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  • ‘Duck Dynasty’ Launching New Truck Tires

    The Duck Dynasty brand can be found almost everywhere these days. You can even buy your baby a onesie with the logo atop camouflage or a picture of Phil Robertson or Uncle Si on the front. Now Duck Dynasty fans can add one more thing they can proudly procure to add to their collection–truck tires. Yes, it’s true. On August 12th there will be an official unveiling of the tire design.

    Collaborating with TBC Brands and Harris Tire, the Duck Dynasty tire line will be available in both all terrain and mud terrain styles. Both styles will feature the ‘Duck Commander’ name and logo, along with a duck feather motif molded into the sidewall.

    A variety of wheel sizes will be available in the Duck Dynasty tire line. They will range from 15 to 20-inch tires. John Rastetter is Tire Rack’s Director of Tire Information Services. He says that since the tires are being manufactured by Cooper Tires–known for producing both the Mickey Thompson and the Dick Cepeck brands–they will no doubt be a ‘respectable product.’

    Are you a Duck Dynasty fan? Do you wear your duck call proudly, along with your t-shirt and headband? Or do you simply sit down in your living room at night and watch the show–wishing all the while you had someone in your house like Miss Kay to cook up some fabulous treat for you to enjoy while you watch?

    Well now you can buy Duck Dynasty tires, too. It seems pretty likely that the people who may buy these tires are probably the ones with gun racks in the back windows of their pickup trucks. But, hey–maybe that won’t be the case. Perhaps sharply dressed women driving luxe sport utility vehicles will soon have their rides adorned with Duck Dynasty tires and start a whole new trend.

    Will you be among them, ladies?

    Image via Twitter

  • Phil Robertson Doesn’t Care If You Hate Him

    Phil Robertson is living the American dream. He has a hit television show that nets his family $200,000 per episode. He makes millions more from licensed merchandising. He does what he likes to do. He says what he wants to say with little impediment or consequence. He has millions of people who adore him, back him, dress like him, and pay him for what he has to sell.

    Do we think that Phil Robertson cares one bit about your opinion of his thoughts on homosexuality? Or anything else for that matter?

    Robertson caused a public outcry over his GQ interview last year where he denounced homosexuality.

    “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

    Some theologians disagree with Phil’s rendering of that Corinthians verse. They say that the translation of that in the King James Bible is in error. The GQ article says that Phil paraphrased 1 Corinthians 6:9,10. Here it is from the New KJV:

    9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

    At issue is the translation of the words for “homosexuals” and “sodomites”. Some scholars say these were actually words related specifically to underage male prostitution common in pagan temple worship. They say this is no more related to a consenting relationship between to same-sex individuals than marital sex is related to picking up a hooker.

    Parsing out Bible verses can be a full-time occupation. In the end, people choose what they want to believe, whether it is that gays are wrong, the Earth is 6,000 years old, or that Jesus came back in 1914.

    The fact is, Robertson said something that millions of Americans agree with, whether they say it as loudly in public as Robertson did or not. And when Robertson was suspended from his own show, they rallied to get him back only nine days after the suspension.

    Phil Robertson has nothing to worry about. When he’s adored, he does fine. When he’s dogged in the media, he still does fine because churches call him to share his persecution story with them. Even if Duck Dynasty dried up tomorrow, Phil still has his duck call business, his savings, and what will still come from his merchandising for a while.

    And he has his family, his beliefs, and his community of like-minded believers. That’s more than some people. All that and the money, too. Why should Phil care that you hate him?

    Image via YouTube

  • Phil Robertson: Killed Duck Dynasty’s Golden Goose?

    Duck Dynasty was on top of the heap. Of all the reality shows about millionaire duck hunting families, it was the king. It was the Number One reality TV show in cable history.

    Then Phil Robertson did an interview in GQ Magazine. The piece is old news now, but just take a moment and remember where you were when you first heard that the long-bearded patriarch of the Duck Dynasty clan had done an interview in GQ.

    In said interview, Robertson said some things that alienated, offended, and disgusted many people.

    “It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

    Perhaps Phil thought he could be just as comfortable speaking his mind with a GQ writer as he was in front of the cameras for his own show, forgetting that there was no editing team, forgetting that GQ readers are, by and large, not his tribe. It is highly unlikely that those offended were die hard members of his fan base. But the hammer came down nonetheless.

    After a highly-publicized bit of blowback, Robertson was suspended from his own show. Then his fans rallied the troops, and he was asked back after only nine days suspension. It looked like the gravy train was back on track for Robertson and family. After that outpouring of fan support, things were likely better than ever. Or so most thought.

