Phil Robertson Will Return to Duck Dynasty in January

[okaawhatever]

It looks like Phil Robertson's suspension from "Duck Dynasty" may be just for show. Entertainment Weekly learned that on Jan. 15, A&E will begin airing new episodes of the show that include scenes featuring the "Dynasty" patriarch.

"The network also hopes the media and fan furor will cool down over the holidays and that tensions over shooting future episodes can then be resolved," Entertainment Weekly reports. “There’s no negotiation to have; we’re doing the show,” an inside source told them.

A&E suspended Robertson over anti-gay remarks he made in a GQ profile. The duck hunter-turned-TV star compared homosexuality to bestiality and also said, “It seems like, to me, a vagina -- as a man -- would be more desirable than a man’s anus." Robertson responded to backlash about his comments by saying, "I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me."

After A&E's suspension, Robertson's friends and family came out in support of him. Sources told E! News that the family was "very serious" about leaving the reality show after Robertson was placed on hiatus. "[Phil] is the reason for their success—they're not going to abandon him. They're also not about to let anyone threaten their religious beliefs," the source told E!. The family released a statement on the Duck Commander website saying, "We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/21/phil-robertson-duck-dynasty-return_n_4485646.html

[Aristus]

1. When the ratings go up, the publicity stunt ends.

Well planned, boys; well-planned...

[mercuryblues]

2. did people

really think that they would trash the 8 or so episodes that have already been filmed? Not a chance. I suspect his "hiatus" will be either the final 2 eps that have not been filmed or at the beginning of the season after that.

[Tx4obama]

3. The new season starting in January was filmed BEFORE he was suspended.

[Kaleva]

5. I read that all but one of next season's episodes have already been filmed.

And that last episode isn't scheduled to be filmed for another three months.

[okaawhatever]

6. So basically the suspension was a hollow gesture? Now we know why A & E jumped on it, they didn't

lose either way. Suspension is easy when it affects nothing.

[jazzimov]

4. I would boycott the show, BUT

I don't watch it, anyway. Sounds pretty stupid.

[Mike Nelson]

7. I wish they would take these awful "reality" shows off...

...but they are cheap to make and there is no longer a small number of stations competing for a big audience... sad.