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Jacob Roloff is in a reflective mood.
The former Little People, Big World cast member walked away from this TLC reality show a decade ago — later admitting that he did so because he had allegedly been molested by a producer.
“This spring marks 10 years since I got my money from the show I was on for over 10 years of my life. I was 18 and finally had the agency to not sign the contract, so I didn’t, and promptly left home mostly due to disgust for the show and reality TV in general,” Roloff wrote over this past weekend alongside a carousel of photos on Instagram.
The 28-year old added that he “used the money” to “build a world” with his wife, Isabel Rock.
The spouses welcomed their son, Mateo, in December 2021 — and the former reality star said he was “grateful” that this toddler has been able to grow up “doing the same things” he did as a child.
There’s no pressure of the camera.
There’s no concern over what life in the spotlight will do to Mateo.
“Certainly it has been insightful these last 4 years in a lot of ways, both materially — learning equipment operation, my own growing style, the systems for farming, etc—and retrospectively — ‘what is the farm, without a tv crew?’, ‘what can the farm be, without TV?’” Jacob continued.
Indeed, despite leaving Little People, Big World behind… Jacob hasn’t been leaving his family behind.
He’s spending more and more time these days on his dad’s property.
The semi-new father revealed that pumpkin season was still “huge” for Roloff Farms and expressed his appreciation for the loyal customers that continue to stop year after year.
However, Jacob ultimately wanted to “encourage a more localized community space instead of so heavily relying on out of town tourism” and create “an intermittent space for community gathering, creating useful things and being a useful space.”
This is someone who has always thought big picture.
Roloff concluded this latest message by adding:
“I am grateful for the opportunity to be where I am to steward this land the best I can. Always learning and growing. I can only hope we have this farm for another generation.”
Jacob has long been critical of reality television and its impact.
“People don’t realize I was paid roughly $6/hr to be filmed for my whole childhood,” Jacob wrote online about three years ago, emphasizing the misperception that follows him around in terms of his bank account.
“I’m still called rich derisively lol… I wish I went scorched earth but I value family. I wish I kept filming but I value my principles and my soul. Life is complicated.”
In December 2020, Roloff stunned observers when he accused a TLC producer of molesting him.
“It is often much easier to think about things than it is to talk about them, and so this disclosure has been delayed, but through that delay I have found the fortitude and words,” he wrote back then.
He continued, naming his alleged perpetrator as follows:
“As a child, after what I realize now was a long grooming process, I was molested by an executive field producer for Little People, Big World, Chris Cardamone.”
“I do not expect to provide details of this encounter at any point publicly. I do hope he is never allowed around children again.
“I choose to disclose it now as it remains a traumatic memory that needs to be exorcised of any further power over my development.”
Jacob Roloff: So Glad I’m Done with Disgusting Reality TV! was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.