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!
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7 comments:
I here ya....I'm not a big fan of Kate, but hey, if someone threw a bunch of money my way and a contract to film my family I don't know if I'd have the strength to say no either!
I agree with most of what you said and the fact reality show is never really "reality." All the characters are created and editing creates a "story" not the full picture. Yes, if my life were a TV show, I am sure I would be painted into someone I am not not. I occassionally nag at my husband and yell at my kids out of frustration like most young moms.
But I cannot get the past the fact this is a good thing for the kids. Money or freebies or financial success is not worth the cost of what these kids' childhoods have become. Would you honestly want your own children as young as these are splashed over tabloids and being house bound because they are constantly being followed by paparazzi? Would you want to share their childhoods--the good, the baby, and the ugly with all of America. I don't care how much they make--it's not worth it. I would rather be poor and live a simple life than have what they have. John and Kate decided to do the show and they have to take full responsibility for their decision and pay the costs.
I like your new blog background! I am not a big Jon and Kate watcher, but I do think she has cute hair that she pulls off well. I also agree 100% with your comment that if they took snippets of me on any given day I'd look like a horrible wife and mother. Thanks for the reminder. We are all human and are all trying to do our best--mistakes and all!!
I would agree with you that we don't know all that goes on. But I am a child of divorce. If those most horrific moments of my childhood were televised nationally for all the world to see, I would be mortified! Those kids are worth more then money and contracts. Someday they will be seriously pissed at their parents for allowing this to happen to them. Jon and Kate are responsible for protecting their kids and right now they are NOT doing it!!
I haven't watched the show much but have of course heard all the recent drama...don't feel real sorry for them - there are enough reality shows out there now for them to have had an idea what they were getting into...my only other comment is that her hair makes me crazy...reminds me a little of the 80's with her little party going on in the back!
I'm not so sure that Jon and Kate really thought it would come to this. I mean, it's easy for us to sit back and say that what they are doing to their kids is horrible and they're responsible, but I'm pretty sure that when they started this several years ago they never thought in a million years that it would be this big - they probably thought TLC was crazy for offering them all this money to make a show out of their family life. If they're bad parents for all this publicity than so are 99% of all actresses/actors who have kids - those kids are in the spotlight all the time too and have the paparazzi hanging out around them most of the time. It's just what comes with the job.
It's good to see you back in the blog world - what controversy will get you writing next? ;-)
I don't ever watch the show but I have watched the "news" and seen the firestorm. What I can't get over is the fact that they don't think they're held to a higher standard. It's why it's hard to be in the spotlight, why many celebs end up in rehab and why the Bush girls should have known that someone would be photographing them. Whether you choose the spotlight or not (or you are legally bound to it) you're held to a higher standard.
Secondly, Candi is right on. They need to forget everything else for the kids' sake. Grow up and quit being so selfish!
Thanks for having a blog forum where we can discuss this! Can't do that at mine!
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