Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House

[BitterApple]

I guarantee the Duggars will be back on the air next year in full. The Jill/Jessa specials are just TLC's way of testing the waters. I had a feeling they'd cave.

And yes, it explains why Bin has made no effort to finish school or get a job.

[Defrauder]

If I wanted to watch 2 teenagers having a baby I would watch Teen Moms.

 

Seriously, the differences between these 2 and the girls and husbands/fathers-but-not-husbands on the Teen Mom shows are not that great. Under-educated teenage parents with no steady job outside of filming their lives - that description is equally valid for both shows.

Yes and they are anti-gay, anti-Catholic, pro-discrimination and know nothing know it alls who are hypocrites with probably more skeletons in their closets than any network would want to get near.

[JoanArc]

 

I guarantee the Duggars will be back on the air next year in full. The Jill/Jessa specials are just TLC's way of testing the waters. I had a feeling they'd cave.

It's just incredible. I'm convinced Jim Bob has sold his soul to Satan for success.

[Fuzzysox]

Did anyone post this article about the grifters that are Bin and Jessa? One of the best articles about them that I have ever read.

 

http://theashleysrealityroundup.com/2015/09/23/begging-backlash-jessa-ben-seewald-shamed-for-asking-fans-to-send-them-gift-cards/

[Churchhoney]

They should just name them all "Dave," like the Dr. Seuss book. 

 

Now they're going to name them all "In Your Face, Satanic Lib'ruls."

No its not over. AP news just released Jill and Jessa ARE getting their specials, already filming.

 

So holy of the Dillards to lie repeatedly about the real purpose of their most recent U.S. return.

I guarantee the Duggars will be back on the air next year in full. The Jill/Jessa specials are just TLC's way of testing the waters. I had a feeling they'd cave.

 

This is what I'd originally thought would happen, so I guess I can't say I'm surprised. Horrified, yes. Actually surprised, no.

It's just incredible. I'm convinced Jim Bob has sold his soul to Satan for success.

 

That's about the only explanation I can think of, too.

[barbedwire]

So, does this mean, no need to send gift cards?

[BitterApple]

So, does this mean, no need to send gift cards?

Hell no! Now that we're getting a pregnancy special and the obligatory jender reveal, the Grift Machine will be running at full steam. Cue upcoming Instagram links to Jessa's 20k baby registry with a not-so-subtle disclaimer that she totally doesn't expect her fans to send gifts, that their prayers and well-wishes are gift enough....

[Churchhoney]

So, does this mean, no need to send gift cards?

 

Nope. Means the gift cards are going to come flooding from fans who are so excited the world's most godly family is back. More's the pity.

 

In my opinion, this will only make the DuggDillSees ultimate departure from tv a few years down the line even more of a hard fall for all of them. But since they're so busily courting it, I guess I don't care (except insofar as it affects young kids).

[Fuzzysox]

All those gift cards will keep coming because Jessa will find a way to pimp out that blessing to get "fans" excited to give more.

[Sew Sumi]

Duggar Family Official FB bragged about the huge numbers posting name suggestions. This launch was also pimped by Jill yesterday. I wondered why yesterday, but now it all makes sense. It was all to mobilize the leghumpers, so they wouldn't be far from the reservation when TLC made the announcement this morning.

Everything with them is calculated, even Jessa's grifting. I hope those humpers got the addresses before that blog pulled them. I also submit that Jessa initiated contact with that fam blog (Ellie was the interviewer in the hair tutorial video from last year, so they are not just any fam blog).

[leighroda]

I came across the name vote Instagram and did a quick scan of the last 3 names and one of them was a porn star name... And I thought maybe I should vote. (Dillyion... It's a different spelling. I don't actually think it would matter if I did know the name from actually watching porn... But alas I went to high school with a different porn star and she was pimping her out on her Facebook)

It's just dumb, I highly doubt they will even look at the suggestions, the name is probably already picked and they just think by accepting suggestions that people will feel invested and keep them relevant.

