Jon and Kate Plus 8 Official Thread - Part 5

[madge]

there's a fan blog that has some of the episodes already shot (but pulled because of the hiatus) listed ... looks like this one will be the ratings grabber:

16** 107 "The Divorce" August 24, 2009
A two hour premeire of what has happened since episode one of season five to the recent divorce.

good lord. I wonder when they'll start hyping that one.

 

[redrosesix]

there's a fan blog that has some of the episodes already shot (but pulled because of the hiatus) listed ... looks like this one will be the ratings grabber:

16** 107 "The Divorce" August 24, 2009
A two hour premeire of what has happened since episode one of season five to the recent divorce.

good lord. I wonder when they'll start hyping that one.

Oh no! I would have no problem with watching a show in a couple of years, showing how the kids have grown, how things work with 2 tweens and 6 adolescents, but this is way too much, way too soon.

You are right. Christen Largent is a metal artist/jewelry designer. Isn't her stuff beautiful? Clairissa has a facebook page (she's still Kreider I think), Kendra Wilber is the one married to Jeff who helped paint the twins' new bedroom (rumor has it he and Jon got along well, but not he and Kate). I have never heard anything about Kate having a relationship with any of them, I hope she does. Charlene Kreider also has a facebook page, but I am not positive it is the same Charlene Kreider who is Kate's mother. Kate's mom is very young I've read, having had two of her five kids while in her teens. Both Kendra and Clairissa had blogs that have been removed.

Jon's brothers are easy to see pics of if your nosy like me. Tom is the head women's soccer coach at Mt. St. Mary's University. He is a good bit older than Jon (40 ish) and handles his male pattern baldness a little differently than Jonny! His bio at the school athletic site sounds as if he has quite a career as a soccer coach/teacher, and is good at what he does. Mark looks quite a bit younger than Jon, he has a facebook page, and lives nearby in Reading. They are cute guys. I have read on blogs that Kate doesn't get along with them (surprise, surprise) so Jon and the kids have seen very little of them. I hope that's not true. Is there anyone out there who claims her as a friend or even as pleasant? There has to be someone.

I like family dynamics and knowing who goes with who. I wish I knew more about J and K's nieces and nephews aside from Kevin's four kids.

Well, it seems like only those who get along with Kate get to spend time with the family -- that's sad. But then again we don't know -- maybe they just refuse to be on TV (or have their kids on TV).

I know people who only get along with a few of their relatives, and distance their entire family from everybody else. That's hard on the kids, but also a huge embarrassment for their spouse -- it would probably be a deal-breaker for me if DH told me I couldn't have my family over to the house.

 

[DMRick]

The ratings for Monday were just about what they were before Jon's first picture appeared. I think the kids have gotten bigger, and the actual interest in the family had already gone down. I"ll continue ot watch it if it comes back in August, but it's no where as cute as when the babies were babies.

Where some may have not watched it because of 'audience backlash' there would be more to take their place that would watch it because of what it going on. But if the show isn't that interesting, people will start to pull away. Then deal with the fact that is it summer, and people are away and not watching TV at all.

I think it's more than that. As much as J&K have been featured in the news, in tabloids, and all over the internet in the last week, there should have been more interest than what they got. Also, TLC wasn't positioning it as a "repeat", but a "retrospective" and I think they had said that they'd include some previously un-aired footage. I think instead the numbers mark the first evidence of an audience backlash.

With things like this and Zondervan's announcement of a likely permanent hold on Kate's next book, I think that sound you hear is the brakes being applied to the Gravy Train. Next I think Kate's going to find that her personal appearance calendar will start opening up.

 

[Epcot luvr]

Kate has three sisters. Christen, Kendra and Clarissa. I don't think Kate and her sisters are close though. Several months ago, before all the marriage problems, I read a blog about her sister Christen, she is an artist that sells on the Etsy site. Someone said she wanted Kate to promote her stuff somehow, but it didn't work out, seems Kate refused. I'm sorry I can't remember all the details and I can't find the blog now, but I remember at the time going to Etsy and looking up the sister's sale page. Another sister is very religious and I think maybe a minister? Not sure, but something in the religion field.

