Reality television has come in several different formats. From talent competitions to paranormal investigations, there seems to be a reality genre for everybody.
Drama is one thing reality television relies on to maintain viewers’ interest. When it comes to the many stars of reality television, it seems nobody knows this better than Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson.
Having first appeared in the hit series Toddlers & Tiaras, Alana became a sensation in the reality world. However, as she got older, Alana expressed a desire to make a name for herself outside the medium in which she became famous. She has been attending college and wants to be a nurse.
However, some believe her boyfriend’s legal troubles have been making her situation more difficult.
Perez Hilton And His Fans Praise Alana For Going To College And Trying To Better Herself
In 2024, Alana Thompson, better known as Honey Boo Boo, asked fans if they could assist her in finding a place to live.
It seems like a bizarre request to give strangers online, particularly when you’re a big reality star, but the circumstances make Thompson’s actions understandable.
“We’ve been searching everywhere for a new place, but Dralin’s student loans and my lack of credit have made it nearly impossible to get approved,”
Thompson told fans in a TikTok video
.
Alana and her boyfriend Dralin Carswell were trying to find a house in Denver, Colorado. They needed to secure a rental by September 1, 2024.
Mama June, Thompson’s mother, reposted the video on her Instagram, asking her followers for help.
Perez Hilton said that he believes Dralin’s legal issues have been a contributing factor in their difficulty landing a place.
“I think the criminal record might have something to do with why they keep getting rejected for housing and not the credit,”
Hilton told his followers
, “but that’s just my opinion.”
Despite her boyfriend’s criminal record, Perez said that he is proud of Alana and where she is going in her life.
“I’m really proud of her,” Hilton shared. “Sure, she’s got a boyfriend that some might say is questionable, because of his problems with the law. But Alana is going to college. I am so happy that she is trying to better herself and pursuing an education.”
In the comment section of Hilton’s video, fans agreed with Perez and praised Alana for her schooling.
- “What a crazy life she’s had,” one user commented. “Kudos to her trying to navigate life under a microscope.”
Another person who lives in Denver wrote that they were aware of Alana’s home search, but didn’t want to get involved.
- “I’m in Denver and someone posted asking if they be willing to rent a room out to her and her boyfriend or know of any places,” they wrote. “As a huge fan of honey boo-boo, I would love to. But as a rational human being with a frontal lobe, I’m going to say no even though I love her.”
Others, including Perez himself, were encouraging Alana to breakup with Dralin and start fresh.
“It’s great that Honey Boo/ Alana is elevating herself, reaching for better by getting an education and moving to Colorado to start fresh,” someone wrote. “Most colleges require dorm living the first few years depending on the school – getting the full college experience and meeting new people. I hope she moves on from this BF and opens herself up to the full college experience!”
“I agree with you totally! Dump the dude and move into the dorms,” another posted. “I would like to add, being around the wrong people can bring you down and stop positive actions. Speaking from experience.”
Others were simply wishing Alana well in her situation. One person wrote, “It’s sad because she’s trying hard! She’s making good decisions to move forward and is in school!!!!! She didn’t ditch college for TV/internet fame, but is actually trying to have a career! I’m rooting for her success! I hope her living situation works out.”
Alana’s Boyfriend Has Legal Issues Which Have Played Out On ‘Mama June: Family Crisis’
Carswell was arrested in February 2023 for a DUI in Irwington, Georgia.
Dralin Carswell fled from an officer with a then-17-year-old Alana Thompson in the car. Dralin was in jail for two days before his release on $25,000 bond.
During an episode of Mama June: Family Crisis, Dralin asked an attorney if he was allowed to live out of state with Alana while she was in college.
“I was just wondering if you can look through my paperwork and see if I can go,” Carswell asked. “I got charged with only five tickets. Speeding, following too close, DUI less safe, DUI.”
“And fleeing,” Alana’s sister Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird added.
“My advice would be to contact the actual DA’s office,” the lawyer replied. “As long as you’re back in time, before the court date. If you’re going to be out of state and you can confirm with the DA’s office, that’s not going to be an issue. Then, you know, wherever your mail is going to, you need to make sure that somebody is going to be there to let you know if you get a letter from the court.”
Lauryn said in a confessional that she had been worried about her sister’s relationship. According to her, the family has had a long history of dealing with men “who had trouble with the law.”
“I’m not mad at Dralin for getting in trouble, I think Dralin was just scared and fear can make you do dumb stuff all of the time,” she said. “Now what he needs to do is try and get all of this resolved and I just hope nothing affects either one of their futures, because Dralin’s a good guy.”
Things took an unfortunate turn, however, when Dralin spoke to the district attorney about the situation. “I got arrested five months ago, and I’m trying to see if I can leave out of state,” Dralin said. “I only got tickets, it’s nothing holding me but tickets.”
The DA told Dralin, “All right, so they actually did take a warrant out for you, not just a ticket. For felony fleeing and looting.”
Alana Revealed How She Navigated Her First Year Of College While Grieving The Loss Of Her Sister
Through it all, Alana Thompson kept her dreams of attending college alive, even when losing her sister Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell to cancer.
Alana opened up to People in 2024 about one thing Anna told her before she died.
“I consistently remind myself when Anna told me, she was like, ‘If I pass and you’re not in nursing school, I will haunt you,'” Thompson revealed.
Thankfully, Thompson was true to her word and recently completed her first year at Regis University in Colorado.
“It went good. I do tell a lot of people that my second semester went a lot better than my first semester,” she said. “I think my first semester, it was just everything with Anna and also trying to adjust to college and then, I also moved out of state. So, it was just a whole bunch that was going on in my first semester, but I got through it and my second semester it was a lot more smooth sailing.”
Mama June also spoke with the outlet, agreeing that her daughter endured “a lot” during her first year at college.
“Her and Dralin moved out there and Dralin lost his father also, so they were having to come back for his father then they were having to come back for Anna,” June said. “So during that whole entire first year, they were doing this constant and she still didn’t give up. She’s still done it, even with dealing with two deaths in her first year out there on her own.”
At the time, Alana shared that she was enjoying her time off before the next semester began.
“I actually go back in two months, so I still have a little bit of time,” Alana said. “I’ve been back home in Georgia for a lot of my summer. I go back to Colorado [on] the 20th of this month, but I am ready to go back home for sure. I’m more than ready, like counting down the days.”
Alana also shared what she hopes to accomplish in her future.
“I’m just looking forward to helping people,” she said. “I really want to be a neonatal nurse, so I want to work with little babies. I want to work with little babies, I don’t want to have no babies though. That’s my motto.”