The Duggars: In the Media and TLC

[GeeGolly]

Quote

Churchies post from the Joy thread ...

In my opinion, being a "reality tv star" is good for no one. And it's especially not good for people who were introduced into the public media by their parents as children, with no right of consent. As well as even less good for people who already have troubled histories of cult involvement, problematic families that isolate them from the general society, and parent-exacerbated possible traumas that their parents continue to paper over a decade-plus down the line! 😁

Of course, I'm sure it's also true that the question of cancelation's effect on molestation survivors had zero role in TLC's deliberations. I'd be shocked if anybody at the network mentioned it in a single meeting! They cared about one thing: What the hell were they going to do if they had to lose one of their more popular shows forever and ever. 

Luckily for them, the ignorance, laziness and greed of multiple generations of Duggars meant that they didn't need to worry about that. These people wanted to be on TeeVee to get some cash and ego strokes. So in my view no TLC rock and hard place ever materialized!

I agree that TLC isn't concerned about exploiting children on TV. I also agree that TLC's main concern was their reputation and income. That's why I don't think they cancelled the show. Like you said the Duggars wanted to be on TV, which makes it odd that some folks have no problem with InTouch writing the story, but have a problem with TLC airing the show.

To me the rock and the hard place was their reputation. Cancelling the show would have looked good because of Josh, but look bad (IMO) because of the girls. I'm guessing they circled around that more than a few times. 

[Churchhoney]

15 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I agree that TLC isn't concerned about exploiting children on TV. I also agree that TLC's main concern was their reputation and income. That's why I don't think they cancelled the show. Like you said the Duggars wanted to be on TV, which makes it odd that some folks have no problem with InTouch writing the story, but have a problem with TLC airing the show.

To me the rock and the hard place was their reputation. Cancelling the show would have looked good because of Josh, but look bad (IMO) because of the girls. I'm guessing they circled around that more than a few times. 

Yeah, I'm probably being a little too hard on TLC. They probably did discuss the girls.

Although I'm still willing to wager their discussion had little or nothing to do with any principles they themselves have related to helping or harming the girls but, as you mention, a huge huge amount to do with how viewers were likely to think of the network in the various scenarios! 

 

[Zella]

I don't have a problem with the story breaking, but I do have a problem with whoever did the redactions. (And I think if the police department wasn't going to do that, then someone on InTouch's editorial staff should have.)

And I've thought that ever since I read the police reports. It wouldn't have taken much more effort for that someone to have redacted a little more information to protect the identity of Josh's sisters. What was really telling--beyond ages--was the family address. If that had been removed, people may have speculated (and the report would have been harder to follow), but there wouldn't have been confirmation of who the victims were or the information to play a guessing game to narrow it down.

As far as I know, the non-family victim--whom the Duggars liked to pretend didn't exist--has never been outed. (I could be wrong on that, but I hope it stays that way.) 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Zella

[SMama]

22 minutes ago, Zella said:

I don't have a problem with the story breaking, but I do have a problem with whoever did the redactions. (And I think if the police department wasn't going to do that, then someone on InTouch's editorial staff should have.)

And I've thought that ever since I read the police reports. It wouldn't have taken much more effort for that someone to have redacted a little more information to protect the identity of Josh's sisters. What was really telling--beyond ages--was the family address. If that had been removed, people may have speculated (and the report would have been harder to follow), but there wouldn't have been confirmation of who the victims were or the information to play a guessing game to narrow it down.

As far as I know, the non-family victim--whom the Duggars liked to pretend didn't exist--has never been outed. (I could be wrong on that, but I hope it stays that way.) 

I think Pickles outed the non family member.

[Zella]

3 minutes ago, SMama said:

I think Pickles outed the non family member.

Ugh As much as I swear, I usually try to avoid applying the word "cunt" to anyone but Jill Rodrigues. But Pickles is a cunt too. 

[emmawoodhouse]

5 hours ago, SMama said:

I think Pickles outed the non family member.

Puckles' outing wasn't a stretch if you know anything about the Duggars at that time. The girl she named was the one who I suspected. She has never confirmed or denied. 

[Absolom]

Pickles outed who she thinks the non-family member was.   She went with the obvious or most likely candidate based on public knowledge.  She may or may not be right.  Public knowledge being incomplete and sometimes inaccurate.

[emmawoodhouse]

That's why I pointed out that the woman in question has neither confirmed nor denied the story.

