I’m new to this show, so most of you probably know more about Kody Brown and his “wives” – Meri, Christine, Janelle and Robyn – than I do. This is what I’ve learned so far. Only one of them is a wife in the eyes of law, Meri, and the rest are joined in what they refer to as a spiritual union. It’s those spiritual unions that have a lot of people looking at them with some side-eye, but they all claim that, as they follow the tenets of the Apostolic United Brethren church – a subset of the church of Latter Days Saints – what they’re doing is within their belief system which allows for multiple wives. The women in the UAB can’t have multiple husbands, but given the fact that this isn’t the only religion that treats women like second class citizens I’m not going to judge, although why anyone would want more than one spouse is beyond me. I don’t understand it and I’m not even going to try. From what I’ve seen, they don’t seem to be hurting anyone with their lifestyle and their kids appear to relatively normal and well-adjusted.
I’m also missing what one woman, never mind four, see in the patriarch of this family of 22, Kody Brown. It’s not just that he looks like a leftover from the British invasion of the 1960’s, but that he doesn’t seem to bring much to the table, yet struts around like some sort of cock rooster in charge of multiple henhouses. I think what drew me to watching this “reality” show was the number of questions it raises. I don’t mean their “marriages”. I just keep wondering – and I’m sure I’m not the only one – how they manage to make ends meet.
Their financial situation is a big part of this season’s storyline, because they happen to be building four very large houses on a cul-de-sac in Las Vegas. They’ve been living in four rental homes, spread around town and are finding that their cohesive family is unraveling because of the distance. They had to move to Nevada a couple of years ago because the authorities in Utah were leveling charges against Kody for his polygamy. I don’t get that either. If only one of the wives is considered legal and the others are only spiritual wives, then I don’t see what crime they’ve committed. It’s all moot, though, because now they’re languishing in Sin City and starting over without fear of any legal entanglements.
Getting back to their sources of income, which aren’t exactly clear. When asked, Kody says something about having been in advertising, but that job doesn’t exist anymore. Viewers never see him, or any of them, for that matter, going off to work on a regular basis. In the first couple of episodes this year, we see that Christine has been studying to get her real estate license and she’s also been bitching that no one’s been around to help her with her kids, including her toddler, Truely. All of that studying paid off and she passed on the second attempt, but that career came to a screeching halt when she found out that you can’t sell houses Monday through Friday – 9AM to 5PM. It really came as a shock to her when she was told that realtors do most of their work during the evening and on the weekends. That’s that – she’s not gonna do it. Janelle is a real estate agent but I don’t know whether she’s still pursuing her career.
Wife number 4 – Robyn – also has plans to make some money. She’s designing jewelry and selling it on the internet. You can find the pieces at http://mysisterwifescloset.com/ if you’re interested. It’s a little pricey and there’s a very specific market for the jewelry. If you happen to like and support their lifestyle, you’d wear it. Kody and the 3 other “wives” aren’t thrilled with what they call her hobby business, though and she takes to pouting and whining because they aren’t helping and supporting her dream. Robyn pout and whines a lot. Maybe that’s why she and Kody first fell in love – he’s been known to throw his share of tantrums.
Let’s see now. No real estate is being sold and very little jewelry is being ordered and yet the houses on the cul-de-sac are in the drywall stage. By the way, each of these homes is going to cost them over $400,00, totaling about $1.7 million. Maybe you can understand my confusion over their finances a little better with that bit of info. That’s not even taking cars, food, utilities, clothing, schooling, etc for themselves and 17 children. Because Meri is the only legitimate wife, she and Kody have applied for financing together. The rest of them are on the hook for securing their own mortgages. There have been plenty of discussions among them about satisfying creditors before any lender will approve their loans. Robyn is carrying debt under three different names, most of which is from a previous marriage and divorce. None of this seems to bother them, though and they make routine visits to the construction site to add to or change the homes. If I understand this group correctly, they pool their money and each wife has been given a budget for their homes.
I finally found their website – http://www.kodybrownfamily.com/ – which explained how some of their money is made. Along with the line of jewelry, their book and their speaking engagements, the Kody Brown family – you have to call them the Kody Brown family, not the Brown Family, cuz Kody likes that – is a tab that sends you to a site where they sell products from LIV International. You can’t miss it, it’s the one that says “Pick Your Green Drink”, which sends you to a site with a Kody Brown family photo and the line “Detox the world, one family at a time”. LIV sells health drinks, cleanses, diet supplements, etc, in the same way that Amway sell pots and pans, and cleaning products. LIV representatives go out into the world, give demonstrations and try to recruit new reps by offering incentives, like points towards ocean cruises. Kody must be very good at it, because he won a Nissan Murano Cross cabriolet from the company.
So there you have it. The Kody Brown Family sells miracle water and some silly jewelry. Doesn’t sound like anything new to anyone who watches reality TV. I’ll check in on them now and then, just to see how those houses are going and if anyone happens to go to work. If you want to drop by the cul-de-sac, Sister Wives is brought to us courtesy of TLC and airs on Sunday nights at 9PM. I’m going to work on a chart to keep track of the family tree. It’s more tangled than a honeysuckle vine.
Empress
realhousewifeofaiken 
I am so happy that you are following this now as well, I have had some cursory interest that I never followed through with. Cheers to another great blog!!!!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. Big hugs to the “fambly”. 🙂
Do you have any idea where they live? My sister is coming to town and is a huge fan of the show and wants to see their houses…
I live up the street from them. It is a gated corner lot.
Did the neighbors have to sign documents to allow filming on the same street or agree to any inconvenience, perhaps to be reimbursed for inconvenience? Did the HOA hold meetings and vote to allow access and filming? Has your day to day living been interrupted and/or hassled by filming or crew demands? Thanks for sharing!
What are there adresses? I want to goWi
I know! Contact me.
Petra, would love to drive by the street while I am visiting my daughter and grandchildren who live in Vegas next week. By chance can you share their address?
I think it will not be appreciated when I post it here. You can contact me on petrahochstenbach@gmail.com or through facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petra.eshta.hochstenbach
You know they are a family! Why are people so hateful who cares where there money comes from they love one another and seem to be happy. So who cares. it is a show watch it and like it watch it or not do not complain about. we love the show and will watch as long as tlc airs it….
Okay. Sim. Muh. Down. Now. No one is being hateful (God, I HATE that every time someone offers an opposing opinion or dares to criticize, we’re either jealous or “haters”). The Browns have made their finances an issue by referring to their inability to make mortgage payments, discussing over and over how they can’t afford college tuition, yada, yada, yada.
This raises questions in viewers’ minds. I happen to think that the entire show is just another example of reality TV hocus-pocus. If they’re making the kinds of salaries from TLC that have been reported, then the Browns are not being entirely honest with their hand-wringing, “woe is me”, “how will we ever makes ends meet” storyline and viewers have the absolute right to call them out on it.
I agree with Jamie-Diane. I think that empressofaiken has too much time on her hands and should mind her own household. It’s a TV program!! Get over the over-anal icing it. Your dimension of judgements on the Browns, are boring. And I like the Browns. I wish I had not come across this stupid blog.
Anna French, Thanks for stopping by, calling people names and making the same sort of judgments you just criticized all of us for doing. I also wish you hadn’t come across this blog. Find one which agrees with your sentiments and shares your Brown love fest, and where you’ll be much happier, hmmmkay?
absolutely agree with you! You can’t give a differing opinion, yet they can give a differing opinion to yours….such degrees of BS….lol….However, in this instance, yours is the more correct view. If they make a big deal out of “Oh My, how are we gonna send our kids to school and pay for all these big houses???”, then they can expect us to speculate about income when all we see are episodes where the profit of the business is 738 bux and no one goes to work….come on, right?? lol…I was born in the morning, but not THIS morning…..
Well hopefully you have moved on then Anna French. Another viewer that has a crush on Kody……………………………………ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anna French I agree with you also. If people can not handle others disagreeing with them perhaps they should not post. Especially when it is just to slam or be hurtful to another person, or an entire family. Seems un necessary and uncalled for.
So, the only reason you stopped by my blog to criticize me. Interesting.
I love the show!!! And I’m not a hater by no means,however I have wonderd the same thing..I think a lot of ppl do. I mean come on it’s only obvious to wonder why They live in a private gated cul de sac in big homes and drive nice cars.. And u are right they are always havin some kind of finial crises:))
I have watched the show from the beginning. I had a problem with Kody when Meri asked him at their anniversary dinner what he thought of the wives having multiple husbands. He answered her with words like even the thought was disgusting, repulsive, etc. and, God help me, I wondered how Meri could keep a straight face!!! He double-talked it until he had it “being God’s will,” just like he always does, even with the STD infestation to those 4 wives who have been true and faithful to him!! I just do not believe that is my God who allows women to be treated in such a shameful manner!! Shame on Kody Brown, just SHAME ON KODY BROWN!!!! Also, you could all at least be honest about how you do earn your money. You have NEVER really said how you earn it or how much you earn!! I would think that you would all feel guilty. You have these beautiful homes and you still complain!! I have to wonder how you would feel if you had a child who was going to bed hungry every single night!!??? Believe me, if I had the kind of money that each one of you do, I sure would help feed the hungry children in this country, and I would also give money to St. Jude Hospital to help save precious children!!! I don’t know what else to say except that you all really, really disappoint me greatly. This is no loss to you, I am well aware, but at least when I lay my head down at night, my conscience is clear!
