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Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events


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Everything that's ever been online is cached somewhere. It may be difficult to access due to a number of factors, but the Duggars attempting to scour the record would not be one of those factors.

 

But it would have been attempted a lot more successfully a week ago if a Crisis PR Team were immediately in place, they were smart enough to get the expunge order going last Tuesday, but almost everything since has been misstep. 

 

I think all the spin-off rumors are based off that Variety post from 9:00 a.m. edt this morning, they all have the old stale sponsor info in them.

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(edited)

For people who know the time line better - is it possible that there could have been therapy other than the Little Rock labor in the police report?

Josh had the crew cut when the family moved out of the Johnson Rd. house to the "rent house" in mid/late 2005. It has been suspected that he had just returned from ALERT then, probably even more legitimately argued now that we've seen Joseph and Josiah get the same buzz cuts before their stints there. He would have been 17. Other than that, I got nuthin'. 

Edited by Sew Sumi
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I'm not meaning to defend pedophile trooper guy, and I think he's exactly where he should be, but it makes a horrible kind of sense that he would care about the children of friends and coreligionists in a way that he wouldn't about other children. After all, the Gothardites' teaching about young women who don't follow their teaching is that they're not just literally asking for it, but overwhelming their male victim's best attempts not to give it to them. And it does seem that in that world the dividing line between gently raised young women and prey is the status of their fathers.

Edited by Julia
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I completely agree Anna should have not released a statement and should say nothing. She could have just said "it's a personal matter between me and Josh." Now people are picking her apart unfairly because what chance does she ever have of having a life that she can make for herself by herself?

 

This story is not dying down. I'm really shocked that it has picked up so much momentum. Can I say that Dr. Drew talked about abuse last night and he said the only good that can come out about the Duggar revelation is that sexual abuse is once again talked about. It opens the door for discussion. 

 

I think the fact that the story has about a million angles means that it will be quite a while before time alone drives it off the news radar. It'll have to be eclipsed by some bigger stuff.

 

 

I can think of very few stories (actually none) that have political and public policy angles (both national and local); religious; culture wars with some of the most current and hottest topics -- LGBT rights and women's issues; entertainment and celebrity; schadenfreude; child welfare; entertainment business; beautiful young women who've had a bunch of People covers; crisis management; dirt from old political campaigns; whether presidential candidates will weigh in; issues of crime and criminal justice and youth offenders and the tradeoffs between punishment and rehabs; hidden stuff to dig up; terrible old ex-cop kiddie-porn convicts to interview; goofball statements and pr gaffes aplenty from the main players, going back years. It's an unbelievable treasure trove of story hooks, both serious and frivolous. People can just keep writing about it and keep reading about it, which will make more people keep writing about it. And that's not good for either the Duggars or TLC, I would imagine.

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https://mobile.twitter.com/hunterfrederick

Yup. The best of the best wanted nothing to do with this.

[/end sarcasm]

 

Of course, it's probably even more damning that Mr.-I'm-27-And-Probably-Desperate-For-a-High-Profile-Job didn't want to take the job. Even he could accurately characterize the disaster at the TTH. So I doubt there's any way that an actual adult crisis manager is going to take this on.

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They put this out there to test the waters, plain & simple. 

 

I completely agree Anna should have not released a statement and should say nothing. She could have just said "it's a personal matter between me and Josh." Now people are picking her apart unfairly because what chance does she ever have of having a life that she can make for herself by herself?

 

This story is not dying down. I'm really shocked that it has picked up so much momentum. Can I say that Dr. Drew talked about abuse last night and he said the only good that can come out about the Duggar revelation is that sexual abuse is once again talked about. It opens the door for discussion. 

 

The fact that Anna gave a statement and that it read the way that it did was all the proof I needed that there is no PR professionals involved at all. Not even one on the TLC payroll. This whole thing screams Jim Bob knows best. 