ETA: Found it. Here is Kate's sister's Christen's Etsy page, she makes jewelry
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5273857

Thanks so much waltD4me for the link. She is really talented, seems like she is an interesting person. I always am in awe of people who have that kind of artistic passion and then are able to make a living from it. Whatever her relationship is with kate she is obviously doing her own thing, good for her!

 

[floridafam]

FWIW,

I don't think she's had her ****s done. After three children, I can look like I've had a **** job with the right bra or bathing suit.


I still don't understand why she's looked down on for working and traveling. Jon worked for years and it was okay for him and not for her? She's doing nothing any differently than Jon did it and she really takes a lot of grief for it.

Also, Kate seems that she doesn't like to be touched at times and is not a touchy/feely kind of person. Maybe something happened to her in her childhood to make her that way. Everyone assumes she is just a witch but maybe she has her reasons. Who knows??

 

[Epcot luvr]

Oh no! I would have no problem with watching a show in a couple of years, showing how the kids have grown, how things work with 2 tweens and 6 adolescents, but this is way too much, way too soon.



Well, it seems like only those who get along with Kate get to spend time with the family -- that's sad. But then again we don't know -- maybe they just refuse to be on TV (or have their kids on TV).

I know people who only get along with a few of their relatives, and distance their entire family from everybody else. That's hard on the kids, but also a huge embarrassment for their spouse -- it would probably be a deal-breaker for me if DH told me I couldn't have my family over to the house.

Yes that is so true. I admit it is difficult to get along with all of my relatives, we are six kids in my family alone and with the age differences and spouses not all of us are BFF's. I figure it is a small effort and worth it in the long run, especially with kids involved, to be gracious and welcoming. I have a friend whose mom for whatever reason alienated the dad's family. Now, my friend has issues with her mom because she feels she has missed out on the chance to have cousins, it is all messed up. I would have like to hear from one person who knew Kate well , during everything that has gone on recently, come forward and make some type of supportive statement. Kate does not have to answer to anybody except her God, her kids and herself.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Also, Kate seems that she doesn't like to be touched at times and is not a touchy/feely kind of person. Maybe something happened to her in her childhood to make her that way. Everyone assumes she is just a witch but maybe she has her reasons. Who knows??

I don't assume she is a witch because she isn't touchy/feely. I am the same way, nothing happened to me in childhood, I'm just not a hugger, touchy person. I don't read anything into Kate being like that, but I do think it seems to be Kate that alienates people. She has a pretty big family and I don't believe she is close to any of them. Do I proof of that? No. but from all reports she has no contact with her parents or siblings and who even knew Jon had two brothers, I thought he only had one brother. And does Kate have any girlfriends? Yes, I know, friends and family might not want to be on the show, but I find it beyond odd that no one is even mentioned, at all, ever. You never hear Kate say "We went to my sister's yesterday." or "We are making cards for grandma's birthday." nada. And in all this time, with all the papparazzi following Kate around, we have never seen her with anyone other than a bodyguard. No lunch with a friend, shopping with her sister, no one going with her on any of her book stops. It's just weird and I do think it's Kate's doing. And maybe something she is regretting now.

 

[redrosesix]

I don't assume she is a witch because she isn't touchy/feely. I am the same way, nothing happened to me in childhood, I'm just not a hugger, touchy person. I don't read anything into Kate being like that, but I do think it seems to be Kate that alienates people. She has a pretty big family and I don't believe she is close to any of them. Do I proof of that? No. but from all reports she has no contact with her parents or siblings and who even knew Jon had two brothers, I thought he only had one brother. And does Kate have any girlfriends? Yes, I know, friends and family might not want to be on the show, but I find it beyond odd that no one is even mentioned, at all, ever. You never hear Kate say "We went to my sister's yesterday." or "We are making cards for grandma's birthday." nada. And in all this time, with all the papparazzi following Kate around, we have never seen her with anyone other than a bodyguard. No lunch with a friend, shopping with her sister, no one going with her on any of her book stops. It's just weird and I do think it's Kate's doing. And maybe something she is regretting now.

Yup, there should have been some mention of other relatives, cousins, etc., even by the kids.

 

[Geoff_M]

The ratings for Monday were just about what they were before Jon's first picture appeared. I think the kids have gotten bigger, and the actual interest in the family had already gone down. I"ll continue ot watch it if it comes back in August, but it's no where as cute as when the babies were babies.

