As we all recall, one of the fan favorites of Swamp People, Mitchell Guist, died of an apparent stroke last month. People across the nation were saddened by his loss, and wondered what would happen to his brother and crew mate, Glenn Guist. The History Channel, where the popular series airs (Thursday, 8:00 Central Time), has issued a statement that they do not know if Glenn will be able to continue on the program.

glenn guisat

Rumors abounded across the nation, particularly down here in Cajun nation. Their website doesn’t provide us with much of a clue, only stating the following:

In Memory of Mitchell Guist________________________________________
We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this time.

Some people have predicted that Glenn will be unable to continue without his best friend, Mitchell, providing emotional support. However, while traipsing through the Atchafalaya Basin today, I encountered some people discussing Glenn. The following is just a rumor; I have no specialized knowledge, and am only repeating the allegations, but they sure seem juicy. Glenn has, according to the rumor, been receiving Social Security Disability benefits. Also, continuing with the rumor, he has not seen fit to report his substantial earnings from the show to the government. One of the unintended consequences of Mitchell’s demise is that someone in the federal government found out about the discrepancy and is not that blissful about it. Thus, Glenn may be facing federal charges.

This may not be as far-fetched as it appears. If you recall, when the BP oil spill happened, many people who made their living from the swamps or the Gulf claimed extensive monetary damages from the spill. The investigator said fine, just produce your tax statements showing how much you earned in recent years. The problem many of them had was that they have a cash-only economy, and pay no taxes. So, despite the protests of all of the politicians down here, they received little or no recompense. And, as faithful viewers of the program will note, when the gator hunters return with their catch, they are paid in cash each day.

Here is the introductory interview Mitchell and Glenn provided for Swamp People: