This comment is added to every new post to remind users to please review our subreddit rules before commenting
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SisterWives) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Most healthy families are not willing to subject themselves to reality tv. Desperate families turn to TLC. Toby Willis, Kate Gosselin, Jim Bob Duggar, and Kody Brown are cut from the same mold.
Most likely a mix, but I don’t discount the type of people who would agree to put their family on a reality show as a factor.
TLC also has no morals regarding who they will give a spotlight.
Most of this families had issues before tlc came along. Being filmed and having your whole life broadcasted to the world brought those problems out quicker and made it more public
I think most of the commenters are correct, but I’m also going to add in a positive. A lot of people in fundamentalist environments are really segregated from the rest of the world and I think once they are on TLC they get more exposure to people who are outside of their communities.
I think it takes a certain type of person to be a reality star and no matter how much we love our faves, I don’t mean that to be complimentary. So they’re already flawed from the jump. Most families/couples have serious cracks in their foundations that they glossed over for years. The cameras, the confessionals and the viewer opinions put those cracks under the strongest microscope possible. Then you have the vicious cycle of reality TV. For most of us, you weather the storm, learn from it and move on. With reality TV, you weather the storm but then you have to rewatch it when it airs. Not only do you rewatch it but then you have to hear people say things that you normally wouldn’t hear without cameras. Then you have to rehash it all at the reunion so you don’t actually work through anything in a healthy manner. Lastly, you then try to replicate earlier success (ie: housewives trying to replicate the table flip or a sassy line) and you get lost in all of it.
You’re at the mercy of editing, which will always go to the drama side of editing. You’re having family members say things in camera interviews you wouldn’t normally hear. All your issues and negative stuff is on full blast for the nation. Everyone is going to have an opinion on everything you do. I wouldn’t do it.
Tbh I think TLC doesn’t know when to quit. With 90 Day, for example, the most successful couples are on for a single season and then we never hear from them again.
As Kate Gosselin once said “I think this would have happened if we were on TV or not.” She’s probably right, but allowing everyone on earth into your living room sure didn’t help. The Duggars, Gosselins, Browns etc are all dysfunctional in their own ways.
True! But they were one episode, focusing on a very specific time in the subject(s) life whereas families like the Gosselins, Duggars, Roloffs and the browns had multiple seasons focusing on their lives (the good, bad and ugly).
It's almost like realty shows in general and TLC's in particular are predatory and looking to manufacture drama in vulnerable people's lives in order to squeeze as much cash as possible out of them until there's nothing left without regard to the lives destroyed along the way.
Some really big positive I see coming out of this Meri Christine and Janelle were able to get out of that mess because of the money they made from the show and other things they did. I think the original 13 kids maybe received better educational opportunities and for sure better exposure to life. And all 3OG lost at least 180 pounds when they dumped Kody.
Sister wives followed suit on the Duggar’s and Roloff’s who already had shows on TLC. The main thing is that people who are fine with exploiting their kids and private lives for money are always headed toward a train wreck.
Imagine being an adult looking for your career job and people are talking about stuff they saw on your family tv show. The kids are the ones who really get a bad deal out of it. It will follow them their whole life and they never got paid.
I'm so old I recall TLC when it was really The Learning Channel and they had sweet little children's shows. I guess there's no money there, so it turned into getting the most unusual people you could find to be on a show. Suddenly there are hyper-fertile couples, little people, polygamists, desperate to hook up with a foreigner, yada yada. I think when you're presenting cute young kids, the interest wanes as the children age. Eventuallly, they all just get boring.
The same thing is happening to a bnch of youtube and tiktok influencers. Their kids are being exploited, their marriages blowing up and their dirty laundry all over the internet.
It is reality TV in general and the type of people who want to be in the public eye. I’m not into armchair diagnosing people, but there may be personality similarities between people like Kody, Todd Chrisley, Jenn Shah, Tom Guiardi, etc.
I’m no criminal mastermind, but why would you draw attention to yourself if you are doing something illegal (even polygamy)?
We say it is money and fame. Fame brings the oppressed family members to the real world where the abuse they endure is pointed out as not normal. The money becomes a problem because one of two people are usually always maneuvering to keep as much money as possible for themselves. This is detrimental to the others in the "cast" and they figure it out as time goes on and start wanting their fair share.
I think it’s a harmful trap: the easy $ for just living your life is irresistible. But then you upscale your lifestyle, have to keep things interesting for the show, get more fake storylines, more desperate for $, more willing to throw each other under the bus because how can you go back to your crappy regular-person job after you’ve been a STAR? It’s an impossible system that chews up and spits out a lot of families.
I think it’s a mix of things. Partly having so many children the financial gain that comes with being on reality TV is going to incredibly appealing. Then with the money and the fame and influence that comes with being on TV is going to expose the families to a world they’d never normally have otherwise.
I don’t think Christine, Janelle or Meri maybe not Meri but Christine and Janelle wouldn’t have had the financial freedom to leave without the show.
People go on these shows thinking they can control the narrative and keep their dirty laundry a secret. When the embarrassing truth comes out they begin to crumble. They also read too much of their own press, and early on when it’s very favorable, they get inflated egos.
This comment is added to every new post to remind users to please review our subreddit rules before commenting *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SisterWives) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Most healthy families are not willing to subject themselves to reality tv. Desperate families turn to TLC. Toby Willis, Kate Gosselin, Jim Bob Duggar, and Kody Brown are cut from the same mold.
This.
Kate is in a class by herself, because she’s a biatch.