    The numbers tell a different tale. Last year, the folks at Nielsen said that Duck Dynasty had about 12 million viewers. Now, seven months after the GQ kerfluffle, they have only about one-third of that audience. Even the season premiere was way down.

    Where did everyone go? One theory is that it is no longer popular in mixed company to say you watch Duck Dynasty. Sure, the guys sporting ZZ Top beards and wearing camo to walk around the mall aren’t going anywhere. But folks who may have been watching the show at its peak, but don’t want their friends to think they are homophobes, they’re long gone.

    Of course, there is still the merchandise licensing. All those Duck Dynasty t-shirts, ball caps, beef jerky, and other such paraphernalia that netted the Dynasty team $400 million last year are still there. There is the possibility that they may lose some if they get the losing end of a lawsuit over one of their catchphrases. But there’s still a lot of money coming.

    A&E says they already have the next season of Duck Dynasty in the can. And they are considering spinoffs, which is where many reality shows come from.

    Maybe Phil killed the goose/duck that laid the golden eggs, but they piled up a lot of eggs before he did.

    Image via YouTube

  • Duck Dynasty Sued by Camo Company

    Down is up and up is down. Who would have ever believed that any manufacturer or seller of camouflage clothing in the world would ever sue A&E and their cash cow, Duck Dynasty? But that is exactly what is happening.

    It all started when one of the stars of the hit A&E series, uncle Si Robertson, once said, “My favorite color is camo.” Sounds innocent enough. The phrase took off. And A&E, which already licenses camo materials with the show’s name and logo, began to license camo wear emblazoned with the phrase.

    But hold up. It turns out there is already a company that has claim to that phrase as a camo sales gimmick. The company is called Hajn, and they are based in Florida. And this is not just a case of a smaller company beating A&E to the punch after that episode aired. Hajn says it registered the phrase as a trademark and put it on shirts, pants, hoodies, hats, magnets, stickers and bumper stickers in 2011, which is a year before Duck Dynasty started up on A&E.

    So, the lawsuits cranked up.

    “A&E’s conduct constitutes clear acts of unfair competition that risks considerable consumer confusion in that customers purchasing apparel from A&E believe that these goods are affiliated, sponsored, endorsed or related to Hajn,” the suit said. “Alternatively, A&E’s conduct constitutes reverse palming off, in that consumers believe that Hajn is selling Duck Dynasty related apparel.”

    Hajn says they sent A&E a cease and desist letter, which they ignored. Hajn says they are entitled to a piece of the action.

    “A&E generated $400 million in revenues from sales of Duck Dynasty branded merchandise at Wal-Mart in 2013 alone,” the suit said.

    “Our client is a hardworking and enterprising small-business owner who took the time and effort to trademark his intellectual property,” Hajn attorney Greg Weiss wrote. “We had no choice but to pursue his rights though this lawsuit after our warning went unheeded.”

    A&E’s lawyers have not commented, saying, “We don’t comment on pending litigation.”

    Image via MyFavoriteColorIsCamo.Com

  • Duck Dynasty Star Compared To John The Baptist

    Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson has been in the news for what seems like forever now for speaking out on sensitive issues such as homosexuality. The Duck Commander has great faith and is not afraid to talk about spiritual things regardless of the consequences.

    Phil Robertson has stirred up more than his share of major controversy for Duck Dynasty, starting with his remarks on homosexuality last year when he proclaimed,

    “It seems like, to me, a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

    Then the world fell apart.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjqccYmx13w

    Even though Phil tried to clear up his stance for the media, the damage was already done. However, through the whole fiasco, the Duck Dynasty patriarch didn’t back down.

    His son, Alan, who is a preacher and makes a few appearances on Duck Dynasty as the only non-bearded Robertson, has recently compared his father to biblical figure John the Baptist.

    “How many people make their way out just to talk to my dad about the good news of Jesus Christ? And so he was a lot like John the Baptist. He is that guy. Now I’m often reminded when I tell people John the Baptist that he also lost his head, for speaking the truth, right? In a culture that really wasn’t prepared to hear truth, and yet, you know what, that doesn’t change my dad’s view at all.”

    He said of the Duck Dynasty star, “Prophets tend to not care about their public image, they tend to talk about judgment as if it’s real, and they speak what God gives them to speak. And that’s what my dad does. So he is, in that sense, a 21st century prophet. What’s interesting is how it came to be is phenomenal. It really was just one prayer on a television show.”

