Louisiana’s de facto first family, the Robertsons, are famous for their homespun antics. They have been an interesting clan to watch on screen, and they have amassed a vast fortune from their line of duck hunting products.

But they have secrets tucked away behind their smiley faces and long beards. These secrets go beyond their bird calls, shot guns, and their apparent outspokenness. In fact, they have been kept away from “Duck Dynasty” and most of their public interviews.

In December 2013, the patriarch, Phil Robertson, had to be suspended from the show after he made offensive remarks about gay people during an interview with GQ magazine. He has also made foot-in-mouth utterances about African-Americans.

Phil, who is also the head of the family, has always been controversial, especially in matters of religion and social freedom. But this conservative Christian has not always been ‘religious.’ Before his newfound Christian faith, he was an alcoholic, and he liked to hit people. At one time, he even threw his wife and his boys out of the house. Fortunately, he somehow managed to get his act together and keep his wife, Marsha Kay “Miss Kay” Robertson.

But he is not the only family member with a ‘dirty’ past. His sons have had their fair share of trouble. His eldest son, Marshal “Alan” Robertson, and his youngest son, Jules Jeptha “Jep” Robertson, have been alcoholics in the past. Jep has even been a p*rn addict, but he changed his ways.

Phil’s brother, Silas “Si” Robertson, has also been an alcoholic in the past while his son, Scott Robertson, and Phil’s grandson, Reed Robertson, have considered suicide in the past. Reed wanted to end his life because he could not ‘handle’ the fame.

The Robertson ladies think their men have become sex symbols, and whether that is true or not, these God-fearing men may never reveal much. What is clear is that these camo-wearing male stars and their ZZ Top-style beards have secrets that most of us don’t know. Gladly, some of them have used books and interviews to spill the beans. Here are 15 untold truths about the Duck Dynasty family:

15. PHIL ROBERTSON THINKS ATHEISTS DESERVE TO DIE

Back in 2015, Phil Robertson said he believed bad things were coming to atheists.

He gave a short story about how an atheist, his wife, and her two daughters were going to face death. Phil gave a graphic description of r*pe and murder, claiming that these horrific events were punishment for their beliefs.

He created a hypothetical scenario where two guys break into an atheist’s home and tie him up in a chair. The men then force the atheist to watch his daughters and wife getting r*ped before his genitals are hacked off and showed to him.

This horrific ‘story’ caused an outrage as most people thought he was hypocritical in making judgments about other people. It was also strange that Phil was delivering this message at a Christian event.

Phil Robertson firmly believes that morality is dependent on the existence of God. Therefore, if atheists reject God, they are rejecting morals. His mission was to prove that those who do not believe in the afterlife and its consequences deserve the worst form of violence.

14. FAME TRANSFORMED ‘DUCK DYNASTY’ MALES INTO S*X SYMBOLS

The bearded, cameo-wearing male stars are envied by most women, according to the Robertson ladies.

It may have been as a result of their ZZ-Top style beards or because of the multi-million duck call business. The Robertson women, who have detailed their experiences in a book (The Women of Duck Commander: Surprising Insights from the Women Behind the Beards About What Makes This Family Work), made this revelation when they sat down with Bianna Golodryga to talk about how “Duck Dynasty” had affected their lives.

According to these ladies, the fame appears to have turned the Robertson men into sex symbols. Jessica Robertson even gave an example of an incident where a fan took a picture with her hubby and allegedly grabbed his rear end. Missy, Jase Robertson’s wife, agreed and added that indeed women were after their men.

In the past, Phil has admitted that women have asked him to sign their undergarments, but he has always refused because he is dedicated to his woman. There have also been rumors that Si has been proposed to several times. Si has allegedly received hundreds or thousands of marriage proposals, according to Phil.

13. PHIL IS HOMOPHOBIC

Phil angered masses when he openly revealed that he was homophobic. This was during a 2013 GQ interview, and it caused so much outrage that Phil had to be temporarily suspended from the “Duck Dynasty.”

Phil openly stated that being gay was not logical and that homosexuals would not inherit the kingdom of God.

He further added that homosexuality was in the same category as bestiality and promiscuity, and encouraged men to pursue women because they have ‘more to offer.’ In his eyes, homosexuality was sinful. In his words, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases were God’s penalty for the immoral acts of homosexual people.

During the interview, he even quoted the bible a few times; adding that the greedy, swindlers, adulterers, slanderers, and idolaters were also in the same ‘category.’

After his suspension, his family came out to support him and even threatened to end their relationship with the A&E network. The company had to release a statement apologizing to Duck Dynasty’s socially conservative fanbase and reinstated Phil after only nine days.

12. THE MALES OF THE FAMILY ARE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGED TO KEEP THEIR BEARDS AT A CERTAIN LENGTH

The most recognizable feature of the Robertson men is the long beards. Apparently, the males are required to keep them at a certain length as they form part of their contract. The agreement requires these men to keep the scruffy hair on their face and chin full-time.

