Jon and Kate Plus 8: The ones we love to hate
Posted
September 29, 2008 at
6:00 pm by
Jessica
Well, it’s been almost a year since I wrote my first critical post on Jon and Kate Gosselin. Of course I had no idea what I was getting into. Never could I have imagined that a reality TV show would be met with such ardent opinions, with Kate Gosselin turning out to be quite a polarizing figure. The very mention of Kate Gosselin to those who have caught the show conjures up resentment on one side and admiration, and even sympathy (dare I say “pity”), on the other.
I have mentally divided the “pro” Kate crowd and the “anti” Kate crowd and even though I don’t watch the show on a regular basis (I lost a lot of interest after the first few seasons), I do happen to catch it once in a while. I was never a super-fan, but found some redeeming values in Jon and Kate and can now admit after catching a few reruns that I really can’t stand Kate Gosselin. There, I said it. Now, lest I be associated with the obsessive-stalking-loathing-Kate camp, I wouldn’t waste anymore bandwidth on the subject matter than this post is taking up. Subscribing to the KIA philosophy (Kate is an a-hole), is priority number 16,232, after plucking a stray eyelash out of my eyelid. And even though I have come to terms with the disgust for this woman, I’m not as prepared to run with the KIA crowd. In no way do I want it to be part of my identity. First of all, I have many internet friends who happen to like her, and I have been known to reach across party lines to embrace those with differing opinions [Ed. note: You're such a maverick]. Second of all, I kinda like having my very own villain. Even if it doesn’t make a lot of sense, I kept on watching the reruns while cursing at the television. In fact, the more angry I got, the more I stayed glued.
So, either Kate Gosselin is an a-hole and doesn’t care, or she’s an a-hole who knows how to keep viewers entranced or enraged. After all, Howard Stern gained his popularity by listeners that hated him more so than from listeners that loved him. Something tells me that she isn’t that smart though.
Or is she?
Here are some questions that arose while I sorted laundry and watched with my stink eyes squarely transfixed on two people who have really worked the system. While I’m all for capitalism and getting as much out of your 15 minutes as possible, it’s just human nature to be resentful towards those who seem to be successfully working the system and I have to wonder, in all of Kate’s “organic glory”, why did she rush the IVF IUI and why did her doctor allow it after only a few months of trying and did her insurance pay for it before the standard waiting protocol was met? In all their “riches”, what have the Gosselins ever given back to society? Have they ever had any episodes focus on charitable giving or community outreach?
Now, I don’t have time to make a career out of my unfavorable opinion of Jon and Kate Gosselin, nor do I have time to create entire blogs dedicated to the schadenfreude I might enjoy if Jon and Kate suddenly… get foreclosed upon or find out their kid’s muffin mix was really being imported from China. Unlike some of KIA peeps, I’ll make no pretense about watching for the sake of the children. See, I’m not that easily amused or smitten by children just because they’re children, and the Gosselin rug-(b)rats are no exception. Half the time, I think they’re annoying, but they’re kids, and kids are annoying, so I can’t necessarily hold that against them as unique. Problem is, they’re destined to be even more annoying because their parents are annoying. That’s how it works. Mom’s selfish and indulging, so are their offspring. And I can’t escape the feeling, once the camera’s are turned off that there isn’t a special belt or wooden spoon that gets up close and personal with those kids. It’s hard to imagine that the kids take away from Kate without some ramifications.
The kids may be (sorta) cute now, but just wait until they get older. It wouldn’t surprise me if they went the way of Danny Bonaduce or Dana Plato after all the glitter fades. I will be the first one in line to buy that People magazine too because I’m not above it, but I won’t hold my breath waiting for their downfall. One day, it will just happen and so long as it’s not a totally tragic ending, like someone getting plastered on the front of a school bus, I will chuckle and I won’t feel bad for it because quite frankly, annoying people deserve as much. Why should Kate be above my pshaw anyway? After all, only interesting people make it onto my list. Kate should be honored.
Read more at the Jon and Kate site at Examiner.com
Tags: discovery, gosselins, jon and kate plus eight, Jon-and-Kate-plus-8, multiples, reality-tv, septuplets, TLC |
741 Responses to “Jon and Kate Plus 8: The ones we love to hate”
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721. mully
October 6, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
OMG! Kate Gosselin more affectionate with her children than Jon?
Are you serious?
Lady, you and I must have watched a different show for the past several years. Affectionate is not an adjective I would EVER use to describe Kate.
Kate is a drill sargeant. Her way or the highway. I half expected to see her with a whistle around her neck most shows. And before you tell me that it takes someone like her to corral and raise 8 kids, let me remind you of the many parenting “chores” that Kate tossed off to Jon, because they just werent her “cuppa”.
Seriously. Who brushed the kids teeth? Who bathed and got them ready for bed on a nightly basis, includindg handwashing all of the girls hair? Who got up every morning at 6 a.m. to get the twins ready for school? Who dressed all 6 tups on a daily basis? Who taught Joel or Collin to ride his bike? Who took the time to build them a swing/play set in the back yard?
