Duggars to get reality show
Filed under: Your Pregnancy, Siblings, Bump Watch, Life & Style, That's Entertainment, Sex
Move over "John & Kate Plus 8." You ain't got nothin' on the Duggar family. For those of you unfamiliar with the Duggars (as I was), they're a family of nineteen, seventeen of which are the children. And now, according to reports, they're being given their own television show.
Like it or not the world has yet to see the last of reality television. The Duggars are to get their own stint in the world of reality showing what it's like not only to have seventeen kids (do I need a reality show to imagine what that's like?) but also what it's like to travel the talk show circuit and bathe in the limelight of stardom through (constant) procreation.
What's more, the show will follow the family as they grow--that's right, Mom Michelle is expecting another child! That will make enough for two baseball teams. What could we learn from the Duggars? I'm not really sure, but the Discovery Channel will give us the opportunity to find out. Will you watch the show, or are you too wrapped up in your own kids to try to watch someone else manage ALL of theirs?
I'm sorry, but dang--that is a LOT of kids!
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 24)
9-18-2008 @ 9:45AM
Baron said...From what I have seen in a few news pieces on them in the past, they run a very tidy, ship shape house. I believe they (with the help of the community maybe) built their own home, the kids help out, everyone seems to work pretty well together, etc. It is, at least from the short news pieces, a very good household dynamic and not the constant bickering you see on John and Kate. That all might change on a more 24 hour, cameras always rolling show.
Reply
9-19-2008 @ 2:43PM
Debbie Carpenter said...I guess I'm ready for the Duggars, I like watching
them go on vacation and liked seeing them build
their house. They have a good sense of humor
and all the kids manage to pitch in and help do the
work... unlike my two kids. So there's always that
element in my mind, HOW do they do it?
Same with Jon and Kate and their 8. I really like
watching that show too, except you never hear
the really questionable parts like how often do the
sheets get changed and who does it? How do the
huge bills get paid and where does the $$$ come
from since she doesn't work? Are these people
all rich from the tv show aspect? (I expect so.)
They never mention household help but I know
Kate has quite a bit, it seems, just from the
glimpses of it. BUT she probably needs it to
keep her sanity. Those six are NOT all potty
trained and they are, what, now, FOUR?
Oh well, its more fun to watch than people eating
scorpions or abusing dogs on TV> or operations
or gays.
9-19-2008 @ 8:31PM
Beverly said...The "constant bickering" on "Jon and Kate plus 8" is normal, everydy life. Although I enjoy watchng the Duggers, I feel that there's somethng not quite "real" about them. No house with children runs smoothly for more than ten minutes at a time, and when people have that many children, it's usually pretty chaotic, in the best of circumstances. The Duggers are very nice people, but I still feel that I'm watching "The Stepford Family."
9-19-2008 @ 3:52PM
Linda said...At least Jon and Kate are raising a relatively normal group of kids. Those children are adorable. I find Jon and Kate very realistic parents. This family with a million kids is so unrealistic that it reminds me of Little House on The Prarie on steroids. The girls wear long skirts, they are all home schooled and very religious. I'll take the real Jon and Kate any day.
9-19-2008 @ 3:59PM
Elaine said...Jon and Kate Plus 8 is one of my favorite shows to watch!
