Jill Duggar-Dillard and Jessa Duggar-Seewald managed to finagle their way back on reality TV. After TLC canceled 19 Kids & Counting months ago, Jessa bitched and moaned and shilled until TLC relented and gave Jill and Jessa their own multi-episode spinoff called Jill and Jessa: Counting On. It premieres next week on TLC. Entertainment Tonight has some scoop on the show too – apparently, Jill and Jessa made the decision (or approved of the decision) to put their sister-in-law Anna Duggar on-camera. And this decision has led to a lot of consternation within the Duggar clan. Huh.
Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald are returning to TLC in their upcoming three-part special, Jill and Jessa: Counting On, but it seems not all the Duggars are behind the family’s return to reality TV. A source in the Duggar family tells ET that the special is “turning into a circus” and “family members are disagreeing with a lot of what they are doing.”
According to the source, one point of contention within the conservative megafamily — who starred on their own TLC show, 19 Kids and Counting, from 2008 until earlier this year — is the decision to put Anna Duggar on camera “at a time like this.”
Anna is the wife of eldest Duggar son Josh, who’s been at the center of two major scandals within the past year. The 27-year-old former lobbyist admitted in May that he had molested five minor girls as a teen, including four of his sisters. The scandal led to Josh resigning his position as executive director of FRC Action, a non-profit lobbying arm of the conservative Family Research Council, and the cancellation of 19 Kids and Counting. Then in July, after being implicated in the Ashley Madison data hack, Duggar admitted to being “unfaithful” to his wife and having a pornography addiction, an admission he later deleted from the family’s statement.
While Anna has stood by her husband throughout the scandals, she and her sisters-in-law open up about their difficult year in the upcoming special. “It was heartbreaking to hear what had happened,” an emotional Anna, 27, tells TLC cameras in a preview, the first time she has spoken publicly about the scandal.
Jessa and Jill also talk about their older brother, who checked himself into a faith-based rehab center in Illinois in August, in the upcoming special. “I cried a lot of tears,” Jill admits. “My first thoughts were for Anna.”
However, the source told ET that they feel “certain members of the family are more focused on ratings and a paycheck than actually focusing on the issues at hand,” adding that some members of the Duggar family have “chosen not to participate in the special out of respect to the serious ordeal the family has been going through in the last months.”
First of all, I’d be willing to bet that if TLC was still doing 19 Kids & Counting and letting Jim-Bob Duggar make all the decisions, he would have put Anna Duggar on camera too. The reason the family members are sniping at each other and there are so many salty tears being shed is because Jim-Bob IS NOT IN CHARGE. He is the salty one. He’s the pissy one leaking to ET.
Jill and Jessa believe that they’re the new “stars” of their spinoff show and they’re going to talk about their brother. And honestly… Anna could have said no. The last I heard, she had basically moved back to Florida with the kids after she sold the home in Arkansas. While I don’t believe Anna has much of a personality anyway, she could have said no to being on Counting On. But she said yes. So respect her choice, that’s what I say. And if Jim-Bob and Michelle are battling with Jessa and Jill over the lack of respect for “the serious ordeal” facing the family… right back at you, Jim-Bob and Michelle. Jim-Bob and Michelle were the ones who chose to ignore it when their son’s criminal behavior was escalating to a disturbing degree.
Photos courtesy of the Duggars’ Facebooks.
What they really want to say is: Jim-Bob is upset that he is no longer the front and center star of the Duggar universe.
^ This.
And the way he copes with being sidelined is to attempt to shove himself in and micromanage. When met with resistance, he snitches to journalists. Too easy.
Trust me JimBob will be front and center in this special about the two daughters, he would have never approved if he weren’t. He’s a sick individual
Them again? Please, for the love of whoever you worship, enough with the Duggar crap.
And enough with the Kardashians too!
And the world yawned. Who gives a crap about these freaks? Hope this show milks the last bit of Josh Juice and then they are consigned to Arkansas obscurity.
Josh Juice. Now there’s an image that makes one want to gag.
Why is it called “counting on”? like…they are counting on having tons more children? they are counting all of their future j-named offspring? what a strange title
Good observation–pretty disturbing
Extremely likely.
They are counting on their “adoring public” to continue to fund their fundie lifestyles.
Counting on more Ca$h.
Counting on money. Please make them go away already
Anything that happened to them is their own doing. They choose to look the other way in regards to their sleazy son. For me, I’d love to never see anyone in this family or associated with this family to go away. Anytime they’re receiving attention is endorsing their misogynistic behavior.
Count me out
I see what you did there.
