In an attempt to squelch rumors that they already had their baby, Joy-Anna Duggar and husband Austin Forsyth of "Counting On" posted video and pictures of her pregnant belly on Instagram. Far from allaying unwed pregnancy gossip, the images only made folks more sure that Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of Reality TV's "19 Kids and Counting" are expecting their first out-of-wedlock grandchild.
Joy Duggar's Instagram wins and fails
Joy and Austin shared pictures of their new home on social media and the reception wasn't all they could have wanted. Many were underwhelmed by the reality television star's "tiny" and "messy" home.
Others faulted the critics. Duggar Family patriarch and matriarch Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar made an empire off gospel frugality in "19 Kids and Counting." In "Counting On" many feel that the Duggars live beyond their means. Supporters were glad to see younger Celebrities getting back to basics.
Duggar barefoot but not pregnant?
Some folks are so determined to prove "19 Kids and Counting" Joy was an unwed teen mom, that they won't accept the pregnancy video as genuine. Facebook and Twitter commenters thought the celebrity may have had the baby and posted older pictures to lend verisimilitude to claims made on "Counting On" of a March due date. They point to Joy-Anna's skimpy summer clothes and bare feet in a frigid Arkansas January.
It looks too warm to be winter, as well.
Duggar mystery solved?
Inappropriately dressing for weather isn't the only clue in the Forsyth baby saga. There was the cuddly co-ed bachelorette/bachelor party campout which contrasted the Duggars' famous "19 Kids and Counting" no-touch courtship rules. Then the "Counting On" wedding was bumped up a few months and the reality TV couple announced they got pregnant on honeymoon.
Joy's baby bump which has always looked farther along and an Amazon baby registry in her name lists Feb. 22 as the due date. Joy apparently admitted to Jinger Duggar and husband Jeremy Vuolo that the babies are farther apart.
So what if a Duggar is pregnant out-of-wedlock?
Folks have been preached at from the pulpit of "Counting On." They've heard Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard, Ben and Jessa Seewald toot their own modesty horns.
They watched the Duggars hide their heads when Josh Duggar took out "19 Kids and Counting" with pedophilia, Ashley Madison, adultery and obscenity issues. They saw the girls sue police over Josh's sexual molestation of them. So throw the conspiracy theorists a bone--a pregnancy scandal in the hyper-moral Duggar family is too much schadenfreude to resist.