- A new episode of
Honey Boo Boo 's series shows the aftermath of her fake cocaine snorting video last summer. - "It was a joke. Everyone is supposed to laugh about it. I wasn't trying to make fun of Mama's situation," Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson said in the episode, referencing her mother's struggle with drug addiction.
- The clip offers a behind-the-scenes look at what a public-relations nightmare a cancellation over a problematic post can be.
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Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson's fake drug use caused a stir online in August 2019 when she pretended to snort cocaine in a Facebook Live video, just months after her mother was arrested on drug charges. The immediate aftermath of the then-13-year-old Thompson's choice is on display in a new episode of the Thompson family's series, "Mama June: Family Crisis."
In the original video, first reported by TMZ, Thompson appeared to use a plastic knife to line up something on the table in front of her. "We're gonna have to cut off the camera really quick because I have to do something," she said, before leaning down, appearing to mime drug snorting.
Thompson's older sister yelled after realizing what she'd done, according to the new episode, which aired May 1. Lauryn "Pumpkin" Shannon, who has custody of her younger sister, took away her phone as punishment.
"It was a joke. Everyone is supposed to laugh about it. I wasn't trying to make fun of Mama's situation," Thompson said in the episode.
The clip offers a behind-the-scenes look at what a public-relations nightmare a cancelation over a problematic post can be. Along with Shannon, the family's manager, Gina, also scolded the teenager. The manager called over FaceTime to explain that Thompson's team had to "put out fires" and try to stop sponsors from cutting ties over the video.
"This is ridiculous," the manager said. "That situation is not funny. I know you're going through a lot right now and I don't want to be super hard on you, but you can't be doing things like that."
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