Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events

[NextIteration]

I agree with this idea of separating the crime from the politics/ religion/ ideology of the perpetrator and his family. As galling as the hypocrisy is, it does not affect the seriousness of the act.

 

This was a huge bone of contention in my household yesterday with my daughter, which really surprised me.  I can definitely see it from that side as well, it's just more difficult for me to separate.  She brought up the fact that so many liberals defended Lena Dunham (ugh) and that she got a virtual pass from liberals because she is a supporter of all the "right causes".

[bluebonnet]

This was a huge bone of contention in my household yesterday with my daughter, which really surprised me.  I can definitely see it from that side as well, it's just more difficult for me to separate.  She brought up the fact that so many liberals defended Lena Dunham (ugh) and that she got a virtual pass from liberals because she is a supporter of all the "right causes".

No, people defended Lena Dunham because the person who brought the charge against her couldn't read and claimed a 17 year old Lena molested a toddler.  Lena was 7 when the incident occurred, and every professional pointed out that this was normal behavior.  A true example of playing doctor.  Josh, on the other hand, was 14.  There's a huge difference here.  

Edited May 26, 2015 by bluebonnet

[HumblePi]

Of course we have. We all have made mistake, dumb, stupid mistakes.... However, what Josh did was not a mistake!! 

He committed a 4th degree felony! He's a child molester.. Not a teen who did a dumb thing... He committed a crime, multiple times!

You're absolutely right. A sin is not always a crime, and a crime is not always a sin. But this was a sin that was also a crime. It's just inexcusable for Josh or his parents to treat this as a sin alone. Nobody will ever know to what extent his molestations went on. He was only discovered because Jim Bob caught him in the act. Now, he molested five different children. In our minds we think 'oh five times' but no. Five separate incidents over a long period of time and it could have been many multiples of times he molested each girl.

 

Josh and Anna have taken down their website. I'm sure people are thankful for that. Nobody needs to see a smiling Josh Duggar who we know now was hiding some dark and vile secrets from the public. Michelle and Jim Bob knew when they signed contracts and cashed checks from TLC that they were not only setting themselves up for public scrutiny but every one of their children as well. There was some talk about a spinoff show for Jill and Derick and I would bet there would be a spinoff for Jessa and Ben as well. I hope that TLC decides to leave the Duggar controversy in the dust just as they had left the Honey Boo Boo controversy behind.

[truthtalk2014]

Was there more than one police report released?

Not that I know of.  I went back and looked for what I had seen.  I was mistaken in that abuse happened at TTH - although it may have.  What I saw was on page 14 the address in Tonkitown (or whatever).  I realize now that it was the address of the place they lived when the interview was being given.  I believe that is correct.  If not, please correct me. lol

[ToukieSmith]

Here's what I'm struggling with:  Josh Duggar (and the whole family) is getting a bunch of much-deserved blow-back on this situation.  What he did was reprehensible, and we probably will never know all the details.  I'm not even sure I want to know.

 

But, how can a person ever come back from this kind of thing?  Without excusing or minimizing the impact of his actions, he apparently did this at the age of 14.  Can he ever demonstrate enough public remorse to be allowed to get on with his life in some way? Should he have never married, never had kids, or never tried to have a job linked to his faith?  Even stipulating that there are some options for his life that he foreclosed upon with his actions, is there ever anything he can do to be allowed to be a productive adult?  

 

I'm not trying to defend him or his actions, but I am trying to understand how to think about the idea that any actions taken or remorse shown aren't enough.  Can anything ever be enough?

 

It depends on the person.  Context is everything.  I suspect that a grown man molesting girls is not going to get any sympathy from anyone ever.  A 14 year-old kid molesting girls gets some consideration because of his age and his behaviors after the fact (was he repentant, did he make amends, was forgiveness granted).  I don't know what went on behind closed doors.  Josh may have been repentant and his victims may have forgiven him.  OTOH, he seems comfortable calling gays molesters without meaningful consideration of his own history.  Making incest jokes is never okay and you should always be differential to your victims, IMHO.

 

If the fundie men supposedly have no self-control, are constantly at risk for succumbing to temptation, and aren't expected to take any responsibility for their actions, it seems asinine that the fundie women should look to them as "leaders" and headships. Why follow someone so weak?

 

They don't have any other POV to draw from.  If you were raised by these knuckleheads, your thinking would be just as idiotic.  Its a shame and fascinating at the same time.  You know that a couple of folk at the top know what time it is.  The next tier of folk don't want to know what time it is so they don't ask the proper questions.  The next tier have no clue, but they listen to/follow the top 2 tier of folk.  Ignorance is bliss until crap hits the fan.  Unfortunately, the 3rd tier of folk will be hurt the most because they have no idea how to fin for themselves.

