Mykelti

[Kellyee]

Quote

He also said Meri had been abusive to some family members and Meri played dumb and said she didn't know who she was supposed to habe been abusive to.

Kody has also been verbally and emotionally abusive (especially to Christine), and plays dumb and says he doesn't know what people are talking about when they say that. And yet Mykelti defends Kody. This whole family is screwed up, and everything any one of them says should be taken with some caution. 

The season just ended, and they can make extra money if they can get people to sign up for Patreon accounts. Remember that when you listen to them provide "revelations" and create drama. Neither Mykelti or Tony appears to have a real job, and now they have 3 kids to financially support.

 

 

 

[RazzleberryPie]

On 1/25/2023 at 11:16 PM, 65mickey said:

Yes especially from Maddie who claimed that Meri was a monster who terrorized her her entire life. I find it suspect that there are 2 grown kids who all of a sudden have come out with this and credit Robyn for saving their lives, but they have given no details on what monster Meri did to them.  Also if Robyn was so astute to be able to see Meri's behavior as abuse why was she almost begging Meri to stay with the family? 

Meri is so resentful of the other wives for their big families and closeness. I can completely believe she’s resent Maddie, who was close in age to Meris kid, but Maddie always seemed far more pleasant, mature, etc, while Meri’s kid was a total brat. Hate to say it, but Maddie was a prettier child, and I think Meri resented Maddie and some of the kids who present the image of a big happy generic smiling Mormon family better than bratty Meri Jr.

I also think Meri and Leon always came off as acting like they thought they were better or more important than Janelle and Christine and their kids, and couldn’t understand why flaunting how they had more money per person and more everything would isolate them some. I will never understand Meri’s demand for More Bigger Everything when she was literally taking money for food from the other wives kids. 

Meri has been notorious for saying she wants something then when confronted doing the total opposite. She wanted more kids and invitro, etc, but when Stelath Bitch Robin volunteered to be her surrogate, Meri said nope. (Which was a win win for Robin - Meri accepted, Robin is a precious selfless baby incubator, then can hand the kid over and be done, Meri refuses, Robin tried and Meri looks selfish). She says she wants a huge polyg family, but when asked to help mother other kids, she says she doesn’t want stuck with them. She says she wants to help with a family business, but when asked she says nope she’s going back to school. 

the best is she says she doesn’t want to be married to kody, and when he says ok GO, she says nope, I’m staying. Stupid, stupid choices. 

When she isn’t getting her way and being able to Lord over everyone, she has a fit and does the opposite of what she’s offered. She’s a vile piece of work. I have no doubt in my mind she was mean and hateful yo everyone there, especially kids she resented or who she thought was challenging her in any way - challenging her by direct defiance, by their personalities, or even by their mere existence. These kids can’t help it if they were born and that Meri never had the Perfect Golden Man Child Heir that she wanted.
 

[Celia Rubenstein]

6 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

I don't think there's anything suspect about the recent revelations about Meri which aren't that surprising.

Christine said in their book she had a huge blow up with Meri before the show started because she felt Meri was taking out her frustrations on some of her kids who were wary of her and scared to cross her.

Madison said on Twitter years ago that Meri was an abusive monster she'd been scared of all her life and was happy she was now an adult who could choose not to have her in her life. Which made sense why no-one went to efforts to invite Meri to Axels birth, though Maddies Twitter comments came after that. But then there were vague excuses as to why Meri wasn't given a Grandma name and wasn't at the family gathering when most of the family met Evie. And even before that I just remembered, when Garrison came back from basic training to the cul de sac and it waa communicated beforehand that he was going to be earlier than expected and no-one told Meri so she missed it whereas everyone else seemed to be there. During covid it was obvious Janelle, Christine and their kids were hanging out but no-one went to see or even called Meri. 

Kody said in a therapy session Meri should fix her relationships with some of the older kids. Meri admitted she didn't have good relationships with some of the older kids. He also said Meri had been abusive to some family members and Meri played dumb and said she didn't know who she was supposed to habe been abusive to.

So for years there's been lots of people saying Meri was likely abusive to some of the kids. With lots of Meri stans speculating she wasn't at all, that the whole family bullied her or she was scapegoated or was the only one who disciplined the kids or whatever.

Paedon started doing interviews and tik toks last year and when asked about Meri said he didn't have a relationship with her and never had. And that Christine had told him talking about Meri publicly was off limits.

FF to now. Gwen realised she could make 10s of thousands of dollars a month spilling lukewarm tea about the family. She took a few swipes at Paedon which probably aren't undeserved but she was also asked about Meri. And Gwen said she loved her, she was cool and she talks to her on the 'phone but it's hard to see her as she's soooo popular with friends and sooo busy. And felt Meri got undeserved hate on the Internet.

So a lot of Meri stans were posting all over the Internet about how Meri can't have been abusive, can't be that bad because otherwise why would Gwen like her? They were sure their previous dismissal of Madison as a drama queen bitch and the other wives just being inadequate duscilpinarians was now proved correct and they felt Meri was vindicated.

That probably pissed off some of the siblings that felt they'd suffered at Meris treatment. As though Gwen was denying or minimising that. So Paedon did an interview and basically spilled more than he had before. Which meant Gwen was asked about it and had to give a response. And reiterated that she hates Paedon and doesn't think he should be given a platform amf people should take what he says with a pinch of salt as he was the *most* violent member of the family but said yes Meri was rude and scary at times but she didn't attack *me* (Gwen) but I did see her being physical with Mykelti, not Paedon. But Meri deserved a second chance.

Paedon and Gwen had both mentioned Mykelti being targeted by Meri so Mykelti had little choice but to make some kind of statement about it as she was constantly being asked about it on her social media.

Now Gwen is saying that she regrets endorsing Meri and that after speaking to Mykelti she knows more and is upset by it.

So my take is that this isn't a suspicious series of events. It was all started by Gwens comments about how cool Meri is on Patreon. And if she didn't know the extent of things that Meri did which is likely, she did know that some of her siblings wanted nothing to do with Meri now and Madison at least had said Meri was an abusive monster. Plus, according to Gwens later statement she admitted Meri was scary at times when they were kids and she had seen her be physical with Mykelti.