I don’t think you are being hateful, but I do think when you say you are not going to judge you are not being entirely honest with yourself. You assume that because they do not believe in having multiple husbands that they are somehow treated like second class citizens. I don’t think you know nearly enough about their religion to make that judgement.
I totally agree! Most of these posts are a year old. Anyone living near them have any news fors us? Hows it all going?
Mainly because i don’t want to hear they are drawing welfare money on 18 out of wedlock kids.
Hit the Nail on the Head!!!
OK – Meri and Kody are the only ones legally married.
Janelle, Christine, and Robyn – not legally married but get to claim – Head of Household, probably Earned Income Credit, etc – taxpayers, yet again on the hook 🙂
I can not imagine getting the kind of credit they need to buy cars and those homes that they could possibly be on welfare. No way could that be possible. Why are people so quick to jump to a negative conclusion about somebody without even thinking?? Have you never bought anything? You are definitely judging these people and putting hateful labels on their sweet and innocent children. children of God.I might add. I would feel honored to know these people who have so much they could teach others in this world.
I also love the show.They live very good from what I see but, you can clearly see they are somewhat lazy. 3 out of 4 wives are overweight, the most I see them do is cook and alot of the kids are overweight., Maybe I don’t see them cook, but I do see them eat. Meri seems to have a pity party ALOT.. Robyn gets the most attention from Kody, my guess is because she looks the best. Janelle has been dieting for awhile but, I don’t see where she is losing weight. Christine seems to be the happy one and speaks her mind. The children seem happy for the most part except Meri’s daughter, who wants the big time college but, doesn’t work to help pay for it. Now Kody, lol they do seem to love him, and he looks as good as they do. And he does stay in shape. So how do they afford what they have is an easy answer~~we support them by watching their everyday lives!!!
I agree with Jamie 100%. I don’t feel that their address should be given out as Petra wants to do. If they wanted people to know where they the street sign would have been shown on the show. If people start driving by or up to the gate, the neighbors are going to be resentful and it will be all Petra’s fault, not the Browns.
The Brown’s addresses are public information!! You do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out !! LOL
Well, i believe they are the only houses on their street, and they never film anybody elses houses but theirs
If you have been watching then I can tell you what I hate they came to Vegas and went without even finding anything about Vegas cut it down. Like Kody knows what he says. I am so mad that he told people in his home town that the police doesn’t care they are busy with the hookers! Now ever town has them. So why did he cut my home town down. He made me sick. Then he goes out with the boys was that ever a joke. Then we get to see the wives on the downtown area showing there shock at the people there. Which dress to attract the people to come into the Casinos. They don’t drink right oh wait in there wife trip they tried wine give me a break. Kody thinks he knows it all. He did not expect Robyn wants the same attention so they work against each other. Like me and my family this is my home town there are over two million people in this valley. Oh when he was cutting down Vegas he had not one fact so he makes things up. So thats why they are not honest. One web site has been following the family and how most of them have been on food stamps and help with other things. So that makes it all of our business Oh less I forget how Robyn always turns on the tears then comes out to be a real …. She also makes trouble witht he other wives wonder if they know she is going to get her way oh no lets blame Meri. Wonder also every show of this kind has ended in divorce. Kody saying he will get another wife if it helps the ratings. What a kind DAD. oh they did not live in Las Vegas they were hiding out in Henderson. They can’t even be honest about that. I cannot stand anyone that has to lie to get his or her way.
I am fascinated by this lifestyle also! I am like you, I do not agree on the lifestyle, but the dynamics is interesting to say the least. They talk about money and the lack of, yet the homes are 1/2 a million each minimum, so you know they are paid well for the show. I heard each of the wives makes $100,000 K per episode and Kody probably makes more, but even if he makes the same, in 5 weeks of filming all the houses were paid for so . . .
I would love to be able to just see the area they live, so if someone has the addresses I would love to have them.
Kody is very full of himself, and I am like you, not sure what the gals see him him, as for the most part several of them act like they are in awe of him. LOL
I always watch this show. I do not find then very interesting, but as addicted to reality as I am, it is a change from all the arguing, fighting shows I will not watch.
I, too, wonder where all the money comes from. They must be well paid for doing the show. In some ways I see these relationships as a step up from guys that have baby mommas all over that they keep secret and do not support. The unmarried women that have kids with multiple baby daddies supported by public assistance is worse than the Browns.
Hey Angel, Yep, for the most part they’re a boring bunch. Just a lot of whining and complaining and some jealousy now and then.
ITA that at least the family is together and the kids are being taken care of.
I don’t know what they’re paid by TLC, but that money is uncertain and short-lived, meaning it’s only there as long as the show gets ratings.
I blogged this show last year and it seems things are moving along very slowly for this family. They are having the same issues they had last season pretty much. From what I remember, Robyn and Meri seem to think they are the favored ones with grody Kody. Meri is very selfish in that she has only one child on her way to college, yet she wants the largest house of all the women. Don’t even get me started about her wavering back and forth about having another child. I’m not even sure there’s any husband/wife love between grody Kody and Janelle or Christine. If one of the wives is going to say they’ve had enough and leave, I predict it will be Janelle. She has a little more get up and go than the other wives. Back in Utah, she was the breadwinner while Meri and Christine stayed home with all the kids (I think Meri had some kind of low paying job.) I couldn’t live like that and I’m not talking about the plural marriage (although I would never consider that). I’m talking about the financial instability of their lives. Seems like they are always looking for the easiest way to make a buck. Sounds like some of the Bravo housewives and their families, doesn’t it?
Hey BB, Watching the progress of their houses and the decisions they make about life in general is a lot like watching paint dry, sometimes.
Christine is the one who’s not happy with the family dynamic right now. She’s making noises about how they’ve failed as a family and, how she feels as if none of them have helped her out thanks to the separate living arrangements.
“Seems like they are always looking for the easiest way to make a buck. Sounds like some of the Bravo housewives and their families, doesn’t it? to the separate living arrangements.” To be honest, it was the Giudices’ siutation that got me thinking about the Browns’ (among other reality stars 🙂 )
Christine won’t leave. She’s the most dependent (and least ambitious) one of the four women. She may bitch and moan and complain, but she won’t leave unless she finds someone else to support her. She may have gotten her real estate license, but as you can see, she’s not going to do anything with it.
You’re light years ahead of me – I guess I’m going to have to keep an eye on her. From my limited exposure to this family, Christine has been the most vocal in her disappointment re: living so far apart. Now I’m thinking it’s because she really can’t or won’t do anything without help.
RE: the real estate job. Perhaps Christine and Janelle could be a team. One does the part of taking folks to the houses for sale and one does all the paperwork involved in a real estate profession. I’ve known husband and wife teams that have done this, and it worked out well for their different likes and abilities.
I wonder if the Detox Juice they sell is an MLM? Grody probably signed up his wives, under him and that way, the company would be paying him and the wife too!
I dont know why I like this show, probably because its an alternative life style to what I know. Always been interested in other cultures!!!
In Utah Meri, and Jenial worked while Christine watched the children. thats work. Sad but they are trying to make the show stay. So they are now fighting between them and oh yes now Kody kisses all of his wives when before that was unheard of. Sooner of later it will end the shows get old. I am sure they have around the houses gated wait I did see they have a gate to come into the area. One house I am sure is for the film crew. They are selling each other out for the show. What comes next divorce.
I watched this show religiously (pun intended) when it first appeared. I was truly interested in why a woman would chose this lifestyle and also the fact that they didn’t dress in what seems to be the traditional garb of polygamy families, women in long dresses with long hair, etc. The first two seasons were very good. By the end of the first season, I thought these women were pretty cool and I could see myself hanging out and having a drink with them. This was when they lived in Utah in one huge ass house that contained three separate residences for each wife (only three then). Kody had a job selling something, I forget what and Janelle worked for the state in accounting or something similar. Christine stayed home and watched all the kids. That was her contribution to the family. Janelle talked about how she is a much better mother working full time than being a stay at home mom and how grateful she was to Christine for allowing her to do that. She considered Christine a co-parent and treated her with love and respect. Meri was going to school maybe, I can’t remember because she’s kind of a complainer. Kody and Christine talked about how difficult it was to make ends meet especially when it came to health insurance. I believe Kody could only claim Meri and their daughter Mariah as dependents as he’s not legally married to the rest. One of Christine or Janelle’s daughters needed to have an emergency appendectomy and they had to pay the hospital for it in installments. Anyway, they were interesting to watch then, the whole family was together nearly all the time. They very often ate together, all of them as a family. They showed Kody going from residence to residence saying goodnight to each of the kids and the wives then landing back to which ever wife he was sharing a bed with that night. They showed birthday parties and Christmas the kids were polite and very normal, all had access to the internet, tv and cell phones. I was amazed normal it seemed in compaison to my life, again, except for the other wives. I respected the fact that they were taking a big risk going public with their situation. Christine spoke of growing up in polygamy and how she had to deny her father because if the police knew, he’d go to jail. They wanted to break that cycle so they went public. Then Robyn entered the picture and Kody started to believe his own publicity and decided they’d be better off in Vegas. It just went downhill from there. You’re right. Robin is a whiner which is why she and Meri get along so well. I stopped watching because it was so ridiculous to think that five unemployed adults could afford the lifestyle they were living. I could not suspend my belief long enough to fall for it. So, once again, thanks for taking the bullet and watching this for me. I’ll just read your blog and hopefully I won’t keep thinking about how my tax dollars are being spent to support this gigantic family.
