A filmmaker says the Whittaker family has been dishonest with him throughout the documentary process, affecting his project.
A filmmaker says the Whittaker family has been dishonest with him throughout the documentary process, affecting his project.
Mark Laita, the filmmaker known for the YouTube series “Soft White Underbelly,” has shared his frustrations about the Whittaker family.
He claims that they have been dishonest with him since the beginning of their collaboration.
Filmmaker Mark Laita has filmed the Whittaker family since 2020
Since 2020, Laita has documented the lives of this family, which has gained notoriety for being labeled America’s “most inbred family.”
His journey took a surprising turn when he discovered that some of the claims made by the family were not true.
The Whittakers live in a small town called Odd in West Virginia.
Their story has drawn significant attention due to the severe disabilities present in many family members, which are the result of generations of inbreeding.
Laita began filming them to clarify their unique circumstances, hoping to raise awareness and understanding of their lives.
However, recent events have led him to reconsider his relationship with the family.
Filmmaker Laita discovers he has been deceived by the Whittaker family
Earlier this year, Laita announced the passing of Larry Whittaker, a 67-year-old family member, whom he believed had died from a heart attack.
In a gesture of support, he organized a fundraiser and donated $1,000 to help with the funeral expenses.
This seemed like a compassionate act, but soon after, Laita learned that Larry was alive and well.
This shocking revelation came to light when fans spotted Larry in a video on the family’s porch, openly discussing the claims of his death.
Larry’s daughter, BJ, had initially told Laita that the family required financial help for the funeral.
After sending the money for the trip, Laita used his resources to verify the family’s claims.
He discovered that BJ had never left, and even Kenneth, another family member he thought he could trust, had lied to him.
This realization led Laita to declare, “I’m done with them.”
After realizing he had been misled, Laita was understandably upset.
Although BJ later apologized for the misunderstanding, Laita chose to forgive her.
However, the situation worsened when he found out that he had misused the additional $700 he provided to help Larry take BJ to North Carolina for a fresh start.
Instead of going on the trip, Larry kept the money for himself.
He expressed disappointment that he could no longer rely on the family for honest communication.
In a video update shared in Spring 2024, Laita spoke with Jason Whittaker, Larry’s cousin, about the troubling situation.
During their conversation, Jason admitted to being in rehab, indicating that honesty was lacking within the family.
Laita expressed his frustration, saying he felt deceived by multiple family members, including BJ and Larry.
He had hoped to maintain a relationship with the Whittakers, but the ongoing dishonesty made this increasingly difficult.
“You know BJ’s lying to me, Betty’s lying to me, Larry’s lying to me, and I called up Kenneth, the one person I thought was honest with me…”
Mark added, “Now I know even Kenneth is lying to me. They’re all lying to me, so I’m done with them.”
Jason agreed with Laita’s decision, suggesting that it was best for him to distance himself from the family.
Laita reflected on the family’s reliance on state assistance, noting that they had been receiving support long before he became involved in their lives.
The filmmaker admitted he was unsure how to proceed, stating, “I don’t know what to do with them other than just walk away.”