The posters saying when could this have happened? In the book the Browns spoke about how Janelle always worked full time but for years Meri and Christine shared child care and home schooling and working part-time. Both Janelle and Christine had issues with how Meri treated some of the kids and Meri in the book said some of the kids behaviour 'got her Irish up' which means getting angry or outraged.

Meri admitted on the show that she had anger issues. In one episode she said it started when Janelle got pregnant so quickly with Logan when she'd been trying but not conceived. 

At some point before the show started, Christine was given the singular role of stay at home Mom. Meri made a comment in the first series about how she was envious because she wanted to be home more.

As to why the alleged victims aren't giving details? I think there are several reasons. One is that they shouldn't be expected to give details of their personal trauma for public consumption to make their abuse valid. There is no such thing as a perfect victim and a lot of people seem to be dismissing their accounts of being abused because they don't like them as people. 

Another is that they probably want to protect other family members from distress and don't want to damage their relationships with other family members. It's not simple in a family with 5 parents and 18 kids to tell your truth and disregard how it effects the other people. Gwen seemed to think it would just be a fun money making exercise and not that the public would take her accounts as absolute truth and use it to attack or defend her family members online. And since she said she'd read Reddit, that was incredibly naive. Or she didn't care. 

And another is exactly what Paedon said. All the parents and some of the adult siblings are reliant on the show for income. Whether directly through pay for the show or indirectly through their fame making them MLM top sellers and successful patreon creators.

TLC has been accused quite rightly, of promoting and paying several families where child abuse was occurring. The Duggars, Gosselins, Honey Boo boo to name a few. There have even been allegations that a TLC producer was sexually abusing a child on Little People Big World. TLC let too many things go in the past with other shows and so if there's explicit child abuse allegations publicly made, there's a real chance the Brown's show would be cancelled. And allegations will effect their other businesses they have as a result of the show.

And morally, that may be correct. But I wouldn't want to be the kid in that family that made that happen. 

 

 

 

What a thorough, fair, well-reasoned post! You broke it down then summed it all up perfectly, @HeyDougieHowser. Well done!

[Tuxcat]

7 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

Christine said in their book she had a huge blow up with Meri before the show started because she felt Meri was taking out her frustrations on some of her kids who were wary of her and scared to cross her.

Do we know when and where this occurred? Meri had a miscarriage in 2007 after a decade of infertility (while Christine and Janelle continued to pop out babies they couldn't feed). I wonder if Meri went from being the family disciplinarian to outright scary around this time. It could explain how the other parents did not "recognize" things as abusive. As the story is told it is Robyn who came in and "recognized" and identified abusive behavior. According to Paedon none of the other adults saw abuse (and of course Kody was also "hitting" the kids according to Gwen).

2 hours ago, RazzleberryPie said:

believe she’s resent Maddie, who was close in age to Meris kid, but Maddie always seemed far more pleasant, mature, etc, while Meri’s kid was a total brat

I always laugh when I read this. I thought Leon, Maddie and Mykelti were all entitled teenage brats tbh. 

7 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

Madison said on Twitter years ago that Meri was an abusive monster she'd been scared of all her life and was happy she was now an adult who could choose not to have her in her life

She did say that. But it's interesting that this occurred only after Maddie CHOSE to work for Meri. The tweet happened after a work related spat. Maddie seems like she might have her own emotional regulation issues. She deleted the tweet quickly. That is not to say I don't believe her. But I just find the context interesting.

7 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

nd another is exactly what Paedon said. All the parents and some of the adult siblings are reliant on the show for income. Whether directly through pay for the show or indirectly through their fame making them MLM top sellers and successful patreon creators.

Yeah I am never going to agree with this. They are making vague allegations of abuse to "protect the show?" That makes no sense at all. To ask these adult children to be silent - even longer -- that's emotional abuse. This is not a valid reason. And let's not forget the adults silenced the kids for over a decade already.

Edited January 27, 2023 by Tuxcat

[Adiba]

Gwen said that he last kid that was hit by Kody was her, so I doubt Ysabel, Savannah and Truely were ever hit, spanked, “swatted, “ etc. 
I would bet that Robyn’s kids were never physically punished by Kody (I don’t know about by Jessop).

I think the truth in that family regarding corporal punishment of the children is more complicated than yes they were or no they weren’t. And the term “abuse” can have different meanings to different people— not just the legal definition.

[General Days]

5 hours ago, Adiba said:

And the term “abuse” can have different meanings to different people— not just the legal definition.

That's really the root of the issue, isn't it? It's why I need more information before I personally pass judgment on whether the Brown parents were abusing or tolerating abuse of the kids.

There is a spectrum of verbal and physical interactions between parents and children. Until a certain age, I was spanked, but I was not (i.e. I did not and do not feel that I was) physically abused. However, I chose not to spank my own children, because I think there are better ways (time outs, etc.) to get children to choose good behavior.

Taking Mykelti as an example, I believe she is being truthful when she says she felt emotionally abused by Meri. Without specifics, I just don't know if I would see it as discipline, as inept parenting, as mistreatment, or as abuse, or some mix of those things.

Part of that, is because what I have seen play out on the show from Christine and Janelle (let's forget Robyn). On camera, at least, Christine has long spoken in that sweet, breathy voice (until last season), and she seems really sweet, fun, and easygoing with her kids. If my mom was like that, and then my other "mom" was high-strung and quicker to yell (which can be, but isn't always abusive), maybe it would be scary and feel abusive to me.

Ditto Janelle, who was working all the time, and has talked about how (at least in her relationships with adults) she is non-confrontational. A lot of us, for a lot of seasons, have felt she checks out mentally. If my mom was like that, and while my other "mom" was hollering at me to knock it off, or not jump on the sofa, or whatever, it might be scary and feel like abuse.

*Then there's what Ysabel mentioned in her Patreon interview with Mykelti and Tony. Ysabel went on at some length about how polygamist families "discard" and "ostracize" a woman when she divorces the man, and the whole family talks badly about them. 

I kept thinking about how these kids have watched their dad spurn Meri for years, and how the Meri/Kody marriage has been in (spiritual) name only, since at least the legal divorce. I wonder how it and the emotional affair/catfishing caused them to turn on Meri, just because she was out of the club and so therefore the enemy.