Edited May 26, 2015 by ToukieSmith

[graefin]

Josh and Anna have taken down their website. I'm sure people are thankful for that. Nobody needs to see a smiling Josh Duggar who we know now was hiding some dark and vile secrets from the public.

Their website has been back up since at least yesterday. There's a link to the family statements on it.

[bluebonnet]

 

Josh and Anna have taken down their website.

It was down for a couple of hours over the weekend, but otherwise the website has been up.  

[NextIteration]

There's a huge difference here.  

 

I don't want to go wending way off topic here, I should have written my post more clearly with attribution to my daughter's point.  My apologies.

[HumblePi]

This is a really good question and it's one I've struggled with all weekend.  

 

The first step? No more television cameras and magazine covers.  The gravy train stops immediately and stays that way for a loooong time.  Then, Josh and the victims need to start counseling from licensed professionals who specialize in this kind of treatment, who do not blame victims, and who have never been associated with Gothard.  Finally, the Duggars stop publicly characterizing homosexuals and transgenders as child predators and sexual deviants.  They are free to believe whatever they want in private, but I do not want to hear their hypocritical, bigoted bullshit in robocalls and social media postings.

 

I don't have believe any of those will happen.

How about Michelle and Jim Bob come in front of the public with some sort of 'mia culpa', specifically to lesbians and gays, for being guilty of judging homosexuals as child molesters and admit how wrong they were since they found out their own son was a child molester. The LGBT community deserves an apology from the Duggars for lobbying to have the rights granted to them through legislation be reversed.

Edited May 26, 2015 by HumblePi

[autumnh]

I would guess that right now, Jim Bob is plotting strategies for how to bring in money. One possibility is to set some of the girls up to do interviews where they explain that kids make mistakes, all is forgiven, they're long since healed, etc. The problem with that is the follow-up questions and not being able to predict whether the girls hold it together. Maybe some of the Christian broadcasters? They could wax on about the power of forgiveness and not being your own victim, and if they cry it can all be attributed to their overwhelming love for the lord. Thoughts? Will interviewers continue to accept the "pre-approved questions only" rule? (This is, of course, only my guess about one angle that could be under discussion, nothing more.)

 

I bet there is a book deal to be had in there somewhere...still so much UGH

[HumblePi]

Their website has been back up since at least yesterday. There's a link to the family statements on it.

I'm sorry to hear that. It was the one decent thing they had done.

[Aja]

HumblePi, if that ever happened, I'd check all the clocks in my house to make sure there wasn't some kind of gigantic tear in the fabric of spactime.

[Rhetorica]

Does anyone know if this is true, or are the declaring victory too soon?

https://www.change.org/p/the-learning-channel-end-lgbtq-fear-mongering-by-the-duggars/u/10863049?tk=0R4A5Dni7x6WD3Z3NZqDsuUsYe9tFnq4kO_PhDTsJkQ&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email

[tinderbox]

Many of us have mentioned this was a mistake made by a 14 year old teenager who should have been/be forgiven.

I think a "teenage mistake" is something like: staying out past curfew, trying alcohol or pot, smoking, speeding or texting while driving and dating or hanging with kids the parents don't like. Fondling your sisters, and another young girl, is far beyond what I consider "normal" teenage milestones.

I don't want to be Josh's judge or jury. I have a 27 year old son and cannot imagine how upset I'd be if he were in the same situation. That said, IF what I've read is true....I blame his parents for not getting him appropriate help. I also can't imagine what those young girls went through both during and after.

[bluebonnet]

Does anyone know if this is true, or are the declaring victory too soon?

https://www.change.org/p/the-learning-channel-end-lgbtq-fear-mongering-by-the-duggars/u/10863049?tk=0R4A5Dni7x6WD3Z3NZqDsuUsYe9tFnq4kO_PhDTsJkQ&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email

They declared victory for the wrong reason.  It's true that on the 23rd, TLC pulled the show from the schedule.  However, the show still isn't officially canceled.  

[autumnh]

I don't think TLC could EVER go forward with the show as long as JB & Michelle are a part of it. People will not be able to watch that and NOT think of how they covered it up and well frankly, how stuffed full of shit they are. TLC doesn't exactly have a moral compass so we know they are going to find a way to save their cash cow...I just wish they would all go away. I don't think any healing can happen as long as they have cameras rolling. Come to think of it? I don't think JB or Michelle care about that..healing schmealing.

