Jump to content
IGNORED

Willis Family including rape charges


MoonFace

Recommended Posts

College isn't for everyone and there are other options for careers and vocations. The problem I see with Toby and Brenda is that aren't letting their kids consider or try that option on their own. Probably not all of the kids have interest in college, but at least a couple might have interest, but can't act on it because of their parents. Toby and Brenda's view that college being overrated doesn't apply to everyone either.

As for the family moving to Nashville to pursue music, many people do that in the same way that aspiring actors and non-country musicians move to LA. LA, Nashville, and New York are dog eat dog competition cities for entertainment careers. There is nothing with wanting to pursue those careers, but when they are many others in the game it's difficult. Toby and Brenda probably know that. The family probably makes the rounds around the Music Row labels, often and they probably have had an entertainment lawyer, an indie producer, and others on tap for a long time now. The GAC show years ago was probably an attempt to land some kind of record deal and they also did America's Got Talent. They probably have recorded demos too. They have dealt with rejection.

I have to give the Willis Clan credit because they want music careers and they put a lot of effort into it, unlike Amy Duggar. The Willis Clan play gigs at various events. We never really see Amy playing gigs and that music website she had seems to have been taken down. I'm betting that Toby has set up deeper industry connections for his family than Amy has for herself.

Another possible problem for the Willis Clan is they aren't preparing their kids in case a long term music career doesn't pan out or if one or several of kids want to end their musical pursuits. This is where college may help some of the kids. Also living in Nashville could help the family because Belmont University, other colleges and a couple of trade schools in the area have degree or training programs for other music related careers like producing/writing, sound engineering, marketing, etc. Again, we know Toby and Brenda's views on college and they would probably say no one of their kids want to attend Belmont or a similar school.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 511
  • Created
  • Last Reply

The show actually has a BEAT, just for that its head and shoulders more watchable than the Duggar train wreck. The mom isnt glassy eyed talking about BAYBEEZ, the dad isnt talking about sex, the kids seem to actually engage with the parents.

Are they perfect? Nope... but they SEEM to be better than the Duggars. As time passes more information about them will be found and we can make a decision but, to me, anything that knocks the obvious cult members out of the spotlight is a good thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All I'm going to say right now is that they are talented. I haven't seen enough to form other opinions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will say I'm automatically wary of anyone who puts their kids on TV..but that being said they do seem a little bit more normal than the Duggars.

The mom stated how she let the kids sleep, nurse etc on demand. Which shows a more active role than Michelle had with her kids.

I have a problem with the swearing off of college.....but it does seem that they encourage their kids to do what interests them to an extent. They dance, sing, and show two of the boys wrestling competitively. The horses are a solid interest too but maybe I'm biased there since I ride. I do wonder what would happen if one of the kids totally pulled away from the whole family band and wanted to be say a lawyer or doctor. But I digress.

My only complaint so far as the homeschooling goes is that their one son (jedidiah?) has an obvious speech impediment that probably could have been corrected with speech therapy as an child, though maybe he got intervention and it didn't quite go away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but it looks like the Willis' had a tv show a few years ago called The Willis Clan.

I found a channel that uploaded a few of the episodes from their old show. In this episode (

) Jennifer talks about how she wants to become a vet and she and the other 3 oldest kids visit the University of Tennessee. Lots of interesting bits from all of them about what they think of college and especially about what they think of Jennifer possibly leaving the band to pursue her own interests.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found a channel that uploaded a few of the episodes from their old show. In this episode (

) Jennifer talks about how she wants to become a vet and she and the other 3 oldest kids visit the University of Tennessee. Lots of interesting bits from all of them about what they think of college and especially about what they think of Jennifer possibly leaving the band to pursue her own interests.

So I watched the first 20 minutes of that and am not lovin' the parents. First, that intro (:55-2:12) leads me to believe that is a very pressurized, tense/intense household. Makes me wonder what sort of discipline they use. It seemed to me like the college trip was a tease. You can tell the desire to be a vet is real, but no one really supports her to achieve that. I get that they have a family band, but the parents seem to be putting the individual child behind the collective family. I didn't finish the episode but I'm sure the decision not to go to school "right now" was played as "Jen's decision," but not so sure I believe that. I'm left wondering if the kids are really allowed to have hobbies other than dancing, music, and wrestling, or if anything other than those things are just interests that are never really pursued.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will say I'm automatically wary of anyone who puts their kids on TV..but that being said they do seem a little bit more normal than the Duggars.

The mom stated how she let the kids sleep, nurse etc on demand. Which shows a more active role than Michelle had with her kids.

I have a problem with the swearing off of college.....but it does seem that they encourage their kids to do what interests them to an extent. They dance, sing, and show two of the boys wrestling competitively. The horses are a solid interest too but maybe I'm biased there since I ride. I do wonder what would happen if one of the kids totally pulled away from the whole family band and wanted to be say a lawyer or doctor. But I digress.

My only complaint so far as the homeschooling goes is that their one son (jedidiah?) has an obvious speech impediment that probably could have been corrected with speech therapy as an child, though maybe he got intervention and it didn't quite go away.