[Absolom]

I was backing up your point not contradicting it.  More like amplification, if you will.  

[emmawoodhouse]

That's me, always misreading what's right in front of my face! 😳

[ginger90]

 

A video from years ago......

 

 

[crazy8s]

i think I posted that video last year - so much to snark on. Jana so proud making the prairie dresses with bloomers!

the creepiest part is when JB tells who gets to go "to pick up a few things for christmas dinner" the outing was TLC funded bikes for all kids  - James is chosen to go and Justin is just sobbing. michelle, in full on baby talk voice, makes toddler Justin look her in the eye until he shuts up. then mary whisks justin off to the laundry room

[Churchhoney]

50 minutes ago, crazy8s said:

i think I posted that video last year - so much to snark on. Jana so proud making the prairie dresses with bloomers!

the creepiest part is when JB tells who gets to go "to pick up a few things for christmas dinner" the outing was TLC funded bikes for all kids  - James is chosen to go and Justin is just sobbing. michelle, in full on baby talk voice, makes toddler Justin look her in the eye until he shuts up. then mary whisks justin off to the laundry room

Definitely creepy. 

But for me the creepiest part is the jaunty narrator relentlessly pushing pushing pushing pushing pushing the dangerous lie that whatever it is that makes the Duggars tick is utterly benign! and wonderful! and perfectly respectful of the rights of all those children and of women! and also harbors nothing at all horrifying behind the scenes! 

All while this crappy TeeVee exposure was tempting more misguided would-be-patriarchs-and-wives into the arms of the Gothard cult. Ugh. The jaunty narrator. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Churchhoney

[rue721]

Oh my god isn’t it Justin getting married soon?! 🤦🏻‍♀️ Crazy to see him as a toddler in 2004. 
 

The two things that stood out the most to me were the “EVOLUTION IS A LIE” bumper sticker on their van, and the weirdness of those prairie dresses.

Jana blushing as she shows off the bonnet... it’s so sad. I mean, those dresses and bonnets had to have been really hard to make, she should be proud! But she also should have been in school and actually accomplishing things and pushing herself in a way that would be recognized and appreciated by the wider world, instead of spending all her time slaving over those costumes and household chores. I just can never get over the waste of human potential in this cult.

[LilJen]

The horror! The horror!. . .  Of Michelle’s hair.

why did Jana feel that all her sisters needed Hollie Hobbie outfits?

[Churchhoney]

12 minutes ago, LilJen said:

 

why did Jana feel that all her sisters needed Hollie Hobbie outfits?

I think at that point they still had some sort of fantasy about really being set apart from the current century, in some kind of holier time that only those with their special virtue could live in. And they wanted to broadcast that by wearing clothes that made the point. It was the era of red dresses 2.0. 

 

[GeeGolly]

10 hours ago, LilJen said:

The horror! The horror!. . .  Of Michelle’s hair.

why did Jana feel that all her sisters needed Hollie Hobbie outfits?

10 hours ago, Churchhoney said:

I think at that point they still had some sort of fantasy about really being set apart from the current century, in some kind of holier time that only those with their special virtue could live in. And they wanted to broadcast that by wearing clothes that made the point. It was the era of red dresses 2.0. 

The Duggars were trying for the Bates look. Fortunately they didn't succeed.

 

[ozziemom]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

The Duggars were trying for the Bates look. Fortunately they didn't succeed.

 

Amazing that Kelly Jo is never holding a baby in these pictures. Is it a Fundie thing? We’ve seen loads of pictures of anyone but Meechelle holding a child too. And the Duggars dressed in red always makes me laugh, why are there those extra kids?

[ginger90]

This picture always gets me. Two parents up front, children behind. It’s not how I’d walk with children. But it says it all, IMO.

[Snow Fairy]

The dresses that the Bates girls are wearing at least look like they fit, they are tailored to measure

[lascuba]

12 minutes ago, ozziemom said:

Amazing that Kelly Jo is never holding a baby in these pictures. Is it a Fundie thing? We’ve seen loads of pictures of anyone but Meechelle holding a child too. And the Duggars dressed in red always makes me laugh, why are there those extra kids?

I think it's...inadvertent honesty on their part. They're intention is to pretend that dads are totally involved in childcare and hold their babies all the time, but they don't realize that a)they've already told us about their strict gender roles so we know that's bullshit, and b)those pictures just confirm the fact that these moms just hand off their babies to the older daughters so they can work on the next "blessing."