 

Joshie said forgive me Jesus and all was right with the world.

[Aethera]

No I haven't submitted it anywhere. If you or anyone else wants to, feel free.

 

Gawker has it now. Here

[GEML]

I'm not enjoying this at all. I had real hope that Josh and Anna were moving away from the most repressive elements of their upbringing and would provide something of a stepping stone for younger children to push further. That's completely impossible for everyone now. I find the entire situation sad and disturbing. Not exactly surprising, though, unfortunately.

[3 is enough]

 

Gawker has it now. Here

Wow!  That was fast!  

[JoanArc]

Jim Bob's capital crime comments hit the news. I REALLY, REALLY can't see them coming back from this.

 

http://defamer.gawker.com/duggar-dads-political-platform-incest-should-be-punish-1706929035

 

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

I'm waiting for this jerkweed to blame the victims and their seductive floor length dresses. 

[Wellfleet]

There's definitely similarities between Sharia law and Gothardism.

 

Yes. To start with, they're both 2nd century in their thinking. Wake up, look around, get an education and consider situations from other points of view occasionally. Just because something has been done one way for eons doesn't make it good. Slavery, for example, comes to mind. Maybe - just maybe - God intended for the human race to grow and change - for the better. 

[Aja]

JimBob's "capital crime" comment just proves that the dickhead seriously thought nobody would ever know that his own right-wing darling of a son is an incestuous child molester. 

[Aw my lahgs]

Jim Bob's capital crime comments hit the news. I REALLY, REALLY can't see them coming back from this.

 

http://defamer.gawker.com/duggar-dads-political-platform-incest-should-be-punish-1706929035

 

 

For once, I agree with the Boob :)

[Literata]

Was it a Tamron Hall segment?

 

No, Erica Hill. Watch it here:

http://www.today.com/video/pressure-to-cancel-duggar-reality-show-grows-451417667985

[HumblePi]

There hasn't been any public statement made from Oprah Winfrey or her production company Harpo. This is disturbing because if Oprah Winfrey was aware that the Duggars had a child molester living within their home wouldn't you think she would have spoken up about it? She is a victim of sexual abuse and I feel the omission on her part to expose this publicly makes her as responsible as TLC.

[bluebonnet]

Sorry for the TMZ link, but according to them advertisers are dropping like flies.  Payless Shoes and Choice Hotels are the latest to pull out.  I haven't found verification on this, but it's not looking good at all for 19 kids.  

[NikSac]

Not that I know of.  I went back and looked for what I had seen.  I was mistaken in that abuse happened at TTH - although it may have.  What I saw was on page 14 the address in Tonkitown (or whatever).  I realize now that it was the address of the place they lived when the interview was being given.  I believe that is correct.  If not, please correct me. lol

 

Ah ok thanks! I was thinking I missed something huge if there were other reports. I agree the addresses were confusing since the abuse (or at least the abuse being reported at the time) happened so much earlier and at their previous house.

[NextIteration]

No, Erica Hill. Watch it here:

http://www.today.com/video/pressure-to-cancel-duggar-reality-show-grows-451417667985

 

Here is the Tamron Hall piece. :)

 

The Thomas Roberts Pulse question of the day is whether the Duggars can recover.  <<This is live for the next couple hours and you can vote.

Edited May 26, 2015 by NextIteration

[b2H]

Sorry for the TMZ link, but according to them advertisers are dropping like flies.  Payless Shoes and Choice Hotels are the latest to pull out.  I haven't found verification on this, but it's not looking good at all for 19 kids.

Oh, don't worry. Surely, the 'buy your gold' set will step in to fill the gap [/sarcasm]

[whoknowswho]

I wish I didn't have to keep hearing about Josh's ill-advised, youthful "mistake." Molesting your sisters isn't a teenaged oopsie. It is indicative of a serious mental problem for which he needs help. The absolute worst message you can send to someone as sick as Josh Duggar is "we totally get it! You were fourteen! I made mistakes when I was fourteen too!" That feeds his sense of power and control, feeds his sense of being victimized by heathens. He didn't make a mistake. He demonstrated a sociopathic and cold-blooded thirst for power and control that STARTED with what he did to his sisters and escalated and escalated until he clearly felt no internal conflict about referring to Jill as a snitch, joking about incest, and accepting a job in which the JOB DESCRIPTION is to yell and scream about how transgender people are a threat to children. No self-awareness whatsoever. Extremely dangerous. And this is just what we have SEEN, just what we know actually happened!

