What Does Sugar Bear Thompson Do for a Living?

Alana Thompson, or Honey Boo Boo, as she’s popularly known, is no strange name in the reality TV world. The adorable princess graced our screens as a six-year-old when taking part in TLC’s show Toddlers and Tiaras.

Her spunky attitude and irresistible charm stole the hearts of many and it wasn’t too long before she emerged as a special young lady. Then, of course, there was her mum, Mama June Shannon, with an immense passion for couponing.

Well, years later, fans still watched Honey Boo Boo’s family through their reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo on TLC. As expected, a lot has taken place since the days of Toddlers and Tiaras.

For one, everyone has grown up. Alana (Honey, Boo Boo) is already a teenager. Her sisters are also all grown, with two of them having kids of their own.

Although Mama June and Alana’s dad Sugar Bear were both featured in an episode of Marriage Boot Camp, their relationship couldn’t stand the test of time and the two parted ways in 2014. Mike later revealed that he had been cheating on June during their relationship – with both, men and women!

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Source: Facebook

He is currently married to Jennifer Thompson (nee Lamb), who co-stars on “Mama June: From Not To Hot” and “Mama June: Family Crisis” on WEtv. They were married in 2017. Jennifer has three adult children of her own from another marriage.

What Job Does Sugar Bear Do?

You’ve seen the expensive lifestyle portrayed by Honey Boo Boo’s family on TLC. High-end birthday parties, the beauty pageants, you name it. With Alana having retired from doing pageants and June being a stay at home mum, who meets this expensive lifestyle?

That leaves Mike Sugar Bear Thompson as the sole provider of the family. Xenovibe estimates his worth at $400,000 – $800,000. So, what is the source of Sugar Bear’s wealth?

Going by his old Facebook status at the initial days of the show, Sugar Bear is a contractor with Snowco General Contractors (a chalk mine company). By the time of posting the status update, he claimed to have worked for the company in McIntyre for a total of eight years.

Mike says he goes to work seven days a week but still finds time to hang out with his beloved family.

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Source: Facebook

Well, when Sugar Bear says he ‘mines chalk,’ what he is probably referring to is kaolin. Kaolin is a soft, white clay found in large amounts in Georgia.

The Georgia Mining Association explains that the kaolin deposits have been in existence for 100 million years when the Atlantic Ocean covered a big portion of Georgia’s coastal plain.

The chalky substance has various commercial uses, including consumer product packaging and stationery paper. 

Reality-TV

Apart from working in a chalk mine, Sugar Bear also got a huge paycheck from starring in Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. If Access Hollywood claims are anything to go by, Mama June estimated their earnings in 2013 as a family at $15,000 – $20,000 per episode. Parade.com puts the figure closer to $50,000. Although the show was canceled in 2014, the family had amassed plenty of wealth from its 55 episodes released.

The reality TV star has also starred in other shows including Dancing with the Stars, Mama June: From Not to Hot, The Doctors, and Dr. Phil.

Well, some sources claim that a huge chunk of the income from reality TV goes to Mama June who has tucked it away in her kid’s trust funds. She hopes to make her daughters and granddaughter proud of her when they grow up.

Speaking to TMZ, she said of her decision stash away some of those dollars, “I want my kids to look back and say, Mama, played it smart. Not like those other people on reality TV.”

Where Is Sugar Bear Now?

As mentioned, these days he is married to Jennifer Lamb, 43. The two wed in 2016, following the split between Mike and June. Jennifer is said to work for Pepsi. We all found out about Jennifer when she appeared alongside Mama June on the Mama June: From Not to Hot reunion episode. As was expected, June and Jennifer made it clear that they would not become besties any time soon.

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Source: Facebook

Aside from the drama between the two ladies, Life & Style reports that Sugar Bear and his new boo seem to be very in love, if their wedding kiss, which seemed to last for hours, was anything to go by. Jennifer was totally sold and even told cameras that her Sugar Bear ‘knows how to kiss a woman.’ Woosh! 

As for Mama June, she was able to sit through that kiss by taking the opportunity to show her new revenge body that has got everyone talking. June’s been able to lose more than 300 pounds through cosmetic surgery and exercise, said her personal trainer Kenya Crooks.

As for the wedding, Sugar Bear and Jennifer Lamb’s wedding was small, intimate, and casual. The sweetest part is that Honey Boo Boo walked her dad down the aisle! Ya’ll will recall the first time Alana met Jennifer what her reaction was like– she made a duck face and said that her mum would lose it if she found out that she and Jennifer had met. 

That said, at the current time, the relationship between Alana and her dad has been quite strained, with Honey Boo Boo saying he only calls her once in a blue moon. Well, we can only wish Sugar Bear, his wife, and the rest of Mama June’s family all the best amidst all their ongoing drama.

Mike Thompson may not be the best dad and husband, but he knows how to line his wallet. If he isn’t working hard as a contractor as he claims, he is busy acting a reality show somewhere. We may not see much of his face on TV but he’s certainly a hard worker.