You mentioned it, “key word” taxpayers! Yep taxpayers footing the bill!
oh they now showed one show they were having church and each Sunday one of the homes were used and invited Friends. They are not so smart they are going after being tax exempt for the houses. In away I watch to see what show is the last or which wife leaves it going to be the first or second wife I see the other two as the cry babies. Robyn thinks she is going to take the place of Meri.. she is sucking up to her big time. at the one gradion kody got caught by camera when he told Robin how Meri is causing problems and she agreed then saw the camera. this shows what she is after. Kody is not anything he thinks he is. He and Robin deserve each other.. .
Robyn broke the whole family up when she found out they were on tv. She pursued him & now she’s his wife! She’s manipulative! Using her bloody tears to get what she wants. Did you ever check out her imdb page? She was an actress!
Meri and Robyn and the baby of manipulation who will never be…good! Meri you’re too old and lazy. Robyn, you whiney little conniver. Did anybody do a background check on her before they offered her to the hodaddy wannabe? I believe they’ll come to regret her most of all.
Their sense of entitlement astonishes me when it comes to the houses. Amidst the outrageous number of foreclosures in LV were there not four homes close enough to suit them?
Meri, get a job. Christine, get a job and offload your valley girl impression. It sux. Janelle, get out of there. You have real potential. Robyn, I keep watching the show because I so intensely dislike you. Almost as much as your sometime live-in boyfriend. See, that’s what the rest of us girls would call him. You all are just not that special.
Do you have any idea where they live? My sister is coming to town and is a huge fan of the show and wants to see their houses…
Did you ever figure out where they live? They live in a tiny gated community near Fort Apache & Alexander. The gate entrance is on “Rock Star Circle.” No joke. I toured the homes when they were under construction, but because there are only 8-10 homes in the community, it might be hard to follow another car in and actually see their street.
According to the Clark County Assessor’s site, which is public information, Kody and Meri’s address is
If you have the address, you can google it and actually see the homes, etc.
I looked up their address on the Clark County Assessor’s site and the gate entrance looks to be on “Wild Eagle Circle”, not “Rock Star Circle”. Which one is the correct entrance? Rock Star Circle has four homes and Wild Eagle Circle has nine homes. The property records show the home off of Wild Eagle Circle.
If you go on Google Earth, you can see that the houses are on Wild Eagle Circle, on the south end. You can see the big pavillion they built in the back yards for the big “committment” ceremony they had.
HY-STER-I-CAL!!! U are spot on!!
Your comments are perfect! I moved to Vegas this summer. My house would fit inside one of their garages. It’s amazing what this world owes those first-class whiners.
I totally agree with you. Robin was the kiss of death to this family. Christine is choking on her feelings towards robin & Meri. Janelle sees it all so clearly & has her shit together. Meri just needs to shut up & get a job. Kody is ok but he is dillusional about his own importance.
You summed it all up for me. I watch the show because I love Janelle and think Robin is a fake and Kody is a horndog
If someone in Las Vegas would grab a photo of Robin’s supposedly pregnant belly, I’m sure the press would pay a bit for it…I’m just saying!
I am sure each baby momma gets a humongous tax refund for claiming her brood since she not legally married from US taxpayers! Taxpayers ate footing the bill!
From what I’ve read on other sites, the “taxpayer footing the bill” is the polygamy’s dirty little secret. Just saying and didn’t you guys find it weird that each and everyone of them had claimed bankruptcy at one point of their lives? I know it happens and is an extremely difficult decision to make but goodness… all of them? It’s like a game to them!
They wouldn’t get a HUGE tax refund unless they either A. Had a job and paid in a lot during the year or B. Made around $9,000 to $22,000 at a legit job to get the MAX EIC of around $6k (to support your theory of “US taxpayers footing the bill”). The “EIC” stands for “EARNED” Income Credit. You have to earn income to get it. It cracks me up when people complain about the EIC that people in general receive; when if you really look into it, to get the max, you’d have to make around $9k to $22k and have three children…..not a lot of dough when you’d have to be supporting 4 people minimum on that income/credit (which I’m sure daycare alone for the average person would be well over that annually). And the key is they would have to have worked to get it.
So when you think about it, if you have three children, $6000 isn’t all that much and on the income scale and won’t put anyone into “upper-class” status…..LOL They all get paid for the show so I guarantee NONE of them even qualify for EIC or any other government assistance for that matter. I watch just to get a different perspective on life and it’s entertaining. We don’t really need to judge them because nothing they are doing affects us as an individual. (I guarantee they aren’t getting “assistance”). It appears they raise their children to be able to make choices for themselves and aren’t shoving this down their throat as the “Only Way”. And they all seem to be well taken care of and happy, very normal children, so I think we should leave the judging to the One who has the right. Who cares where they live, what it costs, what they make, etc…it just doesn’t affect us. If it bothers you that much, don’t watch the show. You’re adding to their ratings, causing their “salaries” to go higher……lol. They are all adults, have made the choice to live like this. I personally could never live this lifestyle so it fascinates me to watch it unfold on a TV series.
mammyack, While I can appreciate your comment, I have to wonder why you thought it was necessary to even write one. You decided that those of us who watch the show and write blogs, make comments and offer opinions are not entitled to do so. On the other hand, you had no problem with showing your support of the Browns, explaining to us all about how they make or don’t make a living. Isn’t that also a critique of sorts?
No, the Browns don’t affect any of us on a personal level but that doesn’t mean we can’t share our thoughts about them. They put their lives, their family and their lifestyle on television and, just like any other reality cast members, they are subject to our questions and thoughts.
So, I’ll just suggest that you heed your own advice – if it bothers you that much, don’t read blogs – especially ones that may not fall in line with your own opinions.
Have you ever noticed how they have lots of Salvation Army boxes around? All handouts don’t come from the government. The women’s bankruptcy petitions show that they have received Public Assistance. EIC is given to people who earn a tiny bit of money during a year, have a few kids etc. They get $6,000.00 back. My husband and I both work hard, have two kids (seven years apart so we can afford to pay for each of them to go to college) and made $85,000 last year. We paid $15,000 in income tax. I think the issue to people here is that the Browns don’t appear to work, do receive handouts (both public and private) etc. and continue to have kids that they can’t afford to support. The college episodes have clearly shown that. And these are only the first group of kids reaching college age.
I hope that the Public Assistance put a lien on their property like they do here in Ontario Canada. If you own or mortgage property, every year they place a base lien amount and then a percentage of what they give you is also added to the lien. but I did hear the system in the USA only gives more food stamps, not more money when you have additional children. Canada has it all figured out. They now lien personal property and they include government credits into your income so bottom line, you don’t get much here anymore. In all reality, assistance was only brought in during WWII to help women whos husbands were fighting the war, was just supposed to be temporary but nope, you find them all enjoying life more than those of us struggling to survive on an earned income.
How do you “guarantee” they are not getting government assistance?
Look, before they had this show, they were on foodstamps. And let me tell you, people still get huge tax refunds even if they are on welfare, which, guess what, means the taxpayers are supporting them. I know a family of 3 who got a refund of over 3000.00 with almost NO income. yes, NO income, besides public assistance. So please, before you slam people, make sure you have all the facts.
if a family is under the what is called the poor level they do get money without work. But they would have a hard time being on tv then not claiming their income.
Your comment is about the only note I have read here that sounds as though it was written by a very intelligent person with her head on straight and perspective too. I also enjoy the show and keep feeding into their.bank accounts while I watch it. Now and then I even learn something new.
If you check out the Clark County Nevada Recorder’s website, you will see that each of those houses cost between $443,000 and $447,000 and there doesn’t appear to be a mortgage against any of the parcels. Robyn is the only one with a lien against her property — apparently from a hospital bill that she and her ex-husband have not paid off. I can’t imagine that the house in Utah was sold to completely pay off these four, so, how do you think they managed to obtain four mortgage-free brand new properties?
I didn’t realize they were mortgage-free. Actually, that doesn’t make sense since they spent so much time talking about all of the paperwork they were filling out for what I understood was financing.
Wow. Just watched the episodes last night. I feel sorta duped if that is the case on the houses. Where is all this money coming from?
I haven’t watched last night’s episode yet. As soon as I do, I’ll write a post.
As for their money – all I can say is that the Browns wouldn’t be the first reality stars to spend more than they have or create a lifestyle strictly for television and a story line. Smoke and mirrors…
Well, people do care that they live in their own little worlds and like the Duggers, wacky another bunch, they are totally environmentally irresponsible. This world has more people than the planet can sustain and I don’t think any Religion would condone needless overpopulating. And For What? They have enough kids—We all share this planet–what screwed up reason causes these self involved attention seekers to keep breeding I It certainly isn’t for “personal reasons”
Are you serious Cynthia? What, people can’t make their own decisions about how many children they have? I suggest you go live in China. The one child policy should suit you. Reproductive rights are human rights so effectively your comment is demanding that people waive their Human Rights as supported by the United Nations. Fertility rates in North America, Europe and major countries in Asia and South America are already below replacement rates. By suggesting people stop reproducing creates an aging population which then becomes a huge problem.
