In January 2012, America met the Dowdens, a middle-class-turned-wealthy household based mostly in Shreveport, Louisiana, via their CMT present, “Bayou Billionaires.” Led by patriarch Gerald Dowden, the household got here into sudden wealth when a fuel firm drilled pure fuel wells on their 80-acre property atop the Haynesville Shale. Gerald defined on the “Bayou Billionaires” trailer, “The fuel firm [came] in right here [and] stated ‘Hey, we’ll put a fuel effectively again right here in your place.’ We did not a lot take care of it on the time, but it surely ended up the place it certain did repay, pay out.”

For 2 seasons, actuality tv lovers received hooked as Gerald, his spouse, Kitten Dowden, their 4 kids, eight grandchildren and father-in-law, invested and spent their cash lavishly. They sought to affix different southern elites by displaying curiosity within the native nation membership, had sufficient cash to plough right into a taekwondo faculty for Thomas Dowden, the youngest of their sons, and even started producing their very own Kung Fu movie, “Shreveport Samarai.” 

Though some details concerning the Dowdens have been in plain sight, others remained untold. From how a lot cash they really made to their authorized wars with the fuel firm to the key behind Gerald and Kitten’s long-lasting marriage, maintain scrolling for details concerning the intriguing household.

By the point “Bayou Billionaires” went on air, the Dowden household was receiving a gradual month-to-month $40,000 examine from the fuel firm Exco. The fee, christened “mailbox cash,” allowed them to go on a spending spree, which led the public to imagine that they have been beforehand broke. That, nonetheless, could not be farther from the reality. Gerald Dowden was the proprietor of a development firm that had a minimum of 20 staff, together with his spouse, Kitten Dowden, who was chargeable for accounting. Moreover, the household’s land was already getting used for small-scale pure fuel mining, an exercise that raked as much as $5,000 in income.

With their newfound fame, after all, Gerald and Kitten — whose actual identify is Vellen Rose Roy Dowden — leveraged their picture to make more cash. In April 2013, they partnered with multi-chain restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings to host a meet and greet alongside pencil artist Priscilla Wadsworth. They might have disappeared from the limelight since then, however they be part of the lengthy record of actuality tv stars whose internet worths are greater than followers suppose. On the time of writing, Celeb Web Value values the Dowden household’s fortune at $50 million.

Actuality tv stars usually spend their cash lavishly, and the Dowdens have been no exception. The household was portrayed as a seemingly irresponsible brood who made extravagant purchases: Throughout Season 1, Kitten Dowden was hellbent on shopping for a pet tiger for her granddaughter, Nikki Wells, after the demise of her pet cat, “Booey.” In a similar way, Gerald and Thomas Dowden got down to make a big mailbox in honor of their “mailbox cash” on Season 2 of “Bayou Billionaires.” 

The more cash received into the Dowdens’ pockets, the extra they kicked spending limits to the curb. In a joint interview with Conn TV, Gerald stated, “There isn’t any price range,” whereas his spouse, Kitten, added, “We budgeted all our lives, for every little thing. And so, the cash is the perfect half as a result of we do not have to do this. We are able to spend it. We are able to go and we are able to have enjoyable and assist all people, and you do not have to fret about it.”

The Dowdens nonetheless have a robust sense of duty and have a wholesome reserve for his or her most important bills. A 2013 survey confirmed that the majority Individuals wouldn’t surrender their jobs in the event that they received the lottery, and the Dowdens have borrowed from that playbook. On the time of writing, Gerald and Kitten nonetheless run their development enterprise, Gerald Dowden Inc.

Gerald Dowden had a chat with CNN Cash by which he vouched for the harmlessness of the fuel extraction course of. The daddy of 4 stated of Exco, the fuel firm, “They are a community-oriented firm. They’re actually secure.” Nevertheless, it was reported that there have been a number of loopholes in his assertions. First, the drilling course of entails fracking — the injection of water at excessive strain in subterranean rocks to open current fissures — which causes each noise and air air pollution. Second, the present reportedly omitted any disputes with neighbors over the potential damaging results of the drilling.

