All Episodes Talk: Small World, Big Lives

[ZoloftBlob]

"But...but...Jacob has been very vocal on social media about not getting the money he felt he was due. If he's all bent out of shape over being filmed without consent, why does he even gripe about the money. It should be unwanted blood money to him. " He gripes about the money because he was filmed without his consent and people tell him tpo shut up and smile because his parents gave him material things while they were stealing his privacy and exposing him to fans who were calling him a faggoty slutty skank at age ten. Matt and Amy got a million dollar piece of property paid for his services, complete with an extra house for Matt to pout in, a pool and multiple expensive cars. Likewise Jeremy - who does not and has not ever actually worked for his 3000 a month house in Bend or his multiple cars. Likewise Zach and likewise Molly. But Jake isn't willing to smile and say "I loved every minute of my childhood where my parents repeatedly and publically stated they were done with parenting when my older brothers graduated high school" so he's not allowed to even ask for the money he was due for being on the show? Without you know, being a shamefilled piece of shit for not touting the Roloff line? He got to be the family after thought publically and he's the one who has to fall on his sword? He wasn't asked to be filled, he wasn't allowed to quit until he legally came of age and his parents couldn't force him to do the show. He deserves payment for the work he was forced to do.

[ginger90]

On paper Jacob didn't earn the money though. He was part of the formula but didn't get the checks. I actually appreciate his take on it more than the other family members. When he was of age to have his own contract, he left the show. I say good for him.

[Celia Rubenstein]

23 minutes ago, Ina123 said:

But...but...Jacob has been very vocal on social media about not getting the money he felt he was due. If he's all bent out of shape over being filmed without consent, why does he even gripe about the money. It should be unwanted blood money to him.

I don't begrudge Jacob wanting his fair share of the "blood money" at all.  Jacob is one of the people who did the bleeding, isn't he?  Why should he not get a fair cut of the money he helped earn?  Just because he has had the guts to stand up and speak the truth about the show and his family doesn't mean he should have to lose out financially in order to prove his sincerity.

 

Quote

100 bucks says that an offer of what he feels he was due and generous payment to come back would change his mind. 

As soon as Jacob turned 18 he refused to do the show anymore. He was just about to finally start collecting his own personal paycheck from TLC, but instead he chose to walk away. I think this refutes the suggestion that Jacob could be so easily bought.  

Not everyone is dying to be a performing seal on reality tv, especially when you are someone like Jacob who grew up being forced to put on a show like a circus animal in his own home when he was just trying to be a normal kid. He knows better than most people that the intrusion on one's life is just not worth the money.

 

Quote

Except, his brain might be too fried with his weed habit.

I don't think Jacob's brain is fried at all.  With the possible exception of Molly, I think Jacob is the sharpest of the bunch.  His writings suggest to me he is perhaps the best-educated, most articulate member of the whole Roloff family.  He also appears to be the only one with an honest bone in his body - yet another reason he is not cut out for reality tv. There are a lot of reasons I doubt Jacob will ever be back on the show, but weed isn't one of them.

[Jellybeans]

 I don't follow him on social media. I saw his IG once or twice.  

Glad he is out of the spotlight.  

[Love2dance]

13 hours ago, Jellybeans said:

I asked my son to "vocal fry" me and he did not know what I was talking about LOL.  Will keep trying!  Am really curious.  

The closest I can come without sound is to rub your hand over a very smooth surface. Then rub it on a very rough surface, like sandpaper. The sandpaper feel is vocal fry.

[Ina123]

So, he's the smartest one, but he never heard of filing a lawsuit? Against the production company? Parents? Discovery TLC?

[beeziebee]

Quote

 

  22 HOURS AGO, JELLYBEANS SAID:

I asked my son to "vocal fry" me and he did not know what I was talking about LOL.  Will keep trying!  Am really curious.  

