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

[MargeGunderson]

7 hours ago, Spencer Hastings said:

Ben and Jessa made one cute baby.  He's seriously adorable!

It's interesting that they have him in swim trunks without one of those gross baby modesty body suits.  How refreshing!

What would be even more refreshing is if they have a baby girl and let her wear a bathing suit.

(BTW, I don't think there's a chance.)

[WhineandCheez]

Quote

I'm actually going to be sad when Spurge outgrows his roly poly stage. He makes double chins and cankles look adorable.

Ahh thanks!!!  Ohhhhh.. I see you weren't talking about me.  sorry....

When I see an adorable baby I just want to inhale them.  Spurge is like that.  So my question is.....why not take your time and enjoy him, give him all the individual love and individual attention he deserves?  Why roll out another one.  Sheesh.

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, WhineandCheez said:

Ahh thanks!!!  Ohhhhh.. I see you weren't talking about me.  sorry....

When I see an adorable baby I just want to inhale them.  Spurge is like that.  So my question is.....why not take your time and enjoy him, give him all the individual love and individual attention he deserves?  Why roll out another one.  Sheesh.

I don't believe they think enough to have a thought like this. For one thing, thinking's been completely trained out of Jessa.

So they're just on automatic pilot. All they know about babies is that God wants you to quickly pump out another one. So they do.

I do wonder what it would take for any actual thought or questioning or skepticism or reflection to start up in a Duggar kid's brain. It sure doesn't look like any has done so when a couple with an extremely questionable financial future, a quite scary birth in the recent past and a really adorable baby that I'd want to enjoy and nurture today just immediately go with -- Time to have another kid. And strongly imply that their plan is to keep on doing this, adding kids by any means necessary. "Planned Parenthood" has a whole different meaning for this crowd, with actual planning not being any part of it.

[maraleia]

I'm secretly hoping that Jessa and Ben try and find a way to move to Laredo when Jinger moves there to live with Jeremy after their wedding. Ben doesn't need to be in Arkansas for his college classes because they are all online so what's keeping them there other than Boob's insistence that they live in one of his houses.

Ben clearly likes having friends like Flame and Jessa is warming up to the idea of letting other people into their lives. Maybe Ben finding and introducing Jeremy to Jinger is his sneaky way of untangling both Jessa and Jinger from their father's control. He clearly has more of a backbone than Derick.

[louannems]

How would Benessa afford an apartment in Laredo, especially after the show ends.  We know Jessa will never work, plus she has no education or technical training.  Ben- just how many pastors does Laredo need?

[BitterApple]

I think Bin and Jessa would be in for the shock of their lives if they ever actually had to start paying their own way. Despite their claims, I don't think they pay rent or utilities on that Mold House. All the bills probably go straight to Boob's accountant. I'm not sure what their TLC contract looks like, but they don't appear nearly as thrifty as Boob and Michelle were in the early years. They eat out more in one week than I do in a month. 

[ginger90]

They must have gotten a ton of gift cards!

[Arwen Evenstar]

22 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

I think Bin and Jessa would be in for the shock of their lives if they ever actually had to start paying their own way. Despite their claims, I don't think they pay rent or utilities on that Mold House. All the bills probably go straight to Boob's accountant. I'm not sure what their TLC contract looks like, but they don't appear nearly as thrifty as Boob and Michelle were in the early years. They eat out more in one week than I do in a month. 

I agree.  Going from a TLC paycheck back to Ben's toilet scrubbing salary is enough of a rude awakening. If they move to Laredo and there's no more TLC money, except for the occasional update epi, they're pretty much going to be on their own.  Are they ready for that?

[sometimesy]

Bin and Jessa are smart (eegads!) to take advantage of Boobs offer while Bin completes school. Maybe, once Bin finishes his education, they will 'plant' a church through Jeremy's connections somewhere near Cringe and Babe and we can have entire episodes without the rest of the Duggs, while we watch these two couples evolve. I can dream.

[Arwen Evenstar]

I just hope they have wisely squirreled away their money.  May be some lean times ahead. It seems they might have, since Jessa is old enough to remember food being left on her doorstep, having to wear someone else's funky shoes, and ghastly homemade prairie frumpers. No way does Pricess Prickly Pear want to relive that, and quite frankly, I don't blame her one bit.

