All Episodes Talk: Small World, Big Lives

[gunderda]

I think Jacob's feelings are completely valid for him.

 

But I also think it's very rare that you're going to get a young kid that is 100% ok with sitting still in front of a camera and reciting lines. Especially when he has a giant farm that he gets to run around on.  I bet Jack absolutely hates that, because he's a kid and has better things to do! He obviously has a ton of energy and I bet he hates sitting still no matter where he's at.

[Celia Rubenstein]

But I also think it's very rare that you're going to get a young kid that is 100% ok with sitting still in front of a camera and reciting lines. Especially when he has a giant farm that he gets to run around on.  I bet Jack absolutely hates that, because he's a kid and has better things to do! He obviously has a ton of energy and I bet he hates sitting still no matter where he's at.

 

All the more reason for his parents to not allow a camera crew to set up housekeeping in the middle of his childhood and derail his natural inclinations and activities.  But I guess there is money to be made, fame to be enjoyed!   So on with the dog and pony show, the children be damned, heh.  It worked so well for the Roloffs, after all.  

 

Seriously, it amazes me that these people would want a piece of the action this way, having seen how it has all turned out for not only the Roloffs but also for so many other families.  But I guess everyone thinks it will all turn out differently for them ... they will manage to do it right and emerge enriched and unscathed.  They won't be scrutinized and criticized and scorned.  Their kids will bear no ill effects from having their childhoods manipulated to make better television for the masses.  Just like the Duggars and Gosselins and the Roloffs, they will all end up rich and happy, singing Kumba Ya in a big circle, holding hands.  Except, wait ...

 

Nah, they won't end up divorced with their most private business spread all over the tabloids.  Their kids won't end up alienated from their parents, with their school problems and teenage antics splashed all over the blogs and gossip rags.  Their crimes and misdeeds will never be front page news which leaves them reviled by all of America.   No, not them.  They're special.  Good luck with that, Hamill family! 

 

I just hope that TLC will resist the urge to film and televise the twins being toilet trained like they did with Gosselins.  But it wouldn't surprise me if it was featured as a "very special episode."   Nothing surprises me any more. 

[Honey]

Well, when you make the decision to whore your kids out, you lose the ability to keep them away from 18 olds who don't share your values. Apparently the money makes it worth it to the Hamills.

 

No. Jeremy and Zach got everything they ever wanted. Jacob was always the after thought.

 

Also, in all seriousness, Jacob is the child who has dvds of his parents stating they're done parenting when he was twelve. Seriously, if he had a choice between the trip to costa rica and a mother and father who *gave a shit*... he might have chosen the latter. But no, Jacob is what happens when two adults decide to stop parenting.

No.  He was on those trips too, it's not like they left him at home.

[camom]

 

I think it is a really sad idea to think that no one aside from parents should be able to talk to a kid about how he feels about what is going on in his life.

 

While I could talk to my mom, sometimes it's hard.  So she always made sure there were other adults in our lives we could talk to.  And she was that person for other kids in our neighborhood.  All kids need to be able to express their feelings, but kids on reality TV have to act differently when the cameras are rolling.  Not a good way to grow up, IMHO.

[gunderda]

They have 3 out of 4 kids that seem to have a great relationship with their parents and come back for the filmings with smiles on their faces. 

Of course one turned into an ego-maniac but none of those 3 seem to be holding any grudges.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

They have 3 out of 4 kids that seem to have a great relationship with their parents and come back for the filmings with smiles on their faces. 

Of course one turned into an ego-maniac but none of those 3 seem to be holding any grudges.

 

I was surprised to see Jacob back at all once he moved out?  If you are that ticked why go back?

[ZoloftBlob]

No.  He was on those trips too, it's not like they left him at home.  Sorry, but Jacob sounds like a spoiled brat to me.

