The Duggars: In the Media and TLC

[Julia]

PTL.

They're pulling out like Josh with a stripper.

 

You mean, they're promising to pull out and then forgetting?

[JoanArc]

Has Lowe's yanked support yet? I'm so glad these specials are going down in flames.

 

Editing this post to add Lowe's is still a sponsor...as well as Disney. Disney!

Edited October 8, 2015 by JoanArc

[NextIteration]

Daniel Webster Wins Conservative Republicans’ Endorsement for House Speaker

 

This positively frightens me.  I'm sure the general public isn't aware of this man's belief system.

[lookeyloo]

Daniel Webster Wins Conservative Republicans’ Endorsement for House Speaker

 

This positively frightens me.  I'm sure the general public isn't aware of this man's belief system.

 

Oy Vey!

[Defrauder]

You know what pisses me off, TLC playing nice little happy music and putting such positive spin on this whole freaking family while ignoring the harmful truth about sleeping kids of all ages in one room, the responsibility of the sister moms, the restrictions or privacy, the gender roles of females being subject to male authority.  Going all the way back to 14 kids and counting when everyone was sleeping with everyone else because they didn't have enough beds.  TLC just made this family seem so great all the while the children were being harmed not just by Josh but by the whole environment they were living in.  The kids HAD to be happy or they would get in trouble or beaten with a rod for shaming the parents authority.  TLC neglected that part of the story.  I hate TLC's spin. It's not a nice family or way to grow up, it's unhealthy and TLC portrayed a lie just like JB wanted them to.  Now Jill and Jessa are officially under their husband's authority and they better be happy about it or shame their husband.  Tell the truth TLC.  Grown adult Jana is still under JB's authority and isn't allowed to pursue her own life and she has to seem happy about taking care of her mother's responsibilities.  TLC portrayed a sick family as a good way to live and without TLC the whole family would probably still be in 2 bedrooms with most of their children being taken away by now. 

[kandinski]

You know what pisses me off, TLC playing nice little happy music and putting such positive spin on this whole freaking family while ignoring the harmful truth about sleeping kids of all ages in one room, the responsibility of the sister moms, the restrictions or privacy, the gender roles of females being subject to male authority.  Going all the way back to 14 kids and counting when everyone was sleeping with everyone else because they didn't have enough beds.  TLC just made this family seem so great all the while the children were being harmed not just by Josh but by the whole environment they were living in.  The kids HAD to be happy or they would get in trouble or beaten with a rod for shaming the parents authority.  TLC neglected that part of the story.  I hate TLC's spin. It's not a nice family or way to grow up, it's unhealthy and TLC portrayed a lie just like JB wanted them to.  Now Jill and Jessa are officially under their husband's authority and they better be happy about it or shame their husband.  Tell the truth TLC.  Grown adult Jana is still under JB's authority and isn't allowed to pursue her own life and she has to seem happy about taking care of her mother's responsibilities.  TLC portrayed a sick family as a good way to live and without TLC the whole family would probably still be in 2 bedrooms with most of their children being taken away by now. 

Yes but how many of us bought that rose tinted crap?I had a really unplesant feeling watching them from day one.

Edited October 9, 2015 by kandinski

[Churchhoney]

You know what pisses me off, TLC playing nice little happy music and putting such positive spin on this whole freaking family while ignoring the harmful truth about sleeping kids of all ages in one room, the responsibility of the sister moms, the restrictions or privacy, the gender roles of females being subject to male authority.  Going all the way back to 14 kids and counting when everyone was sleeping with everyone else because they didn't have enough beds.  TLC just made this family seem so great all the while the children were being harmed not just by Josh but by the whole environment they were living in.  The kids HAD to be happy or they would get in trouble or beaten with a rod for shaming the parents authority.  TLC neglected that part of the story.  I hate TLC's spin. It's not a nice family or way to grow up, it's unhealthy and TLC portrayed a lie just like JB wanted them to.  Now Jill and Jessa are officially under their husband's authority and they better be happy about it or shame their husband.  Tell the truth TLC.  Grown adult Jana is still under JB's authority and isn't allowed to pursue her own life and she has to seem happy about taking care of her mother's responsibilities.  TLC portrayed a sick family as a good way to live and without TLC the whole family would probably still be in 2 bedrooms with most of their children being taken away by now. 

