Podcast Summary: "Behind the Scenes of 19 Kids and Counting | Jim Goodwin Reacts"

The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast
Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: Jinger Vuolo & Jeremy Vuolo
Guest: Jim Goodwin ("Uncle Jim," sound man from 19 Kids and Counting)

Main Theme:

This special episode delves into behind-the-scenes experiences from 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On with Jim Goodwin, the beloved crew member affectionately known as “Uncle Jim.” Jinger and Jeremy react to memorable clips, share personal anecdotes, and explore what it was like growing up on reality TV — both for the Duggar family and the crew who became like extended family themselves. Throughout, they touch on themes of family bonds, the blurred lines between production and personal life, the responsibilities of ethical storytelling in reality TV, and the impact the show had on everyone involved.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Role and Experience of the Crew on a Family Reality Show

• Jim’s Background: Before 19 Kids and Counting, Jim worked on various films and reality shows (03:55). He emphasizes that none rose to the fame of the Duggar shows, although he did also work on Jon and Kate Plus 8 (04:20).
• Integrated, Not Separate: The crew was seen as part of the family, earning nicknames like “Uncle Jim.” The Duggars often relied on them for more than filming—be it help with errands or emotional support (16:54, 29:02).
  • “It's not that we're separate, you know, we're… integrated. We're in the family. You know, something needs done, we do it.” – Jim Goodwin (29:36)
• Emotional Ties: Crew members were present for milestones and challenges, giving them a unique, emotionally rich vantage point compared to other TV sets or scripted shows (34:43).
  • “There was a personal connection with all the individuals in your family. So there was a consequent emotional connection.” – Jim Goodwin (35:00)
• A “Home Video” Perspective: Many Duggars, especially the younger kids, saw the cameras as just a part of life, not a corporate production. They didn’t grasp the reach — or purpose — of the crew’s work (19:11).
  • Story: Jackson, as a child, was confused when strangers knew his name from the show (19:21).

2. Unique Production Challenges and Stories

• Kids Interacting with Equipment:
  • Children often treated booms and sound gear as toys (21:02). Babies would stare or even slobber on microphones, while little ones would tug at Jim for help with small problems (19:41, 24:22).
  • “If the boom is close, they'll grab it and just stick their mouth on and go, bah, bah, bah. And you know, it's kind of a little damp when you pull it back and you just shake it off, let it dry.” – Jim Goodwin (24:35)
• Sound Delays and Crew Humor:
  • Inside jokes were memorialized in crew posters (10:27).
  • “There was one that said, another costly sound delay. And it was you standing there, your pose…” – Jinger (09:18)
• Sickness and Immunity:
  • Crew was exposed to whatever illnesses the Duggars had—like during the infamous chickenpox outbreak. They traded home remedies and rarely, if ever, got really sick (25:01, 27:26).

3. Trust, Surprises, and TV “Secrets”

• Crew Holding Family Secrets:
  • The crew often knew about pregnancies or relationship milestones before the rest of the family, and the kids would try to bribe them into revealing secrets (“I'll give you my monkey!”) (28:16).
  • “I've got a secret too and I'm not gonna tell you.” – Jim Goodwin (29:02)
• Staging surprises was nearly impossible:
  • Because the family understood what it meant when the cameras showed up, surprises were hard to keep. “If the crew is here, something’s up!” (30:19, 31:24).
  • Jeremy’s proposal to Jinger was almost ruined by the presence of the film crew and the “telltale X on the ground” (31:43).
• Media Training Habits: Even as adults, Duggar siblings still reflexively answer questions in full when interviewed—a TV habit drilled into them as children (15:13).

