Those of you who read my blog know that I am more of a Jon & Kate advocate than a fan. Yes, I enjoy the show, I have read her books, made the children gifts, met her a few times but I am the FIRST person to NOT take pictures, to NOT blog their every move, to NOT get caught up in the tabloid CRAP!
But, as you know, you can't get away from it. It is everywhere and that makes me so sad. Sad for all of them.
So, I probably won't be watching the show tonight when they deliver their big announcement. My husband and I have been married almost 16 years and over those years, we have had many friends who have been in a similar situation to Jon & Kate...would I sit in their living room and WATCH as they drop the divorce bomb or let it all out and decide to reconcile? No. I wouldn't dream of it.
I am NOT at all insinuating that I am Kate's friend, I am simply saying that if it wasn't for comments like this reported in the Philadelphia Examiner, "Television viewers are obviously fascinated with the possibility of the Gosselin marriage unraveling," I don't think TLC would require them to make their announcement on the air. It's all about the ratings...and I think this crosses the line.
So, to TLC...I think there are times when integrity comes FIRST and you come to the aid of those you helped climb to the top (and put millions of dollars in your corporate pocket) and assist that family in being discreet about their issues and help them to go unnoticed as they deal with personal troubles.
Many people say, "They asked for this. They made this decision." Well, I made the decision to be a teacher, so if my school is taken over by gunman and I am shot and killed, does that mean, "I asked for it," too? If I wear a revealing dress to a party, am I "asking" to be raped? I also made the decision to have three children, if one of them makes life choices that cause our family strife and unrest, does that mean that my decision to become a mom is the reason for our family's demise? No. No. and NO!
Someone on my facebook friends' list had this to say and I LOVED IT!:
"I've never watched the show and don't know much about them other that what you've blogged about, but saw her on Rachel Ray, and just think wtheck people, she's a human being, her marriage is her and her husband's business and stay out of it, let them get through it like any other couple would. I have no tolerance for people who find their jollies by bashing other people going through a hard time. They must have very sad lives of their own."
("K" I wasn't sure if you wanted your name attached to this so I kept you anonymous.)
I know the Gosselin's made a decision to go on the air as a reality show. But as far as I know they are not circus freaks who have a crystal ball in their closet and can tell the future. I am certain that, without a doubt, if someone had told Jon & Kate that thier current situation was eminent within 5 years of the first show, they would NOT have signed the contract. If you have read her words in her book, MULTPLE BLES8INGS, you would feel the same way. The Kate in this book is NOT the Kate TLC portrays at times.
My thoughts about tonight's show?
I am going to go with my heart and say I believe their big announcement is that they are going to put their family first, work on their marriage and call it quits on Jon & Kate + 8. And you will hear the loudest applause come from THIS corner of Berks County!
I invite your comments and thoughts...but, as always, BE NICE!
19 comments:
Michelle,
I was huge fan of the show in the beginning when it was more of the day to day dealing with 8 kids. As the show/years progressed, it became obvious that many of the trips/adventures the family were taking were courtesy of corporate donations. Is that bad? No, it's a choice. If we all had 8 kids to put through college at the exact same time ( 8 kids as freshman in the UC system would start out at over $80k annually not including room/board and most kids take 5 years to get a bachelor's), we might make different choices as to how we would make ends meet.
I think that the show quickly spiraled into the fame of reality show success and the family just doesn't know how to cope. It's unfortunate that we are witnessing them stumbling their way through it.
But I'm not supporting/taking sides for either Jon or Kate. I'm taking the kids' side. Their parents will do what they think is best whether or not I watch 'THE SPECIAL'. But here's hoping that they find their footing and some solid ground to rebuild family foundations.
I have never watched the show on a regular basis. I have never read the tabloids about their situation. What I do know has been learned from bits and pieces of information heard or read on the television and the internet.
I cannot begin to fathom what it is like to raise 8 children at the same time. I have a hard enough time with just two. So I commend both of them for having the BALLS to put their lives on camera for the entire world to see and deal with the stresses of real life on a daily basis and keep their sanity intact. I personally could not do it.
