Jon and Kate Plus 8, Official Thread-Part 3

[madge]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this show won't ever be taken off the air as a result of ratings. The funny thing is, those who don't support the show are the ones keeping it in the public eye. They bring more attention to it via internet buzz (including threads like this, blogs, etc.), newspaper articles, letters to the editor, et al.

At this point, the only way for it to be taken off the air is if Jon & Kate put a stop to the show .. and even then, can they stop TLC from airing the reruns?

Not that it matters, Kate is continuing to film new episodes:
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/05/25/kate-gosselin-rolls-with-ronald-mcdonald/

and we've already discussed the Orange County Chopper filming .. which makes me wonder if Jon is picking and choosing which episodes he wants to be involved with? Orange County Choppers? yes. Kate's Birthday (Charm City Cakes) and the Ronald McDonald House? No. hmmm.....

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

that's what I was thinking, because whether you believe the reasoning .. the knowledge is common that was the reason Jon & Kate supplied, as opposed to a rumor floating around the internet.

So, I was wondering why the PP chose to believe Jon's reasoning for his hair plugs but not the reasoning for room assignments (since they were both on the show).

 

[madge]

So, I was wondering why the PP chose to believe Jon's reasoning for his hair plugs but not the reasoning for room assignments (since they were both on the show).

I'm with Michelle .. selective beliefs. LOL.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I'm with Michelle .. selective beliefs. LOL.

You guys are so right, as usual!!

 

[kidshop]

Oh my gosh! That's so funny!! I should have gotten up and watched it! I'm a Today girl, myself, but GMA must have been in my head!

ETA: You know, I mentioned a couple pages back that the media and marketers use the internet a lot more these days to get a feel for the general population (hence discussing the show here has just as much impact as your ratings getting counted), so I wouldn't be totally surprised if someone was poking around here (or other threads) for GMA.

Do you mean if no one actually watched the show on TLC, but talked about it online that would still result in high ratings for the show? I don't really see how....

As an add on to the 'giving back' issue, I think on the one episode they 'gave' toys they picked out but were donated by whatever store they were filmed shopping in. People notice stuff like this. I think they also sold some clothes they were given free instead of donating them to the needy (they may have then given the money to charity, but I'm not sure). They have every right to do as they wish, but on tv people will notice.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Do you mean if no one actually watched the show on TLC, but talked about it online that would still result in high ratings for the show? I don't really see how....

As an add on to the 'giving back' issue, I think on the one episode they 'gave' toys they picked out but were donated by whatever store they were filmed shopping in. People notice stuff like this. I think they also sold some clothes they were given free instead of donating them to the needy (they may have then given the money to charity, but I'm not sure). They have every right to do as they wish, but on tv people will notice.

Production companies are always checking out blogs, etc online, generally if a TV show get a lot of online activity then that results in word of mouth, more people will watch. TLC will be very aware of all the activity on this thread. People talk about it online, then talk to their friends who then check out the show to see what all the fuss is about.

As for the 'giving back' episode - you can nit pick about what they gave, but at least they did give to charity - it's a lot more than some people do.

 

[BoardWalkBelle]

It is safe to assume this will not be on tv for an unlimited time. It will run its course and be gone, for good or bad.

 

[phamton]

If you just talk about it online rather than watch it, you will not be seeing the commercials. The commercials are what keeps the show afloat financially. Commercials are sold on a promise of how many people might actually see the commercial. The more people who are "anticipated" to see the commercial then the more the price goes for that timeframe.

I guess that internet discussions could make the network anticipate larger viewing audiences. But after the show they get a more accurate count on how many viewers watched that episode. Prices for the commercials will go up and down depending on the ratings of the show and are not likely to be influenced by internet discussions, unless the discussions actually raise the ratings.

 

[Buckalew11]

Well, the kids are just now anout 5 and 8 right ? So, they have plenty of time to give back. We've certainly gotten better at it and do it more often since our DD is older.

I think Kate is damned if she does and damned if she doesn't.

