Alana Thompson, famously known as “Honey Boo Boo,” is speaking out about the financial realities of her early fame—and the picture she paints is far from glamorous. Despite becoming a household name through TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras and the spinoff series Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, the now-teenage reality star says she never received any of the money earned during her childhood stardom.

In a recent interview, Thompson revealed that she didn’t see “not even a dime” of the income generated from her time on television. “I don’t know what happened to it,” she said bluntly, adding that she was too young to have control over her earnings and was not aware of where the money went or how it was spent.

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, which aired from 2012 to 2014, drew millions of viewers at its peak and was a cultural phenomenon—if a controversial one. At the time, Thompson was only six years old, and the show focused on her life with her family in rural Georgia. The show was eventually canceled after troubling reports surfaced about her mother’s associations, but the family had already spent several years in the public eye.

Many are now questioning whether protections like California’s Coogan Law—meant to safeguard child actors’ earnings—were adequately applied in Thompson’s case. The law requires that a portion of a child performer’s income be placed in a trust, inaccessible to parents or guardians. However, Georgia, where the show was filmed, does not have such protections in place.

This isn’t the first time the financial treatment of child reality stars has come under scrutiny. Thompson’s story adds to a growing chorus of former child stars and advocates pushing for stricter legal safeguards and transparency in the reality television industry—especially for minors.

Despite the lack of financial gain from her early years in front of the camera, Thompson remains optimistic about her future. Now a college student, she is focused on pursuing a degree in nursing and building a life outside of the reality TV spotlight.

“I’ve moved on,” she said, “but it still kind of sucks knowing how much money was made—and I didn’t benefit at all.”

Thompson’s revelations are reigniting conversations about child labor laws in reality TV, and may serve as a wake-up call for networks and legislators alike. For many viewers, the antics on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo were entertainment. For Alana, it was a childhood—one that, according to her, came without the financial security it should have guaranteed.