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Jon and Kate and the Elephant in the Room
Filed under: Celeb Parents
Season five of TLC's hit reality show "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" promises to give more insight into the bizarre celebrity turn the Gosselin's lives have taken. Finally, the cameras are turned around so the viewers can see the world as Jon, Kate and the kids see it. From zealous fans at Kate's book signings to front-page tabloid stories and daily run-ins with the paparazzi – even during a mundane trip to purchase birthday party supplies – the show is finally addressing the elephant in the room.
The opening scene of the much-anticipated season premiere shrewdly addressed the salacious rumors of Jon Gosselin's infidelity head on. During an interview on last night's show, Jon said: "I never cheated on Kate. I don't care who believes me. I only know what I know." While it appears that Kate believes him, they are nonetheless separated and considering divorce.
We also finally get the first real admission from the couple that documenting their family has turned into a lucrative business -- a business that threatens to destroy their marriage and the family they once were. Jon admits resentment over quitting his job for the show. Though he says he enjoys spending more time with the kids, he complains about taking care of them while Kate travels extensively on book tours. Kate is quick to note that Jon has "help" when she is gone, but nonetheless felt guilty when one of her kids called her by the babysitter's name after a long trip away.
This season, the couple no longer conducts their narrative interviews together on the couch – they do so individually. And in this first episode, Kate makes birthday party preparations alone because Jon, "wanted to take the weekend off." When Jon shows up for the party, Kate insists that the family pose for a picture. Later, she tears up wondering if that photo might be the last time they have a picture all together.
Kate's new look is also on full display this season and her makeover and accompanying cost of upkeep is the source a lot of blog and tabloid gossip. US Magazine ran an unflattering before and after photo on the cover and even did a story tallying up the cost of her manicures, tanning, and haircuts. Please! Clearly, it is unfair to suggest these are extravagant expenses, for any at-home mom. Moreover, it is the height of hypocrisy for tabloids that incessantly promote and celebrate celebrity moms and their consumption on the one hand to feign outrage when an at-home mom, especially one with a hit television show and best-selling book, succumbs to the cultural pressure.
In my estimation, both Jon and Kate deserve a different kind of criticism – one that belies their insistence throughout last night's show that despite their marriage difficulties, "they always put the kids first." If that were true, then they would put their marriage first because an intact family is the best gift they can give their children. Instead of dishing their troubles and complaints about each other for the show, they ought to shut down the cameras, put the book tour on hold and hole themselves up on their new sprawling estate to do the hard work of saving their marriage! That, Jon and Kate, is putting the kids first. Perhaps, in the end, they will come to the same conclusion -- that they are better off separated. But how can they really be sure while the cameras are still rolling?
The opening scene of the much-anticipated season premiere shrewdly addressed the salacious rumors of Jon Gosselin's infidelity head on. During an interview on last night's show, Jon said: "I never cheated on Kate. I don't care who believes me. I only know what I know." While it appears that Kate believes him, they are nonetheless separated and considering divorce.
We also finally get the first real admission from the couple that documenting their family has turned into a lucrative business -- a business that threatens to destroy their marriage and the family they once were. Jon admits resentment over quitting his job for the show. Though he says he enjoys spending more time with the kids, he complains about taking care of them while Kate travels extensively on book tours. Kate is quick to note that Jon has "help" when she is gone, but nonetheless felt guilty when one of her kids called her by the babysitter's name after a long trip away.
This season, the couple no longer conducts their narrative interviews together on the couch – they do so individually. And in this first episode, Kate makes birthday party preparations alone because Jon, "wanted to take the weekend off." When Jon shows up for the party, Kate insists that the family pose for a picture. Later, she tears up wondering if that photo might be the last time they have a picture all together.
Kate's new look is also on full display this season and her makeover and accompanying cost of upkeep is the source a lot of blog and tabloid gossip. US Magazine ran an unflattering before and after photo on the cover and even did a story tallying up the cost of her manicures, tanning, and haircuts. Please! Clearly, it is unfair to suggest these are extravagant expenses, for any at-home mom. Moreover, it is the height of hypocrisy for tabloids that incessantly promote and celebrate celebrity moms and their consumption on the one hand to feign outrage when an at-home mom, especially one with a hit television show and best-selling book, succumbs to the cultural pressure.
In my estimation, both Jon and Kate deserve a different kind of criticism – one that belies their insistence throughout last night's show that despite their marriage difficulties, "they always put the kids first." If that were true, then they would put their marriage first because an intact family is the best gift they can give their children. Instead of dishing their troubles and complaints about each other for the show, they ought to shut down the cameras, put the book tour on hold and hole themselves up on their new sprawling estate to do the hard work of saving their marriage! That, Jon and Kate, is putting the kids first. Perhaps, in the end, they will come to the same conclusion -- that they are better off separated. But how can they really be sure while the cameras are still rolling?
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
5-31-2009 @ 7:20PM
suzanne leonard said...This show is nothing more than fame and fortune. The kids
are over the cute-stage. Are we going to watch them year after
year?? I thought the show was fun as toddlers, but NO MORE.
LET HER GO BACK TO HER P/T JOB AND GET TO THE
REAL LIFE... NOTHING LIKE DIRTY MONEY.. NO EARN NO
GAIN.......... suzanne........
5-27-2009 @ 11:00PM
Kris said...God, I lift Jon and Kate Gosselin up to you. I thank you for designing them, for bringing them together. I thank you for their infertility that led to twins and sextuplets. I thank you that you have used the curiosity of the world to provide for their family. I thank you that they have been able to use the avenue of television to show the world that families can and do love you – together. Right now, God, Jon and Kate are hurting. Their marriage is in chaos and they don’t know what will happen and where they will go. So God, I pray right now for your power and love and grace and mercy to pour into the hearts of Jon and Kate and to pour into their marriage. I pray that you reveal yourself to each of them in a mighty way. Reveal your love, but also show them their sin. Show them how they have turned from you. Show them forgiveness. Through that, God, I know that your desire is to restore their marriage and make it more beautiful than it ever has been. I pray God, that you are in the midst of their struggle and that you remove Satan from every corner of their hearts and of their home. I pray that through all of this, that YOU are glorified. I pray that “God moments” are filmed and that those moments make it through to the final production of the show. I pray that Jon and Kate have the courage to publicly turn to you and then to publicly proclaim how good You are. I pray that you use their marriage – the ugly and the restoration to beautiful – to heal other’s marriages and to bring Your beauty back into the public institution of marriage. God I pray that Jon and Kate are overwhelmed by love and that you place a bubble around them and their family. Let that bubble protect them from the evil words, the ugly photos, the hurtful stories. I pray that only YOUR TRUTH is able to penetrate into their hearts. God I pray that many others will lift up prayers for Jon and for Kate. I thank you. I love you. I ask that you grant this prayer so that all glory and praise returns to you. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen
Reply
6-07-2009 @ 6:21PM
washtuckian said...Kate is an overbearing wart. Belittles jon all day-- everyday. Jon seems to be a peiceful minded person and you can see it on his face. He just wants his space and his family back. I hope the wart will deminish into the back ground and become a wife, and mom and dollar signs in front of her will go away. I see she runs him down and tells him to get me this and get me that. A gopher. I saw this coming awhile back with the way she was treating him at the store and I was discusted.. Well, when crap hits the fan, it flies. I hope they get back together and get there lives back and more away from the camera. you can see in the sneak peek that One of the twins had lost there other interest when dad was not there with them. a man does need his space away from family and I think this family needs to get away from cameras and have fun once again...It is said in the bible about words that come out of the mouth that are unwise, can break the spirit. Have any of you thought that this maltreatment of Jon could have brought him down? Why don't we all make a blog or something to encourage kate and Jon to work out there problems privately and get back together. There's babies involved here and I think the world could help them with support. Anyhow, that's my thought.
