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Miss Kay Robertson spoke at the Night of Ducks and Hucks fundraising event in Monroe, North Carolina, over the weekend.
The Duck Dynasty matriarch talked candidly about the well-publicized dark period she endured with husband Phil Robertson during the early days of their marriage, going as far as to explain how her oldest son Alan, at the tender age of just 10, convinced her not to take her own life.
As Phil Robertson discussed in his book Happy, Happy, Happy, he was a man more interested in killing ducks and getting his next drink than he was at being a husband or father. He left Miss Kay alone to raise Alan, Jase and Willie (Jep wasn’t born yet) as he fell deeper and deeper into alcoholism.
Miss Kay Robertson spoke at the Night of Ducks and Hucks fundraising event in Monroe, North Carolina
“I had ten bad years with Phil and he was horrible. He was a rascal and I tell ya’, he was just like the people he was fussing about,” Miss Kay explained.
When reflecting on a story Phil Robertson shared about getting in a fight in which he hit a woman Miss Kay stated: “And you say, <<How can he hit a woman? Well, I tell ya>>, the devil gets in women just like he gets in men. That was a mean lady. I’m not saying they should have got beat up by Phil at all, but you live like that and that’s one of the consequences.”
Then Miss Kay Robertson shared an extremely personal moment within her family, perhaps the most pivotal moment for her, the boys’ and Phil’s life, wanting that openness of her struggles to provide a perspective of hope to the audience: “I can tell you right now that people I talk to who say they have no hope I can say I’ve been there. Sometimes you can’t feel like you can live at all without hope. That night I was without any of it. I cried in that bathroom and I just didn’t want to live anymore. I wanted Phil to be punished, to realize what he was doing.”
“What probably saved me from doing anything to myself that night… I always describe it as I hear three little sets of house shoes and that was Al and Jase and Willie. Alan knocked on the door and said, <<Mama don’t cry anymore, please don’t cry anymore>>. He said, <<God’s going to take care of you>>. He was 10-years-old, Jason was 6, Willie was 3. And he [Alan] said, <<Mom, He will take care of all of us, please don’t cry anymore>>. I felt like right then God told me, <<I got plans for you>>. Those little kids knew what I needed and they told it to me through a bathroom late at night. And I want to tell you something, the next day I did give my heart to Jesus.”
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Last night’s Duck Dynasty showed Korie and Willie Robertson in the dentist’s operating room while their teens, John Luke and Sadie, were having wisdom teeth removed.
It also seemed out of character for a man like Phil Robertson, so grounded in Christian values, to consider discarding rotten meat in his church’s dumpster without first asking permission.
It felt contrived that Jase and Jep Robertson couldn’t get to the manager of the Mexican restaurant without first being seated, served salsa and chips and drinks, and being serenaded by a mariachi band, while Phil was waiting in the truck with a load of rotten seafood and meat.
Last night’s episode of Duck Dynasty focused on wisdom teeth removal for John Luke and Sadie, Willie and Korie Robertson’s teenagers
Si Robertson was absent from much of last night’s show, away on a Virginia trip to see his grandchild’s birth. Uncle Si departed in the first minute or two, with one of the truest Si-isms to date: “A man can never have too many snacks.”
Korie and Willie Robertson’s son John Luke, under the influence of gas in the dentist’s chair, appeared to be a fill-in for Si Robertson this week. He discussed his “eagle powers,” suggested “hungry fella” to his mother, repeatedly sang the praises of “Bumble Bee tuna,” thought something fit “like a glove” and wondered: “Where’s the Chapstik?”
Regardless, much of this week’s show focused on the efforts of Jase and Jep Robertson, with their father Phil driving the truck, to find some place to dispose of the garbage. In order, they considered their church’s dumpster, where they didn’t have permission; a Mexican restaurant’s dumpster, where an employee shouting “muerto” (dead) chased them off: and the community dumpster in the neighborhood of their pastor, who suggested they use the church dumpster.
The rest of the show focused on wisdom teeth removal for John Luke and Sadie, Willie and Korie Robertson’s teenagers. The blood and pulled teeth had Willie Robertson nearly fainting.
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Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson introduced his wife Christine in a special video on Good Morning America, along with the release of his new book, Si-Cology 1: Tales and Wisdom From Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle.
Silas is younger brother to Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the popular reality television family and founder of the Duck Commander.
Si Robertson began working for the family business in the 1990s, after retiring from 25 years of service in the military. He is a Vietnam veteran, and still carries around the plastic cups that his mother had sent him when he was away at war.
Si Robertson introduced his wife Christine in a special video on Good Morning America
While the show may portray Uncle Si as being single, he has been married for 43 years and has two grown children, Scott and Trasa.
Si Robertson said that readers of Si-cology 1 might be surprised to learn that “one woman’s got my heart, and we’ve been married for 43 years. Her name is Miss Christine.”
Christine and Si Robertson still seem to be very much in love, hugging each other sweetly in the video message. He said he had asked his wife to marry him about a hundred times.
“It was about 75,” Christine Robertson joked.
Christine makes Uncle Si two gallons of unsweetened tea per day, “the old-fashioned way,” he says.
“Put three bags in a pot of water, turn the heat on the water and let it boil, put a saucer over it and let it seep. Then pour it into a gallon jug and then I drink.”
Louisiana Tech held a ceremony during Thursday’s game honoring two former quarterbacks: football legend Terry Bradshaw and Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson.
Phil Robertson, who played quarterback at Louisiana Tech, was the first string quarterback ahead of Terry Bradshaw and set a record of passing in a single game.
“The quarterback playing ahead of me, Phil Robertson, loved hunting more than he loved football,” Terry Bradshaw wrote in his 2001 book It’s Only a Game.
Phil Robertson, who played quarterback at Louisiana Tech, was the first string quarterback ahead of Terry Bradshaw and set a record of passing in a single game
“He’d come to practice directly from the woods, squirrel tails hanging out of his pockets, duck feathers on his clothes. Clearly he was a fine shot, so no one complained too much.”
Phil Robertson was benched for Terry Bradshaw for being distracted. The Duck Dynasty patriarch himself said he was distracted during his playing days.
“One time a bunch of geese came over and I was over there with the coach and talking about techniques or whatever, a big skull session on the practice field. I heard these geese,” Phil Robertson told ESPN.
“Remember we were practicing in the fall of the year – and the grand passage as we call it – the ducks and geese were coming from Canada. I heard these blues and snow geese coming over and I sort of fell into a trance. Of course I had my headgear next to my chest and I’m looking toward the sky and finally one of them coaches looked around, and he started cursing at me, <<What the hell you doing son? Get over here! What are you looking up at?>> I said, <<A bunch of them geese, Coach. Boy they pretty, ain’t they?>> He said, <<Get your butt over here>>.”
