Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events

[Sew Sumi]

Dang guys, how did we let the anniversary of Joshgate I slip by without recognizing it last Saturday? I can't believe it's already been a year since that first shoe dropped. 

Where were you when you found out? I was reading my FB feed in line at a Starbucks in Fort Bragg, CA on that fateful Thursday morning. I remember my jaw pretty much dropping to the floor. 

eta: I was on vacation and headed out of town into a mountainous area with spotty/no phone coverage, so I didn't get the full impact until I got home about 4 hours later, which was late afternoon, eastern time. I came right here to find this place had assploded! LOL

Edited May 24, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[GeeGolly]

30 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Dang guys, how did we let the anniversary of Joshgate I slip by without recognizing it last Saturday? I can't believe it's already been a year since that first shoe dropped. 

Where were you when you found out? I was reading my FB feed in line at a Starbucks in Fort Bragg, CA on that fateful Thursday morning. I remember my jaw pretty much dropping to the floor. 

I think I was right here on PTV with Koka, and others, watching it unfold.

[Rabbittron]

I was at work and my daughter called me.

[Churchhoney]

18 hours ago, JoanArc said:

The Cardis.

Sad that this is a family of 19 kids and counting that'll never produce a Dr. Who fan.

[Tabbygirl521]

7 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Dang guys, how did we let the anniversary of Joshgate I slip by without recognizing it last Saturday? I can't believe it's already been a year since that first shoe dropped. 

Where were you when you found out? I was reading my FB feed in line at a Starbucks in Fort Bragg, CA on that fateful Thursday morning. I remember my jaw pretty much dropping to the floor. 

eta: I was on vacation and headed out of town into a mountainous area with spotty/no phone coverage, so I didn't get the full impact until I got home about 4 hours later, which was late afternoon, eastern time. I came right here to find this place had assploded! LOL

It was my birthday! And when I found out, I was waiting at the hospital with my mom and sister for my mom to have a procedure done. It was kind of great to have one diversion to distract us for a bit on an otherwise shitty day. 

[Barb23]

I was in  physical therapy rehab when  one of the therapists told me about Joshgate during my session.  The therapists loved my reaction- I put my hand to my heart like I had the vapors.  I think I said something along the lines of "well we knew something happened with Josh, just didn't know specifics."  One of the therapists was a Duggar follower & was kidded about it by her coworkers, so she was glad to hear I was also a follower.

[Jynnan tonnix]

We were visiting my in-laws for their 60th anniversary. Then a few days later my father-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain and he was gone a week after that...So all the Joshgate stuff is mashed up in my mind with those couple of weeks. It made for a bit of diversion,I guess.

[bigskygirl]

Jynnan tonnix so sorry about your father-in-law. I did not find out about Joshgate One until I came home from work and came on here to check the forum. Talk about shock city.

[Absolom]

I was sitting on this very sofa watching it all go down.

[Tabbygirl521]

1 hour ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

We were visiting my in-laws for their 60th anniversary. Then a few days later my father-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain and he was gone a week after that...So all the Joshgate stuff is mashed up in my mind with those couple of weeks. It made for a bit of diversion,I guess.

I am so sorry. Similar here, Jynnan. The procedure I mentioned above was my mom having a lung biopsy. Cancer. She passed in July. Joshgate continued to divert us all as things devolved. Connected forever in my mind. 

[yogi2014L]

13 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I think I was right here on PTV with Koka, and others, watching it unfold.

I was on vacation in Marco Island and my family had no idea why I was freaking out or checking FJ every hour LOL saying ' WE KNEW IT!" lol. i then had to give them an entire history on the Duggars and talked about non stop. I think I even texted some friends. 

I have been following them for YEARS and new of the rumors years ago with the whole Oprah thing, so this was epic. LOL

[DangerousMinds]

I was on vacation in Las Vegas.

[scriggle]

17 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

I was on vacation in Las Vegas.

Me too.  Actually I was at McCarran waiting for the red-eye home.

