<p>The show was hard to watch. Jon has all ready “check out” of the marriage but you can tell that he doesn’t want to be separated from the kids. Kate–well, she’s as cold as ever. As long as she’s happy (cameras, center of attention, catered to, free to go off on her book signings and talk show spots, etc.) than she’ll continue with having the family’s business in front of the camera. Jon wants the cameras gone but Kate doesn’t want to lose her star status. She chose the cameras over her marriage.</p>
<p>It made me sick when Kate was being interviewed and a few tears spilled from her eyes. What did she say- “I don’t want to ruin my makeup.” What a b**ch!! She is just an attention seeker, who mostly cares about herself. I am sure she loves her kids, but I think she loves the attention she gets, good or bad.</p>
<p>The two things I got from tonight’s show (I hardly ever watch, but couldn’t resist the train wreck tonight) - 1) that house echos! It seems so cold, stark & empty! and 2) Jon looked terrible at times. Had he been drinking or crying?</p>
<p>I feel so sorry for those kids - how can she claim to be doing all of this for them? What was wrong with being working parents and raising kids on your own?</p>
<p>According to reports, Kate has been away on tour 20 out of 30 days. But she felt sorry for herself that she had to go shopping “alone” and plan the party “alone”. But I see she had 4 people helping her set up the party, hardly doing everything alone. She never once blamed herself for her failing marriage, instead she kept harping on Jon’s poor choices. There was one telling scene that Colin came crying to her while she was having lunch and she just pushed him away, not wanting to be interrupted. She’s a cold fish. I feel sorry for the kids.</p>
<p>I too couldn’t help but watch – why doesn’t Jon go out and get a job? He seems so unhappy with his new role and they clearly can afford nannies (or sitters as Kate prefers to call her full time help). The little ones start kindergarden this Fall. Perfect time to reenter the work force.</p>
<p>At the ripe old age of 25 this guy had 8 children. All these years, it has struck me that Jon was to young for the job. (Do some research into his employment history and you find that he had a stick to it problem before he married and had children.) </p>
<p>Kate set about getting pregnant before they had been married a year. They hardly had a chance to know each other without kids. </p>
<p>So sad for those kids – and I pity the folks that show up at churches to hear Kate speak. Throwing their money away.</p>
<p>Do you think people show up not at churches just to see the train wreck? And given that they now get $75,000 an episode are there still love offerings taken along with the $3000 (for one hour) appearance fee? Why bother with $3000 an hour when you can get $75,000 an episode.</p>
<p>There were 31 episodes of season 3.
There were 41 episodes of season 4.</p>
<p>I have read that TLC is also paying for her to be on the road – so she is double dipping, so to speak. TLC pays her because it is publicity for the show.</p>
<p>There is a great article here written after her recent visit to a parenting show in Detroit.</p>
<p>[Kate</a> Gosselin could learn parenting lessons herself | detnews.com | The Detroit News](<a href=“Detroit Local News - Michigan News - Breaking News - detroitnews.com”>Detroit Local News - Michigan News - Breaking News - detroitnews.com)</p>
<p>This show is very uncomfortable for me to watch, as someone close to me exhibits behavior eirily similar to Kate’s (and has had a similar sad outcome.) Could someone out there speculate on Kate’'s psychological need to rush having children, early and often? For example, instead of being happy with twins, she pushed her husband into further infertility treatments. Why does a self absorbed person continue to have kids?</p>
<p>I just feel so awful for those kids. At this point, I am thinking that Kate is no better than “octomom” in her motivation for having kids. It’s all for her…certainly not for them. So sad.</p>
<p>What I don’t understand is all the venom aimed at Kate with Jon as the poor beleagured husband forced into having more children. I keep reading how young he is and how she forced him to have these 6 kids. I was surprised to find that she is 34 and he is 32. When these babies were born they were what, 26 and 28? And they didn’t set out to have 6 more kids. Since when is it strange for someone with twins to not have more kids? As an infertility patient, I met many, many couples trying to have more kids. WHy is it that only the fertile are allowed to want more than what they initially got?