I also think that J&K didn't have a clue as to where a reality show was going to take them. I think they started out simple enough and it has just snowballed into "fame and celebrity" on them.

They are such a cute couple (good looking) and their kids adorable that alone gets people to tune in. If she was ugly, frumpy and bossy people would have a different reaction to her. So, now it has evolved into other TLC shows hooking up with them for ratings or whatver. Other kids shows (like SS and TTTE)hooking up with them too.

Gymboree (etc.) sees them as opportunities to get their name out and so forth. I see nothing wrong with all that. So, while normal families don't get opportunities for free stuff and trips activities it is just a fact of reality show life that if you are popular, people will want you to push their product. Still, all in all, they are still a normal family. Still go to school, play, have chores etc. They just have some nice fringe benefits coming through for them right now.

 

[MichelleVW]

was the issue of Hannah's migraines addressed on the show? or was it in an interview somewhere else? I did a quick search about it, and everything that comes up is on a message board or blog, as opposed to a direct quote from Jon and/or Kate. Everything I read was alluding to Kate said Hannah has migraines, but I can't find anything where Kate actually said it, LOL .. surely she did, because there is widespread understanding that Hannah has her own room because of the headaches.

Yep...it was on the show....they mentioned it when they were talking about room assignments in the new house.

You guys are so right, as usual!!

I love it when I'm right!!

 

[3prettyprincesses]

At this point, the only way for it to be taken off the air is if Jon & Kate put a stop to the show .. and even then, can they stop TLC from airing the reruns?

Not that it matters, Kate is continuing to film new episodes:
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/05/25/kate-gosselin-rolls-with-ronald-mcdonald/

and we've already discussed the Orange County Chopper filming .. which makes me wonder if Jon is picking and choosing which episodes he wants to be involved with? Orange County Choppers? yes. Kate's Birthday (Charm City Cakes) and the Ronald McDonald House? No. hmmm.....

I'm sorry, but it's crazy to me as a mother to subject my kids to the paparazzi and having their pictures all over the internet. Am I the only one here uncomfortable with that? There's close-up pictures of the kids and it just seems so wrong. Geez, other celebs are very shielding of the kids from the paparazzi, right? I know the Gosselin kids are super cute (they really are) but I just wouldn't be comfortable keeping my family in the spotlight so that any Tom, Dick or Harry could snap pictures and sell them to the highest bidder and splash them all over the internet. Maybe that's why I dislike her new book Eight Little Faces because it's just tons of pictures of the little ones...

 

[OhMari]

At this point, the only way for it to be taken off the air is if Jon & Kate put a stop to the show .. and even then, can they stop TLC from airing the reruns?

Not that it matters, Kate is continuing to film new episodes:
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/05/25/kate-gosselin-rolls-with-ronald-mcdonald/

and we've already discussed the Orange County Chopper filming .. which makes me wonder if Jon is picking and choosing which episodes he wants to be involved with? Orange County Choppers? yes. Kate's Birthday (Charm City Cakes) and the Ronald McDonald House? No. hmmm.....

I copied this from your link Madge:

Kate Gosselin Rolls With Ronald McDonald

Kate Gosselin from Jon & Kate Plus 8 brings her children to visit a Ronald McDonald House on Saturday (May 23) in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Jon and Kate Plus 8 makes its season premiere today (May 25) at 9/8c. Episode Summary: “When we last saw Jon & Kate, they were on a different page. Where are they now? In this one-hour, up close and personal season premiere, side by side Jon and Kate address what the future holds for their family.”

The season finale of Jon & Kate Plus 8 last season drew 4.6 million viewers for TLC.

I'm guessing we get 1+ hour tellings us why the show will go on, since the papparazi has followed them and recorded everything they are doing for the shows.

 

[Promomx2]

Boy, you miss a few days due to a baseball tournament and you miss 30+ pages. Boy ya'll been busy in my absence. Anyone have the cliff notes? Happy Memorial Day, going to eat from the grill, then get ready for the show. Now, where did I put my blender???

