TLC Cuts Ties With Derick Dillard After His Jazz Jennings Controversy
Nov. 12 2017, Updated 9:50 p.m. ET
TLC, the network that made the Duggar family famous, is cutting its ties with Jill Duggar's controversial husband, Derick Dillard. Dillard had been under a cloud after he had bashed one of the network's other stars, transgender girl Jazz Jennnings. Via Twitter, TLC announced on Saturday about Dillard that the network "has no plans to feature him in the future."
As RadarOnline.com reported, Dillard, 28, shocked America when he attacked Jennings, the 17-year-old star of I Am Jazz, earlier this year. He continued to slam her this week, tweeting, "I pity Jazz."Jennings was diagnosed with gender identity disorder at 4 years old and transitioned from a male to a female.
Dillard wrote on his social media, misgendering her as male, "4 those who take advantage of him in order 2 promote their agenda, including the parents who allow these kinds of decision 2 be made by a child. It's sad that ppl would use a juvenile this way. Again, nothing against him, just unfortunate what's on TV these days."
Followers accused him of bullying the teen, but he responded, "I'm expressing my view."
Dillard's wife Jill has been prominently featured in both 19 Kids and Counting, which was abruptly canceled by TLC after Duggar brother Josh's molestation scandal, and the spinoff, Counting On, which currently airs. Jill and Dillard's life as a married couple had been extensively explored on Counting On. They wed in 2014.
But now, TLC has apparently had enough of Dillard's bizarre rants against his fellow TLC star and on Twitter, network officially dumped him on Saturday.
In the full tweet, TLC noted, "We want to let our viewers know that Derick Dillard has not participated in Counting On for months and the network has no plans to feature him in the future. We want to reiterate that Derick's personal statements do not reflect the views of the network. TLC is proud to share the story of Jazz Jennings and her family and will continue to do so."
Ultra-religious Dillard's battle against Jennings has caused problems for the Duggar family, a RadarOnline.com source recently revealed. Dillard vanished from the Duggars' official Facebook page this summer, while Jill and their son Israel were featured on the page. In August, Dillard asked fans to donate to help reach his goal of $6,500 to pursue missionary opportunities.
"For the next year, I will be serving through a program at my home church, called the Cross Church School of Ministry," the description for Dillard's fundraiser read. "I am so excited about this incredible opportunity for further ministry development, and I would like to invite you to share in this excitement with me."
But the fundraiser, which only raised $125, was shut down soon after. Dillard's other tweets about Jennings for being transgender were criticized as hateful. "What an oxymoron," he tweeted of the I Am Jazz star. "A 'reality' show which follows a non-reality. 'Transgender' is a myth. Gender is not fluid. It’s ordained by God." Jennings fired back, "Every day I experience cyber-bullying, but I keep sharing my story."
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Dillard has also been caught breaking the Duggar family's strict rules by partying, as he was seen dancing amid Jill's sister Joy-Anna Duggar's shotgun wedding scandal.
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