The Duggars: In the Media and TLC

[CalicoKitty]

Did the famous robocall have something to do with this also?  Or was that another time?

 

[Salacious Kitty]

12 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

Did the famous robocall have something to do with this also?  Or was that another time?

 

The robocall was c.2014. It incensed the lesbian couple who in turn went to InTouch. 

[CalicoKitty]

Just now, Salacious Kitty said:

The robocall was c.2014. It incensed the lesbian couple who in turn went to InTouch. 

I thought there was another robocall about the liquor store, but maybe I remember wrong.  I do remember the other one which got In Touch involved.

[Salacious Kitty]

There could have been a robocall about the liquor store. I just remember them leaving their little baby, fighting for her life, to protest. 

As posted above, but bears repeating, priorities. 

[Notabug]

4 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

I thought there was another robocall about the liquor store, but maybe I remember wrong.  I do remember the other one which got In Touch involved.

I'm pretty sure the robocall that resulted in In Touch getting tipped off as to Josh' teenage activities was in reference to an anti-gay political campaign; something about men being able to sneak into women's restrooms in drag by falsely claiming to be trans women and molesting little girls or something equally stupid.

Edited June 20, 2023 by Notabug

[Salacious Kitty]

6 minutes ago, Notabug said:

I'm pretty sure the robocall that resulted in In Touch getting tipped off as to Josh' teenage activities was in reference to an anti-gay political campaign; something about men being able to sneak into women's restrooms in drag by falsely claiming to be trans women and molesting little girls or something equally stupid.

That's the robocall I was referring to. It's the only one I know of Meech doing.

[Zella]

I was at the U of A when she did the infamous robocall that led to the InTouch story. There was a guy in my department who got it, and he was so pissed. And everyone agreed with him, but we also were like "Wait you have a landline?" LOL It angered a lot of people in Fayetteville for sure. 

[Albanyguy]

7 hours ago, Zella said:

I was at the U of A when she did the infamous robocall that led to the InTouch story. There was a guy in my department who got it, and he was so pissed. And everyone agreed with him, but we also were like "Wait you have a landline?" LOL It angered a lot of people in Fayetteville for sure. 

I wonder if Michelle bitterly regrets making that robocall, since it inadvertently led to her family’s downfall, or if she’s too delusional to put two and two together.

[AgathaC]

47 minutes ago, Albanyguy said:

I wonder if Michelle bitterly regrets making that robocall, since it inadvertently led to her family’s downfall, or if she’s too delusional to put two and two together.

I doubt it. To them, it’s all Satan out to test/get them. I doubt they really understand the concept of responsibility and consequences.

[Zella]

3 hours ago, Albanyguy said:

I wonder if Michelle bitterly regrets making that robocall, since it inadvertently led to her family’s downfall, or if she’s too delusional to put two and two together.

That's a good question. She may privately regret it, but my guess is she doesn't and just sees this as evidence of persecution.  

[scriggle]

I'd take this report with a grain of salt:

Did Jim Bob Duggar Kick Josh’s Wife Anna Out of the Family Compound? Inside Their ‘Argument’

[Salacious Kitty]

14 minutes ago, scriggle said:

I'd take this report with a grain of salt:

Did Jim Bob Duggar Kick Josh’s Wife Anna Out of the Family Compound? Inside Their ‘Argument’

The article says she'd been living in the warehouse. I think that's incorrect. I believe they moved to the big house after FF went to jail. 

That said, I could see a blowup. Anna seems wound very tight, and there are persistent rumors that there was a blowout between her and Austin a couple of years ago. 

[sagittarius sue]

Rumors have really been circulating the past few days about Anna leaving the TTH, supposedly after a big blow-up with JB, possibly with the kids and moving to Texas.  There was a hypothesis that Anna remains firmly loyal to FF, and wasn't happy that JB and others don't appear quite so "loyal."  That could mean that they've accepted the fact that he was guilty which she'll never accept.  Who knows?

[LilJen]

On 6/14/2023 at 7:27 PM, sixlets said:

I found this little gem on YT yesterday in my recommended list.  It is soooo cringy and just filled with second-hand embarrassment for the young kids.  There is an explanation of each clip with trigger warnings, and the creator also added on-screen commentary in certain areas.  Truly shows how fucked up this family is...

