S06.E07: Just Trying to Stay Afloat

[CofCinci]

I don't know what to believe about this whole Jessop/Brown adoption thing.

[Oldernowiser]

I don't know what to believe about this whole Jessop/Brown adoption thing.

That's because it's all bullshit drama for the show, just like MSWC, the flight to LV, the wetbar, and all the other utterly shallow and banal plot points they've been scraping by with for a ludicrous number of seasons.

I blame the Booboos and the Duggar clan for the otherwise inexplicable continuation of this moronic show. I'm done with it all.

[CofCinci]

New development --- on 9/28/15 Kody was added to Robyn's mortgage (per Clark county website).

He is still on the mortgage for Meri's house. I wouldn't be surprised if that is sold soon.

Edited October 5, 2015 by CofCinci

[Laura-Rose1957]

Boy oh boy. Robyn really has him by the balls (even if they've shrunk to raisin-size in the meantime).

[mythoughtis]

He was added to the mortgage or the deed?  They are two different things.  Deed is the ownership of the home, mortgage is who's agreed to repay the bank.  Tax bills would be sent to the people on the deed.  

 

Kody could be on Meri's mortgage even if he has been removed from the deed.   

[CofCinci]

He was added to the mortgage or the deed? They are two different things. Deed is the ownership of the home, mortgage is who's agreed to repay the bank. Tax bills would be sent to the people on the deed.

Kody could be on Meri's mortgage even if he has been removed from the deed.

He's on the deed.

[mjstrick]

In the mid-60's, my half-sister was adopted by her stepfather.  I don't know many details because I wasn't born yet, and it was a sore subject in my family.  My mom has told me that it was mostly for her to have the same last name as her mother, which maybe was more important back then?  I dunno.  I do know that she had a close relationship with my dad for the rest of his life.  I do think (actually, know) that he regretted it though.

This whole thing just makes me sick.  I just couldn't believe how callous it's all coming across.  Robyn wants to talk major shit about her ex, about how he doesn't exercise his visitation much anymore, etc, and I'm like, "UM, YOU MOVED THE KIDS SEVERAL STATES AWAY"! 

 

I'm so glad Janelle's team beat the the others in the boat race.  The only thing that keeps me from thinking she's pretty badass is the fact that she's still married to that douchebag.

 

Was Meri even there this week?  She can move to Disneyland forever with her catfish.  Buh bye. 

[Juliegirlj]

That was some horrible parenting last night. You could read the confusion and pain in all three of Robyn's kids eyes. Meri is so checked out emotionally. When Kody hugged her it was so fake it was almost laughable. Robyn seems to be feeling her power. Hey, what college, Robyn??!! I thought her "EX" stole her purity and knocked her up in high school, and they had two more not long after?!

[deedee2]

It's so interesting to watch Meri during this time because she alternates between looking awkward, angry, or distracted. You can tell something is going on and she can barely hold it together. She has always seemed so dependent on Kody and now she could barely bring herself to hug him. 

I noticed that too! He had to prompt her to hug him! And when, while hugging her, he said something like, "thank you, Meri. This couldn't have happened without you", she just waved him off dismissively, like, 'yeah, no probs Kody. It was nothing' (!!!). Totally uncharacteristic. She was definitely distracted.

Edited October 5, 2015 by deedee2

[CofCinci]

Does the title of the episode refer to their mortgages?

Was that pirate thing a paid appearance? At one time Gary from Teen Mom was able to get $3k for a club appearance. Jersey Shore folks got 3 times that in their prime. What's the going rate for this family? $1k?

Edited October 5, 2015 by CofCinci

[Juliegirlj]

Fully convinced they are Lying about Robyn's due date. The stupid boat event was in April- if she were really due in January like they claim, she would have conceived around then. But, Kody said they were oh so stressed out, and Robyn was too stressed to eat ( but not to bang Kody?) ! She looked to be around three months pregnant at that time, which means she is very likely due now! Why would they lie about that?! What about the clip where Kody predicted twins?