Whatever criticisms are aimed at this couple and their choices (and I have many of my own), Jon is not some teenager caught up in the web of some scheming cougar.</p>
<p>I saw an interview where she said that she pushed him into the second round of treatments, because she always has to rush things that she wants.</p>
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<p>Thank you! The way people talk about John, you’d think he was a child as well. He’s an adult who makes his choices just like the rest of us.</p>
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<p>Oh, please. If their second round of infertility treatments had resulted in the singleton or twins they had planned for, none of us would have ever heard of them. They found themselves in an extraordinary situation and did the best they could. I’m not going to declare that I could do better with eight children under the age five.</p>
<p>billsbillsbills,</p>
<p>I think the venom aimed at Kate is from viewers that have watched many episodes and how she has always berated him while he sat there and took it. He has followed her orders for whatever reason for yrs. He stated many seasons ago, and she agreed on the episode, Jon didn’t want more children, she had to convince him. He was 27 and had 8 kids, because Kate wanted more kids.</p>
<p>Jon quit his job because she was writing books and wanted him home to be a stay at home dad. He did it for their family, he put the family’s needs over his personal needs.</p>
<p>Jon at the end of the last season stated I have had enough, she stated I want more, and says who’ll know who wins? She did.</p>
<p>If you watch some of the older episodes it’s filled with her being mean and condescending to him. The episodes are filled with her screaming at him or ordering him around. The building of beds is classic Kate. The meltdown over the kids getting ice cream on themselves at Disney is great too! The yelling at him on 4th of July ranks up there! My favorite 2 episodes that show classic Kate occurred during the marathon. Jon takes all of the kids to a Phillies game by himself. He talks about how great it was, how much fun the kids had, who they met, etc, etc. very positive and he was truly thankful for the show because he is smart enough to know without it, his children would never have had that opportunity. It is noted he did not get home until 1:10 a.m. Kate says she didn’t know the time becaue she was fast asleep, in other words he had to carry 8 sleeping children in by herself. A few episodes later, Jon’s not there (in Utah with Cara) she has to take the 7 children to Sesame Street live, and all she did was complain about how hard it was on her to do it by herself and that they napped all the way home…it was a daytime function, she got home and didn’t have to carry 8 children in the home.</p>
<p>Even last night her rudeness to him made my skin crawl when she blatantly ignored him at the party, but sent him back to the house 2 times. Also if you pay close attention they show the kids arriving in their big van, they come running up to her. She wants to play this great Mom persona, but it was very clear that somebody else brought the kids, not her.</p>
<p>The media has leaked out a lot of info about them personally. The people telling the inside stories are not Jon and his family, but hers. It is her brother, his wife and her parents (which she slams constantly with little digs…i.e. going green episode, she digs at her Dad for never completing projects, Steve Thomas dug at her though by saying to Jon on the side so how much trouble are you in for the mess we are making. In another episode when she takes them to an interactive museum, she digs them again that her parents never showed her anything). When your entire family turns their back on you, than you have to look at why they are doing it! Not everybody can be wrong, and you always be right.</p>
<p>I could go on forever on her behavior. SHe even took a swipe at Oprah, because they had an interview set up, but Kate was upset because it was satellite and that is more difficult to do than actually being on air. I sat there and shook my head. Let me get this right, it is more difficult to have a satellite feed in your home, than traveling via airlines with 8 children? Are you kidding me? AM I suppose to bite off on that and agree with her? It was even comical that she had to go shopping to get them new outfits for the show. Have you watched the show, I swear these kids never wear the same clthes twice. I am thinking that they didn’t have to have a new outfit, thus no pity from me that you hav such a busy day shopping. They spent more time showing her trying on new outfits then her picking out clothes for the kids, of course there was no footage of her going shopping for Jon, I guess he could re-wear something old.</p>
<p>Finally, Kate makes it seem like she is doing it on her own and says she has no Nannies, well that is true, she doesn’t ANYMORE. She had help while the kids were under the age of 5, given to her by the state. SHe personally acknowledges it. So don’t have too much pity thinking she is the sole care giver. She also has been ratted out, by the personal chef that meals are delivered daily to the home for the family. I can easily run a house of 8 kids under 5 when I have 3 extra hands to help as caregivers and a chef to cook my meals. How do you think she stays so tan? There is no tanning bed in the house, she goes out for them. Look at her haircurt, I have had short hair, that haircut is at least done every month. The coloring is done every month, not a root to be found. Her life isn’t as hard as she wants you to believe. She has for 2 yrs had another job and that is promoting her books, and that is why he is at home with the kids.</p>
