Chiefs of the Duggar clan have hit out at the ‘media’ for their ‘bad intentions’ with an upcoming documentary they call ‘disparaging and sensationalistic’.
Jim Bob, 57, and Michelle Duggar, 56, released a statement Thursday ahead of Amazon Prime’s ‘Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets’ premiere, which claims ‘exposing the truth beneath the healthy surface of Americana reality TV‘favorite mega-family.’
It will feature the family’s fourth oldest child, Jill, recounting how her father stopped his children from getting paid for their appearances on the lucrative family TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, and uncover the extreme length that his father put up to try to cover up Josh Duggar’s molestation on his own sisters.
But the parents of the reality TV family now say the documentary will hurt those they love, as they insist they care for each of their children.
Jim Bob, 57, and Michelle Duggar, 56 (pictured) have slammed ‘the media’ for its ‘bad intentions’ with an upcoming documentary they call ‘disparaging and sensationalistic’
In a statement on Thursday, the couple claimed an Amazon Prime documentary series about their lives would hurt the people they love
In their statementposted on the family’s website, Jim Bob and Michelle said the documentary “is sad because in it we see the media and those with bad intentions hurting the people we love”.
“Like other families, ours too has experienced the joys and heartbreaks of life, just in a very public format,” the couple began.
“This ‘documentary’ paints so many things in a derogatory and sensationalized way because that is unfortunately the direction of entertainment these days,” they continued.
“We have always believed that the best chance to repair damaged relationships or reconcile differences is love in a private setting. We love every member of our family and will continue to do our best to have a good relationship with everyone.
“Through triumphs and trials, we have clung all the more to our faith and discovered that through the love and grace of Jesus, we find strength, comfort and purpose,” the couple concluded. celebrities.
Their statement came just hours before ‘Shiny Happy People’ was released on Amazon Prime, and shortly after Jill, 32, announced that she was also writing a tell-all book about ‘secrets, manipulation and the ‘bullying’ she suffered behind the scenes of the hit reality show.
Amazon Prime’s “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” claims to “expose the truth beneath Americana’s wholesome surface of reality TV’s favorite mega-family.”
In a trailer for the new show, the couple’s fourth eldest child, Jill, said: “There’s a story that’s going to be told. And I’d rather be the one telling it. She is seen in the trailer with husband Derick Dillard
The docuseries, due out Friday, will feature several members of the Duggar, including Jill and her husband Derick Dillard as well as Amy and his wife Dillon King.
In a trailer for the new show, Jill could be seen saying, “There’s a story that’s going to be told.” And I’d rather be the one telling it.
His sister, Jessa, 30, who was one of the few older siblings known to have had a good relationship with her parents, is also seen in the trailer looking dejected.
“World domination was the goal,” an unidentified man told the camera in the teaser, while discussing the IBLP.
Someone else added: “IBLP teachings are not Christian. They are something completely different.
“The greatest characteristic of Bill Gothard’s teachings is authority. Children obey their parents and women obey their husbands. Everyone obeys Bill Gothard.
“He turned every father into a cult leader and every home into an island,” another person said.
It also looks like the docuseries will delve into Josh Duggar’s child pornography accusations. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2019.
Years before his arrest, a bombshell police report leaked online saying the father-of-seven, 35, had admitted to assaulting underage women, including four of his siblings – and that his own parents were aware and did not report the abuse.
“How deep are we going? Because it’s a rabbit hole. Shit,’ a man said in the teaser, after an old clip of reporters discussing Josh’s scandal flashed across the screen.
Jill’s younger sister Jessa, 30, who was one of the few older siblings known to have had a good relationship with her parents, is also seen in the trailer looking dejected.
It also looks like the docuseries will delve into Josh Duggar’s child pornography accusations. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2019
Additionally, executive producers Olivia Crist and Julia Willoughby Nason have pledged to deepen deeper into the controversial church of the Duggars – the radical organization The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), founded by rejected minister Bill Gothard in the 1960s.
According to church rules, church leaders controlled who the Duggar children could hang out with and how they had to dress.
Jim Bob and Michelle were also regularly seen on their reality show reading their children’s text messages, telling them what they were allowed to watch on TV and what music they could listen to too, and even saying with who they might be friends.
But in an interview with PeopleCrist and Nason said the church went even further, describing it as a “pandemic of abuse”.
“The far-reaching quality of this ideology shocked me immensely, particularly how ingrained it is in our modern culture today with the political stakes of our human rights at stake here,” said Nason said.
‘It’s shocking to me. And what also shocks me is listening to the stories of survivors.
“I feel like I’m a woman in this culture, whether I’m from a high control system like IBLP or not from this place, being a woman inherently I could relate to the themes violence and trauma that ran through the lifelines of these people.
Crist also argued that IBLP culture is incredibly pervasive and said “there’s definitely a lot more” that could have been covered.
The Duggars were in the spotlight with the show 19 Kids and Counting, which documented the daily lives of the family of 21 (pictured together previously) as members of the Institute in Basic Life Principle
Jim Bob and Michelle were regularly seen on their reality show reading their children’s text messages, telling them what they were allowed to watch on TV and what music they could listen to, too, and even saying who they were with. they could be friends.
Seemingly reprising the role, Jill announced on Thursday that she and her husband, Derick Dillard, were releasing a memoir detailing the ‘secret and lies’ they had been privy to during the family’s long reign as the greatest dynasty in reality TV.
Jill also revealed she is posting a memoir detailing ‘the secrets, manipulation and intimidation’ that happens behind the scenes at 19 Kids and Counting
The book Counting the Cost features Dillard, 34, as a co-writer, and details the couple’s “painful journey” to film the hit reality TV show.
Sharing an image of the cover, Jill wrote on Instagram: ‘Derick and I would like to announce that we have written a book, Counting the Cost, which details our painful journey as part of the Duggar family filming reality TV.
“As the image on the cover shows, the book is meant to reflect a story that has been difficult, but hopeful.
She went on to acknowledge that while viewers of their show have witnessed the very public scandals the family have embroiled themselves in over the past few years, no one could imagine the depths they have gone to for over 15 years.
“The challenges we’ve faced, including disrespect for boundaries, greed, manipulation and betrayal, aren’t much different than those many in our audience have faced,” she said. for follow-up.
“However, 15+ years of reality TV, underpinned by secrecy and lies, is tantamount to pouring gasoline on the fire of our struggle,” she wrote.
The mother-of-three ended her message by thanking God, time and therapy for helping her “heal”.
“Through time, tears, truth, and therapy, God began to heal our wounds into scars. Although we would never have chosen this path, and it cost us dearly, we want to use our voice to show others that there is hope beyond pain,” she concluded. .