 

Right on the money. This is at the root of my obscene level of hatred of Jim Bob and of TLC for promoting this so falsely. I got riveted by the horror of this whole thing when Jim Bob was first making news running for the Senate. I saw one of those red-dress girls' photos somewhere and was completely hooked on the story and horrified by it from that moment on. And when I realized that it was all being portrayed as being like the Waltons, it absolutely sickened me. I've never even watched the show. But it still makes me so sick and so full of hate for Jim Bob Duggar and TLC's phony-ass, lying, evil show that for my own mental health I should have looked away long ago. But I just can't. It's too horrifying an example of how we love to lie to ourselves and how easily the wool can be pulled over our eyes by petty tyrants who promise that their evil tyranny is a soft lovely bed. And have "reality tv's" help to do it. Pure evil, in my opinion.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Churchhoney

[Barb23]

Yes but how many of us bought that rose tinted crap?I had a really unplesant feeling watching them from day one.

You and my sister. She said there has to he something weird with a family where the kids never fight or act like normal kids.

[bigskygirl]

Hello! Is this thing on? Lets leave any discussion on who may become Speaker of the House out please. Political discussions can turn unpleasant at a drop of hat. Think of any political discussion as family members who come for a visit, and they run up your phone bill, eat you out of house and home, and push your buttons to the point where you may end up in jail or calling the doctor and asking for some pills so your mind ends up in a happy place where no family is allowed. Thank you.

[JoanArc]

http://www.4029tv.com/news/jim-bob-duggar-denies-accusations-from-911-call/35744378

 

Jim Bob's statement to a news station about the 911 call. He denied the whole thing.

This seems like sloppy reporting - where was the call? Those snippets had been previously released.

It's hilarious that Jim Bob thinks he can deny the whole thing, when it's on tape, a CPS worker was there, etc. That probably didn't help the investigation much.

[Defrauder]

It sounded to me like JB was saying that it wasn't that he was being uncooperative with the child protective agency it's just that he wasn't in town when it happened.  Even if that were true the child protective agency would still want to make sure the child was OK wherever the child was, and I have to wonder if JB left town just in time to avoid an investigation?  It would be rare I think for the entire family to be out of town at once since there are many adults in the home now so somebody could have answered the door I would think.  

[JoanArc]

http://www.katv.com/story/30219919/911-tape-from-dhs-worker-calling-from-duggar-home-released

Here's the call. Janarella, you're right!

 

WHY DHS was investigating the family is the real story we'll never hear.

Edited October 9, 2015 by JoanArc

[Defrauder]

But even if they were legitimately out of town I would think that JB's security guard would be obligated to tell CPS the whereabouts of the family/child and if necessary the police in the town the child was in would be obligated to make sure he/she was safe there.

[MonicaM]

Yes but how many of us bought that rose tinted crap?I had a really unplesant feeling watching them from day one.

I watched the program exactly once and that was when it was a supposedly a one time special.  The way the parents treated the children as trained performing monkeys totally put me off, and the obsession with popping out a new baby every few months was offensive.  How much of their audience was hate watching and how much were true believers I guess we'll never know.

[farmgal4]

In the comments on the Perez Hilton story, various posters have asserted, as facts, that the Dullards were getting drivers license and SS# from their donors, then selling that information, and that they've begun both blanket training and "saucing" Iz. I don't know if any of these things are true, but I'm enjoying the vilification probably more than I should be. See y'all in hell! :-)

What is "saucing"?

[kokapetl]

What is "saucing"?

Lisa Whelchel (Blair, The Facts of Life) is an adherent. Mods have made it clear it's off topic.

[MarysWetBar]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotsaucing

Edited October 9, 2015 by MarysWetBar

[GeeGolly]

I've watched 19 Kids on & off, as well as some YouTube episodes. I feel they shared a lot more in the beginning. They probably shared more then because they had know idea how they would be perceived. But even in the later episodes it is very obvious what their beliefs and treatment of woman & children are. Blanket training, daughters staying at home and under the authority of the father, Michelle too, being under JB's authority, courting, always referring to child rearing as training, have all been mentioned multiple times in different episodes.  It probably has only become apparent in recent months to the Duggars that the majority of folks think they're whacked, in the past they likely passed it off as just a few folks.  The only real change they made, in response to public opinion was to stop promoting the blanket training books and authors.

