Jon and Kate Plus 8, Official Thread-Part 3

[tinkgurl]

As an aside...I miss Disney World. I caught a whiff of something in Target today, and it smelled just like the gift shop at BC. I'm ready for another vacation.

I get random whiffs that remind me of WDW too!

 

[newtodis]

Glad to have the Disney Girls back...hope Kate enjoyed the trip as well!

As for the dressing kids alike, I do it every chance I get! When we get pictures, they're generally dressed alike. It's a MUST when we go to Disney that they're dressed alike in case anything (God forbid, knock on wood) were to ever happen. I plan on doing it as long as I can find similar things for both of them to wear and they'll let me.

As for Kate's clothing of choice, I think it's appropriate for her age. Now if she were out wearing skimpy little clothes, I might have another thing to say. I think my only "complaint" is that I'd like to see her in "normal" clothes (old jeans and a t-shirt) playing with the kids and less heels. Other than that, there's nothing that really sticks out to me that I recall really thinking "oh bad choice Kate" - granted I'm not the best dresser myself!

As for Table for 12 I missed this week's episode but I'm sure I'll catch it in the reruns. I like it and think it's more "normal" than J&K...I'm really hoping it will grow on me...

As for the new season....BIG shock there! Emeril and everyone else had already stolen that thunder! I'm looking forward to seeing how this season will play out for them. I'm surprised by how little we've heard of/from them in the past couple of weeks. Either they haven't left their house or Jon's found a way to "just be Jon" I guess...

 

[DVCisME]

I like Kate's new clothes. In the beginning I think she was about 28/29, and for her age she wore some stuff a grandmother might wear. Nothing really flattered her body. As a mom I might not be all dressed up but I still try to look like I'm not in a bag.
Also Kate is more than just a SAHM now and that is what her appearance seems to be reflecting.

 

[DreaGirl]

I finally found you ladies! After a few days of not getting any notifications I realized that the thread had probably hit 250. Going to catch up now.

 

[MichelleVW]

Glad to have the Disney Girls back...hope Kate enjoyed the trip as well!

...

Kate did have fun and we will be posting pics soon!! Kate is being a little slow about editing the pic, but I think it's because she is such a perfectionist it has to be perfect!

 

[barkley]

they may be laying low because they are getting some bad p.r. on kind of a reflected basis.

i caught jane valez mitchell's show the other nite and there was a panel talking about the buzz around octo-mom's possible reality show in the works. there was a psychologist talking about what negative impact could occur raising kids in an environment that would ential some degree of "staging" of activities and such but putting it out as their "normal" lives, how it could cause real issues for them when they hit school age and they encountered people who had already based their opinions on how they were presented on tv (psychologist actualy said something about "how would you like to be the kid who was the one always portrayed in the reality show as the misbehaving, argumentative one in the family?". then the subject of the income from these shows came up and weather the kids are protected under the "coogan act" (where they are limited in hours and earnings are monitored/set aside for adulthood) and a couple of the panelists seemed surprised when one of the attorneys explained that they absolutly were not and it's a hot issue with kids on these shows. the j&k subject came up when they were taking calls and one caller went off and said she could'nt understand why octo-mom was getting all this media attention and criticism over doing a reality show when "john and kate gosselin have been doing this to their kids for going on 5 season". jane valez said it was a valid point and asked the panel their opinion, they did'nt say much but the one lawyer made a comment about how if any good can come out of the octo-mom reality show issue it might be that ALL these types of shows will be given a good, hard look at and perhaps it will force legislation to look to the best interests of not only the octo-mom kids but ALL these kids "whose parent's sole means of support appears to be through using their children for financial gain"

i suspect octo mom may be the catalyst some of the paul peterson type groups need to enlist support in the legal community to start watch-dogging these kinds of shows (it will be interesting if theres more and more negative p.r. on this to see how many of these types of shows start going off the air despite their ratings).

 

[newtodis]

Kate did have fun and we will be posting pics soon!! Kate is being a little slow about editing the pic, but I think it's because she is such a perfectionist it has to be perfect!

