graefin

It would seem Brandi and Johnny didn't really "wander off": https://twitter.com/TouringPlans/status/458367964753182720/photo/1

I'd go insane with Kate for a mother. The kids probably cope the only way they can.

You'd be well behaved too if the punishment for stepping out of line is being beat to within an inch of your life.

He reminds me a lot of the Cletus character on the Simpsons.

I'm not sure I understand this. We think she is unhappy because she would be prettier if she were happy?

What makes Jana sympathetic is not her "prettiness," but the sadness that is apparent in her eyes and the emptiness of her smile. She has been raised in a culture where disliking pickles is the extent to which you are allowed to show individuality and where the older girls are expected to bear the brunt of the housework and childcare. What time or energy or leeway does she have to develop outside interests? And what could we really say about her siblings' interests, aside from Jill being passionate about midwifery and Jinger liking photography and John David doing construction and constable work? Can we really describe any of the others better than Jana? IMO, if she were simply "dull" or "uninteresting," I would think she would be a lot more likely to be content with her life, which by all outward appearances she is not--she's even voiced dissatisfaction with other family members and has shown signs of emotional trauma from past events. In fact, I think for her to be as unhappy as she apparently is, there has to be a lot going on "up there."

I was surprised to find them very likeable. The kids are far more articulate than the Duggar kids are (although I guess that's a pretty low bar), and their emotions seem genuine whereas the Duggars seem to plaster on phony smiles.

I think Michelle does the tasks that she *chooses* to do (i.e., that she would enjoy doing) rather than the ones she *should* be doing. That's why she was painting signs instead of washing the dishes or sorting and replying to mail. Remember, in their culture, children are there to serve their parents. Add Michelle's apparent narcissism to the mix, and this is the result.

Now whenever Michelle is on screen, because of what was said here, I find myself staring at her hair, trying to figure out her hair. Are those lighter, shorter bits fake?

That seems different to me, like adding an "XO." What they do seems like the equivalent of writing your name all over your grade-school notebooks with a "<3 [insert object of infatuation here]" next to it.

I've noticed that all of them do this. Josh and Anna stenciled "Josh <3 Anna" on one of the doors in their old house, and I am pretty sure I've seen them autograph books this way too. What adult does this? It's similarly immature to talk about how "unacceptable" it is to be apart for X hours a day (because one spouse has to work) or to decorate your bedroom the way a 5-year-old might. They all seem so . . . stunted.

I think the "shunning" is one of those things (like so many things) that one person stated as fact and then everyone just started repeating ;) As you've said, there have been many family pictures/blog posts over the years that have included the kids who are different.

Just saw the ep online. Wow, that music video was really low budget! I can't think of anything cheaper/less imaginative than shooting her singing in a studio. Is it common for singers to have to sing live in their videos? I thought they always lip synced to prerecorded tracks. What was the point of that? Just to manufacture more drama? And what was with the kids at the end? Isn't the song basically about falling in love? The whole thing was amateurish. And I agree with whoever said that better singers can be heard during American Idol auditions.

Because TLC was paying.

This was one of the scenes that underscored to me how phony this show is, and how much they cater to criticism. Michelle clearly said they were having broccoli because "mama wants them to have something green." Later, you can hear Jackson asking something like, "Do I get broccoli too?" and getting excited when he hears the answer. If you look closely, you'll see that it's the first thing he eats off his plate--all the broccoli is gone before the other food is even touched. Now, it could be that just Jackson specifically liked broccoli that much, but I would bet that it's more likely green vegetables get rationed in that house.

Eh, maybe they already *are*, but there is only so much they can change before the Duggars become an entirely different family from who they are. Do people really believe Anna would express a thought like, "I don't need to have a baby to feel validated" without being prompted? I certainly don't.

Oh, I think the opposite. TPTB most certainly read boards like these, and I'd be willing to wager that their story lines are often influenced by what they read.

I am convinced that Michelle has some sort of serious affective disorder. Meaning, she doesn't experience normal emotions like the rest of us. It would explain her coldness toward her kids and grandkids. Maybe (ha) she's even a narcissist.

Why wonder? Anna has already said, in a previous episode, that having Mackynzie help in the kitchen was useful, because "one day she would be making dinner" and not Anna. These people are nothing short of disturbing.

In fact, tickets to graduation *are* limited (at least they were at my university), so this was fairly realistic. When I graduated, extra tickets were being sold for hundreds of dollars. Even if the ceremony is held outdoors, there is still limited space.

I don't see this as a big deal in the case of BBB, since those 20% off coupons that never expire are pretty standard issue. I've got a whole stack of them that they mailed me over the years, and I hardly ever shop there.

I think if you don't want to risk aspiration (food going down the trachea and potentially blocking the airway or causing later pneumonia), it makes sense not to feed a child in a horizontal position. Clearly the Duggars are extremely ignorant.

Probably because TLC paid for them.

That's assuming what we see on screen is real rather than staged. It doesn't make sense, does it, for JB to say on one hand that he introduced Derick and Jill because he thought they'd be a great match, but then hesitate when Derick asks for permission to court?

If you look at the early photos of her in the dress, you can tell it's been altered. The top material doesn't quite match the rest. It looks brighter/whiter.