The Truth About Oprah and The Duggars

[nelliebelle1197]

hahaha...my uncle is a social worker in Iowa and he actually had a client who named her sons those names! He also had a client named "Abcde." That was pronounced "Absidee."

No, he didn't. That legend has been around for decades. So has the ABCDE one. Anyone in social services will tell you the agency had clients with those names, Female, La-A. I have been in social services for a decade and a half and have heard all those urban legends. Someone always had a client who named her kids that.

[Shirley MacLaine]

hahaha...my uncle is a social worker in Iowa and he actually had a client who named her sons those names! He also had a client named "Abcde." That was pronounced "Absidee."

yeah I've heard that one a million times too, almost as much as I've heard the jello twins thing

[Mela99]

I'll say that if Oprah had that kind of info, she'd be out with it. She's not stupid. Only stars among stars would be able to wrangle a contract with the great O that they would have the final say on releasing the interview.

[2xx1xy1JD]

Right....because someone anonymous online claiming that someone else I don't know is totally reliable and really did say something that sounds like complete bullshit is TOTALLY a reliable source of information, and questioning it makes you a mean girl.

Yes, I'm a stickler for verifiable information, both IRL (where it's a big part of my day job) and online. Facts matter. Sources matter.

Here are a few examples of verifiable Duggar tidbits that I picked up here:

1. The handout that Michelle Duggar gave to women when she was speaking at a church included the line "love is killed by self-sufficiency". People were able to link back to the video that caught the shot, and to find copies of the handout.

2. The moment that Josiah walked away from Michelle announced that she was expecting #20. Again, I missed it the first time I saw it, but others were able to point to the screen shot and the exact moment on video that it happened, so when I watched it again I saw it.

3. Everything about ATI. There are some passing references in earlier episodes, and then the ATI backstory came with links to the sources and to related individuals. It's possible to look it up and verify the connections.

[ari_belle]

No, he didn't. That legend has been around for decades. So has the ABCDE one. Anyone in social services will tell you the agency had clients with those names, Female, La-A. I have been in social services for a decade and a half and have heard all those urban legends. Someone always had a client who named her kids that.

I've wondered about it before. My uncle is a HUGE real-life troll who has been on the internet since it started. I'm going to ask him about that again next time we talk. I only recently found out it was an urban legend...I've been telling people about that for years!

[SpeshulTaterTot]

Someone mentioned this before but I have to ask again: Where was the audience for this interview? Did Oprah go to the TTH to interview them? Because really, if she did this interview in a studio with an audience, there's no way it wouldn't have gotten out. Employees can sign confidentiality agreements all they want, some audience member is alwas going to blab. Sorry, OT, but this one really set off my bullshit radar. :shifty-kitty:

[2xx1xy1JD]

Brothers named Captain and Major, though, really do exist.

Instead of making anyone take my word for it, here's the proof:

http://www.csl.cornell.edu/~major/

http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/cap-bhadauria/20/736/808

[ari_belle]

Brothers named Captain and Major, though, really do exist.

Instead of making anyone take my word for it, here's the proof:

http://www.csl.cornell.edu/~major/

http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/cap-bhadauria/20/736/808

What about the Freakonomics brothers, Winner and Loser? I wonder if that was true..

[Triplet3]

No, he didn't. That legend has been around for decades. So has the ABCDE one. Anyone in social services will tell you the agency had clients with those names, Female, La-A. I have been in social services for a decade and a half and have heard all those urban legends. Someone always had a client who named her kids that.

Actually, Abcde isn't an urban legend. It appears in the official SSA 'Beyond the top 1000 names' lists of baby name data (http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/limits.html). These are the figures for the last few years:

2012: given to 18 girls

2011: 21

2010: 25

2009: 32

2008: 28

2007: 24

2006: 26

'Female' appears in the SSA girl names list for 2012 (I haven't checked other years), quite possibly because at the point when the data was gathered, some girl babies hadn't actually been named yet so appeared as just 'female'. That's my speculation, anyway! I think the urban legend about babies being given the name 'Female' probably arose from that.

As for Orangejello and Lemonjello, the last time this subject came up on FJ I discovered something interesting:

LeMonjelo, Lemongelo and variations thereof are legit though rare Italian or Italian-origin surnames, based on the places called Monjelo/Monjolo. Given the penchant people in some areas of the US have for using surnames as first names, is it possible that on a (very) few occasions a set of parents called their child 'Lemonjelo' or variation as a surname-as-first name, and then these few examples set off the racist urban myth about twins Orangejello and Lemonjello?

I found this interesting webpage about the subject, which doesn't seem to be uncritical or racist: suburbanbanshee.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/lemonjelo-is-a-real-name/. Apparently there is a rare first name Horangelo or Orangelo as well, which could well have morphed into the mythical Orangejello.

ETA: As a very unscientific experiment I searched 'Lemonjelo' and 'Lemongelo' on Facebook and discovered some legit-looking profiles of people with those as a surname or first name.

[nelliebelle1197]

Uncle Troll!!

I've wondered about it before. My uncle is a HUGE real-life troll who has been on the internet since it started. I'm going to ask him about that again next time we talk. I only recently found out it was an urban legend...I've been telling people about that for years!

[nelliebelle1197]

Actually, Abcde isn't an urban legend. It appears in the official SSA 'Beyond the top 1000 names' lists of baby name data. These are the figures for the last few years:

2012: given to 18 girls

2011: 21

2010: 25

2009: 32

2008: 28

2007: 24

2006: 26

'Female' appears in the SSA girl names list for 2012 (I haven't checked other years), quite possibly because at the point when the data was gathered, some girl babies hadn't actually been named yet so appeared as just 'female'. That's my speculation, anyway! I think the urban legend about babies being given the name 'Female' probably arose from that.