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Duck Dynasty’s Willie, Jep and Si Robertson stopped by Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Monday and shared which Robertson didn’t have faith in their future.
“We always thought there may be something there,” Willie Robertson said of the enthusiasm he and his brothers had about the family business making it on the boob tube one day.
“We just got an email out of the blue that said, <<Hey, I think you guys may have a big show>>. So I went to talk to dad. I said, <<Dad, we could do a big show on a network>>.”
Willie Robertson revealed his father responded: “Nah. That won’t work.”
Duck Dynasty’s Willie, Jep and Si Robertson stopped by Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Monday
“I remind him of that every week,” Willie Robertson said with a laugh.
But if anyone deserves credit for the show’s success, it’s Uncle Si Robertson.
“I’m the most important part of this whole thing!” he insisted.
Si Robertson proved how important he is elsewhere in New York on Monday when he and his nephews sat in the front row at the Sherri Hill Fashion Week runway show.
The show also featured another Roberston, Si Robertson’s model niece Sadie.
Duck Dynasty airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on A&E.
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Duck Dynasty is getting its own line of camouflage running shoes courtesy of Spira Footwear.
The collaboration is part of A&E’s Project Startup, a partnership with crowdfunding site RocketHub.com to help young companies find their audience. A&E helps entrepreneurs finance new projects on RocketHub.com, where they take their products to the public.
“The biggest challenge for any entrepreneur is the opportunity to tell their story,” said Andy Krafsur, CEO and Co-Founder of Spira Footwear, in a statement.
“We’re grateful to A&E Project Startup for discovering us and helping us along on our journey.”
Spira Footwear is a privately owned company based in El Paso, Texas. Their Project Startup campaign also includes a commercial airing on A&E.
The officially licensed Spira Duck Dynasty Camouflage Shoe sports a duck camouflage pattern in three color options each for men and women.
While a running shoe company and Duck Dynasty may not seem like an obvious match, the project aims to draw a comparison between Duck Commander founder Phil Robertson and Spira founder Andy Krafsur.
“The Robertsons built a better duck call based upon their passion for hunting, and we believe we have built a better shoe based on our passion for running,” reads a message from Spira Footwear on their RocketHub site.
Spira Duck Dynasty Shoes
“I had been a runner my entire life, and ran competitively in high school and college. But by my early thirties, I was so beat up after a run, I would have to take a week off,” said Andy Krafsur.
“I will never forget the first time I tried on what turned out to be the very first Spira shoe. It was a crude prototype with the WaveSprings duct taped into a cut open midsole. I put the shoes on and shot around on our basketball court for a couple of hours and suddenly realized my legs were completely fresh.”
The WaveSpring is a lightweight, compact spring placed in the heel and forefoot of Spira shoes. It has a dual function: to cushion and to return energy to the wearer. The effect, Andy Krafsur claims, is more comfort and less stress than most footwear on the market.
But Spira has not been without controversy in the running world. Running community site LetsRun.com followed a 2007 debate between Spira and USA Track & Field, the sport’s governing body, regarding whether the shoes are legal in competition. Oddly enough, it was Spira that insisted the shoes were banned. A USATF rule prohibits shoes that incorporate “any technology which will give the wearer any unfair advantage, such as a spring or similar device”. At the same time, the USATF stated that Spira shoes were not banned. Regardless, Spira filed a lawsuit against the USATF in 2007, which Spira eventually dropped. Runners have continued to race in Spira shoes at USATF events without penalty.
Spira addressed the controversy in the FAQ’s on the RocketHub site: “Are the shoes legal for competition?”
Their answer is: “USA Track and Field has a rule that prohibits the use of springs in shoes for competition, but no one has been disqualified for racing in the shoes and runners competing in Spira have won over 200 major races and marathons in the U.S.”
Runners and Duck Dynasty fans can pre-purchase the shoes on RucketHub.com. Shoes start at $100 and decrease in price when purchasing higher quantities. Fans can expect to receive them in three to six months from the date of purchase.
In addition, A&E promised to donate $20,000 to America’s VetDogs, a charity that provides service dogs for disabled veterans and active duty service members, when the Duck Dynasty shoes reached $100,000 in sales on RocketHub. The project launched August 16, 2013 at www.rockethub.com/duck and has already raised over $225,000.
Now Spira Footwear’s Duck Dynasty shoes, like the show, will be a reality. The campaign will continue through November 14, 2013
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Duck Dynasty’s stars Willie, Jep and Uncle Si Robertson were on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday night, but family patriarch Phil was not.
Perhaps that’s why the guys decided to reveal that Phil Robertson was originally against the idea of the family signing on to do a reality show.
“We always thought there may be something there, and we just got an email out of the blue said, <<Hey, I think you guys may have a big show>>,” Willie Robertson said.
“And so I went to talk to dad and said, <<We could do a big show on a network>>. And he said, <<Nah, that won’t work>>.”
Duck Dynasty’s stars Willie, Jep and Uncle Si Robertson appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday night
Willie Robertson then added: “I remind him of that every week, though.”
The latest season premiere of Duck Dynasty broke cable ratings records, pulling in 11.8 million viewers. And the overwhelming success of the show has allowed the Robertson clan to branch out into many other areas. They have several books in print, including Uncle Si’s just-released biography, as well as a myriad of other Duck Dynasty products.
The family is even set to release a Christmas album called Duck the Halls.
Willie Robertson promised Jimmy Fallon that the songs will “blow your pants off”. That one’s going to have to be heard to be believed.
Duck Dynasty airs every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on A&E.
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon airs every weeknight at 12:37 a.m. ET on NBC.
Duck Dynasty’s patriarch Phil Robertson and his family have joined premier poster artist Michael Hunt of Louisiana and New Orleans Saints’ Coach Sean Payton for two redneck masterpieces.
Michael Hunt created the posters “Faith, Family, Football and Duck Hunting”. But the Robertsons and Sean Payton signed limited editions of one featuring a camouflage fleur-de-lis as the centerpiece and second featuring a camo football helmet.
“It’s a cool idea – faith, family, football and ducks,” said Phil Robertson.
Phil Robertson, who preceded NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw as a quarterback at Louisiana Tech University in the 1960s, said he still loves the game.
“I watch football all the time,” he said.
Phil Robertson and his family have joined premier poster artist Michael Hunt of Louisiana and New Orleans Saints’ Coach Sean Payton for two redneck masterpieces
“It’s one of my five sources of TV entertainment – The Weather Channel, occasionally Fox News, <<Gunsmoke>> reruns and the NFL.”
“And <<Duck Dynasty>>,” his son Alan Robertson said.
Phil Robertson’s wife, Miss Kay, said she also enjoys football and calls herself the Saints biggest fan.
“I’m the only true fan,” Miss Kay Robertson said.
“I’ve been with them 30 years.”
She also recalled watching her young husband play at Tech.
“I loved it when he did good, but it made me mad when people bad-mouthed him if he threw an interception,” Miss Kay Robertson said.
Phil Robertson and his son Alan said Sean Payton and Saints quarterback Drew Brees plan to join the Robertsons on a duck hunt this winter.
“Payton said he’s never tried duck hunting, so we’re going to initiate him,” Phil Robertson said.
Part of the proceeds of the project will be donated to Katrina’s Angels, a national volunteer effort to make a difference for communities and people affected by federally and state-declared disasters.
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While you might expect Duck Dynasty reality show about a Louisiana family of self-avowed “rednecks” to be an unfriendly environment for women, it is quite the opposite.
The women of Duck Dynasty are respected, and they are strong.
Miss Kay Robertson, the matriarch of the family, has been married to her husband Phil for nearly 50 years and has four sons. Although she is sometimes portrayed as silly or out-of-touch, she is a woman of dignity and substance.
Viewers learn that Phil and Kay Robertson endured difficulties during their decades of marriage, including Phil’s struggle with alcohol abuse and eventual return to sobriety. Now, Phil Robertson is a man of God, and Miss Kay is the apple of his eye. In spite of Phil Robertson’s occasionally obtuse generalizations about women – comparing them to labrador retrievers or declaring that all women like romantic tearjerkers – he reveres Miss Kay. He constantly praises her character, her gentleness, and her mothering, and he also affirms the loveliness of her full figure. If Phil Robertson’s adoration is any indication of Miss Kay’s integrity, then she is a fine woman indeed.
As an additional testimony to Miss Kay Robertson’s legacy, her sons also married women of great character.
Real housewives of Duck Dynasty
Korie is married to Willie Robertson, the CEO of Duck Commander. They married just after high school and have five children. She works as the office manager of the family business, and she’s a get-things-done kind of woman. Viewers witness her leadership over church and family events and catch glimpses of her important role in the company. Korie Robertson seems to have a natural instinct for business and marketing.
Korie and Willie Robertson’s daughter, Sadie, also has a prominent role on the show. Sadie navigates adolescent milestones such as learning to drive or attending a school dance, all with the “help” of a protective father and quirky family members. It’s also clear that Sadie Robertson has inherited her parents’ entrepreneurial spirit and passion for ministry, as she has recently debuted a weekly video devotional and hopes to produce a modest clothing line.
Missy is married to Jase Robertson, another one of Phil and Kay’s sons. Missy is very involved in the family and seems to have a playful relationship with her husband. Although the show portrays her as being somewhat high-strung, Missy Robertson seems to be a hard worker, a diligent wife and mother, and a woman of faith.
Jessica is married to Jep Robertson, Phil and Kay’s youngest son, and they have four children together. Jessica Robertson rarely appeared in the first season but she emerged as a more frequent character in the second and third. She seems to have a sweet disposition and is a friend to her fellow Robertson sisters-in-law.
Although Duck Dynasty sometimes defaults to gender stereotypes – i.e. the “citified” daughters-in-law who hate to hunt, or the slacker husbands who want to squander the day fishing and not showering – the characters are both loving and deep.
The women of Duck Dynasty are not wallflowers, subservient doormats, or flat types. Each woman on the show has contours, has a voice, and serves as an important partner to her husband.
Furthermore, the show pushes back against shallow stereotypes of Christian womanhood. The Robertson women are not cookie cutter look-alikes. They’re not all stay-at-home moms, or incredible cooks, or silent submissives.
Korie Robertson is a businesswoman without a knack for cooking or sewing, and Miss Kay wields a gentle yet authoritative power in the family. As the two main female characters, Korie and Miss Kay Robertson are not cut from the same cloth, but each woman has her own strengths, her own areas of influence, and her own expressions of self.
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Duck Dynasty stars are Christian evangelists who frequently preach at their local church.
A ministry assistant at White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, Louisiana, told TMZ, Phil Robertson and his family have been active at the church for more than 30 years.
The Duck Commander Sunday is a yearly tradition where the entire Robertson family preaches to the congregation in full camo
Phil Robertson regularly gives fiery sermons -but last weekend, the entire family joined in, when the church celebrated Duck Commander Sunday.
The Duck Commander Sunday is a yearly tradition where the entire Robertson family preaches to the congregation in full camo.
The tradition existed long before the A&E reality show.
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Duck Dynasty’s bearded faces are everywhere since the A&E reality hit has turned into mega-million Robertson mania.
The Robertsons feature from best-sellers to beach towels, T-shirts to iced tea glasses, beer koozies to bobbleheads.
Duck Dynasty follows patriarch Phil Robertson and his family, who have made millions with their duck call and decoy manufacturing “dynasty,” Duck Commander, in West Monroe.
The show, which is in its fourth season, is a ratings hit, with a record 11.8 million viewers last week, thanks to its colorful characters, down-home humor and family values. Son Willie Robertson is so popular he’s been asked to run for Congress, matriarch Miss Kay Robertson has her own cookbook, Miss Kay’s Duck Commander Kitchen; and granddaughter Sadie Robertson is helping design her own line of prom dresses for 2014, the Sadie Robertson Live Original collection.
Back-to-school time has added another layer of merchandise, including notebooks, backpacks and calendars. Meanwhile, fall landscapes can now feature garden gnomes in mini-versions of Willie and Si Robertson.
Duck Dynasty’s bearded faces are everywhere since the A&E reality hit has turned into mega-million Robertson mania
Si Robertson, who hasn’t met an English word he couldn’t entertainingly butcher, has released his book, Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle, on September 3. Uncle Si has some selling to do if he expects to catch up to brother Phil Robertson’s Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy as the Duck Commander and The Duck Commander Family by Willie Robertson and his wife, Korie. These books have been on The New York Times’ best-seller book list for 14 and 19 weeks, respectively.
The variety of Duck Dynasty-related items doesn’t stop here, however. There are license plates, hats, wall signs, window decals, air fresheners, action figures, pajamas, run shoes, dog treats, waders, welcome mats, marshmallow guns, bandages and a board game, the Duck Dynasty Redneck Wisdom Family Party Game. There’s even a Chia Willie.
And the usually camouflaged-wearing Robertsons are still cranking out duck calls and decoys.
