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.
Tags: discovery, gosselins, jon and kate plus eight, Jon-and-Kate-plus-8, multiples, reality-tv, septuplets, TLC |
380 Responses to “Jon and Kate Plus 8: The ones we love to hate”
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31. iowafan said:
September 30, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
Anjelica–that is SO true! I hardly ever see the show anymore, but I love to read the blogs on this sight..
32. Lillyann said:
September 30, 2008 @ 8:27 pm
Angelica, isn’t that the truth! What a study in human nature!
Hope you’re having a good evening
Waving, Iowafan:)
33. Sassa Frass said:
October 1, 2008 @ 7:52 am
Yeah Jessica! Congrats on your new blog! I love it. And, i am, now, stuck in the middle as well. Im not one of those who doesn’t see that they do anything right, but im not one of those who doesn’t see the wrong that they do. Does that make sense?
Im stuck in the middle with you, yes im, stuck in the middle with you!
I love it Jessica. You are such an awesome writer. I find that some writers (not on this website btw, love em all) go on and on and on in search of description of the situation and that bores me. I just want them to get to the point. But YOU JESSICA, keep my attention every time and i read the entire thing, without skimming! So, it’s a compliment. Carry on with the goods, k?
Thanks for your point of view. I love it! Happy Wednesday.
34. Lillyann said:
October 1, 2008 @ 9:26 am
Good morning, Sass and everyone
This is a great blog, isn’t it!
Only downside is that I’ve had that darn song in my head since Jessica posted it, LOL
Yeah, J&K certainly aren’t perfect, but who is! When I watch, I watch to see the kids and what they are up to.
Happy Day, to all
35. Kymberly said:
October 1, 2008 @ 9:41 am
Words to live by my friend.
A wise and brave post. Also loved the People magazine line because I’m not above it either. I do find the show helpful in that my 9 yo daughter (who may, in fact, be the intended target audience?) adores it even as she routinely says “Man that Maddie (or Cara) really needs to get in trouble!” So I like that even my CHILD can identify when her generational fellows are showing their a@# to the nation, identify it as very unbecoming, and think to herself “let’s not try that at home.”
Why, it’s practically a public service some days!
Note to self: try to work J&K+8 into more of my writing as it seems a handy way to generate comments.
I think I could blog “I have cured cancer!” and get less fanfare than if anyone breathes a word about the Gosselins.
Seriously, do they have a spider or webbot going that picks up on any hint of dissent the very moment it hits the world wide web and rushes there or what?
(Said in the tone of “where the he@# do I get that gig?) >:)
36. Elsa said:
October 1, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
Amber, you say that the Gosselins are “taking what they are given” … I say that they are taking what they can get.
Complete scam artists, preying on trusting people. I feel sorry for their children.
37. Patty said:
October 1, 2008 @ 10:54 pm
Don’t forget…
Mady & Cara’s 8th birthday is one week from today. They turn 8 on the 8th. It’s their “golden” birthday. Gee, I hope they’re allowed to eat their birthday cake!
I am going to send them each a birthday card. They need to feel special, too.
38. John said:
October 2, 2008 @ 1:54 am
Hello- I made a comment that if Kate got free tummy surgury, then Jon should get free hair surgery- it happened the next episode…
I see they are now moving to a new house-
They are scam artists capitalizing on the fact that they had sextuplets–
I have stopped watching/tivo’ing their show–
The most disturbing part is that you can see how controling, disfunctional, and somehow mentally incompetant this Kate is,
and anyone with a brain can already see the problems starting with the “twins”, especially Mady. I know ALOT about multiples, AND
the WORST thing that a parent can do when it comes to any sort of multiples is to tell the children that they are first or fourth.
Until they are in their late teens, they should be EQUAL in “birth time”,not “Oh you are 4 minutes older, etc…” You can already see the confrontations between cara & mady- it should NEVER have happened- Jon should RUN as fast as he can from this unballanced woman, make good money and let them play in the mud in HIS yard on the weekends, and God willing, the 6 wont end up on crack or pregnant at 15– face it, you can already see the train wreck coming for the “twins”—
39. ssppmom said:
October 2, 2008 @ 2:42 am
You are a brave soul Jessica. Wait till the Katebots come out and dismiss you as a hater or jealous or both.