[BitterApple]

Is there really that much of a job market for Pastors? My understanding is that church attendance is dwindling here in the US. IIRC, Jeremy's Laredo plant has only 50 members. That's basically an extra large high school classroom. I'm trying to figure out how all these Duggars are going to make a living off of ministry. Bin seems to enjoy working with children, why doesn't he just get a job with a legit non-profit and go that route? 

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, maraleia said:

I'm secretly hoping that Jessa and Ben try and find a way to move to Laredo when Jinger moves there to live with Jeremy after their wedding. Ben doesn't need to be in Arkansas for his college classes because they are all online so what's keeping them there other than Boob's insistence that they live in one of his houses.

Ben clearly likes having friends like Flame and Jessa is warming up to the idea of letting other people into their lives. Maybe Ben finding and introducing Jeremy to Jinger is his sneaky way of untangling both Jessa and Jinger from their father's control. He clearly has more of a backbone than Derick.

It would be good for them. But, as others have said, where would get the money to pay for their own place? And could Jessa really stand to be away from the helping hands of auntie moms, Jana-the-visiting-cook, and the bus-station couches where I get the feeling that Jess still hangs out fairly often? Especially with child number two imminent. I really wonder whether she could handle the thought of all those losses, let alone the reality of it. So I'll be surprised if they move, although I can definitely see Bin digging it. (Of course he'd have to dig up some sort of part-time job to replace his Boob "employment," too.  And who knows how easy that would be? I wonder if they're accumulating a tide-them-over nest egg for such eventualities or whether they're really blowing it all as Starbucks as it sort of appears they might be.)

[Whyyouneedaname]

2 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Is there really that much of a job market for Pastors? My understanding is that church attendance is dwindling here in the US. IIRC, Jeremy's Laredo plant has only 50 members. That's basically an extra large high school classroom. I'm trying to figure out how all these Duggars are going to make a living off of ministry. Bin seems to enjoy working with children, why doesn't he just get a job with a legit non-profit and go that route? 

not sure of his salary but the church may pay him a pastor's salary and also pay his rent. I know here some churches have a parsonage for the pastor to live in for free. 

[Bitter Betty]

1 hour ago, Whyyouneedaname said:

not sure of his salary but the church may pay him a pastor's salary and also pay his rent. I know here some churches have a parsonage for the pastor to live in for free. 

Some churches do but, if what's happening near me is a national trend, that's a rapidly dwindling scenario. I've been to a lot of churches in the past 10 years and none of them provided housing to their ministers.  And even for churches that do the church would need to be big enough to take in enough offerings to be able to provide a house. I could be wrong but I would think most churches sizeable enough to give the pastor a house to live in would be less likely to hire a kid fresh out of college to be their pastor. I haven't seen a lot of 20 to 30 year olds be in a higher position than being a youth pastor.

[bigskygirl]

Why is it every time I hear a Duggar call their spouse "Babe" I think of Sonny and Cher. Darn Duggars, I cannot get the blasted song out of my head.

[Defrauder]

19 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

Why is it every time I hear a Duggar call their spouse "Babe" I think of Sonny and Cher. Darn Duggars, I cannot get the blasted song out of my head.

I'm old enough to remember watching the Sonny and Cher show as a kid and remember them singing the song and Cher's long and extravagant dresses.  I can still picture it.   

[queenanne]

22 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

LMAO at the top pic. Spurge is contemplating his escape from the crazy! 

He looks pensive both times, doesn't he?  Adorable.

[GeeGolly]

I checked out Spurgie's 10 month photos. He really is a cute kid.

Pic #3 - Where are they?

Pic #13 - I think I found Michelle's missing back muscle.

[Arwen Evenstar]

On September 22, 2016 at 4:28 PM, Defrauder said:

I'm old enough to remember watching the Sonny and Cher show as a kid and remember them singing the song and Cher's long and extravagant dresses.  I can still picture it.   

Me too!  Except now Sonny is long dead, Chastity is now Chaz, and Cher still looks amazing!  And the word "Babe" had one syllable until Cringer got a hold of it!

[DoctorWhovian]

Is that the first Duggar shown in a normal swimsuit / not wearing a shirt (boy of course)?

[Lemur]

On 9/23/2016 at 8:29 PM, Arwen Evenstar said:

Me too!  Except now Sonny is long dead, Chastity is now Chaz, and Cher still looks amazing!  And the word "Babe" had one syllable until Cringer got a hold of it!

Yeah, it's more like "Baa-aaa-aabe" now.  