 

I feel the times they were shown as a "wonderful Christian family" were during the news snippets announcing a new birth. I think the show displayed their mindset clearly, however it wasn't ever emphasized, or thoroughly discussed, such as in talking heads.

[louannems]

http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/josh-duggar-pics/#ref=/2015/10/09/anna-josh-duggar-getting-divorced-leaving-affair-begging/pos=

Josh freaks out that Anna might divorce him!

Sorry! The link did not work.

Edited October 10, 2015 by louannems

[Joe Jitsu913]

I've watched 19 Kids on & off, as well as some YouTube episodes. I feel they shared a lot more in the beginning. They probably shared more then because they had know idea how they would be perceived. But even in the later episodes it is very obvious what their beliefs and treatment of woman & children are. Blanket training, daughters staying at home and under the authority of the father, Michelle too, being under JB's authority, courting, always referring to child rearing as training, have all been mentioned multiple times in different episodes. It probably has only become apparent in recent months to the Duggars that the majority of folks think they're whacked, in the past they likely passed it off as just a few folks. The only real change they made, in response to public opinion was to stop promoting the blanket training books and authors.

I feel the times they were shown as a "wonderful Christian family" were during the news snippets announcing a new birth. I think the show displayed their mindset clearly, however it wasn't ever emphasized, or thoroughly discussed, such as in talking heads.

I think they shared more in the beginning because they were actually sincere in their beliefs. Then the TLC $$$ and trips came rolling in and before you know it, we get a whitewashed version of Fundy land. TLC needed to make the Duggars more palatable to the mainstream viewers which means no direct mention of their Kreepy Khristian Kult beliefs. This is why they don't discuss Gothard or blanket training because Middle America only wants the "feel good" wholesome lie that this family projects.

[GeeGolly]

I think they shared more in the beginning because they were actually sincere in their beliefs. Then the TLC $$$ and trips came rolling in and before you know it, we get a whitewashed version of Fundy land. TLC needed to make the Duggars more palatable to the mainstream viewers which means no direct mention of their Kreepy Khristian Kult beliefs. This is why they don't discuss Gothard or blanket training because Middle America only wants the "feel good" wholesome lie that this family projects.

I hear what you're saying, but the family, IMO, didn't project a wholesome feel good family to a mainstream audience. IMO the family came off as a strict Christian family with old fashioned beliefs, that many people before them fought to change. They never mentioned Gothard directly, however hey did mention many of his directions, i.e. long hair, countenance, modesty, male authority, religion based home-schooling, seclusion from the outside world, accountability partners, confession to parents, etc.

 

They continue to mention their beliefs because they believe they are living the better way, something I don't believe most people agree with, and which I think was part of the interest. I would guess some folks cherry pick some beliefs and think "Hmm, maybe we should incorporate that into our family", but I believe the vast majority of viewers are much smarter than the Duggars and see them for exactly what they are.

Edited October 10, 2015 by GeeGolly

[BetyBee]

http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/josh-duggar-pics/#ref=/2015/10/09/anna-josh-duggar-getting-divorced-leaving-affair-begging/pos=

Josh freaks out that Anna might divorce him!

Sorry! The link did not work.

The article says Anna is living with her mom.  Though we haven't seen pics of her with Meredith and we have seen recent pics of Michelle and Boob with her, I just can't believe that Anna left her newborn behind.  I think it's just another sloppy copy/paste "news" story.  If she has left her newborn behind, then she must be really struggling.  

[lookeyloo]

The article says Anna is living with her mom.  Though we haven't seen pics of her with Meredith and we have seen recent pics of Michelle and Boob with her, I just can't believe that Anna left her newborn behind.  I think it's just another sloppy copy/paste "news" story.  If she has left her newborn behind, then she must be really struggling.

Is it possible she has post partum depression and doesn't want to be close to Meredith? She knew Josh was cheating on her probably when she was working to get pregnant. Or maybe she isn't in Florida after all.

[Purpose to defraud]

The article says Anna is living with her mom.  Though we haven't seen pics of her with Meredith and we have seen recent pics of Michelle and Boob with her, I just can't believe that Anna left her newborn behind.  I think it's just another sloppy copy/paste "news" story.  If she has left her newborn behind, then she must be really struggling.  

Pictures can be deceiving, and the Duggars have been known to confuse timelines before. 