I hope that their announcement this evening is that they are quitting the show so that they can concentrate on their marriage and getting back to their beginnings and fixing their family. Those kids need both of their parents and Jon and Kate are never going to be able to patch their relationship up and do what is best for their children with the media constantly hounding them.
The media needs to shut the door on this chapter of their lives and let them get their s**t together like normal people.
Nuff said.
I'm a watcher. I still love the show, though its quite obvious that along the way both Jon & Kate have forgotten who they are and changed more than a bit. BUT...when I saw the previews this weekend my heart sank. I'm fairly certain I know what the announcement will but, but I WANT them to shock the world by announcing they're pulling the plug on their show to work on their marriage more privately. I'm so convinced they need to put their relationship and family first and I hate to see marriages fall apart. But I'm afraid this won't be the case. *sniff*
As a longtime fan of JK8 and as a child of divorce, this whole thing sickens me on such a level that I cannot bear to watch tonight's episode, or likely any episode, ever again. I still love the Gosselins- all ten of them- but its like watching your family fall apart all over again, and it's just too upsetting. I know I should probably not take it so personally, but it's a real family, not some made up soap family, and it's so hard to watch people struggle and not be able to do anything about it.
And since we're on the topic of divorcing, I think Kate seriously needs to divorce her brother and sister in law. I have one family member I don't speak to, but if she were going through a very public disaster such as this I would not be out there selling her dirty laundry to the media, I'd grow up and offer her a shoulder and try to help in any way I could. It especially bothers me because Kate's family pretends this is all for the benefit of the kids. Can someone please explain to me how it benefits a child when you try to make a profit off their family's darkest hour?
I hope you're right Michelle, but I'm not too optimistic. I hope whatever the outcome is, though, that the Gosselin family is finally allowed some peace and quiet for a change.
don't watch, but well said. :-)
I've watched a few times and I think that marriage and family is hard enough to deal with under "normal" circumstances. Add tv crews w/ their lights and cameras filming most of your daily life and broadcasting it for the world to not only watch but also to criticize. Hhhmmmm... sounds like alot of extra stress to me. I feel for the Gosslins and pray for their whole family during this time of strife. I hope that they are able to weather this storm that they are going through right now.
I personally have not watched a single episode, but, like you said, Gosselins are everywhere nowadays. While I agree with most of the things you are said in the post, I cannot agree with you on one. Regardless of choices made by the family in the past, choosing to announce your divorce/possible reconciliation/whatever other options exist is putting your relationship out there for public discussion. You want your relationship to not be scrutinized by the media - deal with it privately, don't broadcast it. You can't have it both ways. If you are asking for privacy in dealing with hard family situation, start with yourself - be private about it. So while the whole obsession with "are they divorcing or not" is definitely disgusting and sad, Gosselins themselves at least partially created that obsession.
That being said - I feel bad for both of them and their eight children. family hardships are enormously hard on everyone, and I wish them all the best.
I watched the show a little in the beginning, but I got bored of it pretty early on. Like you, I think Kate got a bad rap. I often saw parts of me in her and Jon was like my hubby, just letting it roll off his back. If you followed me around with a camera 24/7 you'd get some dooseys for your edited 30 minute tv program. There's a saying, you can lie with statistics. Well you can lie with editing, too.
All that aside, even though I no longer watch the show, I have refused to watch it this year with all the problems. It makes me sad. Those two never realized what they were getting into and I agree, no one needs to air their dirty laundry on tv. But, people watch so the tv stations will keep doing it. I pray they can work things out. They seemed like such a happy couple in the beginning.
I am incredible sad... sad for a whole family... the children... the husband, the wife. It's a good thing that they are both focused on their children... but really, who isn't affected when a family unit dissolves... agrees to separate...
I'm praying for this couple and for their children... the last I knew marriage was a covenant... an unbreakable blood bond... Jon it isn't really about you, and Kate it isn't really about you... it is about your kids and modeling the behaviors, values, and morals you want your kids to grow up with... the last I knew that meant communication... It makes me said that it is not taking place...
It probably would be good to bring Dr. Laura and Dr. Phil in for a consult...at least there would be some productive communication taking place... now wouldn't that just bump the heck out of TLC ratings?
