I used to like the show Jon & Kate Plus Eight. Watching the daily chaos of this crazy family with eight kids made me feel somewhat calmer about my life. I've since realized that Max = 5 kids all on his own, so we're really not that far behind on the stress metre. At the end of last season, it was pretty clear that things were not going so well in the Gosselin household. The body language between Jon and Kate made it obvious that these two people were no longer on the same page, or sleeping in the same bed.The PR machine started up full blast just in time for the start of Season 5. It appears that Jon has been partying with the younger set (and I'm not referring to his kids). Kate has been jet setting across America, promoting her book. I'm guessing that when they first appeared on Oprah about 4 years ago, they never imagined it would come to this. Sure, the $2 million mansion is nice. But what about their life? What about their marriage? I specifically remember a few years ago, Jon referring to their life events in "seasons". Kate got pissed, and basically told him that their life was not the show, and not to refer to the passage of time as Season XYZ. My how things change.
Jon is miserable. He hates the show. He probably hates Kate. Kate couldn't care less about how Jon feels. She loves her life, with Jon or without him. It appears that in five quick years, her priorities have completely shifted. To her credit, she shed some tears, commenting that parents of multiples have much higher divorce rates. But I don't think that the sextuplets are the root cause of the problem. I think fame is the problem. She loves it, he hates it. She loves it more than she loves him, and he hates her for it. I'm not sure I blame him.
I don't want to throw Kate completely under the bus here. I know how hard it is to provide for a family with exceptional needs (whether that be having a large number of children or one child who requires extremely expensive therapy). I know that she is trying to provide for them, that she wants to ensure they have wonderful childhood experiences. I can't even imagine having the stress of knowing you have 8 kids to help through college. But I think in the long run, her kids would prefer to have their mom and dad together and a life without paparazzi following their every move, even if it meant they didn't get to go on a bunch of trips, wear fancy clothes, and will have to take out studen loans. I guess we'll see how it turns out. Here's hoping that they find a place to meet in the middle.
While I think both jon and Kate are at fault, I just can't help by feel it's Kate who has really lost sight of it all. Poor lady has given up her family to be a fame whore. Also - poor hannah + 7. hannah is my fave! Ha!
ReplyDeleteAlso - poor me for getting to involved in all this!
"she" is not putting eight kids through college, are you kidding me? kate is such a famewhore, and jon is tired of being her whipping boy. i have never liked the show, but the rumor-milling alone has made it that i'll likely never ever watch another episode. to (t)he(i)r credit, though, those kids have been promoted, toted, and carted enough so that the bills and the educations and the crazy hairdos (what is UP with kate's coif? seriously) will be covered for years and years to come.
ReplyDeleteChris - I love you for watching this show. I heart Hannah too.
ReplyDeletedalia - I know putting the kids through college won't be an issue now, but before they did the show, they probably had a hard time even fathoming it.
I honestly think the whole thing is a publicity stunt to garner higher ratings. I think their marriage has been empty for awhile. Jon had a choice as to whether the family did the show, it wasn't Kate's decision alone.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, they'll be one big happy family again this season, guaranteed.
I totally agree - maybe they'll even go back to Hawaii to renew their vows again!! Lol...
ReplyDeleteIn defense of Kate, there are a lot of people out there who have the same innate desire to be pseudo-famous/well-known for what they do. She's a Mom, that's what she does. She put her family in the same spotlight - admittedly a MUCH bigger spotlight - that some Mommy bloggers do. And I don't mean that as a critique of Mommy bloggers at all. I just think that it's a lot easier to end up where they are than most of us think.
ReplyDeleteAnd, personally, I do feel like Kate is getting critisized a hell of a lot more than Jon. He went out partying and, likely, had a romantic relationship with a much younger woman. I don't care how much of a bitch his wife was or is, that's infidelity. Why is that the man cheats yet it is still somehow seen as the woman's fault that the marriage is in trouble?
Sorry, I'm a touch cranky when it comes to this subject... ;)
@ Stephanie - I totally agree, I feel bad criticizing her, because I don't think it's a bad thing to enjoy being a mom and enjoy talking about it...I think she has really found a calling for herself in this opportunity. I also think that the "Kate" we see on tv is very much a character, and she gets hated on for it.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Jon and his behaviour, yeah, it sucks, but who knows what has really happened there? I have a feeling that they are seperated, so technically whatever he was doing was not cheating, just inconsiderate of him to get caught seeing as they are trying to sell the "we're okay!!" storyline.