So, it's not that I doubt Mykelti feels emotionally abused by Meri. It's that I wonder about the behavior, context, and contributing factors.

*The part of the Mykelti/Tony interview of Ysabel that I referenced above is here. That discussion of how polygamists treat their divorced women begins about the 5:15 mark. 

 

[TurtlePower]

4 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

I've always believed that Meri was abusive. There have been too many for too long who have said it or implied it. 

I also don't think the other Moms didn't discipline their kids. Christine came off as harsh and controlling to me in the first few seasons. The way she talked about Ysabel and Mykelti and how problematic their behaviour was when it seemed pretty normal kid stuff to me added to that. Plus Christine taught in the AUB school and Sunday school which is far more ordered and disciplined than any public school. She knows how to keep kids in line. 

I think a lot of people base that idea on the scene where Meri yelled at the kids without realising the cameras followed her and the wives didn't back her up. But they said on the show that it was because they didn't think it was the time or the place. And I don't think it was okay for Meri to be yelling at the kids in public, it's humiliating. And if the timeline Christine gave is correct and she told Meri to leave her kids alone just before they started filming the show, Christine was probably pretty pissed to see Meri pulling that stunt so why would she back her up? What message would that send to Christine's kids? 

When Christine started her faith transition and changing from the perfect stay at home AUB Mom then she seemed to loosen up and then we saw the silliness and the kids jumping into the Xmas tree and the girls wearing their short shorts and Christine telling them oh yeah get a tattoo even though Dad will hate it. But she wasn't like that for years and not when the older ones were little. When they moved to LV she broke down taking to a pastor about youth groups because she thought the kids attending groups outside their church was like throwing them to the sharks. This didn't seem like a woman who'd let her kids do whatever the hell they wanted.

I've been really upset the last few days with some of the discourse online about whether people who have been abused would do this or that. Abuse is complex, particularly within families. It's not as simple as if you've been abused you wouldn't work with that person or invite them to your wedding or forgive them, or anything really. One of my Uncles by marriage molested some of his kids but not others. Physically abused some but not others. The daughter he molested had him give her away at her wedding and was at his bedside when he died. There's a video of me and my ex dancing at a wedding looking like the perfect couple. The night before, he got drunk and I had to sleep in someone else's room because he would not stop telling me what a sad, ugly pathetic c*** I was and how he was embarrassed to be seen with me. He was sorry in the morning as always, and so I put on a good show. We've all seen the pictures of the Turpin kids smiling at Disneyland but we now know what was happening at home. 

My parents used to foster kids and as you can imagine since they were in care, those kids suffered terrible abuse at home. Almost every single one wanted to go home and still loved their families.

Sometimes it's only when someone is out of the abusive situation that they see how bad it was. You can know something hurts or is frightening but if it's always been like that or just got slowly worse over time (boiled frog theory) then someone might not even be aware of just how bad things are. 

That especially applies to the Browns who were in a cult where cultural norms are very different to the outside world. It's my guess that it was only after they'd been in Vegas a while and were away from the church and the community that most of them realised a lot of things they thought were normal really weren't. 

So it's complicated. And abusers usually aren't one dimensional monsters who are abusive to everyone all the time and have no other qualities. Sometimes they're fun and sweet and kind, sometimes you feel sorry for them and want to help them be better. That's how they get away with it and why it's so difficult to recognise it sometimes and difficult to leave it.

And I don't think there's any kind of excuse for abuse but if you see people as complex, it's not always easy to write them off as a human when you have a relationship with them. We know Meri manipulated the entire family into her getting the best of everything financially and materially by using her secondary infertility to make people feel sorry for her and back off. So who knows what happened when she was confronted by Christine or whoever else. Or when she spoke to Robyn. And it's true it must've been incredibly painful for Meri. So maybe she wasn't immediately bitch slapped and cut off by everyone because she told them yes, I did this or that but can you imagine how hard it was for me hoping my period didn't come every month and walking out of my room to see my husband's pregnant wife, or his other kids drawing on the wall or talking back or teasing my *only* child. Or a million other things that kids do that test you when it's your own kid, let alone when it's your husbands kids with other women that you live with while you can't get pregnant. And I dislike Meri and believe she was abusive but she's not in my family so it's easy for me to say. So Christine, Janelle and Robyn didn't demand she was thrown out and some of the kids may have love and sympathy for her but the actions of virtually everyone in that family over the last several years demonstrates there must be reasons why no-one bothered to even call her during covid. She might be invited to weddings and a family gathering on the holidays and get a text or call now and then but that's the only contact she seems to have with most of the family. It's far easier to just phase someone out than have a big old dramatic confrontation. 

I'd hate it if people who are being abused right now read some of the stuff online the last few days and think they won't be believed or considered attention seeking. Or that they have to give examples so people can decide for them, if they think it was bad enough that it constitutes abuse.

If it was one person saying it while everyone else was coming out to back up Meri and there'd not even been a hint before now, I'd suspend my disbelief. But there's too much from too many people for too long for me to give her the benefit of the doubt. 

And none of the kids speaking out are saying the family or TLC are trying to silence them. What Paedon said was most of his family are reliant on the show for income which is true, so he doesn't want to risk the show being cancelled by being totally explicit. But that when the show is over, he'll feel free to do so. Mykelti works for the company where Meri is a star seller and she's risking her business saying what she already has. I think it's brave and she doesn't have to say more if she doesn't want to. 

I also don't think any of them are throwing Meri under the bus while protecting Kody. They've said Kody hit them as kids, Mykelti said Kody and Meri were both emotionally and verbally abusive to each other during their relationship.

They're all adults now who have been living on the 'real world' for many years. They know what abuse is and they know what happened to them. They're not wanting Meri to not be in their lives or be around their children *ever* because she told them off or wouldn't let them jump on the bed. 

 

 

 

 

 

This (the part in bold). It’s been said too many times by different family members that Meri was abusive to a few of the kids. Kody’s said it, Maddie has said it, Christine has acknowledged it, Paedon has said it, Gwen finally admitted it and now Mykelti has said she got the “brunt” of it.

It’s simply too many acknowledgements over a long period of time. I also believe Meri has it in her, I can see the darkness in her and have had to deal with people like her in law enforcement. They’re the worst to deal with because they think they’re above everyone else and they try to turn themselves into the victim. These types of people almost never admit guilt, even as they’re being sentenced with evidence against them. 