Stop worrying about things you can not change in others lives. Take that concern and emotion and hug your kids and kiss your husband and use this to strengthen your familys environment. Make sure your priorities are in line and use their misfortune as a positive reinforcement in your lives. Take the extra time to listen to your children, to your husband, to your wife, strengethen your relationships. Their show was reality TV your show is REAL LIFE, take a look at it and do what it needs to Last Forever.
Nuff Said, you get my drift.
An Old Friend Of Jon's (Not Kate's) Speaks Up (Interesting): http://tinyurl.com/oyqsfm
Not too surprising that they have filed for divorce. Sad, but not surprising.
What is even more sad is that it sounds like Kate is still planning on doing the show.
Michelle,
You know I don't watch the showe regularly, but I wanted to watch it lastnight - they just talked about them seperating, not actually getting divorced. I am sad to see any marriage go astay. It is not easy for anyone, with or without kids.
I pray that they will heal and get back together, but if not, then at least love the kiddos, which they seem to be doing very well.
Thanks for being an advocate for them , considering some of the other stuff out there on the internet about them ISN'T nice at all....
I guess I can speak for a lot of people when I say I am devastated. I feel like a family member is separating. I continue to wish nothing but peace for this family. And it will be interesting to see what type of show comes back in August. I pray for the family and perhaps counseling.
It was an honor to be quoted, Michelle, lol!
I will confess that I did watch part of the show. I was very sad to see and hear that they are ending their marriage. My husband was there for a bit of it and some things that they said stuck with him. He was really bothered that they kept saying they were putting the kids first, etc. In reality the best thing you can do for your kids is to make your marriage a priority. You go through preventative measures to care for and nurture your marriage relationship so that you can both be good spouses and better parents because you are meeting one another's needs. It is terribly sad to see any marriage fall apart for whatever the reason.
it was very sad.
Found your blog through BlogHer sidebar thingy. I've never been a fan of Jon & Kate. I've tried to watch it but couldn't get over the way they treated each other, it made me hurt for them both. They way she speaks to him and the way he seems to have little love for her, it's just sad. People say that if they were doing what's best for the kids they would stay together ... but some relations are worse for children than a "friendly" divorce. The way a wife treats a husband and allows a husband to treat her teaches her children what to seek out in a marriage. I would be horrified if my daughters disrespected their husbands like that. On the same note, I would be horrified at MYSELF if I acted like that!
I say all of this because I was married at a young age and had two children. My husband and I faught HARD for years to keep it together, but we treated each other with disregard. Finally, I took stock of our relationship and even though it was hard on everyone, we ended our 7 year marriage. It was the toughest thing I have ever been through, but it was the BEST thing I have ever done! I am a FAR better mother NOW than I EVER was while fighting for a sad marriage. Myself, AND my children are happier now than we EVER were. My ex and I have a friendly relationship and our children have TRIVED! I PRAY that this is what happens for Jon & Kate.
I must admit, I'm glad the network halted production of the show. They did so, I think, since the family wouldn't. The family needs time away to heal and find a way to normalcy, something these kids have had little of with a camera in their face from age 1.
You know, I never understood the facination about this family. They were just a large family. Years ago, it was not unusual to see family's of 5-6-7....12 kids. The only difference between Jon and Kate's brood was that most family's had one or two children at a time, not 6! But, in my opinion there is not much difference between the Gosselin's family and a large family's of years ago. It is difficult to raise more than 1 or 2 kids at a time whether they are the same age or a year apart.
I know this, I was one of 7 kids born to loving 1960's parents in a span of 9 years. It was not an easy thing for them to do but they did it....with the attitude that their family always came first. They made decisions in their lives that benefitted the family not their pockets. They made decisions that were not popular with friends and neighbors either! But they stuck by their decisions.
Today, my parents are in their 80's and have been married 55 years. All 7 of us are independent, well adjusted and self supporting. I put all the credit for our success on my parents and their knowlege that the family always comes first!
Jon and Kate need to speak to parents like mine who went through raising a large family. They could learn a thing or two about what it takes to thrive in such an enviroment.
I really feel badly for the way things have turned out for that family. I wish that those children will benefit from being from a large family like I have. I hope that they will eventually get through all this mess that has been created and get to know the true blessing that a large family is.
Post a Comment