All the classics in one place!  'Mother is bleeding' to 'Grandpa on Wheels'!

"a neck injury, or whatever" = JB on his child who fell into a pit and had blood on his face from knocking teeth out. And you can hear the smile in Michelle's voice with "needless to say, everyone was getting it on their cameras!"

Why was Jana holding Josie on a hard counter, on her back, with her head over the sink, during a seizure? She had seizures before, and they know NOTHING about how to keep someone safe during a seizure?

On 5/18/2023 at 4:29 PM, GeeGolly said:

I too had to Google sundown town. Uhm, oh my goodness.

There's a Google link to see them by state. There seem to be very many of them. Sometimes learning something new doesn't feel all that good.

Yep. I live in a town that was a sundown town. And still has few nonwhite people. In some ways, Indiana wishes it were part of the Confederate south. . . 

[merylinkid]

1 hour ago, sagittarius sue said:

Rumors have really been circulating the past few days about Anna leaving the TTH, supposedly after a big blow-up with JB, possibly with the kids and moving to Texas.  There was a hypothesis that Anna remains firmly loyal to FF, and wasn't happy that JB and others don't appear quite so "loyal."  That could mean that they've accepted the fact that he was guilty which she'll never accept.  Who knows?

I'll bet JB is drawing the line at how much FF is costing them.   We know he is cheap.   No more appeals, no more topping up the account so Anna can slobber over him for every second he is allowed.   

This would piss Anna off because how can she have more babies if FF stays in jail?   JB MUST get him out.   And in the meantime, she has to be a good wife and be with her husband as much as possible.

Or its all BS and Anna never moved into the Big House and tabs are discovering she is still in the warehouse.

[Salacious Kitty]

But I want to imagine JB and Anna at war! 🤪

I would like to know the state of her finances. She can't have that much left. Certainly not enough to live in her own and not work. 

[Westiepeach]

25 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

But I want to imagine JB and Anna at war! 🤪

I would like to know the state of her finances. She can't have that much left. Certainly not enough to live in her own and not work. 

Exactly. Where else would she go? It seems like she is 100% dependent on JB.

[Jeeves]

5 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I think Jill and Derick would do it in a heartbeat. Derick said as much a few years ago and I think that still stands.

I agree with @Jeeves, Jessa & Jed would be first in line. As would James, Justin, Claire and yes, Hilaria. Jeremiah would because he is forever competing with Jed.

I'm not sure if Jinger and Jeremy would. Doubtful because they would have to walk back much of what they've said and written.

I can see Jana, JD and Abbie giving it a go if only to maybe attract a man or two for Jana.

I'm on the fence about Joy. But she does put out regular YTs.

Of course JB would want back in with the young Duggar crew.

I think Josiah and Joe would opt out.

Bringing this over from the Jinger topic since we're talking about the entire family as possibly featuring in a new reality TV series.

I don't think that after SHP they can get away with just reprising the 19K&C "watch the mega-family in the big house" concept. Which continued through Counting On although they expanded the scope to follow the kidults' married lives. 

I don't know what angle or general story line they could take on a new series. For one thing, there are several minor kids left in the TTH - but nothing like the big numbers there were in JB's TV heyday. And would an audience be expected to be interested in Michelle's dulcet tones talking about how all those weird modesty clothing rules protect their kids from predators - after J'inmate's trial reminded the world her son was an in-house predator? After SHP would producers expect to just show JB hauling the family off to a 'conference' without disclosing whether it's IBLP or something else? TLC soft-pedaled the sh*t out of the IBLP/Gothard roles in their lives but do they really think they could do that again?

Would the concept be following each of the featured kidults' lives as married fundies living in Arkansas? Because none of them does anything particularly interesting. None of them have an extraordinary number of kids yet. Seems like a snorefest if the only thing that sets them apart from other young marrieds, is that they come from that big family that was on TV until their oldest brother was convicted of CSAM and is now in prison. 

Anna's brood is still the biggest, isn't it? I doubt she'd be up for her own "Prison Wife" type show. Which is too bad because that might be the only potential Duggarling show that wouldn't be as boring as watching paint dry.

