Alaskan Bush People: The Truth About Billy And Ami Brown's Marriage

The Discovery Channel's Alaskan Bush People offers incredible shots of the wild, complete with howling storms and run-ins with bears, but its real appeal is the Brown family. The show follows the storylines of parents Billy and Ami Brown, along with their seven children, Matt Brown, Joshua "Bam Bam" Brown, Solomon "Bear" Brown, Gabriel "Gabe" Brown, Noah Brown, Amora "Birdy" Brown, and Merry Christmas "Rainy" Brown.

With such a large family, there sure is a lot to keep track of. The family has a complicated history with the law and, to make matters even worse, some want the show to be canceled. There are also rumors that a lot of the reality show is fake, especially after news broke that the Brown family moved from Alaska to Washington state.

Still, one of the most controversial parts of Alaskan Bush People is the storyline between parents Billy and Ami and the history of their relationship. Here's the scoop.

When Billy and Ami Brown tied the knot in 1979 in Texas, Ami was only 15 while Billy was 26, according to Radar Online. While this might be unconventional for contemporary viewers, it was actually legal at the time in Texas for a girl to get married at as young as 14, according to ScreenRant, pending parental approval.

Ami's mother gave conditional approval, saying that Ami had to stay in high school and finish her education. However, according to ScreenRant, shortly after Billy and Ami's wedding, Ami cut ties with her family. Ami's mother and brother blamed Billy for this severed tie and when her brother confronted Billy about this, he allegedly said, "That's none of your mother's business now. She belongs to me!" That's a comment that would cause concern for any parent. 

While the show portrays the marriage as a great love story, fans have often noticed that Ami appears "quiet, dutiful, and subservient" towards Billy, according to Pop Culture. This observation has prompted fans to wonder if there's some credence to this notion that Billy is controlling towards his wife. However, Ami has never vocalized any complaints about her relationship with Billy so we can only hope it's a happy marriage.