    This is true about Phil and the stance he took. He spoke about some very culturally sensitive topics despite the risk it held for Duck Dynasty and stood by his statements.

    What do you think about Alan’s comparison of the Duck Dynasty star to John the Baptist?

    Image via YouTube

  • Phil Robertson: A Modern John the Baptist?

    Phil Robertson: A Modern John the Baptist?

    Phil Robertson, star of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, has been known to stir up a pot of trouble from time to time. Robertson is outspoken on his views, especially those that reflect his personal beliefs.

    Back in January, Robertson caught all kinds of public flack for his statements in an interview with GQ where he held court on his views about homosexuals.

    “It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

    In the uproar that followed, America took sides. Robertson was suspended from his own show, but was reinstated within the month.

    Now Phil Robertson’s son, Alan Robertson, a minister himself,–and the only unbearded one of the clan–recently compared Phil to another live-off-the-land muckraker from the Bible.

    “[H]ow many people make their way out just to talk to my dad about the good news of Jesus Christ? And so he was a lot like John the Baptist. He is that guy … Now I’m often reminded when I tell people John the Baptist that he also lost his head, for speaking the truth, right? In a culture that really wasn’t prepared to hear truth,” said Robertson. “And yet, you know what, that doesn’t change my dad’s view at all. Prophets tend to not care about their public image, they tend to talk about judgment as if it’s real, and they speak what God gives them to speak. And that’s what my dad does.”

    John the Baptist, best known for his role in the Bible in baptizing Jesus, was also known as a man who spoke out about the corruption of those in power in his day. According to the Biblical narrative, John made one too many incendiary statements about Herod the King and ended up in prison. Some time later, Herod had John beheaded on a request from his wife via their daughter.

    Image via YouTube

  • Phil Robertson and Duck Dynasty Family: Spiritual Warfare Victims

    Phil Robertson and his Duck Dynasty family have come under attack ever since the A&E show’s patriarch made some anti-gay comments in the January 2014 issues of GQ magazine. The attacks, according to daughter-in-law Missy Robertson, are evidence of spiritual warfare.

    Missy is Jace Robertson’s wife. The couple recently spoke to CNSNews.com about the criticism that has followed Phil Robertson following the GQ interview.

    “So, and if you know anything about Phil Robertson, you know he’s not going to be bullied,” Missy Robertson said. “No, he’s not. He’s self-assured. A lot of people thought that what he was talking about in that [GQ] interview was his own opinions. But he was quoting Scripture. He knows the Scriptures so well, he didn’t need to go get the Bible and lay it out. He just started quoting. So, that’s where I think people were misled, that’s just coming out of his mouth as an opinion, but it wasn’t.”

    Robertson is even touting a new film called Persecuted in which spiritual warfare is said to be prevalent. His own attacks–and those aimed at his Duck Dynasty family members–didn’t start until after the GQ interview.

    In the GQ article, Phil Robertson was quoted as calling homosexuality a sin, and using words like ‘promiscuity’ and ‘bestiality’ comparatively.

    “It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus,” Robertson said to GQ. “That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

    It would seem if Phil Robertson didn’t want to cause a stir, he might have chosen his words a bit more conservatively. But he didn’t. He went on instead.

    “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he said.

    And then he added, “Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

    And now Phil Robertson and his family believe they are the victims of spiritual warfare.

    Missy Robertson says the whole Duck Dynasty family wants to ‘show Jesus through love and not judgment and criticism.’

    “We don’t want to be looked at that way,” she says. “Jesus came here, yes, with the sword to make sure that people knew right from wrong. But that’s not for us to decide. God is the judge, not us.”

    Do you think Phil Robertson and his family members are victims of spiritual warfare or perhaps of Phil’s careless words instead? Is our country under an attack of spiritual warfare as well?

    Will you be checking out Persecuted at your local movie theater? It would be interesting to learn if Phil Robertson perceives his and the country’s attacks as being similar.

    Image via Twitter

  • Duck Dynasty’s Jase On Famous GQ Interview

    Duck Dynasty’s Jase On Famous GQ Interview

    Duck Dynasty’s Jase Robertson has opened up about his experience in the now infamous GQ interview with Drew Magary. You know, the one that caused a huge stir and controversy across the nation when Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson said that homosexuality is a sin.

    The nation heard about Phil Robertson’s answers and the stand for faith that rocked Duck Dynasty to the core and almost lost Phil Robertson (and the rest of the family, since they weren’t going on without him) their highly-rated show on A&E. We also heard weeks (and weeks, and weeks) of backlash from all over the country claiming Phil Robertson was everything from a bigot to a homophobe to a racist and back.