“It was heartbreaking to hear what had happened”…..such a strange way to phrase that. I would expect anyone else to say “I was mortified to hear what he did”. The choice of words imply it was something that he had no control over, that God directed him to touch little kids and strangle sex workers/adult film actresses.
Yes, that’s very passive language…and it’s often found in victims of abuse. There’s a weakness to that style of language, no ownership or acknowledgement of her own feelings nor of his responsibility. No doubt it’s never been easy to live with that ‘loving husband’.
There’s no way any member of this family “chose not to participate” – they weren’t asked and that’s their excuse.
Jessa and Jill knew that Anna would bring ratings and decided it was worth bringing her in for that reason. No one else was worth cutting into the money pie for.
You reap what you sow Jim Bob.
I agree. The only folks chosen to participate were the victims. Josh is a definite no. But Michelle and Jimbob are a no because they are as guilty as Josh. There would be mutiny if they were on this show.
I’m 99% sure TLC is using this to test public interest and decide whether Jill and Jessa get a spinoff. This is not a victim awareness, let’s talk about abuse special.
Crossing fingers for this show tanking. None of this family should be on tv.
I think Jim Bob is simply upset that his daughters are no longer pliant and under his thumb…now they “belong to” their husbands. I assume he tried to choose husbands for them that would respect him as the head of the family, and he chose badly. In particular, Jessa’s husband seems to follow her lead.
I don’t know about that – Jessa is a fameho but her husband is just as bad and he plays along as its an opportunity for him to make his own money and get out of under JimBobs thumb as remember he works for him.
I think Jill is the one who got lucky in the ‘husband being under her thumb’ stakes, he seems to give her more freedom. Out of the 2 husbands, Derek seems the more likable (yes i know about the cat incident) Ben gives me the JimBob skeeves.
Is it just me, or does it seem like the people having the most children are the ones who should not be having children period? I’m looking at this clan. And in case anyone takes offense, I am speaking about my family also. I have 38 first cousins. I myself have zero children, because that is the amount of children ANYONE in my family should have. And my brother already has three kids, which is more than plenty for both of us.
Oh, not always. I too have 38 first cousins. My family in general is stable and loving and the supportive sane members far outnumber the dysfunctional ones. I thank my lucky stars because this seems like a rarity these days.
You are lucky.
i totally agree
The Duggars…they pose hard and pretend to be a perfect family, while ignoring their son’s criminal behavior. I believe that the girls would not have gotten their new show unless they agreed to discuss Josh. Same goes about Anna; the network probably insisted that she make an appearance. After Josh is discussed, what interesting do they have to impart? Blanket training? I just wish this horrible family would disappear.
Good point. Without the Josh Juice, they have nothing to offer beyond prayer and baby tips. The Dullards.
Meh, it’s about the money.
I truly hope that there isn’t anyone out there that believes a word of what is being leaked one way or the other. All being done to drum up controversy and interest for ratings which will equal TLC giving the green light to other “Duggar” shows past & future. I truly hope that there isn’t anyone out there thinking or hoping that Anna’s involvement means anything more than she will echo the same scripted blame game of everyone / media except themselves, their “faith” or Josh. This will be more of the same and no one fool yourselves into thinking Jim-Bob i$n’t knee deep in thi$ one al$o.
Exactly. The whole family has been brought up to obey Jim-Bob. There is no free will thinking. Men are superior and make the decisions. The girls will do whatever he tells them to keep the money train running. These girls are fame hungry, but dad is in charge. Their prayers were answered! They’re back on TV! $$$$$$$$$$$
Time for another run at TLC, to get them to shut down all this Duggar uselessness. They aren’t fooling anyone. They bided their time to let some people forget, all the time planning to continue to make money off this disgusting family.
I’ve never seen the show, but just speaking as a person looking in from what I’ve read, I don’t see what the big deal is. The three women have all been violated in more ways than one and they’ve never had a chance to express themselves. If them speaking about their brother and husband helps them heal, why are the supposed family matriarchs having a hissy fit? They protected the molester cheater and threw the girls off to the side and now they have a chance to say what they want. Why is that a problem? You would think the parents/in-laws would be supportive.
You would think, but better not to have any rational thoughts with regard to the
Duggars. They are not rational.