[Cetacean]

4 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

...who have said it or implied it. 

Implied being the  key word. Veiled references with no real examples.

[Celia Rubenstein]

I would be surprised if we get any real descriptions or examples of what went on from any of the kids (or other parents) while the show is still on the air. 

That kind of information has the potential to infuriate the average viewer and force TLC into cancelling the show.  With the exception of maybe one or two of the kids, I don't think any of the Browns want that to happen.  They need the money ... and the publicity.  Paedyn came out and said as much openly, already. 

It seems like anyone requiring that kind of evidence is going to have to wait.

 

[General Days]

9 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

I also don't think the other Moms didn't discipline their kids.

I didn't mean to imply Christine and Janelle did not discipline their kids. Christine and Janelle are so different from Meri. My point was that Meri could have interacted with the kids in a way that felt abusive to some of the kids, because Meri was far more blunt and less conflict-avoidant than Janelle and Christine.

When they were working on their relationship with Nancy, Janelle described herself as conflict avoidant, and said she tends to shut down. She also conveyed that a lot of what she used to perceive as conflict (or hostility, maybe -- this is all a paraphrase) from Meri, boiled down to Meri being direct. Janelle hadn't dealt with anyone so direct before.

Ditto Christine. A few years ago (after Maddie gave birth to Axel), Christine kind of called Meri on the carpet for bringing a lot of baggage with her to family gatherings (or maybe sister wife gatherings). One of Christine's charges against Meri is that she often can't tell if Meri is mad. Meri said that she puts up walls, and Christine said that she thinks maybe when Meri was putting up walls, that's what Christine perceived as anger.

If Meri was anything like she's now assumed to be, I don't think Christine would have had the, "I don't know when you're mad" problem.

Some non-abusive families raise their voices a lot, and nobody thinks twice about it. They're loud and direct. Other non-abusive families are much softer spoken and "sweeter" for lack of a better word.

I believe Mykelti feels abused by Meri. I accept her statement as her truth. I don't even think she's wrong. Since I don't know why she feels that way, I'm withholding my judgment against Meri, because as you said, it is complicated.

Part of what bugs (and I'm not the first person to note this, in this forum), is that we know Kody physically disciplined the kids. We know Kody had temper tantrums (like the bunk bed incident), but without knowing what Meri did, it's hard to listen to Mykelti and Paedon (and even Maddie's non-direct, long-deleted tweets), and not suspect there could be a big double standard, with how the family sees Kody's discipline versus how they see Meri's.

 

9 hours ago, HeyDougieHowser said:

I think a lot of people base that idea on the scene where Meri yelled at the kids without realising the cameras followed her and the wives didn't back her up. But they said on the show that it was because they didn't think it was the time or the place. And I don't think it was okay for Meri to be yelling at the kids in public, it's humiliating. And if the timeline Christine gave is correct and she told Meri to leave her kids alone just before they started filming the show, Christine was probably pretty pissed to see Meri pulling that stunt so why would she back her up? What message would that send to Christine's kids? 

Meri didn't really yell. You can watch it for yourself, here: https://go.tlc.com/video/sister-wives-tlc/july-4th-rebellion

The whole Paedon hits Breanna/Meri calls out the kids for not treating Robyn's kids as siblings starts around 16:35 mark. Her voice was stern, no-nonsense, and exasperated but she wasn't screaming at them. She didn't chastise them in front of a crowd. It looks like she gathered them all behind the pizza place, in the parking lot. She didn't single out one kid. She tried to address the larger problem of the OG3's kids not accepting the then-Jessop kids. It was a middle kid (Paedon), who hit Breanna, but Meri seemed to be telling [Leon] and the other, older kids that they had set the tone on this issue.

As to what kind of message some parental back-up would have sent to Christine's kids? Maybe it would have sent the message that enormous 12/13-year-old boys shouldn't hit little 6/7-year-old girls in the eye, or anywhere else.

 

1 hour ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

I would be surprised if we get any real descriptions or examples of what went on from any of the kids (or other parents) while the show is still on the air. 

That kind of information has the potential to infuriate the average viewer and force TLC into cancelling the show.  With the exception of maybe one or two of the kids, I don't think any of the Browns want that to happen.  They need the money ... and the publicity.  Paedyn came out and said as much openly, already. 

It seems like anyone requiring that kind of evidence is going to have to wait.

 

 

I think you're right. I also, though, don't require evidence about this in general. I just require it before concluding Meri was a monster, and the other Brown parents just let her be, until Righteous Robyn saved their lives.

[Bmglmr]

I watched the clip above. I didn’t think Meri was out of line or over the top at all in the way she handled that situation. It was interesting to hear her ask the other moms for back up and not get it. Not sure what to make of that in light of recent complaints regarding “abuse”. It can support it, showing the other Moms were afraid of Meri or it can support Meri’s side, that she was the main disciplinarian so she’s getting the complaints. 

I can see Mykelti and Paedon feeling they were treated poorly by Meri. Christine seems to take a much softer approach to discipline. She also struggles to keep her thoughts and feelings to herself and I’m sure her kids picked up on that pretty quickly. Mom doesn’t like Meri so neither do I. 

What does seem apparent is they all have/had different parenting styles and struggled to blend them together. For that, I blame Kody. I mean he claimed he was the head of the family and yet it sounds like he sat back and watched one of his wives “abuse” his kids…

 
 

 

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, General Days said:

The whole Paedon hits Breanna/Meri calls out the kids for not treating Robyn's kids as siblings starts around 16:35 mark. Her voice was stern, no-nonsense, and exasperated but she wasn't screaming at them. She didn't chastise them in front of a crowd. It looks like she gathered them all behind the pizza place, in the parking lot. She didn't single out one kid. She tried to address the larger problem of the OG3's kids not accepting the then-Jessop kids. It was a middle kid (Paedon), who hit Breanna, but Meri seemed to be telling [Leon] and the other, older kids that they had set the tone on this issue.

Thank you for posting the link.  And I am assuming this was all spontaneous what with the cameraman jouncing along to capture it.

I can see where a group of embarrassed teenagers could label this "verbal abuse" because they were specifically called out on the fact that they were setting the tone as well as failing to intervene (not verbalized but implied). 

