Why Doesn't The Media Ask The Duggars Harder Questions?

[debrand]

I watched the episode with Dan from ABC. Perhaps he asked hard questions when he wasn't on the show but he appeared to be interested in a puff piece on the family. Yes, Dan seemed pleasant but I would like to hear tough questions addressed to the family.

 

The Duggars are selling Gothardism. Why do reporters seem to be so frightened of asking them anything serious? It seems like the women, especially, who interview them would at least comment on their sexiest views on women. Yet no one seems to care.

[Jessica]

Because they'll lie anyway or avoid the answer while rambling on to make you forget what the question even was?

Example: "Do you spank your children?" Answer: [insert 3 looong paragraphs about praising your children 10 times more than you correct them, Gothard's character qualities, and training them to love and serve the Lord with all their heart]

[xDreamerx]

This bothers me too. Not so much the morning shows because they are pretty much geared to be fluff. They know their audience and they're selling it. However, I'm surprised that the mainstream media, the news, etc. seems willing to turn a blind eye to the fact that the Duggars are part of a movement. "Movement" is a key word for me. There are more people who think like them. People should be aware of what they really believe.

[JenniferJuniper]

I don't think the Duggars would have agreed to do the piece unless ground rules were laid down in advance. Bascially, if you want to interview them, you'll do it on their terms or not at all.

With that said, I watch the show because I enjoy looking for the subtle ways the TLC editors get in their little digs. They've got to be subtle enough to go over Boob's head or he'd nix the use of the footage, but they do get them in, and we invariably end up discussing them out here.

[Alecto]

I think part of the reason is the same reason no one asked Kate Gosslin hard questions. I guarantee in order to interview TLC "talent" the questions have to be pre-approved, and TLC simply won't allow those questions.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Simple: They don't even know there might be a problem. They haven't done any research on who Bill Gothard is or what his organization is like. The only time I've seen Gothard hit hard was in a local series in Indianapolis years ago when there were allegations of abuse at the Indianapolis training center.

Like most viewers the media sees the Duggar's as "America's big happy family" and lets it go at that.

I have never thought the Duggars were in any way physically abusive. I just think the level of control they have over their young adults is out-of-control like in all ATI families.

[GeoBQn]

There's a rumor that there was an unaired episode of Oprah featuring the Duggars, but JimBob withdrew support of the episode because Oprah dared to ask the hard questions, and that she had offered tuition to a midwifery program for two of the daughters but JimBob turned it down for them. Has this ever been confirmed in any way?

[ElphabaGalinda]

I work for a newspaper, and when interviewing anyone well know (e.g. the prime minister, anyone on TV, bands famous enough to have an actual album) often, but not always, you need to get the questions pre-approved in advance. We are told to avoid it if possible, but for smaller papers, just getting access to such important people is important enough to do that. Big news shows that have famous people all the time, I have no idea. But that's probably the answer for smaller, local things.

[starfish]

I would like Someone, anyone, to ask JimBoob about his comment regarding the chicken pox preventing shingles, e.g. "how can you be so stupid, Jim Boob? " "now that your children have had chicken pox, did you know they are at risk for developing shingles later in life, you idiot"

[tehgoobster]

Simple: They don't even know there might be a problem. They haven't done any research on who Bill Gothard is or what his organization is like. The only time I've seen Gothard hit hard was in a local series in Indianapolis years ago when there were allegations of abuse at the Indianapolis training center.

I think that's a big part of it, too. I used to be a Duggar fan, and before I started researching their beliefs, I hadn't ever heard of Bill Gothard, Doug Phillips, the Botkins, the Maxwells, etc. If you were to ask the average person on the street, they'd likely have no clue, either. I think a lot of people -- even people in the media -- just assume they're conservative Christians. I remember being pretty shocked and dismayed to learn about their connections to IBLP and VF once I knew what those groups taught.

[marmalade]

I think part of the reason is the same reason no one asked Kate Gosslin hard questions. I guarantee in order to interview TLC "talent" the questions have to be pre-approved, and TLC simply won't allow those questions.

Precisely. Almost anyone with any kind of celeb status has a "rider" of some sort. And apparently, the Duggars includes softball questions that keep their fans in the dark (or denial) about what really goes in behind closed doors.

[bananacat]

If they ask hard questions, then the Duggars will refuse to even interview them and they won't get the ratings that the Duggars bring. Journalism is just about getting viewers to see commercials from their sponsors. Asking hard questions doesn't make them any money.

[TheJewAmongUs]

It's going to take a Duggar child jumping ranks to get that story.

Just like with Fred Phelps/Westboro Baptist Church.

When they protested Matthew Shepard's funeral, 20/20 didn't report on it. When their 1st amendment case went to the Supreme Court it got a small mention. (Not that I'm really complaining about declining to give them attention...)

But when ABC got an interview with someone who was kicked out of the church, then they did a major story.

And that's really the story we want, right? The crazy claims of an insider scorned reformed?

[lilwriter85]

I agree with others who have mentioned the questions are like preapproved by either TLC or the Duggars or both. TLC has been pretty careful in not revealing certain things via the mass media. They have never really disclosed the Duggars' exact religious affliations or the fact that are apart of Gothardism.TLC knows that some of the people that like the Duggars and have bought into the syrupy whole image that TLC has made of the Duggars. tehgoobster is right most people wouldn't know how Gothard is. I also agree people in the media like TV shows hosts/journalists and some of the viewers probably assume they are the usual conservative Christians, but the Duggars are much more than that.

