Dillards 52: Making Life Look Complicated

[clueliss]

Derrick seems to likes 'play with words' based on what is being asked.  So that he can stretch the truth without technically lying.

Like when he said I'm not a TLC Employee.  Keyword - employee.   Which he and the Duggars were/are not.  They have/had a deal with a production company which then sells the show to TLC.  So when he says TLC doesn't pay them - he again is not lying.  The production company (Figure 8 I believe) would pay them.  (Therefore why would TLC make a direct payment to the Dillards for medical costs they incurred).

It is also possible that People mag or anyone else did not pay the Dillards directly.  They may have the money in their own trust or signed into the family trust and agreed to have their money invested that way to make more money.  Thus tying up cash to pay for real-world bills.  Derrick may have made an assumption about cash flow going into this without asking the correct questions of JB/Michelle.  And it was all fine and dandy until Derrick and Jill decided to abandon their job and NW Arkansas to be missionaries in Central America.  I do recall that look on JB's face when he was told what they wanted to do.  If that was on camera I can only imagine his (and Michelle's) off-camera reaction.  

As far as accountants being wise about money - I am an accountant and have only straightened out my personal finances in the last say four years or so.  By the way, I just turned 54 last week.   Knowing how to do corporate taxes or auditing or in my cast cost accounting doesn't make you wise or intelligent in your own finances (egads I'm defending Derrick.  yuck)

[HereticHick]

Any find it weird that  during the 2-week NICU stay that we now know about, noone in the Duggar clan asked for prayers on social media? Why did they all agree to keep it a secret?

 

If this is the opening act of The Fall of the House of Duggar, I am here for it.

[Eternalbluepearl]

2 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

Any find it weird that  during the 2-week NICU stay that we now know about, noone in the Duggar clan asked for prayers on social media? Why did they all agree to keep it a secret?

 

If this is the opening act of The Fall of the House of Duggar, I am here for it.

The lack of prayers is very interesting. I picture fundies asking for prayers for a paper cut. You made their downfall sound so exciting! Grab the popcorn, I'm in!

[clueliss]

I write fiction as a hobby - I am taking copious notes on all of this (at least in my head).  

[Funwithfundies]

They 'volunteered' to film for TLC - sure.  

I volunteer to film all the time (sometimes acting, usually craft services) because my son is in a film BFA program and needs to make films on the cheap, lol.  Can't imagine why anyone would volunteer to film for a for-profit entity like TLC - I guess D'Wreck thinks we're all super gullible.

[Rachel333]

26 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

Any find it weird that  during the 2-week NICU stay that we now know about, noone in the Duggar clan asked for prayers on social media? Why did they all agree to keep it a secret?

 

If this is the opening act of The Fall of the House of Duggar, I am here for it.

There was definitely something really weird about Sam's birth. Had Derick and Jill definitely stopped filming by then? I'm sure TLC would have loved to have had that story line and even if the Dillards had quit filming already the complete lack of info on social media or requests for prayers is very strange. There's something they don't want people knowing.

[SassyPants]

13 minutes ago, Funwithfundies said:

They 'volunteered' to film for TLC - sure.  

I volunteer to film all the time (sometimes acting, usually craft services) because my son is in a film BFA program and needs to make films on the cheap, lol.  Can't imagine why anyone would volunteer to film for a for-profit entity like TLC - I guess D'Wreck thinks we're all super gullible.

And would you quit your day job to do said volunteer work?

[libgirl2]

4 minutes ago, Rachel333 said:

There was definitely something really weird about Sam's birth. Had Derick and Jill definitely stopped filming by then? I'm sure TLC would have loved to have had that story line and even if the Dillards had quit filming already the complete lack of info on social media or requests for prayers is very strange. There's something they don't want people knowing.

I agree about something being hushed up. These people LOVE to film births. Why not this one? 