And later, at the fireworks, Logan had to pull one of the boys away from kicking someone so clearly that behavior was ongoing without any parent except (apparently) Meri stepping in.  

And, again, I have no love for Meri but I do think that the other mothers standing there mute was just ridiculous.  Someone who punches a child half his size is way out of line no matter how aggravated he was.  The time to nip that crap in the bud is immediately; otherwise the "boys will be boys" behavior is enforced and that's a simply inexcusable.

[Tuxcat]

29 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

nd, again, I have no love for Meri but I do think that the other mothers standing there mute was just ridiculous.  Someone who punches a child half his size is way out of line no matter how aggravated he was.  The time to nip that crap in the bud is immediately; otherwise the "boys will be boys" behavior is enforced and that's a simply inexcusable.

And to add more to the story. Kody voiced his support for Meri in that scene. There is even a brief part where you can hear a kid say "what was that for?" and Kody responds, "you poked Breanna in the eye."  What happened there? Perhaps Kody was "disciplining."

A few seasons after this episode the adults were doing a viewer question and answer session. Meri cites this scene as her most embarrassing moment. Robyn, however, chimes in and says "No Meri, that should be your proudest moment." Meri says "really? that was a hard one for me" and she gets teary eyed.  Kody says, " I get it. Nobody wants to be the parent yelling at their children, even though they need it."

Interesting that Robyn, who is now touted as "saving the kids lives" from Meri, would chime in and say Mer should be proud here.

We also have Gwen now stating that she believes Paedon was intentionally trying to make the public believe that Meri was physically abusive. 

But of course this is all family lore. These stories get retold to each other and Meri is clearly the evil stepmother as I've seen her called on other posts. I don't question the verbal and emotional abuse allegations at all. I only question if Meri should be the only one wearing  yet another letter on her chest. 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Tuxcat

[lookeyloo]

So Pardon was physical with Breanna?  Maybe there is a pattern?  Or not.

[GeeGolly]

Meri is such an easy target. Many Brown followers love to have more reasons to hate her.

Its funny though, underneath Meri's hard personality is a woman who made a life for herself when she was cast aside. She may have waited for Kody, but she didn't do it by sitting home. Maybe part of Mykelti's problem with Meri is, that they are so much alike. When Mykelti was cast out, she figured it out, too. Maybe some of what Mykelti is doing is projecting.

Don't get me wrong, I believe Meri is a cold bitch and she certainly could have abused any or all of the Brown children, or maybe she didn't. Mykelti might be telling the truth or maybe she's lying, or something in between. But calling out someone on SM in vague ways is not something she should be proud of. I'm not saying abused kids should not speak out, but I am saying whatever it is Mykelti is doing, its not the right way to do it.

Edited January 29, 2023 by GeeGolly

[Bmglmr]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

But calling out someone on SM in vague ways is not something she should be proud of. I'm not saying abused kids should not speak out, but I am saying whatever it is Mykelti is doing, its not the right way to do it.

I agree ☝️. They’ve opened Pandora’s box and may not be able to close it. 

[Art Of Noiz]

On 1/27/2023 at 3:51 AM, HeyDougieHowser said:

I don't think there's anything suspect about the recent revelations about Meri which aren't that surprising.

Christine said in their book she had a huge blow up with Meri before the show started because she felt Meri was taking out her frustrations on some of her kids who were wary of her and scared to cross her.

Madison said on Twitter years ago that Meri was an abusive monster she'd been scared of all her life and was happy she was now an adult who could choose not to have her in her life. Which made sense why no-one went to efforts to invite Meri to Axels birth, though Maddies Twitter comments came after that. But then there were vague excuses as to why Meri wasn't given a Grandma name and wasn't at the family gathering when most of the family met Evie. And even before that I just remembered, when Garrison came back from basic training to the cul de sac and it waa communicated beforehand that he was going to be earlier than expected and no-one told Meri so she missed it whereas everyone else seemed to be there. During covid it was obvious Janelle, Christine and their kids were hanging out but no-one went to see or even called Meri. 

Kody said in a therapy session Meri should fix her relationships with some of the older kids. Meri admitted she didn't have good relationships with some of the older kids. He also said Meri had been abusive to some family members and Meri played dumb and said she didn't know who she was supposed to habe been abusive to.

So for years there's been lots of people saying Meri was likely abusive to some of the kids. With lots of Meri stans speculating she wasn't at all, that the whole family bullied her or she was scapegoated or was the only one who disciplined the kids or whatever.

Paedon started doing interviews and tik toks last year and when asked about Meri said he didn't have a relationship with her and never had. And that Christine had told him talking about Meri publicly was off limits.

FF to now. Gwen realised she could make 10s of thousands of dollars a month spilling lukewarm tea about the family. She took a few swipes at Paedon which probably aren't undeserved but she was also asked about Meri. And Gwen said she loved her, she was cool and she talks to her on the 'phone but it's hard to see her as she's soooo popular with friends and sooo busy. And felt Meri got undeserved hate on the Internet.

So a lot of Meri stans were posting all over the Internet about how Meri can't have been abusive, can't be that bad because otherwise why would Gwen like her? They were sure their previous dismissal of Madison as a drama queen bitch and the other wives just being inadequate duscilpinarians was now proved correct and they felt Meri was vindicated.

That probably pissed off some of the siblings that felt they'd suffered at Meris treatment. As though Gwen was denying or minimising that. So Paedon did an interview and basically spilled more than he had before. Which meant Gwen was asked about it and had to give a response. And reiterated that she hates Paedon and doesn't think he should be given a platform amf people should take what he says with a pinch of salt as he was the *most* violent member of the family but said yes Meri was rude and scary at times but she didn't attack *me* (Gwen) but I did see her being physical with Mykelti, not Paedon. But Meri deserved a second chance.

Paedon and Gwen had both mentioned Mykelti being targeted by Meri so Mykelti had little choice but to make some kind of statement about it as she was constantly being asked about it on her social media.

Now Gwen is saying that she regrets endorsing Meri and that after speaking to Mykelti she knows more and is upset by it.