 

Here's a good explanation from wikipedia:

"The vocal fry register (also known as pulse register, laryngealisation, pulse phonation, creak, croak, popcorning, glottal fry, glottal rattle, glottal scrape, or strohbass) is the lowest vocal register and is produced through a loose glottal closure which will permit air to bubble through slowly with a popping or rattling sound of a very low frequency.[1] During this phonation, the arytenoid cartilages in the larynx are drawn together which causes the vocal folds to compress rather tightly and become relatively slack and compact. This process forms a large and irregularly vibrating mass within the vocal folds that produces the characteristic low popping or rattling sound when air passes through the glottal closure. The register (if well controlled) can extend far below the modal voice register, in some cases up to 8 octaves lower, such as in the case of Tim Storms who holds the world record for lowest frequency note ever produced by a human, a G−7, which is only 0.189 Hz. Humans however can only hear sounds down to 12 Hz under ideal conditions."

More info here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocal_fry_register

Molly seriously needs to work on that.  It's not good for her voice, and it certainly doesn't give her more gravitas.

[MegD]

6 minutes ago, Ina123 said:

So, he's the smartest one, but he never heard of filing a lawsuit? Against the production company? Parents? Discovery TLC?

Depending on the contract his parents signed, he may not have recourse against anyone. I would imagine a lot of his rights were signed away.  But I think some of his anger may stem from the callous way Matt and Amy allowed him to be shown on TV. I mean Matt has admitted to making the decision to continue filming when Jacob nearly died due to the trebuchet accident. The production company wasn't going to film it until Matt decided it was fine. I'd be furious. I'd also be a little hostile that Daddy dearest didn't take the trebuchet down, choosing to make improvements on it and continue with it year after year.

Also, depending on how the contract was written, his parents may have set his compensation long before he turned 18 without a way for him to renegotiate it when he turned 18. If, for example, they signed him to a 5 year contract making a nominal amount (because Matt and Amy had higher compensations) when he was 16, he'd be 21 before he could renegotiate the contract. I'd be annoyed as well.

[Jellybeans]

Thanks guys!  I think I have an idea of what vocal fry is now.  Appreciate the explanations!  :-)  

[ZoloftBlob]

Legally I don't think a parent can sign a contract that obligates a chid once they turn eighteen (which would explain why Jacob is no longer on the show). These shows pay the parents one check for the family participation to cover the minor children so legally the production company and TLC can tell Jacob that they fulfilled on the contract with his parents. Could Jacob sue his parents? Maybe but I think the "stink" about the money was Matt and Amy attempting to get him to sign on to do the show as an adult and he used that to force them to cough up the prior compensation. Like most people, I suspect actually suing his parents would be difficult. But it could happen.

[Celia Rubenstein]

11 hours ago, Ina123 said:

So, he's the smartest one, but he never heard of filing a lawsuit? Against the production company? Parents? Discovery TLC?

Since no one really knows what financial arrangements (if any) were put into place to set aside money for the Roloff kids, no one can say whether there is any point in Jacob suing anybody.  Matt and Amy may simply have never saved any money that was earned for the children, and it doesn't appear that TLC or the producers have the obligation to do so under Oregon law.  

It's entirely possible there is just no money there to go after and suing would be useless. Which would make Jacob smart for not wasting his time, rather than dumb as you suggest. 

Edited August 10, 2016 by Celia Rubenstein

[fuzzylollipop]

Maybe Jacob just isn't attracted to money? I mean I know... Who isn't? But judging from his instagram, he seems like a very intellectual and spiritual being. I don't get the same greedy, money hungry vibe his older brother (I'm looking at you Jerk) puts off. Plus he seems very well read and has a strong love for animals. It also seems like he has a good relationship with Amy, his girlfriend and him were visiting her this weekend. He's probably smart enough to know that a lawsuit would hurt his relationship with his mom and he probably realizes that sometimes family is more important than money. I know this is an unheard of concept in reality tv. Maybe he doesn't want the publicity of a lawsuit? Whatever his reason is, I respect him immensely because I feel for him as the obvious black sheep in the family. 