[Fosca]

They still have that season that they scuttled after the J'Inmate arrest, right?  They could edit Josh out of that and call it "Duggars: Before the Fall" or some such crap.  Or just start rerunning the series again, framing it as "You've seen SHP--see how it all began!"  That would be the cheapest, since they don't pay residuals.  Not sure if they'd edit Pest out of that one; keeping him in might get more viewer and more controversy and thus even more viewers.  Maybe film some talking-heads with Jessa and Amy and any others champing at the bit to get back on TV to put where they cut Pest out, to update things and get even more interest.  

Edited July 14, 2023 by Fosca

[Salacious Kitty]

4 minutes ago, Fosca said:

They still have that season that they scuttled after the J'Inmate arrest, right?  They could edit Josh out of that and call it "Duggars: Before the Fall" or some such crap.  Or just start rerunning the series again, framing it as "You've seen SHP--see how it all began!"  That would be the cheapest, since they don't pay residuals.  Not sure if they'd edit Pest out of that one; keeping him in might get more viewer and more controversy and thus even more viewers.

No, the Lost Season is from 2015, after Ashley Madison forced cancellation of 19 Kids. Of course, they pretty much rolled on, with very little interruption, into the Counting On: Jill and Jessa episodes. 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Salacious Kitty

[Fosca]

Still, they could show it.  Were episodes of "Counting On" scuttled as well?  More free money.  

[Salacious Kitty]

8 minutes ago, Fosca said:

Still, they could show it.  Were episodes of "Counting On" scuttled as well?  More free money.  

It seems like TLC scuttled the 19 Kids season. Not sure if they had episodes of Counting On in the can when it was cancelled. 

[Future Cat Lady]

I think the only ones I could see getting a new series are Jill/Derrick and Jinger/Jeremy. And that's simply because they've left IBLP.

However, I don't know if Derrick would be allowed to do it with his job.

Edited July 14, 2023 by Future Cat Lady

[AstridM]

9 minutes ago, Future Cat Lady said:

I think the only ones I could see getting a new series are Jill/Derrick and Jinger/Jeremy. And that's simply because they've left IBLP.

However, I don't know if Derrick would be allowed to do it with his job.

And McArthur would be pulling most of the strings if Jinjer agreed to it. 

[GeeGolly]

50 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

Bringing this over from the Jinger topic since we're talking about the entire family as possibly featuring in a new reality TV series.

I don't think that after SHP they can get away with just reprising the 19K&C "watch the mega-family in the big house" concept. Which continued through Counting On although they expanded the scope to follow the kidults' married lives. 

I don't know what angle or general story line they could take on a new series. For one thing, there are several minor kids left in the TTH - but nothing like the big numbers there were in JB's TV heyday. And would an audience be expected to be interested in Michelle's dulcet tones talking about how all those weird modesty clothing rules protect their kids from predators - after J'inmate's trial reminded the world her son was an in-house predator? After SHP would producers expect to just show JB hauling the family off to a 'conference' without disclosing whether it's IBLP or something else? TLC soft-pedaled the sh*t out of the IBLP/Gothard roles in their lives but do they really think they could do that again?

Would the concept be following each of the featured kidults' lives as married fundies living in Arkansas? Because none of them does anything particularly interesting. None of them have an extraordinary number of kids yet. Seems like a snorefest if the only thing that sets them apart from other young marrieds, is that they come from that big family that was on TV until their oldest brother was convicted of CSAM and is now in prison. 

Anna's brood is still the biggest, isn't it? I doubt she'd be up for her own "Prison Wife" type show. Which is too bad because that might be the only potential Duggarling show that wouldn't be as boring as watching paint dry.

I agree. I didn't mean to imply a new show is likely to happen. I was just sharing my opinion to who would be onboard.

TLC might get away with a piecemeal type of, Catching Up With the Duggars, but I'm sure they're are plenty of other families out there who would jump at the chance to be exploited by film a reality show.

Of course a special about the Dillards or the Vuolos would likely be a hit.

[Jeeves]

47 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I agree. I didn't mean to imply a new show is likely to happen. I was just sharing my opinion to who would be onboard.

TLC might get away with a piecemeal type of, Catching Up With the Duggars, but I'm sure they're are plenty of other families out there who would jump at the chance to be exploited by film a reality show.

Of course a special about the Dillards or the Vuolos would likely be a hit.

