News Digest

Analysis: Josh Duggar, molestation and the hypocrisy of reality TV

TLC has pulled “19 Kids and Counting” from its schedule in the wake of star Josh Duggar’s admission that he molested several underage girls 12 years ago, including his sisters. TLC refused to comment on the incident Thursday, but the network sparked outrage later that evening when it ran a “19 Kids and Counting” marathon. As of early Friday, the show had been scheduled to air on the morning of May 27, but it has since been taken off the schedule. News of Duggar’s past indiscretions leaked Thursday, and the 27-year-old, who is now married with three children, immediately issued a statement apologizing for his actions.

Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret.

Josh Duggar

This is the recurring problem with reality TV: The very source of its appeal — this isn’t fiction; it’s real life, true and unscripted! — is what makes it more vulnerable when confronted with scandal, writes Yahoo TV critic-at-large Ken Tucker. When an actor in a scripted TV show is accused of a crime, that becomes something in his personal life that may or may not affect how the public views the character that actor portrays. But in a show like “19 Kids and Counting,” the real people are the characters, and vice versa. How does one look at Josh now, and not wonder about his actions? How does one look at the cheery faces of Jim Bob and Michelle and not think about the degree of their complicity in keeping this “storyline” — for that’s what all real events become in this TV genre — suppressed?

He said that if he had ‘continued down this wrong road I would end up ruining my life.’ Gee, no kidding — to say nothing of the lives of your alleged victims, pal.

Yahoo TV critic-at-large Ken Tucker