Where some may have not watched it because of 'audience backlash' there would be more to take their place that would watch it because of what it going on. But if the show isn't that interesting, people will start to pull away. Then deal with the fact that is it summer, and people are away and not watching TV at all.

Contrast this with what happened after the season premiere. They drew monster rating on a major holiday with the opener, and then a steady decline set in. This time, the ratings fell off a cliff in just one week. Granted, it wasn't an episode with all-new footage, but it wasn't exactly a rerun of an unremarkable episode that's aired 6 or 7 times either. Yes, the "cutneness" factor may be wearing off, but with the 7-day crash-n-burn people are voting with their remotes in response to recent events.

 

[madge]

FWIW,


I still don't understand why she's looked down on for working and traveling. Jon worked for years and it was okay for him and not for her? She's doing nothing any differently than Jon did it and she really takes a lot of grief for it.

I don't remember Jon being away from home for days at a time.

 

[Epcot luvr]

there's a fan blog that has some of the episodes already shot (but pulled because of the hiatus) listed ... looks like this one will be the ratings grabber:

16** 107 "The Divorce" August 24, 2009
A two hour premeire of what has happened since episode one of season five to the recent divorce.

good lord. I wonder when they'll start hyping that one.

That is in such poor taste, "the divorce", can you imagine .
Didn't kate hudson do a movie 'le divorce' a couple of years back.

O/T I do wholeheartedly support the wife of the governor of South Carolina if she pursues a divorce. He is just evil , IMOP, " my mistress is my soul mate", " i will try and fall in love with my wife again". There is no grey area in that relationship. With J&K we still do not know what really happened, what was permitted, ya know. That dude in SC, he just needs to get over himself.

 

[kidshop]

This is long but a good read.

http://elitestv.com/pub/2009/06/cel...d-legal-commentary-for-the-celebrity-obsessed



"While it may not be illegal but should be, it is highly unethical to use children, who have no true decision making capacity, as the tools to generate the primary source of income for a family. This is particularly so when the basis of the income generation is through the blatant public exposure of those children’s private lives and emotions? For the Gosselin children, unlike child actors, there is no separation between their real life and their work. People need to wake up and be reminded that we no longer live in a feudal society where it was important to have multiple children to perform the labor of the fields."

 

[JBurke]

FWIW,

I don't think she's had her ****s done. After three children, I can look like I've had a **** job with the right bra or bathing suit.


I still don't understand why she's looked down on for working and traveling. Jon worked for years and it was okay for him and not for her? She's doing nothing any differently than Jon did it and she really takes a lot of grief for it.

Also, Kate seems that she doesn't like to be touched at times and is not a touchy/feely kind of person. Maybe something happened to her in her childhood to make her that way. Everyone assumes she is just a witch but maybe she has her reasons. Who knows??

Sorry, I have three kids too and my breasts would never stand straight up all by themselves like hers do. I could push them up with a good bra, but they wont stay up all by themselves. That picture of her in the blue bikini, you can clearly see that the top is not even underneath her breats. Its just laying on top, no support at all. Looking at the old clips they showed this week of her in bathing suits, she definately had work done.
Nothing wrong with that, more power to her. Wish I could get it done!

 

[DreaGirl]

I just read where Zondervan has pulled Kate's upcoming cook book off of the website and off of Amazon. I guess a book about "family time" isn't the best thing to put out right now.

 

[DMRick]

Contrast this with what happened after the season premiere. They drew monster rating on a major holiday with the opener, and then a steady decline set in. This time, the ratings fell off a cliff in just one week. Granted, it wasn't an episode with all-new footage, but it wasn't exactly a rerun of an unremarkable episode that's aired 6 or 7 times either. Yes, the "cutneness" factor may be wearing off, but with the 7-day crash-n-burn people are voting with their remotes in response to recent events.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. Not counting the vow renewal and the end and opening seasons, the ratings were just over 2 million the past whole season..and slowly going down. I see this past week as just a countinuation of that.
They were only higher, IMO, because of people on to watch the train wreck (myself included). My interest was certainly down before Jon and his college gals and unless the up and coming shows are wonderful, I'll continue to just tape it and watch if if and when I have time. I assume others are doing the same thing.