 

Sure he went along. In Europe he was chained to his mom's side, while his brothers were flouncing about Europe alone (as I recall, most of the Euro trip was presented as Jeremy and Zach enjoying the graduation gift. There's the endless desert roadtrip where Zach was beating the shit out of him and his dad was calling him a sissy publically. There's the Bahamas trip where he was brought along purely as an after thought as Matt really wanted his fun to be "Jeremy and Mueller only". How about the trip to Ireland where Matt didn't bother to get a room for Molly and Jacob and pointedly took off on a side trip with Jeremy after stating for the camera that spending time with the family was a waste of his time?

 

Shit, if we just compare birthdays - how many times were the twins given a giant festival of activities? One time it was a pro soccer team helping them celebrate. Another time it was special glider flights. And Jacob? Had his mom asking strangers if he'd like a particular video game.

 

Btw from a material stand point, I agree all the kids are spoiled including Jake, but I also think Jeremy would be bitching mightily if he wasn't the recipient of most of the treats. Its very very clear that Jeremy and Zach have received a lot more from the show and from their parents than Jacob and Molly. Since Jeremy is laying claim to the farm, a million dollar piece of property per Matt, that was paid for with show proceeds, yes, I think it's not *just* ego making Jacob wonder why Jeremy has five cars, expensive cameras, and Daddy signing off on him receiving the entire property.

[Celia Rubenstein]

They have 3 out of 4 kids that seem to have a great relationship with their parents and come back for the filmings with smiles on their faces. 

Of course one turned into an ego-maniac but none of those 3 seem to be holding any grudges.

 

I think Jeremy, Zach, and Molly had a very different set of experiences with their parents than Jacob did.  Matt and Amy were very involved with the first three kids, but it always appeared to me that Jacob was an "afterthought" and he never merited the time and attention his older siblings received.  I will never get over them talking about being empty nesters and being done with parenting while he was still young and living with them.  It was shocking.  I can't imagine what it was like for him to live with them when that was their attitude.  I can totally understand him being angry with his parents, not only for obviously favoring his siblings, but also for allowing the taping of a TV show in their home to further interfere with them spending time with him.   I don't think he is an ego-maniac at all.  His feelings make total sense to me.

 

While it may be true that Jeremy, Zach, and Molly don't harbor the anger and resentment toward their parents that Jacob seems to have, what is almost as bad is the fact that they seem to have very little respect for their parents.   During the recent reunion show, they at times even seemed to feel sorry for Matt and Amy.  They may show up for taping or whatever, but I don't view them as having some kind of ideal relationship with Matt and Amy at all.  

 

I was surprised to see Jacob back at all once he moved out?  If you are that ticked why go back?

 

I have not made a study of every recent episode, but since he moved out, hasn't Jacob mostly appeared on the show to celebrate events like the weddings and to help Zach with his floor replacement?  I think he is just being supportive of his brothers, which is proper.  His problems with his parents should not effect his relationships with his siblings. 

[ZoloftBlob]

I will never get over them talking about being empty nesters and being done with parenting while he was still young and living with them.

 

Yeah. Jeremy and Zach graduate high school and Amy and Matt declare that they are done parenting. With the twelve year old in the house.

 

But it's all Jacob's fault. His shitty parents who both abdicated from parenting and who had the fucking gall to put the trebuchet accident on him (am I the only one who remembers Amy snotting to the cameras how nine year old Jacob now knew that he wasn't ready to handle certain things in reference to his nearly dying after being allowed to play with the medival siege engine? While Matt was disappointed his son wasn't raring to "get back on the horse and rebuild it bigger and better"?)

[Celia Rubenstein]

His shitty parents who both abdicated from parenting and who had the fucking gall to put the trebuchet accident on him (am I the only one who remembers Amy snotting to the cameras how nine year old Jacob now knew that he wasn't ready to handle certain things in reference to his nearly dying after being allowed to play with the medival siege engine? 

 

If your nine year old isn't ready to handle certain things, then maybe you should not let him handle certain things. Not complain about him nearly getting his brains knocked out after you were too damn lazy to put your foot down and monitor his behavior.  But of course that would call for actual parenting, and the Roloffs had no time for such mundane activities when it came to Jacob. 

