Jim Bob Omits Josh Duggar From List Of Names Of His Children — Giving Up On Reintegrating Josh Into Reality Show?
Josh Duggar is showing up again in family photos and in stories connected to the family’s new TLC reality show, Jill & Jessa: Counting On and viewers aren’t happy. There has been a steady stream of speculation, rumors, and insider leaks about whether Josh will return to television with his family, including the sisters he victimized, and a new round of viewers contacting sponsors and the television network to voice their displeasure.
Perhaps Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are beginning to get the message that Josh remains persona non grata with much of the public, because after weeks of putting him back in the spotlight, the couple conspicuously left Josh out of a pretty important story.
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First, it’s necessary to stop for a second and realize that the Duggar family isn’t like your family. When most of us put something on Facebook or a blog, we expect it to be seen by loved ones. We expect our moms to read it, our best friends, and a few acquaintances. Maybe we fantasize that we write something brilliant and it goes viral, but mostly we expect it to stay close.
For Jim Bob, Michelle, and their kids, this is not the case. If the Duggar family posts on their official Instagram account, for instance, it goes out to one million followers. Their Facebook page has nearly as many.
The importance of Josh Duggar being shown on the family’s social media pages cannot be understood without understanding this: those pages are not for family and friends, but for the public. (It’s possible the family members have separate, private accounts that are only viewable by loved ones.) This isn’t about people creeping their private space — this is the face the Duggar family is deliberately showing to the public.
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Similarly, Jim Bob’s anniversary letter to Michelle on the blog the couple shares is not a letter from husband to wife, it is an announcement to the fans. It isn’t something that people saw by peeking in a window — this is what Jim Bob Duggar wanted the public to see.
When family friend and Duggar wedding planner Sierra Jo Dominguez recently posted a photo of the family at Chick-Fil-A for Cow Appreciation Day, Josh’s presence in the photo prompted a highly negative response from viewers. Again, this wasn’t a photo taken to share with family — Dominguez has over 50 thousand followers — this was posted for the public.
This was followed by reports that unnamed sources close to the show had spoken about Josh’s upcoming appearance — and other sources close to the show saying it wouldn’t happen.
The Duggar Family Blog gave a vehement response, declaring that Josh would never again be shown in TLC programming.
Considering how very opposed viewers were to the idea, it’s no wonder the Duggar family would continue to be careful about how they mention Josh — but leaving his name out of a list of their kids is a bit surprising, even for Jim Bob Duggar!
Yes — in his anniversary letter to his wife, Jim Bob lists his first seven children — but only six of them by name. Josh is passed over quickly as ‘our first child’ before the next six kids are listed.
“Three years into our marriage Michelle went off the pill and we had our first child.
“Right after that God blessed us with twins, Jana and John, then Jill, Jessa, Jinger & Joseph.”
That’s not all. The Duggar couple’s blog shared videos wishing them a happy anniversary from several of the younger children.
Links were also provided to anniversary wishes from the other two married Duggar offspring, Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald, and their families.
Who is conspicuously missing? Once again, Josh Duggar.
[Image via Facebook]