Oh, I didn't take your post as implying a new show is likely.  It's just been fun, in a strange way, to speculate. 

ETA: Ever since I posted above, I've been amusing myself by working on titles of the most interesting possible Duggar sequel. 

"Anna: Love in Lockup"

"Anna: Counting Down the Years"

"Anna: A Very Special Prison Ministry Episode"

Edited July 14, 2023 by Jeeves

[GeeGolly]

Anna: The Rest of the Story 🤣

[Jeeves]

20 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Anna: The Rest of the Story 🤣

WE HAVE A WINNAH!!  🌟  🌟  🌟  🌟

[GeeGolly]

Just read an article about a new TikTok trend - Tradwives. It sounds scarily like Fundyism. 

TLC could do a Duggar Tradwives show. 🙃🙃😉🤣

[Jeeves]

4 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

No, the Lost Season is from 2015, after Ashley Madison forced cancellation of 19 Kids. Of course, they pretty much rolled on, with very little interruption, into the Counting On: Jill and Jessa episodes. 

 

4 hours ago, Fosca said:

Still, they could show it.  Were episodes of "Counting On" scuttled as well?  More free money.  

They won't show any episodes, old or new, "lost" or not, in which J'inmate appears.

After the scandals in 2015, all the early Duggar specials and the seasons of "X Kids & Counting" were pulled off the air. They all featured J'inmate as the oldest son, and the disclosure of his past molestations tainted those episodes forever more.

I commented at the time that the bean counters at TLC must have been deeply disappointed by TLC's inability to show those old episodes ad infinitum in repeats. Because they're basically cost-free sources of ad revenues. As I understand it, once TLC buys those reality shows, they own them outright. They can put those repeats on their schedule without paying any more fees to the production company. Also, persons who appear in reality shows don't get residuals like actors do for scripted shows. They've received an appearance fee, and that's all they ever get no matter if their episodes are repeated on the network schedule for decades. 

For the network, then, running repeats of old reality show episodes must be a solid ad revenue generator. They don't even need to be expensive ads since the show production costs are zero. 

Counting On of course didn't feature J'inmate although it did feature Anna and the Ms. As that version of the Duggar show progressed, we saw more and more of J'inmate's proud parents even though the show was allegedly about the older daughters as they married and pumped out babeez. 

[CalicoKitty]

Maybe they can air the unshown last season of the Bateses.  That could bring some entertaining discussions. RE: IBLP.

[Salacious Kitty]

1 minute ago, CalicoKitty said:

Maybe they can air the unshown last season of the Bateses.  That could bring some entertaining discussions. RE: IBLP.

The Bates' lost season can be seen on Tubi. There are 6 boring episodes. 

[CalicoKitty]

4 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

The Bates' lost season can be seen on Tubi. There are 6 boring episodes. 

They were never very exciting.  I think the season should remain "lost".

[Salacious Kitty]

3 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

They were never very exciting.  I think the season should remain "lost".

I only made it halfway through the second episode before throwing in the towel. 😃

[Jynnan tonnix]

29 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I only made it halfway through the second episode before throwing in the towel. 😃

I so read this as "throwing up in the towel", which struck me as a bit of an odd reaction, but probably apt enough! 

[Absolom]

49 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

Maybe they can air the unshown last season of the Bateses.  That could bring some entertaining discussions. RE: IBLP.

That season belongs to a different network so it wouldn't be no cost to TLC.  They'd have to pay UP a licensing fee which wouldn't really make sense since most people who care have already watched on Tubi most likely.  

[quarks]

1 hour ago, Jeeves said:

 

Also, persons who appear in reality shows don't get residuals like actors do for scripted shows. They've received an appearance fee, and that's all they ever get no matter if their episodes are repeated on the network schedule for decades. 

For the network, then, running repeats of old reality show episodes must be a solid ad revenue generator. They don't even need to be expensive ads since the show production costs are zero. 

 

Just noting that a very large reason for the current strikes is that the majority of creatives are no longer receiving anything beyond token residuals. To give just one example (of many), one of my residual checks this year was for a grand total of $.07. That isn't a typo. 

The networks and studios claim that this is happening because of the viewing shift to streaming, and because they are losing money on streaming, since - according to them, not me -  the costs of hosting the show on a streaming service outweigh any incoming revenue from ads or subscribers. Without knowing the details of those hosting costs I can only say that I'm deeply, deeply skeptical.

