Because we have a tv show...

[Running1985]

I wish I could add that line to every argument the Duggars have for why they are so much better than everyone and for all their fans that support them.

"We travel more than most kids our age"... Because we have a tv show

"The duggars have NO debt!"... Because they have a tv show

Even the duggars don't seem to realize it's not their lifestyle or how much god loves them more then everyone else... It's because they make money selling their kids childhoods.

[not.diligent.enough]

They live very, very difficult lives than they did before they had their show. The fact that they pretend they haven't changed much is laughable.

[TheEnglishButterfly]

They live very, very difficult lives than they did before they had their show. The fact that they pretend they haven't changed much is laughable.

Agreed. If you compare the first special to the show now they are NOTHING like they were. It's due to the show..... Not because they buy used and save the difference *rolls eyes*

[EmeraldPickle]

FreeJinger exists because they have a tv show....I mean where would we be if they never decided to whore themselves out for TLC?

[sockinshoe]

In some ways, I'm glad they have a television programme. Not just because it provides snarkable stuff, but for the benefit of the kids. The extra income probably really helps make ends meet and maybe even allows for a little more "frivolous" spending for birthdays, christmas, etc. Also, the kids have had the opportunity to travel and maybe see a little more of the world. That exposure may bring some of them out of the fundie bubble. If they didn't have the show, they would still be in that 2 bathroom house, living in squalor and poverty, and hitting/abusing their kids to a much graver extent. I mean, compare Jana's upbringing with that of Jennifer. There's no comparison: Jennifer has always dressed "modern modest" rather than homemade frumper, she's never had to go hungry or cold, she certainly doesn't seem cowed/broken to the extent that Jana does, and she has grown up around nice, less religious people.

[roddma]

They got debt-free by living well below their means.TLC sped up the completion of that house. Various businesses and donated time and furnishings. The kids placed the nails in wrong and a professional had to come and fix everything. They also got supported by their church. I bring this up every time someone mentions they are debt-free.

And Boob is a big time cheapskate. He talks a poor clerk in China into a price where they make nothing, but yet sells a house for far more than it's worth. They also asked to much for that clunker bus.

[VixenToast]

Still trying for #20... because we have a tv show...

:dance:

hehe poor J'chelle. It's up to the other wombs to keep the show afloat, because her ship is sinking. Imagine all that stress.... Because they have a tv show :twisted:

[sockinshoe]

They got debt-free by living well below their means.TLC sped up the completion of that house. Various businesses and donated time and furnishings. The kids placed the nails in wrong and a professional had to come and fix everything. They also got supported by their church. I bring this up every time someone mentions they are debt-free.

And Boob is a big time cheapskate. He talks a poor clerk in China into a price where they make nothing, but yet sells a house for far more than it's worth. They also asked to much for that clunker bus.

Never mind all the "love offerings" and gifts from friends/family/leghumpers... :disgust:

[Cassia]

"My daughter had 1500 people attend her wedding (with gifts in tow!!)... because we have a tv show."

[VixenToast]

My son is an "executive director" for a hateful lobbyist organization... Because we have a tv show.

[doggie]

"My daughter had 1500 people attend her wedding (with gifts in tow!!)... because we have a tv show."

we can control people taking pcis and vids because we have A tv show.

[Rescinded and Mended]

We can more easily push our agenda to outlaw safe abortions and limit healthcare for women who want and need them because we have a TV show.

[Rescinded and Mended]

It's really easy to auction off the health and virginity of our daughters to young, horny, potentially dangerous guys who speak the right form of Christian-ese and tell us what we want to hear because we have a TV show.

(Wow, you can really do this with a lot of things pertaining to the Duggars)

[Mama Mia]

It's really easy to auction off the health and virginity of our daughters to young, horny, potentially dangerous guys who speak the right form of Christian-ese and tell us what we want to hear because we have a TV show.

(Wow, you can really do this with a lot of things pertaining to the Duggars)

I actually think they would have been married off younger and more easily if they had never had the TV show.

For one, just space and money wise. Having 14 kids in a three bedroom, normal size house, when most of them are still little, is packed but manageable. Three bunk beds, or two of those full size futon on the bottom, twin on the top bunks per gender bedroom, with the two littlest with mom and dad and/ or a couple of kids on a fold out couch in the living room - tight, but people do it.

Having 18 kids at home, the youngest being 4 and many being adults or teens -- much, much more cramped and claustrophobic. Of course they might have still managed to get into the Tinkertoy house, or at least something bigger, but even just food wise, that is a ton of teen boys to feed, let alone adults. I think if they never had the show they would have pushed more for courtships and marriage for everyone from Joeseph on up by now.

Also the show has put them in this strange kind of category between extremist fundamentalist whose rules will only appeal to other extremist fundamentalist and average modern, if conservative, folks. Who do they find to match up with? If you saw them now you would think they are just attractive, fairly stylish, young adults. If you watched bits and pieces of the show or read just a little about them you might assume the were very religious, were anti-abortion and didn't believe in sex before marriage. But that's a big, long leap to deciding to pursue a relationship with a 20+ year old person who needs their parents permission to go anywhere, let alone have conversations with someone of the opposite gender AND that those conversations must be monitored and all contact supervised AND you can't even hold hands or hug until you are ready to be married? That is a WHOLE other level of lifestyle - that I would think would throw off most more mainstream potential matches, while the modern appearance and relative worldliness would throw off the hard-core fundamentalists.