For me, I don't try to judge parenting based on speech impediments. My friend's mom is a speech therapist and has been since before my friend was born, yet my friend has a very strong lisp. Sometimes, even people who have the right resources on hand have children who don't respond to the resources.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, I don't try to judge parenting based on speech impediments. My friend's mom is a speech therapist and has been since before my friend was born, yet my friend has a very strong lisp. Sometimes, even people who have the right resources on hand have children who don't respond to the resources.

Yeah that's why I said there's always a chance he did recieve therapy

for it and they couldn't completely correct it. Hopefully the moms beliefs on the public school system wouldn't keep her from seeking help for a child that legitimately needs professional intervention. Especially since she could find a private speech therapist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, they lost me last night when mom went on and on about gender roles and how the girls need to learn how to run a household.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched the show and I wondered why the dad seemed to be in just a few of the TH's. The mom and the oldest son seemed to do most of the TH's, along with the oldest daughter. Even in the show intro, it seems like the dad is not in the forefront. Just something that struck me as unusual.

I think they present well for TV, and everyone looks all happy and satisfied with their lifestyle. But I've learned not to take reality tv at face value -- it's always manipulated.

I too was turned off by the mom's comment about her belief in gender roles. That's bullshit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched several episodes this week, two re runs and the current, and the smugness of the children and parents is off the charts. I find them to be very full of themselves. The boys strutting in front of the mirror in the gym showing off their pecs, the girl talking about how smart they are and what potential "lady killers" (their words) their brothers are, the patents bragging about their social skills, the very precious Irish/country music, the obvious pandering to the TLC demographic... Yea, not a fan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They really are taking digs at the Duggars.

In last night's episode they talked about how people think their house should be chaotic because of all the kids but its not. The mom talked about how their grocery trips are not a whole family affair with cart after cart with a receipt down to the floor (a la early Duggar specials).

I don't like the parents. They seem very controlling.

They bragged about their gym and how the 14 and 15 year olds (I think that is right) have great abs. When I was a young teen, our coaches were careful with our weight training because you can over do it and impact your growth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The gender comment made me roll my eyes but its part of the culture here still unfortunately. It doesn't mean its right but it's understandable why the comment was made.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also didn't like the comment about strict gender roles, and while I do agree that college isn't for everyone, it should be left to the individual to decide that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

-semi-delurking to say that I was surprised by the contrast I saw in Daddy Willis from the first two episodes on TLC (where he isn't really featured) compared to their pilot episode on the GAC network. If you're interested...

In the GAC show, the father is the main player. He is VERY controlling and in my opinion... hyper critical. He is open that he demands excellence from them and pushes them to be their very best. -and he really knows how to beat it out of them so to speak. :roll:

It bothers me a little that all of the children are pushed to have the same interests: dance, the family band, and wresting. -nothing like living out your parents' dreams. :roll:

Things that stuck out to me:

- mandatory morning workouts with matching black outfits (even the younger ones). :cray-cray:

-saying they prepare their daughters to be married at 18.

-saying that anyone who is interested in their daughters must wrestle (and beat) dad. Because you know...only manly men are marriageable. :roll:

I know these guys are supposed to be the "cool Duggars", but their arrogance is so off-putting for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

-semi-delurking to say that I was surprised by the contrast I saw in Daddy Willis from the first two episodes on TLC (where he isn't really featured) compared to their pilot episode on the GAC network. If you're interested...

In the GAC show, the father is the main player. He is VERY controlling and in my opinion... hyper critical. He is open that he demands excellence from them and pushes them to be their very best. -and he really knows how to beat it out of them so to speak. :roll:

It bothers me a little that all of the children are pushed to have the same interests: dance, the family band, and wresting. -nothing like living out your parents' dreams. :roll:

Things that stuck out to me:

- mandatory morning workouts with matching black outfits (even the younger ones). :cray-cray:

-saying they prepare their daughters to be married at 18.

-saying that anyone who is interested in their daughters must wrestle (and beat) dad. Because you know...only manly men are marriageable. :roll:

I know these guys are supposed to be the "cool Duggars", but their arrogance is so off-putting for me.

You can't have a successful reality tv show without arrogance. People don't watch nice people (which is why the Hayes and the Jones families didn't have long on TLC before being canceled).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

-semi-delurking to say that I was surprised by the contrast I saw in Daddy Willis from the first two episodes on TLC (where he isn't really featured) compared to their pilot episode on the GAC network. If you're interested...

In the GAC show, the father is the main player. He is VERY controlling and in my opinion... hyper critical. He is open that he demands excellence from them and pushes them to be their very best. -and he really knows how to beat it out of them so to speak. :roll:

It bothers me a little that all of the children are pushed to have the same interests: dance, the family band, and wresting. -nothing like living out your parents' dreams. :roll:

Things that stuck out to me:

- mandatory morning workouts with matching black outfits (even the younger ones). :cray-cray:

-saying they prepare their daughters to be married at 18.

-saying that anyone who is interested in their daughters must wrestle (and beat) dad. Because you know...only manly men are marriageable. :roll:

I know these guys are supposed to be the "cool Duggars", but their arrogance is so off-putting for me.