Yeah, yeah, you’re entitled to your opinion but its based on subjective clap trap and is not evidence based.
Oh does anyone actually know how much the Brown’s are earning from TLC, royalties and public speaking engagements? Maybe that is how they are managing to fund their homes and lifestyle.
No I couldn’t live in a plural marriage but there are plenty of monogamous relationships that produce children where shocking abuse and neglect is occurring. The Brown children look well kept, they certainly appear loved, they are confident and well mannered. For that at least, they must be doing something right.
DA’FUC?!!? R u freak’n serious?!!??
Lol! Glad you said it cuz I wouldn’t have been as polite as you! If you want a big family, go ahead! Just be ready to take care of them, financially, emotionally & spiritually. The Brown kids do not look neglected. They seem to be thriving and have ups & down just like my little family of 6 kids which I’ve fed, cuddled, raised, cleaned & all have university degrees. All on less than $80,000 a year & no government assistance. It’s called planning & 6 hrs of sleep a night but they were wanted.
I, too, am completely puzzled as to how they can possibly support their current lifestyle, even with the TLC $. 5 adults with no real full-time employment beyond their reality tv gig, 17+ children, 3 of whom are now in college, all those cars, utilities (air conditioning alone in Vegas in the summer…ca-ching!), food, clothing, etc. 4 mcmansions in a gated community. These adults all have past bankruptcy filings, documented use of food stampts and other welfare assistance, etc.
What I’ve heard is that the builder of the homes, handled the loan financing, as interest-only for 3 years. I think he’s banking on getting all four homes back when the TLC cameras pack up and move on.
“What I’ve heard is that the builder of the homes, handled the loan financing, as interest-only for 3 years. I think he’s banking on getting all four homes back when the TLC cameras pack up and move on.”
That’s probably the best theory I’ve read about those houses. Talk about them for 2 years, move in, their TLC contracts run out and they move on, into the desert – like nomads. 😀
Do you have any idea where they live? My sister is coming to town and is a huge fan of the show and wants to see their houses…
Karl, You’re welcome to do your own research as to where the Browns live. I don’t give out anyone’s personal information – not even info belonging to reality stars. If it’s placed here by anyone else, I’ll delete it.
FYI, Kody and Meri’s address is posted above in a reply to a comment. Of course it is public information available to anyone who takes two minutes to research it.
Kathy, That may be the case, and, as you said, anyone can find it. I’m just asking that it not be shared here. I don’t see any reason to post those kinds of details about anyone – including reality show stars. It adds nothing to the discussion.
I’ve removed that portion of the comment upthread.
you shouldnt be so bitchy,,you have a blog that discusses private people yet you somehow want to make yourself some saint…get a life and I am done with your nazi attitude.
And I with yours darlin’.
That info about the homes is correct, as soon as the show is cancelled they will be in very serious trouble. They have been filming, but I am pretty certain that this will be the last season, unless they can come up with a new story line, like wife #5. Love all the kids except one.
Well, you were right! Meri is divorcing, Snobbin’Robyn is marrying & my guess on your comment is Mariah! Right? I’ll second that!
wonder if these ppl are gettng food stamps? wic or free med care via LV?TLC cant be paying them that much and if ppl stop watching then they the Browns would be forced to WORK… Hey I hear Subway is hiring…….
Hey beth, I don’t know if the Browns are receiving any kind of assistance – it’s possible, given that 3 of the “wives” are legally considered single mothers – but I agree that TLC’s money couldn’t support a family of 27. The Robertsons of Duck Dynasty fame renegotiated their latest contract giving them $200,000 per episode to be divided among the entire family, kids included. Still not enough to live on, but the Robertsons are millionaires in their own right – certainly not fakin’ it til they make it.
wait, i support a family of 4 on 50,000 a year, and if they get 200,000 an episode, on say conservatively 12 episodes a year, that is 2,400,000 and that is not enough to support them very comfortably? Are you serious?????????
SO great to finally see some comments about the Brown’s financial situation!!! I’ve been watching them since the show started (just like many of you have said…..simply fun entertaining TV!) and now seeing these 4 gorgeous huge homes in the cul-de-sac prompted me to Google “how do Sister Wives make a living” and stumbled upon this blog! The fact that the Recorded of Deeds office in that County lists the parcels with no mortgage combined with the theory of the builder basically owning the homes and assuming he’ll get them back makes a lot of sense. I want to hope that is the case because otherwise…….. WTF……..they are living WAY beyond their means and need to get over it and stop trying to keep up with the Joneses and live a more subtle modest life while earning an honest living and not living off the government or TLC!
Hey Stacey, I’m going to send Google a thank you note for leading you here. 🙂
The Browns may have gone on TLC to (ahem) “bring awareness” to their lifestyle, but I don’t think they were prepared for the kind of questions we really have.
LOL!! That’s a great point. I have no judgements at all about their lifestyle. I don’t need them to make me aware that there are polygamists who do not live in a Warren Jeffs compound. Their children seem very happy and well rounded. Great. Fine. What I WOULD rather have awareness of is what everyone has been discussing here! I would like awareness of how they afford to live like this with no regular paychecks!! Make us aware of THAT instead!
I doubt Kody and the wives are ever going to let us know how they live they way they do. He made the comment that the houses were well worth sacrificing the kids’ education for which is why (I wrote about this in another post) he was so insistent that Mariah, Aspyn and Hunter had better find some scholarship money or college just wasn’t going to happen.
My guess is this is going to end like the Jon & Kate Plus 8. While there may or may not be a divorce, the downfall of the income/luxury lifestyle is coming. Kate recently talked to People magazine saying that she is ‘living “very carefully these days” — though without mentioning that she still resides in a $1 million-plus house in Pennsylvania — saying that she’s “piecing and patching together” an income.’ She ‘no longer employs a babysitter, a housekeeper, or — most interesting — her bodyguard.’ Apparently, she’s making some money on the side with a website, cookbook and about to launch some retail discount website. So, unless the Brown’s figure something out, they’ll end up just like Jon living in a cabin 30 minutes from Kate getting by with odd jobs.
I read somewhere that people are guessing they are each paid $50k per adult per episode. Another site reported possibly $75k per adult per episode. So, IF they make between $250k-$375k per episode, they could have used 4 episodes worth of funds and bought 4 houses for $200k-$250k each CASH. There are ways to live extremely frugal and save to get houses with cash if you get those big paychecks (at $250/episode, that $3,250,000 for 13 episodes). If they are struggling, they are wasteful IMO because 17 kids + 5 adults at that amount of money is $147,727/year per person.
I also read from pantheos that a ‘Westminster student is claiming on Twitter that Mariah’s tuition was comped in exchange for free publicity’. In the People article about Kate that ‘ they miss being on TV, mostly for the free trips that took them everywhere from Australia to Hawaii.’ So, you know some of the gas/food/trips are all part of doing business of the show so they can’t be paying for those. It appears much of the “reality” is just an illusion IMO.
I also wonder if the restaurants comp their meals in exchange for free publicity?
I’m sure they’re shaking in their boots.
I just found this blog the same way!
No telling on what the actual stories are with the houses. Maybe TLC had a hand in the purchases giving them a single place to set up and shoot so they invested somehow? They don’t talk much about Kody and if he works, remember, you don’t see all this in some sort of perfect timeline. Maybe his employer wanted to be completely left out of it. The earlier seasons didn’t touch on what it is he did for a while. I think he was selling advertising of some and may still. I don’t know if they are govt leeches, I don’t know if Kody works or not. There are a lot of unknowns about their money but that really isn’t the story.
My neighbor next door was on the TV show “House Hunters”. He said that they’d already purchased the house before they were on the actual show so it was really all staged (looking at other homes, making the offer, etc).
All staged? That sounds about right. Nothing on TV is “reality”…. it’s created for entertainment and people are paid to play along.
According to Wiki they currently get $75,000 per episode.
In Season 3, there were 21 episodes. Assuming they were getting the same amount for that season, that works out to $1,575,000 dollars.
In Season 4, there were 11 episodes for a total of $875,000 dollars.
So, since May 2012 until September 2013, that works out to almost 2.5 million dollars.
Basically it isn’t as much of a struggle as they make it out to be on the show. They aren’t “working” at regular jobs, but they are getting plenty of money from their reality show.
Sorry, I need to make a correction to the above. The amount they are paid is PER ADULT.
According to Wiki they currently get $75,000 per episode per Adult.
In Season 3, there were 21 episodes. Assuming they were getting the same amount for that season, that works out to $1,575,000 dollars per adult.
In Season 4, there were 11 episodes for a total of $875,000 dollars per adult.
So, since May 2012 until September 2013, that works out to almost 2.5 million dollars per adult.
Ok. So glad to hear about the builder holding the houses theory. That would explain why the houses are so plain where there really should be tile, such as Janelle’s tub surround. He is waiting for real buyers to pick the finishes. Meri is the most annoying. Instead of an IVF baby, spend time with the 16 other kids you allowed your husband to make. Maybe start drinking the green juice your husband sells and go to the gym with Janelle. While you are at it, bring Christine, who takes depression medication. Oh and maybe several of the over weight children could join in. Instead of spending so much time on houses, try teaching healtlhy habits. Isnt that the benefit of multiple moms? The children seem so nice and well behaved.The focus should be on their health and happiness and kids prefer attention over wet bars anyday.
