Jon & Kate Plus Eight

The following excerpt I do not agree with, and I feel this is a vicious and cruel attack on this family.




'Jon & Kate Plus 8,' TV's 10-Passenger Family Train Wreck, Returns for a Fifth Voyeuristic Season

By Hank Stuever

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 25, 2009

EXCERPT:

"Jon & Kate Plus 8" rarely takes time to show any activity that would suggest an intellectual or unselfish pursuit. The focus is on structured play, adhering to the schedule, wearing matching outfits, eating matching food. It's like a holiday update letter that never ends, in which the Gosselins are mainly seen consuming resources. (Hip to this, a recent "Jon & Kate" special focused on "going green.")

One look at Jon, and you know he's ready for it to end. TLC did not provide the usual preview episode to critics, as it surely scrambled to recut the season opener to address what everyone at the checkout line now knows: The Gosselins have moved again, this time to another planet.

I realize children are involved -- and I await eight separate and contradictory memoirs, years from now -- but the producers err seriously in trying to stick to the original, cutesy story line. This thing has evolved into something Greek, something Shakespearean, something corrosive that we in the chorus (example: see the Web site called Gosselins Without Pity) love to agonize and scream over. "Jon & Kate Plus 8" should be avoided at all costs, which means the DVR should be set to capture every moment.

I had no idea who Jon & Kate were the Friday before Memorial Day. I was over at my brother's house and saw his People Magazine on the couch end table. I asked who was Kate and Jon and why were they maybe splitting up? Andy said, "You know that couple with twins and sextuplets on TLC". I was like they have twins and sextuplets on purpose? Which at that moment my interest was peaked, so I found an article on the recent situation and was intrigued as to their life.

That evening as I was flipping through the channels at home, I came across TLC and the Jon & Kate plus 8 Memorial Day Marathon. So I set the DVR to record the show, and started to watch. I was hooked, how cute are these little guys? Jon & Kate were fascinating to watch as they worked together to control their children, but also to love, play, teach and have fun with them. I could see how they could bicker with each other during certain situations, but how they laughed at and with each other over their children and the situations they were dealing with.

The show was becoming a guilty pleasure as I got more and more caught up with this family. I appreciated that they went to Church every Sunday, and that they had a strong basis in the Christian Faith. They loved God, and thanked him for the blessings they were receiving and were not ashamed to do that on national TV.

I was falling in love with this family, they are fun to watch, and are open and loving. I recently lost my husband [divorce] (who knew I wanted to have children, but he lied, cheated and stole my child bearing years) so I couldn't have a family. I was living through The Gosselins, vicariously, and I was loving every minute of it.

I am sad for them because of this media circus. I Pray they work it out, whatever is best for them and the family. I feel like I know them, but do any of us really know the people we watch on TV? No! Jon said "this is between Kate and Me", and he is so right, it is none of our business. This family opened up part of their life to us, and that is the only part we should be concerned with, enjoying the journey of the Gosselins' as the kids grow and have adventures.

I know that God will heal them and protect them. He has given them blessings beyond blessings, and they have given back as well.

I posted the above excerpt for one reason, The media is just plain vicious and cynical. "No one can be a good parent if they put their children on TV." But these kids have been given the choice to either be on camera or not. I enjoy watching them, but if this is hurting their family, I say stop and live your lives free of the celebrity craziness.