I was just on the official FB page, and they are taking a beating in the comments. All day, no one has deleted any. There is a great one from a former fan, Milly Hillsboro, but I don't know how to take a screen shot. She says, among other things, Yes children are a gift but your adult children should not accept or ask for gifts. Goes on to say it is better to give than receive, Jessa is vain and greedy, Ben is lazy, etc. I'm paraphrasing, but it's articulate and informed.  

[SomePity1066]

Pictures can be deceiving, and the Duggars have been known to confuse timelines before. 

I was just on the official FB page, and they are taking a beating in the comments. All day, no one has deleted any. There is a great one from a former fan, Milly Hillsboro, but I don't know how to take a screen shot. She says, among other things, Yes children are a gift but your adult children should not accept or ask for gifts. Goes on to say it is better to give than receive, Jessa is vain and greedy, Ben is lazy, etc. I'm paraphrasing, but it's articulate and informed.  

Well, I took the bait and moseyed on over to the Duggars' FB page and, while that's 45 minutes I'll never get back, it was absolutely fascinating ! The comments are just so bizarre and ALL over the place ! 

 

There are some heartbreaking personal stories of loss, infertility, loneliness, and on and on, several people proffering their sons or daughters as future Headships or Helpmeets to the single members of the J-Crew, a bunch of "we're praying for you !" leg-bumper types, and a whole lotta neener-neener posts telling them that they should look around at their own glass house and stop throwing so many stones. 

 

I've taken sociology classes that tried to explain the human condition with less success than my less-than-an-hour foray into Duggarland ! It's just so...creepy to see people, most of whom are using THEIR REAL NAMES, seemingly petitioning a reality TV family for personal help and prayers. 

 

It's just crazy !!! Anyone with a brain knows that if you really want help in your life from total strangers you should be sending Facebook comments to the Kardashians - sheesh !!!

[Churchhoney]

It's just so...creepy to see people, most of whom are using THEIR REAL NAMES, seemingly petitioning a reality TV family for personal help and prayers. 

 

 

 

And probably a lot of the Protestants who do this look down on Catholics for honoring and petitioning saints.

 

If somebody seems larger than life, all humans seem programmed to look up to them. Once you mostly got those people out of mythologies created by your culture, but now tv creates them..... Not a superior source, I don't think.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Churchhoney

[Wellfleet]

Yes but how many of us bought that rose tinted crap?I had a really unplesant feeling watching them from day one.

 

I did - for a fair amount of time. And I consider myself a well-educated and a reasonably-suspicious person. I don't believe most of what I'm told by people I don't know. Everyone gets the side-eye-prove-it look from me at first. Yet it still took about two years of Duggarville before it started to dawn on me that something was off here. It was Boob's overwhelming need to be the Grand Poobah about everything - and his sense of entitlement about it actually irritated me. After that, every time I saw him I couldn't help but think of that old line of Foghorn Leghorn's in the Warner Brothers cartoons - "Dat boy just ain't never gonna be right..."

Edited October 10, 2015 by Wellfleet

[cmr2014]

I did - for a fair amount of time. And I consider myself a well-educated and a reasonably-suspicious person. I don't believe most of what I'm told by people I don't know. Everyone gets the side-eye-prove-it look from me at first. Yet it still took about two years of Duggarville before it started to dawn on me that something was off here. It was Boob's overwhelming need to be the Grand Poobah about everything - and his sense of entitlement about it actually irritated me. After that, every time I saw him I couldn't help but think of that old line of Foghorn Leghorn's in the Warner Brothers cartoons - "Dat boy just ain't never gonna be right..."

 

This was my experience, too. I wasn't a regular watcher early on, but I saw some of the specials and the early episodes. I thought of them as more or less harmless weirdos. I thought that JB was an immature doofus, but not a particularly bad guy -- they were just people living an alternate lifestyle and the show was a window into a world that was very different to me.

 

It was probably around the time that Josie was born that I became aware of how "off" the whole thing was. The older kids were teenagers by then, and it was creepy (to me) that they seemed to have no friends and no social life. The girls just took care of the kids and the boys just seemed to do nothing in particular. They never seemed to talk about things that I would associate with teenagers: boys/girls, college, careers, etc. There was no sign that they were growing up and developing their own personalities and lives.