Plus there is the whole creepy guy thing I'm sure they have had tons of experience with. Without the show it would be easy to sort out who is legitimately interested, but being celebrities they probably get dozens of " courtship" approaches a week - mostly from fairly disturbed people. I think that would make any person ( and any parent ) nervous, but if you add in their isolation and level of worry about the world would make it even worse.

[sockinshoe]

I actually think they would have been married off younger and more easily if they had never had the TV show.

Not only that, but I feel that despite their status as fundie royalty, the Duggars are losing favour in the community. The TV show is their "mission", yet there have been very few tangible results. Furthermore, marrying into the Duggars means marrying into TLC. Many fundies probably don't want secular folks looking into every facet of their lives and losing all their privacy so that the in-laws can build another guest house/buy another SUV. And despite all the "mission/ministry" talk, the Duggars have had to keep many aspects of their faith under wraps and obscure many of their beliefs (hitting the kids, etc.). I don't think that's an attractive package for many fundie families, especially when compared with the Bateses, who seem to be relatively private, while maintaining a very high status in fundiedom.

[roddma]

I agree the older Duggar kids would likely be married off if not for the show. You can get married at 16 in most states with parental consent and even younger. We have seen this happen in Fundie land. Since the Duggars are more public now, marrying of Joy Anna would raise a ruckus. Some say how the Bates are willing to let their kids go, but I feel it has more to do with finances.

[Coco]

Not only that, but I feel that despite their status as fundie royalty, the Duggars are losing favour in the community. The TV show is their "mission", yet there have been very few tangible results. Furthermore, marrying into the Duggars means marrying into TLC. Many fundies probably don't want secular folks looking into every facet of their lives and losing all their privacy so that the in-laws can build another guest house/buy another SUV. And despite all the "mission/ministry" talk, the Duggars have had to keep many aspects of their faith under wraps and obscure many of their beliefs (hitting the kids, etc.). I don't think that's an attractive package for many fundie families, especially when compared with the Bateses, who seem to be relatively private, while maintaining a very high status in fundiedom.

Exactly. It just seems so TMI when they are filming at Ben's house or Derick's house. And extended family being a little bit too excited to be filmed (that long awkward prayer by one of Ben's relatives) :lol: At some point it just gets to be weird. Poor Anna, i just cannot imagine people knowing details about birthing. At least on A Baby Story people forget the mom and baby a week later... but with this it's like knowing WAY more about someone than you even know about your own family! I'd never want to watch my sister or mom give birth, but there it is about the Duggars for the world to see, and know every detail about.

Some viewers who are house-bound or don't have much family could totally live vicariously through the show, like a soap opera. Except that this is about real lives and real people. I cannot imagine having a video of my life from age 10 on seen and dissected by 20 million people. How do you come back from that?

... Our kids are suing us because we have a show. :lol:

[JHeathen]

... Our kids are suing us because we have a show. :lol:

LOL...I wonder which ones it will be first...one of the Duggars, or one of the Gosselins? I'm betting on Mady Gosselin! :popcorn2:

[JBsHairspray]

LOL...I wonder which ones it will be first...one of the Duggars, or one of the Gosselins? I'm betting on Mady Gosselin! :popcorn2:

Oh please - for the love of TLC Spin-Off potential - let it be Mady Gosselin.

[ILoveJellybeans]

It will probably be Mady. That's if any of the older Duggars don't do it, they have a few years on her, cause I don't think a 13 year old can sue their parents.

[Phoenix]

Could a 13 year-old try for legal emancipation? If granted then Mady probably could sue her parents. :popcorn2:

[Mama Mia]

Could a 13 year-old try for legal emancipation? If granted then Mady probably could sue her parents. :popcorn2:

Laws vary hugely by state. Pennsylvania seems to be extremely flexible and takes it on a case by case basis, with no set age when a child can file. Also, they will emancipate for specific issues if needed- as opposed to requiring a full emancipation.

Here's a site that has the breakdown for their state

palawhelp.org/resource/emancipation-of-minors?ref=CMugo

Just anecdotally, for a different state. The youngest client I worked with to gain emancipation was 15. She had a daughter and her mother wanted to keep control of her so she could get the benefits, but would spend any money that came in on partying. The 15 year old was a very sweet and responsible young woman and a great mom, she won her emancipation, but that's pretty unusual for anyone under 16, I think.

I

[sockinshoe]

Mady Gosselin has the advantage, because she's gone to "regular school" and has probably been educated to some extent about laws/legal proceedings. At the very least, she's heard the "if someone hurts you physically or emotionally, talk to an authority figure" spiel. The Duggar kids probably haven't, and are so sheltered that there's no real way to find out that information.