[lascuba]

Jessa is one of those people who's very direct and downright ballsy with her family and very close friends (so...just her family), but is super uncomfortable and almost shy with strangers. Ever known a kid who's parents are always shocked to hear glowing praise from teachers about their "sweet" child because she's such a terror at home? That's Jessa. We saw that with how uncomfortable she was with her "new friends" Flame and crew. She and Ben could move to Laredo and she'd eventually adjust and maybe even thrive, but she'd have to get there first, and I can see her balking at the very idea of leaving her comfort zone. (Plus, I really think that the long term plan is for Jinger and Babe to move back to Arkansas...Jeremy is way too happy in front of the TLC cameras to only be content with the occasional special. He wants in.)

Edited September 26, 2016 by lascuba

[Joe Jitsu913]

I'd like to share my Benessa dream I had last night: I meet up with Benessa and Spurge in a parking lot. I think we're going on a picnic or something. Spurge is a cutie pie.  Ben is very nice and Jessa got a nice , new modern haircut . I compliment her on it  and tell her it looks much better than before and she says,  "This is my 'Can I speak to the manager?' haircut!" We all laugh. That's all I can remember from my dream. 

[Temperance]

If they can film Jill in Central America, they can film Jinger and Jessa in Laredo. In fact they can have two shows. Counting On... featuring Jill and the Lonely J Hearts Band and Jessa and Jinger Take Laredo. 

[farmgal4]

On September 21, 2016 at 8:38 PM, BitterApple said:

I'm actually going to be sad when Spurge outgrows his roly poly stage. He makes double chins and cankles look adorable.

That kid makes everything look adorable.  I could seriously watch him sleep.  He seems like a super-easy baby too, in terms of temperament.  The next baby may be the exact opposite, and if so, Benessa may decide they don't want a quiver full.

[DangerousMinds]

On 8/30/2016 at 0:45 AM, Sew Sumi said:

 

Please don't give them any ideas for more shows with these people.

[Arwen Evenstar]

Spurge is really a cutie.  I'm rather fond of pudgy baby hands and feet.

[drafan]

1 hour ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

Spurge is really a cutie. 

Yup, if you don't click past those two pix up there. After that it's pure Boob/Josh clone. Poor kid.

[sometimesy]

15 hours ago, Temperance said:

If they can film Jill in Central America, they can film Jinger and Jessa in Laredo. In fact they can have two shows. Counting On... featuring Jill and the Lonely J Hearts Band and Jessa and Jinger Take Laredo. 

Jill and the other kidults have added nothing to this season. TLC would be better off to just focus on Jessa and Jinger and push them into real situations that wouldn't require so much scripting. Strange that Dullards couldn't even provide material when they were in a new environment. I guess hunkering down and avoid people except to preach AT them isn't a big draw. Having family come visit every second episode exposed how lame the Dullards were as well. Jessa and Jinger need to avoid things such as  the offensive, survival episode, which highlighted the Duggs inability to respect any new or challenging experience, but if they went in with a will to learn and provide entertainment, I wouldn't mind seeing advertisers come back.

Jessa wants this show and the rest of the family are just dragging her down. I think Jessa wants it enough to expand her mind. Win-win for everyone.

[Arwen Evenstar]

Ben is slowly expanding his mind.  He's far from having it right on a few subjects, but I'll give him chops for taking what have been QUANTUM leaps, compared to his sheltered Duggette bride.  But to be fair, Jessa hadn't had the life experience in her formative years to have started in the same place that Ben has so she's going to have to work extra hard to undo all those Duggar teachings.

[lascuba]

I think the problem with trying to build a show based on putting any of the kidults in real, unscripted situations is that that would include other people, and  the very nature of reality tv being what it is these days...Not that it was ever all that real, but now? Does anyone want to be on reality tv who isn't either selling something or doesn't want some level of "fame?" I think scripted scenes would be inevitable. Which is why I wish these people would take intensive imrov classes if they're going to insist on making their living from TV. 

[Churchhoney]

If they insist on making money from TV, I hope they stay on for the next five or six years. And that TLC then drops them, without warning, like a hot potato.

And then Jessa and Bin, barely past their mid-20s, will get to stare starvation in the face with their five kidlets and another on the way, no savings because they've pissed it all away at Starbucks and restaurant "date nights" and no clue about how to actually earn real money in the real world. That's the kind of "reality" they need to show them what life is really all about, as opposed to what they're continually preaching it's all about.

