Duck Dynasty
They may be wearing full-body camo and sport massive beards, but the Robertsons can't keep all their secrets from the media. The popular A&E show portrays the life of the Robertsons through their southern hunting life in Louisiana.
The show changed the Robertson's lives as they quickly became celebrities. They've been using branded equipment to further expand their image for everything they could. They've also had plenty of controversy over the years.
Sexual Misconduct
Jep Robertson talks about being sexually abused when he was a child. He says that when he was only 6 when one of his classmates, an older female, sexually abused him.
He opens up about this and more in the book: The Good, The Bad, and the Grace of God: What Honesty and Pain Taught Us About Faith, Family and Forgiveness. He's become resilient and strong through his troubled past.
Commercials
Commercial spots on the show apparently go for $170 000. This is way more than any other A&E show on record. And the ad spot is only 30 seconds long!
Though there's been much controversy around the Robertsons over the years. Advertisers are still lining up to get that spot knowing their brand may be associated with the show.
Racism
Phil Robertson made extremely racist remarks in an interview in 2013. He stated that black people were happier when they were under Jim Crow laws.
He elaborated that black people's lives weren't as bad as believed when they didn't have rights. There was a lot of irony when his fifth grandson was adopted and was black. His son Jep seems much less controversial than him.
Suicide Attempt
Reed Robertson opened up about his struggle with his rise to fame, it was hard for him and in an interview, he admitted that he had thought about ending his life.
Apparently Reed's parents found out about what he wanted to do and talked to him about it. Ever since then, he's tried his best to change his life for the better.
Kicked Out Of The Trump Hotel
Jase Robertson is famous for the show and is well recognized. This wasn't the case when he decided to go stay at the Trump hotel. He just wanted a place to stay.
The staff there mistook him for a homeless man and chased him off the property. Odds are Jase isn't going back there anytime soon.
Goin' Hunting
Phil Robertson was invited to an interview with Barbara Walters. Anyone else would see it as a big opportunity seeing as he was named one of the "Most Fascinating People.”
Phil Didn't really seem to care as he never showed up for the interview. I bet you'd wonder what he was doing instead of the interview? He preferred to go out hunting.
College Dropout
Uncle Si apparently preferred his partying habits over education and decided to drop out. He went to Louisiana Tech University for three semesters before he quit.
He said that he stopped going because he was partying too hard and said that education was a waste of time and that it wasn't suited for him.
Their Own Brand
The Robertsons were getting so popular that they started their own brand of wine. Allegedly there was an uproar from a group of Christians.
A religious group called Family Ministries decided to cancel an appearance from Willie Robertson at an event after they heard that they were bringing in their own wine brand.
History of Alcoholism
Brothers Phil and Silas Robertson openly admit to being alcoholics. In his book, Uncle Si opens up about how his alcohol problem affected him during his service in Vietnam and almost resulted in the murder of some Vietnamese civilians.
Phil also suffered an addiction to alcohol that affected his work and family life. His rock bottom came when he kicked his wife and children out of the house for their questioning of his drinking habits.
Sexist Remarks
In 2013, a shocking video emerged in which Phil Robertson was shown encouraging men to marry girls when they are 15 or 16.
He also wanted the men to make sure they marry someone who can cook. Phil married his wife, Miss Kay, when she was only 15.
Steve Bannon Connection
In his latest conservative documentary, Steve Bannon used Phil Robertson as a subject. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Phil reportedly supported Bannon-backed Trump.
But Bannon wasn't actually his first choice. It was only after Ted Cruz — his candidate of choice — dropped out of the race.
Obligatory Beards
Alan Robertson revealed in an interview with the media that the Robertson men's’ signature long beards are apparently under contract.
“We all used to cut them off [after hunting season]. But now, since they are such big stars and their beards are in their contracts, they have to keep them at a certain length.”
Scripted Scenes
During filming, the Robertson family openly admitted to the falsified nature of their show, calling it instead “guided reality.”
According to the New York Times, the producers of the show would often fabricate scenes and have the family act it out.
Most People Are Actors
The New York Times exposé wasn’t the only confirmation that many people appearing on the show were just actors. Radar Online received a casting call email for the show asking for four “stand-ins” who “MUST HAVE FULL BEARD.”
An insider on the show told Radar, “Most people booked on the show [including extras] are actors working with agents exclusively.” We’re not surprised. “Reality” TV simply isn’t.
Camo BMW
The Robertsons surely present themselves as an “every man” family on the show, but when you become millionaires, there’s certain lifestyle changes that will come with it.
Willie Robertson reportedly loves to drive around town in a custom-painted camouflage BMW. The camouflage is made of duck silhouettes, so he’s not far from character.
Love of Video Games
Jep Robertson also has an affinity for modern luxuries, but not how you might think. Robertson reportedly is an avid video game player.
According to his A&E bio, often picking up the controller for the game Guild Wars, a fantasy role-playing game. He’s admitted to being a “nerd at heart.”
Miss Kay's Real Name
Ever wonder what Miss Kay’s real name was? Well, “Marcia, Marcia, Marci a…” It’s actually spelled, “Marsha” though.
There's another character who's had a nickname on the show and had their real name never mentioned. Jep’s real name is Jules.
Young Love
While Phil Robertson’s notion of marrying young women was controversial, Willie and his wife Korie at least agree to it in spirit, just in a less creepy way.
The two met at summer camp when they were both in elementary school, and think it’s good to find love when you’re young so couples can avoid “all the baggage.”
Farewell, Duck Commanders!
Viewers said goodbye to A&E’s drama-ridden Duck Dynasty on March 29, 2017. The series’ final, hour-long finale, “End of an Era,” saw the cast bid farewell to audiences after a six-season, five-year run.
Reports suggest that busy cast schedules, declining ratings, and the controversy surrounding Phil Robertson were to blame for the show’s cancellation, but both A&E and the cast claim it was a mutual decision.