Amy "Duggar" and her 2 hour fraktacular

[Avalondaughter]

I don't get to watch the show much, but I did watch a little of this dull special. I saw the whole one-upmanship practical joke segment that made Jboob seem like a huge asshole.

I also watched a segment where they kept talking about what a great baker she is. She's the baker of the family. Then we see her going to the store and seeing her purchase several boxes of cake mix. While a mix-made cake isn't bad, I don't think making a cake from a mix is a terribly difficult task. Someone makes me a cake from a mix I'll say, "That's nice. Thank you." I'd be appreciative, but not terribly impressed. If she could make a decent cake from scratch I'd be more admiring of her baking skills. If she made a cake that truly looked like Noah's Ark, I'd be extremely admiring. It goes to show you how low the Duggars set the bar when it comes to food.

[Toothfairy]

I only watched the first hour and while Amy can be okay, I didn't even DVR the second hour. I did notice that Jim Bob was really rude to her. Yes, she needs to know that Nashville is a difficult dream but he turns everything into her morals and how his daughters are looking up to her! These episodes are more and more staged and it drives me nuts. Cousin Amy comes over and the entire family is home (including her mother Deanna) and summoned to listen to Amy speak? Let those older Duggar young adults leave the house, Jim Bob. :( My parents hardly saw me from age 14 on.

Please. Jim Bob is full of it. He would never consider Amy a role model to his kids. Especially his fundie virginal daughters

[HarryPotterFan]

Does she want so be a famous singer...or does she just want to sing? There are performers at dinner theaters and cruise ships. Hey, it's a job and beats sitting around waiting for the next man to come along. She's not on every episode with her cousins so TLC money isn't anything she can really depend on.

I think she wants to be famous. I didn't watch the second hour (I stopped a few minutes in, I got bored) but she said she wants to be on stage and have everyone look at her. It seems like it's more about being the center of attention than her passion (or ability) for singing. If all she wants is attention, there are PLENTY of other ways to get it.

[patsymae]

I think she wants to be famous. I didn't watch the second hour (I stopped a few minutes in, I got bored) but she said she wants to be on stage and have everyone look at her. It seems like it's more about being the center of attention than her passion (or ability) for singing. If all she wants is attention, there are PLENTY of other ways to get it.

I agree. She certainly isn't passionate enough about singing to get coaching or perform at small venues. So many really good and passionate musicians I know play every chance they get--small coffeehouses, Renfairs, weddings and Bar Mitzvah's, whatever they can find.

I'm from Central Jersey and we all remember the big guys--Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny--playing at tiny bars and even high school dances. They didn't get that way by singing in the shower and then showing up at a record execs office for a contract one day.

[HarryPotterFan]

A really effective way for her to be the center of attention would be a sex tape scandal.

[ILoveJellybeans]

A really effective way for her to be the center of attention would be a sex tape scandal.

I think Jimbob would never want to see her again if she did that. But not before preaching at her for hours until she felt sufficiently shamed over having sexual feelings and being a used piece of chewing gum or a piece of food that someone licked.

[anjulibai]

If she really wanted attention, she'd write a tell-all about the Duggars. I'm sure there's a lot she could expose about them.

She'd definitely get far more attention than this stupid special.

[PennySycamore]

I agree. She certainly isn't passionate enough about singing to get coaching or perform at small venues. So many really good and passionate musicians I know play every chance they get--small coffeehouses, Renfairs, weddings and Bar Mitzvah's, whatever they can find.

I'm from Central Jersey and we all remember the big guys--Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny--playing at tiny bars and even high school dances. They didn't get that way by singing in the shower and then showing up at a record execs office for a contract one day.

How cool would it be to say that any of those three played at your prom or that you used to go see them at some hole in the wall club?

[Toothfairy]

I think Jimbob would never want to see her again if she did that. But not before preaching at her for hours until she felt sufficiently shamed over having sexual feelings and being a used piece of chewing gum or a piece of food that someone licked.

Tell that to Kim Kardashion

[nokidsmom]

If she really wanted attention, she'd write a tell-all about the Duggars. I'm sure there's a lot she could expose about them.

She'd definitely get far more attention than this stupid special.

Oh definitely. A lot of people would love to get the straight scoop on the Duggars, myself included. She could make major $$$ on that one.

And a tell-all will happen eventually, whether it's her or one of the kids. Only a matter of time, only a matter of time.

[Trynn]

Is Amy in a position to be sued if she writes a tell all?