 

Not that anyone of any age had any business being near that damn pumpkin launcher to begin with.  I just watched half a dozen trebuchet videos after I rewatched the clip where Jacob gets hurt, and damn ... Matt's machine was a rickety, wobbling disaster waiting to happen in comparison to the other trebuchets I saw.  And his was the only pumpkin launch video where the operators were not all wearing hard hats.   The negligence astonishes ... 

 

I wonder if they really realize how close their son came to being killed. 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

 

I have not made a study of every recent episode, but since he moved out, hasn't Jacob mostly appeared on the show to celebrate events like the weddings and to help Zach with his floor replacement?  I think he is just being supportive of his brothers, which is proper.  His problems with his parents should not effect his relationships with his siblings.

 

He was there supporting his parents for that farmer's market trying to promote the salsa.   

[Jenniferbug]

Maybe I'm misremembering but I thought Amy once said on the show that they only had Jacob in the hopes that he would either be another girl for Molly or another little person like Zach. It is sad to me that they didn't want him for him, they wanted him for his siblings. And when he wasn't a little person or a girl, they had no use for him.

[ZoloftBlob]

Seriously, it amazes me that these people would want a piece of the action this way, having seen how it has all turned out for not only the Roloffs but also for so many other families.  But I guess everyone thinks it will all turn out differently for them ... they will manage to do it right and emerge enriched and unscathed.

 

Celia, it wasn't so long ago that Matt Roloff (who now says he was never comfortable in his own home) was happily snotting how he and Amy were keeping the marriage together while those failures Jon and Kate were divorcing because you know... they just didn't know the secrets to marriage.

 

So every time I see Precious Jer pass out the sage marriage wisdom, I do wonder if he will be as pathetic as his dad about addressing all the hypocrisy.

[autumnh]

I think they are ok....I hate how TLC latches on to a topic (little people, multiples, fundies, overweight people (I had gastric bypass so the weight shows annoy me) but I have seen people asking why "Auj" wears so much makeup...this is probably why....BUT that is ok....lots of us don't have great skin...I don't judge...I have Lupus so I deal with my own skin redness......being a girl can be tough!

 

[Celia Rubenstein]

Matt has never said that he's giving the farm to Jeremy. He has said that he wants all of his kids to come back and live on the farm. Even if Matt let's Jeremy run the farm, that does not mean he is going to leave the property to him. Even if the other 3 children don't live on the land, they can still own 1/4 each, with Jeremy living there, and drawing a salary for running it. That's how most family businesses are set up once the parents die. I think that this is a more realistic scenario than Matt and Amy leaving their biggest asset to one child and cutting the other 3 out.

Just because Matt wants Jeremy to run the farm, that does not mean that Matt is giving Jeremy the farm exclusively.

 

The potential for that working out seems unlikely to me.  There is too big a risk one of those kids will want their money out of the farm, and where are the others going to come up with the cash to buy them out?  Such a plan leaves the risk of the farm being sold off or being subject to some big mortgage that can't be repaid and ending up owned by the bank. 

 

That farm is Matt's identity, his legacy.  I can't see him leaving it in any kind of risk of being lost like that.  I envision him leaving it to his favorite child, the one who is the most invested and interested in the farm. Namely, Jeremy.  He will probably cook up some kind of complicated trust that gives them all some amount of use of the property so he doesn't look bad.  But I expect that if Matt has his way, ownership of the entire kit and kaboodle will be 100% Jeremy's.  

[woodscommaelle]

I think they are ok....I hate how TLC latches on to a topic (little people, multiples, fundies, overweight people (I had gastric bypass so the weight shows annoy me) but I have seen people asking why "Auj" wears so much makeup...this is probably why....BUT that is ok....lots of us don't have great skin...I don't judge...I have Lupus so I deal with my own skin redness......being a girl can be tough!

 

What am I missing here? I think her skin looks fine.

[Mom2twoNonna2-3]

Matt is the one who said after Molly graduated that he wanted to go off to Hawaii and wait for the grandkids. Hey douchebag how about you finish raising that beautiful son that's still there before your selfish ass leaves.

