In a court of law, one is innocent until proven guilty.
This is important to remember when it comes to Josh Duggar, who has been arrested on two counts of child pornography and who certainly seems like someone who would commit such a heinous crime…
… but who has not yet been convicted and who pleaded not guilty in front of a judge last Friday.
In the court of public opinion, however?
No such evidence is needed.
There is not a jury of anyone’s peers.
Sometimes, a person or a business just has to do what is obvious and right and, above all, ethical.
Which is what brings us to Josh Duggar and TLC.
As very likely know at this point, Duggar was arrested on April 28 for possession of child pornography.
He has been accused of downloading material in May 2019 that included photos of minors under the age of 12.
If convicted on both charges for which he was taken into custody last week, Duggar could face up to 40 years in prison.
As you also likely know at this point, Duggar admitted in 2015 to having inappropriately touching five little girls when he was 14… two of whom were his own sisters.
In response, TLC canceled 19 Kids and Counting.
However, the network then struck up another deal with the Duggars almost immediately, spinning off that program into Counting On.
Said the cable network last Friday after Josh’s arrest:
“TLC is saddened to learn about the continued troubles involving Josh Duggar.
“19 Kids and Counting has not aired since 2015.
“TLC canceled the show on the heels of prior allegations against Josh Duggar and he has not appeared on air since then.”
Ah, yes, if only it were that simple.
If only TLC truly had washed its hands of the Duggars after this awful scandal that came out six years ago.
Instead, executives have continued to air Counting On for 11 seasons now, lining the pockets of Jiim Bob Duggar in the process.
This is the same Jim Bob Duggar who covered up his oldest son’s molestation misdeeds back in the day and who has been accused of stealing from his own children.
Derick Dillard is among those who made this latter allegation against his father-in-law.
And now the wife of Jill Duggar is going public with his complaints against TLC.
In a series of social media exchanges on Monday, Dillard said the network didn’t realy cancel 19 Kids and Counting, no matter what language higher-ups used at the time.
The network simplly rebranded the show as Counting On and happily kept giving the Duggars a major platform on television.
“We pushed back for a long time & pretended like there was nothing wrong on the outside before we finally got to the place where we quit,” Dillard told followers yesterday about his experience as a Counting On cast member.
He added that it was very hard to leave the show because Jim Bob used “scare tactics” against anyone who spoke out about what was going on behind the scenes.
Concluded Dillard on this topic:
“My main message at this point is just for people to evaluate critically and not just assume things are as they appear on the surface.”
Dillard has not been alone in criticizing TLC.
Jacob Roloff is another former reality TV star, having appeared on Little People, Big World until quitting in the summer of 2016.
He claimed this past December that a series producer assaulted him many years ago — and then added this week that the network never followed up with him in any way afterward or bothered to check on his well-being.
Roloff BLASTED his ex-employer on Instagram for its reaction to his accusation, and then to its reaction to this Josh Duggar arrest.
“RE: Duggars,” he wrote.
“TLC’s statement of essentially, ‘He hasn’t been on air in a while,’ completely sidesteps the dynamic of being able to air terrible people with sometimes terrible producers for often terrible motives for beaucoup ratings and profit.
“(And still profiting.)”
The Duggars are terrible human beings, Jacob straight up says here, and they often work with terrible producers.
“When the ‘terrible’ of all that gets uncovered, TLC walks away with the beaucoup profits and… nothing else (Maybe a twin spin-off),” he continued.
Roloff concluded with a very simple point. A plea, really.
TLC doesn’t give a s–t about what happens on or off camera, as long as they get paid, and you lot keep watching. Don’t.
Based on Dillard’s first-hand account… and Roloff’s first-hand account… and what we know about Josh Duggar’s distant past and recent past and the way his parents have handled it… only one real question should remain:
HOW DOES IT REMAIN IN BUSINESS WITH THE DUGGARS?
Okay, maybe two more questions:
HOW HAS TLC NOT YET CANCELED COUNTING ON?
HOW DOES THE NETWORK LOOK AT ITSELF IN THE MIRROR EVERYDAY WITHOUT VOMITING?
Source: Read Full Article