Obviously they get paid some money but where’s the personal growth? Like where do the young girls look for role models as independent free thinking people? Nothing has substantially changed since the show started. Way too much focus on marriage, period. Raise your daughters to be independent . I’d like to see the women get educated and live up to their potential as well as responsibility.
Janelle, you go, girl.
I am astonished by the wiki numbers. Does anyone know if that info is legit? What I don’t understand is, if they made 2.5 mil over the last couple of years, what’s with the fretting over the loans? These are “people of God” would they make up these story lines? Are the children acting, too? I wish they would just be honest about how they’ve afforded these homes. They have to know (along with TLC) that the viewers are extremely curious.
The show’s entertainment value is okay but as the seasons pass, my interest is waning. Janelle is definitely my favorite wife. I am really over the Mary/IVF thing. I’m also glad they finally made it into the houses because they managed to drag that out for two seasons as well. After watching the reunion, it appears as if they have given the wives a make-over. They looked great but might I suggest one for Cody as well? That hair really needs to go.
Did anyone watch the new show, My Five Wives? This show trumps SW, IMO. Was it merely a pilot? Could it be that SW already has one foot out the door? Would Cody take on a fifth wife to keep the show afloat?
Question. Why does Robyn always get to ride in the front van seat?
Cuz she’s a conniving, Ratchety-Anne-look-a-like who yells “shotgun” before the other 3 have had their coffee!
Why do some of the wives not wear a wedding ring? If the wiki numbers stated above are accurate, then all of the drama over Mariah’s tuition costs, the mortgages for the houses, etc. is b.s. I see they all wear designer clothing, expensive jewelry, and have the luxury of going to the gym and to a spa in Arizona. How is this being financed? IMO, the show is scripted and they are taking dumb viewers for a ride as they show pseudo-struggles. One real thing I observed is that several of the children appear to be obese. Sad to see this in such young kids.
Huh? I don’t see any evidence of designer clothing or expensive jewelry on these folks.
No KIDDING!!
Are we watching the same show? Designer clothing? I don’t see any designer clothing. My wardrobe is more designer than theirs is. Jewellery because they operate an on-line jewellery store. Gym in Australia is around $300 p/year. Spa treatments – facial around $50 or $60 a pop. I indulge in all of this and I don’t consider I’m living the ‘high life’.
Wow. What an interesting thread. I can’t believe this show is still on the air. They aren’t the most interesting people in the world…and wow, that husband….heartthrob…NOT. But they are fun to speculate about. And no, it’s not mean. It’s entertainment, which is exactly why they are on TV.
I don’t think this show serves any other purpose than “soap opera” style entertainment. These folks never seem to discuss their “deep spiritual union” until they get a really hard question that challenges their lifestyle. Other than that, these “beliefs” don’t seem to really touch on any other aspect of how they actually live.
It’s all how you frame it. They could have made Meri the focus of the show and called it “My Husband’s 3 Baby Mama’s and Me” and not changed anything else about it. There is nothing deep here.
Janelle seems like a go getter who has the confidence of knowing that she could manage just fine without Kody and the brood. The rest of the women seem like they’re trying to convince themselves along with everyone else that he’s enough man for all of them. Puhleez. They clearly don’t like each other and a couple of them seem very lonely, depressed and a little pathetic. Robyn seems the most gullible, and Meri is obviously insecure. Everybody knows THAT’s not attractive.
The money question is what had Google point me here too. I would tend to think they make lots of money…for now….from TLC, freebies, and leased things from sponsors. I’m guessing all that drama over “documents” and “closings” for those houses was a load. The Builder made a nice “donation” in exchange for some TV promo knowing he’ll get those homes back if they aren’t actually paid for at some point. So all that whining about being broke is contrived. Nobody would watch if they sat around the kitchen table talking about how much money this episode was bringing in.
The whole thing seems smarmy. Their questionable work histories; the MLM and Robyn’s attempt at a jewelry line seem opportunistic. I don’t see the connection between the jewelry and the SisterWives at all, which is how it’s marketed. It’s not very unique and it’s grossly overpriced. And, televising how they aren’t all really behind the effort is contrary to the branding. Not a well thought out plan.
I think once this show is off the air this “family” will be done. The financial struggles will become real and they just don’t seem to have much to fall back on.
I agree. Once the show is over they will really be hurting. I think the jewlery is a fluke. Its not something people want or really need. I say most of the orders are people just wanting a piece of jewelry just to say they got something from the Browns. I saw a bracelet on the site for $15.00 +shipping that sells on ebay for about $2.00. Also I definately agree on the discount of the builder for publicity. I remember as for the realtor, Cody sounded very staged in one episode. His words “Our realtor was amazing to work with, Mona Riekki Bent over backwards for us” So she probibally loved that…..When in reality, there was always an issue or mistake with the homes during the building process, and The realtor seemed like she didn’t want to be there and was aggrivated the whole time.
I was just skimming your post and wanted to clarify one thing. You classify the Apostolic United Brethren church as a subset of the church of Latter Days Saints. I don’t know much about the AUB church, but I do know that it is not a “subset” of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” aka LDS or Mormons. Wiktionary defines subset as “With respect to another set, a set such that each of its elements is also an element of the other set.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does not have affiliation to any other chuches or subsets of itself. There are churches which have broken off from it, but saying the AUB is a subset is like saying the Church of England (which Henry VIII created to divorce his current wife) is a subset of the Roman Catholic Church…that is not how the relationship works.
Thanks for all the insight and info here. I typed in the same thing “how do sister wive make their money” and found this as the 1st choice. I have found it to be losing my interest as well. I am a registered nurse who makes very good money, works 2 jobs, and only has 2 children and could NOT understand how they were affording the things they were affording. Those houses are beautiful! There are so many kids, cars, dinners out, vacations, clothes, belongings, etc…and no apparent income to support any of these costs. I totally agree that they seem so petty, discontent, dissatisfied and overall unhappy with life. I love Janelle and believe she is such a hard working independent woman who has her priorities straight. I would like for the other 3 to walk in my shoes for 1 day or 1 week and then complain about the “horrible” things they seem to whine and grip about all the time. To set a good example as “believers” they should be thankful for everything they have and stop the petty crap. The life of this show is almost over.
Aside from all the how-do-they-make-their-money conversation, it seems to me that Meri is seriously depressed. She is often at the edge of tears and seems really emotionally fragile. I’m hoping that her consideration of having another child (she’s in her 40s, right?) is strictly a producer-driven storyline. I also think it’s BS that they sort of ignore the sleeping arrangements arena of their lives. Come on. It’s what everybody wants to know.
Naw…she’s not depressed…that’s how she gets attention, a wet bar, outta helping with the other kids! (cuz she wudda had 7-8 if God had allowed it…don’t ya know!!)
Having had miscarriages and battling infertility issues will do that to you. I know, I’ve been there.
Great web site. This is the most informative article I’ve read about the Brown’s and how they earn (waste) their money. It’s sad, to me, that they aren’t providing money for college for their brood (who none asked to be born), yet they all drive new vehicles and live in half million dollar mcmansions (as you so aptly put.) Their priorities suck. This show only makes me feel sorry for the children. The adults are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Kody Brown is THE most immature narcissist, attention-seeking man I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s a sad, sad, sad disgusting person and no role model for his children OR his “wives”. He has zero leadership qualities for a family this large and that’s pathetic. I’ve only watched a few shows, but I came away really depressed. Truly, the laws against polygamy in America should be enforced and this family is a perfect excuse why.
I enjoyed the blog & everyone responses.
I have so many questions like everyone else. But the one thing I cannot wrap my brain around is why does Robyn cry in every episode? I don’t think every single thing is a crying moment, but yet, she makes it into one. You all say Meri is the wet blanket, but I think Robyn is. She gets on my nerves. I just finished Season 4 on Netflix & I counted, she cried in EVERY episode. It did not matter what the situation was, she cried.
And the last episode stated that the wives each had to go in their budget to pay for the houses so yes, I think they are getting a hefty load from TLC for the show. I do enjoy it because I find interesting, but I wish it was more real. I think they should show their true colors & show if they don’t get along and/or the fights. I do think Kody lookes more in lovew ith Robyn & Meri than the other two. I think Janelle is the only one with a brain, but I don’t think she will ever leave.
I did find myself angry at the episode wehre Christine said that she wanted this lifestyle becauses he wanted help with her kids. Really? That is the only reason to have kids? She pretty much went on to say she wanted help to raise her kids.. That is stupid. I will never share a man because I want someone else to raise my kids.. Lazy.
Robyn is manipulative and snarky. The tears are her way of making us feel sorry for her and look away from her obvious efforts to divide and conquer. Meri is like Cody’s old boots. She suggested the new wife, Robyn, when she and her husband were in real relationship trouble. SO she gave him a new woman. What better gift. I’d like to do a reverse polygamy and when my guy becomes too boring, worn out, I’ll just pout and sulk my way into a new boyfriend. And men are so much easier to keep. Could probably just give them each a stall in a stable and take them out when I have a particular need for their skill…ie construction, auto mechanics, home maintenance, child care. And so few are really good at sex. But I won’t share any of them either. Do you think TLC is ready for me?