[kokapetl]

17 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I think I was right here on PTV with Koka, and others, watching it unfold.

I actually didn't join the forum until June. I had been reading it for several months by May though. The day the news hit must have been a day like every other day for me, because I don't remember it. 

I remember where I was for scandal #2: in a queue at the phone company's store. 

[BitterApple]

I read about it here. I knew of the rumors since our TWoP days, but figured they were too far out there to be true. After all, what sane parents would allow a boy who molested their daughters to remain in the home? And force those same daughters to do his laundry and treat him like he shits gold bricks? I guess I should've remembered who we were dealing with. Sigh.

[kokapetl]

He's more than "a boy" to JimChelle, he's their son. 

[Sew Sumi]

12 minutes ago, Kokapetl said:

I actually didn't join the forum until June. I had been reading it for several months by May though. The day the news hit must have been a day like every other day for me, because I don't remember it. 

I remember where I was for scandal #2: in a queue at the phone company's store. 

Ah, Joshgate II. I was killing time on my phone in the waiting room of the imaging place where I get my mammogram. 

I wonder if Mechelle has ever had her udders scanned for lumps. Cancer does run in her family. 

[GeeGolly]

25 minutes ago, Kokapetl said:

I actually didn't join the forum until June. I had been reading it for several months by May though. The day the news hit must have been a day like every other day for me, because I don't remember it. 

I remember where I was for scandal #2: in a queue at the phone company's store. 

Must be what I'm remembering.

[Maharincess]

I'm so shocked that this has become a "where were you when..." type of situation.  I honestly don't give a big enough crap to even remember where I was.   I just don't care that much. 

I remember where I was during big events like Princess Diana passing but not this.  

[SometimesBites]

I was laying on my bed using my Kindle. Hadn't checked in on the Duggar antics for a while and randomly wandered over to see if there was any new snark. Why yes, yes there was. I sat straight up and said something to the effect of, "I knew that slimy little shit would show the world a dark side someday." Boy, did this place catch fire in a hurry.

[Celia Rubenstein]

3 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I read about it here. I knew of the rumors since our TWoP days, but figured they were too far out there to be true. 

I remember the "sin in the camp" rumors at TWoP and when they started building steam again, I was sure it was all a lot of nonsense.  I came here and was answering a pm, telling someone I thought it was probably going to turn out that Josh had got caught holding hands or something and it was all being blown out of proportion by the Fundy Police. He responded back quickly suggesting I go read the thread.  Ha haa!  Boy was I wrong!   There was already nine pages posted about it by the time I found out.  I could barely keep up with all the posts.    

[Arwen Evenstar]

So is this momentous day, hereby known as "The Smuggarversary"?

[Sew Sumi]

I think it was the 21st. 

To the poster who says no big deal, I disagree. I found out via the interwebz, not PTV. It was a national news story, covered by all the major news outlets. People who had never heard of the Duggars entered the conversation on both sides. It went far beyond snarkers and leghumpers. Josh became the butt of late night comedians and topical on shows like AC360 and Dr. Drew.

And of course, sites that watch/criticize fundies all blew up. It took me days to catch up.

A very big deal. 

[Happyfatchick]

I was sitting on my porch with my feet up and first saw it posted on here.  Don't remember who - but OHMYGOSH, I did nothing but read this forum for DAYS!!!  I actually posted something on here at first saying pssssht, he got caught holding hands; every touch is sinful to them.   Sooooo wrong.  And what a year it's been.  Just think about it - between JG-1 and JG-2, Megyn Kelly had those horrifying interviews with them in their home.  (Doesn't that seem like more than a year ago?).  That was so revolting - I don't even have to close my eyes to envision Jim Bob demonstrating with his hand in sort of a claw how it as just curiosity and touching over the clothes.  Ewwww!!!  I get ill just thinking about that.  Certifiably, amazingly stupid.

and yep, Sew, big deal.  BIIIIIG deal.  Big deal in so many, many ways.  

