Since Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s release from prison on Dec. 28, 2023, after serving 85 percent of her 10 year prison sentence, she has become a viral pop culture sensation. Currently, she has more than eight million followers on Instagram, and almost 10 million followers on Tiktok. On Jan. 5 2024, “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard” premiered: a documentary about her story which was released on several channels including Lifetime and Hulu. She also recently released a book, called “Conversations on the Eve of Freedom.”
Blanchard was a victim of Munchausen by proxy, caused by her late mother Clauddine ‘Dee Dee’ Blanchard. According to Medlineplus, “Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a mental illness and a form of child abuse. The caretaker of a child, most often a mother, either makes up fake symptoms or causes real symptoms to make it look like the child is sick.” Blanchard was forced into unnecessary medical procedures, as her mother falsely claimed that Blanchard had diseases such as leukemia and muscular dystrophy.
In 2015, when Blanchard was 23 years old, she orchestrated a plan in which her then-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn would stab her mother to death, and later pled guilty to second-degree murder. They were both sentenced to prison. Godejohn is still in prison with a life sentence. Some may believe that Blanchard should not have had to spend time in prison, because she committed this crime in order to protect herself.
Blanchard is praised by millions due to her bravery. According to Business Insider, “Blanchard’s attitude and enthusiasm to lean into her stardom have made her a darling of the internet, with fans pronouncing her a “queen” and commending her courage.”
The question of whether or not Blanchard deserves all of the fame she has been getting since her release from prison has been causing a huge debate. Some may argue that she deserves the attention after all that she has gone through; but others may argue that murder is wrong in all cases, and therefore should not be praised.
“[She deserves the fame because] she uses her voice to speak out for her case,” junior Piper Young said. “I think that if she [were to use] her platform for bad, then she shouldn’t deserve the popularity. But her whole Instagram is like, telling her story and speaking out.”
Blanchard has been making a fortune due to her newly found fame. According to Marca, “Blanchard’s net worth has reached an estimated $3 million” as of January 1. As the days and months go on, her net worth is only increasing.
To many long-time fans her net worth is not surprising, as she became famous years ago. Her case was popularized first when it began in 2015. In addition, “The Act,” a TV series about Blanchard’s life, came out in 2019 while Blanchard was still in prison. This also gained a lot of attention, and subsequently, money for Blanchard.
Obviously, fame comes with money. And Blanchard was in need of money after spending years in prison. But the amount of money that she has been making seems a bit extreme. “I don’t think she deserves to be making this much money out of that, but I think she deserves her fame,” junior Luana Porto said.
Overall, Blanchard deserves the fame after all that she has gone through, especially because she has been using her platform to spread awareness for Munchausen by proxy. Hopefully, she will continue to inspire people with her strength throughout her journey.
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