TLC cast her 14-person family in its reality empire. Behind the scenes, it was 'life and death'
NEW YORK — When Jessica Willis Fisher was in her early 20s, her life looked different from that of most people her age. Instead of expanding her mind in college or partying with friends, Fisher was the unwitting star of a reality TV show that presented her family in a deceptively wholesome light.
"The Willis Family," which premiered on TLC in 2015, featured the telegenic family of 14 — parents Brenda and Toby, plus 12 children who performed in a band and had names beginning with the letter "J." Like "The Partridge Family" meets "19 Kids and Counting," the show followed the Willises as they toured the country and lived according to strict religious beliefs: the kids were homeschooled, birth control was forbidden and casual dating was out of the question.
Fisher, a sunny, fiddle-playing blonde and gifted singer-songwriter, was the eldest child in the family and the unofficial leader of the group, known as the Willis Clan, which had risen to fame through a "Sound of Music"-themed contest on "Today" and a successful run on "America's Got Talent."
They were, in short, a perfect fit for TLC, which became a cable in its first season.
