• Tolstoshev@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    97
    ·
    9 months ago

    The popular story is that, on Groucho’s 1950s TV quiz show “You Bet Your Life,” a female contestant said that the reason she had 22 kids was “because I love children, and I think that’s our purpose here on earth, and I love my husband.” To which Groucho supposedly replied: “I love my cigar, too, but I take it out of my mouth once in a while.”

    From: http://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/the-cigar-quote-primer-9036

    • AWildMimicAppears@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      18
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      9 months ago

      that poor woman - imagine being pregnant more than 15 years (assuming some twins) of your life, with 22 kids there probably were a bunch of miscarriages too. the toll it took on her body must have been horrifying.

  • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    26
    ·
    9 months ago

    Everyone is assuming this is one guy that got his wife pregnant a bunch of times.

    Who’s to say that this isn’t some Brady Bunch scenario where two three or even four families of children got mashed together.

    • GladiusB@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      9 months ago

      Ye. It looks like a grandparent’s car. But still looks like 8 adults, with 3 other small people groups. So, that’s 8-3 for the couples. 5 is still a lot. But makes more sense.

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    17
    ·
    9 months ago

    I was always a little curious about the practicality of many children - assuming you get past the part about always being pregnant.

    How is there even a house? I grew up sharing a room. My Mom grew up more barracks style to share a former among six of them. This is an entirely different level.

    How do you get them places? My brother knows someone with six and they’re talking about needing a commercial van/bus

    I grew up with hand me downs so I can see clothes a bit easier. And home made meals with frequent pasta / you can scale up basic cooking, but it will always be pretty basic. Even McDonalds would be a fortune. How can you take your kids for ice cream? Heck, how do you make pancakes?

    • uis@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      9 months ago

      How do you get them places?

      By letting them. If they are old enough to want to get somewhere, they are sure old enough to use public transport.

    • Maalus@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      9 months ago

      My mom grew up with 3 families in one house. She had 3 brothers and a sister too. It’s entirely doable for people who don’t really have a choice. Also, after a family forms, people build right next to their parents. It doesn’t mean “30 people living in a house”, it could just mean “grandma and grandpa had a bunch of children and are now grandparents”.

      • RunawayFixer@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        9 months ago

        I think it’s grandparents indeed. I also like how they’ve included 2 dogs (I think, the picture is a bit grainy).

  • db2@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    15
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    9 months ago

    Plot twist: this is Utah and there are no daughters only wives and sons and one guy.

  • Emerald@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    9 months ago

    You guys are overthinking. They probably just found a pack of family stickers and started pasting them on there.