They are clearly being deluded into thinking that somehow this tv lifestyle is their life and that somehow they can parlay this into a whole adult life in which they'll be just as well off as they are now. They're living in an idiot's fantasy land and dragging a bunch of new children into it with them. Jessa will not get invited on any lecture tours when the show is over, and Bin's pipe dream of the ministry is completely unrealistic. The day they're finally forced to wake up is going to be an ugly ugly day.

[Sew Sumi]

That's why I've been putting it out there that I'd PAY to see Jessa's reaction when the show is canceled. And it may come sooner rather than later if Boob tries to shoehorn Smuggar into next season. THAT would send what few advertisers they have left scurrying like roaches, and the ratings would drop like a stone when all the hate-watchers abandon ship in protest. 

[lascuba]

Jessa and Ben baffle me more than the rest. They don't even try to eek out a real life living that doesn't include TLC and exploiting their fundie fame. And I'm even comparing them to pre-scandal Josh and Anna, here. As much as Josh's job was a bullshit puppet position handed to him because of his family, it still involved a move and having to (pretend to) do something with his time. And as much as I loathe Jill and Derrick and want nothing but the worst for them as long as they stick to this missionary thing, it still means something that Derrick set out to make a living via SOS (even though the whole missioncation industry is evil). Yes, both couples are heavily subsidized by TLC, but they do (or did in Josh's case) shit that qualifies as independent adulthood. But Jessa and Ben? Ben really did see a meal ticket in the Duggars and majorly overestimated his talents and charm. And Jessa was stupid enough to fall for it. And now they're both stuck with no idea what to do except hold tight to the belief that TLC and Christian conferences are going to be around forever. Which would be stupid and short-sighted even without the Josh scandals. Ben got his associates in something practical but now he's studying nothing but Bible stuff in the continued hope of being a moneymaking preacher, which only exist as a (tiny) possibility because of TLC. Not a single move to study something that has better chances of earning a steady income. 

And Jim Bob. WTF Jim Bob? If ever leaving and cleaving were the best move, it would be with Ben and Jessa. I can't decide if Jessa really did threaten elopement (which I always thought was a joke)and a People story if he didn't publicly go along with the marriage; or if he was genuinely suckered by Ben's "heart for ministry;" or if he's just such a control freak that he like that his daughter and son-in-law are perpetually dependent on him. 

[GeeGolly]

Having JB & M as parents put Jessa and the rest of the Duggar 19 way behind the starting line into adulthood. Being contracted with TLC pushed her and Ben back even further. Many young families have 2 working parents just to make ends meet. Most have rent/mortgage and other real life bills that need to be paid.

Jessa and Ben live in basically a one room home with 2 bedrooms and I assume their utilities, if they pay them, are relatively low. I don't think they'll be living there by the time baby #3 pops out, and certainly not when they're on #15. I'm wondering what the heating/air conditioning bill is for the echo chamber that is the TTH. Do Ben & Jessa even pay their own cell phone bill?

Even if they're saving some of their TLC money now, it will quickly be gone if they continue to fill their quiver with multiple children. Will JB & M be bringing them love offerings when Jessa and Ben have 10 children and Ben is a part-time property maintenance boy and part-time preacher?

If Jessa & Ben don't get their shit together their lives may end up similar to the Rodrigues family.

[Lemur]

12 hours ago, lascuba said:

But Jessa and Ben? Ben really did see a meal ticket in the Duggars and majorly overestimated his talents and charm. And Jessa was stupid enough to fall for it. And now they're both stuck with no idea what to do except hold tight to the belief that TLC and Christian conferences are going to be around forever. Which would be stupid and short-sighted even without the Josh scandals. Ben got his associates in something practical but now he's studying nothing but Bible stuff in the continued hope of being a moneymaking preacher, which only exist as a (tiny) possibility because of TLC. Not a single move to study something that has better chances of earning a steady income. 

Oh, I think you're greatly underestimating Jessa.  She saw Ben, saw that he's kinda dim but still good-looking and realized it'd be a great way to get out from under JimBob's headship and pretty much run shit on her own via Ben and probably have a decent sex life.  She's got a lot of Scarlett O'Hara in her.  I have no doubt in my mind that once this hustle is done - and who knows when that'll be since TLC didn't shit-can this lot after the molestations became public knowledge - she's on to the next one which could include anything from a tell-all on Josh (who she seems to have grown to despise) to her own lifestyle brand.  Do not sell this one short.  She's wily and she's not afraid to use people.  