[ZoloftBlob]

She's fair, because she's a redhead, which can make her skin look blotchy, and her lips are pale. That said, she's a perfectly lovely girl, and a *little* lipstick would go a long ways with her because she is fair.  

 

And I know, because I am Snow Fucking White - dark hair, Downton Abbey Lady Mary Crawley vampire white skin, green eyes, and naturally red lips. (I swear one reason I love Downton Abbey was the realization that I wasn't the only non ginger whiter than white in existence) Audrey doesn't seem to realize that she doesn't need to cake on the makeup.

 

Matt is the one who said after Molly graduated that he wanted to go off to Hawaii and wait for the grandkids. Hey douchebag how about you finish raising that beautiful son that's still there before your selfish ass leaves.

 

 

As douchebaggy as I think Jacob can be, I can't help but wonder how having both your parents pointedly and publically state that they don't want to bother raising you might factor into his attitude.

 

Seriously, they fucking bothered for Prince Jer... how damaging is it to know your parents literally and openly don't want to be bothered? But will dance on the head of a pin for your older brother? Jacob is a child of a mother who told the world she was done parenting when he was 12 and a father who openly stated his preference for running off and abandoning his family rather than continue raising his 16 year old son.

 

Every time I hear someone call the Roloffs awesome parents for providing trips, I really wonder why they're never on the hook for being shitty shitty parents to their youngest.

[gunderda]

It also probably doesnt help that Jacob was kinda left alone watching his parents marriage fail.  Sure they had issues when all of the kids lived there but I think the marriage went super downhill when the 3 oldest left.  It has to be rough living in an environment like that.  

[jah1986]

Another thing about Jacob is I don't think he ever really got over Mike's death.  Mike was kind of the only adult who not only cared about Jacob but also kind of held him accountable.  He lost Mike right when he probably needed him the most.

[ZoloftBlob]

If your nine year old isn't ready to handle certain things, then maybe you should not let him handle certain things. Not complain about him nearly getting his brains knocked out after you were too damn lazy to put your foot down and monitor his behavior.  But of course that would call for actual parenting, and the Roloffs had no time for such mundane activities when it came to Jacob.

 

Yeah but you know, he had a nice house with a pool and his parents who told the public they were done parenting when he was twelve took him on some expensive trips and exposed his entire life to the cameras (there;s seriously websites that have been discussing what a slutty slutting whore Jacob is since he was *ten*)  so you know, he needs to shut his bitch mouth and thank his mom and dad for taking him to Australia on TLC's dime and accepting the paycheck he should have been earning for being filmed while on vacation in Australia.

 

The only plus points I'll give Matt and Amy is that as yet, they haven't turned on the kid and badmouthed him openly. I sense that's coming.

[Celia Rubenstein]

Amy made a nice little statement on Jacob's Facebook page, and I think she will just leave it at that (“You’re an awesome son Jacob.  You, like your brothers and sister keep blessing me everyday. I’m sorry it was so tough on you.”)  I think she has better taste than to get into a public cat fight with one of her own children.

 

Matt, on the other hand, is a little bitch and it would not surprise me one bit if he said something shitty about Jacob.  Matt doesn't like to be criticized and he is a very defensive person.  I think it will be hard for him to let Jacob's insinuations go unchallenged.  The only reason I think Matt might hold back is he may fear provoking Jacob into saying more.  I'm guessing Jacob has a few ugly revelations he could make concerning Matt, so Matt is just going to have to let Jacob's comments slide in order to avoid provoking him to say something even worse. 

Edited September 15, 2015 by Celia Rubenstein

[Honey]

When they talked about being empty nesters I think I took it the way they intended.  3 out of 4 kids are gone and the house just seems emptier.  I don't think they intended for it to be taken literally.  At least it didn't feel that way to me.

 

As for the Hawaii thing, I think that's just something Matt said to piss off Amy.