 

[redrosesix]

This is long but a good read.

http://elitestv.com/pub/2009/06/cel...d-legal-commentary-for-the-celebrity-obsessed



"While it may not be illegal but should be, it is highly unethical to use children, who have no true decision making capacity, as the tools to generate the primary source of income for a family. This is particularly so when the basis of the income generation is through the blatant public exposure of those children’s private lives and emotions? For the Gosselin children, unlike child actors, there is no separation between their real life and their work. People need to wake up and be reminded that we no longer live in a feudal society where it was important to have multiple children to perform the labor of the fields."

An extremely well-written article, especially the point you quoted above. If the kids were considered child-actors, their parents would only be entitled to a cut of the revenue. Since we're talking about a documentary here, each person (kids included) should only be entitled to 1/10. I highly doubt that that is the way it has been divided.

 

[DMRick]

While I may not agree with everything this commentator wrote, I thought it was well written and thought provoking.

This is long but a good read.

http://elitestv.com/pub/2009/06/cel...d-legal-commentary-for-the-celebrity-obsessed



"While it may not be illegal but should be, it is highly unethical to use children, who have no true decision making capacity, as the tools to generate the primary source of income for a family. This is particularly so when the basis of the income generation is through the blatant public exposure of those children’s private lives and emotions? For the Gosselin children, unlike child actors, there is no separation between their real life and their work. People need to wake up and be reminded that we no longer live in a feudal society where it was important to have multiple children to perform the labor of the fields."

 

[DMRick]

I highly doubt that that is the way it has been divided.

I have not even a clue as to how it's divided. I would assume (and I could be wrong) that if it is divided in 10th's, so would be the house that came from the acting..as an expense. I would have no problem with that, as long as the kids are also getting money put in their accounts. Obviously, if the kids got 4/5 in cash, it would be difficult with this being Kate and Jon's job to afford much of anything, so I don't even care if some is being put towards the house. Perhaps they pay out the expenses and then divid. Again, I don't have a problem with that. But none of us know, and since I don't know, I don't feel comfortable slapping Jon and Kate's hands.

I do know that a friend of mine owns a restaurant, and she pays her kids. The kids always thought it was fair (I thought they were underpaid..without them, there would have been no restaurant), and maybe Kate and Jon have figured out what is best for their family as well.

 

[grumpeeduck]

I keep hearing so much negativity about Kate, and an earlier post mentioned how she has no relationship with relatives and friends. Sometimes there are situations in families that are out of ones control, and while it may be ideal to have a wonderful, close relationship with family, it isn't always possible.

Jon seems to be a case study in immaturity. Really, a grown man with 8 children needs to be the grown- up and not be out at bars and chasing women. I think it is telling that she was very worried about his reaction to the placement of the Crooked Houses and that was the episode where they announced their separation. At that point in the relationship she shouldn't care if he is angry or not, but she said her stomach was in knots. She was correct in not giving in to his whim of placing the houses way back in the woods! He acts like a huge baby, actually a ninth child! She has to corral him to help her
out. He is usually off somewhere else chatting or playing when she is left to handle whatever the situation is at the time. He has always seemed unable to step up and take the initiative to help out!

 

[Geoff_M]

We'll just have to agree to disagree. Not counting the vow renewal and the end and opening seasons, the ratings were just over 2 million the past whole season..and slowly going down. I see this past week as just a countinuation of that.
They were only higher, IMO, because of people on to watch the train wreck (myself included).

There's one problem with this analogy, the TV viewing public of today isn't the same as the one before the photos of Jon and the Coeds hit. Many millions more viewers know of the couple now as opposed to back then. Before Michael Jackson kicked the bucket a large part of the national media was fixated on J&K. At work we have TVs in certain locations tuned to HLN, Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. In the days after their announcement, whenever I passed one of these TVs they were talking about J&K what seemed about half of the time. While it wouldn't be reasonable to expect an audience for this week's show to rival the "announcement" show, you would have expected that the media attention would have resulted in some residual numbers... especially since TCL positioned the show as some sort of "post mortem" look at what happened to their marriage over ten years. It didn't happen at all. In comparison, the show averaged almost 3 million viewers in Season 4.