 

[DMRick]

Well, here's an example. People were so disgusted that the Gosselins never "gave back." No one knew for a fact that they never donated time, money or tangibles to charities, they just assumed they didn't because they didn't see it on tv. Well, they did a couple of shows where they did give to charities and the same people were harping on it because they gave back on tv just to get the recognition.

Tell me that's not absolutely ridiculous.

I'm not really a huge fan of the show (or Kate, even ). I actually missed the entire second half of last season. I am, however, a fan of logic (and the Expedit bookcase!!), which is why I tend to follow the story and interject when people are being ridiculous and hypocritical (and hypercritical!).

I"m with you. Even when they did the garage sale and gave all the money away, people said, why not, those items were given to them, they owed it to give the money away. When they wrapped and gave the gifts, that was commented on. I have no idea how much they give, if, since they attend a church that teaches tithing, if they tithe (and it's none of my business).

One other comment about it being said that people from her dad's church were giving her cribs, but she didn't want them because they didn't match and it caused a rift with her and her dad (just an aside...didn't I read or hear on a J & K interview that her parents were divorced). Were these used cribs? I wonder if she wanted new because she could know they would be safe. I took a lot of used stuff for my kids, but never cribs or car seats. Or, maybe if people were willing to donate new ones, she thought that would be even better. I thought the Dilly's cribs were donated..or was that just in the movie?

 

[DMRick]

Maybe that's why I dislike her new book Eight Little Faces because it's just tons of pictures of the little ones...

Nope, it wouldn't bother me. I had an old Shirley Temple book that I sold on eBay, loaded with her pictures, and I also had an Elizabeth Taylor book with pictures.

A lot of the pictures that aren't part of TLC setting up photo shoots are taken with a high zoom lense. Seems like there are a lot less since they moved out to the country. I see a lot of other people's kids in my photo's taken at Disney, (I had one of a little boy pulling down his pants at one of the water parks and peeing..we didn't see that until we got home) and at one time, pic's like that were sold on eBay (no more, thanks to a lot of people on the Dis who complained to eBay). So, should we cover our kids when we are at Disney? YMMV.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Nope, it wouldn't bother me. I had an old Shirley Temple book that I sold on eBay, loaded with her pictures, and I also had an Elizabeth Taylor book with pictures.

A lot of the pictures that aren't part of TLC setting up photo shoots are taken with a high zoom lense. Seems like there are a lot less since they moved out to the country. I see a lot of other people's kids in my photo's taken at Disney, (I had one of a little boy pulling down his pants at one of the water parks and peeing..we didn't see that until we got home) and at one time, pic's like that were sold on eBay (no more, thanks to a lot of people on the Dis who complained to eBay). So, should we cover our kids when we are at Disney? YMMV.

Oh please, that is so not the same thing. J&K put their kids pictures out there for TONS of people to see (cover shoots for various magazines, books, not to mention the show itself). Then you have the paparazzi taking pictures and posting them all over the internet. Way more exposure than randomly catching a kid in a picture at Disney.

What does "YMMV" mean?

 

[DMRick]

Oh please, that is so not the same thing. J&K put their kids pictures out there for TONS of people to see (cover shoots for various magazines, books, not to mention the show itself). Then you have the paparazzi taking pictures and posting them all over the internet. Way more exposure than randomly catching a kid in a picture at Disney.

Ah, I guess I had to be more clear as to what these pictures of young boys taken in the water parks at Disney were used for. They were obvioulsy taken with long lenses and they were so innocent, until they were put in the wrong hands. They sold them under names of scrapbooking. All of the people whose names we had been keeping a list of that were selling them and buying them were suspended from ebay. At the time, it was very clear these were being sold to the type of people you would not want to have a picture of your child. It was pretty big business. Several years ago, a bunch of us from the Dis wrote to eBay each time we saw the pictures up. That's harmful IMO. So, should parents be considered irresponsible if they don't cover their young boys tops when in water parks at Disney? Of course not, and Kate and John IMO shouldn't considered bad parents if someone sneaks into their faces for pictures.