 

I'm surprised at Jacob.  Usually stoners are much more mellow.  ;)

Edited September 15, 2015 by Honey

[ZoloftBlob]

Honey - if they hadn't totally dropped parenting Jacob, as they kept repeating how they were empty nesters, I'd be more inclined to agree.

 

But Jacob got kicked out of private school in eighth grade for "grades" in a school that frankly didn't seem that difficult. They dumped him into public school and eventually let him do online school and why? Because it was easier than bothering to parent.

 

Jacob has been online posting pictures of himself smoking pot and having sex since he was about 16. I know - because a number of the more virulent Christian fans hate the kid, that Matt and Amy have been duly informed about this behavior. It never stopped. And then he just walked out of the house.

 

When exactly did these people parent their damn kid?

[Honey]

Know matter what a parent does, some kids are just bad.  It's not always bad parenting.

 

I think realizing how much Jake hated filming, they reduced his role in the show as much as possible.  Maybe to some viewers it just looked like he was being ignored.

[ZoloftBlob]

Maybe to some viewers it just looked like he was being ignored.

 

Sure. And maybe his parents just didn't give a shit. Their silence on the topic is fairly damning but I am willing to concede the slight possibility that his reduced time on camera since he turned 18 and has to be paid directly is because Mommy and Daddy (who no matter how much its dismissed said he didn't want to be fucking bothered until someone knocked up someone with a grandchild and how fucking hurtful was that to hear, that precious daddy openly declared exactly how much he didn't GIVE A FUCK) somehow decided to finally spare the youngest in the home that they didn't care enough to keep in regular school from the cameras, ok.

 

I mean I don't mean to be awfully cynical but for every caring moment with Jake, I can cite Matt or Amy on camera noting how much he's a sissy, or how he's to blame for his head injury or how he needs to understand how he needs to like what Daddy likes if he wants attentiona nd if he doesn't then he can fuck off until he impregnates his girl.

[Celia Rubenstein]

I completely agree with you Honey, I understood Matt and Amy's comments the same way that you did. I never got the impression that Jacob's parents didn't care about him.

 

What matters is that Jacob seems to be under the impression his parents lacked caring.  That's what really counts.  And Amy has acknowledged and apologized for the way things were.  She seems to realize she and Matt messed up where Jacob was concerned.

 

But Matt, of course, has nothing of substance to add where his kids are concerned, as usual.  He can't even be bothered to pretend to care - because it's not all about him. The only real use I ever saw Matt have for one of his kids was living vicatiously through Jeremy.  Matt bothered with that relationship because he got something out of it personally.  Jacob has nothing to offer him, so Jacob rates zero concern. Molly is lucky she was born the only girl, and Zach is lucky he was born little.  Otherwise I think they would have got the Jacob treatment from Matt, as well. 

 

 

 

When they talked about being empty nesters I think I took it the way they intended.  3 out of 4 kids are gone and the house just seems emptier.  I don't think they intended for it to be taken literally.  At least it didn't feel that way to me.

 

As for the Hawaii thing, I think that's just something Matt said to piss off Amy.

 

I'm surprised at Jacob.  Usually stoners are much more mellow.  ;)

 

Even if Matt did just say that about Hawaii to piss off Amy, what about how it would make his son feel to hear it?  Obviously Matt didn't care.  Just as Amy didn't care how Jacob felt when she said she had an empty nest now that Jer, Molly, and Zach were gone.  They just didn't care.

 

Shitty treatment like that contributes to children turning out to be stoners.  I think Jacob is a kid using drugs to dull his emotional pain, and I don't think it is anything to mock or laugh at.  

[gunderda]

When they talked about being empty nesters I think I took it the way they intended.  3 out of 4 kids are gone and the house just seems emptier.  I don't think they intended for it to be taken literally.  At least it didn't feel that way to me.

 

As for the Hawaii thing, I think that's just something Matt said to piss off Amy.

 

I'm surprised at Jacob.  Usually stoners are much more mellow.  ;)

 

I agree - didn't Zach, Jeremy and Molly almost all leave at the same time?  Or I guess Jeremy left first but Zach stayed in that house for quite awhile before getting his own house.  And if Jacob had so much angst against his parents he likely wasn't at home much either. So it probably was an empty house!

