19 Kids & Counting Pulled From Line-Up/Show Future - Merge

[NewSeasonOfLife]

If the plan is to take Josh and his family out and keep the show running, I honestly do not think the Duggars will want to move forward with the show. They will feel that he is being persecuted and see it as unfair. I think the Duggars would then decline continuing on. Didn't Duck Dynasty say something similar when Phil Robertson was suspended? That the family didn't feel comfortable continuing on the show without him?

They may want to try to float that but it's going to be a hard sell. Phil Robertson, despite saying offensive things, didn't break any laws. Josh committed a crime. A crime that he was never punished for, really. A crime against other cast members of the show. How can they expect us as a viewing audience to stomach that week after week?

[NewSeasonOfLife]

That said, I could see the Duggars at least threatening to go to a Christian-based network that would presumably accept Josh, like the Robertsons threatened to do during their suspension. However, they would lose all their mainstream publicity with that, assuming they have any left after this. And we already know how hard it is to see the Bates' show in most places, and the Duggars would probably have the same issue.

[Cleopatra7]

They may want to try to float that but it's going to be a hard sell. Phil Robertson, despite saying offensive things, didn't break any laws. Josh committed a crime. A crime that he was never punished for, really. A crime against other cast members of the show. How can they expect us as a viewing audience to stomach that week after week?

The Phil Robertson situation could also be spun as someone from the older generation saying something stupid, like everyone's racist uncle that they have to put up with every Thanksgiving. People were like, "Well, that's offensive, but what do you expect from someone of that age?" What Josh did reflects badly on himself, his parents, and his religion. There's no way to salvage this, especially since the Duggars are essentially a single unit; you get one and you have to get the others.

[SportsgalAnnie]

I have already seen a few save the duggar petitions on facebook :pink-shock: :cray-cray: :angry-banghead:

[ADoyle90815]

I have already seen a few save the duggar petitions on facebook :pink-shock: :cray-cray: :angry-banghead:

One thing I do know is that if someone on my Facebook newsfeed shared one of those, the person would be unfriended. :angry-banghead:

[mfch]

They might not cancel it, they might try and bring it back, but it will never ever be the same again.

They can't shake this.

They are no longer 'quirky' and 'wholesome', they are dark and twisted.

The extent of the media reporting and the fact that the reports are getting more descriptive and going more into ATI, plus the hypocrisy with the openly transphobic, homophobic bigoted rhetoric of the Duggars. They are done, TLC might try to keep milking the cow, but it's not going to work long term.

[Dovenoir]

I wonder if without the attention, the family will turn to self producing videos and v-logging.

[nomoxian]

I wonder if without the attention, the family will turn to self producing videos and v-logging.

They already have done some things with their Duggar Studios account on Youtube.

This is a real possibility, and a way for them to control their message. I don't even think they'd trust The Today Show for interviews at the moment!

[fabkiwi06]

Youtube is a perfect option for them. The only problem is that they're gonna have a very limited audience of ONLY leghumpers and not the casual viewer like they're used to. Their scope would be much more limited due to accessibility and them inevitably being TOO preachy. Plus they'd probably not have the nice production they're used to.

If there were little chinks in the armor before, this definitely is a major blow. Josh and his issues aside, people are also questioning their ATI connections and looking much deeper than they were before. Unless the Duggars stopped talking about religion all together, they're probably not gonna bounce back.

[Ursula]

I don't think there is any way they will be able to keep this show going. What would new episodes look like? There is no way they can avoid this topic all together, and there is no way the Duggars will be able to handle it eloquently enough on camera to possibly get any material out of that. People will NOT be happy if they film the aftermath and it's more of Jim Bob and Michelle talking about how everything's fine now because Josh is forgiven.

I think with Honey Boo Boo in their recent past, they'll just have to be that much more careful. It is one thing to be a network associated with trashy TV. It's another thing completely to be a network associated with now TWO cases of child molestation. I think in the long term, they'd rather save the network than squeeze a bit more money out of 19 Kids for the next year or two.

I wonder if the adult girls could even get a show on a different network? I wonder what their contract looks like, especially in the context of an unusual circumstance like this potentially leading to the dissolution?

Sadly, it's up to five cases now (4 on TLC shows, one on a Discovery Channel show).

-The Honey Boo Boo one most people are familiar with because it got the most media attention (until now). Show was axed almost immediately which is why I'm worried that 19K&C hasn't been yet...