^^ THIS.

Most of us were teenagers, and I'll wager that most of us never molested our younger siblings. Even if we had been molested ourselves. This is more than him just being a sexually repressed horny teenager. 

I feel he is a sociopath. He acted like one with no regard to the consequences UNTIL HE GOT CAUGHT. And if ANYONE thinks he's changed- that's not something you grow out of. Molestation is about power and control, he demonstrated to his family that he is in control of their bodies, until he got caught,  and only then did he act contrite.  I would not allow him 1000 feet near me or my family. 

[Zung Li]

I know this probably seems like a stupid question given the seriousness of the discussion but having been spared watching this show I'm trying to figure this out in regards to some of the things I've read about these people. Regarding the incest joke that Josh made- why were they going to an R rated movie? There is also an article on Jezabel (and I don't agree with the angle) about an interview with Cosmo from when the older girls were promoting their book. They are quoting Jessa talking about kissing and she says that she has kissed her brothers. I have read that the side-hugging was also required with family members. I've read in numerous places that these people think front hugging is a defrauding risk so why wouldn't kissing be as well? I've also seen people use the weird rules about touching as one explanation of how Josh became a molester so this kind of thing is relevant because it doesn't sound to me like he was as sheltered as people believe. He admitted (according to Alice) to looking at porn on the internet.

Edited May 26, 2015 by mingming

[doodlebug]

There hasn't been any public statement made from Oprah Winfrey or her production company Harpo. This is disturbing because if Oprah Winfrey was aware that the Duggars had a child molester living within their home wouldn't you think she would have spoken up about it?

 

Oprah is far too classy, she isn't Geraldo Rivera or Nancy Grace. She (or her production company) did all that was reasonable to do.  They received an anonymous tip about Josh' crimes and they turned it over to the cops.  Oprah was NOT 'aware that the Duggars had a child molester living in their home'; all she knew was that someone claimed that they did.  Big, big difference.  Oprah is not a law enforcement official, she's not even a mandated reporter.  No one has ever said that she witnessed anything or that anyone with direct knowledge ever said a word to her or her staff about what happened.  Oprah did the only proper thing; she turned it over for the legal authorities to handle.

[bluebonnet]

Regarding the incest joke that Josh made- why were they going to a rated R movie? 

I figure it was something like Passion of the Christ or similar.  A Christ/godly movie that happened to be rated R.  

[yogi2014L]

I don't care how dirty Jill's feet are or how crunchy Jinger's hair is; I'll never snark about any of the girls again.

 

The pain I feel for them takes my breath away. And in retrospect, so much makes sense now: Jill's rule-following and devotion to control and order. Jana's obvious sadness and relinquishment. Jessa's fuck-you self-protection. Jinger's devastation at losing Jessa, and Joy's at losing Jill. And throughout ALL of it, they cooked the meals and raised the kids and functioned as indentured servants to the very people who were obligated to protect them, but didn't.

I am with you. I feel so horrible for those girls. It was easy to snark on them when they were just bumpkins, but now I feel nothing but pity and sadness for them.

I really hope they know this is not their fault and they were failed miserably by their parents in nearly every single way. Jboob and Mechelle failed to protect, educate or prepare their children to be productive adults in literally every single way possible. 

Gawker has it now. Here

OMG and of course look at michelles dumbass stupid face gazing a Boob like he is the 2nd coming.

^^ THIS.

Most of us were teenagers, and I'll wager that most of us never molested our younger siblings. Even if we had been molested ourselves. This is more than him just being a sexually repressed horny teenager. 

I feel he is a sociopath. He acted like one with no regard to the consequences UNTIL HE GOT CAUGHT. And if ANYONE thinks he's changed- that's not something you grow out of. Molestation is about power and control, he demonstrated to his family that he is in control of their bodies, until he got caught,  and only then did he act contrite.  I would not allow him 1000 feet near me or my family. 

I bet the girls were so paranoid every single night until Josh moved out. I really can't even think about how hard it would be to be on edge all the time waiting for Chester the molester to come corner you in some laundry room/sneak into your room. But I bet Mechelle and Boob slept fine.

Growing up in that household had to be hell. 

 

Sorry for the long post. I have been following this family for YEARS over on FJ, and its just totally shocking and sad to think about that all those sin in the camp rumors where true. :-( I really feel for those poor children. 

 

Also can we get Boob and Mechelle on Doctor phil???? I'm picturing a Kim Richards style interview. PLEASE?