    Well, now Jase Robertson of Duck Dynasty is telling the other side of the story about what went on during that immortal interview.

    Apparently, the Duck Dynasty cast in its entirety eventually walked out on the interview because “it felt more like an attack because our family has a prayer at the end of the show”, according to Jase. He says he even tried to convince his father “to stop the interview because the questions were hypothetical, argumentative, and controversial.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq3URCr4FHo

    Jase said the interview involving the cast of Duck Dynasty didn’t even start out on a good note, as Drew Magary began with unsavory language and moved straight to even more offensive questions.

    Duck Dynasty‘s Jase revealed that from the get-go, “He was using four-letter words, a lot of F-bombs, he was making fun of some of the things we hold true. The first statement of the whole process was, he looked at me and said, ‘Do you actually expect people to believe that you waited until you got married before you had sex?’ That was the first statement out of his mouth. Well, I kind of looked around at the publicist and I thought, ‘Is this the interview?’ I mean, because this was just the way it came across.”

    However, the family of Duck Dynasty is a forgiving bunch, and they don’t want to believe that Magary intentionally set them up to be torn down, but…it kinda seems that way.

    “…I think it was just a plan to get some, some of that [which] caused us some trouble. But, you know, we don’t hold anything against him, so. Or even by trying that. My dad thought he wanted to take a stand in his house, and I don’t blame him.”

    Way to take the high road Mr. Robertson.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kay Robertson Admits Son Born Out of Wedlock

    Kay Robertson, the matriarch of the Robertson family who shares her strong Christian values on their reality show, A&E’s Duck Dynasty, recently revealed to US Weekly that her oldest son Alan Robertson was born before she and her husband Phil Robertson were officially married.

    “Well, this is the first time I’ve shared this, aside from giving my testimony [in church],” Kay said. “When I made a vow to God and to [Phil], it was March 22, 1964. … It wasn’t legal.”

    “That’s the truth,” she added. “We didn’t do the legal papers until April 11, 1968, after Alan, my oldest, was born. Alan says, ‘Yeah, I would be the B [bastard] in the family.’”

    Phil and Kay are also parents to Willie, Jase, and Jep, all of which are featured on Duck Dynasty.

    Although the papers weren’t officially signed until four years later, Kay says her union she made to God and Phil was sincere from day one. “But I want to tell you something,” Kay said. “My heart and my vow to God was true from the first day.”

    Kay said that the date of their wedding is just a technicality and occasionally an inside joke between her and the family. “Now, the family laughs about it,” she said. “People ask, ‘When was your mama’s wedding?’ and the boys say, ‘Which, the pioneer wedding or the regular wedding?’”

    In December, Phil finally gave his bride a wedding ring after more than 50 years of marriage.

    Image via Twitter

  • ‘Duck Dynasty:’ Is There a Wedding in Store?

    Will Duck Dynasty feature the wedding of non-family cast member Justin Martin during either season six or season seven? The employee at the Duck Commander headquarters proposed to girlfriend Brittany Brugman recently and now fans are wondering if their nuptials will take place on the A&E hit show.

    “I dropped on one knee, did it, and she said yes. Now we’re in the stages of planning a wedding and by ‘we,’ I mean her,” Martin told Fox News at a Homes of Hope benefit recently.

    Martin says the notion of his and Brittany’s wedding taking place on the show is presently “up in the air.”

    “My preference would be small in the country — just like you see us on TV. Get us down on the bank of a river somewhere. Let’s do this, get it over with and start the next chapter,” he says.

    Season six of Duck Dynasty premiered on June 11th, and according to Justin Martin it’s not “all about the ducks” this year.

    “Season six is really good,” he said. “We get back on the beavers in this one. Touch back to some frog catching again.”

    Uncle Si firmly believes that God has his hand in helping the show achieve even more success.

    “We was doing a film one day about hunting for the beaver dam, and I said, I laughed at the director, said ‘you actually think you’re directing this thing? The Lord God Mighty is directing Duck Dynasty,” he explained.

    Justin Martin says this new season once again focuses on family.

    “You can still be busy, you can still run a huge corporation, but you still make time for family. And that’s the message we’re trying to get back to the people of America.”

    So will the Duck Commander employee get married on national TV? It would probably help Duck Dynasty ratings which, according to some reports, hasn’t fared too well in recent months. It would also mean Justin and Brittany would likely get married for free–with either A&E or the Robertson family footing the bill for the ceremony and the southern spread that would likely follow.