[ghoulina]

Even if the kids just wanted the name Brown, they wouldn't need to have Jessop sign his rights away or have Kodouche adopt them - would they? Robyn already has the last name Brown? I don't think it would be that big of a deal to get the kids' names changed. 

[AZChristian]

Sounds like he gave up legal guardianship, not all parental rights (adoption).  If something happens to Sobbyn, Grody would still have to battle in court for the kids to stay in the cult-de-sac.  And I think he'd help them pack and move to Wyoming and call it religious persecution.

[Galloway Cave]

 

Awesome research, Galloway Cave!

Thank you! I am retired law enforcement, so I am familiar with the criminal court system but not so much the civil system. I am suspicious of anything these buffoons say that involve the legal system, so the first thing I do is research. I am in agreement with everyone that Jessop gave up legal guardianship and not parental rights. The next court hearing that Kodouche keeps babbling about is the "adoption hearing". Can't wait to hear how the judge phrases it.

 

PS- those were fire engine sirens we heard when they were packing to flee Lehi, not police sirens. There is a difference in the sound.

[BucFan]

I Cannot Stand Any Of The Adults!

I feel sorry for all the kids, even the ones I'm not too fond of.

[gardendiva]

Robyn's daughter who was crying and jumping up and down and all emotional about being adopted and being a Brown for real was the same one who barreled into Kody's now dead brother the first time she saw him and jumped all over him and acted like he was the favorite uncle ever.  She'd never seen him before.  That was so beyond inappropriate.  She'd not been introduced yet.  I think she has a overreaction disorder, and a need to belong and be first in every male's heart.  Dangerous.  Inappropriate 4 or 5 years ago and inappropriate now.

I was struck with the same "WTF" reaction when I saw her sobbing at the news. That level of "relief" would have been appropriate if she were, say, hugging an American soldier who was liberating her from a death camp in WWII. Was she told that the more dramatic she is on camera, the more money the show makes, or what?

[DakotaJustice]

Thank you! I am retired law enforcement, so I am familiar with the criminal court system but not so much the civil system. I am suspicious of anything these buffoons say that involve the legal system, so the first thing I do is research. I am in agreement with everyone that Jessop gave up legal guardianship and not parental rights. The next court hearing that Kodouche keeps babbling about is the "adoption hearing". Can't wait to hear how the judge phrases it.

 

PS- those were fire engine sirens we heard when they were packing to flee Lehi, not police sirens. There is a difference in the sound.

 

 

Ha - they were added in later anyway, TLC couldn't even be bothered to make sure to use the right sirens. 

 

My theory is that if the police were called, it was either by the Browns or their neighbors to chase of the paparazzi that they were bitching about in the first ep of Season 2.  I'm sure the cops have been well aware of the Browns' lifestyle for years and could have probably cared less. 

[camom]

They kept saying that Jessop had "signed the papers," but I never heard from the attorney just what papers he signed.  What I can't figure out is whether Kody & Robyn are deliberately lying about what this means or whether they honestly believe that they can just waltz into a courthouse now and *POOF* Kody adopts the kids.  Either explanation is plausible to me.  

[truelovekiss]

That was some horrible parenting last night. You could read the confusion and pain in all three of Robyn's kids eyes. Meri is so checked out emotionally. When Kody hugged her it was so fake it was almost laughable. Robyn seems to be feeling her power. Hey, what college, Robyn??!! I thought her "EX" stole her purity and knocked her up in high school, and they had two more not long after?!

no, I think he stole her purity in college, where they met.  I think I remember her saying in that testimonial thing that she was a good girl in high school, and then became all sinful and wild in college.

[gardendiva]

Note to Robyn: the fact that you took "calculus in college" would have no bearing on your ability to build a cardboard boat.

[mxmummy]

Gwen, I just love that Gwen! She is just as feisty as Christine. I think she would be a hoot to be around.

 

Christine and Robyn seemed to be really getting along well? That was strange!