So my take is that this isn't a suspicious series of events. It was all started by Gwens comments about how cool Meri is on Patreon. And if she didn't know the extent of things that Meri did which is likely, she did know that some of her siblings wanted nothing to do with Meri now and Madison at least had said Meri was an abusive monster. Plus, according to Gwens later statement she admitted Meri was scary at times when they were kids and she had seen her be physical with Mykelti.

The posters saying when could this have happened? In the book the Browns spoke about how Janelle always worked full time but for years Meri and Christine shared child care and home schooling and working part-time. Both Janelle and Christine had issues with how Meri treated some of the kids and Meri in the book said some of the kids behaviour 'got her Irish up' which means getting angry or outraged.

Meri admitted on the show that she had anger issues. In one episode she said it started when Janelle got pregnant so quickly with Logan when she'd been trying but not conceived. 

At some point before the show started, Christine was given the singular role of stay at home Mom. Meri made a comment in the first series about how she was envious because she wanted to be home more.

As to why the alleged victims aren't giving details? I think there are several reasons. One is that they shouldn't be expected to give details of their personal trauma for public consumption to make their abuse valid. There is no such thing as a perfect victim and a lot of people seem to be dismissing their accounts of being abused because they don't like them as people. 

Another is that they probably want to protect other family members from distress and don't want to damage their relationships with other family members. It's not simple in a family with 5 parents and 18 kids to tell your truth and disregard how it effects the other people. Gwen seemed to think it would just be a fun money making exercise and not that the public would take her accounts as absolute truth and use it to attack or defend her family members online. And since she said she'd read Reddit, that was incredibly naive. Or she didn't care. 

And another is exactly what Paedon said. All the parents and some of the adult siblings are reliant on the show for income. Whether directly through pay for the show or indirectly through their fame making them MLM top sellers and successful patreon creators.

TLC has been accused quite rightly, of promoting and paying several families where child abuse was occurring. The Duggars, Gosselins, Honey Boo boo to name a few. There have even been allegations that a TLC producer was sexually abusing a child on Little People Big World. TLC let too many things go in the past with other shows and so if there's explicit child abuse allegations publicly made, there's a real chance the Brown's show would be cancelled. And allegations will effect their other businesses they have as a result of the show.

And morally, that may be correct. But I wouldn't want to be the kid in that family that made that happen. 

 

 

 

One thing I noticed about  Gwen's 2nd Patreon- she said she checked with family members about the Q&A before she answered them. 

She must mean Christine. My guess it's about NDA for upcoming seasons, etc. In my opinion..lol

[65mickey]

Mykelti and Paedon may or may not have been abused or they may have been harshly disciplined by Meri and most likely Kody. I don't know. But I don't for a minute believe that are on social media as a way to heal from this. They are saying what they are saying now for one reason money. They know that more people will watch or listen to hear the horror stories not the happy family stories. If they feel the need to resolve the continuing effects of the abuse I understand this. But maybe they should seek professional intervention. Revealing vague accusations about Meri is not going to help. But it sure will bring in the money.

[Cetacean]

24 minutes ago, 65mickey said:

But I don't for a minute believe that are on social media as a way to heal from this. They are saying what they are saying now for one reason money.

The Brown Family Financial Plan - sell your soul to the devil (TLC, social media, sleazy tabloids) to avoid any kind of meaningful work.  It's easier to pander sordid tales to the public.

Just look at the number of people paying to read this crap.

[Joan of Argh]

All I know is that people have been wondering, speculating for years about what actually went on behind closed doors with the Browns and now that the kids are finally adults and able to share their stories and opinions people are screaming from the rooftops that they need to shut up… why?

Let them talk, there’s nothing stopping Meri or Kody or anyone else from speaking up and disagreeing if they feel they’ve been unjustly accused of something.

Just my opinion but if TLC’s other shows are any indication they seem to love messy scandalous storylines so I doubt they’d have a problem with it since it would be a ratings bonanza! 

[Libby]

I have been a person who has said that Christine's children should shut up for their own good, and Christine, as their mother should do whatever she could to make them shut up.

As a curious viewer, I appreciate hearing their point of view. However, I don't think it's good for them to put themselves out there. If they were my children, I'd do everything in my power I could to stop them.

Noone will ever convince me that airing personal family business is smart, healing, or healthy for anyone in any family.

Like other reality families, it's what the Brown's have decided to do. They needed the money, and they did it. I wouldn't want their life for me or my children.

I guess I'm a hypocrite because I keep watching in spite of my disapproval of their choice.

 

Edited January 30, 2023 by Libby

[Elizzikra]

Quote

The Brown Family Financial Plan - sell your soul to the devil (TLC, social media, sleazy tabloids) to avoid any kind of meaningful work.

You left out the MLMs...

[Kellyee]

Quote

Christine seems to take a much softer approach to discipline.

Christine and Janelle never seemed to discipline their kids at all. The way some of the kids speak to their parents makes me cringe. By comparison, Meri was the one trying to pull them back in line. So then she gets marked as "abusive". 

I never understood all the love for Janelle and Christine. They are passive grifters who rely on a reality show and MLMs for money. And they're teaching Mykelti to do the exact same thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TurtlePower]

5 minutes ago, Kellyee said:

Christine and Janelle never seemed to discipline their kids at all. The way some of the kids speak to their parents makes me cringe. By comparison, Meri was the one trying to pull them back in line. So then she gets marked as "abusive". 

I never understood all the love for Janelle and Christine. They are passive grifters who rely on a reality show and MLMs for money. And they're teaching Mykelti to do the exact same thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several family members have described Meri as having been at least verbally abusive. Yelling at kids creates fear, not a relationship of respect. I believe she targeted at least a few of them, the ones she disliked most. 

I was yelled at behind closed doors and no one knew until I was an adult.  It damaged me for life, even with family therapy (it made me feel worse and deserving of being yelled at). With my own nieces and nephews, I will never yell at them unless their life is in danger.

Yelling at young kids is not a good way to get them “in line”, IMO. They’ll do it out of fear, but they’ll have zero respect for the one doing the yelling. They’re basically dogs with their tails between their legs, until they get older and can fight back (Meri was said to have stopped yelling when the kids got older).