Because it turned out, the method could not have been totally secure in spite of everything, and a authorized tussle between comparable corporations proved it. In August 2012, a big sinkhole emerged in Bayou Corne and quickly expanded to cowl a minimum of 35 acres in a span of three years. It finally led to a state of emergency declaration and compelled as much as 300 folks to vacate their properties. The catastrophe was blamed on Texas Brine, who reached a reported $48.1 million settlement with residents of the world, however the firm later took authorized motion towards Occidental Petroleum Corp., claiming their operations led to the injury. In January 2018, each corporations and a 3rd, Vulcan Supplies Firm, have been confirmed to be chargeable for the sinkhole.

Following its debut, “Bayou Billionaires” was one of many two record-breaking reveals at CMT; it tied with “My Large Redneck Trip” because the most-watched authentic sequence within the community’s historical past. Whereas most viewers tuned in for the superb plot, it wasn’t totally a brand new idea.

In September 1962, “The Beverly Hillbillies,” a fictional sitcom which has the same storyline, premiered on CBS and ran for 9 seasons. The multi-award-winning present advised the story of Jed Clampett (Buddy Ebsen) and his household, who additionally struck gold when an oil pool emerged of their swamp. The Clampetts relocated to Beverly Hills after hitting the jackpot, and though they lived amongst film stars, royalties on exile, and retired millionaires, Jed nonetheless reminisced over easier occasions within the countryside.

As such, when “Bayou Billionaires” aired, it did not take lengthy earlier than similarities between the Dowdens and the Clampetts turned public discourse. It was a comparability that Gerald Dowden did not thoughts in any respect. “Why be offended?” Dowden requested in an interview with Deseret Information, additionally including that they have been on tv for all the great causes: “We discuss gradual. We smile rather a lot, and we simply take pleasure in life. That is why folks like us.” Gerald’s commentary wasn’t incorrect since some actuality tv stars have earned the repute of getting repulsive personalities.

When “Bayou Billionaires” aired in 2012, the Dowden household had its justifiable share of lighthearted on-screen drama. Working example: Throughout the making of their debut movie, “Shreveport Samarai,” whose screenplay was the brainchild of Thomas Dowden, every little thing gave the impression to be on monitor till Gerald Dowden unceremoniously took the director’s function. On the time of writing, the movie has but to see the sunshine of day. In the identical manner, when Gerald and Kitten Dowden made the choice to resume their vows towards the tip of S2, the kids unanimously provided their assist, however after all, their plans fell aside. Fortunately for the Dowdens, no scenes have been heated sufficient to make the relations stop. That is saying rather a lot when it is pretty frequent follow for actuality tv stars to contemplate exiting reveals when issues disintegrate. 

Behind the scenes, the Dowden household had a few altercations, probably extra charged ones, that by no means made it on air. Gerald advised Conn TV, “We are able to flip round [and] have a fist battle fairly fast … particularly all ’em boys … I received … 4 large grand boys, you understand. We’ve got drama, however, um, we maintain it between ourselves, and we simply discuss it.” Kitten additionally weighed in on household battle, telling the outlet, “We’re [a] fairly close-knit household, so we deal with these sorts of little issues fairly fast.”

Whereas “Bayou Billionaires” portrayed 90-year-old grandpa Jim Roy as the last word women’ man, his daughter, Kitten Dowden, had a contrasting secure love life. On the coronary heart of the present was the affectionate relationship between Gerald Dowden and Kitten. In Season 1, Gerald had the romantic activity of determining methods to mark the anniversary of the primary time he took Kitten out on a date, and after their vow renewal throughout Season 2, they traveled with the entire household to their honeymoon vacation spot: Hawaii. Of their chat with Conn TV, Kitten gushed over the whole actuality tv expertise, saying, “Think about, at our age, to get to do a TV present and to be in it along with your children and grandkids. I imply, how superior is that?”

The heartwarming love story between Gerald and Kitten has spanned many years, and their secret recipe for having a long-lasting marriage is nice ol’ friendship, as Kitten shared with Conn TV. “Gotta be finest buddies,” she advised the outlet. “That is the trick and that is the recommendation we give all people. You bought to love one another in addition to love one another.” Gerald moreover disclosed that they have been nice at compromising to satisfy one another’s desires: “Generally, it’s a must to do issues that she [Kitten] desires to do this you do not wish to do, and generally she has to do issues that I wish to do, and he or she [doesn’t] wish to do. However we do them, and we’ve got a superb time doing them.”