 

Meri....well, in every interview on the couch she looked like they had to hold a gun to her head just to get her to sit there. She is acting very weird. Just totally checked out.

[truelovekiss]

Sounds like he gave up legal guardianship, not all parental rights (adoption).  If something happens to Sobbyn, Grody would still have to battle in court for the kids to stay in the cult-de-sac.  And I think he'd help them pack and move to Wyoming and call it religious persecution.

I think if something happened to the Wicked Witch, those three kids would be sent back to Kansas before they knew what hit them.  They're a means to an end for Kody.  He wanted a trophy wife, and realized that attractive young women don't want to marry a 40 year old version of Shaggy from Scooby Doo that already have 3 wives and 13 kids.  So, he had to "settle" for a divorcee with some kids of her own.  Remember how disgusted he was about Robyn being a divorced woman? (and we're all supposed to pretend that we don't know that Janelle was married to (and most likely did the deed with) Meri's brother) Her kids are physical, living proof that Robyn had sex with another man, and had a whole life before Kodouche.  The only way that Kody can tolerate it is by spinning this whole story about stolen purity, loveless marriage, deadbeat dad, etc.  So that way he can waltz in, and be the hero.  

 

I don't think he's ever been unkind to them, and I do believe that he and the other wives have tried to make them feel like part of the family.  But I doubt he loves them as his own, because they're not part of his planet thing, right?  I mean, in Kody's world, legal marriage is meaningless, except when dealing with pesky matters of the world like custody and government assistance.  So if he became their father legally, by his own logic, that wouldn't count in his afterlife, right?  I haven't been following them super closely, so if anyone has any corrections for my interpretation of their beliefs, I'd love to hear them.

[Kellyee]

 

Aurora (or was it Breanna?) was bawling with relief, and the other kids seemed reasonably comfortable with their bio dad's decision to dump them. So, is Jessop really a creep who should be out of their lives?

The kids could be reacting that way because their father is a jerk. OR, they could be reacting that way because their mother and stepfather have spent the last few years alienating them from their real dad.

 

Robyn says Jessop "stole her purity" because she can't lie on television and flat out say he raped her. This way, she implies it, but can't be held to it. Which gives even more weight to the idea that she's poisoned her kids against their father.

[CofCinci]

Stole her purity. What a slap in the face to survivors of sexual trauma.

[Oldernowiser]

I have the same question. If Kody wants her kids to end up on his planet (like they haven't been through enough) and be added to his celestial scoresheet instead of Jessop's...why would he need some totally secular process like formal adoption for that? It's just another one of those silly pieces of paper, right?

Can't he wave his magic wand, have some necklace burning ceremony in the backyard attended by his badly dressed concubines and call it good?

See, I just got sucked into expecting consistent behavior from them again. I hate that about myself.

[MarysWetBar]

She told that godawful story to ALL the kids at "church" one day. So basically told them all that her kids bio dad raped her and none of it (pregnancy) was her choice. Classy.

Edited October 5, 2015 by MarysWetBar

[BucFan]

Note to Robyn: the fact that you took "calculus in college" would have no bearing on your ability to build a cardboard boat.

Thank you. I needed my Monday laugh :)

Also, "taking" a class in college doesn't mean you passed it Robyn.

[Kohola3]

That whole "stole my purity" story was a big bowl of crap.  I don't believe for a hot minute she was raped.  I bet dollars to donuts she was a willing participant but her selective memory and the chance to rewrite the story was the impetus for that icky homily. 

 

Why would she stay for an additional number of years and have 3 kids with him?  AND run up that Victoria's Secret bill?

[deedee2]

 

Robyn says Jessop "stole her purity" because she can't lie on television and flat out say he raped her.

Raped her? Why would she marry her rapist and have more kids with him?