[babyhouseman]

13 hours ago, Ina123 said:

So, he's the smartest one, but he never heard of filing a lawsuit? Against the production company? Parents? Discovery TLC?

He probably couldn't sue. Child labor laws for reality TV are usually in favor of the parents and TLC.

[Honey]

It's hard to smoke a blunt when there's a camera in your face....Unless you're Snoop Dog.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Honey

[Willowsmom]

12 minutes ago, Honey said:

It's hard to smoke a blunt when there's a camera in your face.

Never stopped Golden Jer.

[jhlipton]

On 8/9/2016 at 6:17 AM, gunderda said:

Jacob has probably also done a lot of stuff he otherwise wouldn't be able to do if they didn't have the tv show so I hope he's a tiny bit appreciative. 

This occurred to me during the clip show, when the Roloffs made a tiny reference to their vacations, and I thought, yeah, your vacations were paid for by TLC and were way more extravagant then you would have been able to afford on your own.

[Willowsmom]

52 minutes ago, jhlipton said:

This occurred to me during the clip show, when the Roloffs made a tiny reference to their vacations, and I thought, yeah, your vacations were paid for by TLC and were way more extravagant then you would have been able to afford on your own.

And not so much vacation as work. Especially  for a kid that didn't want to participate.

[Celia Rubenstein]

Especially since TLC picks the destination, sets up the itinerary, prods you to go here, do this, say that.  All while videotaping and voice recording everything you do just waiting for something ugly or embarrassing to happen so they can build the episode around it. Even nice moments were intruded upon and recorded for the show.  There would be no such thing as privacy.  Or spontaneity.

You eat when they say you can, get out of bed when they tell you.  Imagine the things the kids probably were dying to take part in but didn't get a chance to do because it didn't fit into TLC's schedule.  That kind of thing can take a lot of the fun out of a trip for a kid. 

[ShowsILoveToHate]

I just watched the 10 Year special and I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed it.   I've watched this show from day 1, every episode, so I thought it'd be boring but I loved remembering and seeing how young and adorable all of the kids were, especially Zach. 

There was a great mix of old footage along with new commentary, especially when Zach and Jeremy were talking about how they hated the cameras following them to school.  I liked hearing what the adult versions of those kids had to say. 

Amy is so much more relaxed and seems a lot happier now that she's no longer married to Matt.  Matt seems more relaxed as well.  Even though they both live and work so close together, the "distance" that divorce gives them is doing them a world of good mentally and emotionally.

Having said that, I'm on the side of hoping that one day they will be able to get back together!  Put all of the blame and resentment behind them, and just be themselves. 

[sucker4reality]

Just got a text from the Beating 50% number asking me to participate in a marriage flashmob.My phone battery appropriately died immediately after reading it so I wasn't able to click the link.

[ZoloftBlob]

A marriage flashmob?

[Celia Rubenstein]

... sounds like a euphemism for an orgy.

[Willowsmom]

2 hours ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

... sounds like a euphemism for an orgy.

My thought exactly!

[Honey]

20 hours ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Especially since TLC picks the destination, sets up the itinerary, prods you to go here, do this, say that.  All while videotaping and voice recording everything you do just waiting for something ugly or embarrassing to happen so they can build the episode around it. Even nice moments were intruded upon and recorded for the show.  There would be no such thing as privacy.  Or spontaneity.

You eat when they say you can, get out of bed when they tell you.  Imagine the things the kids probably were dying to take part in but didn't get a chance to do because it didn't fit into TLC's schedule.  That kind of thing can take a lot of the fun out of a trip for a kid. 

I'm sorry, but how exactly do you know this is a fact?

[sucker4reality]

Finally clicked on the marriage flash mob link. You're supposed a photo a day of you and your spouse, for 7 days, and include a different caption each day: 3-word love story, what you love about your spouse, what you love about your marriage, what you've learned from marriage, a public thank you note to your spouse and another story (not 3 words this time?).