This information was revealed by the usually clean-shaven brother of the Robertsons, Alan Robertson. He confessed while speaking with Good Day L.A.

Alan explained that the Robertsons grew their beards during the hunting season every year. He added that they used to cut off the beards, but since they had become big stars and their beards were part of their contracts, they had to keep them at a certain length.
But the show ended in March of 2017, and it is not clear what the men will do with their beards.

11. LISA ROBERTSON HAD AN ABORTION

Lisa and her husband, Alan Robertson, published A New Season: A Robertson Family Love Story of Brokenness and Redemption, in 2015. In the book, Lisa discloses that she once had an abortion when she was in her teens.

While the Robertson clan is known for being anti-abortion, Lisa made this revelation because she wanted to help others find healing and comfort from Jesus. Lisa revealed that she believed there are women out there who have the same struggle and don’t know what to do with their lives. Most importantly, she regretted taking this action and wanted to share it to encourage other women.

The book mostly brings to life the tumultuous life of Alan, who is now a preacher. There is also a mention of the days when Alan was still drinking and using drugs. Alan was a wild child who had already been introduced to this reckless life by the time he was 15.

In the book, there is also a confession about how the couple almost got separated after Alan realized that Lisa was having an affair with an old boyfriend in 1999.

10. BESIDES COMMITTING ADULTERY, PHIL ROBERTSON ONCE THREW HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN OUT

Phil Robertson and his wife, Miss Kay, have been together for half a century, but their marriage has not always been colorful.

Back in the day, Phil was a reckless man who was ill-mannered.

Their marriage hit rock bottom in the 70’s when a drunk Phil accused his wife of cheating and kicked her out together with their three sons.

In her book The Women of Duck Dynasty, Miss Kay reveals how she almost left Phil because of his alcohol-fueled life. She only stayed because her grandma encouraged her to fight for her marriage.

Miss Kay also reveals how she found out that Phil had committed adultery. During those days, she writes, Phil was mean and cruel. According to Kay, her hubby was being controlled by the devil and hers was to pray that he changes his behavior. She later forgave Phil because he made the right choice and found Christ.

Kay prayed for his salvation, and they both owe it to Jesus for saving the marriage.

9. PHIL ROBERTSON HAS MADE RACIST REMARKS BUT HAS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN GRANDCHILD

In December 2013, Phil made outrageous comments about the African-Community during the pre-civil rights era.

This was during an interview between him and GQ’s Drew Magary about Robertson’s road to fame. Phil mostly gave an account of his journey from substance abuse to salvation, but the interview went south when he claimed that life was not bad for black people during the pre-civil rights era.

According to Phil, he had never experienced, first-hand, the mistreatment of blacks where he lived in Louisiana. He claimed that he used to work with black people in the Louisiana cotton farms and at no one time did he receive a complaint from a black person about mistreatment by whites. Mind you; this was during the pre-civil rights era.

Evidence has shown that before the civil rights movement in the 1950s, Jim Crow legislation subjected African-Americans to segregation and different forms of oppression.

But Phil was alleging that blacks were happier under Jim Crow; a claim that was openly dangerous and inaccurate. He chose to ignore the lynching and beatings that African-Americans were subjected to.

The irony is that in 2016, he got a black grandson after his son Jep Robertson, and his wife, Jessica Robertson, adopted a fifth child, Gus.

8. PHIL ROBERTSON WAS VIOLENT

Before finding Christ, Phil ran a bar. At one time, he was not impressed when his landlords tried to raise the rent. He took matters into his own hands and beat them up before running to the woods, at least until the tension had died down.

Kay detailed the incident in her 2014 book, The Women of Duck Commander.

Miss Kay reveals that Phil had been a hard-partying bar owner who was ‘cold’ and harsh. Apparently, his drinking had led him into leasing a bar after leaving his position as a schoolteacher.

The landlords cussed out Phil and insisted that they were unhappy with how he was running the place. Phil got angry and beat them up; leaving them all bloodied. He then sneaked through the back door and went into hiding, leaving Miss Kay to ‘clean up the mess.’ The drama only ended after Kay paid them an agreed amount and they dropped the charges against Phil.

7. JEP WAS ADDICTED TO DRUGS AND P*RNOGRAPHY

In their book The Good, the Bad, and the Grace of God: What Honesty and Pain Taught Us About Faith, Family, and Forgiveness, Jep and his wife, Jessica, open up about their past histories and marriage. While Jessica shares about her first failed marriage and what followed, Jep talks about being molested as a child and getting addicted to online p*rnography.

After he married Jessica, his love for p*rn almost brought his marriage to an end. He had kept the addiction a secret, but his wife soon found out. Jep was also an alcoholic who liked parties and experimenting with drugs.

During one Halloween, Jep blacked out after excessive consumption. He even recalls waking up on the side of a gravel road with no memory of what had happened. He had become a pro in hiding his secret life and pretending everything was okay.

