Two years after Derick Dillard first claimed that he and wife Jill were never paid to appear on Counting On, the couple has revealed they took legal action to recover some of their earnings.
Those familiar with the Duggar family most likely recall Derick claiming in 2018 that he and Jill were not compensated for their involvement in ‘Counting On,’ nor its predecessor, 19 Kids and Counting. At the time, Derick suggested his father-in-law, Jim Bob Duggar, was keeping the profits from the family’s show and not sharing them with his adult children and their spouses – a claim Derick maintains to this day.
During a recent Q&A video posted to their YouTube channel, Jill and Derick discussed the controversial ‘Counting On’ earnings, or lack thereof, after being asked how they were “surviving financially” with Derick currently attending law school.
Jill and Derick ran through some of the ways they are supplementing their income and making ends meet – monetized YouTube channel, blogging, social media advertising, academic scholarships, to name a few – however, their response eventually led them to reveal they have also recovered some of the income Jill earned from her family’s TLC shows. (And no, it didn’t happen because Jim Bob suddenly decided it was time to loosen the purse strings.)
“So also, up until around the time we left [‘Counting On,’] we hadn’t been paid for anything,” Jill stated in the video. “Of course there were perks that came along with filming you know, if you were traveling or whatever, they might cover those expenses and stuff and we were grateful for those but yeah, we hadn’t been paid until we were like, really pressing about it and ended up getting an attorney involved and stuff.”
Derick said once he and Jill got an attorney involved, they “were able to recover a portion, at least, of what Jill should have been paid.”
“Even if in the end it probably ended up being a little bit more than minimum wage at most, we were able to recover at least something,” he added.
(The couple did not comment on whether they were able to recover any TLC income earned by Derick, who was fired from the network in 2017 after posting a series of derogatory tweets about TLC star Jazz Jennings, who is transgender.)
Watch the full video below; the ‘Counting On’ money discussion begins around the 8 minute mark.
RELATED STORY: Former ‘Counting On’ Stars Jill & Derick Dillard Talk About Birth Control, Being Friends With Non-Christians & the LGBTQ Community
(Photos: YouTube; TLC)
12 Responses
I used to hate watch, but for the last few seasons I have refused. I am not a violent person but he(jimbob) is one person I would love to see get that arrogant smirk punched right off of his face.
AWESOME seeing you both stand ion for your self. YOU both keep positive outlook on things and do what your doing i think the lord will work every thing else… really great to see you go from JB and Michelle’s child’s to-a wife and mother maybe your sibilings will follow suit but I don’t think any of them have the courage to stand up to JimBob the way you have it’s very encouraging to see keep it up you are finally able to have your own life
Good for Jill and Derick. I love that Jill is in counseling, they are making decisions best for their family, and sticking up for themselves and speaking out. They are adults, Jim Bob should not run their lives and control them.
I’ve never understood why Jim Bob thinks he can continue to control his married children’s lives. If Michelle’s dad was trying to control him and Michelle’s lives, Jim Bob would flip.
Sorry, but once they’re married Jim Bob, you’re out. Maybe be a sounding board but based on your cults teaching, your daughter’s now belong to their husbands so….
I completely agree. Jim Bob does his controlling through finances. Children either work for him or live in a house given to them (or live on his property in a warehouse like Anna and Josh do). I think this is why Jinger and Joy have tried to do their own thing via youtube and social media, because they have control of the money that comes in. Michelle also has talked about using computer and cell phone surveillence on the children (even the married ones). I’m sure not all of them are in on this, I highly doubt Jill is.
It’s sad though that Derrick tweeted something a few years ago he shouldn’t have about Jazz Jennings (possibly to get out of an NDA with TLC since they had refused to film prior to that point) and they are still getting sh*t over it. They both seem to be doing so well, but I think Derrick still needs to be out a sincere apology over those tweets.
I bet Jim Bob won’t have any more children marry outside of his religious and ATI groups anymore.
Jill and Jinger are the ONLY two who’ve married outside the group and have both left the clan and embraced a more worldly lifestyle.
Everytime I see these two standing up for themselves I HATE Jinger and Jessa x10 for trying to bully her and doing stupid stunts online to make it seem like everyone in the family is OK, and it’s Jill that is the bothersome one. I f’ing detest this family. So, I keep watching like a fool lol
You go girl! Stand firm Jill!!
I bet Jim Bob wishes he’d chosen a different son-in-law for Jill.
He “chose” Derrik? LOL OMG, you are kidding????????
I never would have thought that this guy would liberate Jill.