Jon and Kate milk their hate
Beth Clothier
Issue date: 6/24/09 Section: Opinion
OK, so I know everyone including myself is sick to death of hearing about Jon and Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus Eight fame, but it is because of the constant attention they have been receiving that I can't help writing about them today.
While at a friend's house Monday night we found ourselves sucked into watching TLC. After all, the ads being shown on the network at every commercial break during the week prior to the show promised that Jon and Kate would be making a big announcement this week, and what self-respecting voyeur would want to miss that?
Secretly I had hoped that they were going to cancel the show and try to work on their marriage. but of course, as I predicted, the announcement was that the couple were separating, followed by a screen bearing the statement that papers were filed on Monday to dissolve their marriage. And even though I have often been annoyed by the media's fascination with them, I couldn't help but feel incredibly sad about it, and not a little dirty.
Here were two people who had once been very much in love, whose biggest claim to fame was the fact that their use of fertility treatments resulted in the birth of twins followed by a round of sextuplets. Who, as my friend said, were likely overwhelmed by both babies and bills and likely saw the chance to have a television show as something of a godsend. After all, there would be more people around, and more money to provide for their family, and unbeknownst to them at the time, thousands of dollars of free goods and services given to them. And now, just a few short years later, the couple have been torn apart by the very thing they saw as an incredible opportunity. Probably the saddest thing of all is that instead of ending it, Jon and Kate are going to continue with the show. Not content to have let it break up their family, they are now going to exploit the event by filming the effect their separation and divorce will have on their children.
I have never really watched the show; in fact I have only seen perhaps a grand total of four or five episodes when at my friend's house, but even so it isn't hard to see how much they changed over time, and how much being in the spotlight and living this kind of "circus performer" life affected them.
While at a friend's house Monday night we found ourselves sucked into watching TLC. After all, the ads being shown on the network at every commercial break during the week prior to the show promised that Jon and Kate would be making a big announcement this week, and what self-respecting voyeur would want to miss that?
Secretly I had hoped that they were going to cancel the show and try to work on their marriage. but of course, as I predicted, the announcement was that the couple were separating, followed by a screen bearing the statement that papers were filed on Monday to dissolve their marriage. And even though I have often been annoyed by the media's fascination with them, I couldn't help but feel incredibly sad about it, and not a little dirty.
Here were two people who had once been very much in love, whose biggest claim to fame was the fact that their use of fertility treatments resulted in the birth of twins followed by a round of sextuplets. Who, as my friend said, were likely overwhelmed by both babies and bills and likely saw the chance to have a television show as something of a godsend. After all, there would be more people around, and more money to provide for their family, and unbeknownst to them at the time, thousands of dollars of free goods and services given to them. And now, just a few short years later, the couple have been torn apart by the very thing they saw as an incredible opportunity. Probably the saddest thing of all is that instead of ending it, Jon and Kate are going to continue with the show. Not content to have let it break up their family, they are now going to exploit the event by filming the effect their separation and divorce will have on their children.
I have never really watched the show; in fact I have only seen perhaps a grand total of four or five episodes when at my friend's house, but even so it isn't hard to see how much they changed over time, and how much being in the spotlight and living this kind of "circus performer" life affected them.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 15
debra
posted 6/28/09 @ 1:43 PM CST
The is showed does need to end. TLC is disgusting for continuing to milk it for all they can. Jon & Kate are not of their right mind. They I am afraid love the cash load. (Continued…)
BOBBIE
posted 6/28/09 @ 3:04 PM CST
I TO WISHED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE CHOSEN TO GIVE UP THE SHOW, I DO BELIEVE THEY LOVE THIER CHILDREN BUT ALSO LOVE THE MONEY, AND JON HE IS JUST OVER IT. (Continued…)
linda
posted 6/28/09 @ 6:00 PM CST
this show should be cancelled. mostly for the childrens sakes. where are the child's protective agencies in this case??? unfortunately jon and kate's greed got in the way of the betterment of the children. (Continued…)
Bonnie
posted 6/28/09 @ 6:20 PM CST
I think like all the rest of us poor folks out here if we want to file for Divorce We have to go to Counseling for 6 months before and 6 months after. (Continued…)
Patricia Adams
posted 6/28/09 @ 7:25 PM CST
God Bless the children.
Jon is a whimpy pouty prick. Oh now I have earrings--I'm a man ? Oh now I wear my hat like a street punk--I'm bad. Go count eggs in a petry dish?
Kate get over it. (Continued…)
Joel
posted 6/28/09 @ 8:09 PM CST
Kate is oh so awfully sorrowful about this divorceful, ickily thing called motheryhood and wifery-type thing that she is driving her milliony fan-type creatures into an oodle of spite-ily hatefulness towards that lord-forsaken muggily duggily of hers. (Continued…)
Lee
posted 6/28/09 @ 8:19 PM CST
I knew after the first season of the show that Jon would probably have an affair or divorce Kate because she is constantly "belittling" him on the show for the world to see. (Continued…)
ohio red
posted 6/28/09 @ 9:58 PM CST
I can't believe he is looking a bachelor pads in NY.
He needs to get a place near his kids and not abandon them...They are going to need a lot of love and hugs. (Continued…)
Sue
posted 6/28/09 @ 10:00 PM CST
I am so disappointed that Jon refused counseling. When you make your marriage vows, you're supposed to work things out. He may have been henpecked, but Kate obviously has a problem, and he should have chosen counseling with her, not give up, and of all things, cheat on her. (Continued…)
Doug
posted 6/29/09 @ 12:28 PM CST
"Kate denied that having the show and becoming celebrities played no part in the breakdown of their marriage" umm HUH? I think the writer of the article meant she denied the show played a part instead of no part?
She obviously is in total denial
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