[Churchhoney]

53 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

This picture always gets me. Two parents up front, children behind. It’s not how I’d walk with children. But it says it all, IMO.

It's Jim Bob's (and Meeechelle's) fundie-nuts-like-Gothard-concocted fantasy of the way God will regard and reward the best white conservative Protestants in heaven. In the afterlife, JB would be the powerful patriarch who was so faithful that he led a long parade of soldiers in the apocalyptic battles to redeem the Earth and restore the correct Jesus's rightful throne in the  End Times......And today they're set apart from us other sinful mortals by their bright, unmistakable uniforms. 

I'm not even kidding. I'm pretty sure that's what little creep JB envisioned as the "mission" that led him to pursue public office. ... His way of getting the hyper-Christian vote and disguising, even from himself, that all he really is is a slimy power-and-money-hungry little shit who's super-proud of his prolific winkie. 

Edited January 4, 2021 by Churchhoney

[satrunrose]

So, as far as I can tell, Counting On is among the Left Behind (oh, the irony!) b-team now that the big guns (90 Day, Dr Pimple Popper, Say Yes to the Dress) have moved off to D+. Assuming D+ isn't a total flop, and the heavy hitters don't come crawling back, does that mean Counting On is circling the drain, or it's going to give us many more years of snark so that TLC has something to fill that air time? 

[emmawoodhouse]

TLC is keeping 90 Day on the mothership. It's on tonight. It's their cash cow; I wouldn't expect it to be moved to Plus.

[Temperance]

7 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

TLC is keeping 90 Day on the mothership. It's on tonight. It's their cash cow; I wouldn't expect it to be moved to Plus.

Probably back episodes/seasons and recently aired ones would be put on Plus. I don't think they'd stop airing the new episodes on TLC. Probably you'll have the option of watching them on television, streaming on-line, and finding them on Plus. 

[floridamom]

What is Discovery+? I enjoy SYTTD. How can I watch it?

[GeeGolly]

1 hour ago, floridamom said:

What is Discovery+? I enjoy SYTTD. How can I watch it?

Its their new streaming service. I think a lot of HGTV shows will air on Discovery+ first and eventually make their way to cable TV. Not sure about the TLC shows.

[Minivanessa]

21 hours ago, satrunrose said:

So, as far as I can tell, Counting On is among the Left Behind (oh, the irony!) b-team now that the big guns (90 Day, Dr Pimple Popper, Say Yes to the Dress) have moved off to D+. Assuming D+ isn't a total flop, and the heavy hitters don't come crawling back, does that mean Counting On is circling the drain, or it's going to give us many more years of snark so that TLC has something to fill that air time? 

 

10 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

TLC is keeping 90 Day on the mothership. It's on tonight. It's their cash cow; I wouldn't expect it to be moved to Plus.

 

2 hours ago, Temperance said:

Probably back episodes/seasons and recently aired ones would be put on Plus. I don't think they'd stop airing the new episodes on TLC. Probably you'll have the option of watching them on television, streaming on-line, and finding them on Plus. 

I have Discovery+ (aka "D+" since it's easier to type). As @GeeGolly said, it looks so far as if the "D+ original" content they have released, is heavy on the HGTV/DIY network stuff. I have watched an offshoot of the "Home Town" series called "Ben's Workshop" which I think is a D+ original. It's cool, and I like Ben and Erin who unlike the Gainses aren't homophobic bigots. There's some highly promoted "Magnolia" stuff on D+ which I completely refuse to watch because, the Gainses. I liked their original show for a few episodes, then it got to be just the same old same old and I learned about their homophobia etc and I am OVER them forever.

I've noticed there also seems to be a good amount of "D+ original" content for the "90 Day" franchise. Because I'd rather gnaw off an arm than watch that stuff, I haven't paid attention to what it is. There's also some nature show type content, some of which I've added to my watchlist.

AFAIK, NO series that is currently in production is being "moved off to" D+ and removed from the TLC cable channel. Did I miss an announcement that some shows are moving off TLC and will only be available on D+? And, I mean shows that are still in production?

D+ is well-stocked with old seasons of shows from the Discovery channels, not limited to TLC. I browsed through the TLC shows you can find on D+, and Counting On is there. I didn't click on it to confirm, but I assume all seasons/episodes are there.

