’19 Kids And Counting’: Duggars Could Be Out, Show About Transgender Girl Is Definitely In
19 Kids and Counting fans have good reason to be concerned about the future of the Duggar family’s TV career, and Michelle Duggar might not be a fan of one of the new shows coming to TLC.
Even though 19 Kids and Counting is TLC’s highest-rated show, the network hasn’t been suffering in its absence. In fact, Radar Online reports that TLC actually saw a jump in ratings after reruns of 19 Kids and Counting were removed from its schedule. The series was pulled after Josh Duggar’s sexual molestation admission caused a huge outrage. The oldest Duggar son admitted to molesting four of his sisters and a babysitter, and his parents revealed that they didn’t contact the proper authorities after he first confessed that he was sexually abusing his siblings.
As Radar Online points out, 19 Kids and Counting has broken many viewership records for TLC. However, due to the unearthing of the Duggars’ dirty little secret, the network has been reluctant to announce whether the show return for another season. The Inquisitr previously reported that no news might be good news for the Duggars, but if TLC is actually doing better without 19 Kids, it’s possible that network execs will opt to pull the plug on the show to avoid causing any further controversy.
According to ET Online, more than 19 advertisers have vowed to cut their ads from the show if it does return for a second season. This exodus of advertisers will also play a part in whether TLC decides to keep the Duggar family on TV.
TLC already has a potential replacement for the Duggars in the Willis family, another super-sized Christian clan. ET Online recently pointed out that the 12 Willis children might attract the same demographic of viewers who enjoyed watching 19 Kids and Counting. However, the Willis parents are a lot more lenient than Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar — their daughters don’t have to wear skirts that cover their knees, and Willis kids are allowed to date like normal teens. The Duggar children follow strict courtship rules that include chaperones, monitored text messages and phone calls, and no kissing until marriage.
Michelle Duggar might be upset if she gets replaced as TLC’s top baby-maker, but there’s an upcoming TLC show that will likely irritate her more than The Willis Family. According to People, the network will soon be airing a show about a transgender teen named Jazz Jennings. As the Inquisitr previously reported, Michelle Duggar isn’t the biggest fan of transgender people — she once compared them to pedophiles.
From the sounds of it, Jazz Jennings’ show will have a positive vibe, just like 19 Kids and Counting. However, Jazz’s message probably isn’t one that Michelle and her family would agree with — the Duggars definitely don’t think that it’s okay to be transgender.
“I tell [other transgender kids] to always stay strong and be your authentic self, and to keep moving forward because if you have a positive attitude things will get better,” Jazz told People.
Her show is titled I am Jazz, and it will premiere on July 15.
Do you think a show like I am Jazz could ever be as popular as 19 Kids and Counting? And do you think that TLC will ditch the Duggars’ show now that network execs know that they can do just fine without it?
[Image credit: TLC]