Robyn’s baby is only 2-3 months old during this season, right? For about 6 months after I gave birth, I was a hormonal basket case who cried for stupid reasons- during commercials, when nice people went out of their way to hold a door open for me, when I couldn’t find a matching sock and then cried again when I found the missing sock in the dryer… So I can excuse the tears. For now.
There is no rational answer…they’re a pitiful bunch of women, trying to make what in our culture is not doable, immoral, impracticable…a bunch of fat asses who individually believe they cannot hold a man and are hoping that by throwing some fresh meat at him, they can keep him
Sorry, ladies. Y’all are pathetic.
Who else thinks Mary is a closet lesbian ?
Lisa, it has crossed my mind. What better beard than Cody, who appears to me to be a closeted homosexual who spits out dozens of babies to overcompensate for his lack of testosterone? Even some of the girls who went to high school with him said they thought he was gay. 🙂
I don’t really know, don’t live in the same street as them. Sorry.
We are ALL guilty for watching & talking about Sister Wives. I might call TLC to ask if they want to star ME on my own reality show. I just turned 60 & I’ve worked all my life. I was laid off in 2009 as a result of the financial meltdown. I lost my entire 401K as my employer “hedged” the money. I had to move in with my daughter as my unemployment wasn’t enough to make my mortgage payment AND all that went with it. I finally rented a very small apartment & started sewing again! My Dad passed away and left me & my 2 siblings his savings account & insurance money. “HAVE I BORED YOU YET?” I was able to make my sewing make me money because I couldn’t get a real job. I was convinced that I was a “victim” of age discrimination oh and the excuse of “you’d be bored” because you had an executive job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What does everyone think…. oh and I’m divorced with 3 kids … one earned a Master’s degree, one just earned a PhD and the youngest earned a Bachelors degree.
OK I’ll look for responses 🙂
Rose, you crack me up, because I also lost my job in 2009 due to a layoff, and I started sewing again, too. Maybe we could do a show called Laid Off Sister Seamstresses? Although the sewing doesn’t pay many bills [my darling husband has a good job], it does give me something to say when people ask me, “What do you do?”
Both you ladies are pretty fun and funny!!!
I wondered why they didn’t build one big house for everyone like they had in Utah. Kody actually said sharing a kitchen was abuse but they did it before the cameras. They live larger than most families. My home is small and old. We can’t afford what they have. They couldn’t afford it before the show so someone is paying big money.
I wondered the same thing. Surely one big house would have been cheaper than four houses. And then they could have truly lived their ” lifestyle”. Meri really annoys me. She has one child and a 7-bedroom house–WHY? And that child is off to college, to a private university in Utah. So why didn’t Meri just take a couple of rooms in her buddy Robyn’s basement? Meri’s daughter Mariah is annoying, too, demanding to go to Westminster where it costs 4-5 times what the family pays for her half brother’s and sister’s tuition. Of course if it’s true that Westminster is letting her go for free as someone mentioned above, then, I say take it. But why not be honest about it on the show. And if they are all earning 50-75K per episode, why not be honest about that? They can pay cash for those houses, if that is the case. Bunch of whiners for sure.
Maybe Meri could rent out some of her extra bedrooms to college students for off campus housing. She could earn money, get in her nurturing by being house mother and contribute to her daughter’s tuition.
Boo (above) called it. The builder will get the houses back when everything goes up in smoke. So the builder probably wanted all the houses to be the same size. Easier resale that way.
Oh my! You nailed it on the head with your comment “and then they could TRULY lived their lifestyle”! I’ve been scratching my brain, trying to actually pinpoint the problem with this show and here it is! They’re basically 4 single mothers with the daddy coming over once a week to “visit & bang ya” and that’s it! There’s no lifestyle, they’re not sharing their kids, spending the evenings together, helping each other with a big laundry day, a meeting once a week to schedule who & where & what about the kids, the wives aren’t “together”, they dislike each other very much. Thx Kathy, now I can rest easy, the show is over for me. I was really hoping to see & witness something deeper, something where 4 women would run all aspects of a household & child rearing & the patriarch would be proud of his brood & how he managed the waters of his private emotional relationships with his wives but nope, it’s 4 single families. Meri even said on Sunday’s episode (March 1,2015) that she really misses the old days when they all lived together, all the kids with 3 moms. This saddens me for some reason.
Hey guys, do you all realize that this is a semi-scripted television show? And the browns are coached before the camera turns on? That is isn’t real? It’s not reality?
That footage is edited to make the planned linear narrative flow?
Just checking.
Gee, Genny, thanks so much. We would never have guessed if you hadn’t told us. Just sayin’…
I love the show!!! And I’m not a hater by no means,however I have wonderd the same thing..I think a lot of ppl do. I mean come on it’s only obvious to wonder why They live in a private gated cul de sac in big homes and drive nice cars.. And u are right they are and always havin some kind of financial crises:)) also I just wanna throw this out there…when they were building the homes Janelle was the more practical one saying….we don’t need 5 or 6 rooms…and then Meri got all pissy cause Janelle felt Meri should have had the smallest home and rightfully so she only has one kid. And seriously why does Meri insist she have a wet bar in her home…she does not drink! I’m juuuussaaayin
I love reading every ones comments !! I started watching the show cause I couldn’t understand 4 women sharing one man ???!!! I still don’t get it !! I feel sorry for the older kids……some of them said they weren’t crazy about Robyn having another baby they said too many kids in the family !!
Robyn is a BIG cry baby….Meri is a complainer and so is her daughter …Christine just wants to be a baby sitter and Janelle she should just say see ya!! I just can’t see Kody with her they act too much like brother and sister!! And as far as designer clothes go,,,nah my daughter works at H&M and she has seen them in her store !! lol……
How come no one has mentioned the sex? Who wants to have sex with a guy who is with 3 other women night after night? It’s pretty clear to me that Robin is the favorite in this category and to compensate for (what does seem like) Kody and Janelle are sis and bro (last episode) Kody got Janelle a plaque that read I kiss better than I cook…Wow what a romantic!
Oh Mary, I just can’t, bring myself to even think about their sex lives, never mind write about it. Watching Kody sprinting from house to house to fulfill his husband duties just seems like such an icky visual. The Browns can do whatever the like, but I’m happy to adhere to the one partner life. 😉
Mary! What the heck is wrong with you! Yuck! We don’t mention it cuz we’d have nightmares… think it through Mary, he’s running from house to house with leftovers on his ****. Now, you try sleeping tonight! Haaaaa💋
I whole heartedly enjoyed reading this. I too am one who found myself watching this show only to answer so many questions I had. Kody Brown what can I say. I find him grossly immature. He makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I think the women who came into this marriage did it out of their religious unterstanding on what polygomy will provide for them in the afterlife. However I think kody brown hides behind the belief but in true form simply is in a plural marriage for simplistic (or lackthereof) pleasure
Gross
I do wish they’d come clean with how they make they’re money. What’s wrong with telling the viewers the obvious… That the series is paying for their bills. I will say that I am impressed by how such a huge family gets along so well. It’s actually pretty amazing to me. I don’t like the fact that there are repeats of the highlights of each show and it takes up a lot of air time. That pretty much stinks. Also, it looks like they’re running out of material for the shows so I’d like to see how the Browns end up say, ten years down the line. Janelle is definitely one of my favs… A go- getter and independent thinker. She seems unhappy with the whole situation.
Hey James, Sister Wives is no different than any other reality shows where the cast members create an alternate universe having little to do with what’s real. Part of the Browns storyline is to make us believe that they’re struggling to make ends meet while other sites, and some commenters here, tell a very different version of rather lucrative payrolls for all of them.
The Browns are always complaining about living in one house and how they miss it……..Why didn’t they just have one big house built instead of 4?????
I’m surprised that Robyn isn’t pregnant again – does anyone know if she is?
In fact I don’t really think it is any of my business how they live. I have watched the program, but don’t really follow it, because whether or not they have rights and privileges to do so or not, is not for me to judge. I do not like Cody, and Robyn. They have personalities that are total turn off to me and seem plastic and artificial. Everything that comes out of their mouths seem that you need to question motives of why they say it. The others seem more on the level. The other thing that
turns me away from watching it is there seems to be a lot of quiet underlying
dysfunction happening and its the kids that will actually pay a lot for that whether or not they believe it to be true or not. Family dysfunction sticks around like the plague, and becomes more and more evident as you age.
I truly wish TMC would end this type of programming. Frankly I dislike all of the so called Brown family, but especially Kody, Mery, Christine and Robyn. Janelle, needs to grow a spine and get a damn job and take her kids to a better environment. In this day and age of inflated housing costs, here we see a so called man, driving a sports car, making 17 kids and insisting that love should be multiplied and not divided. Give me a break. 3 of the women are nothing but baby making machines. One a blubbering idiot who has raised 1 kid who insists she must attend an extremely expensive college. By the way, Mama must have a 7 bedroom house with a wet bar. Ridiculous. I rarely watch the program as I find it ludicrous and stupid. I could care less if Brown has 10 wives. What I do find insulting is that the public is expected to believe their lives are totally normal. 4 women and 1 man with 17 kids, and no visable employment and 4 very expensive houses. No way in hell did they get financing. To make ends meet from their so called jewelry show they needed to sell 100 pieces. Robyn said they sold less than 20. Mery and the wet bar and Christine who gets a realtor license decides no she is not going to work. Meri who has no minor children does not work. Kody running from house to house like a dog in heat. By the way, he is one ugly guy. I guess my point is why in the world would any woman share her husband with other so called wives? Why put yourself on the tube to show how normal you think it is? The program is a joke. The so called family is a joke. And the 17 kids? I feel very sorry for them. To think it is normal to share your father with other women? Uh, not. To be so deluded yourself as a woman to think it is normal, is deluded. I used to enjoy TCM but frankly I find it worse than Jerry Springer any more. And I don’t watch him either. Maybe it would be worth while to see the Brown’s appear on Dr. Phil, whom I also dislike. It would be entertaining to see them answer the question, “how’s it working for ya”?