[Granny58]

I was struck with the same "WTF" reaction when I saw her sobbing at the news. That level of "relief" would have been appropriate if she were, say, hugging an American soldier who was liberating her from a death camp in WWII. Was she told that the more dramatic she is on camera, the more money the show makes, or what?

it was totally over the top, but seemed genuine.  I wonder what goes on in that girl's head/heart.  

[blueonblue123]

"I only studied calculus and geometry in college" -Robyn wow cal and geo 101 what a scholar

[Kohola3]

Or maybe these are questions one simply shouldn't ask.

 

Answers cannot be given to an idea so totally ludicrous.  It's like trying to connect the dots between the stars.  You can draw as many lines as you want and make as many patterns as you want but that doesn't mean anyone else in the universe will see what you see.

[gardendiva]

it was totally over the top, but seemed genuine.  I wonder what goes on in that girl's head/heart.

I agree Granny58. Her emotions did seem genuine, although inappropriately extreme for the situation. It makes me wonder about her emotional stability.

[Toaster Strudel]

"I only studied calculus and geometry in college" -Robyn wow cal and geo 101 what a scholar

 

She studied, but not necessarily passed.

 

[3girlsforus]

I've been thinking more about this custody stuff. I refuse to call it adoption because it just doesn't seem to be that at all. We know that all the Brown adults, especially Robyn and Kody, alter reality to fit whatever scenario they think is best for the show. They do the same thing with the kids. Just like they told the kids Kody was going to be arrested and the family split up. They wanted the kids to believe in their crap so they could move to Vegas. 

 

I think that's exactly what is happening here. Jessop signed some kind of papers. I think it's possible those papers were agreeing to allow the kids to live with the Browns if Robyn dies or something similar, maybe full legal custody. I think the told the kids Jessop gave the kids up so they could be adopted. I think they might even tell the kids Kody adopted them. I really doubt it will actually happen legally. 

 

Robyn and Kody are just low-life manipulators. They want the kids to think a certain way, in this case that Jessop gave the kids away and Kody is the dad, so they create a scenario to make it look that way. 

 

And if there really ends up being a scene in a courtroom with a judge, we will know this whole thing is a crock. No real court would let TLC shoot a reality show in the courtroom.

[bichonblitz]

Oh yes, Robin is definitely pregnant. She is thick around the middle and the buttons were about to pop on those plaid flannel shirts she loves to wear over her sexy colorful cami's. Why they are waiting to break the news I don't know. 

 

Why wouldn't they hold off until the court approved the adoption before telling Robins kids about it. It's not a done deal yet. Why get them excited (heh) if it may not go through. What morons. 

 

I don't think any of the other 17 kids gave a rats ass about the news, either. I like the older kids, they seem to have Kody's number. 

 

Orange Meri. My god, she is so done with all of them. 

Edited October 5, 2015 by bichonblitz

[Janc]

Fully convinced they are Lying about Robyn's due date. The stupid boat event was in April- if she were really due in January like they claim, she would have conceived around then. But, Kody said they were oh so stressed out, and Robyn was too stressed to eat ( but not to bang Kody?) ! She looked to be around three months pregnant at that time, which means she is very likely due now! Why would they lie about that?! What about the clip where Kody predicted twins?

 

I'm obsessed with the real dates on this show, and am trying to figure out how much they monkey with the timeline. Agreed, there was a shot of a sign about the Pirate event and that took place in April.  Robyn has said on Twitter that she's due January 7th.   But the pirate boat race didn't happen around the time when Robyn's kids biodad signed away his rights: apparently that happened on Aurora's birthday (June 4), so R would have been 3 months pregnant by then.  

Edited October 5, 2015 by Janc

[SometimesBites]

I noticed that too! He had to prompt her to hug him! And when, while hugging her, he said something like, "thank you, Meri. This couldn't have happened without you", she just waved him off dismissively, like, 'yeah, no probs Kody. It was nothing' (!!!). Totally uncharacteristic. She was definitely distracted.

Quite possible that Meri was hip-deep in catfish land when some of these episodes were filmed. Or not. I can't muster enough shits to even look at the supposed timeline.