 

It was also in the more recent years that they started taking trips and it was really odd that they didn't seem to incorporate any of this into their homeschooling. They traveled the world and none of the kids could even say "hello" or "where is the bathroom" in the native language. Most school-aged kids that I know, when confronted by the Great Wall of China would have been spouting off the various fact-toids that they had learned in their reading and, of course, there was none of that.

 

It was also around that time that their media presence grew to the point where their name appeared in political conversation and they also began using Josie's birth, incongruously, as some sort of anti-abortion totem. I would not have expected to share their political beliefs, but they really weren't on display in the early seasons. It's only in recent years that their political activism has become high-profile: Josh with the FRC, the robo-calls, etc.

[Sew Sumi]

The article says Anna is living with her mom.  Though we haven't seen pics of her with Meredith and we have seen recent pics of Michelle and Boob with her, I just can't believe that Anna left her newborn behind.  I think it's just another sloppy copy/paste "news" story.  If she has left her newborn behind, then she must be really struggling.  

Suze just went to visit her parents today. She took pics with Suzette and her younger brothers. No evidence that Anna or any of her kids were there. 

 

I'm pretty sure that Anna is in AR now. If she visited her parents, it was just for those two or so days that the Duggar men were in FL dealing with cars a few weeks back. TBH, I think Anna is up at RU this weekend; it's about time for Joshley to be able to have visitors. 

Edited October 11, 2015 by Sew Sumi

[Micks Picks]

I'm with WELLFLEET and CMR2014.  At first I thought they were fine.  The lifestyle wasn't for me, but I respected theirs.  Kids seemed fine to me.  When they came on with the weekly series, I became uncomfortable with the baby after baby while I was waiting for the older ones to branch out a little.  Every little change, like in dress, I noticed.  But I was more and more disappointed that there was no personal growth with the older ones.  Nor did the trips do anything for them.  If you don't know anything about where you are going before you get there, you won't enjoy it nearly as much.  It won't be meaningful to you.  The older girls I noticed had full charge of the younger kids while the parents didn't seem to have any responsibility for anything.  I was disappointed and disenchanted.  I wouldn't say I hate them now.  They just make me ill.

[Valerie]

Same boat as you, Micks Picks, Wellfleet, CMR, et all.

 

I'm not theistic in anyway (I am an atheist, natch) but the show was, in its origins, entertaining and surreal. The thing that bothered me was the same as yours -- we never really got a sense of who these girls are beyond religion and babies.

 

This is a weird comparison, but when Tyra Banks had a talk show, she had some of the family members from Westboro on. They're crazy, bigoted, people, true, but at the end, Tyra asked one of the daughters: what is your passion, aside from all of this? The girl said running, she loves to run, and Tyra commented how you could see her face light up and all the hate vanish for just those few seconds. Tyra encouraged her to chase THAT passion, and obviously she was shot down, but my point is...

 

My point is that even after X years of this show being on, we still don't know what drives most of these kids beyond getting married and popping out kids. We get bits and pieces but ultimately, I don't know any more about them than I did when I started watching two or three years ago (and watching the older stuff on YT). When we met Marjory, Josiah's squeeze, we all found her blog and got a sense of what she's passionate about: theater, writing, etc. I think that's why so many of us were surprised that she wasn't a total robot.

 

Even in reality TV, character development is important. The kids may not be fictional characters, but given the length of time, they should have some sort of growth.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Valerie

[Churchhoney]

 

Even in reality TV, character development is important. The kids may not be fictional characters, but given the length of time, they should have some sort of growth.

 

Actually, though, I expect that this is one of the few areas in which the show may actually earn its name "reality" tv. Very much of what they show has been edited out or fudged or prettied up or purely faked for public consumption because not being who you are lest someone notice it is a Duggar thing, in my opinion.

 

But I think the girls having nothing left in them but their heart for Daddy, Jesus and Prince Charming is pure reality. They were made this way, very deliberately, by their evil soul-destroying parents, in my opinion. So while that may not make for a satisfying plot for tv viewers, it's one of the few things about the show that actually reveals a real truth about the Duggar family, I think. So if were looking for reality in reality tv, this is actually it. Documentary truthfulness in at least this area.

