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The Duggars: In the Media and TLC

Null 302

By Null 302
in Counting On

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As a reminder, the site's Politics Policy remains in effect.  Yes, Jim Bob is apparently running for office again. That does not make it an acceptable topic of conversation in here - unless for some mysterious reason, TLC brings the show back and it is discussed on there. Even then, it would be limited to how it was discussed on the show.

If you have any questions, please PM the mods, @SCARLETT45 and myself.

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cmr2014
cmr2014

I was thinking about this and the idea that the girls weren't "harmed" and weren't "damaged goods" which led me to realize that ALL of the Duggar children are "damaged goods" and I think that's becomi

Churchhoney
Churchhoney

They put themselves on tv and have proclaimed over and over and over and over again that their way of life is the way to ensure that your children are totally safe from every evil of the world, and in

WhitneyWhit
WhitneyWhit

I don't know where to post this but I fucking met Michelle Duggar. Let me set the scene. So my cousin is getting married and we were at a shop looking at dresses here in Kentucky when the Duggars marc

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NextIteration

NextIteration

Howie Kurtz? Howie Kurtz is the guy who wrote in the Washington Post that he didn't out Newt Gingrich's affair with his current wife until after the impeachment was over even though "everyone knew" because he didn't see how it was relevant. Howie Kurtz has An Agenda.

 

::hides head in shame:: I didn't know!  Anyways, the ridiculousness of referring to this mess as allegations after it was all confirmed and ahem, apologized for and admitted to.

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Hpmec

Hpmec

Santorum is aware of the negative response to Huckabee's comments and understands that the general public is outraged over Josh's actions and sympathetic toward the girls. As a Catholic, he doesn't subscribe to the belief that the victims are in any way responsible for the molestation, so I would expect some genuine disgust on his part. Not a fan of Santorum's politics and I think he's delusional if he thinks he can win the Presidency, but at least his comments are on target.

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GEML

GEML

He also would like to gain any Iowa "value voters" who may have been thinking of supporting Huckabee but might reconsider in wake of the revelations. Not many voters, but in Iowa, a few makes a difference. And he's thinking, "When you were friendless, Duggars, I took you in. But you betrayed me. See what you get?" (See what you get? is classic Pittsburgh.)

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kassygreene

kassygreene

I would not be surprised if that crisis management firm (which apparently has the "correct" faith-basis for organizations like the Duggars) made that statement in part to serve notice that they aren't just a pliant mouthpiece.  I would speculate that in the exploratory/interview-y type meetings that are the can-we-do-business-together getting acquainted sessions there can be pressure to perform to the potential client's wishes, and I would further speculate that in such a general case the client could try to put on the pressure with threats of black-balling...  I am speculating that there are clients of that ilk any where - I live in a tourist town, and I've been in line behind good ol' bully boys many times.  Therefore I speculate that this firm may be doing some sort of pre-emptive pushback in the event any such speculative action had been threatened.

 

What is not speculation is that I am reasonably impressed with Santorum's response.  His politics are (from my political standpoint) low-quality fertilizer, and his maintaining an "official" residence in Pennsylvania while Senator at a house without furniture, while raising his family in Northern VIrginia, is typically conservative-hypocrite, he also is they guy who suspended campaigning when his child was so ill...  

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questionfear

questionfear

Yeah, but if they had backed Santorum over Huckabee over Santorum, the exact same scenario would be playing out only people would be saying "I can't believe I'm standing up for Mike Huckabee, but you figure he KNOWS them from way back." Blah blah blah. Santorum is making a political play.

 

I agree!

 

That, and if Santorum DID defend them, he's opening his devout Catholic self up to a lot of questions about Catholic priests, and he doesn't want that dogging his early campaign. He's had enough issues with people making fun of him going viral. :)

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galax-arena

galax-arena

Yeah, but if they had backed Santorum over Huckabee over Santorum, the exact same scenario would be playing out only people would be saying "I can't believe I'm standing up for Mike Huckabee, but you figure he KNOWS them from way back." Blah blah blah. Santorum is making a political play.

Well, yes, obviously, which is why I'm not giving Santorum much if any credit for his response as some indication that he's a decent, upright man. Dude's still awful as far as I'm concerned, political play or not. 

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Wellfleet

Wellfleet

Quote from the AdWeek article:

 

TLC has a history of ignoring the many red flags surrounding the Duggar family, but the network canceled Here Comes Honey Boo last October after yet another child molestation controversy. "Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority," the network said at the time. "TLC is faithfully committed to the children's ongoing comfort and well being."

 

Someone needs to show this quote to TLC now - and ask why the Duggar children apparently did not deserve the same immediate response.

