‘Shiny Happy People’: Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Call Doc ‘Derogatory’ and ‘Sensationalized’
Prime Video says its new four-part documentary Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets delves into the truth of the Duggars, one of reality TV’s most famous families. But Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who starred with their many kids on 19 Kids and Counting before the scandal led to the TLC show’s cancellation, apparently beg to differ.
“The recent ‘documentary’ that talks about our family is sad because in it we see the media and those with ill intentions hurting people we love,” the couple wrote in a post on their website on Thursday, June 1. “Like other families, ours too has experienced the joys and heartbreaks of life, just in a very public format. This ‘documentary’ paints so much and so many in a derogatory and sensationalized way because sadly that’s the direction of entertainment these days.”
The limited docuseries, which started streaming on Friday, June 2, “expos[es] the truth beneath the wholesome Americana surface of reality tv’s favorite mega-family, The Duggars, and the radical organization behind them: The Institute in Basic Life Principles,” Amazon says in a synopsis. “As details of the family and their scandals unfold, we realize they’re part of an insidious, much larger threat already in motion, with democracy itself in peril.”
In their post, Jim Bob and Michelle added: “We have always believed that the best chance to repair damaged relationships, or to reconcile differences, is through love in a private setting. We love every member of our family and will continue to do all we can to have a good relationship with each one. Through both the triumphs and the trials, we have clung to our faith all the more and discovered that through the love and grace of Jesus, we find strength, comfort, and purpose.”
The couple’s daughter Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick Dillard, participated in the documentary, as did Deanna Jordan, Jim Bob’s sister, and Amy Duggar King, a niece of Jim Bob and Michelle.
And King responded to her aunt and uncle’s statement about the docuseries in a TikTok video on Friday, referencing their son Josh Duggar’s 2021 conviction for downloading and possession of child sex abuse images, as well as the couple’s 2015 reveal that Josh had molested four of his sisters.
“News flash: If you would have gotten Josh the real, true help that he needed a long time ago — actual therapy — you wouldn’t be in this mess. Those beautiful girls wouldn’t have so much to heal from,” King said in the video, showing a screenshot of Jim Bob and Michelle’s statement. “You are not a victim here. Stop playing the victim.”
King also told Entertainment Tonight that the Duggars’ statement is “gaslighting.”
“I felt like, in that moment, they could have been humble, and they could have said, ‘We’re sorry for the victims,’” she said. “They could have done that, but instead, they didn’t. They didn’t.”
She added: “That’s really, really sad that they’re still protecting a pedophile. It’s very sad. It doesn’t show any support for the actual victims, and that is what the documentary is all about.”
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, Now Streaming, Prime Video
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I watched the documentary and did watch some of the Duggar’s series. It is sad that the father pimped his family out and signed contracts with keeping all the money for the family. I get it the money supported the family but once they turned 18 left the home they were expected to continue filming he should have changed the contract with TLC to monetarily cut them in. Shame on TLC when they were aware Josh’s behavior and abuse towards his sisters knowing the parents hid this from authorities for years they should have ended their contract with the father and went direct to the girls that were asked by TLC and their father to film. The father controlled everything. And when Jill and her husband asked TLC if they would pay their out of pocket cost medical for their first born and were denied, TLC knew right then and there the Dad was getting all funds for the show and not cutting them in. Jill signed a contract (signature page was all she was shown) TLC should have severed the contract with the father. Shame on TLC.
The church and their teachings,…….mind blowing. I think churches that use parishioners donations to benefit building empires and large salaries going to pastors leaving little going towards helping and assisting parishioners should loose their non profit status.
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Institutionalized child psychological, physical, sexual abuse obscured behind a polite façade, yet in plain site.
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Wow.:: didn’t have these statements and “saying entertainment is derogatory and sensationalized these days” JB when you were making money entertaining on your show. you didn’t think so then.
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Wow! A group of 21 people, and a problem came up? That's just scandalous, and clearly a much larger conspiracy!
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So you Pork your little sisters too and have your family all cover for you?
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This must be a hard time for Jill, Jinger and anyone else that made the right decision to break away from the family. Obviously JB and Michelle Dugger are wrong for not defending the girls and covering things up. And, obviously the whole Bill Gothard/"Christian" movement is pretty disturbing and wrong. I would just hate to think it hurts the girls when they read comments slamming the parents. I'm sure they still love them, and that must be hard. But then again, I believe they made the right decision to stay away for a while. And they have God on their side.
That documentary was very well done and I learned so much from it. I really appreciated the people that told us their story. You could sense the pain in their voices and faces. Even the ones that were making jokes, which were so funny by the way, you could still sense the scars. Emily absolutely broke my heart. All of their stories were so incredible and touching. I wish there was some way to thank them for sharing their hearts with the public. It helped me deal with some past religious damage and I'm sure it will help others. Great documentary, sensitive yet informative.
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Both of these people
Should be in prison for life. They allowed little children to be sexually abused and did nothing but hide it. They are wicked people that do not deserve a space to say anything.
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Ok, maybe more like, yeah, there's a greater statistical probability that someone is going to do something dumb out of a group that size. Things happen in a family, everyone has their ability to choose, and it doesn't always go ideally. I, and more definitely them, who are closer to the situation, wish that it did not occur.
I don't know the whole Duggar story at all. But just from watching the trailer, I wouldn't say that a sibling out of 19 making poor decisions, indicates that there is a vast conspiracy that will be the downfall of democracy.
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