Edited September 28, 2016 by Lemur

[laurakaye]

Interesting...I think back to the Jessa/Jill interview about Josh.  I remember Jessa sitting stone-faced as Jill sobbed beside her.  I don't think Jessa's expression ever changed, and I certainly don't recall her even once leaning over to give her sister a hug, or pat her knee, or give her any type of comfort whatsoever, even though what happened to one happened to the other.  Could it be that Jessa internalized the whole thing, and she is simply biding her time until she decides the time is right to blow this entire scandal out of the water on her own terms?  I sense something dark about Jessa, too...like she knows a lot, and that her parents are somewhat afraid of her.

Edited September 28, 2016 by laurakaye

[lascuba]

3 minutes ago, Lemur said:

Oh, I think you're greatly underestimating Jessa.  She saw Ben, saw that he's kinda dim but still good-looking and realized it'd be a great way to get out from under JimBob's headship and pretty much run shit on her own via Ben and probably have a decent sex life.  She's got a lot of Scarlett O'Hara in her.  I have no doubt in my mind that once this hustle is done - and who knows when that'll be since TLC didn't shit-can this lot after the molestations became public knowledge - she's on to the next one which could include anything from a tell-all on Josh (who seems to have grown to despise) to her own lifestyle brand.  Do not sell this one short.  She's wily and she's not afraid to use people.  

My take on Jessa choosing Ben was that she was hoping to copy her mother in choosing a man who loves her more than she loves him and spend the rest of her life leading from behind--which is what I've always thought of JB and Michelle's dynamic. Find a dim man who checks off all the boxes on what she was looking for in a husband and who adores her, play the part of the submissive wife who follows her headship's orders and manipulate him into getting what she wants by making him think it was all his idea. So yes, she's definitely wily in a sense, but lacks the perception and real world experience to successfully pull it off. 

I think she's definitely hoping to start a lifestyle brand with those cooking videos, but I really can't see her ever doing a tell-all unless something catastrophic happens that makes her break from fundamentalism and her family completely. If nothing else, I don't doubt her loyalty to her family, but she probably knows  that while something like a tell-all would work in the short-term, it's not something that can lead to a long-term income unless she really does a Breaking Duggar type show. And how long would that last? She won't have the leghumpers as a guaranteed audience anymore, and she doesn't have the charm or personality to attract new fans.

[yogi2014L]

28 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

Interesting...I think back to the Jessa/Jill interview about Josh.  I remember Jessa sitting stone-faced as Jill sobbed beside her.  I don't think Jessa's expression ever changed, and I certainly don't recall her even once leaning over to give her sister a hug, or pat her knee, or give her any type of comfort whatsoever, even though what happened to one happened to the other.  Could it be that Jessa internalized the whole thing, and she is simply biding her time until she decides the time is right to blow this entire scandal out of the water on her own terms?  I sense something dark about Jessa, too...like she knows a lot, and that her parents are somewhat afraid of her.

I don't even think its necessarily dark that she is doing this. This girl had a shit upbringing- molested, forced to care for her siblings, no privacy, no fun, stupid dresses, there were days with little food.. ect.  

I think its totally normal for her to be resentful as hell towards her parents, and the ones who DON"T feel that way are either dumb as a box of rocks ( Jill) or don't know any better ( Joy- and the littles). To early to see How Cringer pans out,shes just worried about getting laid

And I seriously hope Jessa exposes the truth one day. Wouldn't hold it against her one bit! Maybe having her own children will open her eyes to how horrendously awful her mother is. 

[louannems]

Last night, Jessa mentioned that Spurgeon was beginning to show his own personality and make his likes and dislikes known. Jessa said that was a good thing.  I was hopeful when I heard that.  Many fundies take a baby's show of spirit as the time to start with the heavy discipline.

[Churchhoney]

2 hours ago, Lemur said:

Oh, I think you're greatly underestimating Jessa.  She saw Ben, saw that he's kinda dim but still good-looking and realized it'd be a great way to get out from under JimBob's headship and pretty much run shit on her own via Ben and probably have a decent sex life.  She's got a lot of Scarlett O'Hara in her.  I have no doubt in my mind that once this hustle is done - and who knows when that'll be since TLC didn't shit-can this lot after the molestations became public knowledge - she's on to the next one which could include anything from a tell-all on Josh (who she seems to have grown to despise) to her own lifestyle brand.  Do not sell this one short.  She's wily and she's not afraid to use people.  

