There was a stark black screen with plain white lettering which said the following:"On Monday, June 22, 2009, legal proceedings were initiated in Pennsylvania to dissolve the ten-year marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin."
We knew it was coming. We knew they'd be calling it quits, but Jon and Kate kept it under wraps until the night the episode, "Houses & Big Changes" aired. They didn't even file their divorce papers until very late on the day on which the episode was slated to air in order to preserve the surprise and boost the ratings. But nonetheless, there was something deeply sad about watching the one-hour "special" episode of Jon & Kate Plus Eight where Jon and Kate confirmed that they were splitting up.
Here are a few observations:
-- It seems as though Jon is psyched to move on to a new phase of his life, noting that he's only 32 years old. Why else would he say, "I'm excited and hurt." Excited? Excited to have to live elsewhere and swap custody of eight kids? He said he was proud of himself for standing on his "own two feet" and not letting Kate "rule the roost" any longer.
-- Kate, by contrast, seemed deeply devastated. "Jon has a lot of anger toward me and I'd love to discuss it with him but he won't discuss it with me," she said, adding that she'd recently sobbed harder than she'd ever sobbed. Denying that this reality program and their careers associated with the show played any role in the disintegration of her marriage, Kate said that their "goals are different now."
-- "We've always done the show for the kids to be able to provide for them . . . The show must go on," Kate declared. Viewers will now get to see what it's like to be a single parent caring for eight kids. If we thought it seemed tough caring for eight kids when there were TWO parents at home, imagine how much more difficult it'll be for Jon on his own or Kate on her own, even with a babysitter. "I know there are many families out there going through this," Kate said.
-- Other assorted questions: Are the cameras going to follow Jon and Kate into divorce court? Are they going to follow them on dates? How will they handle the kids' reactions to seeing Jon move out?
What'd you think?
Image credit: TLC.
11 comments:
I am sickened by the manipulations for ratings that this "couple" has gone through. I think they have both acted less mature than their children. One day, the 8 kids will look back and wonder when they signed up to be a media spectacle (they didn't) and why mom and dad couldn't see past the cold hard cash for what is real.
It is very sad, not once did they discuss counseling or the potential for a mediator. It is almost as if this were all planned for TV and the ratings.
I agree with Stephanie that the children will get to watch the reruns of their early lives and wonder what happened to their parent's minds. To have a mom go away, jetting around the country for the show and to sell her books and to have Dad needing "breaks" from them - it is all so very tragic and absolutely unnecessary. Thanks TLC for bringing us the most un-TLC show possible...
This is really sad. I only caught a few minutes of it (I don't watch the show) and just seeing their faces and hearing a bit of what they had to say made me feel so bad. I changed the channel.
It's too bad that they can't figure out a way to work things out between them. I think counseling could go a long way towards that, if only they'd consider it.
I wonder if they just can't get out of their contract?
With the continued airings of this show, and the failure of channel execs to realise that their show was killing a family, I suggest we rename the network. It USED to be that TLC stood for The Learning Channel. Now it stands for Tough Luck Children. Tabloid television ruins another family. When will we as a society wise up and tune out of this garbage??
One thing that hit me was that they both repeatedly said, “My kids come first.” That is a patently wrong attitude. In a marriage, granted the children are important, your spouse should come first. Not the children, not your parents, your spouse. This is because the marriage should be around long after the children have moved out. When your spouse senses that someone else is more important to you than they are, it causes a major problem in the marriage. And if the children are really your first priority, consider the effects of divorce on the children and act like responsible adults and go for counseling first.
what I find the most sad is that these children will now be going through a very tough and emotional time....and these caring "parents" and TLC have decided that this too should be televised. I am absolutely disgusted by this whole ordeal and truly wish that the extended family would step in. These parents should be honest and simply have the kids do commercials, since the first half hour of the show was one giant commercial for Kids Crooked Houses....(notice how each kid had on a t-shirt promoting the product). I always thought that being a good parent was about protecting your kids even if you had to make decisions that thye may not have liked...like cancelling the show!
AND...the arrangement whereby each parent will live in the house when it is their visitation time.....are you KIDDING me?! What about when each parent remarries?
Am I the only one who got wierded out when some of the kids did an interview and asked their dad to be quiet since they were doing the interview....these parents have set this as the "norm" for their kids. I cannot begin to imagine how this will affect these kids as they become adults.
This whole thing is sick!
I don't buy Kate's "devastation" as it is clear she won't give up the money train, even if it could save her marriage. Jon is no angel, but Kate is selling out her kids every day. Sad day for the family...
I'm sad for the kids, to see how both the "parents" are saying their decision is best for the "kids", that it will bring the "kids" peace. Are they serious? It is deeply selfish and childish, she is controlling and he is a roll over "victim". Waaaaaaaa. Go to a counselor and do what is best for the kids, i.e. pull it together, get real jobs, and work through the issues like adults off the camera. Then the kids and these two idiots will find real peace.
Hmmmmmmmmm, so they will still be in the same house. Hmmmmmmmm, and the show goes on. Hmmmmmmmmm, and ratings were slipping. Hmmmmmmmmm, and now the show is all anyone can talk about..... I'm no Coloombo but.........
Watched the show a few times and enjoyed it. To raise 8 kids takes an income and this seemed to do the trick. Kate was stearn at times but needed to be to raise 8 very young kids without chaos occurring. Jon really gave his intentions away when he said "this is what is best for ME and then quickly added and the kids. It was apparent it was about HIM.
"The show must go on..." according to Kate. Wow, to choose living in a "reality" show over your marriage and children. That speaks volumes of where Kate's intentions are. Money can't buy happiness but apparently it's supplying Kate with illusions of something. I feel for the children who live in a fish bowl because of their parents' choices. Not saying Jon is a saint but you get the feeling he'd give up the show just to find a bit of normalcy again???? Good luck Gosselin kids...you may need it!
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