[Handmaiden of Dog]

She is in a position to be shunned. I imagine if she wrote a tell all the J.B. Duggar family would never speak to her again and I think losing all those family members would be a big deal.

[It'sFunToRun]

I'm pretty sure she grew up walking distance from them and would go over after school whenever she felt lonely, so her relationship would be much much closer than most of us who had to drive a few hours to see our cousins a few times a year. Even people who lived in the same town as their cousins and saw them a lot, but it was driving distance, because kids can't drive themselves.

Anyway her expose would be way less interesting than one of the duggar kids because she wouldn't know everything that went on there, for example, she wouldn't have been disciplined by them and would have been shielded from some of their beliefs about heathens.

I think a tell all is most likely by one of the younger kids since they got less attention and thus less kool-aid, and more exposure to the world. Unfortunately, I don't think Johanna or James's tell all would be as interest I g as one of the kids. Joy-anna is still a wild card, but I see her as being like jessa-- she might wear some frowned upon clothing, but she'll drink the kool-aid hard, marry young and I see her having lots of kids and staying fundy.

[Vivi_music]

I'm pretty sure she grew up walking distance from them and would go over after school whenever she felt lonely, so her relationship would be much much closer than most of us who had to drive a few hours to see our cousins a few times a year. Even people who lived in the same town as their cousins and saw them a lot, but it was driving distance, because kids can't drive themselves.

Anyway her expose would be way less interesting than one of the duggar kids because she wouldn't know everything that went on there, for example, she wouldn't have been disciplined by them and would have been shielded from some of their beliefs about heathens.

I think a tell all is most likely by one of the younger kids since they got less attention and thus less kool-aid, and more exposure to the world. Unfortunately, I don't think Johanna or James's tell all would be as interest I g as one of the kids. Joy-anna is still a wild card, but I see her as being like jessa-- she might wear some frowned upon clothing, but she'll drink the kool-aid hard, marry young and I see her having lots of kids and staying fundy.

I think she grew up close to them too. In the old ''14 kids and counting'' special that were playing this week, I spotted her when the family was at the ice skating ring. She was holding one of the little ones' hand to help them skate. It was clearly Amy. She didn't say anything, nor was featured as ''Cousin Amy''. Which makes me think her relationship with the Duggar clan is not forced, at least they seemed to be close before they got the show. I'm not saying Amy wasn't more than happy to be featured on TV and clearly got ''closer'' to the Duggars because of that. But I know I consider one of my younger cousin almost like a little sister because we lived at walking distance from each other and were very close. I would feel awful if she refused to see me again, even if we are now both adults.

[Mama Mia]

She is in a position to be shunned. I imagine if she wrote a tell all the J.B. Duggar family would never speak to her again and I think losing all those family members would be a big deal.

I don't even know what people imagine would be in a tell-all book about the Duggar's. Do people really think that Jim Bob or Michelle are swingers or a group of the middle kids knocked over a liquor store or they are secretly Satanists or Jill really is Jenny's mom or what?

Because I can't imagine one of the kids letting the world know that maybe Michelle sometimes screams or that they got spanked ( acceptable even in the public schools in that part of the country) , or that the kids sometimes slug each other or one of the older ones has snuck off for some fooling around or snuck a beer is going to be such a big shock to anyone that it will sell a bunch of books.

They already let people know their political and religious beliefs and it's hardly news that

" reality" is a very loosely defined term when it comes to these shows. What do people guess would be in a tell-all?

[TheEnglishButterfly]

I don't even know what people imagine would be in a tell-all book about the Duggar's. Do people really think that Jim Bob or Michelle are swingers or a group of the middle kids knocked over a liquor store or they are secretly Satanists or Jill really is Jenny's mom or what?

Because I can't imagine one of the kids letting the world know that maybe Michelle sometimes screams or that they got spanked ( acceptable even in the public schools in that part of the country) , or that the kids sometimes slug each other or one of the older ones has snuck off for some fooling around or snuck a beer is going to be such a big shock to anyone that it will sell a bunch of books.

They already let people know their political and religious beliefs and it's hardly news that

" reality" is a very loosely defined term when it comes to these shows. What do people guess would be in a tell-all?

I think the big expose would come from their true feelings of what they were spoon fed growing up. Y'all know, the "I was upset about an incident and still had to smile for the camera and never show displeasure. I feared for the robotic meetings to discuss my sinning with my parents." Doesn't sound huge but I'm just making an example. No rocking headlines like sex abuse but what they do to their kids psyche is abusive to a functioning and stable mental status. In my opinion, anyways. Statistically one of them is probably gay, I'm wondering how a book would be from them with growing up with being told people like them will be sent to hell. Ya know?