 

The audience desire to see multi-dimensionality and growth in "characters," I suppose, is why we all think the girls have hidden depths and desires and plans. But as we've seen with the two who are now married and thus as full-fledged human beings as the Duggs would allow young women to be, once we see them act and express themselves in the world all those suppositions about them turn out to be wrong. They're just as empty, rigid, immature and stupid as they were created to be.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Churchhoney

[Absolom]

The kids did have early interests, but nothing came of almost all of them so far.  John David did become a licensed pilot and Jill received a midwifery certificate.  That's about it and those aren't huge goals.  They aren't tiny, but they are within the grasp of a great many people. I think it's Duggardom since the Bates family actually encourages each child to attend at least one semester of college.  Their children have an interest in life and the world and an enthusiasm that has been buried or eradicated in the Duggars.

[Churchhoney]

The kids did have early interests, but nothing came of almost all of them so far.  John David did become a licensed pilot and Jill received a midwifery certificate.  That's about it and those aren't huge goals.  They aren't tiny, but they are within the grasp of a great many people. I think it's Duggardom since the Bates family actually encourages each child to attend at least one semester of college.  Their children have an interest in life and the world and an enthusiasm that has been buried or eradicated in the Duggars.

 

I think this is the result of the Duggars' control-freakness (beyond that of people like Gil Bates, who are also control freaks to a degree).

 

Jim Bob and Michelle demand a faceless herd that you can, well, herd. If they encouraged or even just allowed individuality to emerge, it'd be like herding cats. Can't have that. Some of the cats might not look up to Jim Bob and Michelle as their gods.

 

I truly think that the kids' egos have been utterly sacrificed to boost the parents' egos. (but, of course, I'm biased because I've seen this happen in real life ... maybe the Duggar kids' early spark would have died on the vine on its own ... I really doubt it, though.) .... Oddly, I think that reality tv has helped squelch the Duggar kids' individual spark, since I'll bet it's made JB and M even more anxious to snuff out anything that might have looked a bit different from the "basic life principles" they want their perfect family to perfectly embody for the world's edification.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Churchhoney

[kaleidoscope]

Do the Duggars have TWO planes?

 

http://www.inquisitr.com/2486538/is-anna-duggar-back-with-duggar-family-to-visit-josh-in-illinois/

[Joe Jitsu913]

Nor did the trips do anything for them. If you don't know anything about where you are going before you get there, you won't enjoy it nearly as much. It won't be meaningful to you.

...or if you already think you know everything there is to know about where you are going. *cough* Jim Bob *cough*

Edited October 11, 2015 by Joe Jitsu913

[Churchhoney]

Do the Duggars have TWO planes?

 

http://www.inquisitr.com/2486538/is-anna-duggar-back-with-duggar-family-to-visit-josh-in-illinois/

 

Yes. I think they've had two planes for a while. (looks like over a year, according to what's on the page below.)

 

I expect they may make some money on at least one of them, renting it out to other pilots who don't have planes of their own or whose planes are in the shop.  Here they are:

 

http://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N734UE

 

https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N68SY

Edited October 11, 2015 by Churchhoney

[Sew Sumi]

Okay, I didn't know the 1977 plane was confirmed. Has anyone been following this plane to see what kind of activity it has? It appears that JD flies the other one (returned from ALERT yesterday).

[Churchhoney]

Okay, I didn't know the 1977 plane was confirmed. Has anyone been following this plane to see what kind of activity it has? It appears that JD flies the other one (returned from ALERT yesterday).

 

I think some people at Free Jinger have. Haven't looked over there lately, but I've seen some stuff before on that one.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Churchhoney

[kaleidoscope]

Thank you! 

[Wellfleet]

Actually, though, I expect that this is one of the few areas in which the show may actually earn its name "reality" tv. Very much of what they show has been edited out or fudged or prettied up or purely faked for public consumption because not being who you are lest someone notice it is a Duggar thing, in my opinion.

 

But I think the girls having nothing left in them but their heart for Daddy, Jesus and Prince Charming is pure reality. They were made this way, very deliberately, by their evil soul-destroying parents, in my opinion. So while that may not make for a satisfying plot for tv viewers, it's one of the few things about the show that actually reveals a real truth about the Duggar family, I think. So if were looking for reality in reality tv, this is actually it. Documentary truthfulness in at least this area.

 

The audience desire to see multi-dimensionality and growth in "characters," I suppose, is why we all think the girls have hidden depths and desires and plans. But as we've seen with the two who are now married and thus as full-fledged human beings as the Duggs would allow young women to be, once we see them act and express themselves in the world all those suppositions about them turn out to be wrong. They're just as empty, rigid, immature and stupid as they were created to be.

