A few weeks ago, I made a public declaration, stating the fact that I was done with one of my formerly favorite shows, Jon & Kate + 8. Over the last season I had become disillusioned by the show because of the frequent obviously sponsored bits like the kids go see Sesame Street Live and Jon and Kate gush over how amazing it was. Or, the kids play with some kind of remote control car and Jon and Kate gush about how amazing it is. What I originally loved about the show was watching the day to day life of a real life family who were in a completely abnormal situation. The kids were adorable and the parents were relatable.
Then, on top of the obvious product placement, Kate seemed to be getting more and more controlling and shrewish. Constantly yelling at the kids, berating Jon, and seemingly oblivious to the fact that she saw herself as the only one in the family with valid opinions. And of course, over the past few months, during the break in seasons, the private drama playing out in Jon and Kate's life became public consumption, and I was turned off by the situation.
So, of course, I made sure to tune in for the season 5 premiere. You know, because I am SO DONE with the show. And honestly, it is absolutely heartbreaking to watch, but for some reason I can't look away. We can't possibly know what is really going on between Jon and Kate, but I actually find myself missing their acerbic interactions when they sit on the sofa alone for the show interviews. There is obvious sadness and regret in Kate's eyes, and Jon just seems completely checked out.
The reason I keep watching is for the kids. I have gotten really attached to them over the past couple of years, and in a completely insane way, I feel like turning off the show is abandoning them in some way. It's a difficult situation. Obviously the Gosselins have accumulated a fair amount of wealth through doing this show, which has opened doors to opportunities for the kids that they would not have otherwise had. But by becoming the somewhat slicker, manufactured, wealthier family that they are now, I don't feel as much like I'm hanging out with my neighbors, I feel like I'm watching a television show.
I also wonder how the filming affects the children. Jon, Kate, and TLC all insist that the kids are never filmed when they don't want to be, and they have a schedule of filming only twice a week and never in their bedrooms so that they have a private retreat where they can escape. But there are conflicting reports that the kids have frequent meltdowns (the little ones ARE five, though, so meltdowns are to be expected) and that they hate being on camera. Again, I don't know the truth, but the questions make me feel uncomfortable.
I don't think that Jon and Kate are terrible people. I think that they are a couple who were in a frightening situation at a very young age, saw an opportunity to provide for their family, and they took it. As for what people say about Kate accepting "love gifts" or whatever when she speaks, well, you know, if people want to give her their money, it's not really my place to judge. If someone walked up to me and handed over a hundred bucks for my theoretical kids, I'd have a hard time turning that down. I just think it's a sad situation, I feel sick when I think about the betrayal that Kate must feel and the obvious unhappiness that Jon feels, and I worry terribly for those poor kids.
So, I keep watching, hoping for some kind of miraculous happy ending.