[Willowsmom]

1 hour ago, Honey said:

I'm sorry, but how exactly do you know this is a fact?

Other reality stars have said as much. No reason to think this show is different

47 minutes ago, sucker4reality said:

Finally clicked on the marriage flash mob link. You're supposed a photo a day of you and your spouse, for 7 days, and include a different caption each day: 3-word love story, what you love about your spouse, what you love about your marriage, what you've learned from marriage, a public thank you note to your spouse and another story (not 3 words this time?).

Not nearly  as much much fun as it sounded.

[ZoloftBlob]

Quote

... sounds like a euphemism for an orgy.

We all snicker but the reality is that Auj, when declaring her need to celebrate the Sabbath with worship, made it very very clear that she and Jer consider their lovemaking to be a form of Jesus worship.

In other words, along with things like rock climbing, hiking, playing chess, cooking meals, fucking each other is worshipping Jesus. The foreplay in that household must be hilarious!

Quote

I'm sorry, but how exactly do you know this is a fact?

Quote

Other reality stars have said as much. No reason to think this show is different

To add to the response, there's any number of examples that the Roloffs themselves have talked about. Matt used to brag that the cameras were on 18 hours a day when it was a weekly series grinding out 40 episodes a season in half hour segments. The only place in the Roloff house where a private conversation could be had was in Matt and Amy's bedroom. Everywhere else was free for the cameras. And the trips? Always had production driven agendas that were often laughably acted by the kids. Really, did anyone genuinely believe that Jeremy and Zach, being followed by a camera crew, were casually invited to spend the night at a private home of a pretty German girl who's dad just happened to be mayor of the german town and who just happened to invite Jeremy and Zach the next day to a special professional soccer match? Another example is the RV trip through the southwest where there was at least one miserable day where the kids were openly discussing how they were throwing up from the heat and were then hauled all around Sedona and the Grand Canyon. There's also numerous pictures of the Roloffs posted by the Roloffs with captions like "waiting for filming to start". They've also admitted that scenes are often redone and refilmed.

[Absolom]

Plus the infamous time there was a script on Matt's desk that someone missed removing.  There are a lot of people who have talked about the unreality of reality filming and people who have worked on reality shows and talked about it.

[jhlipton]

On 8/15/2016 at 7:01 AM, ShowsILoveToHate said:

Having said that, I'm on the side of hoping that one day they will be able to get back together!  Put all of the blame and resentment behind them, and just be themselves. 

Not me.  They are totally incompatible in temperament.

[Willowsmom]

Amy seems so much happier now I hope she moves on. Going back will only lead to being Matt's full time nurse something the Golden Couple should be made to do if they really want the farm so bad.

[Celia Rubenstein]

2 minutes ago, Willowsmom said:

Amy seems so much happier now I hope she moves on. Going back will only lead to being Matt's full time nurse 

I know the divorce hurt Amy a lot, but the truth is she really dodged a bullet, didn't she ?  Day to day life with Matt was bad enough for her but imagine dealing with a cranky, bored, frustrated Matt who was dependent upon you for everything once he lost his mobility and couldn't busy himself around the farm all day long.  No thanks!

In a way I guess Matt dodged a bullet, too.  It probably wouldn't have been long before Amy went Deadly Women on him and laced his oatmeal with anti-freeze.  

They are better off apart.  Let Amy find love with a new man.  And let Matt hire one of those "Visiting Angel" home healthcare aids. They'll both be happier and Matt will live longer.