I do agree that she's wily and biding her time and will try to do everything you mention.

But I also wonder whether she won't ultimately prove too stupid, ignorant, unlikable and, by that time, not attractive enough to pull any of it off. Even for a good tell-all you need to be able to have been observant and sharp in the past and articulate and honest (or mendacious...ha) in the present to convey the good stuff to your ghost.

And I also wonder whether her very very committed right-wing-Christianism  didn't prevent her from seeing and understanding anything in the past and won't kind of hold her back from criticizing that aspect of things in the future. And whether she can actually become an independent enough person, with real friends in the real world, to have the guts to truly cut the cord with her parents by calling them out on their worst problems, the way you'd have to do to produce an actual tell-all.

[sometimesy]

If Jessa is strong-arming Boob, it's not evident from the housing situation. If they move to Texas to be near Cringe and Babe, they should both be gifted houses as compensation for their early appearances. Jill had the McMansion and then the Pool House? I'm pissed off for Jessa.

Jessa likes fame? She can hire stylists and get Instagram going for a fundy lifestyle blog/magazine/YouTube channel. Not only can she control content, but the money would be hers alone. Now is the time to pounce, they are still on tv and she can parlay that into good advertising and money.  I see Jessa capable of these things IF she will contact resources away from Boob to help her. Her cooking videos could be improved if she could stop trying to appear the expert. She could bring in a chef to teach her on each episode and admit that she is learning along with her audience. Fundy is something that she is an expert on. Small segments are much better for Jessa than these contrived drawn out episodes. Jessa and Jinger could work together. I just don't see this TLC gig being the correct media for them anymore and I want Jessa to take control and keep the profits for her own growing family.

The material could be endless. Her leghumpers would be all over it.

Get some books on marketing, social media, photography, layout, content. Jessa can read, these aren't against Gothardism. Don't look at your sad 'family' website and Duggar productions. Check out some successful and interesting websites even if you DON'T like their message. Cringe can be the photographer, let Jinger read books or gasp, work with a real photographer as an assistant (female of course).

As soon as TLC ends, they would be ready to expand to better YouTube and content that isn't restricted because of filming.

[NewDigs]

Cooking videos, lifestyle brands, YouTube. Which would be a platform for Bin's sermonizing. Yo!

Dear God, No.

Wonder if Up would bite.

[Sew Sumi]

I doubt it. They already have a more telegenic, intelligent, and less threateningly fundie family with scads of married children (with cute babies/toddlers) on the air. 

[GeeGolly]

There's a huge problem with Jessa trying to start a brand. She only does things half-assed and for short periods of time. Even with music, something that they appeared to put an effort into, while I give them credit for playing a tune or two that is recognizable, and some can read music, they're not the good.

What did Edison say? Success or genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Jessa maybe has 1% inspiration and 9% perspiration, the other 90% is up for debate.

[sometimesy]

58 minutes ago, NewDigs said:

Cooking videos, lifestyle brands, YouTube. Which would be a platform for Bin's sermonizing. Yo!

Dear God, No.

Wonder if Up would bite.

.

Haha, these kids just frustrate me. I don't think Bin and Jessa need the family anymore. The story is no longer about 19 kids. It's just about a fundy family. Maybe television isn't a fit for them.

Bin is probably better off not preaching from a pulpit. He isn't a talented speaker.  He seems like he is really interested  helping disadvantaged youth. He might look into a legit venture with kids and sports. But, if he was serious I don't think he would have used an existing organization for the episode and had all that bother about getting shit ready, when it was prefab.  It might just have been a plot line.

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, NewDigs said:

Cooking videos, lifestyle brands, YouTube. Which would be a platform for Bin's sermonizing. Yo!

Dear God, No.

Wonder if Up would bite.

I wouldn't worry. She's stupid, ignorant and unlikable and has absolutely no idea what work is or what resources outside of Duggardom are. And she's so smug and self-satisfied that it would be a long time before it even occurred to her that she needed to call on any such resources. Meanwhile, I'm sure there are tons of conservative Christian women who have none of these handcaps. Look at Marjorie, for just one small example. Jessa is chafing at Duggardom, I'm sure. But I haven't heard of any evidence that she isn't still a Duggar, through and through. I expect that Jessa trying to start a media empire would be very much like Jizm Bob trying to run for the Senate. And just as successful.