All those decoys, all that merchandise, all those books have put estimates of the family’s worth at more than $80 million.
When asked in December 2012 about the show and his family’s popularity, son Alan Robertson told The Advocate: “A couple of things I think really caught the attention of the country. I think it’s a very family-oriented, positive message opposed to a negative message, which, unfortunately, a lot of reality shows are based on people fighting, and not getting along, a lot of bleeping out and stuff like that, and it’s totally different, and I think that’s one of the things.”
“And of course, our faith is a part of it as well, since they close every episode with a prayer. Our family motto has always been <<God, Family and Ducks>>. I think that really resonates culturally, where the country is. The other thing that’s just nuts and bolts, is that the show is just really funny. It’s authentic.”
Alan Robertson and his wife Lisa have joined Duck Dynasty show on Season 4 for the first time. The eldest of the Phil and Kay Robertson’s four sons, Alan’s a minister, and, unlike his brothers, is clean-shaven. Rounding out the main cast of characters are his other brothers, Jase and Jep, and their wives, Missy and Jessica.
Speaking of the Duck Dynasty’s beards, there is an app for that. Go to appfinder.lisisoft.com/app/duck-dynasty-beard-booth.html on your smartphone and see what you or others would look like with lots of facial hair.
Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson and Miss Kay renewed their wedding vows on Season 4 premiere of the popular A&E reality show.
However, their romance hasn’t always been easy and according to a report in the National Enquirer, at one point, Phil and Miss Kay Robertson were separated for three months and hard-drinking Phil practically abandoned his kids.
When Phil Robertson was a young man in his 20s he leased a gritty dive bar, but when the couple who owned it tried to raise the rent, Phil got into a violent fight with them. He ended up beating them so savagely they had to be rushed to the hospital. Phil Robertson then fled the state.
Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson and Miss Kay renewed their wedding vows on Season 4 premiere
Speaking of the incident at a recent benefit in Dallas, Phil Robertson’s son Willie said: “State troopers were searching for him, so he runs into the woods and lives in the woods for four months running from the law.”
According to the National Enquirer, Miss Kay Robertson – who was just 15 when they tied the knot 49 years ago – sweet-talked the bar owners and they didn’t file criminal charges. But they took out a restraining order against Phil.
When Miss Kay tried to get Phil Robertson to stop drinking, he threw her and their kids out of the house. She then moved into an apartment with the boys. Eventually, Phil Robertson found God and begged her to take him back – and she did.
“You would never guess it from watching the show because Phil and Miss Kay are still so much in love and devoted to each other,” said a source.
“She stood by him when he was drinking and staying out all night, but he came very close to losing everything. Miss Kay was so sick of Phil that she wanted a divorce.”
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This week’s episode of Duck Dynasty was all about helping each other out.
“One of the many perks of being in the Robertson clan is that if you need help–all you gotta do is ask for it,” Jase Robertson explained of his brothers, Uncle Si and coworker John Godwin pitching in to assist in building a new fishing dock.
“It’s a great system, but like any other system – there can be people who will abuse it.”
Jase Robertson was not-so-subtly referring to Uncle Si, who preferred to “supervise” the boys from dry land during the dock installation – all while sipping on his ever-present sweet tea.
“What’s the point of having family and friends if you can’t ask them for help every once in a while?” asked Si Robertson, somewhat rhetorically.
“You’re always asking for favors, but you never help out with any favors,” groused Willie Robertson.
“I never ask for no favors,” declared John Godwin.
“Yes, you have,” protested Willie Robertson.
“I absolutely never ask for a favor,” returned John Godwin.
Back at Duck Commander Headquarters, John Godwin made a random announcement: “I’m gonna get me a hot tub.”
“A hot tub,” Jase Robertson said, with obvious disgust.
“No self-respecting man would have a hot tub.”
“I would,” said his brother Willie with a slight smile.
“That’s my point,” returned Jase Robertson.
“The man wants a hot tub, he should get a hot tub,” reasoned Willie Robertson.
Since it was clear that John Godwin had his heart set on a hot tub, Willie Robertson fired up his laptop and started to search for one online.
“There’s some cool ones – about six grand,” Willie Robertson tells John Godwin.
“What’s your budget?”
This week’s episode of Duck Dynasty was all about helping each other out
“All’s I can spend is two hundred bucks,” said John Godwin, flatly.
With such a limited budget, Willie Robertson suggested that John Godwin purchase a used hot tub. John Godwin was fine with that, as long as it had speakers.
One of the Robertson brothers did not approve of John Godwin getting any kind of hot tub – with or without speakers.
“I just want to say something on the record,” said Jase Robertson.
“I am in protest of this. This whole thing is a bad idea. You’re going to get the measles from it. Blisters, skin rashes or hepatitis.”
“When it comes to germs, Jase is a walking contradiction,” noted Willie Robertson.
“He has no problem crawling through swamps and other disgusting, stagnant bodies of water. But just the mention of a manmade place with clean, animal-free water is enough to send him on a rant for a week.”
After much discussion, Si Robertson suggested that only place that might have a hot tub within John Godwin’s budget would be a place called Squirrel’s–yes, Squirrel’s–Junkyard.
“That’s actually not a bad idea, because all he has is crap,” laughed Willie Robertson.
Meanwhile, Phil and Miss Kay Robertson have a few of the grandkids over for the afternoon, who arrive to the Robertson property “fresh from the subdivision.”
Phil Robertson is determined to teach his grandchildren “patience and resourcefulness” by gathering mayhaw berries and turning them into jelly.
“Food,” lectured Phil Robertson.
“What if everything goes south, there are no chicken nuggets, there’s no big, tall Coca-Colas and fries – what then?”
“We would survive like the walking dead,” answered Willie Robertson’s grandson, John Luke.
That did not satisfy Phil Robertson, and he set out to teach the kids the finer points of mayhaw harvesting.
Back at Squirrel’s Junkyard, the boys have found a budget-appropriate – if disgusting – hot tub for John Godwin. They tow it back to John Godwin’s house, where he insisted that it be installed in the front yard so that he can “watch the cars go by.”
“What are you, a dog?” asked Willie Robertson.
John Godwin stands firm, determined that they install the hot tub in the front yard. The boys struggle to unload the hot tub off the truck, and it crashes to the ground with a thud.
“This board broke,” said John Godwin.
“That’s just cosmetic,” reassured Willie Robertson.
“That’s right,” conceded John Godwin.
“I’ll get the wood glue.”
After the “cosmetic” damage is fixed, John Godwin climbs into the hot tub.
“In all the years I’ve known Godwin, I’ve never seen him this happy,” observed Willie Robertson.