4. Filming Times of Crisis and Joy

• Handling Emergencies:
  • When big events—like Jason's serious fall—occurred, crew instincts were to help but also document, leaving medical care to the family's trained members (44:36 ff).
    • “If they're hurt, render aid, you know? … John, David, Jill are first aid responders. … We just stay out of the way. … But right now what we can do to help is stay out of the way and not interfere.” – Jim Goodwin (45:53)
  • Delicate balance between capturing reality and respecting privacy (47:25).
    • “Sometimes … but the default response is shoot. … You can always get rid of it. … Like you said, delete it.” – Jim Goodwin (47:39)
• Filming Emotional Moments:
  • Crew wrestled with their own emotions when capturing funerals, weddings, or other poignant family milestones (35:17, 47:56).
  • The show’s cancellation meant both financial hardship and a loss akin to “family separation.” Crew and family both felt the void (36:01).
• Privilege and Responsibility:
  • Jim feels honored to be trusted with presenting the family’s story, aware of the global reach and the ethical weight of showing events truthfully (50:58).
    • “As producers ... we have a responsibility in my mind, to maintain accuracy. ... Don't spin it. ... Be accurate. ... Don't use that to get a message across that's not necessarily one that the ... participants are trying actually feeling.” – Jim Goodwin (51:00 ff)
  • Jeremy likens it to journalism: “You were journaling these people’s lives for the world to watch.” (52:14)

5. Lighthearted Moments and Fond Memories

• Trying to Name All 19 Kids (and Failing):
  • Throughout the episode, Jim is challenged to list all the Duggar children in order, a common (and comedic) request of anyone associated with the show (40:03–43:53).
    • “If you just throw out a J name, you're going to hit one of them, probably.” – Jeremy (43:04)
• The Reunion After Cancellation:
  • When the show briefly ended and later resumed, the family and crew felt a joyful reunion, emphasizing the strength of their bond (36:36, 38:45).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Crew’s Role:
  “As a sound guy, you are mostly ignored until something goes wrong. Then you get all the attention.”
  — Jim Goodwin, 07:39

• On Production Ethics:
  “As producers … we have a responsibility in my mind, to maintain accuracy. This is what really happened. Don’t spin it. Don’t add your own agenda. Be accurate.”
  — Jim Goodwin, 50:58

• On Blending Work and Family:
  “We were not, like, separate. We were integrated. … It made it a lot more fun to do our job, a lot more worthwhile.”
  — Jim Goodwin, 17:08

• On Living Reality TV:
  “When you sign up for reality TV, you’re signing up for all of the reality.”
  — Jeremy Vuolo, 48:21

• On Letting Go:
  “The hardest thing for me was … we’re not gonna have the crew here. It’s all we had known, you know, from the age of like nine.”
  — Jinger Vuolo, 36:48

• Sharing the Privilege:
  “It was to a large extent a privilege, and I was honored to be able to do it, mostly because of the family involved.”
  — Jim Goodwin, 52:46

Key Timestamps

• 03:07 – Jim (“Uncle Jim”) reintroduced; crew’s fixation in the show
• 04:20 – Jim confirms working on Jon and Kate Plus 8
• 06:11 – Challenges of live audio, music copyright stories
• 07:39 – The “ignored until something goes wrong” sound tech experience
• 09:18–10:27 – Crew humor: the “another costly sound delay” poster
• 15:13 – The ingrained habit of answering interview questions in full
• 16:54, 29:02 – Crew as “family”; helping with errands, sharing emotional moments
• 19:11 – Kids’ perception of cameras as “home videos,” not TV
• 21:02, 24:22 – Kids treating boom poles and sound equipment as toys
• 25:01, 27:26 – Chickenpox outbreak and immunity cultures among crew
• 30:19, 31:24, 31:43 – Filming surprises and staging challenges
• 34:43–35:17 – The emotional weight of long-term reality TV production
• 36:01 – First reaction to show’s cancellation
• 40:03–43:53 – The game: Name all the Duggar kids
• 44:36–47:56 – Filming through scary or tragic moments (Jason’s accident, funerals)
• 50:58–52:14 – The ethics and global impact of the show
• 52:46–54:32 – Closing emotions; gratitude; “That’s a wrap!”

Overall Tone

Friendly, warm, humorous, and nostalgic—with a genuine sense of gratitude and respect among the hosts, guest, and their shared memories. The conversation weaves easily between technical anecdotes, family stories, and deep reflections on the meaning and consequences of sharing real life on a global platform.

For listeners new or old, this episode offers heartfelt behind-the-scenes insight into a major reality TV phenomenon—and the ordinary, extraordinary people who lived, filmed, and grew together on both sides of the lens.