[ZoloftBlob]

So I can have a modicum of sympathy for Matt in that I'm not a monster and its sad whenever you see or hear about someone who is getting older and has no one to help them. At the same time, having known a few people in those circumstances.... Sometimes there's a reason people end up alone. Matt knows more than any of us what his medical outlook was looking like. If having Amy around to tend him was important to him, perhaps he should have considering bending a little bit. Instead he chose to walk out on her - and he DID make the decision and it was very very obvious that Amy was devastated and would have gone back to him if he'd been willing to bend. But he was not willing to bend and there's a point where Amy has reason to be annoyed that she's the one at fault and she's the one who has to cave to make the marriage work. So she didn't cave and I totally anticipate future episodes of this show featuring Matt whining on camera how now that he's too old to be "fun" the family has abandoned him. Whenever he does that, I really hope his kids re mind him how he said he was going to Hawaii rather than be a part of the family and they could call him when there was grandkids. Words mean things and words hurt and if you hear your dad or your spouse loudly intone how you're shit to his perfection enough, you get tired of having to smile and say "Yes Matt, I'm shit. You're smart, I'm dumb, you think big, I am a narrow minded loser who never has a grand idea and when I do smething good, you will always loudly express how shocked and pleased you are that I didn't fuck up". God can you imagine being around Matt if he was no longer able to tool around in the mule?

[kat165]

Seriously, Sucker, those 2 need to find jobs. They've got too much time on
their hands.

Celia, if Amy stayed with an immoble Matt they could have a LPBW crossover
with Snapped, Dateline, 48 Hours or 20/20.

[Celia Rubenstein]

32 minutes ago, kat165 said:

Celia, if Amy stayed with an immoble Matt they could have a LPBW crossover
with Snapped, Dateline, 48 Hours or 20/20.

I'd watch.

[kat165]

So would I. They could show the jury clips from the show and she'd get off!

[beeziebee]

22 hours ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

I know the divorce hurt Amy a lot, but the truth is she really dodged a bullet, didn't she ?  Day to day life with Matt was bad enough for her but imagine dealing with a cranky, bored, frustrated Matt who was dependent upon you for everything once he lost his mobility and couldn't busy himself around the farm all day long.  No thanks!

Excuse me, but I believe that's "FUSTRATED".  ; )

[Jellybeans]

As I have said before, I have not watched this show but once in a blue moon.  A question for you guys...

Now that they are divorced, do you think Matt will be happier?  Do you think he knows he is meant to be alone?  Some people are built that way. 

[Willowsmom]

34 minutes ago, Jellybeans said:

As I have said before, I have not watched this show but once in a blue moon.  A question for you guys...

Now that they are divorced, do you think Matt will be happier?  Do you think he knows he is meant to be alone?  Some people are built that way. 

Matt is such a drama  queen it's hard to tell. Most of this year was spent lamenting his loneliness  and the itty bitty double wide  he's stuck with and dealing with the fact that Amy no longer caves to his every suggestion.

[ZoloftBlob]

Quote

Now that they are divorced, do you think Matt will be happier?  Do you think he knows he is meant to be alone?  Some people are built that way

Nope. Matt is a narcissist and he *loves* being the center of attention and having people to order around. If Matt wanted to be alone, he wouldn't be on tv. He also wouldn't be grudgingly living in a double wide walking distance from his wife's house.

Point - he knows how to drive and he can drive. There's money. I could see "moving to the double wide" as a short term immediate solution to "where am I spending the night?" with the separation but there's utterly no reason at all that Matt has HAD TO stay in that double wide for close to two years. He doesn't have to live on the farm, that is an intentional choice he is making. He could easily buy a nice house in Helvetia or Hillsborough and drive to work every morning the way many people do. He has the financial wherewithal to put an offer in on a piece of property next to the farm, so he can afford his own house where he can go home and be alone if he wants.. He also made a point of having "buddies" spend every day of his recent hospital stay with him... Matt doesn't want to be alone, not at all.

