Former Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star June Shannon (aka Mama June) is hopping mad at TLC this morning and she’s about to lawyer up. June is furious that the network hasn’t pulled the plug on 19 Kids and Counting now that Josh Duggar has admitted to molesting several young girls when he was a teenager, a few even allegedly his own sisters.
If you’ll recall, TLC canceled the Boo Boo clan almost immediately after rumors started swirling that June was dating her former flame Mark McDaniel, who had molested her oldest daughter, Anna “Chickadee” Caldwell, when she was just eight years old. The camera crew packed up and headed out of dodge in a hurry, but the same isn’t happening for the Duggar family and June is furious. TLC had even threatened to sue June if she shopped around a spin-off show!
June tells TMZ that if TLC doesn’t can the Duggar crew, she’s hiring a lawyer and suing for the way things were handled with her show and for costing her family hundreds of thousands of dollars. June tells TMZ there is no way TLC can justify keeping 19 Kids on the air since it took them only a few hours to cancel her show after just some photos of her hanging out Mark had surfaced. She told TMZ that Mark wasn’t even a cast member on her show and here is Josh, a featured family member on 19 Kids. She added, “I read that the Duggar family said, this happening with their son brought them closer to God and each other. So they’re saying it’s ok to have family touch time? Hell no.”
If you missed the Duggar family statements yesterday, here they are in full.
From Jim Bob and Michelle: “Back 12 years ago our family went through one of the most difficult times of our lives. When Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before. Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God. We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family. We have challenges and struggles everyday. It is one of the reasons we treasure our faith so much because God’s kindness and goodness and forgiveness are extended to us — even though we are so undeserving. We hope somehow the story of our journey — the good times and the difficult times — cause you to see the kindness of God and learn that He can bring you through anything.”
From Josh: “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life. I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life. I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions. In my life today, I am so very thankful for God’s grace, mercy and redemption.”
From Josh’s wife Anna: “I can imagine the shock many of you are going through reading this. I remember feeling that same shock. It was not at the point of engagement, or after we were married – it was two years before Josh asked me to marry him. When my family and I first visited the Duggar Home, Josh shared his past teenage mistakes. I was surprised at his openness and humility and at the same time didn’t know why he was sharing it. For Josh he wanted not just me but my parents to know who he really was — even every difficult past mistakes. At that point and over the next two years, Josh shared how the counseling he received changed his life as he continued to do what he was taught. And when you, our sweet fans, first met me when Josh asked me to marry him… I was able to say, “Yes” knowing who Josh really is – someone who had gone down a wrong path and had humbled himself before God and those whom he had offended. Someone who had received the help needed to change the direction of his life and do what is right. I want to say thank you to those who took time over a decade ago to help Josh in a time of crisis. Your investment changed his life from going down the wrong path to doing what is right. If it weren’t for your help I would not be here as his wife — celebrating 6 1/2 years of marriage to a man who knows how to be a gentleman and treat a girl right. Thank you to all of you who tirelessly work with children in crisis, you are changing lives and I am forever grateful for all of you.”
I do think TLC is in a place where they need to stand firm in their original stance on such things and cancel the show, just like they did for HCHBB. Maybe give Jessa and Jill their own spinoff shows because I don’t think they all should be punished for the actions of one family member and there’s obviously a huge fan following for the girls.
TELL US – SHOULD TLC CANCEL 19 KIDS AND COUNTING? SHOULD JESSA AND JILL GET SPINOFFS? WILL YOU KEEP WATCHING THE SHOW?
Photo Credit: Wenn.com and TLC