[barbedwire]

I came across the name vote Instagram and did a quick scan of the last 3 names and one of them was a porn star name... And I thought maybe I should vote. (Dillyion... It's a different spelling. I don't actually think it would matter if I did know the name from actually watching porn... But alas I went to high school with a different porn star and she was pimping her out on her Facebook)

It's just dumb, I highly doubt they will even look at the suggestions, the name is probably already picked and they just think by accepting suggestions that people will feel invested and keep them relevant.

I agree with you.  The problem they will have with that is when they reveal the baby's name ("B.J. after both of us") the leghumpers who guessed that are going to think Jessa got it from them.

 

B.J. - LOL - that would be too perfect.

[kellylovessnark]

They should just name them all "Dave," like the Dr. Seuss book.

Or name them all George like George Foreman did.

I am not surprised that Jessa and Jill are getting a tv special. I figured it was when and not if it would happen. TLC seems to like to cancel show and then bring them back later. Roloffs and plus 8 show come to mind.

Edited September 24, 2015 by kellylovessnark

[yogi2014L]

Yup it allllll makes sense now

 

People are way more critical  now though, I dont think Jessa's smugness is going to be well recieved. I would totally watch a show if Jessa and Ben had to pick uip and move to say Colorado, Chicago, NY ( for Ben to go to school) and be and actual married couple, instead of playing house in bumfuck AR going to see mommy and daddy every day. Like what the hell do Jessa and Bin do that warrents a tv show???? Seriously somebody tell me!!!

 

God I hope Boob and Mechelle are not shown at all. Those two make me SICK. 

 

I would be Interested to see what Jill does with her midwifery in El Salvador though, I would watch that. 

Edited bc its JIll, not Hill :-P

Edited September 24, 2015 by yogi2014L

[Sew Sumi]

I came across the name vote Instagram and did a quick scan of the last 3 names and one of them was a porn star name... And I thought maybe I should vote. (Dillyion... It's a different spelling. I don't actually think it would matter if I did know the name from actually watching porn... But alas I went to high school with a different porn star and she was pimping her out on her Facebook)

It's just dumb, I highly doubt they will even look at the suggestions, the name is probably already picked and they just think by accepting suggestions that people will feel invested and keep them relevant.

ITA. It will just make the leghumpers squee with delight if Jessa happened to pick her name.

That's how you get Fans For Life. Dumbass fans, but fans nonetheless.

[Julia]

Eh. Maybe the Koch brothers decided to subsidize the production budget with the change from behind their couch cushions to blunt all those grinning selfies all their candidates took with Josh.

[Churchhoney]

 

I would be Interested to see what Hill does with her midwifery in El Salvador though, I would watch that. 

 

She'll stand by in case some visiting missiontourist goes into premature labor while performing mime.

[leighroda]

Just by the volume of names someone is bound to be right... And that person is going to think God purposes them for the purpose of naming Jessa's blessing...and I'm gonna have to purpose to not gouge out eyes.

[zenme]

http://radaronline.com/celebrity-news/jill-duggar-jessa-duggar-spin-off-reality-show-disgraced-brother-josh-duggar-will-not-be-on-tlc-after-sex-scandal/

 

I guess it's happening, guys. Their gravy train is never-ending.

[Tabbygirl521]

I guarantee the Duggars will be back on the air next year in full. The Jill/Jessa specials are just TLC's way of testing the waters. I had a feeling they'd cave.

And yes, it explains why Bin has made no effort to finish school or get a job.

Wouldn't surprise me a bit. Look at Dog the Bounty Hunter. Although as far as I know, he doesn't actively work to curtail anyone's rights.

[Defrauder]

I hope Jessa has an affair with one of the cameramen.  

[leighroda]

http://radaronline.com/celebrity-news/jill-duggar-jessa-duggar-spin-off-reality-show-disgraced-brother-josh-duggar-will-not-be-on-tlc-after-sex-scandal/

I guess it's happening, guys. Their gravy train is never-ending.