What I don’t like about Kate?
She makes it seems so easy. But she forgets she had all the volunteers that gave so much - time, money, clothes, etc.
She takes vacations and does fun things with her kids - but she says she “saves” and every thing is a rare “treat”.
I feel bad for the Mothers that think she is SuperMom and “inspiring”.
Proctor and Gamble featured Kate in last Sunday’s circular on her “saving” tips - as if she really does any of things she advocates.
A paper in St. Louis featured her “recipes” a few weeks back. Imagine! Kate cuts her kids’ sandwiches into shapes!
Really ground breaking stuff. She truly is a maverick.
40. Ems mom said:
October 2, 2008 @ 3:53 am
John, I agree. Hope all of the freebies and “fame” are worth it to these parents, because it is a sure bet that the kids will pay the price.
41. Ephesians 2:10 said:
October 2, 2008 @ 8:45 am
We’re going to see just that in an upcoming episode. They recently had a yard sale at a church and donated the money to pediatric cancer research.
Whether or not they sold things things that were donated to them or things they bought, pediatric cancer research is being helped.
42. Ephesians 2:10 said:
October 2, 2008 @ 8:51 am
Very well written. I love your sense of humor.
I hope and pray the kids don’t turn out like Danny Bonaduce or Dana Plato. Only time will tell.
43. Kim Lambe said:
October 2, 2008 @ 10:44 am
Hello to you both and six more
you are both very brave. Just keep up the great work and remember god gave you this wonder because he knew you could handle it….
44. Angelica said:
October 2, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Ephesians,
Hi, good to see you!
Their website also says that they are donating a portion of the proceeds to pediatric cancer research.
45. mully said:
October 2, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
And for sure Jon and Kate were trying to benefit from it.
46. Lillyann said:
October 2, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
Hey Ephesians, nice to see you!
Patty posted on the other blog that the G’s are going to be on Regis and Kelly tomorrow morning! I haven’t seen a promo for it, so don’t know any details.
47. Ephesians 2:10 said:
October 2, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
Nice to see you too Lillyann. And you too Angelica.
I’m planning on watching in the morning. Maybe I’ll DVR it and skip the commercials.
48. Lillyann said:
October 2, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
LOL, that’s a great idea Ephesians
I just may do the same thing!
I’ve been thinking about this yard sale and all the talk it has generated. It seems to me that the G’s are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. So what if they *sold* items that were donated to them…they did donate all the proceeds to charity. That’s a good thing! Actually, who the heck knows for sure if everything that was for sale was only stuff that they had been given. Maybe they actually paid for some of the things. Either way, IMO it doesn’t matter and because of the sale, children less fortunate then their own benefit from the donation. Anyway, just my thoughts
I think I will enjoy this episode more than some of the others.
49. mully said:
October 2, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
Hi Lilly:
I think its great too that the G’s donated the money from the yard sale to charity.
I think that the irksome thing is that they just HAD to make a point of telling the whole world about it on their website with the statement about donating 100% of the profits. Like I said a day or so ago, I got the impression they were making sure everyone knew that yes indeed, they are FINALLY giving back. To me it smacks of damage control and I do believe they have to know (either they themselves or someone at TLC) that they need the damage control.
It kinda took the humility out of the donation for me.
50. Ephesians 2:10 said:
October 2, 2008 @ 8:02 pm
I agree Lillyann. Either way they go with the donations, they can’t win. I’m looking foward to it too. To me it doesn’t matter if they bought the things or if they were donated. The things were theirs to sell.
I saw a picture of Kate and a girl that the girls mother took at the sale. It was sweet. The girl looked happy.
51. Lillyann said:
October 2, 2008 @ 10:09 pm
Mully
Hold that thought, LOL! I am watching the *debate* after the VP *debate* but would like to discuss the PR issue with you.
Hopefully, I’ll catch you tomorrow.
52. mully said:
October 2, 2008 @ 11:39 pm
Mully holds the thought but wants Lilly to know that she leaves for work at around 9 am EST and wont be home until probably after sixish…..So, Ill hold it for a loooong time!
