Several TLC Kids Blow Lid Of Their Salary Manipulations By Show
TLC has released many reality shows about ultra-conservative families over the years. One of them is about Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children, 19 Kids & Counting and Counting On. It features how they raised their children and how some of them eventually got married. Sister Wives is also another reality show that features a huge family due to Kody Brown and his four wives. However, some kids from the same reality shows, as well as from Little People Big World and Jon & Kate Plus 8, have opened up about how their pay was manipulated by their parents. Keep reading to see their shocking statements.
Counting On: Jill Duggar Has Been Open About Jim Bob’s TLC Antics
Jill has been open about how she was never paid rightfully by her father, Jim Bob, during the show. The Counting On alum began to speak out after estranging herself from her parents. According to Jill, she was never paid despite being on the show for many years. She claimed that they were manipulated into thinking that they had always been benefiting from the show due to the trips they were taking.
She added that being able to buy frozen pizzas made them feel that the show greatly impacted their financial status. Jill also believes that the family earned over $8 million from the show. She and Derick later took legal steps to take their supposed earnings from the show, eventually getting $175,000 from Jim Bob.
Gwendlyn From Sister Wives Shares How Everything Goes To The Parents
Aside from Jill, Gwendlyn Brown from Sister Wives has also opened up about how they barely benefited from the reality show. According to Gwendlyn, TLC only paid her parents, but she admits that the show helped them get out of poverty. She wasn’t aware if TLC knew whether Kody and his wives would pay their children, but she assures fans that the children were never paid.
But Gwendlyn said that her mother, Christine, later provided them with some pay, but she believes it wasn’t enough to compensate for all the time and freedom they sacrificed for the show.
Jeremy Roloff & Hannah Gosselin Have Spoken Up About TLC Pay
Jeremy Roloff from Little People, Big World has also spoken up about never getting a proper paycheck from the show. During a 2023 Q&A, he revealed that he never got “royalties” from the show, adding that their last paycheck was six years ago. Jacob’s wife, Isabel, also claimed that TLC would never pay kids for reruns.
Jon & Kate Plus 8 was also a hit TLC show back in 2007-2009. The Gosselin kids played a significant role in why the child labor laws in Pennsylvania were changed. This resulted in Hannah Gosselin being able to fund her college. Jon Gosselin has also been transparent about how his kids made enough in terms of compensation from the show.