The Duggars Were Very Different Before Being Discovered By TLC
Published -
- January 1, 2019
- 2:00 pm
Thanks to reality TV, the Duggars are now a household name, but what’s known about the ever-expanding brood before TLC came knocking?
From a failed political career, to the origins of those dating and dress code rules, we uncover it all with what the Duggars’ lives were like before the fame.
Matching fashion | 0:15
Teeny-tiny home | 1:14
They weren’t jet setters | 2:04
No-play dating | 2:49
More hustle | 3:47
Tater-tot casseroles | 4:27
What controversies arose around the Duggars’ reality show “19 Kids and Counting”, and how did they respond?
The Duggars, a conservative Christian family from Arkansas, gained notoriety when they were discovered by TLC and featured on the reality show “19 Kids and Counting.” But before they became reality stars, they lived a very different life.
In the early 1990s, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were just a regular couple with two children. They were living a typical American life, with Jim Bob working as a real estate agent and Michelle as a homemaker. However, they were both devout Christians who believed in following the Bible literally.
In 1990, Michelle suffered a miscarriage and was advised by her doctor to use birth control. However, the couple believed that using birth control was a sin, and instead turned to the Quiverfull movement, which promotes having as many children as possible to fulfill God’s will.
The Duggars went on to have 19 children over the course of 21 years. They home-schooled their children and lived frugally, with Jim Bob even quitting his job to serve in the Arkansas House of Representatives as a conservative Republican.
It wasn’t until 2004 that the Duggars first appeared on television, in a documentary for the Discovery Health Channel called “14 Children and Pregnant Again!” The special was a hit, and the Duggars were offered their own reality show on TLC, which premiered in 2008.
“19 Kids and Counting” followed the Duggars as they went about their daily lives, showcasing their conservative Christian beliefs and emphasizing their large family. However, the show also attracted controversy, with some viewers criticizing the Duggars for their beliefs on gender roles and their treatment of their daughters.
In 2015, the show was canceled following the revelation that Josh Duggar, the oldest son, had molested four of his sisters and another girl when he was a teenager. The Duggars released a statement expressing their remorse for Josh’s actions, and the family largely disappeared from the public eye.
Today, the Duggars continue to live in Arkansas and remain active in their church community. They have started their own businesses, including a real estate agency and a used car lot, and some of the older children have married and started families of their own.
The Duggars’ story is a reminder that reality TV can provide a distorted view of people’s lives, and that even families who seem perfect on screen can have flaws and struggles. While the Duggars may have become household names thanks to their reality show, it’s important to remember that they were living a very different life before being discovered by TLC.