53. Angelica said:
October 3, 2008 @ 12:21 am
I’ve sold things before that were given to me and kept the money (Sorry, Aunt Jane) so I absolutely have no problem with her doing it and giving the money to charity. People have been demanding that they do so for quite some time now. It’s true that no good deed goes unpunished. Danged if they do and danged if they don’t.
I think it is great that they have picked out a charity to support. Is it for damage control? So what. Or maybe it’s just a cause close to their hearts. I hope it brings a lot attention to the charity.
Other than that, their financial situation is none of my business; it’s between them, God and the IRS. If they are doing wrong, one of those will certainly sort it out.
54. mully said:
October 3, 2008 @ 6:13 pm
Their financial situation isnt so much what people care about Angelica. Its HOW they make the money they do make which is such an irritant to most people and the fact that Kate has continually cried “poor” and seemingly, in order, to be given donations, free trips, closed parks for THEIR visits and etc etc etc.
Again. If Jon and Kate, all along since the moment they started receiving donation after donation, had offered items that they could no longer use to charity, ANY charity, then the donation to the Children’s Pediatric Cancer Fund, wouldnt seem so much of a PR idea. The fact is tho, that here we are, 4 years later and they are just now getting around to making a BIG deal on their website about how much they donated and to whom. It all seems like an afterthought, AFTER they or someone else said “hey guys, the heat is on about how you never donate to charity, its probably a good idea that we do SOMETHING to try and alleviate all the bad press you are getting”
55. Jessica said:
October 3, 2008 @ 8:08 pm
56. Stacey Maureen said:
October 7, 2008 @ 11:43 am
The show last night cracked me up! They act like Good Housekeeping was just dying to get them on the cover. Chances are, most people don’t know who these freaks even are!! The kids are just brats–no, not really the tups but the twins!! I can’t stand that Mady. I want to reach through the TV and slap her. How old are they now? 8 or something? Stop trying to compete with a 4 year old and act your age. I really love that these two people are using their kids to make money. Jon, go get a job. Stop profiting off of your kids. It is shameless.
57. Valerie said:
October 7, 2008 @ 3:13 pm
They are both profiting off their kids. It doesn’t bother me that they are financially well off or anyone else for that matter. It is why they are that really irks me. They are using those children to get as much as they can get and it is sickening. Yes, a family of 8 with 6 the same age do need help to provide for the family. Usually one of the parents would need to work to earn that money. They don’t need EXTRAVAGANT vacations, teeth whitenings, hair transplants, personal trainers at the gym, spa days. I could go on and on. How are those things benefiting the children.
58. stacey maureen said:
October 7, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
Clearly everything is for the parents and not the well-being of the kids. Honestly, does a 4 year old know that they are on the cover of a magazine? Do they care?? I like how Kate said this is their “first cover” (hmmm, does she have visions of more to come??) and that she is happy to “get their story out there”. What story? You were selfish, decided to go ahead and have these 6 kids and now you want people to give you money and things so you can be comfy and your lazy-ass hubby doesn’t have to work but can sit in a closet all day and read email?? And I feel SO sorry for them–their first floor of their house is ONLY 2000 square feet! Those poor people! It must be like living in a shoe-box!! Give me a BREAK!!! I Tivo’d this and erased half of it as I was watching. Then I cleared Tivo and won’t be watching anymore episodes. I am done. They are sickening. Unfortunately I have a subscription to Good Housekeeping. Bummer that I will have to see them on the Nov. cover.
59. Patty said:
October 9, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Has anyone else seen Kate’s interview on ABC’s “What’s the Buzz?” Looks like it was a plug for K-Mart, too, since she mentioned them a couple times during her interview and all the K-Mart products surrounding her in the chair.
60. mully said:
October 9, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
I havent seen it Patty, but I did happen to see the show earlier this week you mentioned from Minnesota where she was giving “tips” on how to save money in the upcoming Christmas season.
Kate seems to be making herself available alot lately.
Makes you wonder when she finds the time to parent all those kids AND to make monkey munch AND to bitch at her husband AND to buy organic food etc etc etc