[ghoulina]

Note to Robyn: the fact that you took "calculus in college" would have no bearing on your ability to build a cardboard boat.

 

Now now, she also said she took Geometry. (When she wasn't busy being sinful and having her symbolic purity stomped on.)

[Celia Rubenstein]

They kept saying that Jessop had "signed the papers," but I never heard from the attorney just what papers he signed.  

 

I think the reason they are being vague and not directly saying Jessop signed away his parental rights is because technically (at least at this point in the show) he hasn't yet.   I think at most he signed something to get the ball rolling toward signing away his rights, and that is why they are phrasing it the way they are.  Maybe they think the audience is too dumb to follow the legal process so they are presenting it as more streamlined than it is.  Or maybe they think it makes for more dramatic television.  Whatever.  Trying to figure out how these people think and plot and plot and think ... it's hopeless.

 

One thing did seem pretty obvious though ...  Jessop must not be as bad a guy as Robin makes him out to be.  To begin with, he has acquiesced in signing whatever papers she wanted him to sign.  He has also been signing whatever papers he has to that permit his children to appear on this show. If he were really the nefarious character Robyn has implied, I doubt he would have agreed to let the children be taped.  And he would have fought her tooth and nail about letting Kody adopt his children.  It makes everything Robyn has said about him look like nothing more than an attempt to vilify him in order to justify divorcing him and taking his children so far away and (now) having them be absorbed into Kody's family.  

 

I can only hope the judge will see what a manipulator Robyn is and realize this adoption is about securing her future and has nothing to do with the futures of her children.  Those three kids WANT a relationship with their father.  He WANTS a relationship with them.  If those children are adopted by Kody, their ties to their father will gradually erode away into nothing.  There is no reason for that to happen.  No reason other than that is what Robyn wants.  It's what's convenient for Robyn, it's in Robyn's best interests.  I can only pray a judge sees all this for what it is.  Hopefully their will be serious investigation by social workers or guardian ad litems, and the right thing will be done. 

[Laura-Rose1957]

Stole her purity.

Oh, good to know that's what they call it nowadays.

[camom]

 

He has also been signing whatever papers he has to that permit his children to appear on this show. If he were really the nefarious character Robyn has implied, I doubt he would have agreed to let the children be taped.

 

I'm not sure about that.  I remember that when Kate Gosselin wanted to do her show without Jon, he opposed the kids being on TV any more but lost that battle.  I believe it even went to court and he was shot down.

[ghoulina]

Yea, I would actually have more respect for Jessop if he refused to allow the kids to film.

[taragel]

It would be fascinating to see how all these women would be acting if they had no kids in the mix. Without that anchor to Kody, I do wonder if Christine wouldn't have been the first to leave a few years ago...if she's been miserable since Robyn. Last week's episode made me feel unbearably sad for her that she feels this is all she deserves out of life/love/marriage/romance, and this week's episode, where she couldn't even bicker with her husband without having another wife in the middle of it and making everything worse, just compounded that. What an awful strain to be living with as your everyday reality.

 

The Kody/Robyn/Christine collaboration was kind of hellish for all parties involved, eh? I mean no one seems happy at all even on the level of being able to converse with each other. I thought Christine was angry at Robyn for trying to make Cody see reason out of pure fear, because if she could succeed at that, it would make Christine feel even worse that he never listens to her. So tragic.

 

Also, I can't believe those awful people telling their kids that way that Dad has signed away rights (to legal guardianship or whatever). I mean everyone's said everything about it but I guess it's a good thing Aurora is such a huge drama queen because if she had any doubts, it would have to doubly suck to hear your dad disowned you on/near your birthday. And poor Dayton, if he's on the spectrum, you'd think they'd take some extra time and care to explain everything carefully off-screen so he could process it, especially since he's the oldest, named after his dad, has some sort of relationship with him if he just went to see him a few years ago. It seemed very clear that these kids weren't previously told about this privately. 