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ariel

ariel

Unlike Huckabee, Rick Santorum isn't coming to their defense. I was very happy to see him speak out against them on Good Morning America. George asked him about the Duggar scandal, and Santorum called it "sickening" and said his prayers and thoughts are with those poor girls, the victims.

One has to wonder if Santorum said that because the Duggars are no longer campaigning for him. Before the scandal broke, they were supporting Huckabee for president.

Skittl1321

Skittl1321

(edited)

Oh, come on. If the Duggars had been supporting Santorum, he would now be supporting them. They backed Huckabee, so he has ZERO reason to back them. It's all a big game. Trust me.

I don't know.  I can see how he may have made the same statement. He is supporting the Duggars- the Duggar GIRLS.

 

As a Catholic, I think he has probably seen how public opinion can sway when you support a child molester.  I think he'd rather lose the Duggar support than be seen soft on that issue. Especially since it is already difficult for a Catholic to get the conservative Christian vote.

 

 

(Edit to add: I'm not saying the statement isn't politically motivated. If it wasn't he would have just not said anything at all.  I'm just saying that I don't think it has to do with who the Duggars are campaigning for.)

Edited by Skittl1321
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galax-arena

galax-arena

(edited)
As a Catholic, I think he has probably seen how public opinion can sway when you support a child molester.  I think he'd rather lose the Duggar support than be seen soft on that issue. Especially since it is already difficult for a Catholic to get the conservative Christian vote.

I think I'm just generally cynical about politicians when it comes to hot button issues like this. Most of them will only take a public stand (or not) after doing a careful cost/benefit analysis to see how it will look with their constituents. Their own personal convictions are an afterthought, if it factors at all. So if someone like Santorum says something against the Duggars, I feel like it has less to do with his personal disgust against child abuse and more to do with his being able to see which way the wind is blowing. Since the Duggars aren't even supporting him anymore, and they're a sinking ship, it costs him practically nothing to cast them aside.

 

(This doesn't apply only to Republicans, but Democrats as well IMO.)

Edited by galax-arena
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Pete Martell

Pete Martell

Unlike Huckabee, Rick Santorum isn't coming to their defense. I was very happy to see him speak out against them on Good Morning America. George asked him about the Duggar scandal, and Santorum called it "sickening" and said his prayers and thoughts are with those poor girls, the victims. 

 

Santorum has always horrified me as a person and I'm glad he will never have any real access to power, but he is pretty genuine in his beliefs. Huckabee is and always has been, in my opinion, a charlatan and an opportunist (for many, many reasons beyond the Duggars). 

Julia

Julia

Santorum has always horrified me as a person and I'm glad he will never have any real access to power, but he is pretty genuine in his beliefs. Huckabee is and always has been, in my opinion, a charlatan and an opportunist (for many, many reasons beyond the Duggars).

Santorum has been known to be pretty flexible about his beliefs, but I believe this disgusts him.

Bean421

Bean421

 

The way she talks about her experiences is haunting. I'd like to believe that if one of the kids did choose not to follow ATI that Deanna and Amy would support them so they wouldn't be fumbling around in the dark.

RowdyCam

RowdyCam

After twenty years in DC, I'm sorry, but that Santorum would be talking about the Duggars on the day he announced he's running for President? Not the economy. Not education. Not even his favorite subject of abortion. The Duggars. That's a power play against Huckabee. Nothing else.

 

 

Santorum didn't really have a choice. He was on GMA kicking off his presidential campaign and George asked him a direct question about the Duggars.

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JoanArc

JoanArc

The way she talks about her experiences is haunting. I'd like to believe that if one of the kids did choose not to follow ATI that Deanna and Amy would support them so they wouldn't be fumbling around in the dark.

The ATI wife with breast cancer, who didn't get it treated, so she could escape abuse and pregnancy, was heartbreaking.

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Missy Vixen

Missy Vixen

So, it's like this. It's been a week. There has been no cancellation. TLC is signaling via trial balloons (there have been several in the past 24 hours in entertainment media) that they are planning to either resurrect 19KAC when the heat dies down, or planning a "spinoff" with Jill, Jessa and anyone else that's not Jim Boob, J-Chelle or Smuggar. If 19KAC is truly only .5% of their profits as has been reported, why are they trying so hard to hang onto it despite overwhelming public disapproval?

 

I thought the Washington Post article linked to on Smuggar's thread was a laugh and a half. All the insistence by network executives that there is TOO "vetting" and they can't "catch everything" -- really? They have a personality on a reality TV show straight-up admitting that he molested five young girls, four of which are his own sisters, and they STILL won't cancel the show! What's it going to take? Has anyone at that network considered what will happen when the other shoe drops -- and we're all waiting for that shoe to drop. The mods have requested that we all stop speculating, so I'll abide by their rules. I do wonder, however -- are they as clueless and as obtuse as Jim Boob and J-Chelle? Wouldn't it be more cost-effective to pay the Duggars for the season that's already been filmed and cut the ties?