    Image via Twitter

  • Duck Dynasty Ratings: Do The Robertsons Care?

    Duck Dynasty, A&E’s ratings giant for years, has continued to watch it’s ratings drop drastically from the show’s former astronomical success. While the show is still cable’s reality show giant, the viewers have been draining away.

    The shrinkage could have something to do with last year’s controversy surrounding patriarch Phil Robertson’s remarks about homosexuality. Phil made such colorful remarks like, “It seems like, to me, a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

    This remark and others that followed caused a national outcry from gay and lesbian communities, national media, and people wishing to ride the outcry for no other reason than to make a political statement.

    Phil Robertson was unapologetic, however, and contended that his faith comes first. Even before the prosperity of his family. When A&E threatened to suspend Phil Robertson from the show, the family’s colors showed as they stood together and declared A&E could have all or none of the Robertsons.

    Yes, the ratings are low, and yes, sales of merchandise are dropping off, but are the Robertsons concerned? I would think not.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52IyDfNC0c4

    During last year’s scandal, the family banded together in support of Phil. They said they will be ok if the show gets booted entirely. Even the youngest star, Sadie Robertson said, “If we start to think of ourselves too highly, we remember that we were happy before the show and we will be happy after the show.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt3DY1Fp3IA

    Clearly fame and fortune are not the focus of this family. What do you think? Will the Robertsons survive, should they have to, without A&E? More importantly, can A&E survive without Duck Dynasty?

    Image via YouTube

  • Duck Dynasty Star Delivers Anti-Gay Sermon in New Video

    Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson waded into the culture wars once again this week after video of his Easter sermon hit the web. The video, released on Thursday by TMZ, shows that the reality TV star is sticking by his anti-gay views despite criticism and a short suspension from his family’s hit show.

    According to TMZ, the video depicts Robertson’s Easter Sunday address to his Louisiana church. During the speech Robertson referred to homosexuality as a sin and criticized the news media for what he perceived as a lack of biblical knowledge.

    “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?” said Robertson. “Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor the idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

    Robertson’s Easter comments echoed the opinions he put forth in a GQ interview late last year. In that interview Robertson said that he would prefer a vagina to a man’s anus and compared homosexuality to bestiality. He also characterized homosexuality an illogical sin.

    Those comments caused an uproar in the U.S., with many Americans calling for A&E to pull Duck Dynasty off the air. The cable channel did suspend Robertson briefly, leading his family to release a statement doubling-down on their Christian beliefs and asserting that Robertson “would never incite or encourage hate.” Robertson himself also said that he is “not a hater” and said that he would not back down from his views.

    The suspension was lifted just days later, with Robertson returning to his place on the reality show. Robertson’s return was heavily criticized by GLAAD and other gay-rights organizations. Duck Dynasty has seen record-low ratings in the months following the controversy.

    Image via A&E

  • Phil Robertson Won’t Stop Putting His Foot In It

    A&E put Phil Robertson back on the air after his last homophobic rant. And after ratings slid, it seems that perhaps the Robertson clan is hoping another round of stupid will get people talking again.

    At least that must be the logic behind these latest shenanigans.

    Rather than apologize for likening gay individuals to people who have sex with animals (or telling us all how much happier black Americans were when they were picking cotton), Robertson continues to amaze with his inability to stop putting his foot in it.

    By “it”, I mean his mouth.

    In a video filmed at Whites Ferry Road Church, a church in his hometown of West Monroe, La., Robertson condemned the media for the attack on his opinion.

    He insists that many were angry because instead of “acknowledging their sin” like he insisted the congregation do, the offended “railed against” him “for giving them the truth about their sins.” He warned, “Don’t deceive yourselves.”

    And then, he quoted the following Biblical passage:

    Neither the sexually immoral, nor the idolators, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

    Well, let’s look a couple of those.

    Slander can be defined as, “a malicious, false, and defamatory statement.”

    Saying that a person who never had sex with animals is pretty much guilty of bestiality could be construed as malicious and defamatory in some instances. Telling the world that black people were better off in cotton fields, during a time when they had fewer rights and job options in addition to dealing with overt bigotry, is certainly false.

    How about greedy?

    This video was released mere weeks ahead of the sixth season preview. Sounds like dollars are the motive more so than the word of God. But then, I’m the cynical type.

    You know what’s funny?

    For people who claim to believe in a Christian God, it seems that the individuals talking the loudest about other people’s “sins” often forget that there are many ways they can land in Hell themselves.

    Especially if they’re wealthy.

