Instead of board games, or just talking, many families now spend their time in front of the televisions, watching reality shows. What better show to watch with your family, then 'John and Kate plus 8'? This show is full with cuddles, discipline, and love. However, like you've heard before, never believe what you see on TV! It's all filled with lies, misleading lives, and time consuming time.This TLC show follows the lives of the Gosselin family. First off, there’s John (the husband/dad), who never gets to say what he’s thinking because of his wife. Some may say he’s wrapped around her little finger, or just plain embarrassed about his wife’s complaining. Next, of course there’s Kate (the wife/mom). She’s the head of the house, the boss, and the one who wears the pants in her marriage. Then, last but not least, the kids. One set of twins (who are 8), and one set of sextuplets (who are 4), steal the show away with their bright smiles, cute commentary, and sibling relationships. Seams like a happy and normal family, right?
But with popularity booming, John and Kate seem to have different ideas for the future. Kate, who is believed to be ‘money-hungry’, exploiting her kids anyhow and anywhere they go, wants to continue the show, letting the camera’s in their house for another season. Whereas John, is fed up with only being known as ‘John and Kate plus 8’, and not just John Gosselin, wants to take a break, and maybe in the future pick up for another season. Everyone knows who will win this battle... (Kate).
However, recent blogs have been reporting that John has been seen out at college parties, making out with college girls. Do I smell trouble? Don’t get me wrong, I love a good marriage. But with John taking all of Kate’s attitude, with her complaining every second of the show, I’m personally glad to see John stand up to her. Though, he could have made his move in a more classy way, thinking about the kids, John has gotten my respect.
With the reported split in the limelight, Kate is also being attacked for abusing her kid’s popularity (as I said before). Before bringing her bundle of joys home, she created a sob story, asking for the communities help. Days later, volunteers started to return with packages of diapers and numerous gift certificates. Then, once the show hit 3 million viewers, Kate started requesting $10.00 a picture, for the whole family. With numerous trips, (Hawaii, Disneyland, Skiing in Utah, etc.), many sites have reported that the Gosselins didn’t have to pay a cent. Kate has even said, “They get the publicity of the trip; we get the trip.” [1]
Being a constant veiwer, Kate should really start thinking before she talks. With remarks like that, my first intincts is that she’s mooching off of her kids cuteness.
After three seasons, Kate decided to get into the writing industry. With her first book released
on November 1st, 2008, ‘Multiple Blessings’ entered the New York Times best-seller the week after its release. With not even a year since her book was released, she already has plans for another one. ‘Eight Little Faces’, Kate’s new book, will be released in April 2009.With others desperate to meet these famous children, many others have different opinions. CNN broadcasted a speacial with Paul Peterson (a former child actor) reporting. He had many interesting facts and wanted to make sure that he got his point of view across. Here’s a clip from the CNN presentation:
[2]
Among many videos and blogs, each bringing out the negative and positive of the show, Peterson still wants the show to get canceled. Since he has experience growing up innormal life as a teenager and so on, especially if the television program shows the kids being bathed.
“The images will never go away”, says Peterson. “I can’t think of anything more vulnerable. Imagine the Gosselin girls in 10 years, getting taunted and teased by their classmates, showing naked images of them.” [3]
With all this controversy, I can’t help but not look at the whole family a different way. When I watch the show, Kate pisses me off so much, I fast forward through every part that she’s talking. And while they used to have family, and friends who came over to visit or help out, they never have company, excluding the camera men.
Many of their friends have gone to writing blogs, expressing how Kate didn’t want to share the limelight. The famous Aunt Jodie, apparently got kicked off the show for being portrayed as the ‘nice mom’, while Kate is more of the ‘Get your homework done now!’ mom. Once veiwers wanted to see Aunt Jodie more and more, Kate got jealous, and asked producers to show less of her, making her leave the show for good.
Overall, the show was cute when they kids were babies. But now that they’re growing up, its wrong that the kids don’t have the chance to grow up like normal kids should. It’s time for John to stand up to his wife, and actually tell her what he’s thinking. And it’s time for Kate to forget about the money, and think about her children’s lives, and how this business is affecting them in the long run.
[2]“CNN Headline News- John & Kate Plus 8” CNN Television. October 19, 2008. Youtube.com. March 31, 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q370dVhn2bc
[3]“Reality Check: Cancel John & Kate!” The Enquirer. September 21, 2008. Musings from the Moon. March 31, 2009. http://blog.psychic-wisdom.net/2008/09/21/jon-and-kate-plus-8-in-the-national-enquirer/