After a confrontation with his family, he chose to abandon the drinking and witnessed his dad cry. This is what led him to the family’s Bible-thumping ways.

6. REED ROBERTSON ALMOST ENDED HIS LIFE BECAUSE OF FAME

Jason “Jase” Robertson’s son, Reed Robertson, didn’t receive fame so well at first. According to a past interview, Reed’s ego ‘swelled’ when the family became famous. This made him push away his friends and his actions culminated in him contemplating suicide.

Reed found it difficult to adapt to the Robertson’s new fame and got caught up in thinking he was better than other people.

The attention that the family received from millions of people made him feel ‘pressured.’ He became cynical and started looking down on other people. Soon, no one was there for him as his former friends stopped hanging out with him. Reed found himself living a lonely life.

He eventually realized he had hit rock bottom and revealed his suicide intentions to his youth minister.

He had written a suicide note and wanted to take away his life. But before he could move forward with his ‘plan,’ his parents found out. His mum was devastated while his dad gave him a lecture that turned his life around. He was back on track with Jesus.

5. Si’s SON, SCOTT ROBERTSON, WAS SUICIDAL FROM AN EARLY AGE

Scott is an Army veteran who completed eight tours in Iraq and suffers from post-traumatic stress.

During a 2017 interview with Fox News, Uncle Si revealed that his son, Scott, had been trouble before he was even born. He interviewed with FOX411 while promoting his book, Si-Renity. According to Si, Scott had been suicidal from the time he was around five years of age. At one point, when he was age 11, he tried to jump out of a two-story window. Fortunately, he was diagnosed and given the right medication.

Scott, who was born in 1977, was born two months before the expected date and had suffered a brain damage caused by a liver problem.

4. JEP WAS S*XUALLY ABUSED AS A CHILD

Jep Robertson confessed in his 2015 book that he co-authored with his wife: The Good, the Bad, and the Grace of God: What Honesty and Pain Taught Us About Faith, Family, and Forgiveness.

He discloses how he was sexually abused by an older girl on a school bus, yet he was only six years old. Unfortunately, he had never revealed the incident to his parents because he had not come to terms with the situation.

The heinous act took place on a school bus, and the said girl forced Jep to touch her underneath the skirt while she pulled down his pants. It was extreme that Jep had to fake illness so he would not attend school. The abuse lasted two years and had a devastating effect on Jep’s life as it led him to drugs and alcohol.

After many years, he found it difficult to speak publicly about his experience as a victim of sexual abuse. He only came clean after he was motivated by the need to encourage other people who may have had a similar experience.

3. PHIL BELIEVES MEN SHOULD MARRY UNDERAGE GIRLS

In 2013, a shocking video emerged where Phil was shown encouraging men to marry girls when they are about 15 or 16.

The 2009 video was from a Georgia Christian event, and Phil was warning men to avoid marrying girls who were out of their teens. Although he added that the groom needed to check with the girl’s parents, most people thought it was a strange statement coming from a man of God. This type of “river rat” counseling was bound to raise eyebrows.

In his advice, he also wanted the men to make sure they marry someone who could cook and is familiar with the Bible if they want less trouble down the road.

In his book Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy as the Duck Commander, Phil tries to justify why he married Miss Kay when she was only 15. According to him, Kay would “pluck his ducks.” He adds that if you wait until a woman is twenty, she will only “pick your pockets.”

2. Si DROPPED OUT OF LOUISIANA TECH FOR PARTYING TOO HARD

Uncle Si has in the past admitted that college is crap. He has been a left-winger about higher education.

He went to Louisiana Tech University, in Ruston, before he terminated his studies because he was partying too much.

In his book Si-cology: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle, Uncle Si openly admits that college isn’t for everyone while scolding parents who pressurize their kids to pursue higher education. He admits that while at Louisiana Tech, all he did was party because he did not have an interest in getting a college education.

Si adds that he thinks college is an endurance test where students finish four or five years before they are handed a piece of paper that claims they are now smart. He even brags about his status; one that he acquired without having to endure the four or five years of education.

He ended up dropping out after only three semesters before he was drafted into the Vietnam War.

1. PHIL AND SI ROBERTSON WERE ALCOHOLICS

Uncle Si experienced a severe alcohol problem, especially after he moved to Vietnam. In his book, the reality star narrates how his problem worsened, and he had to carry liquor every time. In fact, because of his alcoholic ways, he almost killed a Vietnamese woman and a Vietnamese boy on two separate occasions.

Si admits how it was easy to find a drink in Can Tho and he blames the military stress for his drunkenness. He wanted to forget where he was and he knew the Vietnamese hated him. These facts drove him nuts.

Si only stopped after he returned home. This was after he had a reflection of what alcohol had done to his life. But he was not the only alcoholic. His brother, Phil Robertson, was also a hell raiser before he found Christ. In his book, Phil narrates how his drinking cost him his job as a teacher.