I'm gonna reply in the media thread Edited September 24, 2015 by leighroda

[Marigold]

I guess Jessa knew this a long time ago (obviously) so that's why the Seewalds are feeling so financially secure and ben is out of school for a while. 

 

Silly regular people actually think about paying bills....cleaning Jim Bob's toilets is just a side job.  TLC is gonna bring the real $$$. 

[PityFree]

I hope Jessa has an affair with one of the cameramen.  

Unlike Ben, the cameramen have jobs.

[Marigold]

I'm really not sure Ben realizes how under-educated Jessa is. Or ever will. I imagine he's going to be fairly-satisfied with her homeschooling plans, which will probably be the same as Me-chelle's were. Or she may decide to plunk her kids in the closest Christian school - who knows? It wouldn't surprise me at all if Jessa wanted no part of homeschooling going forward.

Jessa might actually HOMESCHOOL her children and make sure they are educated better than she was. Jessa is probably the most worldly...we know she reads forums and she uses social media.  Jessa is very aware of what she didn't get from her family. I bet Jessa buys a reputable (Christian) curriculum and actually teaches her children. Not those Wisdom Booklets.  I homeschool and they are considered poor quality in many homeschooling circles. 

[birkenstock]

Jessa might actually HOMESCHOOL her children and make sure they are educated better than she was. Jessa is probably the most worldly...we know she reads forums and she uses social media.  Jessa is very aware of what she didn't get from her family. I bet Jessa buys a reputable (Christian) curriculum and actually teaches her children. Not those Wisdom Booklets.  I homeschool and they are considered poor quality in many homeschooling circles. 

I hope you're right. Would Jessa be able to actually teach her own children without going out and getting an education herself? I think she has the capacity to do so, but needs to apply herself. Would she actually do the work to understand the material enough to be able to provide her children with a quality education? How much math and science does she really know? It would be great if she could get involved with a coop. 

[kokapetl]

Well I guess Ben and Jessa are now both employed.

[Wellfleet]

Jessa might actually HOMESCHOOL her children and make sure they are educated better than she was. Jessa is probably the most worldly...we know she reads forums and she uses social media.  Jessa is very aware of what she didn't get from her family. I bet Jessa buys a reputable (Christian) curriculum and actually teaches her children. Not those Wisdom Booklets.  I homeschool and they are considered poor quality in many homeschooling circles. 

 

I truly hope you're right, Marigold. It could happen. But Duggar history sure doesn't make it seem all that likely...

[RazzleberryPie]

These people are like roaches. They just keep multiplying and never go away.

[Churchhoney]

I hope you're right. Would Jessa be able to actually teach her own children without going out and getting an education herself? I think she has the capacity to do so, but needs to apply herself. Would she actually do the work to understand the material enough to be able to provide her children with a quality education? How much math and science does she really know? It would be great if she could get involved with a coop. 

 

I also have no idea whether Jessa actually respects education or knows anything about how to learn. I don't know that the evidence tells us much one way or another. ....But does she know, for example, that there's more to math than memorizing math facts?  I wouldn't bet on it. Would she have any idea how to teach a kid to solve actual math problems -- or even bother to teach that? She certainly thinks that faith trumps science, everywhere and always. So that's not promising when it comes to understanding what science is about, even at the little-kid level. She seems very incurious -- did she give a crap about anything on their European honeymoon or the family trips? I can't remember anybody saying that she did. She didn't seem to know the name of the flowers when she visited the florist. I'm kind of amazed by any girly-girl not knowing the names of at least a few flowers. Being incurious is pretty much the death knell of good teaching, in my opinion. 

 

I can see her buying a memorization-heavy curriculum and berating the little suckers until they can recite it all. So that's better than nothing, certainly. A step up from Michelle, probably. Beyond that I wouldn't have many expectations, tbhough.

 

I think she certainly won't do a lot of teaching if she has the ton of kids they now talk about, but I also think the ton of kids is unlikely.