9-19-2008 @ 5:17PM
wanda said...This is a free country and these people have a right to have as many children as they want. Personally I find this type of reproduction piggish. Apparently their religion does not believe in birth control...... as adoption in my opinion is a more "Godly" option. They claimed in earlier shows to have made enough money to support themselves so I see no reason to provide them with the financial perks obviously afforded by reality show. At this moment in our history I believe that it is the responsibility of the media to educate people as to the "reality" of life for many people. Why not a reality show that follows the uninsured in their plight for basic healthcare and/or through traumatic illness? Why not a reality show that follows families losing their homes due to the mortgage crisis? Why not follow those who have lost their jobs, cannot pay their bills and now due to a bad economy compounded by their accrued bad credit are now denied work? We need a dose of reality. In the beginning I too enjoyed "Jon and Kate".... they were struggling and attempting to make ends meet. They did not ask for eight children but when confronted with this situation they faced the challenge. I have become disgusted with this show also. Kate is so intent on giving all of her children all of the wonderful opportunities of an ideal childhood......yet who is footing the bill for all of the wonderful trips that most American families can only dream of. I would like to see the bill for that ski trip alone. Maybe they could have reached out and taken that money to buy diapers or formula or possibly help with the bills of other famlies struggling to make ends meet with multiples. I guess that is the way of "celebrity" and the spoiled selfishness of many Americans. But, the viewing public eats this stuff up and then wonders how on earth this country could end up in the mess it is. Those that struggle realize that they are ignored until they "make it" and suddenly they are in the position to "ignore others".
9-19-2008 @ 4:52PM
Patricia said...I really like Jon and Kate Plus 8 because they are authentic and they show true emotions which we all have. The Druggers don't seem real to me. I won't be watching them because when they were interviewed in the past, everything was "sugar and spice and everything nice". When I watched a segment on them, all their children were well-behaved, etc.
Also, they are different from Jon and Kate Plus 8. Jon and Kate didn't PLAN to have 6 all at once. The Druggers continue to have one child after another and I don't agree with that.
9-20-2008 @ 5:53PM
P.L.KEY said...I like Jon and Kate plus 8 because I had 7 children in 7 years with a set of twins ,I had 4 under 3 years of age so I can under stand their family.
9-19-2008 @ 6:35PM
GrandmaAnn said...Debbie Carpenter says:
"They never mention household help but I know
Kate has quite a bit, it seems, just from the
glimpses of it. BUT she probably needs it to
keep her sanity. Those six are NOT all potty
trained and they are, what, now, FOUR?"
I don't know where she gets her info!!??
On recent shows (is she watching only reruns?) there has never been a mention of any of the kids still being in diapers. I'm quite sure the boys are finally housebroken. Only parents of an only child can claim to have him/her totally out of diapers (what about vacations, etc?) before age 3, so realize she/they are dealing with 6 of them to 'break'...
And except for accompanying them on trips/vacations, I don't think Kate has more at-home "help" than Jen, and that's only parttime. She can't possibly have hired a housekeeper (did you SEE the show when she interviewed 'them'?!) as picky as she is. I'm sure she cleans a lot that we don't see, and the producers sure make sure all looks respectable for the taping(s). Probably another reason they're so often on outings.
As for the Duggars, the kids have their chores, and KATE is trying to get her kids to help, too.
9-19-2008 @ 7:00PM
M. A. Stinnett said...Just because it's a big family doesn't mean we need a TV show about them...I've watched the couple of "specials" about them and frankly....as families go...they are pretty boring...at least Jon and Kate had 6 at a time...and watching Kate have her melt downs is pretty entertaining...LOL..so I'll pass on the Duggers
9-21-2008 @ 3:19PM
platz95 said...Agreed, very tidy, effortlessly orchestrated. I would prefer them to Jon and Kate which is more of a snapshot into Henpecked Husband Syndrome. Regardless, I would just offer the delicate reminder to both ladies that their vaginas are not clown cars....
9-21-2008 @ 3:47PM
Becky said...I agree that they do seem very organized but lets face it you would have to be to raise, homeschool, feed and clothe that many children. Having 18 kids certainly isn't my cup of tea, but for all the people out there making nasty comments, this is America where we are free to do as we wish, and as long as the Duggers are able to afford to have the amount of children they do then it's not anyone else's friggin business how often they get pregnant or how many children they decide to have. They aren't on welfare, the taxpayers are not paying for Michelle to have her children unlike many people out there sucking on the goverment tit, and you know who you are. Do you say the same thing about other families who have more than 2 children? There are lots of them out there, and not all of them are white families either, and how they dress or conduct their religon is their business also. They built their own home and paid for it themselves also so they are debt free, so my personal opinion of everyone who wants to put them down is that your jealous in one way or another, because this family is debt free for one, or you wish you could stay home with your kids, etc.