As to the regular series episodes? For the few TLC shows I follow (mainly Dr. Pimple Popper and My 600 Pound Life), t looks like that when a new episode of a series airs on TLC it will also become available on D+. I don't think it becomes available on D+ before it airs on TLC, but I'm not sure.  One of these days if I remember, I will see if I can figure out that timing. They may load it onto D+ simultaneously with its first on-air showing, or it could be available shortly afterwards. 

As @Temperance said, it seems that D+ is more of an alternative way to access the Discovery channel content, than a replacement for the Discovery cable channels. I assume they are tempting cable TV viewers to subscribe to D+ by touting "exclusive" content, and going for the viewers of the current cash cow series. I see it as Discovery's way to keep viewers who've cut the cable TV cord - like me. 

I got a free year of D+ recently when I changed to Verizon mobile phone service. I have also cut cable TV in favor of YouTube TV, and I like having D+ because I no longer get some of the Discovery channels that I used to have on cable. And, D+ is DEEP in content of shows long past, so I can revisit old HGTV/DIY network shows at my convenience. Yay!

Edited February 15, 2021 by Jeeves
clarity, it's a goal. so is spelling.

[Gemma Violet]

Here's a recap article on the Duggar kids:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9279549/How-Duggars-grown-bigger-grown-apart-Joshs-sex-abuse-scandal.html

 

[BetyBee]

12 hours ago, Gemma Violet said:

Here's a recap article on the Duggar kids:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9279549/How-Duggars-grown-bigger-grown-apart-Joshs-sex-abuse-scandal.html

 

The article calls Anna Josh's daughter! With whom he has 6 kids. That ought to wake up their readers!

[madpsych78]

Well, now I know where Jana got the name for her business...and probably provides a hint as to where they specifically live. 

Jana's name for her business is evidently the same street that Justin did his lawn art.

[crazy8s]

Jana has had an LLC in her name called Arbor Acres Group for 2 years. the duggars also have Arbor Acres Farms and Jed!'s Thomas Lakeview Bible Class LLC, which owns the little church/school room shown on the show is on the same street. JB and Michelle trust owns quite a bit of property on the same street the TTH is on.

I wonder what happened to the Reserve at Mount Kessler Luxury RV park they were going to build. no news on that in the last year or so

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, crazy8s said:

 JB and Michelle trust owns quite a bit of property on the same street the TTH is on.

 

All that property's near enough to the b-i-i-i-i-i-g landfill to have come cheap. 

Not clear how many eager buyers you'd get for any of that property unless Waste Management wants to expand their holdings. 😁

 

[graefin]

Discovery+ apparently just aired a new special. It's posted on YouTube (quality not great but better than nothing); search "Counting On Season 11 Episode 106 A New Life (Mar 30, 2021)."

[Tikichick]

33 minutes ago, graefin said:

Discovery+ apparently just aired a new special. It's posted on YouTube (quality not great but better than nothing); search "Counting On Season 11 Episode 106 A New Life (Mar 30, 2021)."

It is clear there is nothing in the commandments about using and applying bronzer or blush, because there would be some smiting worthy offenses in this video.

[Absolom]

It airs tonight on regular TLC.  

[Spazamanaz]

I just watched it on Youtube. I would definitely say that Anna is pregnant after seeing her in the video.  Either that or she has gained a lot of weight. 

[Natalie68]

7 minutes ago, Spazamanaz said:

I just watched it on Youtube. I would definitely say that Anna is pregnant after seeing her in the video.  Either that or she has gained a lot of weight. 

That is my assessment as well.  Jessa didn't look good.  None of them did.  Ivy is cute.  She has the biggest peepers.

[ginger90]

Video clip:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNC2wPPLfAO/?hl=en

[Spazamanaz]

Just now, Natalie68 said:

That is my assessment as well.  Jessa didn't look good.  None of them did.  Ivy is cute.  She has the biggest peepers.

Yah Jessa looked wiped out. Actually, none of them look very healthy. They need to get outside and get some fresh air and exercise, not to mention healthy foods! I'm sure their diet of processed foods doesn't provide them with the proper nutrients.

[Natalie68]

1 minute ago, Spazamanaz said:

Yah Jessa looked wiped out. Actually, none of them look very healthy. They need to get outside and get some fresh air and exercise, not to mention healthy foods! I'm sure their diet of processed foods doesn't provide them with the proper nutrients.

