Jill Duggar blasts her father, Jim Bob Duggar, in her new book, Counting the Cost, saying he treated her convicted sex offender sibling Josh Duggar better than she did.
In the memoir, due to be published on Tuesday, Jill, 32, detailed her argument with her 58-year-old father, telling him: “You treat me worse than you treated my pedophile brother.”
Jill said the comment came when she and her husband Derick Dillard, 34, confronted Jim Bob over money because they felt they weren’t being paid for their contributions to the family’s one-off TLC hit, 19 Kids and Counting to be compensated.
Josh, 35, who previously abused Jill and four other girls, is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence in connection with his 2021 conviction for downloading and possessing child sexual abuse images.
She shared excerpts from her memoir with People about the incident in which she made a harsh comment to her father.
The Latest: Jill Duggar, 32, pictured with husband Derick Dillard, 34, excoriates her father Jim Bob Duggar, 58, in her new book “Counting the Cost,” saying he betters her convicted sex offender sibling Josh Duggar, 35 treated her like he did
Josh is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence in connection with his 2021 conviction for downloading and possessing child sexual abuse images
In a statement to the medium, Jim Bob and his wife Michelle Duggar said they were reluctant to continue the family discussion publicly.
“We love all of our children very much,” they said. “As with any family, few things are more painful than conflict or problems between those you love.”
“We do not believe that the best way to resolve conflict, facilitate forgiveness and reconciliation, or communicate through difficulties is through the media or a public forum, so we will not comment.”
Jill said a mediator was present when she and her spouse met with Jim Bob and Michele about the issue.
In her memoirs, she said she told them: “Some very hurtful things happened and that’s why we wanted to sort it all out.” To have a good discussion together.
“We love you all and I know we all hope to be able to restore family relationships soon.”
She said her father’s “body language” changed during the meeting.
“He sat very still, his lips pressed together, his eyes closed with a scowl that was set in stone,” Jill said in her memoirs.
Jill said her mother called a letter she sent them about financial problems “the most disrespectful thing she had ever read.”
Jill said she could tell that Jim Bob “wasn’t listening” to her and “had his own list of things he wanted to talk about.”
Jill said the comment came when she confronted Jim Bob about money as they felt they weren’t being adequately compensated for their contributions to the family’s one-off TLC hit, 19 Kids and Counting
In her book, the star revealed that the Duggars were paid $18 million over the course of their 21 seasons on television, but according to Jill, she and her siblings didn’t receive a cent of it during their time on the show
She said he told her, “You texted me, Jill.” They said I verbally abused you. That offended me too. Deep in your heart you know this isn’t right. Are you going to apologize for that?’
Jill continued: “Pops must have sensed what I was thinking because he suddenly stood up” and told her: “You’re not going to apologize?” Really?
“His voice was loud and had an edge to it that I had rarely heard.”
Jill said her father took a step toward her “in an act of aggression.”
She continued, “He towered over me, his whole body full of anger.” My face turned red. My eyes filled with tears.’
Jill said he told her, “You know why you’re crying, don’t you?” Your conscience speaks to you. For this reason.’
Jill said that Jim Bob’s “words were like punches” as he reprimanded her: “You’re guilty!” while “poking his finger at her” and “standing right over her.”
She said she replied to him: “Do you want to know why I’m crying?” “You think I’m a terrible person just because I wear pants and have a nose ring, and yet you see that girl outside and praise her.”
Jill added, “That’s why I cry, Daddy.” I’m evolving and changing, just like that girl out there, but you can’t see it. You treat me like I’m a lost person who has turned her back on you. “You treat me worse than you treated my pedophile brother.”
Jill Duggar has opened up about how her appearance on reality shows almost destroyed her marriage to husband Derick Dillard
The 32-year-old, who rose to fame on 19 Kids and Counting as well as its spin-off Counting On, has spoken openly about the toll filming took on her relationship
In the book, Jill candidly reveals how her appearance on TLC’s infamous reality shows almost destroyed her marriage to husband Derick Dillard.
Jill, who rose to fame on 19 Kids and Counting as well as spin-off Counting On, has spoken openly about the toll filming took on her relationship.
