The clan of Reality TV's "Counting On" just opened another can of worms, and fans are furious. Newlyweds Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth and Austin Forsyth used their new Facebook page to announce the wedding of "19 Kids and Counting" sibling Joseph Duggar and his fiance Kendra Caldwell.
What's so bad about that? Nothing, until they advertised the couple's Amazon registry. Folks saw this as cadging wedding gifts from uninvited fans. Are Joe and Kendra as poorly off as Josh Duggar claims to be?
Joy Duggar panhandles for brother?
So the "Counting On" star didn't start a GoFundMe exactly, but critics saw her Instagram post as fundraising, nonetheless.
The couple was just recently welcomed to social media by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar with the creation of their Facebook page. They were quick to link their Instagram gift registry. So perhaps the "19 Kids and Counting"
They were quick to link their Instagram gift registry. So perhaps the "19 Kids and Counting" celebrities don't know social media protocol about socializing vs. spamming? And Duggar has learned at the masters' knees how to turn a profit online.
Duggar family leverages social media grift machine
Joy-Anna Forsyth can be forgiven for assuming that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., are simply tools to solicit funds. Her family has been leveraging social media for years. Following the Josh Duggar incest and pedophilia scandal and the demise of their first reality television show "19 Kids and Counting," the Duggars took to begging on Youtube.
They tried to sell T-shirts and after failing at that, views of their family videos. Even loyal fans called out Jill Duggar Dillard and Derick Dillard for panhandling for their "mission trip." Followers of "Counting On" said it turned out to be more trip than mission.
What upsets folks most about Duggars' begging?
It's that this family has already profited so handsomely.
In 2009, it was estimated that the Duggar family netted $40,000 per episode of "18 Kids" then "19 Kids and Counting." That will have gone up with inflation and Josh Duggar's sex scandal.
Immediately after TLC unplugged "19 Kids" it came out with "Jill & Jessa: Counting On" ostensibly to follow the lives of Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald and courtships/weddings of Joy-Anna and Jinger Duggar, etc.
But it was sex that sold folks because they're drawn to scandal like moths to a flame. Viewers also wondered why Joe Duggar would need gifts after his highly publicized 1,000-plus guest wedding.
Duggars dine off scandal
The Duggars have been faulted for decrying, denying, blaming, and finally exploiting Josh's sex scandal. Their popularity has trebled since their son's adultery and incest admissions. And predictably, TLC will very likely feature Josh and Anna Duggar in "Counting On" again ostensibly to follow their new baby but really to capitalize on the ratings.
The eldest Duggar was broke after losing his reality TV income and reputation. Jim Bob Duggar maneuvered him back on the show because what the Duggars want, the Duggars get.