[freshlemonade]

I think that those of you referring to the show as a ministry could be on to something.  If everyone involved in 19KAC and CO is drinking the kool aid that the shows are part of their ministry and a way to teach people about living a Jesus-centered life, then its possible that all of the kids are "volunteering" their time for their ministry. They are allowing the cameras into their lives as a way of ministering to their viewers (and with the nice side effect of building their brand). Then TLC or the production company pays the Ministry (trust, etc.) and whomever (whoever?) is legally in control of the trust could dole out money as they see fit (or based on what is written in the trust).  Its not like their lives are filmed 24/7.  They might "volunteer" a few days here or there for the sake of the ministry.  Maybe?

Agreed that there's something not being said about Sam's birth.  Which is obviously none of our business, but I sure am curious about it.  

Also, have Derrick and Jessa ever been filmed in a scene together?  I'm trying to remember them interacting and I can't really recall anything.  She and Ben had some questionable social media posts that all of the sudden turned into loving, godly, mother posts from Jessa and silence from Ben.  Jill seems to be trying to go that route, but Derrick doesn't seem to be able to stick with the brand.  Also, Derrick doesn't seem to be as good at ignoring trolling, and hating responses. 

[singsingsing]

Potential social media spats:

Funniest: Jessa vs. Derick

Least likely: Jeremy vs. Derick, I just think Jeremy's too slick to fall into that trap

Most entertaining in a trainwreck sort of way: JOSH vs. Derick

Most shocking yet awesome: Jill vs. Derick

[Jellybean]

I think we need to be really careful about stating speculation as though it’s fact. @luv2laugh I know you’re not the only one doing this, but I feel as though I might have missed something - do we have any evidence that there is one account with JB and Josh’s names on it, as quoted here?

1 hour ago, luv2laugh said:

(Snip)The brainwashed adults have all the money in one account with JB and Josh’s name on it. Likely, they’ve justified Daddy having this control since father knows best, is leader of the home, and we need to do our part to help Daddy’s ministry as submissive child helpmeets.

JB has total control, legally, this way to dole it all out as he chooses. I have firsthand experience with a dumb cousin getting screwed by his brother doing this.

Fuck you JB. Sorry, but I am mad at him. I have no tolerance for the financial exploitation of vulnerable people.

(Snip)

I didn’t expect to use this again so soon, but here it is:

[JMO]

These tweets and our resulting threads are infinitely more entertaining than the show.  Can someone troll Derrick to get him to keep cracking?  I think TLC should actually troll him.  This actually more interested in tuning in.  Almost.  

[JordynDarby5]

17 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I agree about something being hushed up. These people LOVE to film births. Why not this one? 

That was weird. Why?  There's nothing TLC or the Duggars love more then a birth.  If something went wrong through no fault of their own why wouldn't they say that? Wouldn't it fit in their narrative? Having a labor or birth go wrong but the baby was saved by Jesus? No one would blame them because some times it does happen. If it was the same thing that happened with Israel or similar or they did something stupid I could see why they'd keep it quiet. But they had already stopped filming at that point. Is it possible Derick tried to use that was leverage for more money or something? They skipped the After show for a babymoon. Maybe Derick thought well they'll skip that and TLC will come crawling to them and beg them to film and give them more money or a better contract or their own show? Except they didn't because Jill has 17 other siblings for TLC to chose from. Joy, Joseph and now Josiah all courting, marrying and having babies. Plus Jinger. Its really not a lost to TLC that Derick and Jill stopped being in the show. Instead of coming crawling or caving TLC did exactly that. That shocked Derick that they'd drop him. A good Christian boy only speaking the truth to everyone and TLC chose to pass on him and keep everyone else including Jazz who has her own show! She's the star!  

[luv2laugh]

10 minutes ago, Jellybean said:

I think we need to be really careful about stating speculation as though it’s fact. @luv2laugh I know you’re not the only one doing this, but I feel as though I might have missed something - do we have any evidence that there is one account with JB and Josh’s names on it, as quoted here?