I'm not sure how it was ever shown that Amy doesn't care for her children.  I think that's a far fetched comment.

 

Matt on the other hand.. of course he cares... but I think he's more of a tough-love type of dad. (and probably a do-what-i-say-or-get-out type)

[ZoloftBlob]

I'm not sure how it was ever shown that Amy doesn't care for her children.  I think that's a far fetched comment.

 

I don't think anyone ever said Amy doesn't care for her children. I think she does... but to varying degress. I'm genuinely struck by how devoted and motivated Amy was to making sure Jeremy always had his heart's desire on his birthdays, for example, while she Jacob she was a) devoting much less time, energy and money and b) rarely could be bothered to even try to find him a thoughtful gift.

Matt on the other hand.. of course he cares... but I think he's more of a tough-love type of dad. (and probably a do-what-i-say-or-get-out type)

 

Completely disagree. Oh I think he cares but not enough to not say or do really hurtful things. Matt is the proud proud daddy who stated to the camera that he had NO REGRETS over showing up late to his sons high school graduation and who proudly told the cameras that spending time with his family wasn't a good use of his time, and the only thing that keeps him going isn't his family, its his building projects.

 

Those multiple "I don't give a shit" comments coupled with the Hawaiian comment? Makes me think he wasnt just trying to piss off the wife - and what a fucking horrendous thing to say even if that was his intent. Tell the kids I plan to fuck off and have myself a grand time in Hawaii until they figure out how to knock up the bitches and breed me some grandchildren that I might give a shit about? How charming he is.

 

I mean, after a while, repeatedly hearing your dad tell you how you're a waste of his time and your mom declaring herself no longer a parent because your older brothers graduated high school can have an effect.

[ZoloftBlob]

Well, since no reality was being presented, then why wasn't Jacob getting paid as an actor?

 

And if its not the actual family dynamic, fine. I am using quantifiable things presented on the show. Jeremy and Zach received more material compensation due to the show. Do you think Matt and Amy made any provision to see to it that there was an equitable distribution of material goods and money since as depicted on the show, Jeremy and Zach were openly showered with attention, material goods, and lavish events while Molly and Jacob were not?

 

I personally think it can have an effect, especially when mom and dad are also openly and publically noting how they were done parenting their children since the older ones made it to the finish line. That, coupled with the older kids receiving more material and monetary compensation just might have had an effect on Jacob?

 

And what does it say about Matt and Amy Roloff that they would allow TLC to manipulate the family dynamic, that things would have been different in how they raised their kids if TLC hadn't needed to exploit the twins?

 

Please do understand, I am *acknowledging* that afterhours at the Roloff home is much different than the cheery tv show where Matt and Amy gritted their teeth and said they were happily married until they broke down and gave up the ghost. But based on the half assed not on television handling of Jacob's expulsion from Faith Bible and subsequent turning to alternate online schooling.... and the public social media posting Jacob has been doing for the last few years about his drug use and his parents lack of comment or action... I'm pretty comfortable in my opinion that Matt and Amy just stopped giving a shit about parenting.

[Honey]

I guess people will see things and read into things whatever they want.  That's why witnesses to a crime are so horribly unreliable.  Everybody sees something different.

[ZoloftBlob]

Hey all I know is that Jacob says on his twitter he smokes pot and occasionally posts pictures of himself smoking or smooching his girl. And his dad has posted on facebook that he's proud of Jacob's social media interactions... so read into that what you want. I see a kid smoking pot, bragging about it, and his parents doing nothing.

[Honey]

Eh.  I see a pretty nice upbringing, in a bucolic setting.  A lot of kids should be so lucky.

[Celia Rubenstein]

I agree they grew up in a lovely pastoral setting, but I would hardly describe it as ideal in any other respect.