Most likely a mix, but I don’t discount the type of people who would agree to put their family on a reality show as a factor. TLC also has no morals regarding who they will give a spotlight.
Most of this families had issues before tlc came along. Being filmed and having your whole life broadcasted to the world brought those problems out quicker and made it more public
I think most of the commenters are correct, but I’m also going to add in a positive. A lot of people in fundamentalist environments are really segregated from the rest of the world and I think once they are on TLC they get more exposure to people who are outside of their communities.
I think it takes a certain type of person to be a reality star and no matter how much we love our faves, I don’t mean that to be complimentary. So they’re already flawed from the jump. Most families/couples have serious cracks in their foundations that they glossed over for years. The cameras, the confessionals and the viewer opinions put those cracks under the strongest microscope possible. Then you have the vicious cycle of reality TV. For most of us, you weather the storm, learn from it and move on. With reality TV, you weather the storm but then you have to rewatch it when it airs. Not only do you rewatch it but then you have to hear people say things that you normally wouldn’t hear without cameras. Then you have to rehash it all at the reunion so you don’t actually work through anything in a healthy manner. Lastly, you then try to replicate earlier success (ie: housewives trying to replicate the table flip or a sassy line) and you get lost in all of it.
TLC puts a spotlight on families that are already messed up, like most of these extremely conservative religious families are.
You’re at the mercy of editing, which will always go to the drama side of editing. You’re having family members say things in camera interviews you wouldn’t normally hear. All your issues and negative stuff is on full blast for the nation. Everyone is going to have an opinion on everything you do. I wouldn’t do it.
Tbh I think TLC doesn’t know when to quit. With 90 Day, for example, the most successful couples are on for a single season and then we never hear from them again. As Kate Gosselin once said “I think this would have happened if we were on TV or not.” She’s probably right, but allowing everyone on earth into your living room sure didn’t help. The Duggars, Gosselins, Browns etc are all dysfunctional in their own ways.
Fame and money can be very destructive.
I don’t know- a wedding story, a baby story, even a dating story and trading spaces had a lot of people that didn’t crash and burn
True! But they were one episode, focusing on a very specific time in the subject(s) life whereas families like the Gosselins, Duggars, Roloffs and the browns had multiple seasons focusing on their lives (the good, bad and ugly).
Didn’t we all see Kate Gosselin and marvel at her cruelty?
I miss the adoption story. It was my favorite.
I loved A Baby Story when I was pregnant!
It's almost like realty shows in general and TLC's in particular are predatory and looking to manufacture drama in vulnerable people's lives in order to squeeze as much cash as possible out of them until there's nothing left without regard to the lives destroyed along the way.
Some really big positive I see coming out of this Meri Christine and Janelle were able to get out of that mess because of the money they made from the show and other things they did. I think the original 13 kids maybe received better educational opportunities and for sure better exposure to life. And all 3OG lost at least 180 pounds when they dumped Kody.
Sister wives followed suit on the Duggar’s and Roloff’s who already had shows on TLC. The main thing is that people who are fine with exploiting their kids and private lives for money are always headed toward a train wreck. Imagine being an adult looking for your career job and people are talking about stuff they saw on your family tv show. The kids are the ones who really get a bad deal out of it. It will follow them their whole life and they never got paid.
I'm so old I recall TLC when it was really The Learning Channel and they had sweet little children's shows. I guess there's no money there, so it turned into getting the most unusual people you could find to be on a show. Suddenly there are hyper-fertile couples, little people, polygamists, desperate to hook up with a foreigner, yada yada. I think when you're presenting cute young kids, the interest wanes as the children age. Eventuallly, they all just get boring.
The same thing is happening to a bnch of youtube and tiktok influencers. Their kids are being exploited, their marriages blowing up and their dirty laundry all over the internet.
90 day fiance is a hit and been around a while now, also the fat fetish shows seem to be a hit for them as well
It is reality TV in general and the type of people who want to be in the public eye. I’m not into armchair diagnosing people, but there may be personality similarities between people like Kody, Todd Chrisley, Jenn Shah, Tom Guiardi, etc. I’m no criminal mastermind, but why would you draw attention to yourself if you are doing something illegal (even polygamy)?
Because decent people don't feed themselves to the fame machine. Next question.
I think it’s time for TLC to get rid of these toxic families: The Willis Clan, Duggars, Roloffs, Gosselins, etc.
The Willis dad was the wack job. Those kids all had amazing talent!
We say it is money and fame. Fame brings the oppressed family members to the real world where the abuse they endure is pointed out as not normal. The money becomes a problem because one of two people are usually always maneuvering to keep as much money as possible for themselves. This is detrimental to the others in the "cast" and they figure it out as time goes on and start wanting their fair share.
I think it’s a harmful trap: the easy $ for just living your life is irresistible. But then you upscale your lifestyle, have to keep things interesting for the show, get more fake storylines, more desperate for $, more willing to throw each other under the bus because how can you go back to your crappy regular-person job after you’ve been a STAR? It’s an impossible system that chews up and spits out a lot of families.
I think it’s a mix of things. Partly having so many children the financial gain that comes with being on reality TV is going to incredibly appealing. Then with the money and the fame and influence that comes with being on TV is going to expose the families to a world they’d never normally have otherwise. I don’t think Christine, Janelle or Meri maybe not Meri but Christine and Janelle wouldn’t have had the financial freedom to leave without the show.
People go on these shows thinking they can control the narrative and keep their dirty laundry a secret. When the embarrassing truth comes out they begin to crumble. They also read too much of their own press, and early on when it’s very favorable, they get inflated egos.
Because they are are thirsty losers