She admitted she feared being on camera all the time would “tear them apart” – especially after the couple tied the knot in 2014.
This came after the Duggar family’s dirty laundry was aired in a documentary about their sensational crash.
Jill and Derick said they often felt obligated to make 20 hours available each week for filming. The mother of three recently told People magazine, “It’s caused a lot of frustration in our marriage.”
“Especially in the beginning where he had a certain attitude while filming. I would say: “I hear you, I feel you, I don’t want to do what they ask us either. But we have to do it.”
Their memoir, Counting The Cost, due out next week, also says that “it felt like a burden” – and that after they got married, they were instead desperate to step away from the cameras and have a life of their own to start.
Still, Jill’s desire to please her parents—which was consistent with the religious teachings of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP)—only added to the constant pressure.
Speaking about how she and Derick regularly fought over the show, she told the publication, “There was definitely a fight between us.”
Her memoir, titled “Counting The Cost,” which will be published next week, also states that “it started to feel like a burden.”
Jill also claimed that father Jim Bob (seen with wife Michelle) added fuel to the fire by “weaponizing” their relationship and trying to drive a wedge between them
Speaking about the strict religious rules that governed her life, she admitted that they gradually came between her and her spouse because her faith gave her parents almost complete control over her every decision.
“No matter how old you are, you must obey your parents’ wishes and even ask for their blessings for every important moment in your life,” she said. “That could be buying a house, moving to another state to go to school.”
“We dealt with this a lot when we were trying to make decisions for our family and we really wrestled back and forth with it.”
She also claimed that father Jim Bob added fuel to the fire by “weaponizing” the family’s faith and trying to drive a wedge between them.
Jill concluded, “When I saw the impact it had on our marriage, I think that was another wake-up call for me.”
“It was like, ‘Okay, we either have to fight this fight together or it will tear us apart.’ So we had to join forces.”
In an Instagram post in May, Jill promised to reveal dirty secrets about her family in her book, saying that she and Derick would reveal the “secrets and lies” they fell into during the Duggars’ long reign as reality’s biggest dynasty -TV were inaugurated.
Derick, 34, will serve as co-author and the memoir will detail the couple’s “painful journey” filming the hit reality TV show Counting On.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Jill has spoken about her upbringing as part of the Duggar family.
She broke her silence in Amazon Prime’s explosive documentary Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, which chronicled the family’s sensational fall from grace.
In it, the star revealed that the Duggars were paid $18 million over the course of their 21 seasons on television, but according to Jill, she and her siblings didn’t receive a cent of it during their time on the show.
Instead, she claimed it all went into her father’s pocket.
Jill broke her silence in Amazon Prime’s explosive documentary Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, which chronicled the family’s sensational fall from grace
She claimed that her father tricked her into signing a contract that forced her to continue filming against her will and that she was left with no choice but to videotape her son’s birth, despite what she told the production team to do that she doesn’t feel comfortable with it.
Jill explained that she was asked to sign a contract the day before she married Derick, but said she was never shown the full contract, only the “signature page.”
She also broke down in tears as she revealed the extreme measures Jim Bob took to cover up brother Josh’s crimes.
In 2015, an explosive report surfaced online claiming that Josh, now 35, had admitted to molesting four of his siblings years ago and his own parents, Jim Bob, now 58, and Michelle Duggar, now 56, would have known about it, failed to report the abuse – it completely destroyed the wholesome on-screen image that the family had worked so hard to create over the course of their numerous TLC reality shows.
Derick, 34, will serve as co-author and the memoir will detail the couple’s “painful journey” filming the hit reality TV show Counting On
According to Jill, when news of Josh’s alleged abuse broke in 2015, her father’s main focus was protecting the family’s squeaky clean reputation – rather than the victims.
She recalled the “urgency” of figuring out how the show could continue after the scandal.
Following the release of “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets,” Michelle and Jim Bob released a statement saying, “The recent documentary talking about our family is sad because we see in it how the media and those hurting people we love with evil intentions.”
“Like other families, ours has experienced the joys and heartaches of life, just in a very public way.”
“This documentary portrays so many things in a derogatory and sensationalist way, because unfortunately that is the direction of entertainment these days.”