Bella

Also, on the topic of new episodes, there are supposed to be a couple of "limited series" versions of Chopped running on different nights. At this point, I have this all happening in late October. But we're talking about the FN here, and I have not yet figured out the corporate mindset on scheduling FN shows, let alone announcing them.

Stop the political talk, this is Duggars in the Media. I'm hiding posts now.

I didn't see this Washington Post DWTS article here, but it describes the various categories of contestants. Each one is of a type. This season, for example, Paula Deen is in the "Stars who want to change the conversation" box. Alex Skarlatos is the "Inspiring story" person. Etc.

I just want you all to know that I now have an earworm with the refrain "Camp Scamafundie." And that's not even a real song. I wonder if the Duggars would really have gone to such trouble to create a false trail for where Josh went. I believe they did. In what passes for JimBob's "brain," he probably thought he was being clever. And I suspect Josh was desperate to get away from JimBob and the rest, even if it meant going to Camp Scamafundie (wherever it really is) for 6 months.

Remember Mohawk Guy from the Mars Rover landing a couple of years ago? Some nonprofit had him do a PSA on staying in school, and they ran it during daytime reruns of Chopped. My theory was that the nonprofit saw some demographic and lifestyle survey info indicating that the Chopped audience was full of career-switchers and wannabe career-switchers.

This thread will open automatically after the broadcast. Please no live blogging about the show in any of the other threads. Thanks.

And to what extent did JimBoob intend to use the TV show as a marketing tool for marrying off his brood?

Mod quibble : Please cast the movie in the Goofy Thread.

First, let me say that I agree with what HundFan wrote, above. My best friend from h.s. married a man, had a daughter, and some years later left him to marry the love of her life - another woman. She says she was always a lesbian but that it was hard for her to act on it decades ago when she first got married. Plus, she and her husband had a lot of interests in common and were best friends; the child bonded them even further. But none of that changed her sexuality, and she eventually acted to become what she calls her "most honest self." Another friend is bisexual. She's been married to 3 different men, has 2 children, and had affairs with women between her marriages. She's now single. She hasn't referred to this as her "most honest self," but it's clear that this is who she is. She characterizes herself as going through sexual phases. I'm not going to argue with anyone characterizing their own sexuality. We each know who we are, and none of us have standing to contradict anyone else. To me, that includes people we think may have repressed themselves. Until they state something different, I don't believe it's anyone else's place to tell them they're wrong. We can think what we like, but we're not them; we don't know. YMMV (in big flashing neon lights).

Let's circle back around to the Duggars in the Media and TLC. The hacking discussion is veering off course. Thanks.

Still, how much of a stretch would it have been to imagine a tiny and lethal monster who had to be kept in check by a large, powerful guard?

As a former fan of The Bachelor who now watches only about 20% of the episodes, I will say that Chris Soules may be the single most boring person to have ever appeared on that show. Ever. In its entire history. He is "boring" personified. Drag out every cliche about boring people, insert his name, and ... I can't. I just can't.

Oh, my. There's literally no one on that list I want to see. No one. Clearly FN is trying to bring in fans of other reality shows. But as far as the "real" actors, I suspect any fans are going to be in that dreaded older demographic (of which I am a member).

I see this as proof that TPTB at Chopped demand sob stories from the contestants and insist on them being developed even when they don't exist. The girl probably really thought something like "oh, yeah, grandpa was nice and I loved him and sort of miss him at Thanksgiving, but he was, like, a million years old." And yet I'm willing to bet that TPTB grilled her and grilled her until she gave them some sound bites. Cooksdelight, you're still planning on playing for your dead cat, right? Maybe I'll come up with a fake charity and try to compete for that.

Evidently.I was raised Catholic and did a pretty thorough study of the various Protestant denominations and a broad investigation of the world's other major religions before declaring myself agnostic. The Duggars' simplistic, binary perception of good and bad matching up to what they do or don't want isn't unique among practitioners, but I don't think it's actually taught by any religion I came across. IOW , it's them dumbing down the religious elements to suit their own purposes and ingrained fears and prejudices. YMMV.

You mean I don't have to delete it unwatched from my DVR? That will be a pleasant change. I miss the Chopped of yore.

Well, 19 Kids and Counting has been cancelled, so there's an opening for a restrictive religious cult show.... I guess Ben H will be okay. I find Nick perversely entertaining, though. Watch out if he ever learns to cook and gets on the Food Network's infinite loop of contestant-recycling. Can Ben H dance? Because we all know where else this could lead.

Just a reminder that we have a religion thread and a small talk thread for thoughts that don't directly relate to Josh and Anna. Thanks!

Or maybe TLC can give the Jeubs a show and raise JimBob's blood pressure even more. I doubt he and MEchelle will ever change, though.

Exactly. The leads are getting increasingly boring as time goes on, but Ben H could be minutely better than Chris S, whom I refused to watch. But putting a relationship on hold goes against the whole spirit of what this show is allegedly about. Maybe Tenley will pull a Nick. Or maybe we can fix up Tenley and Nick. Or maybe Tenley can finally, finally, finally date someone who's not affiliated with Bach Nation. (Yeah, like that will ever happen.)

I would agree with this except that I don't think JB can think deeply enough to figure this out. I believe his thought process is much simpler, maybe even primitive: "I'm gonna have my boys and my girls' boys here with me and I'll keep them busy working for me and they don't need to leave and they certainly don't need to be those snobs that go off to college and get crazy ideas and run off and live far away and work for other people. And they'll have kids and their kids'll have kids and as long as I don't run out of hairspray, it'll all be good and I'll be in charge of all these wonderful little Duggars." It's essentially what you're saying, only with less contemplation. Not that I would ever accuse JimBoob of thinking.

Could it be that they're announcing stars gradually and the pairings on Sept. 2? So it's Bindi today, a few others between now and Sept. 1, and on Sept. 2 we learn who's dancing with whom?

The part I bolded is a great idea IMO.

FN needs a show called "Hot and/or Interesting People Who Can Kind of, Sort of Cook." I'd record every episode and never delete a one.

Let's stop bickering about details. Thanks.