I think that answers my question in an earlier post, when I wondered why the dad didn't get many TH's and seemed to be more in the background. I'm guessing the producers realized that he's not really a likeable character, so his face time is being limited so as not to turn off potential viewers.

What I don't like is that the children in this family don't seem to have any opportunity to branch out on their own and earn their own living. I suppose they could try to have a solo music/singing career, but how likely is that? Not much call for amateur wrestlers. So even if one or more of the adult children would like to move out and live on their own, how would they be able to do so financially? I really have an aversion to parents who hobble their children and make them dependent on the parents into adulthood. The Willis parents are no different than the Duggars in this respect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In terms of kids branching out and finding individual interests...there would not be time on foster and tend to such individuality. And we have come full circle on why mega families are next to impossible. The day is never longer than 24 hours.

We had 2 kids and 2 jobs, mine PT and my hub's FT + extensive traveling. We physically could not do more than 2 and be as involved and as engaged as we preferred, not and sleep or maintain sanity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I watched the first 20 minutes of that and am not lovin' the parents. First, that intro (:55-2:12) leads me to believe that is a very pressurized, tense/intense household. Makes me wonder what sort of discipline they use. It seemed to me like the college trip was a tease. You can tell the desire to be a vet is real, but no one really supports her to achieve that. I get that they have a family band, but the parents seem to be putting the individual child behind the collective family. I didn't finish the episode but I'm sure the decision not to go to school "right now" was played as "Jen's decision," but not so sure I believe that. I'm left wondering if the kids are really allowed to have hobbies other than dancing, music, and wrestling, or if anything other than those things are just interests that are never really pursued.

This is mainly why I see no difference between the Duggars and them. Sure, they're more spirited (and ridiculously more talented), but they just so happen to enjoy all the things momma and daddy enjoy: dancing, singing, playing music, and the freakin' wrestling...which, how is one competitive at high school age without exposure to school competitions? I'm sure there are open contests that allow home schoolers to participate, but all I've seen so far is Dad reliving glory days in his half-basement gym with all that fancy (and apparently mandatory) workout equipment.

And if you are a "cool," relaxed mom who just wants your kids to be happy and themselves, why is your ~5 year old son being criticized for lacking toe points in his high kicks? Holy stage mom, Batman....She can say it sweetly as much as she wants, but it sickens me to see children so young being conditioned for performance mode. *Cue the THs about how the youngest kids may be the best dancers yet!! :ew:

And since I've effectively wasted my entire Saturday snarking, I'll unleash one more potentially unpopular opinion. The whole home school vs. public school debate to me is particularly interesting. There are pros and cons for both, and really yes, each child would thrive differently in either environment. My personal bias against home school is mostly the message it sends to the kids. Right or wrong, a mentally- and physically-functioning child that is taken from a public, generalized environment for the purpose of catering to him or her, or giving them flexibility to pursue X, or alleviate them of the bullying and nastiness of the real world is a slippery slope. Generally, most kids grow up to be adults, and most adults must function in a work environment where they communicate, collaborate, and accommodate other people, levels, and interests. Where do you think kids learn these life skills? At the SOTDRT? No. These are hard, but necessary life lessons, usually learned while not being individually pampered in math class, being denied the exhilaration of archery or dance, or horseback riding, etc., and being humiliated by a peer. How many of us FJ'ers have ever been belittled by a manager at work and could do nothing about it but just suck it up? That is the cruel real world, and it saddens me to say that kids must learn to live it it, just like the rest of us have had to...

With that pert opinion out of the way, I am perfectly aware that home school of the early days is not the home school of today. There are more opportunities for socialization and life learning, while getting all the benefits of individual education. But there is a well-documented and increasing problem of helicopter parenting and "softness" among kidults once they get the first harsh smack in college, or a first job. I'm sure all of the homeschooling FJ'ers out there have thought of this and are killing it, but, I'm feeling especially soapboxey today :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it possible that the GAC show and the TLC show were aimed at very different audiences, so they presented very different versions of their parenting style?

I can see the GAC audience demographic placing more value on discipline, so they have dad sounding like a drill sargeant.

The TLC audience, meanwhile, might like things a bit warmer and fuzzier. Bring in mom, and let the audience think that the kids somehow got that talented and athletic all by themselves just from sheer interest and no pushing since the parents are laid back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, the amount off control the father is displaying in those old episodes :shock: "In ancient art of war Sun Tzu says 'a good general will never give his troops a command that they will rebel and not obey'" Well guess what? They aren't your soldiers, they are your children!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't help but think that the reason they have been added to the line-up is because TLC knew the Josh info was going to get out and they needed a new family to fill the space. Having a couple of episodes before the news broke allowed people to already be interested in another mega family.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't read all the responses here, but I got about 25 minutes into the 2nd episode and found myself falling asleep. These people just aren't interesting.

And I think it's timely that they are new to TLC just in time for the Josh Duggar announcement/debacle. Although I believe Josh's story to be true, I think it might also have an element of "publicity stunt" to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • samurai_sarah featured and unfeatured this topic
  • samurai_sarah locked this topic

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.