Edited May 26, 2015 by yogi2014L

[Happyfatchick]

I am so looking forward to them breaking their silence. I bet dollars to donuts they spent the whole entire weekend with any numberof advisers plotting and planning. Flip charts, dry erase boards, post it notes, tables littered with legal pads and markers. It probably looks like a campaign headquarters right now. At the end of the day, maybe this made JB nostalgic.

I can't even begin to imagine the strategies taking place. Good thing they had that supermarket of a pantry, huh?

Who's going to talk first? Will the girls give some sort of statement? I'm thinking that may be near the top of possibilities. I don't think we'll Joshie's face for awhile. It will be mildly (ha!) interesting to see how this plays out.

[Aja]

He acted like one with no regard to the consequences UNTIL HE GOT CAUGHT.

 

Yes!! Nothing could be more starkly obvious to me than the fact that Josh Duggar is 100% unrepentant. I have a very hard time believing he could have spent the last several years presenting himself as morally superior to everyone in the entire country and campaign hard to have rights taken away from entire groups of people and be the least bit repentant or remorseful about what he did, what he put other human beings through. Nope, he's always been all pinkly proud of himself and every single person surrounding him has reinforced this. He is dangerous.

[JenCarroll]

How about Michelle and Jim Bob come in front of the public with some sort of 'mia culpa', specifically to lesbians and gays, for being guilty of judging homosexuals as child molesters and admit how wrong they were since they found out their own son was a child molester. The LGBT community deserves an apology from the Duggars for lobbying to have the rights granted to them through legislation be reversed.

That's the last thing they'll ever do. It's not like they just found out their son is a child molester; they've known all along and it never held them back in their hate campaigns. They'll keep defending their right to their own beliefs, which is fine -- the problem is, you can't justify the claim that LGBT people are more likely to be child molesters as a religious "belief." It's not a matter of belief. It's a statistic that we can verify, and it isn't true. But, back on point, I don't see them ever backing down on their mission to oppress others. It's a classic example of the "It's different when we do it" philosophy, which has been applied countless times by many, many interest groups.

Edited May 26, 2015 by JenCarroll

[HumblePi]

That's the last thing they'll ever do. It's not like they just found out their son is a child molester; they've known all along and it never held them back in their hate campaigns. They'll keep defending their right to their own beliefs, which is fine -- the problem is, you can't justify the claim that LGBT people are more likely to be child molesters as a religious "belief." It's not a matter of belief. It's a statistic that we can verify, and it isn't true. But, back on point, I don't see them ever backing down on their mission to oppress others. It's a classic example of the "It's different when we do it" philosophy, which has been applied countless times by many, many interest groups.

I know that well. My response was to a comment about what the Duggar's could possibly do now, at this point in time, since Josh has already been dealt with their own way. I know that my answer was totally outside the realm of possibilities, it was tongue-in-cheek.

[Guest]

The Today Show speculated this morning that TLC might decide to continue the series under the guise of "showing REAL reality TV -- how a family handles a crisis of a monumental nature

Oh, that's interesting. Apparently TLC has a time machine in which they can travel back to 2000-whenever when Josh's crimes were committed. Oh? What's that you say, TLC? No? You're going to film another fictional reality show where these awful events are presented in a wholly different context with the actors fully aware that they are only NOW being scrutinized and let Josh and his awful parents "rebuild their lives" so they can continue their godly quest of telling me what I can do with MY body? Ohhhh...can't wait to watch THAT.

F these people. All of them.

I am firmly in the camp that TLC's silence speaks volumes at this point. They're not canceling the show -- only retooling it. They just haven't figured out how at this point.

[parisprincess]

They'll keep defending their right to their own beliefs, which is fine

 

What would really be fine is if they granted everyone else the same right instead of trying to foist their beliefs on the rest of the world.  Clean up your own backyard Duggars, before worrying about ours.

[Literata]

 

I am firmly in the camp that TLC's silence speaks volumes at this point.

Agreed. I didn't watch HBB, but wasn't the cancellation pretty immediate?

[Aja]

TLC isn't interested in morality, they're more interested in the fact that there seems to be quite a hefty viewing audience that thinks incestuous child molestation is a-ok so long as you love Jesus and "were only 14."

Edited May 26, 2015 by Aja

[Fuzzysox]

I  have to say this again.

 

It's always the "righteous" that get caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

[Guest]

Agreed. I didn't watch HBB, but wasn't the cancellation pretty immediate?