“He’s happier than a pig in mud – which is actually a fitting comparison when you consider how disgusting that water probably is.”
At the family dinner, the Robertsons gave thanks, and Willie Robertson noted: “Sometimes doing a favor a friend can be quick and easy, other times it means you’ll be spending all day at a stinkin’ junkyard. The point is, you can’t pick and choose how you help somebody. You just help them because they’ve been there to help you.”
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Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson spoke at a community event at the University of Louisiana at Monroe last week, and said that “where there is no Jesus, evil always reigns”.
“I’m not an ordained preacher,” Phil Robertson told the student-sponsored event, according to The News Star.
“I’m just a guy who builds duck calls. I love my country. We have a great family structure that you see on television. I’m just trying to get America and the rest of the world to do two things – love God and love your neighbor.”
Phil Robertson and his family have often spoken out about their faith and love of God. Duck Dynasty reality show, based around the family and their duck call making company, Duck Commander, in West Monroe, Louisiana, has been praised for creating family-friendly entrainment without violence, and harsh language. It has also scored huge ratings throughout its run, hitting a staggering 11.8 million viewers for the premiere of its fourth season on August 14.
Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson spoke at a community event at the University of Louisiana
The proceeds for the community event went to the Warhawks for Christ student organization. Phil Robertson used the opportunity to recite some famous quotes from notable American figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, who he said were godly men who used spiritual convictions when founding the country.
Phil Robertson shared a quote from James Madison, the fourth President of the United States: “The belief in a God all powerful, wise and good, is so essential to the moral order of the world and to the happiness of man.”
“Why don’t politicians talk like that anymore?” Phil Robertson asked.
“I think our problem is a spiritual one … Where there is no Jesus, evil always reigns.”
Phil Robertson and his eldest son, Alan, recently spoke at Saddleback Church in California, where the family patriarch admitted that he had given in to a lot of temptations and challenges in life before he turned to God, which helped save his family.
“I have my past, you have yours…drugs, immorality, alcohol, cursing …until I learned the error of my ways,” Phil Robertson said.
He again talked about the founding fathers, and argued that if they were to see what has become of America’s morality, they would “hang their heads in shame.”
“He was here. He did die. And He was buried. And He was raised from the dead. There’s hope to get off the planet alive,” Phil Robertson concluded and urged non-believers to turn to Christ.
Duck Dynasty has a lot of Americans riveted to their TV sets and a lot of pundits scratching their heads about how this reality-based sitcom about an eccentric, tight-knit Louisiana clan of bearded, bandanna-ed men, along with their wives, children and family-business employees, came to captivate a nation.
The A&E’s reality show drew 11.8 million viewers on its Season 4 premiere night on August 14.
For a lot of the show’s Christian fans, it’s become a rare place on a mainstream cable or broadcast network where they can see characters openly expressing – and living – their faith in a positive context.
While most of the TV time follows the Robertsons navigating their daily lives of manufacturing duck calls at Duck Commander and managing marriages, parenthood and the quirks of each other’s personalities, each episode ends with the family gathering at dinner and saying a prayer.
In real life, faith is central to the Robertson family, since beardless eldest son Alan Robertson – who was off-camera for Duck Dynasty‘s first three seasons.
Alan Robertson has been pastor of White’s Ferry Church of Christ in West Monroe, Louisiana, for 20 years
Alan Robertson has been pastor of White’s Ferry Church of Christ in West Monroe, Louisiana, for 20 years, and the rest of the clan is active in the congregation.
He also leads weekly voluntary devotional hours at the company headquarters.
With the on-screen arrival of Alan Robertson in Duck Dynasty Season 4, faith may come even more to the forefront.
In an interview with CBN’s 700 Club, Alan Robertson talked about making the decision to join the TV side of the family empire.
“My high-school years were just terrible, and it was all a secret life – running around and drinking and cutting up. So, I was at the worst possible place – I was hiding in plain sight. I was in the church, but I wasn’t a Christian. I wasn’t living for Christ.”
He also spoke about traveling the nation with his father Phil Robertson to preach: “I call us the feather and the sledgehammer. I come in, and I get people laughing. I get their tickle-bone, because I’m kind of the humor guy.
“And then dad comes in with a sledgehammer – boom!– you know. <<This is what God has done for you. This is what our nation needs>>. Boom, boom, boom!”
Alan Robertson explained: “I really feel like God had prepared us for such a moment as this. And when America needs some family to say, <<Hey, we can make mistakes, you know, we can come from nothing – we can have all these things now, but ultimately none of it matters except that we’re saved, and we’re going to be in heaven with Christ forever>>.”
His wife, Lisa Robertson, was also interviewed in the segment, and here’s her thoughts on taking their message beyond the physical congregation: “To have a great church is good. But there is people out there that’s not ever going to darken the doors that we have here. And they may not ever darken the doors of any church building.
“And so, if we can give them a little taste of Christianity, a little taste of God, but in a fun way, to tell them that just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean that you can’t have loads of fun and laugh all the time and just enjoy what God’s given you.”
Duck Dynasty’s men are well known for their growing long, bushy beards, except one of them – new cast member and eldest son Alan Robertson.
Alan Robertson, 47, is a former minister who left his church to join Duck Dynasty in Season 4.
However, don’t expect him to follow that last tradition.
“I don’t want to get stuck with that look, I mean, are you kidding me?” the clean-shaven Alan Robertson said in an interview on The 700 Club.
Alan Robertson’s wife, Lisa, concurs with his feelings: “You know, when there’s things crawling out of your beard or whenever you’ve got food left from lunch or dinner, I don’t know, that just kind of grosses me out.”
He also opened up about his past, before he was a deeply faithful pastor. In fact, he was quite the wild child in his teen days.
Alan and Lisa Robertson stayed out of the Duck Dynasty spotlight before because of his ministry, but now they hope to bring their faith and values to the show’s millions of viewers
“My high school years were just terrible and it was all a secret life – running around and drinking and cutting up,” Alan Robertson admitted.
After graduating from high school, things spiraled even more out of control when Alan Robertson moved to New Orleans. But after a year, he realized he needed to shape up – and returned home to the loving embrace of parents Phil and Kay Robertson. He recommitted to his faith and Phil Robertson baptized him in the river behind their house.
Alan and Lisa Robertson stayed out of the Duck Dynasty spotlight before because of his ministry, but now they hope to bring their faith and values to the show’s millions of viewers.
“I really feel like God had prepared us for such a moment as this and when America needs some family to say, <<Hey, we can make mistakes, you know. We can come from nothing. We can have all these things now>>,” he said.
“Ultimately none of it matters except that we’re saved and we’re gonna be in heaven forever with Christ.”