Please dont say Kate, because you would be dead wrong!
I could go on and on and on. While Kate was laying in bed like the lazy ass she is, it was Jon who took care of the girls, and ultimately the tups, in the morning.
Oh yes, I know. Kate isnt lazy. She flies all over the country giving speeches and collecting love offerings and now shes all over the place peddling her story to any two bit talk show host who wants to raise his/her ratings.
The ONLY time Kate Gosselin cares one shit about her kids is when theres a camera plastered in front of her face and shes pretty sure that America, albeit the world, will hear her pitiful, plaintive plea to understand that everything she does, she does for her children.
As soon as that camera is away from her face, shes off to the spa for a mani or a pedi and doesnt give a rats fat butt about the 8 kids she connived and wheedled Jon into having.
The word “affection”, at least in my book, doesnt contain any dollar signs. In Kate’s book, however, it definitely does.
722. Valerie
October 6, 2009 @ 6:24 pm
I guess Sherri’s party in NY was more important to Kate than her 8 very upset children. Now remember, Kate was in NY on national TV bashing the children’s father while it was her turn for custody.
She left the kids with a babysitter who obviously can’t control them, but still decided to stay in NY for a party that evening.
723. mully
October 6, 2009 @ 6:34 pm
Lets also not forget that the VERY AFFECTIONATE, VERY CARING Kate, who just this week announced on national television that her children were wailing and sobbing over the shutdown of the shows production, was nowhere to be found, hands on, this week to comfort those same children.
I guess she felt that “someone else” could comfort them, even tho it was a big enough deal to mention on national television that they were upset.
A cat’s a better mother.
724. Valerie
October 6, 2009 @ 7:02 pm
EXACTLY
725. Carolyn J
October 10, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
I look at the beautiful faces of these children and for the life of me cannot understand why it is that Kate can’t be mother enough to spend the time with them and love them. When the show first started I thought she was a caring mother but the more I watched it I realized that it was Jon who loved them more. He was the one who did everything for them. Bathe them, dressed them, fed them. There were scenes when Jon came in from work, the children were sick (mind you Kate had put them to sleep on the the cold hard cement laundry room floor)so that if they threw up she wouldn’t have to clean bedding from the children. Jon would go in there and switch them to their bedroom floor where there was carpeting at least. You could hear Kate in the background bitching about how she would have to clean up the mess if there was one. Who in their right mind puts sick children on a cement floor? Their already sick and not being in a warm bed didn’t help them any. I honestly think that Jon is the more caring parent of them both. I just don’t think he has had anyone to help him make the right decisions. I don’t understand why his mother or Dr. Glassman have not given him the right advise as to how to help him. He needs to be away from Kate, I honestly think there is something wrong with her. Very Wrong with her. She doesn’t act like a loving caring mother, nor wife. She act more like a mentally deranged woman who needs major help. I have watched the Jon and Kate +eight show since the very 1st episode, you can’t tell me the TLC network has not seen the things that she has done. Kate has hit Jon many many times on air (suppose to look like love pats) she does that all too often. And where do you think the kids come up with the words they use? 3 year olds learn those things from their elders. And Mady, where does she get such a terrible temper from? Hitting and kicking the younger children all the time? You learn those things from their parents or should I say parent. I don’t think Jon is like that. Some one please do something to get those children out from under Kate’s control before someone gets hurt. Look at what she did with the 2 puppies!!!! If you treat an animal badly you will treat a child badly. I have 5 children of my own, eight grandchildren and have had numerous animals and none of them were ever treated like Kate treats these kids and animals. Kate is a sick sick woman. She needs help.
726. Pat Schmidt
October 12, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
I used to think that Jon was the better parent. Now I think those poor kids would be better off parenting themselves. Both Jon and Kate are hopeless! Very sad!
727. lorena
October 29, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
omg leave kate alone! she is a mother of not 1,2,3, or even 4..she has eight kids!! She keeps it real! She is not fake for the camara people!! Geeeez just cause you people are you serious!! She is a great mother who obvioulsy loves her kids…shame on you all who give this woman a hard time!! dont be jealeous cause she sexy and has eight kids!!!
728. Linda Miller
October 30, 2009 @ 9:44 am
OMG Haven’t you been watching the show all these years? Kate routinely emasculates Jon…even telling him he was breathing too loud on national tv. She deserves every bit of negativism thrush upon her. Don’t feel too sorry for her. She says she’ll be making a movie soon! And yes Kate, where is the million $ from your book?
Plain and simple as can be, Jon’s acting out due to his new “freedom” and attempt to find himself after being so put down. Kate has only herself to blame for keeping him in the “little boy…subordinate and beat up” family role.
Yes we all worry about the children. I suspect both parents love them and they adjust just like mine and millions of other did thru divorce.
729. SummerFun
October 30, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
This is different! Usually it’s jellus or jelus!!