Rosie,
I love your comments….you are dead on with your insights….they are trying to convince us that their “lifestyle” is normal. And that the money comes from jewelry and miracle water. And Meri turns on the waterworks to get her way. She is a whiny manipulator.
WHAT LIFESTYLE? A true polygamist shares one home with his wives & kids, all under one roof, sharing bills, sharing kids, sharing the tv (from what I’ve read). All I see is 4 single moms raising their kids with a visiting dad that’ll do you once a week. Yuck, that comment of him running from house to house like a dog in heat, THINGY still wet from the last wife… geez, Ive never laughed so hard! That was funny as heck! Lol I do want to say that this is all in fun, the Browns are real people after all
What worries me most is Robyn seems to always have a cold sore (herpes simplex) on her mouth and I seem to remember a couple of the sister wives also having some kinds of mouth sores, cracking or split mouths! Ewww. That sickens me! Hopefully it’s not just make up for effect! And yes yes yes there is nothing “real” about this reality show, it’s all scripted!! But some evil, voyeuristic part of me is still tuning in at this stage. Yes’ IMHO I agree Meri is a closet lesbian, Robyn is a conniving, cunning, cry baby, Christine amuses me and Janelle needs to get her well educated self and her kids outta there asap!
No halo on me, Anal. I know your deal. You’re going down the wrong road. This is a bunch of unmarried women hanging onto a married man and in any other scenario we’d be calling them a bunch of homewreckers. Yeah, 18 kids and 3 women who besides Janelle, don’t want to support them. I couldn’t care less about their whiney lifestyle except to poke fun at their unmitigated nerve in holding themselves up as some moral, religiously sanctioned bunch of adulteresses.
Just another crime committed in the name of religion. I don’t believe in halos.
When the Brow’s moved from their home in Utah and into four seperate homes I thought it was a temporary situation. After all the Browns were one big family. Now that each sistser wife has their own home living with the children they gave birth to. Each sister wife is financially responsible for their homes. Does K
“‘
I am from Utah and I wanted to explain their polygamy laws. The early Mormon’s practiced polygamy. When they wanted to become a state the federal government said they couldn’t practice polygamy so they banned polygamy in the main stream Mormon church which is not the Latter Day Saints. A lot of us have polygamists in their heritage. Since their marriages are as you said, the first wife has a license and the other are spiritual they had to do something more. Technically they are not breaking the law. Well the answer to that was to make it illegal to cohabitation in Utah. So basically in Utah if you are married and cohabits with someone else you are breaking the law and it is a felony. Here is the law: (1) A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife or knowing the other person has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person.
So that is why they left, recently a federal judge called the law unconstitutional, because it violates the right to privacy. One of Utah’s Attorney General’s was criticized for not going after polygamists and he said he couldn’t just single out one group of people for cohabitation.
Thanks DaNise. I didn’t realize cohabitation could even be made illegal. That would be very difficult to prosecute in this day and age.
Isn’t it kind of nuts! What you said is what one of the Attorney General’s said. What Utah has decided to go after is when they are breaking other laws. Like raping or molesting children, etc.
Thank you. An intelligent comment and not hearsay that explains a lot about the Browns running away from Utah. So very interesting.
whoops I meant NOW the Latter Day Saints.
I think they put their house in Utah as collateral. I think that house retailed at 800k because the land and the square footage. And they also get paid 10k each per SW episode. That’s part of it!
been reading this blog and have always been questioning how the brown’s are making their bills. i doubt that they are making anywhere near as much as duck dynasty’s people (should i say ‘cast’?). TLC doesn’t pay as good as people think unless your’re honey boo boo (yuck!)
last year the answer came from my niece who told me her friend was their real estate agent. this person has seen their financial status. (she could see how much TLC is paying them and doesn’t add up.
it appears that kody’s father had a net worth in the hundred millions and several lucrative business. kody had what amounted to a token job at one of his dad’s companies in utah. moving to vegas his family continued their support and the builder of the homes was one of his fahter’s closest friends. janelle’s mother is one of his plural wives and like the daughter, very good at money and she made many great investments for his father and the man was REALLY loaded with dough. ***end of mystery***. of all his siblings kody was the favorite and his father supported him in his ‘lifestyle’. one can catch an inkling of all this in a couple episodes.
i also found out from my niece that kody has a temper and is not particularily nice to these ladies except robin who he barely lets out of the bedroom after 6 o’clock. i ran into a friend the other day who told me he saw them at the mall a few weeks ago and he barks orders at them like a military comander. not friendly either as my friend just waved as they walked by and this elicited a very dirty look from the browns. go figure….
I don’t think kody’s father had money in the millons..his home has been on the show before and it was very run down and shabby.
Uh Oh…Kody with his temper flaring?? Somebody quick…get a spiritual inclination that there’s another woman to be added to the harem before he gets pissed off and finds one himself. Robyn just wasn’t that interesting what with all the pissing and moaning and crying. You go, Kody. You’re making fools out of all the women and I’m fresh out of sympathy for willing victims.. I only watch now because I sincerely find them all so repugnant I cannot look away…kinda like a car wreck.
Well said and lol @ watching a car wreck. As somebody said earlier the thought of Kody running from house to house with his THINGY wet from other visits Ewww and kinda lol.
season finale already? what after four episodes? could it be interest in this ‘show’ has waned and TLC is going to evaluate? this last episode with those unbelievably UGLY dresses being made was too much!
Yeah, I think the bulk of their money comes from the show. While a couple of the wives consider leaving, I don’t see that happening in the midst of making this show and the attention and the cash they’re getting. It’s just brought up for the ratings. Not one of them wants to be the first to throw in the towel. Everyone knows Kody favors Robin…do the other wives see it? Your description of his is spot on…reject from the British invasion strutting around like a peacock. Yeah, I see that too.
Btw, I don’t really have a problem with one man supposedly being married to four women at the same time, but I just don’t understand how the women can share one man…all of them and their children are short-changed and they don’t even see it. But the women are missing out on so much to have the love, attention and devotion of one man and they don’t realize it.
Soon they’ll be so ten minutes ago when the guy with five wives starts parading around like a stud. Notice how Kody is asking for “spiritual inclinations” that a fifth wife may be out there in the wind? What, not enough nooky with the four he’s got? Maybe he should ask for something a bit outside the box…and I’ll leave that to your imaginations. Is he kidding?? Are they crazy?? He is NO kind of father to his kids. It’s outrageous!
I too wondered about Kody’s employment and it looks like he spends all his time running from house to house or going out with his buddies. And his tastes are quite expensive as well.
How were they chosen for the show?
If he is worth 300k, that is less than 80,000 per household. They all have their own late model vehicles and two of the kids are in college! Are they selling weed on the side?
I really suspect those houses do not belong to them, but probably to TLC for them to live in for the duration, None of the houses (excluding the confession room where they are interviewed about the events of the week) have any personalization. No pictures or niknaks, not even kitchen appliances in most of the homes.
I do want the show to continue because I have no doubt, if they weren’t on this show, they would be subsisting off of us. And those ladies do not look like they miss a meal.
Meri is a real pain in the ass. She acts as though she is entitled. If anyone is going to complain about anything, it will be her. See how she acted on the shopping trip, and while the dressmaker was making her dress for the ridiculous “ceremony”, as well as the fit she threw during the graduation events. But I get the feeling she isn’t happy and may be the first one to divorce herself from this mess.
Kody is way too egotistical for me. He thinks he is witty and charming when actually he is smug and self serving. Every single wife has said she had no friends in Highschool and all were very lonely. Sounds like a profile for a cult leader, maybe?, mibad?
Even on 20 Kids and Counting, the Duggars make certain the audience sees how hard they work for their money. They are frugal and would never spend the money the Browns do. (going to San Fransisco to look for dresses and then having them CUSTOM made) They buy houses and refurbish them with the older kids helping in the process and learning about investing and business.
And Kody talks the talk about this being a “religious” incentive, yet he does not speak often of God or their spiritual life.
I could care less about their plural lifestyle. But I do care about his income because frankly, this show won’t go on forever (somehow I see him behind the scenes bleeding the producers dry with his demands for lots of “stuff” like that stupid wrestling matt that is taking up a bit of real estate in one garage) and I can promise, they will go on assistance once it’s over.
dlschuch, If you browse through the comments, you’ll find some very plausible suggestions reagarding the Brown’s personal wealth, including one about Kody’s father’s money. It does make one think about the veracity of their story line.
They are listed as owners of those houses on the Clark County assesor’s web site. It’s public information. I couldn’t find Robyn but maybe she bought her house before she changed her last name to Brown.
Robyn is on the list with her former surname!
