Top 10 Shocking Reveals in Jonas Brothers Chasing Happiness Documentary
#10: When They Started Out, Their Family Went Broke)
The Jonas Brothers were raised by their mother Denise Jonas and their father Paul Kevin Jonas Sr, both of whom instilled a love of music in the boys at a young age. So, when they realized their sons had the potential to make it as musicians, they invested in them, to the tune of more than $90,000. However, when the Jonas Brothers were dropped by Colombia Records and their father found himself without a job, the family was suddenly in serious financial trouble. They were forced to move to a smaller home where Kevin, Joe, Nick and their younger brother Frankie shared a single bedroom. The Jonas Brothers became the family’s primary source of income and Joe later recalled that it was “a lot of pressure for somebody that age.”
#9: Nick Is the One Who Suggested They Reunite)
When the Jonas Brothers split in 2013, few imagined they’d ever get back together. This included Joe Jonas, who later scoffed at Nick’s suggestion that they reunite, claiming that there was “no way in hell" he’d ever share a stage with his brothers again. This didn’t deter the youngest Jonas Brother, who kept pushing Joe and Kevin to reconsider. In the film, Nick remarks that he still missed having his brothers on stage with him, even after finding solo success. Nick’s perseverance was the kick the band needed to set aside their differences and get back together.
#8: Joe Feels like His Solo Career Was a Failure)
Following years of chart-topping albums and international success as a member of the Jonas Brothers, Joe Jonas attempted a solo career. His debut album “Fastlife”, peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 chart, but only managed to sell 45,000 copies. In “Chasing Happiness”, the middle Jonas brother discusses how this affected him and reveals that he was disappointed with the album’s overall performance. Joe Jonas would go on to form the pop group DNCE in 2015, whose debut single “Cake by the Ocean” cracked the Top 10 in a number of different countries. Despite this, Joe Jonas is clearly still peeved that “Fastlife” was a failure.
#7: Their Record Deal Caused Some Controversy in Their Church)
Growing up, the Jonas Brothers were fixtures at their local New Jersey church. They were well known in the congregation, in part because their father was the pastor. This ultimately proved problematic for Paul Kevin Jonas Sr., as some within the church criticized him for allowing his children to sing non-Christian music. According to Nick, singing about girls and relationships started to become an issue and bothered people in the church. Due to the intense backlash, Paul Jonas was forced to resign as pastor and the family was forced to move to the small town of Little Falls. In Joe’s words, they felt like their world was crashing over them.
#6: Nick & Joe Didn't Want Anything to Do with Kevin’s Reality Show )
One of “Chasing Happiness’” biggest revelations was the tumultuous relationship that Nick and Joe had for years with older brother Kevin. They felt that he was holding them back musically and that he was more focused on his family than he was his guitar playing. The pot officially boiled over when Kevin and his wife Danielle agreed to do the reality show “Married to Jonas”. While Kevin was excited to finally have his own project, Nick and Joe were less than thrilled about the prospect of inviting fans into their personal lives. In the documentary, Kevin reveals that the brothers really didn’t want anything to do with the show.
#5: Joe & Nick Did a Jonas Brothers Concert Without Kevin After the Breakup)
Following their break up, Joe and Nick played a series of concerts without Kevin. They agreed to do the shows in part because the promoters had threatened them if they didn’t play any Jonas Brothers songs, but later expressed to Kevin that they felt he wasn’t prioritizing the band anymore. However, while they’d initially informed their big brother that they wouldn’t play any Jonas Brothers songs, that’s exactly what they wound up doing. With tears in his eyes, Kevin called it the hardest moment of his entire life. The conversation, which takes place during a drinking game, is one of the most candid in the entire documentary.
#4: “Camp Rock” Was Originally Supposed to Be a Solo Project for Joe)
2008’s “Camp Rock” was instrumental in the Jonas Brothers’ rise to superstardom, as the Disney Channel flick and its sequel gave them immeasurable exposure in a key demographic. However, the original plan was to have Joe appear in the film alone. This didn’t sit well with Paul Jonas, who felt that splitting the boys up was a bad idea. To ensure he got his way, papa Jonas called the Disney Channel’s president and suggested that instead of Joe appearing as a solo artist, he appear as a part of a band. Disney’s head honcho agreed, and the rest is history.
#3: They Regret Doing Their Disney Channel Show “Jonas”)
The drinking game Kevin, Joe and Nick play in “Chasing Happiness” also reveals how they felt about their short-lived Disney Channel show “Jonas”. Nick was particularly candid, stating that he felt the show was an overall bad decision and stunted their growth as a band. Kevin had a similar opinion, remarking that “The show was not good.” While Joe quipped, “It didn’t feel like it was us anymore. It felt young and we were becoming adults.” Despite taking home multiple Teen Choice Awards, the show received mostly negative reviews and painted the Jonas Brothers in an unflattering light.
#2: They Were Really Hurt & Upset About Being Mocked for Their Purity Rings)
At the onset of their career the Jonas Brothers were known as much for their promise rings as they were for their music. Having grown up in a church community, purity rings never seemed out of place to the boys. However, when they started to blow up, the rings caused them to develop a reputation as the “cookie-cutter boy band brothers”. In the documentary, they discuss how painful it was for them to endure constant jabs about the rings. Nick called the entire thing “embarrassing”, while Kevin struggled with the fact that it was all the media would focus on. Seeing as how the brothers are now married to a trio of talented and beautiful women, it would appear the last laugh belongs to them.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:
Joe Passed Out in the Hospital Room When Nick Was Diagnosed with Diabetes
Nick Was the First to Get a Record Deal
Their “Hannah Montana” Appearance Changed Nick’s Life
Kevin Was Bullied in School
Their Wives Helped Them Reunite
#1: They Talk About How Their 2013 Split Really Happened (It Was Initiated by Nick)
After years of recording, filming and touring together, the Jonas Brothers called it quits in 2013; and all fans could do was speculate as to the reason for the split. Well, in “Chasing Happiness” the truth finally emerged. Due to a growing sense that they were no longer in it for the right reasons, Nick called a band meeting and stated that he felt the band was over and they should no longer continue performing together. This came as a shock to Kevin and Joe, who were honest about feeling betrayed and incredibly hurt. Joe went on to say that it was a dark time for all of them. For the full story, you’ll just have to watch “Chasing Happiness” on Amazon Prime Video!