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(edited)

I was a gossip mag addict. Started as soon as I could read, sneaking my parents Enquirer. Star, People, Us, they were on sale every where and in my home. Then Princess Diana was killed. I don't believe the paps killed her, but they did not help the situation. I thought "what am I doing?" I was reading these rags, paying for them, and lining the coffers of people who paid people to go through garbage and peek into windows. I stopped. I didn't make any vow to stop, but I just lost interest. My stomach turned and I stopped. I was similarly hooked on reality shows. Rock of Love, Flavor of Love, Jon and Kate, Celebrity Rehab, Real World and The Duggars. Lately I have been losing interest. Every show has turned out to be not what it appeared and not reality. Flavor had a baby momma squirreled away, so did Brett, all those poor, dead "rehabbed" celebrities and Real Worlders. And now this. This debacle has similarly turned me off. I don't care if Anna has another kid, or even has this one. Good luck Jessa and Ben. Someday Jana may find her prince, but I won't be watching. I'll still come here though. The thoughtful, well written posts are real and I will get more out of this than I ever got from reality TV.

Edited by kathe5133
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The trooper's story for not reporting still doesn't wash for me. He didn't make a big deal because Jim Bob claimed it only happened once? One instance of sexual abuse is enough to tear you apart for a lifetime.

 

So true. But I can imagine that it wouldn't seem that way to a state trooper who was a then-sliding-by-uncaught kiddie-porn addict. I think that, consciously or unconsciously, JimBob may have picked up a bit of a I-let-stuff-like-this slide vibe from the guy. That's certainly what he would have been looking for, at any rate.

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I've been checking some of the Duggar's IG's since this whole mess started and they are all dead, like not-a-peep dead. Is someone advising them to stay off social media?

IMHO.

 

My favorite part of that announcement about the crisis PR firm's reasons for not taking the Duggars as clients:

 

"Would not agree to our minimum retainer."

 

In other words, Jim Boob expected them to bow to his every whim and clean up a mess that would be like putting toothpaste back in the tube. FOR FREE.

Yeah, and the firm also expects the client to "humble" themselves. I actually LOL at that one!
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So we have:

 

A controlling, infallible Leader who talks to God and interprets his will, who isn't acting rationally.

A tightly knit group with minimal outside contact.

A group of people with minimal individual identity, that process everything as a group.

General distrust/fear of the outside world, government, or authority.

An event that's caused near universal hate/scorn/mockery/outside intrusion.

A coming apocalypse that is 100% likely to occur. (Cancellation)

Easy access to weapons.

 

It's amazing how much things change in a week's time. Not for the better...

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I have to think there's a screenwriter or a producer, in some little hole-in-the-wall office - or bar - in California at this very moment, outlining a treatment of the whole Duggar story, possible casting etc. So hang in there, Boob - there may still be a little cash in the winds for you...

Kim Richards can play Jim Bob. I hear she like hair spray cans.  :)

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(edited)

What TLC/Duggars need to realize is that most studies show 1 in 5 girls/women is a victim of some form of sexual abuse. Honestly as an idealistic young person I would have thought that number was high until I became a mom, an employee, a volunteer, a researcher and I am saddened by how many cases I have come across and how profoundly it affects people. I know TLC doesn't want to loose its biggest money maker and is working overtime at trying to save it but do they realize amount of victims, victims family's, victims friends of sexual abuse out there that do not want to see this on tv and will fight to keep it off the air. It is not the same as Kate Gosselin and airing a painful divorce on tv, or even All American Muslim which a small percentage of people didn't want to see. TLC has a huge uphill battle.

 

The loyal viewers fall into several groups

1. Snarkers who might miss the weekly recaps but most would be okay with the show being cancelled

2. People with similar beliefs, yes the Duggars have a loyal fundie following but the vast majority are NOT cable subscribers. If you look at the Duggar family blog, every week the loyal group begs for the you tube episodes to be uploaded because they don't have TLC or cable. This group might by Dvds.

3. Viewers wanting to watch a wholesome show. I have plenty of LDS neighbors who watch 19 kids because it is a family friendly show. They miss the family sitcoms of the 80's and the Duggars is there go to show. I have already seen some of my neighbors sickened by the scandal and 2 of them asked me if they should tell their kids or just buy some dvds and switch the kids interest. I have also seen loyal fans that wished they grew up in a perfect happy large family and watch the Duggars as a peak into what maybe they could have had. I would assume from talking to fans in this group that say they came from abusive unstable homes that a least some have some connection to sexual abuse. I can't see this group wanting to view the ideal family they wanted to have.

