“Duck Dynasty” cast members have been invited to the Alaska State Fair but apparently the news isn’t being received well. According to TMZ , there is already a boycott underway. Basically, The Robertsons were invited to speak in a “town hall” forum according to the report but given that some of their beliefs have been criticized in the past (like Phil’s thoughts about homosexuality), some people are not interested. Moreover, some people just don’t want The Robertsons bringing their circus to their fair.
People who have decided to boycott are hoping that fair officials will retract their offer to The Robertsons. If that doesn’t happen, some are planning on “disrupting” the fair in one way or another.
For now, the “Duck Dynasty” appearance is still on and “won’t be canceled” according to State Fair officials — but that doesn’t mean that the boycott is going to stop. Even still, the decision to have The Robertsons speak has been defended because Alaskans value family as a “core value” and State Fair officials believe that The Robertsons do as well. This is the reason that the reality television stars were invited in the first place and this could be the very reason that their appearance goes off without a hitch. Some people in Alaska actually want to see The Robertsons.
According to ABC News , Phil Robertson (perhaps the most controversial member of the family) is scheduled to attend. The Robertsons’ Alaska State Fair appearance is slated for Aug. 30, which gives opponents plenty of time to figure something out — but many feel that the hype will die down over the next couple of months.
Alaska State Fair marketing director Dean Phipps previously explained:
“Us having them at the fair is not an endorsement of [their] opinions. But it’s a reflection of the popularity of the show with a lot of Alaskans who would want us to have them here.”
“ Duck Dynasty ” has been extremely successful and The Robertsons have enjoyed their time being “famous.” However, a previous report by Inquisitr.com points out that the show has been struggling to keep their ratings alive. The program went from breaking records to losing viewership and it all seemed to happen after the major Phil Robertson controversy back in 2013. There is still a lot of controversy surrounding the show and that has turned many people off.
Do you think having the cast speak at the Alaska State Fair is a good thing?
The new season of “Duck Dynasty” will air this summer on A&E… will you be tuning in?
[Photo credit: Willie Robertson / Twitter]