-Discovery Channel's show Sons of Guns star Will Hayden was arrested for aggravated rape of a minor who turned out to be his own daughter. Later his other daughter said she was molested by her father as well. Show was canned.

-A mother who appeared on TLC's "Cheer Perfection" was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a 13 year old boy. Show was canned.

-One of Buddy Valestro's former brother-in-laws as well as decorator at his bakery was arrested for sexually assaulting a 13 year old girl and is currently serving a 9 year sentence. Show was NOT canned but all episodes featuring the man in question were scrubbed of his appearances as best they could and at least one episode where he was a major focus doesn't air in repeat rotation.

Yeah, the Discovery Network sure knows how to pick 'em :(

Now, I've never even heard of the shows Sons of Guns or Cheer Perfection. It's good that both shows were cancelled and that the perpetrators are doing time for their crimes but not being very well known shows I don't know if there would have been as huge a backlash if they had stayed on the air with some HEAVY modifications. What they did with Cake Boss wouldn't really work for 19K&C either. Cake Boss debuted in 2009 and the man in question was arrested in 2010 I believe. At the time the show wasn't as popular as it became at the height of its popularity, which has waned a bit, as well as he was never a featured player like some of the other men who work(ed) at the bakery. Booting him out and editing him out of past episodes wouldn't have been a huge challenge and he wouldn't be missed.

But that's not so easy to do with Josh. Josh is one of the 19. He's the FIRST of the 19. 19 Kids and Counting is done. There's no way they could bring it back the way it is now with their first born and all those grandchildren inexplicably MIA. They would have to rebrand and rename the show. But even if they did that how could anyone watch it again knowing what is now known? Like others have mentioned I hate that this is now public knowledge about the victims and it will be something that will publicly follow them for the rest of their lives (don't give a fuck what it does to JimBoob, OfJimBoob or Josh - they can all go sit on a cactus). Now, on every social media post they make it will be brought up. Every time TLC posts about ANY show for the next little while it will be brought up. Any time they update about 19 it will be brought up. If they proceed with a new show it will be brought up. The Duggar family's own personal Facebook page will have it brought up time and time again unless they hire someone whose only job it is is to spend literally every waking moment of that person's day scrubbing all their social media accounts clean of any reference to this and that's just not feasible.

But, none of that really matters. What this family needs right now (not including JimBoob, OfJimBoob or Josh - THEY deserve all the bad press they get and also some fire ants poured down their pants) is privacy and time to heal. Even if the victims were happily living life for the past 10 years never thinking about it, this will have brought everything back to the front of the mind. However they process all this is up to them and them alone but they should be left the fuck alone for the foreseeable future, by media and film crews and deep throaters and haters alike. I hope SOMEONE is offering them counseling - REAL COUNSELING - IF they want to take it.

I've been kind of all over the place with this post. TL;DR 19K&C should never come back in its current form - ever - and if adult Duggar family members choose to come back to TV it should just be for specials, not a weekly show but NO Josh. And hopefully no JimBoob or OfJimBooB either.

[Lewy]

For me, the only way we'll see a Duggar reality show back on TV is in 2 forms:

A spin-off with Jill/Jessa and their families, but I don't see it lasting because people will get bored of it pretty quick.

A "Breaking Duggar" series where some combination of Jana/JD/Jinger/Joe/Josiah/Joy/Jed/Jer (if the latter 3 are 18 by then) break out, move to New York or California, enrol in college and start wearing pants and living normal lives where they kiss people at sorority parties and become cheerleaders or whatever.

[silverspoons]

Right now is it best to boycott TLC or watch? At first I thought boycott but isn't it better to watch non-Duggar shows? Then it is sending a message to TLC that the little couple , wedding dress shows or couponing shows are better then the Duggars and can pull in decent ratings.

If a Little couple or Roloff rerun does as well or better then the Duggars reruns maybe they will be more inclined to cancel the Duggars for good.

[CorruptionInc.]

If they play their cards right they could get hundreds of thousands a month from AD revenue.

[GeoBQn]

I checked my cable guide and it shows episodes returning to air starting June 2. We'll see what happens by then. On the TLC Facebook page there were people complaining that they aired an episode in the middle of the night after the announcement that they were pulling the show from the air.

[FaceTheShadow]

Even if TLC says they'll put the show back on air this coming June 2, none of us should stop fighting for that show to be cancelled and I hope alongside that one, more people will band together and help save the Duggar children. I mean it's okay to have many children if you can support them but if all you're gonna do is slack and treat your children like decorations, you're better off with your children taken away from you.