[Julia]

I have my fingers crossed that once she has some autonomy Jessa's competitiveness and her urge to be one of the cool kidz are going to push her to be more open to getting some kind of education. I'm also hoping she's motivated to push Ben into one, because she has to have noticed that her sister's not-a-babe husband is getting a lot more play in lofty evangelical circles. And she does have a fair amount of experience bullying not-particularly-intellectual children into learning stuff.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Julia

[BitterApple]

These people are like roaches. They just keep multiplying and never go away.

I was thinking they're like herpes. They lie dormant for a while and then flare up when you least expect it:)

[Marigold]

I hope you're right. Would Jessa be able to actually teach her own children without going out and getting an education herself? I think she has the capacity to do so, but needs to apply herself. Would she actually do the work to understand the material enough to be able to provide her children with a quality education? How much math and science does she really know? It would be great if she could get involved with a coop. 

i think Jessa is going to mature somewhat and I think dopey Ben might get her there.  He is actually better educated and his family appears more normal. 

Science and math are either done by online classes or attending community college. I'm not a fan of math so my son takes higher level math at the community college.  My kids have taken science at home with me, in a coop and next year in the community college.  Online doesn't work well for my family. Other subjects are generally manageable for the average person.  I actually have friends without a high school diploma who homeschooled the entire way and their kids are in college.

 

I bet Jessa hated all that stupid memorization and that's why she was so nasty homeschooling the younger siblings.

When it's HER children, i really think she will step up her game.  Stupid hand gestures with those wisdom books and wild little boys who can barely write? Nah, Jessa is going to do better.  Her homeschool will be devoutly Christian but that's fine.  Just not such below grade level stuff on those stupid computers all day. No wonder Jessa was so bitchy.  

[Churchhoney]

I bet Jessa hated all that stupid memorization and that's why she was so nasty homeschooling the younger siblings.

When it's HER children, i really think she will step up her game.  Stupid hand gestures with those wisdom books and wild little boys who can barely write? Nah, Jessa is going to do better.  Her homeschool will be devoutly Christian but that's fine.  Just not such below grade level stuff on those stupid computers all day. No wonder Jessa was so bitchy.  

 

I like this scenario. Here's hopin'.

[Gweilo]

Can they just call their kid "you're going to Hell"? That way, the kid will always know how much it is loved and how hard mummy and daddy are fighting for its soul.

[Marigold]

Well, I guess we can all sleep well. Bin has been reinstated as reality star and the toilet scrubbing is coming to a close. 

 

Jim Bob is so competitive...how is he gonna let Bin (and Derick) become top dog with their own show?

[NoThyme]

I just can't believe it. Just can't. I've never watched the show before certainly not going to start now. Don't watch if you don't want it on, they don't need more ratings.

[JoanArc]

As long as Jim Bob gets a big cut off the top, he's happy.

[mimionthebeach]

Dim Jim has a soul?????

It'd been lying around for years, unused, collecting dust.

Edited September 25, 2015 by mimionthebeach

[Micks Picks]

I don't see Jessa ever being anything but the dumb, smug, entitled, lazy one she's shown herself to be.  

[TessHarding2]

Jessa has the personality of an "eye roll".  

[flyingdi]

I don't think Jessa has shown us her true self. She has shown us Jessa the ultra conservative Christian, Jessa the mouthy daughter and many others. I just don't think she's shown her true self yet. Maybe she doesn't even know what it is yet.

[Quilt Fairy]

I can't believe Jessa's getting a show. Her huge Duggar head is gonna need Bin to help hold it up.

Imagine how much fun it's going to be getting that huge Duggar head through Jessa's birth canal.

[Fuzzysox]

Well, I guess we can all sleep well. Bin has been reinstated as reality star and the toilet scrubbing is coming to a close. 

 

Jim Bob is so competitive...how is he gonna let Bin (and Derick) become top dog with their own show?

Boob has probably turned into PMK and getting 10% of what they are going to be making. You know that Boob will take all that 10% and donate to his home church. 

