Jim Bob, Michelle, and the Duggar family, stars of the hit TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” are back in the spotlight thanks to the new docuseries “Shiny Happy People.”
The four-part limited series discusses the family’s rise to fame and fall from stardom after allegations surfaced in 2015 that the eldest Duggar son, Josh, molested five young girls when he was 12. He later admitted to molesting a babysitter and four of his younger sisters. The show, which ran for 10 seasons starting in 2008, was ultimately canceled.
Josh was convicted on federal charges of possessing child pornography and sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison in 2021. “Shiny Happy People” also explores the extreme views and practices of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), a controversial religious organization founded by now-disgraced minister Bill Gothard.
Jim Bob and Michelle are longtime members of IBLP, and the docuseries shines a light on the organization’s influence over them. The series, now available on Amazon Prime, includes interviews with Amy Duggar King and her husband, Dillion King, Jill Duggar Dillard and her husband, Derick Dillard, and JimBob’s sister, Deanna Jordan.
Jim Bob and Michelle recently responded to the docuseries in a statement on their website. It reads, “The recent ‘documentary’ that talks about our family is sad because, in it, we see the media and those with ill intentions hurting people we love. Like other families, ours, too, has experienced the joys and heartbreaks of life, just in a very public format. This ‘documentary’ paints so much and so many in a derogatory and sensationalized way because, sadly, that’s the direction of entertainment these days.”
The statement continued, “We have always believed that the best chance to repair damaged relationships or to reconcile differences is through love in a private setting. We love every family member and will continue to do all we can to have a good relationship with each one. Through both the triumphs and the trials, we have clung to our faith all the more and discovered that through the love and grace of Jesus, we find strength, comfort, and purpose.”
“Shiny Happy People” delved deep into the conservative Christian fundamentalist teachings of IBLP. The series featured interviews with former members who described how the organization’s practices led to alleged abusive behavior within the community. In 2014, Gothard resigned from the ministry after being accused of sexual harassment and molestation by 34 women. Some of the accusers alleged that the sexual abuse occurred as minors. A group of Gothard’s alleged victims brought a lawsuit against him and IBLP in 2016, but it was dismissed in 2018 since the statute of limitations had expired.
Jim Bob’s niece, Amy Duggar King, said Jim Bob and Michelle essentially became the public faces of IBLP due to the success and platform of “19 Kids and Counting.” She said, “With all the babies and the popularity of the show, they literally became the poster child for IBLP.”
Earlier this year, another of the Duggar children, Jinger Duggar Vuolo, 29, shared her experience with her religious upbringing and the controversial teachings of the IBLP in her book, Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear. “Shiny Happy People” is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime.