Duck Dynasty' Family Clears Up Why Two Stars Are Accused of Having 'Snubbed' Barbara Walters

"Snubbed!"

That's how one headline is describing why "Duck Dynasty" stars Phil and Jase Robertson will not appear on a Barbara Walters ABC special Wednesday night. According to that article on Radar Online, the father-son duo "opted to go hunting instead, much to the veteran journalist’s chagrin."

Willie Robertson and Jep Robertson of "Duck Dynasty" attend the 87th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 28, 2013 in New York City. (Getty Images/Noam Galai)

But the family tells TheBlaze that there was "no disrespect intended."

Family spokesman and the eldest Robertson, Alan, said some of the family was in New York in November for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and to film Walters' "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013," among other things, but that Phil and Jase didn't come on the trip.

"They simply didn’t want to miss three days of hunting to do everything we had planned," Alan wrote in an email to TheBlaze. "As a family, we were very honored to be recognized on the [Walters] list and there was no disrespect intended by us."

"When it comes to Dad and Jase, ducks trump just about anything from late November to late January, it’s just the way they roll!"

So it seems there was no specific slight aimed at Walters.

Miss Kay, Phil's wife, echoed that sentiment on the show, according to Radar Online.

“Between November and January, I told him [Phil] I didn’t ever plan to die then, because he may not be at my funeral,” she quipped.

“Tell him I have never been superseded by a duck before,” Walters joked during the interview, according to a transcript.

The Walters special airs Wednesday night at 9:30pm ET.

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