I disagree with the “Anna could have said no” comment. Everytime I saw her on camera she looks scared shitless. You could tell she was not in control, that she was hiding something, that she was nervous and scared. That teeth clenching smile and deer in the headlights look. A little voice inside of her wants to say no but she can’t. She’s been controlled her whole life and knows the consequences of no. Now she has a meglomaniac husband who has run the gauntlet on her. She’s well past any hope of saying no. She’ll be under someone sthumb and doing what the Duggars say because she will always be linked to them through her children. They’re pulling the financial strings, they will dangle that in front of her. So she had to do this, she has to show the smile they have plastered on their face. And she will do an interview with Josh on how SHE has forgiven him and moved on, and will do one after this story repeats every few years.
I actually think it’s the first snippet of real emotion we’ve seen from Anna. She does look absolutely heartbroken “to hear about what had happened”. It sounds like Josh didn’t tell her, Jim boob did. Why didn’t she say “to learn about josh’ s actions” or When Josh admitted these things to me. I think Anna had been strictly controlled by Jim Boob and Michelle until that very moment when she dared to look depressed on camera. Remember she was holed up in the Duggar House with Jim Bob and Michelle initially while the house sold.
Also, remember the house was sold for $10 or so to a family friend. Did Anna even get any money to care for her kids? Is that why she’s in Florida now with her family? I hope Anna was paid for her appearance in counting on. No work experience and 4 kids to support has gotta be stressful.
They totally turn my stomach. Totally.
TLC has zero pride. Not only are they giving Jill and Jessa a show but Kate Gosselin as well. Those stupid previews of Kate trying to look all nervous proves that she can’t act worth a damn. I won’t be turning in to see either one of these already dead shows. I just wish TLC would stop with the nonsense is all.
Anna says, “It was heartbreaking to hear what had happened.”
What had happened? So typical. How about it was heartbreaking to find out WHAT HE DID!!!! I can’t stand it when people sugar coat or downplay a situation. Using words that make it sound like something simply happened like an act of God, not that a person with all their faculties did heinous things they CHOSE to do.
If they actually air that show, I sincerely hope it is boycotted and fails within the first season. I find her standing by him atrocious, let alone being on a show and getting paid to shill her fundamentalist crap. I’m sure she’ll have more children by this pedo, cheating, sexually abusive POS!
None of them should be on tv. They enabled a child molestor and the sisters who weren’t his victims but still don’t denounce him should never be allowed a public forum. TLC is disgusting and people should be writing to the sponsors to pull their support so the Duggars go away forever.
I’ve seen this preview many times. (What can I say? I’m a sucker for Dateline and TLC shows repeats a lot.)
I truly could not tell the three apart. I had no realization it was Anna saying the heartbreaking line. It just ups the creep factor exponentially to see how much Anna looks like the sisters Josh fondled growing up. All 3 of them need to get the heck out now! I’m maybe the teeniest bit encouraged that they’re all not following JimBob’s strict orders now?
And Jana, well that girl can come live in my house. Would LOVE to see what could happen if she got unleashed.
Abusers are rarely just “hatched”, and they are not created in a vacuum. I don’t understand why this family’s casual approach & Josh’s multiple assaults on girls & women has not sparked more dialogue about abuse running in families, and how victims often go on to marry abusers.
Child sexual abuse and incest are far more common than people want to believe, the stats are shocking.
Why isn’t every talk show using this as a timely launch pad to educate & assist people on abuse – sexual abuse, incest, sexual assault, physical abuse….
Separately, it’s disappointing that TLC, responsible for that clan’s fame, has not taken a more active, outspoken stance. As a teen this guy abused his sisters, and younger and older non-family members. As an adult he has stalked & assaulted adult women. That’s a frighteningly wide range of predatory and violent behavior. And their cameras were rolling all around it.
I don’t know if someone else mentioned it, but this is the second time I’ve read on here that Anna is living in Florida. She is not. It is really easy to see if you follow any of the Duggars on social media. They have consistently had pictures of Anna and her kids in Arkansas all this time. Anna is apparently, splitting time between Arkansas and Florida.
I have noticed that whenever Jill Duggar or maybe it’s Jessa have some big news(baby, getting married) that within a short period of time some new dirt hits the fan regarding Josh. Something will come up before their show hits the airwaves or shortly after. Just watch
No amount of whining gets anyone a TV show. TLC was already planning the spinoff when the scandal broke. Then they had to shelve it until they figured out a way to segue into it anyway by creating the one-off special.
Ugh!
Good. I hope Jill and Jessa and Anna make millions and run off without giving the rest of that disgusting family a penny. I reaĺly think that the promise of increased fame/ money is the only thing that’s going to break them out at this point.
Ah ratings gold? I wish viewers would have the good sense to boycott this money making scam. That’s all it is…the family and TLC are only too happy to exploit the situation for ratings and money. I, for one, will never watch any of them again.