[Whyyouneedaname]

I have watched the 10 year reunion, and don't know why but I have it on DVR and will turn it on when I'm just doing stuff around the house. Anyway, I know I'm probably in the minority in that I am no Amy fan and would have to choose Matt over her, she always seemed to plot the kids against him when they were younger. I have never agreed with having the kids involved in grown up discussions, they will take sides when it's the parents that should be working out the issues. Then in one of her TH she was saying how she and Molly don't have a close of a relationship that she wished they did, I've seen Jeremy totally disrespect her on the show, and we know Jake moved out ASAP. With that being said, it appears the only focus she had while the kids were being raised was Zach, the others seem to have a fairly good relationship with Matt. Do any of you think the kids resent the way she did that, I know he probably acted like one of the kids most of the time but they seem to get along better with him. 

[ZoloftBlob]

Well, here's the thing. I don't disagree with you that Amy generally pitted the kids against Matt. I differ in that I think Jacob has a poor relationship with his father, and that Matt own some of his kids disinterest in that he is the one going on camera with how participating in school activities bores the shit out of him, and how he blatently favored Jeremy over the other kids because Jeremy liked the sort of activities he liked. Generally Molly was excluded from the boy activities Matt liked, and Zach was mocked for not being Jeremy's equal and Jacob was mocked for not enjoying the activities his brothers liked.

That said,  part of Amy's problem was that she was always stuck in the role of the bad parent. Who made people do their homework and wash up and at least try to get to required places on time? Amy. Who wanted to let the kids ride on the roof of the mule while driving it full speed? Matt. Who made school lunches and did school things and took the kids to their sport practices even when they wanted to play? Amy. Who shrieked "Gobblygoo! *I've* built you a pirate ship to pee off of, lets climb on top of western town and whip apples at each other!" Matt.

I can see why she started to resent having to be the bad cop to the kids all the time while Matt got to be the fun parent. That doesn't excuse her but it does allow me to sympathize with her. Likewise I do sympathize with Matt a little in that I think part of his need to be the fun parent with the pirate ship and the giant play village is because he can't exactly play sports with them. That said, Matt also has to own some of his onscreen behavior when it comes to the kids. He openly favors Jeremy - he's only warming up to Zach now because he's feeling his age and beginning to realize Jeremy is a shallow sack of shit and that Jeremy's wife intends to see to it that *she* gets the lionshare of Jeremy's attention. And Jeremy can fuck her, and is a shallow sack of shit and Dad is increasingly frail and less fun, and Jeremy only goes where fun is....

And I think the kids, Jeremy excluded perhaps, see who walked out on who and who spent ten years openly badmouthing his wife on national television, and who chose to spend time with them as kids and who proudly said they had no regrets about missing things. I think Amy isn't a perfect parent but I think the lionshare of the problems with the kids started and circled around Matt and Matt's need to act like he was the only one who mattered.

[Whyyouneedaname]

I guess this is a prime example of "don't stay together for the sake of the kids" it does no one any good. And as far as the kids go, Zach will probably be the one taking care of Matt, along with Tori.

[Willowsmom]

I think Amy taught the kids that they couldn't depend on Matt. And given his behavior on vacations and toward school functions she was right to do so. Only Vapid Jer didn't look deeper than "let's play" when it came to his father.

[ZoloftBlob]

Naw, I think if Jacob hadn't been around, the divorce would have happened when Molly went to college. They were holding out for him and didn't quite make it. The show would have lapped up divorce drama, as it clearly did, and frankly I doubt they'd be getting renewed now if it wasn't for the Duggar implosion and the Little Couple drama

[autumnh]

I was married to someone like Matt for 10 years....it was exhausting. Always the victim....no one can ever live up to those standards. i've been rid of him for 11 years now...it's freeing.

[galax-arena]

Oh, so Audrey's starting up a weekly devotional texting thing. For only $1.99 a month, you can receive Christian dime store cliches from the one and only Audrey Roloff. 

[kokapetl]

1 hour ago, galax-arena said:

Oh, so Audrey's starting up a weekly devotional texting thing. For only $1.99 a month, you can receive Christian dime store cliches from the one and only Audrey Roloff. 

The way the daylight changes angle and highlights the obviously spliced together nature of the video makes me laugh. 