    Christ himself said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

    Perhaps the Robertson clan can step away from the homophobia just long enough to get to work squeezing through. Otherwise they might end up beating “the sinful gays” to the pits of Hell.

    Image via YouTube

  • Duck Dynasty Family Breaks Guinness Record, Releases Country EP

    “Duck Dynasty” has become a runaway hit for A&E, with the Robertson family expanding their empire beyond duck calls to include all manner of merchandise and even moving into the music business.

    Si Robertson released a 6-track EP on iTunes this week, Me And My Smoking Hot Honey, a collaboration with country singer Kix Brooks. Robertson said he had so much fun recording that he might trade in his current career for it.

    “I’m gonna make this my new career choice. I had a blast!”

    The family made headlines over the weekend when they hosted a Salvation Army of Southwest Florida fundraiser they called “The Call: Faith, Family & Facial Hair” at Germain Arena; family members Willie, Jase, Si, and Willie’s wife, Korie, Jase’s wife, Missy, and their three children — Reed, 19, Cole, 16, and Mia, 10, were in attendance for the benefit during which 4,000 people broke a record for the longest group duck call. The crowd was also treated to several musical performances in which the family were joined by The Farm and Switchfoot.

    Several families were in attendance, with some parents saying they thought the Robertsons were good role models for their children. As for the reality stars, they say they have their problems like any other family; the important thing is how they solve them.

    “In the end, we forgive each other and we gather around the table together and pray to an almighty God together,” Jase Robertson said.

    10-year old Mia was a hit at the fundraiser, singing “This Little Light Of Mine” to the delight of the audience. Mia has had several surgeries to correct a cleft palate.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Duck Dynasty:’ Willie Robertson Addresses Manufacturer & Business Association’s 109th Annual Event

    Duck Dynasty’s own Willie Robertson addressed the annual meeting of the Manufacturer & Business Associations 109th annual event in Erie, Pennsylvania on Saturday, and noted how his family business was a successful one even before Duck Dynasty became an A&E hit show.

    “I can’t think of a more true American success story than my family. We had nothing. We came from nothing,” he said to the crowd.

    Willie went on to explain how he remembered watching Dukes of Hazzard on TV while making the duck calls that made his family so famous. He recalled taking orders over the phone (a land line, of course) and then writing down those orders on the back of a paper plate.

    Robertson said he learned how to work hard by “sweeping floors, folding boxes and testing duck calls,” and that his sales and marketing skills were perfected during his two-hour school bus ride each day when he sold candy and gum to his classmates. The school’s principal eventually shut that operation down, he noted, because it was cutting in to the haul at the school concession stand. These components fueled Willie Robertson’s longing for success.

    Today Robertson defines success a bit differently, citing a prayer at the dinner table with his family.

    “That’s success,” he said.

    Willie told the gathering about the day he approached his dad, the Duck Dynasty patriarch and rather controversial Phil Robertson, and asked to run the family duck call business.

    “I told Dad, ‘I’m going to take the business to the next level,’” he said. “I didn’t know what the next level was.”

    That’s how he came to be CEO of Duck Commander, which is still based in West Monroe, Louisiana, where the reality show is filmed. Robertson assured the crowd that what they see on TV isn’t fiction. He says the family does work together in their effort to fill orders. He admits it’s not entirely the whole truth either, however. Since his father made him promise, upon taking over the business, that he would never fire a family member, Willie Robertson says there are about 100 employees who work off camera. They don’t get time off to go hunting frogs.

    Before closing the Duck Dynasty star also made mention of Phil Robertson’s recent interview with GQ magazine, during which he made his infamous controversial statements about gays.

    “He speaks his mind,” Robertson said of his father. “He made Christmas interesting for me.”

    Willie Robertson no doubt made this year’s gathering of the Manufacturer & Business Association’s event very interesting, too. He wore his signature bandana and some folks in the audience mimicked his–or other Duck Dynasty star’s–trademark looks.

    In previous years the gathering has been addressed by Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It seems Willie Robertson is definitely playing in the big leagues now.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Duck Dynasty: Si Robertson Releases Country Album

    Watch out fellow country music superstars …Si Robertson is releasing a new country album!

    Robertson, who is most well-known as Uncle Si on A&E’s reality show Duck Dynasty, recently showed off his singing skills on the Duck Dynasty Christmas album Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas, but now he is going solo and has released a brand new album called Me and My Smoking Hot Honey on iTunes.

    The album features six songs, one of which Si collaborated with Kix Brooks on, called Can’t Take the Swamp Outta the Man.