 

I don't see a large fanbase left that watches the show on TLC. I think they could have weathered many other scandals, tax fraud, a kid having sex outside of marriage, even Jim Bob cheating but not this. If the show returns in some fashion, I bet the first episode might get decent ratings out of curiousity. Remember Jon and Kate got 10 million viewers for the divorce announcement and a few months later had under 2 million and then dropped to 600k.

 

TLC is not going to change but other networks need to see there is a need for family programming. I realize it is not 1985 but a show like the Middle appeal to the families and is pretty wholesome. I'm surprised that networks can't make a few more family sitcoms. There is the kids that grew up in the 1980's that are now parents and there are many families that like wholesome family programs.

Edited by silverspoons
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(edited)

For people who know the time line better - is it possible that there could have been therapy other than the Little Rock labor in the police report?

If CPS/DCFS/etc required it during their ongoing follow-up (which was rumored by the Alice poster in ~2007 who had a lot of details right, and the existence of a "trial"/appeal supports), it wouldn't be part of the public record or any record subject to FOIA release. I think the evidence of CPS follow-up gives us good reason to hope that they required counseling with an approved practitioner (ie, licensed, but a Christian-based licensed practitioner likely would have been approved) for at least the family victims, and hopefully for Josh as well as he was still in the house at the time.

Regardless of Gothard's teachings, I really don't see Jim Bob placing that kind of blame on the sisters since they were very young with Josh was diddling them. Jimboob's love for his girls has always been very apparent.

I kind of agree. The fact is that JB has been indirectly saying it every time they interview (live or talking heads) about modesty and not stirring up desires that can't be righteously fulfilled (...I hate that I even know that talking point); kids and victims hear the implication crystal clear, but the speaker often doesn't. I've also seen JB as being particularly partial to the older girls (and the parent the littles, like Josie, go to for comfort); he and Josh have had some (no longer weird) tension, and it's Michelle that seems closer to him than she is most of the other kids.

GEML, could you elaborate on the sewing incident? I have read recaps (haven't watched the show since pre-Josie days), but I've never heard of this.

Anna got to town and was stunned/appalled that Jana was going all the alterations, all by herself, for a wedding that wasn't her own. (Guessing that last phrase was relevant, since a recent clip show reminding me of Josh and Anna's wedding showed Anna making most of the dresses herself, with I think some sisterly help.) Edited by WalrusGirl
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The Duggar name is going to be mud.  It's now a verb in the Urban Dictionary.

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Duggar

At this point the best thing the Duggars can do is buy a private island somewhere far, far away from here, move everybody there and start all over. They are beyond done. Damn.
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From People Magazine  http://www.people.com/article/19-kids-counting-spin-off-tlc-jessa-seewald-jill-dillard-duggar-family

 

"a source close to the Duggars says a new plan may shift focus away from the large brood headed up by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and instead focus on newlyweds Jill and Derick Dillard, and Jessa and Ben Seewald."

 

I don't know what everyone feels about this but I had thought for a long time that Jessa and Jill would eventually get their own spin-off shows. In the aftermath of all this with Josh, I don't think I can even think about Jessa and Jill in the same way as before. I think I'll pass on watching that if it comes to light.

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Ironically, this has given the Duggar's more publicity than any of the births/weddings/pregnancies.  People I know who couldn't have given a rat's arse about Jill's wedding, Israel or Jessa's wedding are now suddenly interested.  For crying out loud, he was trending on FB in Australia where we are a season behind and next to no one watches 19K.  

Of course, I don't think JB wanted to go out in a fiery inferno of judgment, hypocrisy and allegations of underage sexual abuse but hey, at least they are more famous now than ever before!

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(edited)

So Rick Santorum announced his bid for president today. This is the first big political event Josh will have had to miss, and undoubtedly he would have been there with his smugly moon face in the background as Santorum spoke. This must just be eating him up inside that he wasn't able to be there.

 

I noticed Santorum, who was pretty buddy-buddy with the Duggars, has not said a damn word, nor has Kirk Cameron (unless I missed it). Some of Josh's big-name (well, in the fundie world) allies seem to realize it's best to unhitch their wagons from the Duggars.