I didn’t expect to use this again so soon, but here it is:

I am just making assumptions. It’s just my opinion.

[Satan'sFortress]

I've been in a bad mood for a few years now.  The Decline and Fall of Derrick Dillard is making me ridiculously happy.

[QuiverFullofBooks]

So have y’all seen Derick’s latest tweet? He’s saying he should write a book to set the record straight! People are encouraging him to do it!

[Georgiana]

1 minute ago, libgirl2 said:

I agree about something being hushed up. These people LOVE to film births. Why not this one? 

*BEEP BEEP* Speculation Bus is pulling in to the station with this post! ALL ABOARD!!

Based upon what Derick is saying, it sounds like filming MAY have influenced Jill's birthing decisions with Izzy...in a bad way.  Deconstructing what Derick is saying, it sounds to me like TLC may have told them "We'll cover all the costs of the birth that we can film".  So if they have the child at home where the birth can be filmed, they will cover the associated costs.  But they will NOT cover the cost of anything they CANNOT film, which includes a hospital transfer/hospital birth if they cannot film.  

I think this is backed up a bit by the time that Josh/Anna(?) chose to birth at home at the last minute when their regular doctor was out of town when Anna went into labor.  A lot of us speculated then that the sudden change of plans was due to filming concerns, and that the regular doctor was willing to allow filming, but the doc on call was not.  

I think most of us are on board here with not EVERYTHING Derick is saying being the honest truth.  That is also what I believe.  I think that Derick is misrepresenting actual situations, and that there IS something going on...but that Derick is not as blameless as he would like to be.

So doubling back to Izzy.  I think the untruth is that Derick and Jill were pretty aware of TLC's birth/filming compensation.  It makes no sense that they wouldn't be.  There had been SO MANY filmed Duggar births by the time Izzy came around, and they had a lot of time to research and negotiate.  I think they KNEW that if they needed to transfer to the hospital for emergency care, that the associated costs would not be covered.  

AND I think that contributed to Jill and Derick's TERRIBLE decisions regarding that labor.  Whether for the money or for the fame, I think Jill and Derick REALLY wanted to film , and I think that they may have been reluctant to head to the hospital and delayed the transfer because of their desire to be filmed.  And for the record, I think it was both money and pride that played a role.

And I think that may have scared TLC.  If anything would have happened, TLC may have had liability.  It would have seriously damaged their reputation to be involved in a story where an infant died or suffered complications due to his birth being filmed.  And then double down with the Jessa emergency.  TLC might have decided that these Duggar births were too dangerous to touch anymore.   

Since then, do we have any confirmation that they filmed a birth?  We know they didn't film Sam, probably not Mason, Gideon appears to have been born outside of the home so filming would have been limited, if any...did they film Henry?  It's VERY obvious that you can't rely on most of the 2nd Gen Duggars to make the safe call during labor.  It might be better for TLC to disengage entirely rather than take on that liability.  

[singsingsing]

4 minutes ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

So have y’all seen Derick’s latest tweet? He’s saying he should write a book to set the record straight! People are encouraging him to do it!

That laughing reaction is me CACKLING WITH JOY. DO IT, DERICK, DO IT!!

[BemusedByFundamentalism]

I have nothing smart to add on the speculation train, but I will say that I thank all of you for your contributions to this  thrilling development. I wasn't in the best mood, or have been really for the past days, but all of this distraction really cheered me up today (I'm pathetic I know ;-) )
Now the only fear is what will come to me in my dreams tonight. You see, last night I dreamed about me sitting at the dinner table with JRod and some of her kids. I believe David was there too but I'm too afraid to go back to that dream to check. 
What will be waiting for me tonight? Making selfies with Derick while we are laying in bed? Send rescue ferrets!!!!