[zz22zz]

A few thoughts that I hope aren't major repeats...

Josh brought the show to the family in the first place. Yup read that again, the sin the camper is the one who wanted them to be on national TV in the first place. (At least how the Duggars spun it was Josh was interested in video production and started working on learning more about it as a Home School project. He then contacted someone who had interviewed them and asked about how to do a documentary of the family...the rest is history...But that is why Josh is the host in the early specials and even things like the 2014 Christmas video. It isn't just because he was the oldest. The studio on the TTH is also for Josh and his video interests) The one with the most to hide/lose brought in the cameras. Now that proves he is TRULY at narcissist and possibly a sociopath.

IF TLC cancels UP will probably pick up the show. As I have mentioned a few times on these boards BOTH Bringing UP Bates and 19KAC are filmed and produced by Figure 8 Films. TLC just airs them, it's kinda like a renting a car or an apartment. TLC pays for the right to air the shows Figure 8 makes. IF TLC drops the show I would shocked if UP didn't want it or a spin off. That strong possibility will make TLC really try to figure out a way to keep the Duggars. Look what happened when they gave up on The United Bates of America show they had rights to, Figure 8 Films moved it to UP and became a hit.

Cheer Perfection, I watched it, my daughter was in competitive cheer for a while and now does something similar, I think the real reason it was cancelled (because the perv mom was just that, a mom of a cheerleader so she could have been removed easily, she was an annoying mom anyway) is that gym co owner (not the one shown on the show, but her husband) and a coach were arrested for drugs about the same time. Their production company and TLC probably both lost interest after two problems with the law in a row and the ratings were probably just okay anyway.

I think the sad fact is that this doesn't reflect badly on TLC (unless they knowingly covered it up. which is a strong possibility) as much as society. From Megan's Law website (parentsformeganslaw.org) One in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18 The root problem is molestation of children. And if anyone thinks secular parents don't cover up their children being abused by relatives or siblings then you are unfortunately wrong. I don't agree with the Duggars handling of Josh's abuse but they actually did more to report it (though the wrong channels and people) than many parents. I would imagine the percentage of families who actually turn in a family member for molestation is very low ESPECIALLY parents who turn in one of their children. I had several sorority sisters who were molested (almost exactly one in three out of of the total girls in the house) and none of their abusers were reported to the police...NONE. Most of their parents just made sure they weren't around that person alone anymore. Less than half even saw a professional counselor even ONE time including school counselors. It is very sad and hopefully this scandal for the Duggars will help many, many, many victims get help and help society as a whole stand up and say molestation of children is wrong and vile and those who do it must be held accountable with REAL punishments.

[SassyPants]

A few thoughts that I hope aren't major repeats...

Josh brought the show to the family in the first place. Yup read that again, the sin the camper is the one who wanted them to be on national TV in the first place. (At least how the Duggars spun it was Josh was interested in video production and started working on learning more about it as a Home School project. He then contacted someone who had interviewed them and asked about how to do a documentary of the family...the rest is history...But that is why Josh is the host in the early specials and even things like the 2014 Christmas video. It isn't just because he was the oldest. The studio on the TTH is also for Josh and his video interests) The one with the most to hide/lose brought in the cameras. Now that proves he is TRULY at narcissist and possibly a sociopath.

IF TLC cancels UP will probably pick up the show. As I have mentioned a few times on these boards BOTH Bringing UP Bates and 19KAC are filmed and produced by Figure 8 Films. TLC just airs them, it's kinda like a renting a car or an apartment. TLC pays for the right to air the shows Figure 8 makes. IF TLC drops the show I would shocked if UP didn't want it or a spin off. That strong possibility will make TLC really try to figure out a way to keep the Duggars. Look what happened when they gave up on The United Bates of America show they had rights to, Figure 8 Films moved it to UP and became a hit.

Cheer Perfection, I watched it, my daughter was in competitive cheer for a while and now does something similar, I think the real reason it was cancelled (because the perv mom was just that, a mom of a cheerleader so she could have been removed easily, she was an annoying mom anyway) is that gym co owner (not the one shown on the show, but her husband) and a coach were arrested for drugs about the same time. Their production company and TLC probably both lost interest after two problems with the law in a row and the ratings were probably just okay anyway.