 

Edit: ChocolateAddict, you're so right about people who didn't give a fig about the Duggars before are now talking about it. My bff, who never watches reality TV, has been reading about Gothard's teachings because of all this. It's going to further the Duggars' descent when the casual public thinks JB/Michelle/Josh are scum. Anyone who might have stopped to watch while channel surfing is going to  say, "hey, isn't that the family that - ?" and keep right on surfing.

Edited by EarlGreyTea
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I disagree, for two reasons. 1. There is too much baggage associated with their lives and their beliefs--I think the vast majority of would-be viewers would never be able to swallow their sunshine-and-rainbows schtick without thinking about the wretched crap they lived through in their parents' household. 2. Getting your family embroiled in television as a way of making a living, especially when the children are young, is a recipe for later disaster. All gravy trains reach their terminal point, and I think it would be better for ALL the Duggars--especially the kids--to let that happen NOW. Get off the tube, and figure out how to live an actual life.

 

Right now in an office at TLC, someone is pointing to the girls saying "public opinion has never been more sympathetic to the victims, I mean girls, we have to strike while the iron is hot with a new show".

 

I get sick just thinking at the BS  you'd have to swallow to produce that show.  Okay, no mention of the entire family.  No family shots including the toxic parents.  Make sure checks are written out to Duggar trust, not the girls.  Not to mention there are good people willing to trash any company that sponsors this crap.

 

I haven't watched this show since the miracle baby but I'm about done with all reality TV.  There are a lot of books that need reading.

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I noticed Santorum, who was pretty buddy-buddy with the Duggars, has not said a damn word, nor has Kirk Cameron (unless I missed it). Some of Josh's big-name (well, in the fundie world) allies seem to realize it's best to unhitch their wagons from the Duggars.

Jim Bob dated Ricky a few years ago, but they broke up when his ex Mike came back a knockin. Then there's Jim Bob's first love, Bill...

 

kIoeBBW.jpg

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(edited)

So am I. But I'm finding telling them to remember whose comments for their final Judgment and asking if they'll be saying all of that to their Lord. They don't seem to comment after that.

 

Re: Josh apologists citing the text: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone..."

 

Except that until they were exposed Blob, Mullet, and  Josh had been casting stones at others all around them.  If they had followed this Christian teaching to begin with, maybe the backlash wouldn't be this severe now.  Man, sorry if I've said this a million times already, but I don't get why some Christians want to defend this guy.  I get that they're defending the doctrine of forgiveness,  but can't they defend that without being Josh apologists? I honestly don't know if he's been forgiven by God or his sisters-- it'snot for me to know, but I do know he evaded the earthly penalties for his crimes,  and knowing what he had done,  MADE A CAREER out of casting stones at other people who purportedly had the potential to be molesters, though they had done NOTHING.  Where is the Christian outrage at the duplicity, and the grossly Pharasaical nature of this whole Duggar circus?  They have been flouting Christian  teaching left and right.  I just don't understand it. 

 

(edited for clarity)

Edited by Gianthambeast
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(edited)

i have been down in the dumps the past few days and trying to catch up with this thread.  at the rate i'm going i may never =p.  i was also at fj trying to catch up and saw this. this person claims to be the one that forwarded the info to intouch.  if you go to her IG and scroll down, you will see a same sex couple kissing outside the duggar compound.  some of you may remember that picture.

 

mods, i know that you have been working overtime but, please delete if you feel it necessary.

 

https://instagram.com/p/3FP5P5AjGq/?taken-by=happy_lil_tantan

Edited by abseedee
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(edited)

Well, Dan, you had a good run as my favorite person on 10 Kids and Counting. Please get off your throne and let your stepfather take his place as my new favorite person. Unless he says something like this too, then he can dethrone and let that cat Derick run over take it.

 

Sidebar - I had no idea my adblocker was hiding images people posted. I could only see a blank post until I turned off adblock and saw Dan's FB post.

 

Josh is sure getting lots of support, unless somehow Dan's post was meant for the victims.

Edited by EarlGreyTea
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I've been writing this in my head all day, so here goes.

I would watch a spin-off. I would watch it every week. Even if it's boring, I would still probably watch.