I look forward to this reality show, and I usually hate them but I'm very curious to see what it's like for this family on a day to day basis.
9-21-2008 @ 4:15PM
Leninha said...I have been a faithfull watcher of Jon and Kate plus 8 for quite a few seasons. There is never a dull moment there. The kids are normal kids, doing normal kid things...like bickering and having time outs for it. Kate has said repeatly that they are very grateful and blessed for all of the gifts they receieve, such as the trips for the family. She always admits to all of the help she gets, from the woman who folds the laundry, that kate washes, to the one who puts it away.
The Duggers, they are just plain boring to watch.
9-21-2008 @ 6:47PM
Faith Joanne (Esquivel) Hartman said...I'm the oldest of twelve children; 6 boys and 6 girls. I can only say, I've had some of the best years of my life, from being from such a large family. Unfortunately, my father passed on December 19, 1999...I only wish he could see his Grandchildren, and Great-Children today...he would be very proud. Not having much as a child, growing up in Detroit, Michigan during the early 1960's...it was the best time in my life...all I can say is....never forget who you are, and where you came from.........
9-21-2008 @ 6:44PM
Tammy said...I love watching Jon and Kate they are real and are letting each child have their own personality weather they are bratty or not the duggers are all the same and seem like robots to me. Jon and Kate are bringing their children up to live in the real world where some may venture where the duggers are I guess bring up children who will never leave their prarie Kate and Jon are religous too these kids will grow up to help others the duggers will grow up to only help themselves Jesus wants you to help all kinds not just your own thats to easy. So way to go Jon and Kate keep up the super job and Ive seen every episode of theirs and they always talk about all the help they get and free vacations. They are very thankful for the money they get from their show and I bet ya they all have money in the bank for collage for the kids because Kate and Jon you can just tell are managing there money for that. Their kids are like any others some may do wrong some may do good some day at least they can be themselves and not 17 almost 18 robots in one family who may never think on there own.
9-21-2008 @ 7:53PM
Amy said...I read about them, and while they do run a pretty ship-shape (if not militant) household, there are things about them that are a little off. For example, if one of the children wants any alone time with one of the parents they must make an appointment. The older kids pretty much serve as live-in nannies, taking care of the younger ones (presumably so the parents can have alone time of their own, conceiving more children). It seems a little bizarre to me. If you don't have time to spend with your kids, and are unable to care for all of them yourself, perhaps it's time to quit, not make more.
9-18-2008 @ 12:30PM
isisaquaria said...I agree.... these older kids have no clue of the real world because they are helping with the younger--mom is spitting them out, the older kids raise them. I have seen several things on this family and it is sad.
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9-19-2008 @ 12:02AM
Sandyone said..."do I need a reality show to imagine what that's like?"
I'd say that you do. You seem to be recoiling in horror at the very idea of this size family.
Yes, 18 kids are a whole lot of kids. Not so long ago, it really wasn't such an anomaly and there were no washing machines!
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9-19-2008 @ 2:06PM
heather said...I would love to watch this show. I think this house is ran exceptionally well. Not too long ago families this size were the norm, and yes, everyone was expected to help out. These parents are raising bright, christian kids, nothing wrong with that. I can't wait to see more about them!
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9-19-2008 @ 3:20PM
Cecelia said...I do like the dugger show it shows how the parents are raising their in the religious setting, however, alot of today's parenting have gone hog wild their seems to be no correcting of the children from the beginning. There is alot of disobedience in the home and the school no one wants to listen not even to their teachers or elders in general. The court system is full of children wanting to go their own way. and if you correct the children in school you get cursed out by the kids and the parent so where are we going. So if they want to home school that's fine,