Last Friday, John Stamos, the actor known best as Uncle Jesse on Full House, was arrested for DUI. Now you may not have heard about this incident because in the media, it was somewhat washed over. When I first heard of it, the news focused on the fact that he thanked the policemen and how honorable that was. Um, yeah, but, he was driving drunk. His friends said they were hopeful this was just a one-time mistake, but that he had struggled with alcoholism in the past. He fell apart when his Mother passed away last September and they suspect that event might have triggered this incident.
Full House is still running as reruns on various cable networks and the much-hyped sequel, Fuller House is still on target for production. No harm no foul.
Just a month or so ago, evidence surfaced that Joshua Duggar of the famed 19 Kids and Counting had been involved in sexual molestation as a minor. He publicly apologized for this and stepped down from his job at the Family Research Council. Consequently, 19 Kids and Counting was pulled from the TLC lineup and there are expectations the show will be canceled.
Recently on Fox News, Megan Kelly interviewed two of the sisters that were victims - Jessa and Jill - and Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar - about the situation and details surrounding it. It painted a bit different light on the situation. To date, Joshua hasn't been interviewed by a news outlet, and part of me wishes he would. I'd like to hear from him. The silence is somewhat deafening after an enlightening group of interviews with Megan Kelly.
While I don't condone or approve of either of these actions, I'm a bit baffled at how the response has been so starkly different. Had John Stamos hurt someone driving drunk, or, heaven forbid, kill someone, would we pull Full House from the lineup? Would the production of Fuller House be in jeopardy? I can argue that the target audience of Full House is partially made up of younger kids who could be heavily influenced that getting a DUI is ok. It's definitely not a "breaking of the law" as serious as molestation. And, to some degree I would agree. What we see here are the consequences of actions, and not the action itself. But breaking the law is breaking the law.
John Stamos was arrested while driving. Joshua Duggar came forward admitting to his problem. Yet, it seems one crime is less important than the other one. I grieve for Joshua Duggar and the family as they deal with this and pray that this addiction he has is under control and he has strong accountability. But I also grieve for John Stamos who apparently took this DUI lightly. I pray that he takes this for the warning it is and drives responsibly lest a life be taken from this world because of his actions.
Both of these situations sadden me. And I think what makes me saddest is knowing that the media uses the contra-popular life of the Duggars - being public about their Christianity - to fuel the fire behind this situation. If Jim Bob Duggar had been arrested for DUI, would the show be pulled from the air? Quite possibly.
Funny how Phil Robertsons' comments from Scripture on his stand on homosexuality now fade in the background of Duggars, Jenners and Dolezals.
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