 

What exactly are they expecting from their "spinoff" show? Here's a great question. Will they help more of the J-slaves move out of the house and start a different life? If not, it's like rubbernecking at the scene of a car wreck -- how do they think their spinoff will do anything but cause additional grief for young women who might want to be left alone right now?

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Sunnybobs

Sunnybobs

What staggers me is the total shut down of their social media & responses by all of them. I understand Jim Bob keeping himself & the minor children silent but the dillards, Seewalds etc. how much control does he have over them all - it's scary. And I don't mean to just respond to this crisis but just total radio silence - no pregnacy updates, baby pictures etc. Is that the way to go to get the story to drop or not I just dont know but they really have circled the wagons and inlaws with then haven't they?!

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Cherrio

Cherrio

I think a spinoff with the Dillards and the Seewalds is a bad idea. I think that Jill got more and more annoying every week starting when she got engaged. Who wants to listen to her talk over Derrick every week? I don't. I like Jessa, but I don't think that either her or Ben are the brightest crayons in the box. Once the baby is born, what are they going to talk about? As others have said, I think there will be a huge viewership for the first episode, then ratings will proceed to plummet every week after. I think TLC should just end it. It's over for the Duggars.

What are people going to listen to for an hour?    "So, yeah"?       That is all Jill knows how to say.   Besides, I got a they are not getting along too well vibe from them.

                 I agree that the show will end after one episode anyway.     So, yeah.

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dillpickles

dillpickles

(edited)

What staggers me is the total shut down of their social media & responses by all of them. I understand Jim Bob keeping himself & the minor children silent but the dillards, Seewalds etc. how much control does he have over them all - it's scary. And I don't mean to just respond to this crisis but just total radio silence - no pregnacy updates, baby pictures etc. Is that the way to go to get the story to drop or not I just dont know but they really have circled the wagons and inlaws with then haven't they?!

I have an idea of whats going on y'all. Jim Boob is screaming at some TLC lawyer, MEchelle is off somewhere, probably screaming at the lawyers too, all the kids are in another room running barefoot or something. The older girls are taking turns screaming in the prayer closet and taking jabs at Josh, who's trying to eat away all of his pain.

Anna might be trying to round up the M kids so she doesn't get them confused with the duggar spwan. Maybe while she talks to her daddy on her iPhone 6 plus.

John David flew the coop via duggar aviation, and maybe Jana is with him. No one will notice until there's no one to feed Josie.

Edited by dillpickles
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GEML

GEML

I figure it's actually much calmer than that. I think they are genuinely scared. They are people who see the world as a scary place and do everything in their power to control every aspect of it. They break everything down to simple black/white thinking to do that, and this shattered their world once, and now is going to do it again.

I bet everyone is huddled in their rooms and there's a lot of whispering going on. There is a LOT of crying. Because let's face it - if any of them actually start talking, they might not stop.

Jim Bob is meeting with lawyers and PR people and he's looking for a way out - how it all goes back to what it was - and he's not finding it. And while people are rallying, there's a little voice in his head that's saying "you deserve this." Because you don't go into Fundamentalism without that voice, and you certainly don't leave without it.

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Sew Sumi

Sew Sumi

What staggers me is the total shut down of their social media & responses by all of them. I understand Jim Bob keeping himself & the minor children silent but the dillards, Seewalds etc. how much control does he have over them all - it's scary. And I don't mean to just respond to this crisis but just total radio silence - no pregnacy updates, baby pictures etc. Is that the way to go to get the story to drop or not I just dont know but they really have circled the wagons and inlaws with then haven't they?!

I can see Benessa being silent; JB and the Show are their sole support (People covers are ancillary benefits of said Show). Jill gets a McMansion for free. Does she really want to give that up in order to speak out? Their silence confirms to me that this spinoff might be a real thing, but that effectively keeps them IN the Duggar fold, not the other way around. And sadly, I imagine anytime they visit the TTH, even if the dispicable parents and brother aren't filmed, JB will somehow get a cut of the action. He's not going gently into this good night. 

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3 is enough

3 is enough

So if Jim Bob, Michelle, and Josh do decide to do some sort of a "here's our side of the story" interview with Diane Sawyer, Meredith Viera, or some other credible journalist, would they get paid for it?  Would the network say, here's your chance to tell your side of the story, but you get nothing, or would they actually pay for the interview?  I'm sure that when victims offer to share their experiences they do get some sort of compensation (the women who were held hostage in Cleveland, or Elizabeth Smart, for example), but I am not sure whether the perpetrators of these vile acts get compensated.