[BetyBee]

I don't remember the actual moment when I heard, but I do remember checking these forums every day first thing.  I think it felt something like vindication.  Many of us have known for years that these people are fake, fake, fake.  After Josh's scandals, the rest of the world took notice.  It may not be important to some, but I think it's a step towards making people wary of these cults.  And that is a good thing.  

[Arwen Evenstar]

I'd been laid off for about 6 weeks when Smuggar was exposed last year, and found this forum. I heard it on the national news, and like most people, I began to wonder what else was going on at that house once the cameras got switched off. Nothing surprises or shocks me, but like most people, I believed that they had the right to live as they saw fit even if I didn't agree with their ideas or choices. They weren't hurting anybody, or saw we all thought. 

 Often, I had wondered if those kids were really all right since they lived in a bubble, and we all know that never ends well, once people like that realize the disservice that's been done to them from keeping them so sheltered. They were always shown smiling and dutiful and obedient and well behaved, and their squeaky clean wholesome image belied their dysfunction.

Joshgate showed us not only how messed up Josh became, but what a sick, narcissistic, megalomaniac his father is and what a deranged, patriarchal cult they belong to. I think many people like me just kept reading in disbelief as to how messed up some of these evangelical movements really are. I grew up around plenty of Fundies, so I knew enough about some of their ideas, but in the early 80s, they were dismissed as part of the lunatic fringe.  I hadn't thought much about them until many of them are beginning to run for high profile offices and becoming more successful at legislating their own brand of morality and using their religious freedom to marginalize those they do not like.

I'm sure I'm not only speaking for myself, but I did feel kind of sad at first, because I really wanted to believe that the Duggars really were as nice as they seemed to be, since they became popular when most reality TV shows featured screaming matches and drama.

[Jynnan tonnix]

13 hours ago, Maharincess said:

I'm so shocked that this has become a "where were you when..." type of situation.  I honestly don't give a big enough crap to even remember where I was.   I just don't care that much. 

I remember where I was during big events like Princess Diana passing but not this.  

I don't think it's a huge deal either, but just the fact that it's still so relatively recent, plus the fact that when you follow things like this on a forum where it's probable that you will have some input (I think the process of putting something into written words solidifies it a bit in your mind) makes it stick out a bit for us here. I doubt that anyone who just heard the news in passing would have remembered. Plus, for a few of us, like Tabbygirl and me, just it being a diversion of sorts through a time of great stress makes it that much more memorable.

Edited to add...I didn't realize it had made such an impact in National news until reading the posts between. I don't really watch TV, and mostly glean the news from reading online, so there are things that I might miss if they don't interest me, or things which I spend more time following either through genuine interest or morbid fascination. I just figured Joshgate was more the latter and was unaware that the world at large cared all that much.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Jynnan tonnix
explained in post

[Marigold]

I read it on facebook and thought "this has gone too far with the Duggar trash talk. They are nuts but to make up lies about being a child molester is crossing a line".  

I didn't believe it at first until I looked it up and it was true. Then when i read the details, yeah, it all makes sense. 

Edited May 25, 2016 by Marigold

[yogi2014L]

13 hours ago, Maharincess said:

I'm so shocked that this has become a "where were you when..." type of situation.  I honestly don't give a big enough crap to even remember where I was.   I just don't care that much. 

I remember where I was during big events like Princess Diana passing but not this.  

I think for the average person, its a 100% not a big deal and I wouldn't expect most people to remember where they were. I don't put this on the same scale as Princess Diana passing or 9-11 by any means. But I for sure remember what I was doing because as someone who has been following/snarking/hate watching the show, Duggars, fundamentalist/ patriarchal/evangelical/quiverfull movement  for years, this was a big deal to me. :-)

[Marigold]

I grew up as an Independent Fund Baptist but nothing like this Gothard nonsense. I stayed IFB for many many years also. Again, not this Gothard stuff. I never even heard of this guy until I started reading here. I had heard of the Wisdom Booklets but only in passing.  