    The duo debuted the song at Si’s vow renewal ceremony last month as a surprise for Si’s wife of 43 years Christine Robertson. “[Christine] loves Kix Brooks!” Si told Fox News, so you can imagine her surprise as Si and Kix sang the song as she made her way down the aisle.

    Apparently, Si had a blast working on this album and has even mentioned making a career change; leaving the duck calls behind and doing music full time. “I’m gonna make this my new career choice,” he said. “I had a blast!”

    Below is a list of the songs that are included on Si’s album:
    1. Can’t Take the Swamp Outta the Man – Si Robertson and Kix Brooks
    2. How Much I Love You – Jessica Andrews
    3. Would You Marry Me Again – Marsha Robertson & Jay Nelson
    4. His and Hers – Ally Moore, Macy Jae & Kolby Koloff
    5. Faith, Hope, And Love – Zach Harris
    6. If You Can’t Dig That – Si Robertson & The Mauldin Brothers

    To be one of the first people to purchase Si’s new album, click here.

    The new season of Ducky Dynasty will premiere in June.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Duck Commander 500: Logano Overtakes Gordon

    The Duck Commander 500, which was delayed from Sunday to Monday due to continuous rain, saw a few problems which left Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the grass and Jimmie Johnson with windshield damage. However, the conditions didn’t slow down Joey Logano, who crept past Jeff Gordon to win the race.

    It was the fourth career win for Logano, who led 108 of 340 laps in the race. For Earnhardt, the day could have ended very differently after he slid onto the wet grass and crashed into a wall in a ball of fire. He was unharmed, but later took to Twitter to apologize to his teammates.

    “That wasn’t fun. Sorry 2 the fans of the 88 team. Feel bad for my guys and the 48 team also. Made a mistake there that was costly for every1,” he wrote.

    Earnhardt finished last for the first time since 2007, although he has three top-3 finishes already this year and came to the Duck Commander 500 as the points leader.

    The race was sponsored by Duck Commander, the company owned by the Robertson family of “Duck Dynasty”. Willie Robertson announced their partnership with NASCAR in February, saying they had signed a multi-year deal with the Texas Speedway.

    “We’re excited about the partnership for the Duck Commander 500, being aligned with NASCAR, and to have our brand associated with an event of this magnitude,” Robertson said. “We are all big fans of NASCAR and have been all our lives. It’s especially exciting to see our brand join to make it an awesome experience for the fan base and we can’t think of a better place than our neighbor at the Texas Motor Speedway.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Phil Robertson Stands By His Faith, Says Son Willie

    Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson stands by his faith, and his father.

    His dad, Phil Robertson, was famously suspended from the family’s hit A&E reality show in December after controversial comments he made about race and sexuality during a GQ Magazine interview.

    Willie and his wife, Korie, spoke about his dad during an interview with CNN‘s Kyra Phillips.

    “(Phil) made Christmas very interesting for us,” said Willie lightheartedly.

    Willie said he believed the GQ interviewer asked questions that would lead Phil to say what he did.

    According to Willie, the interviewer “had what he wanted to put, and he was specifically asking this and that.”

    “Phil just said what he thought, what was on his heart,” said Willie, defending his dad’s intentions.

    Willie conceded that his father “did some paraphrasing there,” referring to Phil’s comments while paraphrasing a verse from Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers — they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

    “You have to read the Bible and make up your own mind,” he said. “You have to decide, and God will ultimately decide then. We don’t profess to be God, and we certainly don’t profess to be perfect. Because we have our own sins that we deal with.”

    “I believe what the Bible says,” says Willie.

    Phil’s daughter-in-law, Korie, defended the family’s patriarch.

    “Anybody who knows (Phil) … any gay, straight, black, white, anybody who knows Phil knows that he is about love and his message is about God’s love, God’s grace and his forgiveness, ultimately,” Korie said.

    Ratings for the reality show have been declining in recent weeks, but the family doesn’t give it a second thought.

    “We were able to use that platform to get out God’s message, and if it ended right there, it ended right there,” Willie Robertson said. “I felt like that was pretty much what God prepared us to do.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Phil Robertson: ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Defended by Son

    Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame was defended recently for his anti-gay and racist remarks by his son Willie Robertson and Willie’s wife Korie. The younger Robertson and his wife were interviewed by CNN recently. They both star in the new Christian film God’s Not Dead.

    Willie Robertson told the CNN host that he believes the GQ interviewer (Phil Robertson’s questionable remarks appeared in an issue of GQ magazine) already “had what he wanted to put” in the article.

    “Phil just said what he thought, what was on his heart,” Willie said, although he does admit that his father “did some paraphrasing there.”