Duck Dynasty airs Wednesdays at 10 PM on A&E.
Sarah Palin revealed she loves the Duck Dynasty fever sweeping America, suggesting that Republicans turn to the famous family to find their way through the political wilderness.
“[I]t’s time our politicians wake up and hear some Duck calls from far outside the beltway,” the former Alaska governor explained on Facebook, praising the show’s record ratings on cable.
Sarah Palin and her husband Todd with Willie Robertson at the 2013 NRA convention
“The self-made, hugely successful businessmen (and women) of Duck Dynasty made history this week with the ‘most watched non-fiction series’ in TV history.”
Sarah Palin also praised a video showing Phil Robertson delivering a speech against abortion rights that has gone viral on the internet.
“To our GOP leaders in Washington, especially – this is what Americans desire and deserve; we’re not rooting for your social truces. As Phil so rightly asks, <<What in the world has happened to us?>>” she added.
Sarah Palin posted a photo of herself and her husband Todd with Willie Robertson at the 2013 NRA convention.
“Kudos to these Duck dudes for speaking their minds, and for their boldness in living the American dream of LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – reminding us all that it’s only with freedom that anything is possible,” Sarah Palin concluded.
Alan Robertson is the Duck Dynasty’s beardless one and the newest member of the cast.
Alan Robertson, who made his debut on Duck Dynasty‘s Season 4 premiere last week, is explaining in an interview on CBN News’ Friday edition of The 700 Club why he left his job as senior pastor of a large church to join the show.
The oldest son of Phil and Miss Kay Robertson ministered at White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ for more than 20 years. He explains that some early teen craziness led him to the church early on.
“My high school years were just terrible and it was all a secret life – running around and drinking and cutting up,” Alan Robertson tells CBN News White House Correspondent Jennifer Wishon, who traveled to West Monroe, Louisiana, to interview him and his wife, Lisa.
“So I was at the worst possible place – I was hiding in plain sight. I was in the church but I wasn’t a Christian. I wasn’t living for Christ.”
After he graduated, Phil Robertson told him he either had to shape up or move out. Alan Robertson moved out and went to New Orleans, where he found more trouble. After about a year, he realized he needed to move back home.
Alan Robertson made his debut on Duck Dynasty’s Season 4 premiere last week
Alan Robertson made a commitment to follow Jesus Christ and Phil baptized him in the river behind their house.
And now Alan and Lisa Robertson, who do a lot of the family’s scheduling, have made a decision to be on-camera.
“I really feel like God had prepared us for such a moment as this and when America needs some family to say, <<Hey, we can make mistakes, you know. We can come from nothing – we can have all these things now but ultimately none of it matters except that we’re saved and we’re gonna be in heaven forever with Christ>>. “
Lisa Robertson notes: “To have a great church is good. But there is people out there that’s not ever going to darken the doors that we have here. And they may not ever darken the doors of any church building. And so if we can give them a little taste of Christianity, a little taste of God, but in a fun way to tell them that just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean that you can’t have loads of fun and laugh all the time and just enjoy what God’s given you.”
Alan Robertson adds: “We’re fairly young. If God gives us a lot more years on the Earth who knows where we’re gonna go from there in terms of what we’re gonna do?”
Just don’t expect Alan Robertson to grow a beard. Ever.
“I don’t want to get stuck with that look, I mean, are you kidding me?”
Plus, Lisa Robertson likes her husband clean-shaven.
“You know, when there’s things crawling out of your beard or whenever you’ve got food left from lunch or dinner, I don’t know, that just kind of grosses me out,” Lisa Robertson said.
Duck Dynasty‘s Phil Robertson is not afraid to loudly proclaim his religious beliefs, including their stance against abortion.
A new video surfaced Tuesday of Phil Robertson delivering an impassioned speech slamming abortion.
“From the time you started inside your mother’s womb, Thomas Jefferson had it right,” he said.
“You have the God-given right to live, for crying out loud.”
Phil Robertson continued by holding out a finger.
“You’re this long! C’mon! You have a God-given right to live. And of all places, inside your mother – what in the world happened to us?”
Phil Robertson, a former standout football quarterback at Louisiana Tech, has been an ardent believer since the ’70s. During that time, the Duck Dynasty patriarch “was headed south” – drinking, fighting, mistreating his family. When his wife, Miss Kay, kicked him out, Phil Robertson turned to religion.
Phil Robertson is not afraid to loudly proclaim his religious beliefs, including their stance against abortion
Though Phil Robertson feels free to let loose his opinions in a speech, he told the Wall Street Journal in June that his family purposefully plays down their faith on Duck Dynasty.
“We can’t get into spiritual matters on the show too much,” he said.
“That’s a little much for the production company. They say, you know, it’s not the Pat Robertson show.”
The Robertson family doesn’t hide their beliefs and it’s possible religion will play a greater role this season, with oldest son Alan – a former minister – joining the cast. In fact, before the season began, Alan Robertson said he hoped to spread his message to a bigger audience thanks to the popularity of Duck Dynasty.
Alan Robertson said of leaving his pulpit: “What I do for our church – you see, it’s a pretty good-sized church – impacts a lot of people. But because of my association with the show, I’ll get to minister to a lot more people.”
Duck Dynasty airs Wednesdays at 10 PM on A&E.
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Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson opened up to LifeWay Christian Resources about his faith and the reason he and the rest of the Robertson family have found success.
Uncle Si has a propensity for stretching the truth during his stories on the reality TV show. However, when he sat down with LifeWay for two exclusive video interviews, he was serious about what Christ can do – as serious as he can be.
“A lot of people say, <<Hey, God doesn’t have a sense of humor>>. Yes, He does. God has a great sense of humor. Look at me. Look at Phil. Look at Willie. Look at Jase,” Si Robertson said with a laugh, referring to other members of the Robertson family.
“God has taken four guys that look like five miles of muddy road and made them famous in the TV world.”
In preparation for the September 3 release of his new book Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle, Si Robertson attributes the success of their business and TV show to God.
In preparation for the September 3 release of his new book, Si Robertson attributes the success of their business and TV show to God
“[People] ask us all the time, <<How did you become so successful?>> That would be one answer: The Almighty is the one who has made this a success,” he said.
A video interview released by LifeWay last spring with Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson went viral with almost 4 million views.
While Si Robertson has experienced God in his success, he also sees God as the one who is there during difficult moments.
“I wonder when people run into bad times, when they go to the doctor and they find out, <<I’m dying of cancer>>, and they don’t believe in God, who do they turn to?” Si Robertson asked.
“We are all mortal. We are all going in that grave,” he continued in the first of two short video interviews at LifeWay.com.