So for me, it's a personal interest. 

[Tabbygirl521]

It was definitely May 21. My birthday! I shall never, never forget [/fake dramatic delivery].

[Arwen Evenstar]

Happy Belated Birthday, Tabbygirl!  Smuggarversary didn't spoil it for you, I hope.

[Tabbygirl521]

Thanks, Arwen! I was able to keep him out of my brain this year. All was well. 

[JoanArc]

Looks like an insider thinks Anna's pregnant. 

It's just speculation

Quote

“I was expecting Josh to be much more humble and quiet, a less arrogant person after everything he’d done, but nope,” the source gushed. “He was the same old Josh, constantly talking, full of himself, really aggressive and making Anna do everything — not helpful to her at all.” Definitely not a good look, Josh!

Huh, but I thought he had all that therapy!

[JoanArc]

Another article about Josh's shitty life

 

Quote

 

“It’s not a smartphone. He isn’t allowed to have one of those,” a source close to the Duggars reveals. “He has a little phone with a tiny screen and he can’t send or receive picture messages

Quote

He tried to talk to Anna’s sister Susanna, saying he was sorry he hadn’t talked to her since everything happened, and it got really awkward,” the source explains. “She stopped him and said, ‘You don’t have to apologize to me. If you’d had an affair on me, we wouldn’t be married anymore.’”

Anna’s brother Daniel, who’d publicly branded Josh “that pig [Anna] calls her husband” after his cheating confession, also insulted his brother-in-law. “Josh tried to sit next to Daniel at a restaurant,” says the source close to the Duggars, “and Daniel got up and moved to another table.”

Go Daniel!

[Joe Jitsu913]

On 5/24/2016 at 0:10 AM, Sew Sumi said:

Dang guys, how did we let the anniversary of Joshgate I slip by without recognizing it last Saturday? I can't believe it's already been a year since that first shoe dropped. 

Where were you when you found out? I was reading my FB feed in line at a Starbucks in Fort Bragg, CA on that fateful Thursday morning. I remember my jaw pretty much dropping to the floor. 

eta: I was on vacation and headed out of town into a mountainous area with spotty/no phone coverage, so I didn't get the full impact until I got home about 4 hours later, which was late afternoon, eastern time. I came right here to find this place had assploded! LOL

All I remember is thinking that my prayer to the TMZ Gods worked. I always knew that fucker would get in trouble for some sort of sexual misconduct. It was just a matter of when and where. I remember reading the headlines over and over because I couldn't believe it. I knew Josh was shady as hell and always believed in the Sin in the Camp rumours. 

[Sew Sumi]

36 minutes ago, JoanArc said:

Looks like an insider thinks Anna's pregnant. 

It's just speculation

Huh, but I thought he had all that therapy!

Wow, that article (I hesitate to even call it that) was poorly done. The funeral was last week, not a month after Joshgate broke. 

Who's singing? Famy? Daniel Keller? Maybe even Suze?

[Arwen Evenstar]

Nice work, Joan of Arc!

Not surprising that Smuggar is still an inconsiderate jerk. After Anna has stood by him, despite all he's done, he has again proven he is totally undeserving of her.

[jschoolgirl]

Imagine being 27 or so and being "not allowed to have" a phone!  Or anything, for that matter.

I imagine it's Jizm Bob and Mechelle's call, not Anna's, which is even more pathetic.

[Absolom]

That should really clue all the legal adults into how wrong this all is.  It won't, but it should and should motivate Josh to walk away.

[kalamac]

2 hours ago, JoanArc said:

Looks like an insider thinks Anna's pregnant. 

It's just speculation

Huh, but I thought he had all that therapy!

That headline made me think of something known as "Betteridge's law of headlines" which says "any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered with the word no."

It's not definitive of course, but I've certainly found it to be correct in most cases.