    When pressed by CNN about the Bible verse that Phil Robertson paraphrased–the one from Corinthians that compares homosexuals to prostitutes, adulterers, idolaters, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, and swindlers, and stated they would all go to Hell–Willie Robertson didn’t feel the need to defend what his father said.

    “I believe what the Bible says,” he stated.

    Korie Robertson defended Phil Robertson–her father-in-law–as well.

    “Anybody who knows [Phil] … any gay, straight, black, white, anybody who knows Phil knows that he is about love and his message is about God’s love, God’s grace and his forgiveness, ultimately,” she said.

    Phil Robertson was temporarily suspended by A&E after the GQ article hit news stands back in December.

    “(Phil) made Christmas very interesting for us,” the younger Robertson joked.

    Willie Robertson shared his excitement about the premiere of God’s Not Dead earlier this week via Twitter.

    It will be interesting to see if God’s Not Dead draws the same kind of huge numbers that Duck Dynasty does. Are people really drawn to Phil Robertson and his family because of their devout beliefs or because the TV show portrays a redneck family that has struck it rich selling duck calls?

    Image via Facebook

  • Duck Dynasty Finale Sees Record Low Viewership

    The season five finale of A&E’s reality TV series Duck Dynasty aired Wednesday night, and it was the show’s lowest-rated finale since the very first season, despite the series’ popular following.

    The show’s fifth season was the first full season to air since family patriarch Phil Robertson came under fire for derogatory comments he made about gays and others in an interview with GQ in a December story.

    Six million viewers tuned in to watch the hour-long episode Wednesday, several million short of the 8.4 million viewers who tuned into the season-four finale last year, and 28 percent less than the 9.6 million who watched the season-three ending in 2012.

    Although the season five premiere in January had a viewership of 8.5 million, which is considerably high, it was still significantly low when compared to the previous season. The season peaked with its fourth season premiere last August, when it saw 11.8 viewers – the largest audience for a nonfiction telecast in cable television history.

    “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” Robertson told GQ.

    “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right,” Robertson continued, paraphrasing Corinthians.

    Following his statements, A&E suspended the Robertson, but quickly lifted the suspension after Christmas after fans protested and the family said it would walk away from the show.

    Duck Dynasty also holds the cable reality record in adults 25-54  at 6.3 million viewers.

    Image via Twitter

  • ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Speaks Out on Controversy

    Three months following the controversy surrounding Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson’s interview in GQ, Robertson’s son Jase Robertson has spoken up on his father’s behalf. Jase’s comments come following the season finale of the fifth season of the show.

    As you likely remember, the head of the Robertson family ruffled quite a few feathers with some comments he made regarding homosexuality last December. “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” Robertson said. Following a brief blowup where A&E suspended Robertson, only to lift the suspension a little over a week later, things went mostly back to normal in Duck Dynasty land.

    Since the fifth season of the show is completed, Jase decided to speak out on the situation with his father with People, and Jase suggests that parts of the GQ interview were nothing more than a setup to make his dad look bad and draw controversy.

    “For those of us who were there for the interview, we knew what was happening,” Jase said. “I was uneasy right off the bat. We felt like the guy doing the interview kind of inflamed things and took them out of context. You don’t have to agree with someone to love them, and my dad loves all people, regardless of their race and sexual orientation. He said that in the interview, which went on for four hours. But that didn’t make the final story, of course.”

    Another part of the interview that bothered Jase was how his father’s comments on race led people to accuse him of being racist.

    “I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person,” Robertson said in GQ. “Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash.”

    While some people accused Robertson of being racist because of those comments, Jase says that couldn’t be further from the truth.

    “My dad is the most non-racist person I’ve ever been around my entire life,” Jase said. “We were taught at an early age that you don’t base any kind of opinion on people’s external appearance. Everyone was made by God. That was the part that made us a little mad, to make it sound like my father is a racist.”

    Now that Jase has had his chance to clear the air, maybe the tiresome controversy will go away once and for all.

    Is Duck Dynasty in a ratings slump?

    In other Duck Dynasty news, the season finale that aired on Wednesday night brought in 6 million viewers, which is about a 25 percent drop off from the number of viewers that tuned in to the premiere of season five. Blame it on the Phil Robertson controversy or people getting bored with the Robertson family antics, but either way, things aren’t looking quite as good for Duck Dynasty, which has led to some speculation that the end of the show could be near. Filming for season six has already begun, but if the show continues to draw in less viewers, people may not get their Wednesday night beard fix for much longer.

    Image via Twitter