Not saying Christine or Janelle’s hands-off approach is good. Just that yelling, as a form of correction, is generally ineffective in the long run and creates feelings of resentment. Even hitting — if I was ever hit, I’d cut. It’s just pain and they couldn’t know if it “worked” because I’d do it more, and worse. Fuck angry adults. Kids just want to feel loved. There are other ways to correct them than screaming at them.

Sorry for the rant, but I will never approve of yelling as a means of correction unless it is a last resort. It’s just bullying, shows a loss of emotional control and is fear-inducing. 

[Cetacean]

25 minutes ago, TurtlePower said:

Sorry for the rant, but I will never approve of yelling as a means of correction unless it is a last resort. It’s just bullying, shows a loss of emotional control and is fear-inducing. 

Just curious as the definition of "yelling" vs "verbal correction".  Watching that clip after the Paedon hitting incident, I don't classify that as yelling. I thought she was speaking forcefully to the group as a whole and didn't single out one but did say that the older kids were setting the tone.  She was not ranting or screaming or waving her arms, simply speaking in a stern voice.

Obvioulsy there are different definitions of abuse which is my issue with the online interviews.

If my mother had spoken to me as Meri spoke to them, believe me, I would have taken notice especially if I richly deserved it. And never in a million years would I classify it as abuse.  

[laurakaye]

If Christine was indeed too overwhelmed or soft-spoken to discipline her own kids, then it stands to reason that Mykelti acted out to get attention from someone, anyone - her own parents or one of her other "moms."  Seems possible that Mykelti knew how to push Meri's buttons and that Meri responded with verbal abuse towards Mykelti - after all, even negative attention is still attention.

Total speculation, but if this was the dynamic between the two of them, it wouldn't surprise me, and maybe Mykelti is speaking out now because her siblings have told her that based on their memories, Mykelti got the brunt of Meri's verbal abuse, and that information made her look back with new perspective.  And if neither Christine nor Kody did anything to stop Meri then all the adults are to blame.

I guess I have mixed feelings - is Mykelti out to make a buck by spilling tea?  Probably.  But is it possible she is just now seeing her childhood in a different light now that she is a mom herself, and trying to process it?  Also probably.

[TurtlePower]

1 hour ago, Cetacean said:

Just curious as the definition of "yelling" vs "verbal correction".  Watching that clip after the Paedon hitting incident, I don't classify that as yelling. I thought she was speaking forcefully to the group as a whole and didn't single out one but did say that the older kids were setting the tone.  She was not ranting or screaming or waving her arms, simply speaking in a stern voice.

Obvioulsy there are different definitions of abuse which is my issue with the online interviews.

If my mother had spoken to me as Meri spoke to them, believe me, I would have taken notice especially if I richly deserved it. And never in a million years would I classify it as abuse.  

For me it’s not about the incident that played out on TV. It’s about the other stuff reported. The stuff behind closed doors, which I tend to believe due to many family members having acknowledged it. I know Meri’s type and believe she’s capable of having singled out certain kids. Mykelti said she got the “brunt” of it and, even though she’s flaky, I believe her. I was considered kinda flaky too when I was younger, that doesn’t mean the abuse didn’t happen. No one really knew, it was embarrassing. 

I understand we’re all different, but I know the difference between “stern” and yelling. I grew up with a yeller and lived in fear constantly. The yelling created a divide that couldn’t be mended, and I didn’t always deserve it (I’d get yelled at for not placing first in track). I’d get yelled at for the magazines on the coffee table being disorganised. Yelling at dinner (I became anorexic). It got to the point where if I made a mistake, I’d self harm because I knew it was coming. I still do it, actually.

Will take any future stories to small talk. 

[Tuxcat]

5 hours ago, laurakaye said:

If Christine was indeed too overwhelmed or soft-spoken to discipline her own kids, then it stands to reason that Mykelti acted out to get attention from someone, anyone - her own parents or one of her other "moms."  Seems possible that Mykelti knew how to push Meri's buttons and that Meri responded with verbal abuse towards Mykelti - after all, even negative attention is still attention

Interesting angle. So far it's the kids that seemed to crave attention, that have lodged the complaint of verbal and emotional abuse. Mykelti, was labeled the "black sheep" early on. Paedon was the only boy in the household of girls. Maddie was the golden child in the later seasons - but recall the dark phase which the parents openly mocked in their "cute skit." I do wonder if Maddie struggled to live up to the high standards set by Logan "the perfect son." She likely was rebellious too.

Edited January 30, 2023 by Tuxcat

[GeeGolly]

My recollection is Maddie, Mykelti and Paedon were the three boundary pushers or attention seekers or black sheep - whichever term suits your fancy. IIRC, Maddie only became a favorite when she started dating Caleb.

[Natalie68]

4 hours ago, TurtlePower said:

For me it’s not about the incident that played out on TV. It’s about the other stuff reported. The stuff behind closed doors, which I tend to believe due to many family members having acknowledged it. I know Meri’s type and believe she’s capable of having singled out certain kids. Mykelti said she got the “brunt” of it and, even though she’s flaky, I believe her. I was considered kinda flaky too when I was younger, that doesn’t mean the abuse didn’t happen. No one really knew, it was embarrassing. 

I understand we’re all different, but I know the difference between “stern” and yelling. I grew up with a yeller and lived in fear constantly. The yelling created a divide that couldn’t be mended, and I didn’t always deserve it (I’d get yelled at for not placing first in track). I’d get yelled at for the magazines on the coffee table being disorganised. Yelling at dinner (I became anorexic). It got to the point where if I made a mistake, I’d self harm because I knew it was coming. I still do it, actually.

Will take any future stories to small talk. 

Mine was also a slapper or pincher.  I was the scapegoat.  

I don't think we are in a space where we can second guess someone else's experience and the effect it has on them.  I also think the kids have a right to talk about their personal experiences.  It is their truth.

[Kellyee]

What does Tony do for work?

[General Days]

Mooch off of Mykelti.

Edited January 31, 2023 by General Days

[xwordfanatik]

Isn't he some kind of computer game developer?  

I think Tony must be smarter than he looks.  😝

[laurakaye]

I thought he played online games on a channel that people pay to watch or something like that?

Honestly, the way kids these days earn a living....off my lawn with the lot of them.

[Elodia]

18 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

Isn't he some kind of computer game developer?