I can, however, say that according to widely quoted sources/recent talks, most streaming services typically charge $3 to $30 per 1000 impressions for a 30 second ad.  Which suggests that the ad revenue for any given ad streaming during an episode of Counting On would max out at around $15,000 (assuming $30 per impression at 500,000 impressions), and probably something more like $1500.

As per Google, TLC apparently is now charging around $10 to $200 for a 30 second local ad and around $600 to $5000 for a 30 second national ad. 

 

[Jeeves]

Thanks for the info, @quarks, on the biz side of things. Sad about the residuals, and no wonder there's a strike.

I was mainly posting to note that J'inmate's presence has rendered a sh*t ton of Duggar episodes unfit for repeat showings. I appreciate the update on the state of the industry. 

[Albanyguy]

12 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

The Bates' lost season can be seen on Tubi. There are 6 boring episodes. 

I have no interest at all in seeing these episodes (in fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one full episode of BUB), but I would be very interested in hearing why the show was yanked off the air so abruptly. There’s a story there, but I doubt if we’ll ever hear it.

[GeeGolly]

19 minutes ago, Albanyguy said:

I have no interest at all in seeing these episodes (in fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one full episode of BUB), but I would be very interested in hearing why the show was yanked off the air so abruptly. There’s a story there, but I doubt if we’ll ever hear it.

I'm fairly confident the making of SHP is why BUB pulled the show. The timing of the cancellation lines up with when Fundies and former Fundies were being contacted to be interviewed and asked to appear on the show.

As it turns out they could have aired the last season in 2022 because SHP was aired this year.

Edited July 15, 2023 by GeeGolly

[merylinkid]

10 hours ago, quarks said:

The networks and studios claim that this is happening because of the viewing shift to streaming, and because they are losing money on streaming, since - according to them, not me -  the costs of hosting the show on a streaming service outweigh any incoming revenue from ads or subscribers. Without knowing the details of those hosting costs I can only say that I'm deeply, deeply skeptical.

they pulled the same crap when dvds were starting -- oh this is new technology we have no idea what is going to happen, take a tiny amount while we figure it out.   Next contract -- stay with that tiny amount, its all we can afford.

Streaming was a concern back in the 2008 Writer's Strike, so hello, you've had 15 years to figure it out studios.

Now back on topic:

No way a show can feature Anna.   Not with what her husband is in jail for.  if it were bitcoin fraud or plain old tax fraud maybe they could pull it off.   What he is in for?   No.

Same with literally anybody else in the family.   How do you do a show about Jill and Derrick without everyone remembering she is one of FF's first victims?   Or even without any questions about her brother -- the inmate.   

I think even if it WERE possible to work around this Shiny Happy People killed any possibility of reviving any show with these people.   Even for the ones who left.   Because you can't get past what they were once part of and that shaped a lot of who they still are.   MAYBE if someone had a complete break and weren't practicing any religion, then you could explore how they left and how they are doing since they left.   But there are many other people out there with the same story who would be a lot more interesting.   

The Duggars as tv celebrities is over.   For good.

[Absolom]

10 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

The Duggars as tv celebrities is over.   For good.

And this is a very, very good thing.  Their religious beliefs, lifestyle, and practices do not ever need any promotion whatsoever. 

[Jeeves]

22 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

The Duggars as tv celebrities is over.   For good.

I can only hope and pray this is true!

I've happy danced at the idea that SHP was the final kick that closed the doors on any future TV shows for them. 

10 minutes ago, Absolom said:

And this is a very, very good thing.  Their religious beliefs, lifestyle, and practices do not ever need any promotion whatsoever. 

Amen!

And, as the cherry on top of this, is the fact that when JB made lump sum payouts to some of the kids (per Jill on SHP, she didn't specifically say who but I suppose it's pretty much the kidults), his condition was that they sign a "forever" contract with his production company, Mad Family, Inc. (Jill made it clear she signed no such deal.)

Based on what we saw in SHP, I think that's probably an exclusive representation deal for any entertainment shows or appearances. Meaning that no Duggar who signed that, can appear on a TV show unless Mad Family is in the deal, and I assume getting a cut (if not all) of the $$. But without a future on TV for any Duggars, that's gonna bring in zero dollars. JB's most lucrative revenue stream has done dried up. Couldn't happen to a better arsewipe.

