Reality TV Freak Show
Forget Kate Plus Eight Minus One. There’s a new game in town and it’s called If We Keep Having Babies Maybe We Won’t Get Canceled.
But now the couple – who only recently brought baby Josie home after being hospitalized for six months as she recovered from a perforated bowel and rare digestive problems – say they are ready to consider a 20th child.
The Duggars show, 19 and Counting (previously 18 and counting), airs on TLC – and shame on TLC and their carnival freak show programming. But here’s the part that makes me see red:
Similarly daunting are the very real medical risks Michelle could face with another pregnancy – particularly a return of preeclampsia, which can lead to a stroke or prove fatal. But despite the risk – and intense criticism – the pair vow to stick to their beliefs.
Having another baby isn’t about convictions, it’s about ratings. But what I find appalling is what sort of mother would risk leaving her other 19 children motherless? When I was on the way to the hospital to have my second child I remember being so afraid that something would happen to me. For nine months I worried (pregnant mothers tend to worry) about the baby, but when I kissed my three year old good-bye I was struck with a new fear. In the blink of an eye my survival became an overwhelming concern. I wanted to be around to raise my children. Why this isn’t the Duggars’ concern boggles the mind.
Tags: Family Values, Reality TV
The Duggars aren’t really raising all those children. They’re being raised by their siblings. There’s no way that they can pay very much attention to any of them. I just feel sorry for the children.
One time I accidentally channel surfed into an episode of the Duggars. They had taken the kids to NYC. As they traveled from one tourist spot to the next they needed four or five taxis to hold them all, which meant that two or three taxis traveled without any adult supervision. As UI observed, they put an older sibling in charge of these cabs in NYC with however many little kids packed in. It was horrifying to watch. Perhaps that’s why people watch it. It’s like car wrecks on race tracks. Poor, poor kids.
It’s not her concern because of her religious convictions. They put their faith in God that He determines how many children they have, their health (along with Michelle’s), etc. Do you watch the show? I have occassionally thoughout the years. While I don’t necessarily agree/follow with their religious beliefs or lifestyle choices I at least understand why they do what they do. They live with an entirely different belief system than most in this country which is probably why most don’t understand them. Their children seem well adjusted and bright. I guess only time will tell who, if any, we eventually read out in the paper. Out of 19 I’m sure at least one will go astray. Afterall, families with one or two children deal with that reality every day.
I love it, a christian family selling out for money. How Paliny of them. With any luck she dies! Can you think of the ratings then! Oh man, ad rates will go through the roof.
Good luck TLC and for you sake, I hope she croaks by episode 3. That guy that stroked out on “deadliest catch” screwed the show up big time with his ill timed fate.
But, Nosy, notice how they didn’t leave the fate of their 19th child in god’s hands. Oh no, when it came to that they were all gung-ho science – and if they had “put their faith in God” and let him determine how many children they should have, they would only have 18. Just sayin’
Wow! Who are you all to judge them? You sound like the Republicans now!
no, it would only be republican if everyone criticizing also had 23958234 kids.
I have to agree with AQC. How many kids they have is their business. They had 15 kids or something like that before they got their TV show, so this belief has been there a long time. If you are pro-choice, you have to respect their choice to have more children.
Seriously, their entire show is based on the number of kids they have. They have put their family in the spotlight simply because they have so many children. It’s their shtick. If they want to not be commented on, may I suggest not putting their family on TV.
This is their way of supporting their family. I agree it’s distasteful (supporting their family this way, not having more kids), and I don’t recall them asking not to be commented on. As far as I can tell, none of their children have grown up (?) to become Snooki.
By putting themselves on TV they are asking (begging) for comments – and that’s my point. Look at all the reality TV. It’s all a freak show, and everyone on them is begging for attention and money. Fine. But… if you go down that road you get people commenting.
My point had more to do with the mother ignoring medical advice. I don’t really care how many kids she has, but once she has them I’d hope she’d want to be alive to raise them. There is more to having children than giving birth.
Also, I don’t see much difference between the Duggars and Snooki. They’re both playing the same game.
I don’t know Pandora…you’re sounding a little too much like Limbaugh or O’Reilly with this judgmental attitude.
Not all religious wackos knock science. There is a movement among some conservative evangical Christian couples called Quiverfull where they leave themselves open to conception by not practicing any form of birth control at all. My guess is that this is what the Duggers are doing. That doesn’t mean though that they don’t accept help from doctors if needed.
The first show was just a special one-hour documentary on TLC. I think they had 14 kids then. The response to the show from viewers was such that TLC wanted them to do a show. They probably view it as a way to reach mainstream America to promote their beliefs. They did ask Jim Bob (I hate typing that btw) about how he affords to care for the large family on a very early episode or special and apparently they made some wise real estate choices in the past. I’m sure the proceeds from the show help a lot as well but they were popping all those kids out before the show even aired so I don’t think they are continuing to do it for the money.
“There is a movement among some conservative evangical Christian couples called Quiverfull where they leave themselves open to conception by not practicing any form of birth control at all.”
On Planet Earth, that’s called an impregnation fetish (different from a pregnancy fetish). For your dose of educational pr0n, surf on over to the-impregnorium.com (NSFW? Uh, yeah).
(Sorry – earlier version of this comment left out the hymen in the site address. I mean, the hyphen.)
Q. How is Michelle Dugger NOT like Paris Hilton? A. You can only fit one VW Beetle in Paris Hilton’s vagina
Well, the truth is not always funny.