“There ain’t but one way you gonna beat it.”
For Si Robertson, above all the success and fame, the Gospel is the most important thing in his life.
“Like Phil always tells them, <<If you’ve got something to offer me better than I just shared with you, I’m all ears>>,” Si Robertson said.
“[Jesus] beat the grave and He promises you that since He beat it, if you believe in Him, He’ll make you beat it.”
In the second two-minute video, Si Robertson gives his own apologetic for believing in the resurrection of Christ: spring.
“In the winter, things are dead and dull, but then there is an explosion of life,” Si Robertson said.
“That’s what He promises people who believe in His Son. That’s what all the Robertsons are banking on.”
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Duck Dynasty school supplies are now at Walmart.
That’s right you can have Si, Willie, Jase and Phil Robertson on your notebooks, composition, folders and binders.
Duck Dynasty school supplies are now at Walmart
Prices range from $2.37 to $9.97 for lunch boxes.
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Duck Dynasty men have no plans to change their look anytime soon, because as it turns out, those bushy beards are more than just down-home fashion statements.
“You have to remember something – you came out of your mother’s womb and reached a certain majority of years and that hair started coming forth from your face,” Phil Robertson told TODAY.
“Not so much with women, but men, hair grows out of their face. So we usually remind people that the only two people who do not have whiskers are women and children, and we are neither of those.”
The beard is just fine with Phil Robertson’s wife, Miss Kay. Even though she admitted she hasn’t “seen his face in 30 years,” she’s learned to love whiskers.
Duck Dynasty men have no plans to change their look anytime soon
In fact, Miss Kay’s so happy with Phil Robertson, she recently agreed to walk down the aisle with him one more time for their 49th wedding anniversary, and fans will get a chance to see the big event on the show’s season four premiere.
“This wedding costs way more than the original wedding with Miss Kay and I,” Phil Robertson said of the romantic redo.
“It was $25 bucks on the first go around. Fifty years later, to kind of replay that, it was … uh … hold on to your pocketbook.”
Almost 12 million viewers tuned in to Season 4’s premiere of the scripted reality TV hit — which, as it turns out, isn’t very scripted at all.
“Most of the time, we ad lib because think about it, someone in LA is fixing to put words into our mouths?” Phil Robertson said, scoffing at the idea.
Besides, at least one of them doesn’t pay much attention to the script anyway.
“I’m a director’s worst nightmare,” said fan favorite, Si Robertson.
“They give you the script – I don’t read no script, OK? And don’t let me get bored, ’cause then I’ll just go crazy.”
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Duck Dynasty’s matriarch Miss Kay finally got the ceremony she had always dreamed of when she tied the knot with Phil Robertson 50 years ago in a very au courant DIY affair on their expansive rural Louisiana property.
“I guess dreams really do come true,” said Miss Kay Robertson of her vow renewal.
“I feel like I’m living a fairy tale.”
Organizing the wedding was no small task, as the women of the Robertson family recruited their reluctant husbands to do everything from arrange flowers to hang lights.
“The definition of cruel and unusual punishment is hanging out on the river bank while fish are biting and I’m stuck setting up for a wedding that’s 50 years late,” groused Miss Kay and Phil’s son Jase Robertson.
Meanwhile, Phil Robertson’s brother, Vietnam veteran Uncle Si, was charged with the task of distracting Miss Kay and Phil until the ceremony.
“You’re the most integral part of this entire thing,” Willie Robertson’s wife, Korie, told Si, explaining that he had to take the couple off the property while the family prepared the wedding. “Do not come back until 5 o’clock!”
The next day, Si Robertson took Miss Kay and Phil on a rambling “trip down memory lane,” which included a visit to a dilapidated crack house and random firework stand.
“It would be nice if you went down memory lane to run up on something that you remembered,” lamented Phil Robertson.
Si Robertson finally redeemed himself by taking Miss Kay and Phil to a tree where they carved their initials in a tree five decades earlier.
“Seeing that tree just warmed my heart,” said Miss Kay Robertson.
“I can’t believe Si actually remembered that.”
Phil and Miss Kay Robertson make it official, 50 years later
Back at the Robertson compound, the family got busy decorating. The clan’s inscrutable neighbor, Mountain Man, crafted an arbor made of found branches and zip ties. Mason jars lit with candles were hung from branches, while bales of hay were turned into benches, covered with colorful swaths of fabric. The family’s fabled creek set the background, with the water sparkling and looking “like diamonds.”
For the ceremony, Si Robertson served as best man, much to the chagrin of son Willie.
“Those are two words that have never been used together–best man and Si,” Willie Robertson harrumphed.
Phil Robertson justified his decision by pointing out that he and Si had been “running together since he was naked.”
“Thank goodness he’s not naked now,” quipped Willie Robertson.
Miss Kay Robertson was wearing a partial white net veil and cream-colored suit, walked down the aisle, accompanied by her two beloved dogs. As a ukulele was softly strummed, Miss Kay’s daughter-in-law Missy Robertson sang a lilting tune.
Meanwhile, Si Robertson asked his brother Phil if he was nervous.
“No,” he replied.
“Game wardens are the only things that make me nervous.”
Surrounded by friends and family, the ceremony was lead by the Robertson’s eldest, clean-shaven son, Alan, who recently joined the family business after two decades as a preacher in the local church.
“We’ve hauled a lot of fish up this bank, we’ve played baseball under these trees, Si shot a few squirrels out of them as well,” said Alan Robertson, as his parents stood before him.
“We all got baptized in the creek back here behind me. And now, here we are, almost 50 years after you two guys got together, having the wedding that you never had, with four generations of Robertsons looking on.”
Miss Kay Robertson fought her emotions as she looked up to her husband.
“From the time I was 14 years old, I loved you,” said Miss Kay Robertson, steeling herself.
“We’ve been through some good times, and some hard times. I loved you when we were poor, and you were not so nice. Now you’re really nice and kind. And all I can say about that is – I’m not going anywhere. I will love you forever.”
Phil and Miss Kay Robertson’s youngest son was so overwhelmed with emotion, he began crying uncontrollably.
“Jep – keep it together,” one of his brothers hissed.
Meanwhile, the ceremony continued.
“Let’s see, Miss Kay – we’ve been running together since we were teenagers,” said Phil Robertson.
“The old blue Chevrolet, Si in the back. You have cooked me many a good meal. From your loins came four healthy, Godly men. You are my best friend and I love you dearly, and I’m going to be with you for the long haul, until they put me in the ground. Good?”
“Perfect,” beamed Miss Kay Robertson.