[quarks]

30 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

Thanks for the info, @quarks, on the biz side of things. Sad about the residuals, and no wonder there's a strike.

I was mainly posting to note that J'inmate's presence has rendered a sh*t ton of Duggar episodes unfit for repeat showings. I appreciate the update on the state of the industry. 

(nods).  Yeah. I mostly wanted to note that the "will we have to pay residuals" is much less of an issue/question if you aren't paying residuals.

But yes, I agree that things are not dire enough for TLC to start releasing episodes of 19 Kids and Counting.  

Counting On, maybe.

1 hour ago, merylinkid said:

No way a show can feature Anna.   Not with what her husband is in jail for.  if it were bitcoin fraud or plain old tax fraud maybe they could pull it off.   What he is in for?   No.

Same with literally anybody else in the family.   How do you do a show about Jill and Derrick without everyone remembering she is one of FF's first victims?   Or even without any questions about her brother -- the inmate.   

I think even if it WERE possible to work around this Shiny Happy People killed any possibility of reviving any show with these people.   Even for the ones who left.   Because you can't get past what they were once part of and that shaped a lot of who they still are.   MAYBE if someone had a complete break and weren't practicing any religion, then you could explore how they left and how they are doing since they left.   But there are many other people out there with the same story who would be a lot more interesting.   

The Duggars as tv celebrities is over.   For good.

 

This is perhaps one of the clearest examples I've ever seen of the differences between Normal Thinking and Hollywood Thinking.

Normal Thinking: Did you see how many people watched Shiny Happy People? The Duggars as tv celebrities is over. For good. Anna Duggar will never be on TV again.

Hollywood Thinking: Did you see how many people watched Shiny Happy People?  And OMG, the Duggars are hits AND non-union? When can we start filming? Can we get Anna Duggar?

Look, can Counting On or something similar be revived? Probably not. But can a different type of show featuring one or more Duggarlings get picked up by a network/studio? Given the current environment and the success of Shiny Happy People, sure! I can think of at least three different approaches off the top of my head, and I'm sure there's others that I'm not thinking about.  (Probably not featuring Anna Duggar.)

And for what it's worth, a colleague just confirmed this morning that PBS now wants a pitch session for a potential non-union docu project/series initially pitched with a full treatment back in September. No interest then; major interest now. (Though since PBS typically contracts with SAG-AFTRA actors for voiceover work on non-union docu projects, I'm not sure how this will work.)

I also want to touch on this:

Quote

But there are many other people out there with the same story who would be a lot more interesting.

Oh, absolutely. I don't think any of the Duggars/Duggarlings/adjacents are particularly interesting/charismatic as individuals, or, as individuals, doing anything particularly interesting. But as a circus freak show/true crime group, they have already proven that they can and do attract interest. As said, the recent documentary was an Amazon success; Jinger is technically a New York Times bestseller, and Jill is pulling in plenty of pre-sales. Even Jed! and Katey are managing to garner over 100,000 views for their YouTube vids. And in my experience, that's the sort of thing Hollywood executives are interested in.

[quarks]

6 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Based on what we saw in SHP, I think that's probably an exclusive representation deal for any entertainment shows or appearances. Meaning that no Duggar who signed that, can appear on a TV show unless Mad Family is in the deal, and I assume getting a cut (if not all) of the $$. But without a future on TV for any Duggars, that's gonna bring in zero dollars. JB's most lucrative revenue stream has done dried up. Couldn't happen to a better arsewipe.

I haven't seen the contract, of course, but from my understanding Mad Family works as a production company, not a management company, right? In which case the contract was presumably for exclusivity for 19 and Counting and Counting On, not for a lifetime representation deal?

In any case, if this was for a lifetime representation deal, it's already been broken by Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Jed! and James, so....JB may have realized that it's not very enforceable. 

[Jeeves]

@quarks, as I said, I was speculating myself. I appreciate your info and perspective. This would be the contract - or contracts - Jill mentioned in SHP. She for sure didn't sign one. And we haven't seen this contract or contracts.