Pictures with mom and dad tastefully done in Good housekeeping/books, not so harmful. They try their best to keep their kids out of the spotlight, but I do agree that the paparazzi does sneak through bushes to get pictures. They are the ones that should be hung out to dry. It should be illegal to sneak between someone's bushes and take pictures.

edited to add, by spotlight, I mean the gag rag magazines. Also, their house is a lot harder to get close to now. Obviously they are in the spotlight in the show.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Ah, I guess I had to be more clear as to what these pictures of young boys taken in the water parks at Disney were used for. They were obvioulsy taken with long lenses and they were so innocent, until they were put in the wrong hands. They sold them under names of scrapbooking. All of the people whose names we had been keeping a list of that were selling them and buying them were suspended from ebay. At the time, it was very clear these were being sold to the type of people you would not want to have a picture of your child. It was pretty big business. Several years ago, a bunch of us from the Dis wrote to eBay each time we saw the pictures up. That's harmful IMO. So, should parents be considered irresponsible if they don't cover their young boys tops when in water parks at Disney? Of course not, and Kate and John IMO shouldn't considered bad parents if someone sneaks into their faces for pictures.

Pictures with mom and dad tastefully done in Good housekeeping/books, not so harmful. They try their best to keep their kids out of the spolight, but I do agree that the paparazzi does sneak through bushes to get pictures. They are the ones that should be hung out to dry. It should be illegal to sneak between someone's bushes and take pictures.

That's sick! However, it does illustrate my point...perverts will go to great lengths to get pictures and look how easy it is to find pictures of the Gosselin kids. BTW, I didn't say that J&K are bad parents either. What I said was that as a Mom I would not be comfortable having my little girls pictures all over internet and I would also be VERY uncomfortable with the paparazzi snapping their pictures as well.

Ya, J&K are keeping their kids out of the spotlight...which is why they filmed their 5th b-day for all of America to see or took them all out to the store knowing the paparazzi would be following them.

 

[DMRick]

That's sick! However, it does illustrate my point...perverts will go to great lengths to get pictures and look how easy it is to find pictures of the Gosselin kids. BTW, I didn't say that J&K are bad parents either. What I said was that as a Mom I would not be comfortable having my little girls pictures all over internet and I would also be VERY uncomfortable with the paparazzi snapping their pictures as well.

Ya, J&K are keeping their kids out of the spotlight...which is why they filmed their 5th b-day for all of America to see or took them all out to the store knowing the paparazzi would be following them.

You're right. I guess I meant something different by spotlight. I meant that they are trying to keep them protected, by not having them out in the public by themselves. They have a bodyguard (hey, did anyone else see the bodyguard riding in the rollar coaster on the Sesame Street show?). THey are now out in the country. They go to a private school. The best, IMO they can in this situation. If the stupid Paparazzi didn't have the long lenses (remember how far they were from Jackie O when they took her pictures? Not even on the same island) or if they were fined when they took pictures they weren't invited to take, it would be even more controlled.
I personally don't think it's fair that so much is controlled by the paparazzi.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

You're right. I guess I meant something different by spotlight. I meant that they are trying to keep them protected, by not having them out in the public by themselves. They have a bodyguard (hey, did anyone else see the bodyguard riding in the rollar coaster on the Sesame Street show?). THey are now out in the country. They go to a private school. The best, IMO they can in this situation. If the stupid Paparazzi didn't have the long lenses (remember how far they were from Jackie O when they took her pictures? Not even on the same island) or if they were fined when they took pictures they weren't invited to take, it would be even more controlled.
I personally don't think it's fair that so much is controlled by the paparazzi.

Unfortunately, the Gosselin kids ARE the show. So it's not like they just happen to be the kids of a celebrity. Without them, it would be just J&K! Who would watch that? I'm glad they have a bodyguard but again, that just reminds of the fact the NEED one, you know? I just wouldn't want my kids in that position in the first place. I realize J&K have created their situation but it's just scary to think how easily any perv could google pictures of their kids. The paparazzi are pigs and deserve just punishment. However, $ makes the world go round so I don't foresee how things will change.

Hey, you still didn't tell me what "YMMV" means!