Reflecting on their almost five decades together, Miss Kay Robertson observed: “Our marriage is living proof that love and family can get you through anything.”
Duck Dynasty drew 11.8 million viewers Wednesday night on A&E, the largest audience ever for a nonfiction telecast on cable television.
That total, which included 6.3 million viewers in the advertiser-preferred demographic of 25- to 54-year-olds, built on the high ratings won in April, at the conclusion of Season 3, when the audience reached 9.6 million.
The series follows the travails of the Robertson family of West Monroe, Louisiana, and their company, Duck Commander, which makes duck calls for hunters. The show mixes commerce, family life, the great outdoors and beards suitable for members of the band ZZ Top – sported by the patriarch of the family, Phil Robertson, and three of his sons.
Duck Dynasty drew 11.8 million viewers Wednesday night, the largest audience ever for a nonfiction telecast on cable television
“The Robertsons represent a lot things we as Americans cherish,” said David McKillop, the general manager and executive vice president of the network: “self-made wealth, independence, three generations living together.”
Though a reality show, David McKillop said Duck Dynasty fits nicely with the themes of classic family television.
“When the show came in, the direction I gave: This is not a hunting show, make this like <<The Waltons>>.”
Duck Dynasty’s popularity extends beyond TV. At a recent Walmart meeting, the company announced that Duck Dynasty T-shirts were the best sellers in its men’s, women’s and boys’ sections.
Wednesday’s episode, the premiere of Duck Dynasty Season 4, followed the Robertson children as they planned a wedding ceremony for Phil Robertson and his wife, Miss Kay, who were married 48 years ago by a justice of the peace.
It also added a new character to the show: Beardless Robertson Male, Alan Robertson. He is Phil and Miss Kay’s eldest son, a minister who performed the wedding.
With its nearly 12 million viewers, Duck Dynasty eclipsed the veiwership totals of other intensely popular reality shows like Jon & Kate Plus 8, which in 2009 drew an audience of 10.6 million viewers to hear Jon and Kate Gosselin confirm that they were splitting up.
Back in 2012, a proposal for a TV show about a conservative Louisiana family that makes duck calls didn’t have to go far to find doubters.
The Robertsons were seated at the dinner table.
“I said, <<This will never work. Nobody’s going to watch that>>,” remembers Jase Robertson, who works for the family business.
“My dad [Phil Robertson] echoed that. I think he said something along the lines of <<A redneck family, they’re not going to run that>>.”
Well, they did run it, and people watched. Lots of people. A&E’s Duck Dynasty, which opens its fourth season today, August 14, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, has become a ratings phenomenon, ranking behind only AMC’s zombie hit The Walking Dead last season among cable series.
The reality series that follows the bearded Robertson clan and their Monroe, Louisiana, outdoor sporting-goods business grew 95% in viewers last season, averaging 8.4 million viewers.
Duck Dynasty is designed as a modern-day sitcom with a rich cast of characters including patriarch and duck-call creator Phil Robertson, his wife Kay and their sons – Willie, the CEO; Jase, who makes the duck calls but would rather be hunting or fishing; and Jep – and Phil’s offbeat brother, Si.
Phil and Miss Kay’s oldest son, Alan – uniquely clean-shaven – joins the show in the fourth-season premiere.
Duck Dynasty Season 4’s first episode will feature a surprise wedding-vow renewal ceremony for Phil and Kay Robertson on their 49th anniversary.
“He’s kind of the troubled one in my family. He’s good looking, he’s clean shaven, he bathes regularly and he wears nice clothes. We’ve always tried to figure out what exactly is wrong with him,” Jase Robertson says.
Duck Dynasty has become a ratings phenomenon, ranking behind only The Walking Dead last season among cable series
The show’s success has much to do with how engaging the Robertsons are, says Andy Dehnart, editor of realityblurred.com, a blog about unscripted TV shows.
“The No. 1 thing is just that the cast members are really appealing, nice, funny, warm, awesome people to spend some time with on TV. I think that’s what makes all the difference,” he says.
“We get that a lot on social media, <<How I wish this was my family>>, which is the best compliment we can get,” says A&E’s reality-programming chief Lily Neumeyer, also an executive producer on the series.
Jase Robertson says he believes sincerity is the key.
“I think the smartest thing we did was stay true to ourselves.”
Producers get episode ideas from the family members, but the episodes resemble sitcom plots: Willie Robertson wants to lose weight before a reunion. Jase thinks Willie is going through a midlife crisis.
“We all sat down around a table and had them tell stories and we just listen. They always have the most amazing, funny stories and moments,” she says.
Producers often re-create situations for the show, so like most such series it isn’t entirely unscripted. Once the cameras are rolling, the Robertsons take it from there, Lily Neumeyer says.
Still, when producers try to film or re-create events from their lives, family members don’t necessarily go along with their plans. Jase Robertson says he’s not told what to say and that he has balked at requests, refusing to wear knickers in an episode where he and Willie go golfing.
“A lot of the ideas that they have, they always take a turn somewhere because that’s just not what we would do,” he says.
“I think it’s difficult for them to trust us enough to know that they’re going to get something they can use, and that’s been the biggest battle. They want to control it, but we’re uncontrollable. So, finding that balance is the genius part of the show.”
Duck Dynasty‘s success already is leading to imitators, Andy Dehnart says, but it will be hard to reproduce the on-camera genuineness of the Robertsons. Discovery Channel on Tuesday unveiled Porter Ridge, a comedic series from Duck Dynasty‘s producers that centers on an auto salvage yard business in the hills of Indiana.
“I fear for the day when a bunch of Duck Dynasty clones come on the air, in part, because it’s lightning in a bottle,” says Andy Dehnart.
The family just got a big raise, Deadline.com reported Tuesday, enabling A&E to promise “several” more seasons of the show, but Jase Robertson dismisses reports of acrimony.
“We were having normal negotiations and people blew it out of proportion just for a story,” he says.
“A&E has been good to us. It says a lot of them to allow us to do what we do on the show, which is not normal television. They took a risk on us and we’ve been happy with them, and I think they’ve been happy with us.”
The high profile has helped the family business, too, with many people who aren’t hunters buying the duck calls and other items. A&E says an extensive line of merchandise is a big seller at WalMart and other big retailers. The family members are in demand at various events, and Willie and Si Robertson will appear, as other characters, on the season premiere of ABC’s Last Man Standing on September 20, 8 p.m. ET/PT.
“It’s changed our lives, because I can’t go to the grocery store without people gathering (around), but I think the difference in us and most people on TV is this was not something we set out as a goal,” he says.
“So, it didn’t really taint the important things, our faith and our family and our perspective on life.”
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