[Wellfleet]

24 minutes ago, kalamac said:

That headline made me think of something known as "Betteridge's law of headlines" which says "any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered with the word no."

It's not definitive of course, but I've certainly found it to be correct in most cases.

Wow. Is Josh really selling used cars on the side of the road? If that's true, that's a mighty comedown & mighty fast. I could see that in a couple of years maybe, but this soon? I wonder if Boob is trying to instill some kind of humble lesson and/or dole out some punishment?  

[Sew Sumi]

Yeah, those pictures of him selling a jeep were from that same grassy strip of land by the highway where Jinger tried to flip her car. No lot (or even concrete) in sight.

Someone posted the pics here, I believe, but if you can't find them, check out FJ or (grudgingly) Pickles.

[Darknight]

I thought the sin in the camp was Josh having sex before marriage, kissing or seeing knee. But it wasn't. Shocked me that fucking Jimchelle didn't do shit to help him or their kids. They covered it up. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

36 minutes ago, Darknight said:

I thought the sin in the camp was Josh having sex before marriage, kissing or seeing knee. But it wasn't. Shocked me that fucking Jimchelle didn't do shit to help him or their kids. They covered it up. 

Makes me wonder what a big deal they might have made about Josh having consensual kissing or sex with an age appropriate girl. Would Boob and Googly Eyes have gone to the offending young lady's parents and demanded a "shotgun wedding" or insist have her sent to the Gothard equivalent of the Magdalene Laundries?

I'll see myself out (trudges off to Prayer Closet)

Edited May 26, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar

[Lemur]

11 hours ago, Wellfleet said:

Wow. Is Josh really selling used cars on the side of the road? If that's true, that's a mighty comedown & mighty fast. I could see that in a couple of years maybe, but this soon? I wonder if Boob is trying to instill some kind of humble lesson and/or dole out some punishment?  

Apparently selling cars on the side of the road ... under the supervision of his seventeen year old brother.

And then there's this: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2016/05/josh-duggar-strict-post-rehab-rules-revealed/

Don't know how legit it is, considering we've already seen him with an iPhone plastered to the side of his face. 

[MunichNark]

This is ridiculous, if it were true. He is an adult, not a child and even a child would rebel against those rules. You can't tie up a person and choke him like that.

You have to WANT to change, unless that is the case, this kind of shite simply won't work. Trying to tie him to anyone's side is just nonsense.

I don't think he'll stick it for long really. Genes will out and he hasn't exactly tried to be decent.

[LocalGovt]

17 hours ago, JoanArc said:

Looks like an insider thinks Anna's pregnant. 

It's just speculation

Huh, but I thought he had all that therapy!

I found this portion of the article particularly odd:

“It’s the last thing their family needs right now,” gushed the source. “Josh just got out of rehab, and considering the family’s financial future is uncertain, the financial burden of a fifth child is the last thing Anna and Josh need.” In fact, Josh is SO strapped for cash that he has been selling used cars on the side of the road — no joke.

*****

"gushed" the insider???!!! What part of that sentence was "gush" worthy?  Is also seems too well worded to be anyone in the family (cousins, family friends, etc.).

[LocalGovt]

15 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

Imagine being 27 or so and being "not allowed to have" a phone!  Or anything, for that matter.

I imagine it's Jizm Bob and Mechelle's call, not Anna's, which is even more pathetic.

I know lots of married couples where one spouse or the other is "not allowed" to have this, or that...like....a gf/bf on the side....guns....phone sex...or to go out on the town with ________ (insert name of untrustworthy person here).  In Josh's particular case, the internet was his downfall, so it makes sense that he would have those restrictions placed on him.  Kind of like.....losing your driver's license after so many DUI's.

[Aja]

4 minutes ago, LocalGovt said:

"gushed" the insider???!!! What part of that sentence was "gush" worthy?  Is also seems too well worded to be anyone in the family (cousins, family friends, etc.).

Lol! We're not talking about Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, here. Probably had the thesaurus open to "said". :D