JACOB Roloff has accused TLC of “sidestepping” Josh Duggar’s arrest over child porn charges.
The 24-year-old also alleged that the network didn’t “support” him after he revealed he was molested by a Little People, Big World producer as a child.
Follow all our latest news & stories on Teen Mom.
Jacob hit out at TLC on his Instagram Stories after seeing the network’s statement following Josh’s arrest last week.
The channel said: “TLC is saddened to learn about the continued troubles involving Josh Duggar.
“19 Kids and Counting has not aired since 2015. TLC canceled the show on the heels of prior allegations against Josh Duggar and he has not appeared on air since then.”
Jacob wrote: “(Unfortunately) RE: Duggars. TLC’s statement of essentially, ‘He hasn’t been on air in a while,’ completely sidesteps the dynamic of being able to air terrible people with sometimes terrible producers for often terrible motives for beaucoup ratings and profit. (And still profiting.)”
He went on: “But, when the ‘terrible’ of all that gets uncovered, TLC walks away with the beaucoup profits and… nothing else (Maybe a twin spin-off).
“They treat their own products (shows, talent) in a liability sense, as contracted out and completely detached from them and their responsibility (which may or may not be legally true) when in fact these shows were conceptualized and distributed by them.”
Jacob then shared an extract from an article he “completely agrees with”, which urged TLC to “distance itself as much as possible from the Duggars”.
The post said the network “needs to stop rewarding parents whose possessive, controlling and narcissistic nature helped contribute to this ongoing, massive and horribly abusive scandal.”
“As it stands now, the network is essentially bankrolling a cult.”
Back in 2015, Jill Duggar and her sister Jessa came forward as two of the five girls that Josh molested as a teenager in the early 2000s.
In Touch Weekly uncovered a 33-page Arkansas police report claiming Jim Bob confessed to police that his eldest son fondled the breasts and genitals of young girls while they were asleep in the Duggar home in 2002.
Following the allegations, Josh said: “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends.”
After the scandal, 19 Kids & Counting was canceled and rebranded as Counting On without Josh.
Josh, 33, was arrested on Thursday and arraigned on Friday over allegations that he downloaded material that depicted the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, the US Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas said.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s oldest son pleaded not guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one of possession of child pornography.
He faces 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 if convicted.
Elsewhere in his Instagram Stories, Jacob recalled how TLC reportedly treated him after he revealed last year that Little People‘s executive field producer Christopher Cardamone “molested” and “groomed” him.
He wrote: “TLC’s own statement after my own in December 2020 was ‘Our main focus remains on supporting the Roloff family during this very difficult time’.
“I never heard from them! No one. Nothing. Not once (Nor did I, quite honestly, expect to, the ghouls).
“They did, however, reach out to the still-on-air talent (Which prompted some attempted convincing to ‘think about’ my statement).”
Jacob continued: “I heard personally from one ex-producers and received one supportive Instagram comment from an ex-cameraman. That’s it!
“TLC doesn’t give a f**k what happens on or off camera, as long as they get paid, and you lot keep watching. Don’t.”
Jacob admitted that telling people not to watch Little People, Big World affects the salaries of his family – many of whom are still on the show.
“Again, ‘do not watch’, i.e. lower the ratings is a statement directly connected to the wellbeing of half of my family, so it is a conflicted position, but it is certainly my position,” he wrote.
“Reality TV (or maybe more precisely ‘family-centered reality TV) should not exist.”
Jacob wrote on Instagram in December regarding the “traumatic memory”: “As a child, after what I realize now was a long grooming process, I was molested by an executive field producer for Little People, Big World, Chris Cardamone.”
The activist went on to say he hopes Chris will “never be allowed around children again.”
He continued: “By revealing this, I may be more fully understood and my perspective on issues such as child sexual abuse, child exploitation, and the collateral costs of reality television may be received more clearly.”
Jacob then explained: “There is no inherent causal connection between reality television production and childhood trauma.
“We are still sprinting ahead with the enterprise deaf, dumb, and blind, asking for forgiveness later, instead of asking harder preliminary questions of ourselves.
The youngest member of the Roloff family – who is married to wife Isabel Rock – then made it clear that his parents, Matt and Amy, are not to blame for the alleged incident.
He said: “It must be finally emphasized that all fault lies with the predator and no fault lies with any of my family members.”
TLC commented on the alleged abuse in a statement to Us Weekly that read: “TLC was just informed about an alleged encounter that occurred years ago involving a third party connected to the production of Little People, Big World.
“We are saddened and troubled by this very serious allegation, and TLC will work cooperatively with the authorities. Our main focus remains on supporting the Roloff family during this very difficult time.”
Producer Chris has not acknowledged Jacob’s claims after working on the Oregon-based show for three years.
The Celeb Report exclusively revealed that he pleaded guilty to a child sex crime in 2008, but only served 73 days in jail.