 

If things were really so ideal, Matt and Amy would not be divorcing, this after them picking and sniping and being openly disrespectful of each other on national TV for years.  It makes me wonder how they treated each other when the cameras weren't rolling and what those kids probably saw.  And if things had been so wonderful, I doubt Jacob would be using drugs to the extent he seems to, or that he would be so critical of his parents and they way they shoved a camera down his throat almost his entire life.  That hostility didn't just come from nowhere. 

 

While the scenery may have been ideal, nothing inside their house was.  And what went on inside the home is what really matters, not the view of the pumpkin patch or the little church or the gazebo.  That's just window dressing, and I don't think it necessarily means the kids were lucky at all.  

[Celia Rubenstein]

One of the big draws for TLC was the average size/little person twins. The network was going to focus on the twins birthdays. They wanted to highlight how Jeremy and Zach reacted differently to their birthday events. I don't think that network focus on birthdays is an indication of Jacob's importance to the family. I think that a lot of decisions made by TL C for the TV show are being confused with the actual family dynamic.

 

I think the network's focus on the twins shaped the family dynamic, and it definitely effected Jacob's importance to the family in a detrimental way. 

 

TLC placed the twins on center stage on the show. They were the real draw.  Which means that they were really the ones really bringing in that big paycheck the family was dependent upon.  The result was that the twins were placed on center stage in the family.  And Jacob was pushed to the side ... both on the show and within his own home.   Without that show, the four kids would have been a lot more equal.  Jacob would not have been relegated to playing a bit role in the Roloff family.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Celia Rubenstein

[Honey]

No matter what any of us believe, it's still all speculation.  None of us knows the family personally, only what's been portrayed.

 

Jeremy, Zach and Molly seem to be nice, respectful adults.  Jake seems to be struggling a bit, but basically seems to be a good kid.  My niece is a heroin addict and currently in prison, despite having a wonderful family and attentive, loving parents.  Sometimes no matter what a parent does, they just aren't going to have perfect children.  Matt and Amy must have done something right or their older three wouldn't have turned out so nice.

 

The baby of the family is often spoiled, maybe that's what happened with Jacob.

[ZoloftBlob]

In fairness, I don't know that I would call the older three nice. Or respectful. Or successful. Molly maybe.

 

And based on the gifts and trips and special fun times lavished on the twins complete with Amy interviewing their friends so that it would be super special for Jeremy.... compared to Amy tossing some video games in a cart for jake's birthday with a "I don't know what he likes" as comment... I'm inclined to think he's not the spoiled one. He's also the one who had to live in that house with Matt and Amy hissing at each other before their separation.

 

Forgive me but I doubt being fifteen and stuck alone with two angry people who barely speak will be something Jacob recalls as a part of his bucolic childhood.

Edited September 29, 2015 by ZoloftBlob

[Celia Rubenstein]

The baby of the family is often spoiled, maybe that's what happened with Jacob.

 

 

And based on the gifts and trips and special fun times lavished on the twins complete with Amy interviewing their friends so that it would be super special for Jeremy.... compared to Amy tossing some video games in a cart for jake's birthday with a "I don't know what he likes" as comment... I'm inclined to think he's not the spoiled one. 

 

Jacob shows no sign of having been spoiled that I can see.  

 

He does, however, show signs of having been ignored, disregarded, and unappreciated.  Given the attention his brothers and sister received, I am frankly surprised he is not much more bitter. He's obviously a little angry, but no where near how angry I would be if I had been shunted to the side in my own family the way I think he was.  Not to mention being cheated out of his fair share of money the show brought in, which seems to have happened.  

 

One thing I noticed reading the comments he posted .... he seems by far the smartest and most articulate of all the kids.  He is very insightful.   I don't think either Jeremy or Zack could begin to think as deeply as he can, nor could they express their thoughts as well.  I doubt that Molly could be bothered to even try.  She seems very detached.  Oh well, I guess being relegated to the chorus has its benefits.  Jacob apparently made the most of his free time by developing his mind and his heart.  

 

That's something, I guess.