 

I sure hope that Bin will learn something from the Pope's visit. The Pope leader of us sinful, horrible, Godless Catholics, will be having lunch with the homeless. What a truly honorable man. He shows the world what kindness and good works are about he isn't sitting behind a computer condoning people.

Edited September 25, 2015 by Fuzzysox

[Sew Sumi]

Well, I guess we can all sleep well. Bin has been reinstated as reality star and the toilet scrubbing is coming to a close. 

 

Jim Bob is so competitive...how is he gonna let Bin (and Derick) become top dog with their own show?

Nah, Ben will continue to scrub toilets because he needs a "job" for teevee. The leghumpers need to be able to defend him in the kangaroo court of public opinion! 

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

If I wanted to watch 2 teenagers having a baby I would watch Teen Moms.

 

Seriously, the differences between these 2 and the girls and husbands/fathers-but-not-husbands on the Teen Mom shows are not that great. Under-educated teenage parents with no steady job outside of filming their lives - that description is equally valid for both shows.

The biggest differences between the Duggars and the Teen Mom franchise is that the Teen Mom girls at least aren't ridiculously boring, have a larger vocabulary, and (generally) don't spend their time condemning others & spewing hate.

[Henri205]

Hello, everyone. New to this site but have lurked about the Duggars. Chilling. Anyway, just watched the Jessa and Ben Honeymoon in Europe and your observations are spot on. Ignorance meets history, but every time Ben opened his mouth, I was reminded of an OLD cartoon dog saying 'which way did he go'. The exact intonation and pitch, it's uncanny. Google it, you'll crack up.

Thanks to all for your insight. This is a great resource.

[Fosca]

Jessa is someone who could really benefit from going to a community college.  Not for a degree in anything, but to learn English, math, history, etc. so she can teach her children a bit better (I'd say science, but I suspect there's no hope for that--at least no hope for biology).  Unfortunately, I suspect given the seeming lack of work ethic she has, plus adding a baby to the mix (even with Auntie-Moms to raise--er, help her raise it), I suspect it would be too much work for her.

[Defrauder]

I guess Jessa's pregnancy is no longer 'bittersweet' now that she has the opportunity to 'thank her fans'.  Thanking her fans=fame whore fix, money for nothing, showing off, ego feed - I'm still a star with fans! Thank you fans for making me a fame whore star. By the way join my religion or go to hell.

[Porterest]

Regarding Ben's education--I live in Arkansas and teach collegiate courses. So I thought I would belatedly throw in my observations.

I haven't taught at National Park, but I've taught at two other nearby community colleges. They tend to be the same in that the students don't actually have a major, as noted here; students graduate with an Associate's degree in Science, Arts, etc. It's very general. About 5-7 years ago, Arkansas residents passed a statewide lottery that mainly exists to provide financial aid. Thus, especially at the community college level, there WAS a rush of people deciding to better themselves by getting their degrees. However, college is not Walmart; you don't walk in, say you want a degree and then get one; that's left a lot of disillusioned former students. So the increase in enrollment, which Bin probably experienced, has been steadily decreasing. National Park is pretty small; it's right there in his hometown of Hot Springs, so I doubt a lot of discussion was had when he graduated home school.

If the cc students don't lose their financial aid and flunk out or leave for some other reason, most usually transfer to a four year college. The courses, for the most part, are designed to work that way. Without seeing Bin's transcripts but knowing he did actually graduate, I suspect he could transfer to most four year colleges in Arkansas fairly easily (including U of A). He could go the online route through National Park (who apparently is now dropping the "community" from their name), but there are very limited options in fields of study. Also, as noted here, U of A is a party school.

If Bin does pursue valid, non-College Minus higher education, I personally see it as more probable that he would go to a school like John Brown University. It's a Christian school. I know very little about it beyond its existence and that it has the divinity courses. (The university where I teach is out of the question; even though it is smaller than U of A, it may have "green haired" students in the classes.)

Edited September 26, 2015 by Porterest