I've been asking myself hard questions about why I began watching the Duggars and why I continued to watch them. After all, I'm not their demographic, with the exception of my being female. I have a master's and a director-level position with a large not-for-profit; I was raised Catholic and no longer attend church. I'm a card-carrying, liberal Democrat. I'm a mother who willingly sent my kids to school, didn't bat an eye when they said swear words, and accompanied my teenage daughter to the gynecologist to get her first birth-control prescription.

And yet, I never missed a Tuesday night, and I'm hoping the girls get their own show. Why? Because if not, I'd miss the Duggars. I kind of miss them already.

I began watching them because I was curious -- 14 children and pregnant again? What the hell? WHY the hell? And even though I thought the family was bizarre, I looked forward to each subsequent special.

I began to do my research about them, and I learned about Gothard and Quiverfull. I was horrified, but still, I watched. I found TWoP and started to snark, and found that others were like me, which made me feel less strange; other viewers were appalled by MEchelle and Boob, too, but they liked the kids and were rooting for them to eventually break free.

As we got to "know" the kids -- obviously, we didn't know them, but you know what I mean -- I liked them even more, and paid even less attention to Boob and MEchelle. I enjoyed Jessa's snark and Jinger's thinly veiled sarcasm; I cheered Jill's and Jana's attempts to integrate to some degree with the outside world. I was happy to see Smuggar and Anna leave Arkansas, even though I was thoroughly disappointed with Smuggar's career choice. I admired Anna's abilities as a mother and enjoyed watching their cute, smart kids.

Just as I enjoyed watching the kids experience Disney World for the first time, I enjoyed watching Jill fall in love, and I liked Derick's relative normalcy. Even though I had hoped they'd somehow wait a while to have a child, I watched Jill's Instagram for updates on her pregnancy, and I was relieved when she had a healthy baby. And the weddings ... I may have shed a tear or two when bumbling Boob gave away his girls.

In short, I allowed myself to be sucked into something that wasn't real at all, but from the very first, I was rooting for those kids -- the j'slaves, especially. And I'm rooting for them even more now. I don't know what this scandal means for them; might it give one or two the courage to break away, or will it pull them all deeper into the fold? I don't know. But I can hope, I guess.

I don't know how a spin-off would work, really; I have no desire to see Boob or MEchelle or Smuggar on my TV again, ever. But if the girls want to continue the franchise, I think they should be able to try. If it's truly their decision, it would be all that much sweeter. Something ought to be their decision, after all.

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i have been down in the dumps the past few days and trying to catch up with this thread.  at the rate i'm going i may never =p.  i was also at fj trying to catch up and saw this. this person claims to be the one that forwarded the info to intouch.  if you go to her IG and scroll down, you will see a same sex couple kissing outside the duggar compound.  some of you may remember that picture.

 

mods, i know that you have been working overtime but, please delete if you feel it necessary.

 

https://instagram.com/p/3FP5P5AjGq/?taken-by=happy_lil_tantan

The phrase 'whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap' springs to mind.

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I have to think there's a screenwriter or a producer, in some little hole-in-the-wall office - or bar - in California at this very moment, outlining a treatment of the whole Duggar story, possible casting etc. So hang in there, Boob - there may still be a little cash in the winds for you...

 

It's only a matter of time before Diane Sawyer is doing a special on this whole debacle. 

 

I've been checking some of the Duggar's IG's since this whole mess started and they are all dead, like not-a-peep dead. Is someone advising them to stay off social media?

Yeah, and the firm also expects the client to "humble" themselves. I actually LOL at that one!

 

It's been radio silence from that bunch for 6 days. 

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Right now in an office at TLC, someone is pointing to the girls saying "public opinion has never been more sympathetic to the victims, I mean girls, we have to strike while the iron is hot with a new show".

 

I get sick just thinking at the BS  you'd have to swallow to produce that show.  Okay, no mention of the entire family.  No family shots including the toxic parents.  Make sure checks are written out to Duggar trust, not the girls.  Not to mention there are good people willing to trash any company that sponsors this crap.

 

I haven't watched this show since the miracle baby but I'm about done with all reality TV.  There are a lot of books that need reading.

Great minds think alike, hathorlive. I had the exact same thought about reality TV today, and I actually thought 'I will just catch up on my reading instead'. I'll still come here though!
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