Edited August 25, 2016 by Kokapetl

[ZoloftBlob]

Well, I can't fault her for trying. One thing I will give her some credit for, she seems to understand that the Roloff fame will fade and she'll want some separate branding. Apparently she and Jer (meaning just Audrey since Jer is a dimbulb) are writing a book about marriage! I'm highly amused.

Agree that it's likely to be dimestore Christian clichés. The marriage blog is generally reworked Good Housekeeping articles,  occasionally interspersed with yet another article on how Jer and Auj adored their own wedding and how the wedding was awesome.

*and I am beginning to wonder when Auj is going to get annoyed at having to do all the work in the marriage.

[Celia Rubenstein]

8 minutes ago, ZoloftBlob said:

*and I am beginning to wonder when Auj is going to get annoyed at having to do all the work in the marriage.

After @18 years living under Matt and Amy's roof, it is doubtful Jeremy possesses many problem-solving and communication skills or has the ability to compromise, all of which are necessary to make a marriage work.  It's possible he could learn and change, but he would have to want to.  And I don't know that with Matt as his male role model and a lifetime of being coddled by him, Jeremy thinks he should be expected to be anything other than his fabulous self. Their marriage would be an interesting one to watch, if they would show the warts and not just whitewash everything. Interesting to watch unravel, that is.  I'm not saying I am actually rooting for them to fail - even I am not that evil.  But ... it just sort of feels inevitable, despite their dedication to trumpeting how awesome their marriage is.  Audj seems so driven and Jeremy is just so not.  It seems like a matter of time before they end up in the ditch and I don't know if they would be able to fix things if they really went off course. 

I don't think Zach will face those problems, though.  He and Tori just seem so much more compatible and in sync.  And of course Tori is nothing like Audj, which is the most important difference between the two couples.  I think they will really last. 

[ZoloftBlob]

I actually worry that they will end up staying together because they know they will be publically humiliated if they separate after chiding everyone around them with "we don't throw relationships away, we *fix* things!". Because I won't lie - I feel like these two are cruising for a bruising when it comes to the bragging over how *they fight for their marriage* and anyone who doesn't is well... hmmm they don't really say what they think of people who don't agree with their views but their pinched faces and snide remarks make it pretty clear that divorced people are SHITTY people. Amy is actually too kind but Jeremy had better pray he stays married until Matt dies because after Jeremy merrily snotting to his dad, I have a very good feeling Matt won't mind rubbing Jeremy's face in his mistakes.

I am like you tho - I can't wish for them to fail because that's simply cruel. But there's definitely some troubling cracks in the façade. In a recent marriage blog article, Jeremy is theoretically writing (I say theoretically because the tone of all the articles very very much resembles Auj's Aujpoj writing) about fighting with the spouse and references this.

Quote

So let’s say it just happened… You blew up at each other, lashed out, exchanged hurtful words, maybe you broke something, maybe you shed some tears…. then what?

Maybe you *broke something*? For fucking real? They have fights where they break shit? That to me is as troubling as their claims of being in marriage counseling almost from the get go. Fights where things get broken means people are completely losing control and getting violent. That it's thrown out there so casually as normal is concerning.

Particularly when outlined in the article... Jer and Auj have upper class first world problems. There's no concerns about how the bills will be paid, can they afford health insurance, do they need to provide monetary help to family members down on their luck, or child care issues. They are basically cruising from project to project and they're apparently having fights. I really am glad they haven't gotten knocked up yet because I really think if they aren't managing now, a baby is going to rock their world.

Tory and Zach seem all right - I do think like Audrey, Tory is the dominant one there and I think Zach married a tall version of his mom but it seems to work for them.

Also apparently Jeremy's alma mater has shut down rather abruptly. I found it interesting that students who attended Brooks Institute were complaining that they couldn't even get jobs as substitute teachers because the school wasn't regionally accredited so their degrees aren't recognized.