Yes, within nearly 24-or-so hours after the news broke. I mean they were in that house cleaning out every bit of production equipment, too.

And yet...crickets since Thursday about the Duggars.

[Wellfleet]

I  have to say this again.

 

It's always the "righteous" that get caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

 

You and Shakespeare are both so right, fuzzy. "Methinks he doth protest too much..." True 500 years ago, still true today. Probably always will be.

[Higgins]

I think repression of natural biologic hormonal urges under the belief in a punitive creator can cause this kind of perverse behavior. They should have taught that his natural hormonal urges were normal and taught him that masturbation was natural and healthy outlet to be done in private. Of course they made sure none of these kids had the privacy to do this. I blame them and their crazy ass teachings.

 

http://www.recoveringgrace.org/2011/09/a-different-kind-of-sexual-abuse/

Edited May 26, 2015 by Higgins

[Churchhoney]

Here's what I'm struggling with:  Josh Duggar (and the whole family) is getting a bunch of much-deserved blow-back on this situation.  What he did was reprehensible, and we probably will never know all the details.  I'm not even sure I want to know.

 

But, how can a person ever come back from this kind of thing?  Without excusing or minimizing the impact of his actions, he apparently did this at the age of 14.  Can he ever demonstrate enough public remorse to be allowed to get on with his life in some way? Should he have never married, never had kids, or never tried to have a job linked to his faith?  Even stipulating that there are some options for his life that he foreclosed upon with his actions, is there ever anything he can do to be allowed to be a productive adult?  

 

I'm not trying to defend him or his actions, but I am trying to understand how to think about the idea that any actions taken or remorse shown aren't enough.  Can anything ever be enough?

 

For me it would be enough for someone to get into some kind of continued counseling; eventually get into some kind of public or private assistance or advocacy work to aid victims of similar things; when expressing remorse state more accurately the actual nature of the offense publicly at some point (not necessarily giving a lot of details and not necessarily doing that all the time -- but definitely stating that one had done was a crime and evidence of a very major problem, rather than describing it as a one-off mistake for which one has surely been forgiven by the God of the whole universe); and thereafter to refrain from calling the person who apparently blew the whistle "a snitch," refrain from making jokes about the class of crime one committed ("We are from Arkansas"....), and refrain from setting oneself up as a primary stone-thrower against lots of other people who purportedly egregiously harm the same victim class but without committing crimes -- such as the "harming children" attacks Josh launched daily in his previous job against gay people, Islamic groups, abortion doctors, etc.; and to restrain one's family from repeatedly declaring on international television that their household's principles result in a super-healthy environment that's better for children than all other environments.

 

That would be plenty for me. And since plenty of people have approached their past problems by doing many of these things, I don't think it's too much to ask. If he'd even started down this road it would work for me -- if he did it thoroughly enough, I could absolutely admire him for it.

 

For me, it's far less about what he did than about the subsequent response to it by him and by his parents. (which is not to minimize the very troubling nature of what he did)

Edited May 26, 2015 by Churchhoney

[Oldernowiser]

Agreed. I didn't watch HBB, but wasn't the cancellation pretty immediate?

As I recall, it took a few days...long enough to get a roomful of accountants, lawyers, and programming execs together to figure out the financial consequences.

Ironically, the HBB debacle is probably helping the Duggars...can TLC afford to lose that much programming? Ten years is a lot of episodes...not to mention all the side stuff I'm sure TLC has a piece of.

Somewhere, that idiot Kody Brown is grinning his fool head off. This should guarantee they drag that terrible, boring show out for a few more seasons.

ETA: The more I think about it, with the disclaimer that I never watched the show regularly because I was afraid my eyes wouldn't recover from that much eye rolling, I can't think of a single episode that is salvageable as a rerun. There's always some kind of sexual innuendo, defrauding discussion, courtship rules...even the "buddy" system now has sinister overtones.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Oldernowiser

[kathe5133]

There hasn't been any public statement made from Oprah Winfrey or her production company Harpo. This is disturbing because if Oprah Winfrey was aware that the Duggars had a child molester living within their home wouldn't you think she would have spoken up about it? She is a victim of sexual abuse and I feel the omission on her part to expose this publicly makes her as responsible as TLC.

Oprah needs to be careful from a legal standpoint.  Oprah did not witness the molestation, she heard about it third hand, I think.  It may have been from someone anonymous...  but at any rate.  Slander/Libel lawsuits can be expensive to fight and it seems like the truth is out there.  All Oprah has to do is sit back and watch everything unfold.  Adding her voice to the din would serve no one.