Thanks for the smile this afternoon - needed that!

they may be laying low because they are getting some bad p.r. on kind of a reflected basis.

i caught jane valez mitchell's show the other nite and there was a panel talking about the buzz around octo-mom's possible reality show in the works. there was a psychologist talking about what negative impact could occur raising kids in an environment that would ential some degree of "staging" of activities and such but putting it out as their "normal" lives, how it could cause real issues for them when they hit school age and they encountered people who had already based their opinions on how they were presented on tv (psychologist actualy said something about "how would you like to be the kid who was the one always portrayed in the reality show as the misbehaving, argumentative one in the family?". then the subject of the income from these shows came up and weather the kids are protected under the "coogan act" (where they are limited in hours and earnings are monitored/set aside for adulthood) and a couple of the panelists seemed surprised when one of the attorneys explained that they absolutly were not and it's a hot issue with kids on these shows. the j&k subject came up when they were taking calls and one caller went off and said she could'nt understand why octo-mom was getting all this media attention and criticism over doing a reality show when "john and kate gosselin have been doing this to their kids for going on 5 season". jane valez said it was a valid point and asked the panel their opinion, they did'nt say much but the one lawyer made a comment about how if any good can come out of the octo-mom reality show issue it might be that ALL these types of shows will be given a good, hard look at and perhaps it will force legislation to look to the best interests of not only the octo-mom kids but ALL these kids "whose parent's sole means of support appears to be through using their children for financial gain"

i suspect octo mom may be the catalyst some of the paul peterson type groups need to enlist support in the legal community to start watch-dogging these kinds of shows (it will be interesting if theres more and more negative p.r. on this to see how many of these types of shows start going off the air despite their ratings).

I don't usually watch her - not a fan - but glad it was being discussed. Also not a fan of octomom getting a reality show - that's a train wreck waiting to happen. What's she going to "teach" people with her show???? It would be good though to see some rules put in place for these types of shows and those taking part by their own choice or not.

 

[emer95]

I got their Book, Multiple Blessings, out of the library yesterday. I read it in an hour. Did anyone else think it wasn't very well-written? Talk about adjective overload! I understand the desire to have an expressively written book, but it was too much. I was surprised that Kate mentioned that she realized she was difficult, and that she favors Hannah, and that her family was mentioned so much. I was largely unimpressed. I'm a very religious person, but all of the Bible verses she quoted rang hollow for me, knowing what I now know (or have heard and seen) about her behavior.
I do have to say those early years were tough and I do respect her for what she went through.

 

[madge]

I know you, especially, were on pins and needles.

I was! It was a suspenseful week for me -- will Jon & Kate be back, and will the University of Kentucky hire Jon Calipari? They did and they did .. so now I can relax!

 

[bbsak]

........the one lawyer made a comment about how if any good can come out of the octo-mom reality show issue it might be that ALL these types of shows will be given a good, hard look at and perhaps it will force legislation to look to the best interests of not only the octo-mom kids but ALL these kids "whose parent's sole means of support appears to be through using their children for financial gain.
I suspect octo mom may be the catalyst some of the paul peterson type groups need to enlist support in the legal community to start watch-dogging these kinds of shows (it will be interesting if theres more and more negative p.r. on this to see how many of these types of shows start going off the air despite their ratings).

I wrote to Paul Petersen last month and he graciously wrote back. He said he and his group were waiting for word of a reality show from Octo-mom and they were ready to fight for the rights of the babies. His letter referred me to legislation in CA that does in fact protect children involved in reality tv, movies, magazines, and basically anything related to the entertainment industry.

The CA letter on his web site was written a few years ago by producers of a show wanting clarification of the laws to use minors in a reality show and it's in a question and answer type of format. The laws are still on the books in CA to protect the octuplets and all minors in the industry. However, unlike the Gosselin children who reside in PA with no laws protect them, in CA Octo-mom has to follow laws very similar to the Coogan laws.

Mr. Petersen's site for a link to this letter: http://www.minorcon.org/

The link to the letter (California Department of Labor) with answers is midway down the page under the orange heading:
Why Octo-Mom's Reality Show Dream Will NEVER Be Taped In California

He says: "In hopes that other States will take heed I have reproduced below a 2003 'interpretation' from the California Department of Labor concerning reality shows utilizing children. Names have been deleted.

I also hope that those families engaged in television production at this very moment absorb this letter and ask themselves if they are really acting as responsible parents should.

Please note that you will not see a word about the money."

I can't copy and paste the letter for you as it's 5+ pages long. I think you'll find the letter informative and interesting.

 

[phamton]

I got their Book, Multiple Blessings, out of the library yesterday. I read it in an hour. Did anyone else think it wasn't very well-written? Talk about adjective overload! I understand the desire to have an expressively written book, but it was too much.

That was what I noticed too. it seemed like the author (either Beth or Kate) was trying too hard.

Here is one example. This is a quote when Jon and Kate went to look at buying a new house. She explained how the house was only a few houses away from Aunt Jody and Uncle Kevin and how she knew the people who were selling it. Anyway the wordiness reminded me of a creative writing class.