38 minutes ago, sometimesy said:

.

Haha, these kids just frustrate me. I don't think Bin and Jessa need the family anymore. The story is no longer about 19 kids. It's just about a fundy family. Maybe television isn't a fit for them.

Bin is probably better off not preaching from a pulpit. He isn't a talented speaker.  He seems like he is really interested  helping disadvantaged youth. He might look into a legit venture with kids and sports. But, if he was serious I don't think he would have used an existing organization for the episode and had all that bother about getting shit ready, when it was prefab.  It might just have been a plot line.

He did use an existing organization, though. It's a Christian group in the area that reaches out to kids with their conversion message through sports. Can't think of the name. Champs??? or something like that. They just didn't mention that. The event really had nothing to do with Bin except that TLC brought him over to film it and do a lot of pretend.  ETA: Sorry, sometimesy. Somehow I looked at "I don't think," and read "I think." Even though it would have made no sense for you to write that. .... I'll leave my rant anyway, since the whole thing makes rant. Just want to say that I realize that it does not apply to you!

Edited September 28, 2016 by Churchhoney

[GeeGolly]

30 minutes ago, sometimesy said:

.

Haha, these kids just frustrate me. I don't think Bin and Jessa need the family anymore. The story is no longer about 19 kids. It's just about a fundy family. Maybe television isn't a fit for them.

Bin is probably better off not preaching from a pulpit. He isn't a talented speaker.  He seems like he is really interested  helping disadvantaged youth. He might look into a legit venture with kids and sports. But, if he was serious I don't think he would have used an existing organization for the episode and had all that bother about getting shit ready, when it was prefab.  It might just have been a plot line.

I have a passion for music and I love singing. I suck big time at singing though. 

Time to move on Ben.

[Churchhoney]

7 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I have a passion for music and I love singing. I suck big time at singing though. 

Time to move on Ben.

This is another place where I think the whole TeeVee thing is really a tragedy for these people.

When the rest of us love something but clearly couldn't make a career out of it, people smile uncomfortably about our singing or drawing or public speaking or basketball playing and damn it with faint praise. So even if we didn't get a clue ourselves, we would pick up the clue from others' lukewarm responses.

But these people have hundreds of thousands (apparently) of fans. They post some idiotic thing online and it gets 24,000 likes!!! They have tv cameras following them around. If you aren't very very very self-reflective, I expect all of these things make you quite sure that, yes, you are the next Joel Osteen. They're all so dumb and isolated that they have plenty of delusions just on that score, but being "celebs" ramps it up about a millionfold.

[lascuba]

I've always thought that the Duggar clan as whole would do better to be more real on their show instead of a giving the audience nothing but scripted moments. That goes double for Jessa. That girl should let her bitch flag fly. Not over-the-top obviously doing it to be The Bitch of the show, but just be honest in her words and reactions. The contrast between her personality and her beliefs could make for really interesting TV. I want to see more of the Jessa who confidently stated what the best way was to remove a dead tree but it wasn't going to happen because "boys make everything complicated." I want the no-nonsense Jessa who'd boss who little brothers around and roughly help them with their ties because she doesn't have the time or temperament to be sweet to those fidgety PITAs. I want the Jessa who annoyed JD with her opinions on what to do with the tree house. I REALLY want the Jessa who told Ben, "But where would I put them?" as a response to his insipid"I want to give you all the flowers in the world."  I'll even take the Jessa who sneered at the camera and said, "Yes, saying 'I love you' is allowed in courtship" as one of the most blatant "Fuck you, internet" moments ever seen on this show. 

Sweet Jessa is a mess. She's the fakest thing about this whole fake-ass show. Worse, she's boring. Honesty would be the best chance of success for her. I'd love for her to be candid about what exactly she feel about the whole rap thing with Ben. I don't know whether she doesn't want to open the door to more internet speculation, or if she hasn't even been honest with Ben about it because headshipblahblahblah, but the whole ridiculous Flame storyline would be so much more interesting if Jessa either a)admitted that she still agrees with her parents teaching on that type of music and is really uncomfortable with Ben's interest in rap or b)says outright that she no longer (or never did) agree with her parents on that. Instead we get all the kidults joking that they don't know anything about rap while ignoring the huge elephant in the room...their parents' open and passionate hatred for non-hymnal music and dancing. The whole thing is ridiculous. If they're going to lie to the cameras, they need to create believable lies.