The late Valerie Dowden Wells, the eldest of the Dowden daughters, lived in a trailer on the Dowden property alongside her three kids, Jessica and Devyn Metcalf and Nikki Wells. When “Bayou Billionaires” aired in 2012, Valerie acquired backlash on-line, with many viewers voicing the opinion that she had supposedly odd mannerisms. The damaging feedback prompted Valerie to have an interview with CMT (by way of Starcasm), by which she revealed that she was recognized with A number of Sclerosis in 2008. 

Based on Valerie, it took some time to substantiate the analysis since some medical doctors have been dismissive of her early indicators and signs. “I knew one thing was incorrect when my legs, from my knees down on either side, would go numb, and felt like they have been on pins and needles, like the best way it feels when your foot goes to sleep,” Valerie advised the outlet and added that she was finally placed on steroids to handle the situation. Valerie, who labored at a public defender’s workplace, additionally stated she was dealing with her medical payments.

Valerie’s struggles with MS have been deliberately disregarded of her storyline on “Bayou Billionaires” at her request. In her dialog with CMT, she stated of her determination, “That was my selection. I did not need folks to really feel sorry for me. I do not really feel sorry for myself, though I do have days that I get offended, extra of a ‘why me.'”

In November 2016, Valerie Dowden Wells was gunned down whereas seated in her automobile. Valerie, who was 47 years previous on the time of her demise, was shot a number of occasions close to a McDonald’s parking zone and declared useless at College Well being Hospital in her hometown, Shreveport. Valerie’s killer, Robert Gaddy, additionally took his personal life and was pronounced useless on the identical hospital. 

Louisiana police Sgt. Rod Johnson advised Individuals when the information broke, “We all know they [Valerie and Gaddy] had a relationship of some sort, however I can not let you know in the event that they have been buddies having a dispute or previously intimate. We merely do not know at this second.” It was later confirmed that the 2 have been certainly an merchandise, however their relationship had not been easy crusing. Based on studies, Gaddy and Valerie had been acquainted since center faculty and began relationship shortly earlier than her demise. Valerie nonetheless saved in contact along with her husband, Robert Wells, and their affiliation led to jealousy on Gaddy’s half. A “Bayou Billionaires” govt producer advised People who Valerie’s family members “consider that is the explanation all of it went down.”

The mother of three was remembered as a caring particular person, who unfold pleasure to the folks round her. Her sister-in-law, Peggy Dowden, spoke fondly of her in a chat with Individuals, saying, “She was probably the most loving particular person, she was so pleasant, she was at all times smiling. She was down-to-earth. She liked all people a lot.”

Whereas most actuality tv stars usually take different profession paths — OnlyFans is a seemingly common trajectory — the Dowden household selected to stay a personal life lengthy after their present got here to an finish. The household skilled losses, challenges, and triumphs in equal measure. In 2015, Gerald Dowden’s mother, Maura Jane Dowden, died peacefully within the presence of her household. The next yr, Gerald and Kitten Dowden, alongside different plaintiffs, misplaced an enchantment towards the Louisiana Division of Pure Assets, Exco, and different respondents after a years-long authorized battle over their land.

So far as their wealth goes, the Dowdens are nothing like actuality tv stars who’re really a lot poorer than followers suppose. Gerald and Kitten proceed to take pleasure in their wealth, proudly owning a Chrysler 300 sedan and a Ram 1500 truck, each of which have hefty value tags. The household can also be nonetheless adventurous; Kitten shared a number of footage of themselves fishing on Fb in 2018 with the caption, “A few of my favourite issues.”

Gerald and Kitten at the moment are proud great-grandparents, as they’ve had new additions to the household. In August 2023, Nikki Wells welcomed a bundle of pleasure. Wells introduced her daughter’s start on Fb, writing, “Ella Nicole Pilcher made her arrival! August eleventh, 2023. Weighing 7lbs 6.5 oz, 19 inches lengthy. She’s so stunning and could not be extra blessed.”