I think the sad fact is that this doesn't reflect badly on TLC (unless they knowingly covered it up. which is a strong possibility) as much as society. From Megan's Law website (parentsformeganslaw.org) One in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18 The root problem is molestation of children. And if anyone thinks secular parents don't cover up their children being abused by relatives or siblings then you are unfortunately wrong. I don't agree with the Duggars handling of Josh's abuse but they actually did more to report it (though the wrong channels and people) than many parents. I would imagine the percentage of families who actually turn in a family member for molestation is very low ESPECIALLY parents who turn in one of their children. I had several sorority sisters who were molested (almost exactly one in three out of of the total girls in the house) and none of their abusers were reported to the police...NONE. Most of their parents just made sure they weren't around that person alone anymore. Less than half even saw a professional counselor even ONE time including school counselors. It is very sad and hopefully this scandal for the Duggars will help many, many, many victims get help and help society as a whole stand up and say molestation of children is wrong and vile and those who do it must be held accountable with REAL punishments.

Josh learned from a mighty big narcissist, his father.

Burying abuse is one thing- burying abuse in the way JB did, a bit different. What stands out to me is that JB thought it would stay buried and that he could still $ell hi$ family to the media as some superior, moral, wholesome, Christian family with strict modesty and purity standards.

Josh=Bad

JB= worse, IMO.

[VapingindaCity]

Could Jill & Jessa get a spin off?

Maybe Jinger and/or Jana aks TLC to set her up in NYC or TX and we see trying to make it on their own... this could be a chance for them to escape, even if they had to do it on TV and address this ugly ordeal . Even if they didn't get into too much details, OV ..... but I dunno atleast they would have some Financial backup and we could watch then get some Education and have some Freedom. As long as they make it watchable of course! .... I dont think I would have a problem watching a show about some of the Kids and their Journey to Escape Fundie Land

I just hope even if TLC drops them that they get them some mental health theraphy .. they were kind and provided the HBB crew with health insurance after they canned them

If TLC drops them I deffy see them as trying to go to another network or something. Even if it's only YT, but theres no way that they can do interviews and not address it... even a normal shopping trip wont be the same, I'm sure Strangers will shout at them, especially Josh ...

But TLC stills has a lot if 19Kids shit on their You Tube page, haven't checked their site .. there's also a couple episodes on Demand

[Jinderella]

Well, in my country TLC is showing 19 kids and counting right now. Cheer Perfection is still programmed too. Only Honey Boo Boo is canceled. If the keep showing in all countries except US, they can still make some money out of the Duggars :roll: .

[MisUndrstd]

I think there is still enough interest in the show to bring it back. However, in order for it to work, they would have to totally rework it from what it is now. For one I believe JB/Michelle/Josh would have to be totally out of the picture. And I wonder if that is the case if JB would be willing enough to give up some control for it to happen. They need to focus on the oldest kids and the things going on in their life. I could see Jill/Derick, Jessa/Ben, maybe Jana and Jinger, Josiah and Joy going along with it, but not JD or Joseph. I think JD and Joseph are happy doing what they are doing and really wouldn't want to be a part of it. I also think they have to rework the title. 19KAC would not work, nor would anything titled "The Duggars". Maybe they could get a way with "The Duggars: Next Generation" but even that is pushing it.

[SassyPants]

Only if JB, M, Josh/Anna and M kids were written out.

I cannot imagine JB allowing such.

[ljohnson2006]

I doubt it. Cancel it for good. Stop supporting pedophiles.

[Alexa]

I can definitely see the show coming back if they formatted it around the kids from Josh on down and cut out Jim Bob and Michelle. However, I don't see that happening because I don't see Jim Bob ever giving up control of what he sees as HIS show. I also don't think Jana, John David, and Joseph are as excited about being the show anyway, so they probably don't want to continue at all.

The only type of Duggar show I see TLC being able to get away with at this point is a show about Jill, Jessa, or Josiah and their new lives/families.

[anjulibai]

If they focus on Benessa and the Dillards, then maybe. The show has only stayed on so long because the interest is in the daughters. It could survive without every showing JB, Michelle and Josh and his family.

That said, I doubt JB and Michelle would allow that. They are too self-centered.

I suspect that JB would sue if TLC completely pulled the plug.

[TXGirlInAMaterialWorld]

JB would never allow it to continue if that meant he had to give up control. Right now the show is a series of contrived situations that JB thinks make him look good. If the show veered from that at all he wouldn't be on board.

Also, JB owns the houses that both married couples live in and I am sure has quite a bit of control in other areas of their lives. A breaking Duggar may happen eventually but I just don't think it will be Derick or Ben that kick it off.