Afaik he wanted to become a professional gamer on twitch, that's why he quit his bank job. It still boggles my mind that people are paying lots of money just to watch other people playing online games. 😳Anyway, I heard he wasn't as successful as he was hoping he would be. 

[Sandy W]

20 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

Isn't he some kind of computer game developer?  

I think Tony must be smarter than he looks.  😝

That's what I had thought too but apparently, he plays online games and people pay to watch! 

How empty would one's life have to be to pay for that?  I could see it if the participants were world famous chess masters but video games???

 

 

[Fosca]

Twitch is generally free; there are ads and gamers get paid according to how many other people watch them. You can pay money to get exclusives and such, but it's not necessary. It's very much like YouTube in that way.

Apparently Tony thought that his D-list fame would increase his viewership.  Not so much; I suspect the "Sister Wives" watchers and "Grand Theft Auto" (or whatever game(s) he plays) watchers don't overlap much.

(I occasionally will watch people game; I've always enjoyed that (I was the person lurking around the video arcades in my youth to watch others play--it was cheaper and just as much fun as actually playing) and usually the players I watch are entertaining characters themselves.)

[MaddyMaeboxerbabe]

Mykelti has said she is the only one working her MLMs and Tony is the stay at home dad of the 3 babies.  

[Teafortwo]

4 hours ago, MaddyMaeboxerbabe said:

Mykelti has said she is the only one working her MLMs and Tony is the stay at home dad of the 3 babies.  

They also own at least one rental property, if not two, and there is the TLC money for the births/suck up to Robyn sessions etc

[GeeGolly]

25 minutes ago, Teafortwo said:

They also own at least one rental property, if not two, and there is the TLC money for the births/suck up to Robyn sessions etc

I'm guessing at their age the rental(s) barely cover whatever remaining mortgage they have on them. Unless of course they somehow came into a large amount of cash to own them outright.

[Tuxcat]

Well I watched the new video of Tony and Mykelti interviewing Aspyn (not Ysabel whom they previously interviewed). My month long three dollars lasted just long enough to see it. There are some accurate recaps on Reddit of the interview.. Nothing shocking to report but... I did like this question:

"Who is Kody's favorite son - in - law?"

Mykelti said it used to be Caleb (duh) but now it is definitely Tony "for sure!" And Tony agreed. They said Christine's favorite is "Mitch, I think, but not Tony."

IMO Christine likely has a very good reason to not be fond of Tony. Second, I absolutely believe that Mykelti and Tony were dispatched to do damage control.

In Gwen's latest video she is really hammering Kody and not holding much back. She is also speaking very fondly of Meri and Janelle but not mentioning Robyn. This is the direction she's taken since the beginning - but she seems to be ramping up these angles. She said Kody told her that she was being "manipulative" through her videos.

So Mykelti and favorite son in law Tony swoop in to counteract and invalidate Gwen's claims.  Maybe even Paedon too since he is was invalidating Gwen through his videos.

[Absolom]

All of this is not going to end well for the family as a whole.  

[Sandy W]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

I'm guessing at their age the rental(s) barely cover whatever remaining mortgage they have on them. Unless of course they somehow came into a large amount of cash to own them outright.

I'm not sure if it's universal, but here in Ontario, most real estate investors keep their rental properties mortgaged to the hilt.  After maintenance and repairs, they may then have a negative cash flow, providing them with tax write-offs.

They bank on the properties increasing in value and enjoying the profit when it's time to sell. There are taxes to be paid when selling other than your primary residence, but they can find a way around that by moving into the rental property for a designated period of time.

[Art Of Noiz]

7 hours ago, Sandy W said:

That's what I had thought too but apparently, he plays online games and people pay to watch! 

How empty would one's life have to be to pay for that?  I could see it if the participants were world famous chess masters but video games???

 

 

Hmm. Tony Chessnut is on that Toxcicity account.

[ginger90]

9 hours ago, Art Of Noiz said:

Hmm. Tony Chessnut is on that Toxcicity account.

On it as what, a viewer?

[laurakaye]

18 hours ago, Sandy W said:

That's what I had thought too but apparently, he plays online games and people pay to watch! 

How empty would one's life have to be to pay for that?  I could see it if the participants were world famous chess masters but video games???

Pramount+ has a show/mockumentary called Players about this very thing, and while I know less than nothing about the world of video gaming, apparently it's a very big dill.  I could not stop watching it.  I'm thinking Tony suspected he'd get some sponsorships or something like that, being that he's a big reality teevee star and all.

 

10 hours ago, Art Of Noiz said:

Hmm. Tony Chessnut is on that Toxcicity account.

This account has me so confused.  I saw that too and thought, ok - it's Tony and Mykelti behind this account - there they are, interviewing Ysabel, or talking to the camera, etc.  But then I realized that whoever is running the account is probably paying to watch M&T's videos, clipping them and putting them on the Toxicicity account.....?  Yes?  No?  

I don't know...I hate that I have put any thought whatsoever into this.  But whoever is behind that account is putting in some serious overtime to take down this family.

As for Christine's kids, I hope attacking each other is worth whatever money they're making.  But at the same time, these were the largely ignored kids, forced to grow up on television for entertainment purposes so perhaps they're just doing what they know how to do to pay the rent.  After all, it worked so well for their parents. 🙄  

[ginger90]

Mykelti posted the days her family won’t be home because they will be at an engagement party for Gwen. She’s brilliant I tell you.

[laurakaye]

7 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

Mykelti posted the days her family won’t be home because they will be at an engagement party for Gwen. She’s brilliant I tell you.

In what context would you put something like that on a public forum??  It's bad enough when people do it on Facebook for their "friends." 

Come on, Mykelti, use that whimsical brain once in awhile.  

[ginger90]

3 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

In what context would you put something like that on a public forum??  It's bad enough when people do it on Facebook for their "friends." 

Come on, Mykelti, use that whimsical brain once in awhile.  

It was related to shipping LuLaNo orders. There was no need to say the family wouldn’t be home, which would include more than Mykelti. Christine, Aspyn, and Ysabel  may all be attending also. 

[Tuxcat]

13 hours ago, Art Of Noiz said:

Hmm. Tony Chessnut is on that Toxcicity account.

The plot thickens. Tony's books captured from a video. It's all chess and how to be rich books.