When they lived in Utah, this was their life that that left behind….Kody works in the advertising and marketing industry. His first wife Meri was working in the mental health industry until she was fired for starring in ‘Sister Wives’. Second wife Janelle also has a professional job, but she has not released what industry she works in. One episode showed her at the Salt Lake City/County building, so it is possible she works in government. Third wife Christine is the stay-at-home mom, and we have not yet learned if fourth wife Robyn has a job. Everyone who has a job contributes to the family income, and with so many kids hand-me-down and shared toys and clothing save them a lot of money!
Janelle is working for a realtor http://www.pinnaclelv.com/sable-creek.%22 and Cody works for a marketing firm and the others, stay home and hope I guess
And finally…I now have something to substitute my nights of watching Jim and Tammy Faye many years ago where all I could do is stare with my mouth open wondering if I was the only one witnessing that trainwreck while tammy’s tears smeared black mascara all over her face.
Jim and Tammy Faye! OMG! Classic television.
Kody, get a haircut, if you think this is covering up your receding hairline you couldn’t be more mistaken. At the very least use some conditioner. Christine, stop trying so hard to be the “funny” wife, you’re not. Meri, stop expecting everything the others get who have huge families. Why take into consideration that you wanted more children when discussing finances, when the fact is you didn’t. Robyn, shut up. Janelle I like. Janelle is the reason I continue to watch this show, I’m waiting for the day when she moves out. She has so much going for her she has got to get out of this mess at some point. In watching the final tell all for the season I kept thinking shut up Robyn, shut up Robyn. Who made her the spokeswoman for the wives? She’s been around for a couple of years and speaks as if she was the first wife. I couldn’t agree more with the person pointing out the ghastly dresses in the ceremony. Does no one have the guts to tell these women they look lawful, except for Robyn-I’ll give her that. Lastly, anyone else notice the cold sore that seems to get passed around to the wives? Thanks to their husband.
Kody is another TLC famewhore. People that knew him in school said he was always wanting attention and liked to be the center of it whenever he could. I love Janelle. She is by far the prettiest wife and seems to have all the common sense. Meri has zero self-esteem and no individuality. When Robyn came on the scene, she started dressing like her but wasn’t pulling if off very well. Then Christine had to get the fake nails like Robyn the ringleader had. Robyn appears to run the show. Maybe she is stiff competition in the bedroom. Christine, you are not funny. Quit trying so hard. You are super irritating. I have a question: if you knew your husband was sleeping with 3 other wives, wouldn’t you want to outdo the others if you know what I mean. I think Robyn must be doing some pretty fancy moves when the lights are out that the other ones aren’t.
So happy to find this blog and all of the comments about the Browns. Janelle is also my favorite and I look forward to her continued weight loss and career decisions. She seems more “real” to me than the others. I still do not understand about Robin’s past. Does her ex not have any contact with his kids?
Janelle is my favorite also. I think they should have went with her business idea of the Basic Training, starting out in weight-loss gym. It would have been much more profitable then my sisterwifes closet. Also I hope Robyns Ex is as bad as she makes him sound. He is apparently a POS the way she makes him out to be. She stated they were to go see him for a while in season 6 I think. She also said at the age of 13 I think, her children could have the option of living with him instead of her if they chose so.
The reason I watch this show is because I enjoy watching something totally out of my realm and I am curious about their lifestyle. I can honestly say I like all of the women and even Kody. But I guess I take them at face value. I know they get paid for doing the show but do you have any idea the amount of taxes that are taken out from the money they are making? Remember, the more you make the more they take. Aside from the mortgage on all of these homes, the upkeep of these homes, feeding and clothing all those children, transportation, etc., you might be able to understand why they still need to watch their pennies. I’m not saying they never collected government money for survival but I doubt that they are collecting anything with the popularity that the show is getting. They have 18 children to provide for, 18 college tuitions, and 18 weddings to think about. They truly have a lot on their plates. They may even be able to afford not working. Yes, I am sure some situations are staged but we are all enjoying the show or we wouldn’t watch it. Remember also, there are 365 days in a year/24 hours a day…we are only getting a glimpse of approximately 20 or so hours. That doesn’t even amount to one complete day. Not much to go on to jump to conclusions.
No one ever mentions the real problems with polygamy, and there are two. First is excess males. Do the math. If one man keeps four or more women for himself, what about the males who can’t find mates? Unattached males are a real threat to a stable society. The second problem shows after a couple of generations. Inbreeding. After a generation or two most of the young people have the same grand father and that leads to genetic defects. This “lifestyle” is parasitic and no society can allow it without serious problems.
Only Meri is a legal wife. The other 3 are considered single mothers, therefore they are all eligible for Medicare, food stamps, etc. Imagine how much of a tax refund they receive each year for all those children. And we are paying for all of it.
Empressofaiken, I enjoyed your writings so much, I actually followed you and I never do that. You asked and answered many of my questions in the exact manner I would liked to have approach them. Sadly, I read some of the childish comments which leaves my heart weeping for society as a whole. I have always wanted to be a writer and put my thoughts out there but people like those who have attacked you weird me out. You give informed opinions yet these people just leap on you for no other reason than you are a fantastic writer with excellent grabs and continue to hold the attention. You are one I would like to follow up on when you write so please make those notices. To all you people in attack mode: Stand down and actually read what she is saying. Not once did she belittle any of the Browns. She asked fair questions that real people are wondering but unable to learn just by watching. The jealousy comment got me as well because…Ironically just maybe it is you jealous of her ability and humor. I’m jealous of how this blogger writes but I don’t attack her, I choose to learn from her.
JustMe, thank you for stopping by to read the blog. People have a tendency to get a little, uh, passionate about certain topics and disagree in ways that aren’t always as fair-minded as we’d like.
I’m glad your reading and following. 🙂
Is it me or does Kody seem to be more of an idiot this season?
Plus I have never seen a family complain about money so bad, while living in 1/2 Million $ homes, and constantly throwing extravagant parties. We should all be so poor.
clark county NV tax assessor, record search, look to right in blue, click on address, then enter wild eagle as street name, click submit, property records for everyone will come up, click mouse on the first 4 and you will get the browns, all are assessed over $400K, this is public record for anyone. robyn’ last name will be different.
You people are seriously obsessed. You talk about what trainwrecks they are, and in the next line talk about snooping through their assets.
I found this page because I was curious about how the Brown’s made their money. I am not going to start sifting through county records, and bringing up people’s addresses or married surnames.
such is reality TV—they put themselves out there-people are going to look. We are all “obsessed” or we wouldn’t keep watching any of these reality shows week after week. Right? You included>
You don’t have to sift, Victoria, because you read the posts of everyone else who did. Congratulations on your superiority.
As far as the money goes in the Brown family, they have mentioned several times they have multiple streams of income, BUT never elaborate on where the income is coming from…..I think with the new houses, Mary didn’t need so much because it is soon to just be her in the home most of the time with Mariah off to college. She was the pickiest when it came to designing her home and threw a fit over Doors when she went over budget. Janelle seems to be the most level headed when it comes to money and conserving funds. I just think mary feels very entitled to things, as does mariah. I do think Cody makes little comments here and there emplying Mary does not need as many perks because she only has 1 child. Mary whines all the time about not having more kids, but still refuses to take robyn up on the offer of surrogacy. I think they should have went with Janelles Gym business instead of my sisterwives closet. It would have been much more profitable. Also Christine got her real estate license, but when she learned it would be much more work and time then she origionally thought, she had a sudden “change of heart” for supporting robyn in her dream of the jewelry business. I just wonder how they were approved for home loans without a reliable source of income. They are so quick to say they need money for this, this, and that, but are living in extravagent homes and throwing 10,000 celebrations. The children also expressed that my sisterwives closet needs to be succesful in order for the college tuitions to be paid for. I think they are just trying to make a quick buck with each business attempt they go for…..when they started the jewelry line, the prices were rediculous. I guess they wanted atleast $50-$100 of profit on each piece they sold and had expectations of it selling like hot cakes!
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if you watched all the episode u would know Janelle is still selling real estate she had an open house on the last episode. and im sure TLC profits pay for the homes if one family of Kate plus 8 brings 250,000 an episode im sure they bring a lot more in with four adults and all those kids being followed
I keep wondering if this show is real or if it’s an episode of Big Love? There are so many story lines straight out of Big Love that it gives me reason to believe that the issues are a creation, not reality. Divorcing the first wife to marry another to add children to the family. Yup, that happened on Big Love among a number of other similarities.
I love this family. Obviously, the money is coming from the TV show.
I have been hooked on this show. Hate to admit that. It can be very annoying at times. If they are all so happy, why are the wives always in tears? Also ever since my husband, who does not watch the show but did take a look, said that Kody looks like Shaggy from Scooby Doo I have trouble taking him seriously. Let’s face it, they have an audience and they are using it to make money. Isn’t that the American way? As long as they are not on welfareim fine with it. If you don’t like it, don’t watch.
I watch the show and actually enjoy it. Was in Vegas this past week with the hubby for the NFR and just had to drive by and see their places for myself. And just who happened to be standing front and center at the gate? Janelle!!!! OMG I got a very fast pic with my phone and you can see her blonde hair in it bc she ran to hide and then she stood behind a shrub as I waved. She didn’t wave back so I drove on. Oh well…. 🙂