[libgirl2]

6 minutes ago, Georgiana said:

Since then, do we have any confirmation that they filmed a birth?  We know they didn't film Sam, probably not Mason, Gideon appears to have been born outside of the home so filming would have been limited, if any...did they film Henry?  It's VERY obvious that you can't rely on most of the 2nd Gen Duggars to make the safe call during labor.  It might be better for TLC to disengage entirely rather than take on that liability.  

I don't think they filmed Henry being born. At least not that I remember, but I don't watch the show religiously. I can see TLC saying enough is enough. A cash incentive to have a home birth (and it pisses me off that anyone would accept that when it comes to the health of mother and baby) would pin liability on TLC if something went horribly wrong. 

[frugalitymom]

All aboard the speculation bus 

Im wondering if Jill had to have a hysterectomy after Sam, could explain the hush up. Maybe they don’t want people to know for whatever crazy reason.  They are al, about leaving it up to God but I think a hysterectomy would cause a mental break in Jill this could explain some of the crazy train that Derek is on and bitterness towards the in laws.  He might possibly see the stupidity that Jill was raised in that caused her to make unwise decisions that led to Sam and Izzy being delivered via emergency c-sections.    Once again all speculation obviously but I had an emergency hysterectomy after my daughter was born and though I was planning on tying my tubes it still caused some deep sadness in me for awhile. I’m ok now after 6 years but at the time I was bummed and my life mission wasn’t to have a bijillion kids.  

[VineHeart137]

2 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I don't think they filmed Henry being born. At least not that I remember, but I don't watch the show religiously. 

They did film Henry's birth. I remember that it was a lot faster than Surgeon's and Ben holding Henry and looking completely shellshocked, probably worried about Jessa hemorrhaging again.

[libgirl2]

2 minutes ago, VineHeart137 said:

They did film Henry's birth. I remember that it was a lot faster than Surgeon's and Ben holding Henry and looking completely shellshocked, probably worried about Jessa hemorrhaging again.

Thanks, I couldn't remember but now that you mention Ben, its starting to come to me. 

[singsingsing]

4 minutes ago, frugalitymom said:

All aboard the speculation bus 

Im wondering if Jill had to have a hysterectomy after Sam, could explain the hush up. Maybe they don’t want people to know for whatever crazy reason.  They are al, about leaving it up to God but I think a hysterectomy would cause a mental break in Jill this could explain some of the crazy train that Derek is on and bitterness towards the in laws.  He might possibly see the stupidity that Jill was raised in that caused her to make unwise decisions that led to Sam and Izzy being delivered via emergency c-sections.    Once again all speculation obviously but I had an emergency hysterectomy after my daughter was born and though I was planning on tying my tubes it still caused some deep sadness in me for awhile. I’m ok now after 6 years but at the time I was bummed and my life mission wasn’t to have a bijillion kids.  

What makes me think this wasn't the case is that in the days after Jill gave birth, Derick was liking all kinds of tweets talking about how they shouldn't stop at two kids, big families were a blessing, God would provide, two was for quitters, etc. It seems insane (and cruel) that he would be liking those tweets if he knew Jill could no longer have children. 

[libgirl2]

4 minutes ago, frugalitymom said:

All aboard the speculation bus 

Im wondering if Jill had to have a hysterectomy after Sam, could explain the hush up. Maybe they don’t want people to know for whatever crazy reason.  They are al, about leaving it up to God but I think a hysterectomy would cause a mental break in Jill this could explain some of the crazy train that Derek is on and bitterness towards the in laws.  He might possibly see the stupidity that Jill was raised in that caused her to make unwise decisions that led to Sam and Izzy being delivered via emergency c-sections.    Once again all speculation obviously but I had an emergency hysterectomy after my daughter was born and though I was planning on tying my tubes it still caused some deep sadness in me for awhile. I’m ok now after 6 years but at the time I was bummed and my life mission wasn’t to have a bijillion kids.  

Interesting speculation. And if that really were the case, what would be her purpose? How would JB and crew view her? I certainly hope that isn't the case. As you mention, it can be very hard on a woman, especially one that comes from that family.