But luckily in the past few some viewers of the documentaries and the show, have realized something is off with the family and when they realize something is off they do their research. On twop and other sites, there are some posts from people saying they once liked the Duggars but they stopped liking the family after visiting sites like NLQ, pfo.or FJ. The Duggars do have some haters in some Christian circles.

[Aurora]

I think that's a big part of it, too. I used to be a Duggar fan, and before I started researching their beliefs, I hadn't ever heard of Bill Gothard, Doug Phillips, the Botkins, the Maxwells, etc. If you were to ask the average person on the street, they'd likely have no clue, either. I think a lot of people -- even people in the media -- just assume they're conservative Christians. I remember being pretty shocked and dismayed to learn about their connections to IBLP and VF once I knew what those groups taught.

Yeah me too. Well, I wasn't a fan exactly, but I had no idea about Gothardism, QF and the rest until I got curious enough about the show to start reading stuff about the Duggars online... and found out a lot including being led to the FJ forum. If I hadn't bothered to look them up, I would also probably think they were just an innocent and little bit odd Christian family.

Of course, it's the media's job to research these things, so that's not really an excuse for them.

[xReems]

They probably don't wanna start any sort of controversy that would make IBLP/ATI, etc etc look bad. It's probably why almost eery interview, the reporters always ask them the same questions we already know the answers to. I'm sure before the interview even starts, they screen the questions and JB and Michelle in the end decide which of those questions are okay to ask. It's probably why Joy Behar didn't ask any hard questions--and she's usually opinionated.

That or they probably wouldn't know how to answer those difficult questions.

"If one of your children decided to drink alcohol, wear pants/short shorts, but still attended church, would you be okay with it?"

Jim Bob and Michelle: *blank stare* ummm, God loves all His children. We love them equally aaaand yeah. *smiles*

[O Latin]

It's hard to imagine a (presumably educated) reporter being this naive, but I first watched the early Duggar specials when I was probably about 14 or 15 and I literally had NO IDEA that they were any kind of strange religion or that there might be anything controversial about them. So I suppose it's not entirely impossible that a particularly dim reporter could just be clueless.

I also think every interview they do on the Today show (that's the only non-TLC place I've seen them, but I would assume other interviews are similar) seems to be addressed at people who have absolutely no idea who the Duggars are and have never met a big family and are thus interested in things like how they manage the laundry. Obviously, they are trying to dodge any meaty questions, but I think there's also an element of wanting to "introduce" the Duggars to new viewers.

As for TLC, well, TLC is sort of a "fluff" channel. It's not just the Duggars, virtually everything they show is sugar coated. How many shows do they have about cake or wedding dresses? I think the whole channel is meant to be a warm fuzzy escape from real life and "the seedy underbelly of the QF movement" doesn't exactly fit that image.

[debrand]

I would love a question about any physical difficulties Michelle has experienced due to her pregnancies. Granted, she probably wouldn't tell us if she has trouble with incontinence :lol: but I'd like to know what effect so many children have had on her health. That seems like a simple and obvious question, yet no one asks it. It wouldn't be that hard for her to answer.

[Feberin]

Debrand, you should try that one next time there is a "submit a question for the Duggars". That would be interesting to find out! Even if she glossed over intimate things.

[Cassandra]

I would love a question about any physical difficulties Michelle has experienced due to her pregnancies. Granted, she probably wouldn't tell us if she has trouble with incontinence :lol: but I'd like to know what effect so many children have had on her health. That seems like a simple and obvious question, yet no one asks it. It wouldn't be that hard for her to answer.

blergh. I've heard about issues with incontinence and other lovely post-baby stuff that occur form just having 1 or 2 kids. I can't imagine the havoc after you hit double digits!

However, they have the money to uh 'tighten things up' now.

[tehgoobster]

Here's an example of how the Duggars come across to some in the media:

Later in the episode, Sarah Mally visits the Duggar girls for a purity seminar, where the Duggar's theory of courtship is discussed. Many viewers were shocked to learn that men interested in the Duggar girls must speak to Jim Bob about even flirting with the one he is interested in. Is this really that far-fetched for the Duggar family? Not really. Remember, Josh and Anna didn't kiss until their wedding, and they had a 'chaperone' for their dates prior to the wedding. Conservative? Yes, but is that necessarily a bad thing in an age where teen pregnancy is almost the norm?

http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArt ... 4979808158

Their views are seen as harmless. :roll:

[Kitchen Princess]

The way Sarah Mally talks drives me INSANE.

That is all.

[debrand]

Here's an example of how the Duggars come across to some in the media:

http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArt ... 4979808158

Their views are seen as harmless. :roll:

I'd like to know where are teen pregnacies seen as the norm? Hasn't the rate of teen pregnancies gone down? Comments like this just iritate me because they show such ignorance.

There is nothing wrong with a person who wishes to have their first sexual experience on their wedding night just as there is nothing wrong with a person who wants to have lots of experience before marriage. Those choices are only right for the individual, not anyone else. It really isn't anyone's business. Fathers should not concern themselves with their daughters' vagina's. Parents shouldn't have any opinion at all about the state of their adult daughters hymens.

[dormouse]

Teen pregnancy almost the norm? I hear quite the opposite, women are having their children later in life now, it's not uncommon to have a first child at 30. Yes there are more teen pregnancy, but the lack of sex ed is to blame.

[lilwriter85]

The way Sarah Mally talks drives me INSANE.

That is all.

It bugged me too. Something about the way her moves really looked weird. I also hated when said, "We can be excited about purity." That was very cringeworthy.