<p>The show last night was hard to watch. Especially the party scene right before she looks for her black coat. While not intended it will be an interesting reality show of what many people go thru - marital problems.</p>
<p>I would expect a season 6.</p>
<p>BTW I was wondering if anybody else thought this, Kate doesn’t want a divorce because she probably saw a divorce attorney and they told her that she would have to pay JON for alimony and child support because she publicly acknowledged he quit his job to stay at home with the kids so I could go on tour. I can’t see her quickly parting with the bucks and that is why he lives over the garage now. She’d rather stay married then pay him off, or maybe even lose custody, since he is now the caregiver. That would be ironic, the show turning into Jon + 8 with no Kate. I doubt it, because it seems like he has had enough of the invasion into his life and would want some privacy. I also feel he is a better parent to the kids just from the interaction I have seen, even yesterday’s episode he was eating with the kids at the party, while she was hanging with the adults.</p>
<p>Cherryhill I doubt a season 6. I would guess from his actions and her words that the marriage is over and they have agreed to season 5 as a couple. I think what we will see/hear after the end of this season is they are divorcing. Her story in people even started to lay the groundwork. My guess is that it will be an extremely bitter divorce, b/c I can’t see him not fighting for custody. He is realistic if she is on tour at least 2 weeks out of the month, a stranger will be raising them. As much money as they have there aren’t that many 10K sqft homes in the neighborhood for him to buy another, thus he will have his attorney to petition for the house and custody. This may also be the reason he is living in the apt over the garage, stating he never abandoned the family, but was forced to vacate the main home.</p>
<p>Ny heart breaks for these kids, b/c it is horrible to live through a family’s divorce to have everyone in the world knowing the laundry is ten times worse. The girls are in 3rd grade now, and this is when kids say things like my Mommy said your Mommy has a boyfriend, or your Daddy has a girlfriend.</p>
<p>Maybe things will be easier for the therapists the kids will consult in future years because they will just be able to pop in the dvd and see how mom belittled dad constantly, etc. It is not my inclination to side with the dad, but Kate seems to be the only one in the world who sees herself as a complete victim. The wisest person in the mix seems to be Jon’s mom who told him that life is all about choices. So true - Kate makes the choices (to continue the show, to write the books, etc.) and expects everyone else to go along with her plan.</p>
<p>Lastminutemom - I just read the article… maybe its just me but I am offended that a woman publically bashed her for doing a book tour. If Jon had done it and left everyone home no one would say anything.</p>
<p>Granted - all things she said are true… as well as the recent comments of the divorce lawyer etc…- I wish women would not berate for a choice that a man would do without comment.</p>
<p>I watched it although I have been done with that show for a while. I felt very sad, it was clear they were both in pain. I think he got sucked into a vortex and has no control over his life. That can easily happen when you are in some sort of machine like Jon and Kate plus 8. As easy going as he has seemed letting her berate him, I think he is saying enough, this is not the life I have chosen. If a person is left out of the decision making process, and feel out of control they become very angry quick. I think he feels emasculated as well. However, I think his mistake was not standing up to her in the beginning, so she almost felt it was ok to treat him that way. No matter what people say about his/her age they were also young to have so many children. I did not have children until age 31 when I felt ready. I can’t imagine being in their position. if I had the opportunity to do what they did or struggle, I am not sure what I would choose. I would be tempted. I don’t know what they are really like ,if she is an overall control freak or always with the best disposition, this stress can’t help. It is just a sad situation all around. I wish them the best. We are all learning.</p>
<p>I didn’t take it as bashing/offending. I took the article as an open letter to Kate, showing that youcan’t say one thing, do another and expect people to feel pity for you. Kate chose to go on the book tour. Now you may say the publisher demanded it as a price of publishing the book, than I would respond find another publisher who would not make that demand. </p>
<p>You are right due to stereotypical roles in our society we do make judgements that may be unfair or incorrect. However, don’t go and say wooa is me I can’t be with my children because I am here. Don’t buy the million dollar home, make less money and be with the kids. If you are out there because you want to be there for yourself for personal growth, acknowledge it, own it, nobody would condemn you. </p>
<p>If you watch the episode of St Judes, you will realize that the Gosselins did not buy those gifts, KMART did, in retun for the KMART exposure. Don’t say you want to give back and make it look like self sacrificing, it wasn’t. She has used her celebrity status for everything from tummy tucks, to Jons hair to vacations to court side seats with the Harlem Globetrotters. SHe took the devils gifts and now she is realizing that the devil is coming for his due.</p>
<p>bulletandpima-that is why I stopped watching it . It was too commercial etc…no longer real life to me. I just don’t like watching people in pain-so I won’t.</p>