Not a Kate Hater

This past week has been a firestorm of controversy about the TLC show "Jon and Kate Plus 8". Did Jon cheat? Did Kate? Is Kate a crazy bitch who deserves whatever she gets? Are they exploiting their kids? I can't answer any of those questions because I don't know them. That seems to be the point that so many people keep forgetting. You don't know someone because you have watched a highly edited and manipulated 30 minute sound byte of their "life". We don't know that Jon is a partying playboy. We don't know if Kate is a raving lunatic. TLC takes the footage and makes it into an "entertaining" show that will generate ratings. Happy parents with lots of cute kids = BORING. Train wreck fed by the tabloids = sky high ratings for TLC. I have heard people suggest that TLC pull the plug and cancel the show because that would be good for the kids. TLC has a cash cow in this show and will not cancel without a major drop in ratings. Everyone seems to want Kate to drop the show and stay home. My guess is that is not an option. She has a contract for her book and contract for the show. I bet she is legally bound by terms to travel and promote.

What amazes me the most is other moms who are so quick to slam Kate. There are absolutely moments on the show where Kate speaks very rudely to her husband and others. I am guilty of the same thing. If you edited together my worst moments in the course of a week and left out any positive moments including any apologies for my worst moments, I'd look like a loon. I just don't get why moms have to tear other moms down. Are we all so perfect that we are in a position to cast stones at a woman we don't even know? We all have our own way of doing things that work for our families and mothering styles. No, Kate is not perfect and yes, she has chosen to put herself out there for scrutiny but that doesn't mean we know her in her private moments. TLC shows us Kate yelling at Jon but how do we know once they were in private she didn't say, "I'm sorry I lost my cool today." I'm not saying she did but we don't know that she didn't. TLC created the "characters" of Jon and Kate~Jon is the lovable husband who puts up with Kate the OCD nasty wife. They edit together clips as they want us to see them.

And yes, Shawnie was right. Nothing like controversy to get me back to blogging!