As for Orangejello and Lemonjello, the last time this subject came up on FJ I discovered something interesting:

http://www.snopes.com/racial/language/names.asp

Check out the Snopes on Female. I think the urban legend begat the name!

Regardless, EVERY social services agency in the country has someone telling those tales of ABCDEs, etc. Those few ABCDEs sure get around.

[happy atheist]

We have a whole thread where we talk about dumb names and urban name legends:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=18027&p=576455&hilit=+abcde#p576455

Back to the topic at hand: are there other alleged "lost" Oprah interviews? Has footage of them ever leaked? I know that Oprah has godlike powers, but I doubt that even she could keep all footage under wraps.

[Slt]

I am a pediatric nurse and actually had an ABCDE myself. She is a two year old female. I also had a La-ia (who was very angry when I pronounced it "LA-EEA" instead of "LA-DASHIA," so sorry!). We had a Flavour Balls (FLA-vour, not FLAVOR as she was quick to point out- a very sad name for a 16 year old girl!), and a Meconium (seriously?).

[Dinaberries]

I went to high school with an Abcde. I thought she was joking when I saw her name on her name tag at freshman orientation, so I told her I thought it was funny that she put that on there. She was very insulated. Way to make a good first impression. =p

Eta: sorry, happy atheist!

[snarkykitty]

I googled "Sin in the camp" and "Josh Duggar" and specified date ranges until I could find the earliest possible:

http://tinyurl.com/pebd4rz

I found that the first time these two phrases were used together was in a post on a blog called "My name is Mommy" in June 2005. It doesn't give much more detail other than the rumored that Josh's "sin in the camp" ruined JB's reelection.

bunky.typepad.com/my_name_is_mommy/2005/02/the_duggar_deba.html

The next time it was used (aside from FJ's newest member level name, "I AM the sin the camp" in late 2005) was in a post on a real estate blog in March 2006, but again, doesn't give any information:

http://cruisepersuasion.newpatriotmedia ... uiverfull/

Speculation continues on TWOP in Nov 2006:

http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com ... ams/page-4

Just something to chew on, if anyone else wants to further investigate.

[DarkAnts]

I find rumor filled posts like this distasteful. I won't believe any of this unless its backed with hard facts. I am especially concerned about the talk of a minors (at the time) alleged sexual behavior.

[usedtobenice]

Guys, pretty positive that Blisterine is making a joke.

[Mama Mia]

Right....because someone anonymous online claiming that someone else I don't know is totally reliable and really did say something that sounds like complete bullshit is TOTALLY a reliable source of information, and questioning it makes you a mean girl.

Yes, I'm a stickler for verifiable information, both IRL (where it's a big part of my day job) and online. Facts matter. Sources matter.

Here are a few examples of verifiable Duggar tidbits that I picked up here:

1. The handout that Michelle Duggar gave to women when she was speaking at a church included the line "love is killed by self-sufficiency". People were able to link back to the video that caught the shot, and to find copies of the handout.

2. The moment that Josiah walked away from Michelle announced that she was expecting #20. Again, I missed it the first time I saw it, but others were able to point to the screen shot and the exact moment on video that it happened, so when I watched it again I saw it.

3. Everything about ATI. There are some passing references in earlier episodes, and then the ATI backstory came with links to the sources and to related individuals. It's possible to look it up and verify the connections.

I totally agree , the rumors on the Internet get kind of insane. I think some of the rumors that float around FJ make us all look insane, which is unfortunate since there is actual abuse going on with some of these families.

Even with the verifiable info some of it is open to interpretation. For example the 2nd example, where Josiah walked away when Michelle announced her pregnancy. Everyone read JimBob as being mean or hostile or abusive to Josiah. When I saw the clip it looked to me like JimBob was actually trying to comfort Josiah , or at least let him have some space, by talking to him off camera and telling everyone else to settle down.

[nelliebelle1197]

Guys, pretty positive that Blisterine is making a joke.

Why?

[Palimpsest]

Guys, pretty positive that Blisterine is making a joke.

Not so sure. But Blisterine on yuku never bothered me or triggered my hinky meter. Neither has Blisterine on the new FJ. I just ran a quick check. Not comprehensive by any means, and my hinky meter is by no means perfect.

The timing of this disclosure was just awful. I'm still at 99.9999999% skeptical.

Again, Blisterine, if you are the original Blisterine, what the heck were you thinking? Our collective troll antennae are stretched to the limits. Anyone with claims to an inside link right now is fair game for accusation. Quit the outrage.

I hope it is a joke. Perhaps Blisterine was trailing a smelly kipper across the trail to trap the gullible.

If so, bad joke, Blisterine. That was nasty.

[usedtobenice]

Didn't blisterine write the Emily parody blog, and send her the mattress for her kid?

[Palimpsest]

Didn't blisterine write the Emily parody blog, and send her the mattress for her kid?

No. That was Gizmola. (sp?)

[usedtobenice]

Yup you're right. My bad. I have no Idea whats going on. This is weird.

[Palimpsest]

Yup you're right. My bad. I have no Idea whats going on. This is weird.

I'm at a loss too. Very weird.

[Vex]

If the OP is a troll, they're a rather stupid troll to post this in the midst of the RR drama.

Everyone is skeptical about anything that can't be substantiated.

Everyone is on the lookout for socks of RR/PM ect

Nobody is going to buy this.

So IF the OP is a troll rather than a poster with poor judgement, they are an exceedingly stupid one.