[MrsYoungie]

How cool would it be to say that any of those three played at your prom or that you used to go see them at some hole in the wall club?

Rush played at our high school. It wasn't even prom; it was after a basketball game. This would have been around 1970 or 71 maybe? Before they were famous for sure. Our entertainment budget was usually under $100 Canadian.

And no, Amy doesn't really have a music passion. If she did, she would be singing all the time. Anywhere there was a stage or a cleared area with a mike. She wants to be admired and made a fuss over.

[Trynn]

I think the big expose would come from their true feelings of what they were spoon fed growing up. Y'all know, the "I was upset about an incident and still had to smile for the camera and never show displeasure. I feared for the robotic meetings to discuss my sinning with my parents." Doesn't sound huge but I'm just making an example. No rocking headlines like sex abuse but what they do to their kids psyche is abusive to a functioning and stable mental status. In my opinion, anyways. Statistically one of them is probably gay, I'm wondering how a book would be from them with growing up with being told people like them will be sent to hell. Ya know?

Or maybe they really DID enjoy all that to a point and then realized how damaging it was when they got older.

How they felt about pearl like spankings, not being able to wear pants, etc.

[Toothfairy]

Or maybe they really DID enjoy all that to a point and then realized how damaging it was when they got older.

How they felt about pearl like spankings, not being able to wear pants, etc.

A Duggar tell all would ruin their brand. The Duggars fans think they're this perfect family with well behaved kids. I think if one of the kids do write a tell all it should be real, not like the Duggars girls book which was edited to the max. It should include their cult, what they think about their parents, and how has the duggarlifestyke affected them.

[Feberin]

A Duggar tell all would ruin their brand. The Duggars fans think they're this perfect family with well behaved kids. I think if one of the kids do write a tell all it should be real, not like the Duggars girls book which was edited to the max. It should include their cult, what they think about their parents, and how has the duggarlifestyke affected them.

I agree. It's not that it'll reveal that Josh molested his sisters (perhaps it'll even put to rest that rumor) but it will talk about how things really were tarnishing the image people have of Michelle being the Mother-of-the-Year. I also think blanket training and spanking babies could have well happened and would really tarnish the image. I think people accept the idea that the Duggars may need to spank a four-year-old but talking about a under one year old being smacked would upset a lot of people and really destroy the image they have of the family. Since the Duggars were supporters of the Pearls I think this is definitely a reasonable assumption that they might have used physical punishment for babies.

I also think the amount of work the older girls were expected to do at various ages could be eye opening. Even more important how Michelle was spending her time when she had several older girls would shock some fans who still believe they are hands on parents. Additionally I would think the limited choices and lack of education would be of interest.

[laura oz]

Can you imagine the backlash for the author from the die hard fans? People that invested in the myth of the Duggars would be out for blood if their heroes were shown to have feet of clay.

[mstee]

I remember reading the blog of a lady who left Christian fundamentalism with her kids, while her husband stayed fundy. Anyways, what stood out to me was her talking about how people in public always were surprised at how well the children were behaved, since it was a good number of kids and even the babies/toddlers were well behaved. She said it was like the Duggars and how people always think they must be doing something very right or have the secret to raising behaved children since the kids always seem so obedient. She said behind the scenes there were many spankings, lots of blanket training, and general abuse.

Now, that's no news to us at FJ. And we know the howlers are rowdy. But I always thought if there was going to be a tell-all book, that a similar story to this would be in it. And that would surprise many loyal fans. They think Michelle's soft voice and JB's fun dad exterior mean that the kids are being raised without abuse.

[pega127]

Most importantly; what has Amy been up to in Nashville? Is she living there? Is she recording? I'm guessing-NO.

[patsymae]

Most importantly; what has Amy been up to in Nashville? Is she living there? Is she recording? I'm guessing-NO.

Apparently she recorded a few tracks in a private studio, then went back to Arkansas. So the "Duggar leaving home" was a woman in her late 20s taking a two-week trip with her Mom and Grandma.Yawn.

[sophrosyne]

Famy must be reading FJ. Her most recent tweet--"Ready to go back soon!! #Nashvillebaby #hereIcome @davidadambyrnes" (at twitter.com/amyduggar)--seems to answer pega127's fraktacular questions!