Well, folks, it’s official.
The Duggars and the Dillards are mired in a full-blown family feud!
And this isn’t the fun kind where Steve Harvey tricks old ladies into making sex jokes on TV.
Now, this is the type of slow-burn Hatfield vs. McCoy-type beef that could drag on for generations.
At first, the families tried to hide it, but recently, Derick Dillard shared his feelings about Jim Bob Duggar in a lengthy Twitter tirade.
And now, the two clans aren’t even pretending to get along.
Take a look:
It’s On!
The Duggars and the Dillards are very much at odds these days. And it seems they’re no longer attempting to keep their family feud a secret.
The Dillards vs. the Duggars
It’s been quite some time since the Dillards and the Duggars were photographed together. In fact, you’d have to go back to Derick’s ponytail days to find a pic of just the four of them together.
Hectic Schedules?
But hey, life gets busy. Maybe the two families just haven’t had time to hang out lately, right?
Hostility Reigns
Yeah, we might be more inclined to believe that, were it not for the fact that the couples have had a very hard time concealing their mutual antipathy lately.
A History of Hostility
It all started back in December of 2017, when Derick was fired from Counting On after he made the baffling decision to launch an online bullying campaign against a teenage girl — who happened to also be a star on the network.
Not Her Smartest Move
Jill Duggar stood by her decision to harass Jazz Jennings, and she quit the show as a sign of solidarity.
Hard Times
That left the Dillards with two kids to raise and no source of income, which explains why Derick recently launched a new career as a Grubhub driver.
The Wrath of Jim Bob
Jim Bob was openly rather upset about this, and not only because his daughter was ousted from the media empire he created, and he was now forced to worry about how she would provide for her two sons.
Divine Wealth
Jim Bob’s religious beliefs hold that God expresses his fondness for his most beloved followers by blessing them with extraordinary wealth. In this view, by plunging herself into poverty, Jill had essentially committed a mortal sin.
The Cold War
As a result of Derick and Jill’s decision to distance themselves from the family brand tensions between the Dillards and the Duggars were simmered at a low level of hostility for the better part of two years. But it was only recently that they boiled over.
The Set Up
Back on October 18, a fan asked Derick why Jim Bob gets “all the money for the show and doesn’t give any to his children?”
The Knock Down
Dillard took the bait, replying, “I don’t know. You would have to ask him that.”
Oh, No
As though the allegation that Jim Bob steals money from his own children weren’t scandalous enough, Derick went on to threaten TLC with a lawsuit.
Biting the Hand That Feeds
“@TLC has issues,” he replied to a fan. “They begged us not to quite (sic) filming, but then didn’t want to talk directly with us about why. If money is all they care about, then it’s going to catch-up with them – you must care about ppl. All I’ve got to say is, they better lawyer-up b/c a storm is inevitable.”
He Just Kept Going
Weeks later, Derick was still ranting, replying to one fan’s question by throwing even more shade at Jim Bob and TLC.
No Holding Back
All TLC is “worried about is making that money, so if they can blame corruption on somebody else, but still get away with the benefits, then they’ll happily do so,” wrote Derick in response to a question about both Jim Bob and the network.
Finally Finished
Derick wrapped up his rant just a couple weeks before Thanksgiving, and the situation raised the question — would the two families patch things up in time for the holidays?
Nope!
Now, it seems the answer to that question is a resounding hell, no!
Friendsgiving
Despite the fact that they live just a few miles from the Duggar Compound, Derick and Jill decided to celebrate Thanksgiving on their own this year.
What’s Going On Here?
Fans began to suspect something was up when Jill spent the morning of Thanksgiving posting pics that were clearly taken at her house.
Confirmed With the Bird
When Jill revealed that she’s roasting her own turkey this year, fans concluded that she would not be partaking in her parents’ celebration.
Concerned Comments
As you can see, fans were very curious about why the Dillards decided to stay home.
What’s the Deal?
In fact, some seemed downright perturbed by their decision.
Keeping Mum
Naturally, both sides of the conflict were quite tight-lipped about the matter, but given the context, it’s not too hard to see what’s going on.
Beef on Thanksgiving
They may eventually patch things up, but for right now, Jim Bob and Derick are not on good terms.
The Cardinal Sins
After all, Derick messed with Jim Bob’s money and his family — the most important things in the patriarch’s life — and he’s paying the price with exile.