 

I would agree - for the most part. Because of their upbringing, the girls are nearly entirely about Daddy, Jesus and Prince Charming. And probably in that order too. But despite their best efforts, I somehow doubt that Boob & Me-chelle were successful in irradicating every trace of original interest, impulse, feeling, whatever - from their daughters. It would definitely take a serious long-term separation from Ma & Pa and TTH, but I think there's still hope they could be de-programmed. Of course I could be wrong, but my gut feeling is that they're not ALL the way over the edge yet.

[Churchhoney]

I would agree - for the most part. Because of their upbringing, the girls are nearly entirely about Daddy, Jesus and Prince Charming. And probably in that order too. But despite their best efforts, I somehow doubt that Boob & Me-chelle were successful in irradicating every trace of original interest, impulse, feeling, whatever - from their daughters. It would definitely take a serious long-term separation from Ma & Pa and TTH, but I think there's still hope they could be de-programmed. Of course I could be wrong, but my gut feeling is that they're not ALL the way over the edge yet.

 

I agree. I'm sure there's something in there. They're not dead, after all. I also have hope but, as you say, if it happens it's going to be a long time.

 

They've already all proven to be more the sort that swallows their parents' lines rather than the sort that pushes back, maybe expressing themselves by doubling down on the parental ideas rather than coming up with their own (Jessa comes to mind), and the kind that stays very near the nest and takes parental help rather than insisting on standing on their own or going somewhere else. So the pushing-back side and the individual ideas and interests are going to have to overcome their general natures as well as the programming.

 

I think the nature of their future experiences may drive what happens from here. I do hope they get to spend some time in their lives being their own people to at least some degree. I'm sure that's not guaranteed, though.

[Satchels of gold]

http://m.eonline.com/news/705401/law-order-svu-is-taking-on-the-duggars-and-19-kids-and-counting-with-a-twist

We knew it was only a matter of time

[anna0852]

I haven't watched SVU in years but I'm tuning in for that one.

[JoanArc]

 

In "Patrimonial Burden," the Wednesday, Nov. 4, episode of the long-running NBC drama, the squad investigates a famous reality TV family after it's discovered the 13-year-old daughter is pregnant. Naturally, there's a web of secrets at play in with this virtuous family.

 

It's airing right around Jessa's due date. Awkward.

[Satchels of gold]

Best GIF ever!!

[louannems]

TLC Specials Coming Soon

The Duggar's want to know what we hope to see in the upcoming TLC specials. It's on their blog.

Oh let's see. How about Jill showing us how great and beneficial blanket training is and how important Instant Obedience is. How about Jill expecting blessing #2 as she joyfully fulfills her wifely duty. How about Jessa telling us over and over how Michelle was such a great mom and role model and is just so patient with the little ones. How about JimBob and Michelle butting in every other minute with Talking Heads about Their Very Special Marriage, Their Special Blessings, Their miracle baby, Their labor and delivery, Their Wedding Day, Their Special Christian Faith. That I would watch!

[NextIteration]

Yay SVU!  You rarely disappoint with your "ripped from the headlines" story lines and this is one that was begging to be told.

[galax-arena]

It will be interesting to see which actors they got to play the expies of Michelle, Jim Bob, and Josh. 

 

Do you think they'll work an Ashley Madison type scandal in there somewhere? You know the writers started working on this storyline as soon as the child molestation news hit the media; I'm wondering if some furious last-minute revisions were made after the AM hack. 

 

ETA: Wait, I guess TV writers don't work that far in advance. 

Edited October 12, 2015 by galax-arena

[JoanArc]

It will be interesting to see which actors they got to play the expies of Michelle, Jim Bob, and Josh. 

 

 

Tony-nominated stars Andy Karl (known for Rocky and On the Twentieth Century), Geneva Carr (known for Hand to God) and Christopher Sieber (known for Shrek the Musical and Spamalot) all appear in the episode alongside guest stars Ryan Devlin, Victoria Leigh and Chris Elliott. In the episode, Sieber and Carr play husband and wife with 10 children. Not as many as 19, but hey, that'd be a big guest starring cast.

I'm guessing Chris Elliot is 'Josh'?

 

 

The Duggar's want to know what we hope to see in the upcoming TLC specials.

Reruns of The Little Couple airing in it's place?

Edited October 12, 2015 by JoanArc