5-28-2009 @ 11:01AM
joyce said...I love this show, but lately it seems that Kate has turned into something like me, myself, and I. She obviously needs meds to control her OCD and a good lesson on how to treat your better half! The twins are becoming bratty, jealous, and have absolutely no respect for anyone but themselves. Melt downs? Just too many, for the little ones to observe. And then to get not one, but two dogs, c'mon now I agree that kids should have pets, but with mom's continuous cleanliness 24/7, and the cost of keeping these dogs healthy just adds to my wondering just who is paying for all of this. I feel for Jon, but he needs to step up and speak for himself without Kate constantly bad mouthing him and interupting him every time he opens his mouth! I think Kate needs to sit in the corner instead of the kids and have a good talk with Dr. Phil! This marriage is in my opinion is in real trouble and the chldren are right in the middle. I think Jon should write his own book, there's always two sides to every story!!
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5-28-2009 @ 10:49AM
Belinda said...Oh this is so sad. I admire both of them--but they really, really need to put priorities in order. It is clear that Jon stopped trying to be a team player well into last season. The Hawaii episode showed how he would not assist Kate with directing the kids--he appears to be very passive aggressive. He seems to be wanting to undermine and demean Kate. She clearly has had moments of temper in the past, but she actually seems to have mellowed, while he is trying to withdraw and doesn't want to cooperate. His passive aggressiveness pulls in the negative press as it highlights their problems.....Being a single parent is hard, but being married to someone who undermines you to the outside world as well as your kids is harder. Kate will do okay if Jon leaves, although I recognize it will be extremely painful. Her commitment to the marriage, family and kids is very apparent, Jons lack of commitment is equally apparent. I see Kate's willingness to work on the situation--I do not see this in Jon. This is all very very sad.
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5-28-2009 @ 11:53AM
Christi said...I agree, there is nothing worse than a passive aggressive husband who by his very silence and inaction makes the wife look like the biggest nag. Not that Kate hasn't crossed the line with her belittling. It seems like Jon is trying to recapture what he didn't have in his early twenties I see it all the time with people who married young. Usually I see it in the women, but Jon is a classic case of I've had enough it's time for me.
It's so sad to see how they are now. My husband and I started watching this show for inspiration when I was pregnant, we thought if they can do it with 8 kids we can do 1.
I think Kate's remorse is written all over her face, I've never seen her so down and I've never seen Jon more defiant.
5-28-2009 @ 2:54PM
Cabbie said...I watch the show off and on. I am just seeing the human side of Kate. Jon is always getting slapped around, maybe he is tired of that. Have you ever noticed the way they each favor one twin. Kate and Maddy, Jon and Cara. I like Cara personality better because Maddy likes to be the center of attention. They hardly ever take both girls with them.
Reply
5-28-2009 @ 5:55PM
HEATHER said...I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO LEAVE JON AND KATE ALON YEA THEY HAVE PROBLEMS BUT WOULDNT U IF U HAD A SHOW AND CAMRES ON U ALL THE TIME THESE TRASHY MAGAZINES NEED TO BUIG OFF I MEAN RALLY AT A KIDS B DAY PARTY HOW LOW WILL THEY STOOP TO GET A STORY THATS JUST WRONG
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5-28-2009 @ 8:27PM
Sharon said...It was just a sad episode to watch for me. Watching a family fall apart is heart-wrenching. Yes, they're on tv but they are real people in real pain.
I think Jon has gotten a free pass from many of the people who comment on the show for his passive-agressive behavior. He's a father of 8 but unless Kate is telling him what to do, he stands around and does nothing. Then when she gets fed up and tells him what to do, he can behave like a victim -- a poor, sad, belittled man. Please! He needs to stop behaving like a man-child and grow up.
As far as his claims of innocence, I'm just trying to imagine my husband telling me that he was "hanging out" with a 24 year old woman but it was innocent. Yeah, right.