They all looked gray and greasy.  Except for Michelle who used all the blush and highlighter to be had.  She looked greasy, blushed and highlighted.

[Spazamanaz]

Just now, Natalie68 said:

They all looked gray and greasy.  Except for Michelle who used all the blush and highlighter to be had.  She looked greasy, blushed and highlighted.

Agreed!  Michelle had a lot of make up on, her face was shiny and greasy. She looks awful. Very unhealthy looking. 

[farmgal4]

24 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

Video clip:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNC2wPPLfAO/?hl=en

Kendra looks like she’s ready to fall in the floor from exhaustion.

[Tikichick]

13 minutes ago, Spazamanaz said:

Agreed!  Michelle had a lot of make up on, her face was shiny and greasy. She looks awful. Very unhealthy looking. 

They all had the same makeup application in the talking heads.   It was heinous.   Somebody was plastering on the bronzer or blusher, and what looked like primer or something onto each one of them before the talking heads -- literally the same shade on Michelle, Jessa, Joy and Kendra, with a very heavy (and clueless) hand no less.

[Churchhoney]

25 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

Video clip:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNC2wPPLfAO/?hl=en

Couldn't stand to listen to this for more than a coupla seconds. But I see JB and M are back running the show. Lovely. I thought that wasn't supposed to happen. 

Who wants to see them ask the same canned, self-righteous questions over and over for a decade-plus and get the same canned answers....

I'm so sick of these guys' "struggles of conscience," which almost certainly stemmed from an unholy desire to masturbate or watch a Super Bowl halftime show.

As far as I can  see, it's the JB and M people who've made these perfectly natural feelings a "'struggle of conscience" rather than a biological need that there are many healthy ways to manage.

And if Bin hadn't had such a "struggle of conscience" he wouldn't already be long-enough married to their "hot girl" daughter for them to be heartily sick of each other and parents to three and a half kids already. 

How many people actually want to watch this nonsense, I wonder.

 

[Spazamanaz]

Abby always looks over and done with it. She seems quiet and shy, but I like to think that she thinks the family are a bunch of wackos.

[BitterApple]

I haven't had a chance to watch the entire episode, but just looked at that clip, and yikes. 

Jessa does not look well at all. I know she was in the early stages of pregnancy and probably nauseous, but she seems completely dead inside. Like she knows every choice she makes sinks her further into misery but she doesn't have the confidence to go against the grain.

Joe is so weirdly pasty and greasy. I'm super pale and have to cover myself in SPF 10,000 every day, but I don't look like I've spent the last six months trapped underground. Given that he putters around for Boob, you'd think he'd have some healthy color. 

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by BitterApple

[graefin]

1 hour ago, Spazamanaz said:

Agreed!  Michelle had a lot of make up on, her face was shiny and greasy. She looks awful. Very unhealthy looking. 

One of the Instagram comments: "Why is Michelle orange?"

If you look at her hands it's even more obvious--her palms look several shades lighter. Maybe she didn't want to let Jinger's leftover self tanner from the pre-Jeremy days go to waste? 

[Boston]

5 hours ago, Tikichick said:

It is clear there is nothing in the commandments about using and applying bronzer or blush, because there would be some smiting worthy offenses in this video.

Probably not the right quote.. sorry.. but we have to watch new stuff on YOUTUBE? or Discovery +?   I'm confused

43 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

I haven't had a chance to watch the entire episode, but just looked at that clip, and yikes. 

Jessa does not look well at all. I know she was in the early stages of pregnancy and probably nauseous, but she seems completely dead inside. Like she knows every choice she makes sinks her further into misery but she doesn't have the confidence to go against the grain.

Joe is so weirdly pasty and greasy. I'm super pale and have to cover myself in SPF 10,000 every day, but I don't look like I've spent the last six months trapped underground. Given that he putters around for Boob, you'd think he'd have some healthy color. 

 

Recent pics of Jessa - she does not look well, I agree.   

[Absolom]

2 hours ago, Boston said:

Probably not the right quote.. sorry.. but we have to watch new stuff on YOUTUBE? or Discovery +?   I'm confused

  3 hours ago, Bitte

https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/4041-the-duggars-in-the-media-and-tlc/page/239/?tab=comments#comment-6691797

I answered that up above.