Jill said that - from the context it was after she and Derick had pried her back pay out of JB's hands - JB decided to make payouts to the other kids. I assume she meant those aged 18+. But, she said, the payouts were made on the condition that the recipient sign a contract with Mad Family Inc, and she added, with obvious disapproval, that the contracts were "like, forever."

I doubt that Jinger would have signed one of those given that Jeremy was apparently wise enough to the ways of the world that when he showed up he got separate deals with TLC for both of them. 

I thought the Mad Family contracts might have. been for representation given the wording I saw in some screenshots of older contracts in SHP, but as you said, MF is referred to as a production company. 

I agree that a lifetime representation deal is sus under contract law. Jill's calling it "forever" may mean it's for a long term, but JB's lawyers were probably canny enough to write it for a term of years that wouldn't be tossed out of court.

I'm not familiar with the TV/entertainment biz. If a Duggar kidult signed some kind of exclusive deal with Mad Family, Inc., a production company, and TLC approached them saying we would like to have you appear on our channel in a new series, what would happen? Would the Duggar kidult have to say, well I'm under an exclusive TV production contract with Mad Family so you will have to deal with them?

Sorry if I messed up the discussion by wandering off and talking about "representation" contracts. 🤣

[Absolom]

I'm curious about the contracts, too.  Mad Family wasn't actually a production company.  Figure 8 was the real production company.  Given some of the attorneys JB has hired, I rather expect a real entertainment attorney would tear it apart.  If Travis Storey did it, it's probably at least half worthless.  

[satrunrose]

Yeah, the only lawyers that JB has ever hired that seemed to be halfway competent were the ones for J'Inmate and even they made some pretty half-assed arguments. 

 

In other news, I wouldn't be surprised if TLC saw some dollar signs after SHP, but they really are in a bit of a bind. They can't go back to a full on show on how quaint the Duggars are, but I don't think any of the Duggarlings (including Jill and Jinger) have broken away enough to do a Breaking Duggar/90 Day Fiancé screaming match. Maybe something like the Little People Big World specials with that weird combination of Happy Families! / We are slowly imploding. 

I would still watch the hell out of a Duggar expose that asked tough questions/got the grandkids tested to see if they're actually at grade level/ asked the kidults what they plan to do in the future when the payout runs dry (I'm assuming we're not talking "never have to work at all" money here). 

[Jeeves]

10 hours ago, Absolom said:

I'm curious about the contracts, too.  Mad Family wasn't actually a production company.  Figure 8 was the real production company.  Given some of the attorneys JB has hired, I rather expect a real entertainment attorney would tear it apart.  If Travis Storey did it, it's probably at least half worthless.  

Okay. I found a couple of screenshots from SHP. It appears that Mad Family, Inc. was the entity that provided the personal services of the "talent" for the show. So a few posts back, when I referred to Mad Family's new contract(s) with the Duggar kidults with the term "representation," I wasn't far wrong. (We haven't seen those new contracts; we've only heard about them from Jill on SHP.)

Obviously I haven't seen the entire package of the contract documents, only the bits shown on SHP. But these sections show why, when Jill and Derick asked for compensation for their out of pocket expenses for Izzy's birth, they were told "You've been paid what you're entitled to. We paid the family. You need to talk to your dad." Because Mad Family, Inc. provided the "talent" for the show and in return, the show paid Mad Family, Inc. 

Maybe the family just calls Mad Family, Inc. a "production company" although as you said, the actual production company was Figure 8. Mad Family was in the deal under a Talent Agreement, as the "lender" of the talent - and the entity that received the talent fees. 

Here are the screenshots. At the date of the agreement (April 21, 2014), Jinger was still unmarried. We've heard that later on when Jeremy showed up and married her, he didn't pile into the Mad Family package, but instead the Vuolos made their own deal with TLC. That wouldn't be reflected in these documents. Just saying.

 

I notice that in the first para of the exhibit that appears to be some kind of letter, the parties agree that "any future children born to" JB and Meech shall be added to the named talent as of their dates of birth. Josie was already four years old in April 2014, but I assume they had that clause in the deal from years past and didn't take it out because hope springs eternal. Or something.

[lookeyloo]

I might watch some kind of reboot but only as snark fodder knowing it is all sanitized and curated for public consumption and crap goes on in their real lives.