[Maharincess]

Wow. I had no idea any of this stuff was happening with Jake. ZoloftBob, I was cheering you as I read through the comments here. I don't do twitter or imstagram so I only see links posted here. I loved the comments on Jake's pages from A Minor Consideration and Alison Arngrim, hopefully they can help him sort things out.

I think it's wonderful what Jake said to Jack. He needs to know that it's OK if he doesn't like being filmed. It's disgusting how these parents make their kids do these shows. There wouldn't have been enough money in the world for me to have sold out my kids childhoods.

[Whyyouneedaname]

Saw where Matt posted on FB they have been filming and will be back on in a couple of weeks. Some of the things that will be talked about were the divorce & dating. Seems Amy is still not on board with the divorce, seriously how did she think what they had was anything but a divorce waiting to happen. However, had they sought out and applied counseling to their HUGE marital problems maybe this disaster could have been avoided. Seriously does she watch the past shows and think that she and Matt had a good thing going??

[ZoloftBlob]

Seems Amy is still not on board with the divorce, seriously how did she think what they had was anything but a divorce waiting to happen

 

She's the one in this that I'd cite as actually religious and she's also the one who has had her identity wrapped up in being a wife and a mother. All of her major accomplishments revolve around the family structure - she's even on record stating she thought she'd never find a husband ver, and that when she was pregnant she worried her kids would be taken from her. Amy has a lot wrapped up in this.

However, had they sought out and applied counseling to their HUGE marital problems maybe this disaster could have been avoided. Seriously does she watch the past shows and think that she and Matt had a good thing going??

 

 

Its been a while since I perused the court documents of the Noah's ark case but there was an interesting witness - Amy's therapist, who was providing marriage counseling and who Amy briefly discussed the Noah's ark situation. (I remember it being a pastoral religious counselor but it has been a while) Matt was not in counseling and stated in the court case that he was seeing no one.

 

I think she knew there were huge problems, I think its just unlikely that Matt was ever going to manage anything other than "I want MY WAY".

 

If the new episodes are about these two dating... I dunno... sounds a tad desperate.

[Absolom]

There is nothing to be done when one partner will not change, give an inch, or consider anything but his or her own wants and wishes.  I'm actually sad that they are coming back as Matt and Amy's situation is rather depressing and I don't need to see Jeremy and his precious wife.  Zach is not very interesting so that doesn't leave much.  Maybe Matt will blow up a building or something like that. 

[babyhouseman]

http://starcasm.net/archives/347158

 

They come back May 10. 

[peaceknit]

they're coming back? FFS! just go away already, roloffs! grifters!

[ZoloftBlob]

Well, they kinda have to do the show since they have to support how many households now and none of the kids work....

 

Plus I am certain at least one episode will be a big giant advertisement for Jer and Auj's marital advice blog. I'm not posting the link since I don't want to give them any free advertising (but honestly if you look at their twitters etc, its not hard to find).

 

Hilarious notes from the blog - Jeremy's now claiming to have been a 24 year old virgin when he married, as was Audrey although it is couched in that evangelical reborn talk so who knows, they don't like gay marriage at all, and they really don't like it when people disagree with their marital wisdom - for example, they no longer have close opposite sex friends basically because they can't handle the jealousy issues, and really don't understand why people are disagreeing with them.

 

I sorta hope these marrieds get themselves pregnant. Its one of those "I fear to watch and yet I cannot turn away" things.  I mean, frankly one point of sense I have granted these two vapid airheads is that they realize all the good times end once there's a baby to interfere with their many, many playtime hobbies and getaways.

[Absolom]

The Zach and Tori retrospective gained 1.193 M viewers and a .31 rating.

[gunderda]

My DVR said that was Episode 2?? Was there an Episode 1?

I totally forgot we saw Tori and Zach's wedding so I recorded and watched it about halfway through until I realized I had already seen all of this!

[Absolom]

I heard the "real" new season begins May 10.

[gunderda]

That's what I thought too so I was very confused when my TV guide was showing a new episode. 

[ZoloftBlob]

Yeah - I totally missed the retrospective because the online tv guide I use didn't list it at all.