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5-29-2009 @ 5:22PM
jms said...I totally agree...they kept saying the children were the most important thing. Not once did they ever say the other was the most important. They should know in their Christian upbringing that they are to consider the other important and that is not happening. With all the stress that they face, that needs to be their #1 priority but by their own admission, they have their own priorities and are deceiving themselves and us by saying it is the children's. I will not be purchasing any dvd's or books of theirs, because I feel I am supporting this break up, and all the media frenzy that is behind it.
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5-30-2009 @ 5:48PM
kh1356 said...Up until the last season I was a huge fan of Jon and Kate Plus Eight. At some point it stopped being about the kids and started benefitting Jon and Kate. Now they don't know what happened!!!
Wake up - let me think the hair weave for Jon was for the kids, the tummy tuck for Kate was for the kids, the teeth whitening for Jon and Kate was for the kids and all Kate's traveling is for the kids too. Who watches the kids while she's away? I was really blown away when Jon pulled up at the birthday party (most recent epidsode) in a 2 seater sports car. Oh wait, I forgot that was for the kids too. He can actually fit one of the eight kids in the car.
Jon and Kate don't like the P-people hanging around now and everyone up in their business. It was fine though when they were getting all their freebees "For the kids". WAKE UP - GET A LIFE!
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5-31-2009 @ 7:06PM
Jennette Govitz said...I quit watching this show a couple of seasons ago because it became all about Jon & Kate and how many things they can buy now. Their show has made them millionaires and very boring to me now. Kate in particular is annoying and not just to me. TLC really should cancel this show. It has outlived any usefullness it ever had.
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5-31-2009 @ 9:48PM
Frances said...I agree Rachel!
TLC and the advertisers that make the REAL money from Jon & Kate + 8 are thinking of nothing but the money to be earned by this family's plight. The show may have started out with noble intentions, but that is no longer the case. Wouldn't it be wonderful to read in the papers: "TLC and the Gosselin family have mutually decided to suspend production of their show during this time of struggle. Please respect the family's privacy as they try to repair their relationships"... can you imagine the outpouring of support they would receive? Can you imagine the flogging any photographer would receive if his/her photos appeared in a magazine?
Surely, by now, Jon and Kate have the support of entertainment lawyers and PR people... isn't someone helping them navigate these uncharted waters? Isn't someone acting in the best interests of this family? They certainly can not be advised by anyone under the TLC umbrella. Jon and Kate need to grow up, turn off the cameras and repair their marriage... without the cameras and eyes of the millions of armchair quarterbacks willing to analyze every word spoken (or not spoken) by this couple... there is no way they can repair their marriage from the interview couch. Is all that money worth having your worst family moments filmed to be viewed by millions?
There are two roads to be travelled by this damaged family... they can continue as they are until the whole thing spontaneously combusts and they catch Jon/Kate in some horrible moment, for which the ratings will spike and the advertisers/TLC will continue to earn millions! People will finally have enough and stop watching and this couple will have crucified themselves for their 15 minutes of fame. It will be over and there will be nothing left but a broken family that sold their souls for a huge house so they can hide from the very public that supported their new lifestyle! There is no happy ending if this show continues.
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6-05-2009 @ 9:48PM
geraldine segal said...Kate is a shrew that can't be tamed. I can't blame Jon for seeking a little love and kindness elsewhere.
Geraldine
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6-23-2009 @ 4:36PM
Barb said...Neither of these two qualifies for parent of the year...far from it. The show will go on because these "parents" baught a million+ home for their kids...really? I remember seeing Kate at the window in the kitchen saying "All mine, as far as you can see". Anything Kate wants Kate gets.
Don't you remember Jon not really wanting any more kids??? But Kate got her way...again.
Divorce is no surprise, the only surprise is he didn't deck her on the show or this didn't happen sooner.
Where are the other family members? Jon's and Kates...they didn't poof out of nowhere there MUST be other relatives.
Where is "my best friend Beth"?
Why did they stop going to church? Because one or both of them used their church for baby help, donations, first home remodel, beds for the baby etc. and have they given anything back?
Just wondering...
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