I thought she has an SUV! (sorry, I couldn’t help it!)…
The poster hit the nail on the head with this one. She’s not a mother. She PLAYS a mother on reality television. A mother would be home with her children, nurturing them, loving them, making memories for them and not with material possessions or trips, all the while disguising it as “culturing” them. The best memories in life are free. Sadly, she hasn’t learned this, and it’s not something that can be taught. A mother, a REAL mother, knows this because for a REAL mother, there is no sense of entitlement or greed that goes along with the challenges of parenthood.
730. Pat Schmidt
December 22, 2009 @ 6:16 pm
It would seem, since Jon left and began acting like a 16 year old with hormones out of control and Kate seems to have gotten a dose of the reality most of us who posted on here were hoping for things have been strangely quiet. Perhaps everyone is so happy with the outcome they are giddy and unable to think of anything to say that the magazines haven’t already said. I am, unfortunately, not happy. True the kids aren’t being paraded on tv, true, Kate is not getting paid trips all over the place in the name of nurturing her brood. And true Jon is no longer letting Kate use him as a door mat. I think one of the things this has shown is that nothing changes without everything changing. As I watched this story unfold it was like watching dominos fall. Unfortunately the only real losers are the kids. Jon is off making merry with one girl or another or several at the same time. He claims he needs time to grow up. Again unfortunately he is past the age when he should have grown up, past the point in his life where he can shun his responsibilities. He is off acting like a child while his kids are at home paying the price for his immaturity. Kate, on the other hand, is busy giving interviews, fulfilling speaking engagements, attending book signings while her children are home with a nanny, Jon and his latest girlfriend or ????? These kids need nurturing now more than ever and are apparently not getting it because Daddy Dearest is off finding his lost youth and Mommy is making sure the public doesn’t forget her while she is out of the limelight. The plight of these children remains a concern and a subject for prayer.
731. Summer Fun
December 22, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
I don’t think that’s really true right now. I know that he’s at home as much as he is allowed to be home.He has “settled down” considerably. But I agree…these kids need nurturing and BOTH their parents now, more than ever, and of course, this is cause for concern and prayer.
I can only speak for myself, and I wouldn’t say I’m giddy. Relieved, yes, that the cameras have been removed from their home and their lives…for now. I think that, based on Kate’s statement that the show is their life and it must go on, and she had no intention of pulling the plug, this has been a major “victory” for those of us who were concerned enough about child labor laws to do anything we could to call attention to the violation of these laws. I believe that because of this fiasco, the public is so much more aware of the fact that children on reality television shows must be protected at all costs. Before this mess, who knew of Paul Petersen’s efforts? All of this has been the subject of countless blogs, newspaper articles, opinions by psychologists, etc. If anything good comes out of this, it’s been the public’s reawakening to the dangers of throwing innocent kids to the network wolves.
Hopefully, these kids will now be given a chance at a normal childhood, sans cameras. The tragedy is that they lost having both their mommy and daddy together.
My question is — what more can be done for these children?
732. amily
July 24, 2010 @ 9:29 am
fuck u who wrote this articleor else find some job instead of minding in others buiseness.Why the fuck u mind in others business u pussy shit. talking nonsense about the kids who the fuck r u to talk about em fukin slut….bitchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
733. Mully
July 24, 2010 @ 9:56 am
LOL. It would seem someone forgot to take their meds today.
Looks like they also might have forgotten to go to school and learn simply spelling, grammar and sentence structure.
Oh, and it also appears that the “h” key on their keyboard might be stuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.
Have a great day, sweetie and hope you feel better!
734. Summer
July 24, 2010 @ 4:00 pm
What about reading comprehension? How could this person comment on the article without having a basic understanding of the written word? Would she/he know the meaning or protocol, ardent, maverick, entranced, transfixed, capitalism, ramification, smitten, etc. etc.?
Unfortunately, meds aren’t going to clean up a potty mouth. That pretty much stays with you for the rest of your life.
735. Valerie
July 24, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
language like that is simply a lame attempt to cover up a severe lack of intelligence.
736. Mully
July 24, 2010 @ 10:48 pm
Well said, Val.
737. Valerie
July 25, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
Wisdom from the nuns, Mully. Stuck with me, though.
738. Mully
July 25, 2010 @ 3:36 pm
Sr. Marywhatsherface is probably rolling over right now.
739. Summer
July 25, 2010 @ 3:39 pm
Chances are nine out or ten times a post like that comes from a youngster who is still wet behind the ears…trying to sound “hard,” like a know-it-all adult. They’re still testing the waters. What’s tragic, however, is when they continue along the path of obscenities, become parents themselves, have children, and pretty soon you have an entirely new generation to carry on these “traditions” of being a smart-aleck air-head with a garbage mouth.
740. Summer
July 25, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
Mary Catherine, Mary Francis, Mary Elizabeth, Mary Grace, Mary Margaret, Mary Ignatius, Mary Martha, Mary Mully…
Has to be one of those, right?
741. Mully
July 25, 2010 @ 8:47 pm
LOL…….