Family pariah Josh Duggar was never supposed to be shown on Counting On this season, but some fans think it’s already been done.
It’s unclear if TLC actually vowed to never include Josh in the show again, or made more vague promises to that effect, but in any case?
Let’s just say he’s still persona non grata to fans …
Obviously, as a father of four who went to rehab and returned to his native Arkansas, it’s understandable that he spends time with his family.
His wife took him back despite being a child molesting, adulterous, porn addict hypocrite, and he’s back in the Duggars’ good graces.
Or at least tolerated.
Thus, while some people obviously cringed at the photo of Josh Duggar at Thanksgiving with his family, it was pretty harmless in the end.
When Jinger Duggar married Jeremy Vuolo, however, the cameras were rolling and fans of the reality TV show were glad he was edited out.
Or was he?
This past Sunday, three weeks after the wedding, a fan page noted that if you watch Counting On online, you might see Joshua himself.
Maybe. He wasn’t front and center, to be sure.
The Pickles and Hairspray Facebook page, which has followed the Duggars over the years, and through thick and thin, analyzed the wedding.
We’re talking like Zapruder Film-style analysis.
With Jinger’s father Jim Bob Duggar standing next to groom Jeremy Vuolo, you can see one of her nephews behind them … and a man.
Writes the Duggar fan page in its recap:
“And Josh hides behind Marcus. Seriously, Marcus is standing on Josh’s lap at one point to completely block him from being seen on camera.”
“What a life that guy has now.”
If Josh is actually hiding behind his child, deliberately or otherwise, can we really say he’s “appearing” on the show? And does it matter?
Is TLC trying to get away with sneaking Josh Duggar, whose actions are the reason their previous show was canceled, back on the air?
We know Josh was so happy with Anna at Jinger’s wedding, or so we were told by multiple media reports, and he was seen at the event.
As far as his presence on TV is concerned, however, it was believed that the 28-year-old was still sidelined … and for the most part still is.
The Duggar Family Blog and TLC both basically said earlier this year that there were no plans for Josh to be part of any future programming.
However, other sources claim it was stated he would not “appear on Counting On in any formal capacity.” If that’s true, based on this photo?
It’s hard to say TLC broke any promises.
The moral question of whether Josh should be back on TV is a subjective one, but if there’s a Duggar family event at all, he’ll be there.
The Anna and Josh divorce rumors are bogus, people.
It’s not happening. Even if we think it should, it’s not. They are very clearly back together and (at least on the surface) happier than ever.
His presence in online photos implicitly confirms this.
Yes, the family treads carefully when it comes to their disgraced first-born. But if he were truly an outcast, we would’ve known it by now.
In the past week, he has shown up at Thanksgiving (above), both with the Duggar family and his in-laws (below), and on social media.
If a small glimpse of Josh Duggar really was included deliberately, and whether he will be similarly included further in future episodes?
We cannot say with any certainty. No one can.
All we can say is that when Season 3 of Counting On premieres in January 2017, it should be very interesting to see the direction TLC takes.
A glimpse of part of his jaw and hairline hiding behind a little boy are one thing. Producers and editors truly might not have realized this.
But if he’s included in any sort of real air time, or story line, we may quickly find out if Duggar Nation is as quick to forgive him as Anna.
Stay tuned.