" I can't even explain how my emotions vacillated when we walked through the front door. I shivered as I somehow realized that I had just turned the page to another new chapter of our lives. I absolutely loved my little house where we had smiled, cried, struggled, and rejoiced... [snip]

God had answered our prayer by supplying a house for us that met our every need, and yet our sadness hung heavy in the cold air of the car. We both felt strongly that we had found the house for us, and we enthusiastically spewed ideas of where things would fit and how to make it work--only to settle into silence as each of us absorbed our own thoughts of yet another major life change."

 

[3prettyprincesses]

That was what I noticed too. it seemed like the author (either Beth or Kate) was trying too hard.

Here is one example. This is a quote when Jon and Kate went to look at buying a new house. She explained how the house was only a few houses away from Aunt Jody and Uncle Kevin and how she knew the people who were selling it. Anyway the wordiness reminded me of a creative writing class.

" I can't even explain how my emotions vacillated when we walked through the front door. I shivered as I somehow realized that I had just turned the page to another new chapter of our lives. I absolutely loved my little house where we had smiled, cried, struggled, and rejoiced... [snip]

God had answered our prayer by supplying a house for us that met our every need, and yet our sadness hung heavy in the cold air of the car. We both felt strongly that we had found the house for us, and we enthusiastically spewed ideas of where things would fit and how to make it work--only to settle into silence as each of us absorbed our own thoughts of yet another major life change."

Cringe! Wow, that does remind me of an Intro. to Writing class I took in college. One of my papers I handed must have had about 1,000 adjectives! It was hideous and when I got it back, the professor must have had a field day with her red pen! It looked like a crime scene on paper!! Red everywhere! She told me her writing rule is to write like you would speak! That meant cut out all the adjectives.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I believe Beth is the actual writer, while Kate and Jon lived it. Or something like that. Kate's addressed that in the past.

 

[DreaGirl]

I believe Beth is the actual writer, while Kate and Jon lived it. Or something like that. Kate's addressed that in the past.

I was just going to post this. I read in an interview that Beth did with her local paper, I believe her quote was "They lived it and I wrote it" or something very similar.

 

[madge]

I believe Beth is the actual writer, while Kate and Jon lived it. Or something like that. Kate's addressed that in the past.

that's how I've always understood it happened, as well.

Although nowadays, it's Kate's book. No mention of Beth.

 

[bbsak]

That was what I noticed too. it seemed like the author (either Beth or Kate) was trying too hard.

Here is one example. This is a quote when Jon and Kate went to look at buying a new house. She explained how the house was only a few houses away from Aunt Jody and Uncle Kevin and how she knew the people who were selling it. Anyway the wordiness reminded me of a creative writing class.

" I can't even explain how my emotions vacillated when we walked through the front door. I shivered as I somehow realized that I had just turned the page to another new chapter of our lives. I absolutely loved my little house where we had smiled, cried, struggled, and rejoiced... [snip]

God had answered our prayer by supplying a house for us that met our every need, and yet our sadness hung heavy in the cold air of the car. We both felt strongly that we had found the house for us, and we enthusiastically spewed ideas of where things would fit and how to make it work--only to settle into silence as each of us absorbed our own thoughts of yet another major life change."

I haven't read the book and I'm wondering if those who have feel it was an 'easy read' or because of the style and heavy adjectives, if was it difficult to make it through each page? I've heard that many have read it in a day. Is it really that quick of a read?

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

It's a very quick read. I finished it during the drive time to and from a Dallas shopping trip (about 5 hours), and that was watching a movie, stopping for gas, etc., etc. If you read it straight through, maybe a couple of hours...tops.

 

[phamton]

I read it in a few hours also. I did like reading the book as I was interested in the history. I just didn't like the writing style and really wished that there were more pictures to go along with the story. Most non-fiction, autobiographies, and biographies have a section in the middle with lots of photos and this one didn't. I had just finished reading Barbara Walter's book with lots of photos in the middle portion and I was hoping that Kate's book would have the same. I guess they are saving the pictures for her next book.

 

[madge]

I read it in a few hours also. I did like reading the book as I was interested in the history. I just didn't like the writing style and really wished that there were more pictures to go along with the story. Most non-fiction, autobiographies, and biographies have a section in the middle with lots of photos and this one didn't. I had just finished reading Barbara Walter's book with lots of photos in the middle portion and I was hoping that Kate's book would have the same. I guess they are saving the pictures for her next book.

I think the next book (Eight Little Faces??) is pretty much a picture book.

 

[emer95]

I believe Beth is the actual writer, while Kate and Jon lived it. Or something like that. Kate's addressed that in the past.

Yikes. If I were Beth I think I'd keep letting people believe Kate wrote it.