thing that Discovery Channel's Alaskan Bush People has taught viewers, it's that the key to a happy family is working together and staying close. Of course, living in the remote wilds of Alaska and Washington state takes that idea to the next level. Still, the brood of nine has its secrets. The show has come under considerable fire for being fake, as well as the cast members' criminal history. The patriarch and matriarch of the family, Billy and Ami Brown appear to have a loving marriage, but they too, have a complicated relationship.
Billy and Ami Brown hitched in 1979 in Texas. The pair ultimately wound up in the remote wilderness of Alaska where they had five sons and two daughters. They haven't gone without their fair share of trouble, still, they manage to stick together. In the 1980s, Billy was charged with horse theft. More recently, almost the entire family was brought up on charges of a unique form of tax evasion, but the patriarch managed to work out a plea deal. Still, Ami and Billy have remained close and; within the scope of the reality tv series that has brought them millions, they appear to be very much in love. That hasn't come with complications.
The show has come under fire for being fake or over-scripted. As time has gone by the family has a collective net worth of about 60 million dollars. Many fans were shaking their heads at the news of a $2.7 million dollar Beverly Hills mansion in Los Angeles, California, according to Pop Culture. Of course, the family had decided to relocate due to Ami's cancer treatment. Billy had wanted to make sure she received the best treatment she could get. Similarly, as Ami continued to have health issues, and Billy himself faced respiratory problems, the family decided to finally leave Alaska after living there for 30 long years.
Last year, fans got an inside look at what's really happening between the marriage of Ami and Billy Brown. According to interviews with media outlets, and Nicki Swift, Billy is actually very controlling over his wife. Fans too, began to notice that she was "quiet, dutiful, and subservient". The news all goes back to interviews with Ami's own mom and brother. Many were shocked again at the updates that followed.
According to Nicki Swift, Ami was only 15 years old when she married Billy who was 26 at the time. Back then in Texas, it was legal to get married as young a 14, but even then, this was pretty unusual. Ami's mother did give her approval to Billy as long as Ami finished high school. However, shortly after their wedding, Ami cut ties with her family and hasn't mended the estranged relationship since. According to Nicki Swift, when Ami's brother confronted Billy, he said "That's none of your mother's business now. She belongs to me!" This revelation has fans taking a closer look at their relationship.
It seems that the relationship between Billy and Ami has evolved over time. The 66-year-old patriarch is definitely more preoccupied with his health and his wife's than anything else. Still, the show has had a major mixup since season 12. With the entire family moving to a remote region of Washington state, there's no telling how Alaskan Bush People will develop.
Source: Pop Culture, Nicki Swift