 

Not that I believe it will ever happen.  Jim Bob has shown, by refusing to work with the crisis management team on their terms, that he will never relinquish control. And it is very telling that even in the midst of the worst crisis his family has ever faced (even Josie and Jubilee pale in comparison), he clings to his cheapskate ways by refusing to pay the minimum amount set by the crisis management professionals.

 

Obviously, if one of the kids, including Josh, decided to do a tell-all book, there would be compensation, and lots of it.  But I am not sure how an interview scenario would play out.

  • Love 1
doodlebug

doodlebug

(edited)

So if Jim Bob, Michelle, and Josh do decide to do some sort of a "here's our side of the story" interview with Diane Sawyer, Meredith Viera, or some other credible journalist, would they get paid for it?

I don't think Jim Bob belches without expecting a check.  However, I don't see how they could possibly do an interview with a legitimate reporter at this point.  No way does Diane or Meredith give them control over the questions or any editorial control.  And there's no way a legitimate reporter interviews them without delving into the misogyny and victim blaming of Gothardites as well as their weird and repressive attitudes towards sexuality.  They'd also be expected to provide specifics of what exactly Josh did for punishment and what exactly were the qualifications of the 'counsellor' who worked with Josh and the victims.  The horse is out of the barn already, there is no way Jim Bob, Michelle or Josh can give an interview and avoid answering some very pointed questions about issues they don't want to talk about because they know their beliefs would not help them with the mainstream public.

 

The US Magazine issue coming out now has a small pic on the cover and a story inside.  It lays out the victim-blaming and patriarchal views of the Duggars as well as specifically mentions that they are followers of Gothard, who resigned after sexually harassing dozens of young women.  US is not exactly hardhitting journalism; so if they're telling the truth about the Duggars and their sick beliefs, there is no safe haven for them to continue to ignore the ugly side and remain in the public eye.  Letting the mainstream populace know just how twisted their so-called 'faith' is is not going to win them sympathy..

 

As for the girls, they were all minors when they were molested and, although we know who they are, thanks to the piss-poor job of redaction from the police department; legit media outlets are still not using their names or even mentioning that the sisters were the main victims.  However, if one or more of the girls publicly states she was a victim, then all pretense of privacy is gone; her name will be out in the media fore everyone to see.  They're not going to out themselves, IMO, if only because, if they are to have any hope of continuing on TLC, they cannot be ID'd by name in the mainstream media. If they admit it to the press, then TLC is going to have to address it on any show they do, opening up a whole 'nother can of worms.  TLC doesn't want a show about incest and the molestation of young girls which is what will happen if one or more of the girls steps forward.

Edited by doodlebug
  • Love 13
Bella

Bella

They're not going to out themselves, IMO, if only because, if they are to have any hope of continuing on TLC, they cannot be ID'd by name in the mainstream media. If they admit it to the press, then TLC is going to have to address it on any show they do, opening up a whole 'nother can of worms.  TLC doesn't want a show about incest and the molestation of young girls which is what will happen if one or more of the girls steps forward.

 

Then TLC may as well close it down right this very minute. I mean, really, what's the point of continuing this Kabuki theater? Oh, yeah, money, but it's too late.

 

Everyone I have mentioned the Duggars to has said something like "oh, no - that big religious family where the brother molested his sisters?" How do they know it's his sisters? I'm not sure, but it seems to be common knowledge in suburban DC. Granted, this is not a statistically significant sample, but really? Talk about trying to put toothpaste back into the tube: this toothpaste is not only out of the tube, it has been put on the toothbrush, applied to teeth, rinsed out, and spat down the drain.

 

I am weirdly gratified, however, to learn that many members of this forum find Jill and Jessa as boring as I do. Given a choice between listening to them talk and watching paint dry, I'd ask for a cheery shade of peach on which to rest my eyes for a while.

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regardez

regardez

I really want there to be a spinoff show about Jill and Jessa. I was always more interested in them than Jim Bob and Michelle. I think being more in the public eye might actually be a good thing because they'll be more scrutiny and maybe it can ensure the other children don't have contact with Josh. I think it's also scary that Jill and Jessa haven't been active on social media since it all happened. How much freedom do they have?

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Guest

As a reminder, the site's Politics Policy remains in effect.  Yes, Jim Bob is apparently running for office again. That does not make it an acceptable topic of conversation in here - unless for some mysterious reason, TLC brings the show back and it is discussed on there. Even then, it would be limited to how it was discussed on the show.

If you have any questions, please PM the mods, @SCARLETT45 and myself.

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