 

Meri was barely in the episode again--and none of the TH segments, but I thought it was very telling and sweet that when she walked into Robyn's house, Solomon toddled right over so she could pick him up, and later when they were making their big announcement to the sound of crickets, Meri was on the floor with three or four of the smallest Browns all huddled around her. I think she is on her way out now and wonder if bringing Robyn in wasn't even her way of grooming some sort of replacement and paving the way for an eventual exit. I think she stuck around in recent years for the children, although she and Kodouche did seem to be super lovey in the beginning.

 

I'm shocked that Kody let Janelle do her own boat with Gabe and Gwen, and didn't mandate that all kids and wives had to work on the MSWC one. Madison and Logan were always my favorite of the kids, though I'm sad for Maddie's recent life choices, so now whenever I see Logan I just will him to stay far away. 

[Adeejay]

I'm not sure about that.  I remember that when Kate Gosselin wanted to do her show without Jon, he opposed the kids being on TV any more but lost that battle.  I believe it even went to court and he was shot down.

 

I believe the reason why Jon lost that battle was because he was unemployed and unable to pay child support.  At that time, the show was their only source of income.  If Jon were able to support his children financially, the judge probably would have sided with him.

 

Something about the saga of Preston Jessop seems off. Robyn has made him out to be an ogre and yet, for whatever reason, he has never made an effort to defend himself against any of her accusations.  And now, he is willing to just sign over his kids to Kody?!   Something about this whole thing just doesn't add up. 

[RedheadZombie]

This is what I find so weird about what these people believe in (or pretend to):  

 

So Kody gets his own planet (geez) with his wives and all their children.  

What about when his children marry and have their own family?

Don't those male children also get their own planet to reign over with their wives?  

And when Kody's female children marry some doofus like their father, don't they go to that husbands planet? 

 

So, potentionally, it could end up with King Kody and his wives all alone on their planet? Cuz all the kids got married and now live on their own planets?  So does Grampa Kody & the Grannies take weekends to go to the other planets to visit the kids and grandkids?

 

Whoever thought this shit up didn't think it through very well.  It doesnt make sense, even in a pretend world.

 

Or maybe these are questions one simply shouldn't ask.

The AUB follows the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, just like LDS. The main difference is polygamy, which LDS stopped practicing in order for Utah to gain statehood. To my knowledge, LDS has never disavowed Joseph Smith or Brigham Young for practicing polygamy. My point being that mocking some of these beliefs strays into mocking LDS.

[Kohola3]

Now now, she also said she took Geometry.

 

I think we can safely assume that Economics was not part of her classwork.

 

Maybe they think the audience is too dumb to follow the legal process so they are presenting it as more streamlined than it is.

 

I believe they think that we are all dumb as rocks and can't count as high as the number of brats they have.  They think we swallow all of the lies and hogwash they pump out without questioning timelines, financing discrepancies, and outright bull crap.  And not only that, we will continue to watch their fascinating lives for years to come and then go out and become polygamists because their lifestyle is so well represented.

 

Idiots.

[Laura-Rose1957]

She studied, but not necessarily passed.

 

She's probably only seen a college from the outside. When did she go there? After her husband stole her purity from her? Guess she was in the fast forward semester.

[3girlsforus]

Something about the saga of Preston Jessop seems off. Robyn has made him out to be an ogre and yet, for whatever reason, he has never made an effort to defend himself against any of her accusations.  And now, he is willing to just sign over his kids to Kody?!   Something about this whole thing just doesn't add up. 

 

It's definitely "off". The problem is trying to figure out which part of the story is off. Everything they say is so suspect that it's impossible to know what's true. 

[LotusFlower]

PS- those were fire engine sirens we heard when they were packing to flee Lehi, not police sirens. There is a difference in the sound.

I love the level of detail in exposing these frauds! It's unreal. Thank you. And as I typed the word "unreal," I realized why Lifetime chose that word for their new show exposing the machinations of reality TV - it's perfectly titled.