The Shady Side Of The Busbys From OutDaughtered

The Busby family is known for being loud, rambunctious, and loads of fun. But the stars of TLC's OutDaughtered are a lot more complicated than the show makes them seem. Sure, the Busbys are known to show some of their issues on television, but life with six daughters means that there's usually more going on behind the scenes.

Parents Adam and Danielle Busby definitely have their hands full. Ever since they welcomed the first set of all-female quintuplets in the United States, they've been outnumbered when it comes to parenting. But that isn't to say that the Busbys have handled it all flawlessly. This reality TV family isn't perfect, despite how they're portrayed in their show (but really, who is?). Adam, Danielle, Blayke, Ava, Olivia, Hazel, Riley, and Parker Busby are all quite interesting in their own right, but as a family, they're even more intriguing. From their on-screen arguments to the way they handle their money to so much more, there's actually a pretty shady side of the Busbys from OutDaughtered. Let's dive in.

Any marriage is going to have its fair amount of ups and downs, and the Busby marriage is no exception. Though Adam and Danielle Busby might seem to have it all — what with a nice house, six daughters, their own show, and plenty of support from fans — they also aren't afraid to showcase the fact that things aren't always all sunshine and roses in the Busby household. And viewers haven't been shy about who they've sided with during the couple's televised arguments. 

On the Season 6 finale of OutDaughtered, for example, Adam and Danielle's marriage was seemingly tested as Adam accepted a new job that meant he would be away from home more often. Danielle wasn't happy about Adam's decision, and the two got into a heated argument. Things were so tense that a number of fans even took to the comments section of the Busbys' social media pages to slam Danielle after she didn't appear to be as supportive of her husband's new work opportunity as they thought she should be. According to Country Living, these reactions ranged from, "Adam is just trying to provide for his family! Can't fault that!" to calling out the network with, "Hey TLC do you intentionally try to end marriages?" Yikes.

Multilevel marketing companies are a point of contention for a lot of people. Businesses that rely on referrals for the majority of their profits, in which company representatives make the most money when they sign people up to work under them, are controversial for a lot of reasons. As the Chicago Tribune once put it, "What's the difference between a legitimate multilevel marketing company and an illegal pyramid scheme, in which only people who get in first ... make money and everyone else is a dupe? The harshest critics maintain there is no difference."

All that said, it seems as though one Danielle Busby might not care too much about the ongoing controversy surrounding MLMs, as she's involved in one herself as a representative for Rodan + Fields — a skincare company that may just have some pretty shady secrets. According to Scary Mommy, Rodan + Fields was served with a class-action lawsuit in 2018 for "[violating] state consumer protection laws and [engaging] in fraudulent and unfair marketing for one of its top selling eye lash serum brands." In addition to being sued for alleged false advertising, the company's consultants are also regarded as being too pushy: per Allure, those who sell these products tend to get blocked by their Facebook friends for clogging up people's feeds. 

Danielle may be successful in her other business ventures, but she may want to keep her Rodan + Fields gig off her resume.

Even though the Busbys are reality television stars, they have such a huge following, that it's no wonder they're also quasi-influencers on their social media channels. It's true that both Adam and Danielle Busby's careers extend far beyond social media or television alone, but there's no denying the fact that they have quite a bit of clout, especially among their fans.

That said, the Busbys have gotten a lot of criticism for how many products they promote on social media, along with the kinds of products they promote, which have so far ranged from plastic cups to home pest control spray, and from nutrition supplements for children to weight-loss supplements. Of course, the OutDaughtered stars are far from the only celebs to make some questionable endorsements, but some of these promotions have left fans feeling a little cringy or outright critical no matter how innocuous the product may seem. In October 2019, Danielle Busby was slammed for reminding her followers to "stock up" on a pizza brand the Busby kiddos were seen enjoying in an episode that aired the night before. As one commenter aptly put it (via TV Shows Ace), "Just another endorsement?"

As any fan of OutDaughtered can tell you, one of the main sources of tension among the Busby family is money issues. Whether it's making ends meet in general, or affording a bigger house for their huge family, Adam and Danielle Busby are seemingly constantly stressed about their finances.

However, that doesn't mean those money problems necessarily add up. According to In Touch Weekly, the Busbys reportedly make between $25,000 to $40,000 per episode. Considering the fact that OutDaughtered has been around for six seasons, as of this writing, that equals quite a big, cumulative paycheck. Not to mention the cash brought in from Adam's previous day job as a Key Account Manager at Intrinsic Solutions and Sprint Safety, which Yahoo! Finance revealed "[brought] in about $80,000 per year," his current gig as the owner of Adam Busby Media, Danielle's multiple jobs, including independent beauty consultant and co-owner of CADi Fitness, and the married pair's Buzz World Shop. On top of all that, the Busbys are known to go on nice trips and own nice things: Danielle, for example, has been spotted carrying around expensive, designer handbags on numerous occasions, and fans have been quite critical of that fact. 

Since the Busbys appear to complain about being short on cash on TV, it's no wonder some viewers are curious about just how much the family actually struggles financially. Hey, when you look at the numbers, we suppose it's a valid concern.