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In reply to the discussion: "It is like every vile southern stereotype rolled up into one." [View all]Filmmaker78
(5 posts)Per IMDb, Willie was on The Tonight Show in 2012. Sometimes when a show title is mentioned on a site like IMDb, there is a (date) next to the title that is actually a reference to when the show first started. "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" started in 1992, so that's probably where that date came from.
I do know that "Hollywood" was becoming aware of the Robertsons back when they were on the Outdoor Channel because I heard that a couple of the kids auditioned to be on The Amazing Race, and when they didn't quite make the final cut, they were told by the TV execs that if Phil Robertson, their dad/grandpa, ever wanted to be on the show, he wouldn't even have to audition. So they were appearing on the radar with entertainment folks even then.
However, before starting with the Outdoor Channel, the Robertsons were initially hesitant to have a show on TV because they were afraid it might eat into their DVD sales. So they weren't gunning to be TV stars from the beginning.