Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Jon and Kate: Not so Great?

Do you watch Jon and Kate Plus Eight on TLC?

Until yesterday, I've watched the show only twice. Once when they went toy shopping for Christmas presents, the second when they went to a pumpkin patch. If you've never watched it, Jon and Kate are a Pennsylvania couple who had twin girls, followed by six more kids - sextuplets. The show follows their lives and how they manage their kids.


I watched this season's premiere that re-ran yesterday afternoon on TLC, and I was reminded why I don't watch the show hardly ever.

That woman is rude.

I'm sure if I told her that, she'd say "Yeah, well, if you had 8 kids, you'd be rude, too. I have 8 kids...remember? Dealing with my 8 kids make me rude."

Actually, no, I wouldn't be.

And I'm aware that you have 8 kids. You chose to have them, remember? As in paying gobs of money to be injected with hormones that would knowingly cause you to have multiples.

And I would dispute that you actually have 9 kids. Because you treat your husband like a child.

I've been known to joke that I myself have two children - my son and my husband. Because sometimes (always?) I find myself cleaning up after the grown male that lives with me. However? I? Am joking. And he knows it.

Kate's not joking.

It's actually painful for me to watch the show because of her tone, words and actions.

On the season premiere, Jon and Kate addressed the problems they are currently having in their marriage. No wonder, I thought. They were interviewed in separate rooms, and it's clear that Jon is not living at their house as much.

When asked what the future holds for their marriage, Kate's response was, "I do everything for my kids. I breathe for my kids. I work for my kids. I work harder for my kids."

My point?

She's wrong.

You live for your family. That includes your husband.

Marriages with families of multiples have a much greater chance of ending in divorce than those without. And I can totally see why. The stress of rearing one child - much less 3 or 6 or 8 - is enough to make you pull your hair out at times.

But you keep working at it, regardless of how many kids you have or don't have.

I won't be watching the show again. I won't be watching Kate sitting in her brand new granite-and-stone-filled home with her professionally-manicured nails and professionally-colored hair, pausing to yell at her kids while being interviewed about how much she's been away, promoting her new books and the show.

So much so that her 8 kids have called her by the babysitter's name.

What do you think?










Fletcher.Sign

8 comments:

Amanda Ledford said...

I was thinking of doing the same post! She just disgusts me on so many levels.

Megan L Hutchings said...

I used to love this show...mainly b/c I enjoyed following the kiddos. However, everytime we watched it Web and I were like, "Wow, she has got some issues!"

Like you said, they knew this was a possibility and if they felt the least bit unhappy before, someone should of spoken up!

Anonymous said...

Don't know how I found your blog today... but I did.

I have always watched Jon & Kate +8because I loved watching the kids grow up. Those kids are adorable and from what I can tell, very well adjusted. I was sadly disappointed on Monday to see TLC "focus" on their marriage during the episode. It is all about ratings.

Yes, Kate is bossy and she is shown as rude and condescending. However, we are only seeing what TLC wants us to see. They film a far greater amount and edit it. Don't you think sometimes that they want us to see Kate as this type of person?? If she was all loving and sweet would anyone still watch?

I think that this season will have more people watching than ever because the media has run with what has been happening. Where were the paparazzi the first few seasons? What disgusts me the most are the people who are running out and buying the magazines that are publishing all of this stuff.

Diana in GA

Justin and Jessica said...

I watch this show every now and then. My main thought is that I just feel so badly for the kids involved. I do believe they are truly loved, cared for, and are safe ... but it's so sad knowing that their parents are having so many problems.

The media sure isn't helping the issue any, however, they also knew what they were getting themselves into by agreeing to do the show ... and then agreeing to do multiple seasons of it.

I pray for those kids ... maybe one day they'll have a "normal" life. :)

Laura said...

Preach on, sista!

Kim said...

I really think they edit so much of it, that you really don't see the true people! If both parents are what they seem on the show, those kids wouldn't be as well behaved as they are.

I don't really plan on watching this season due to all that they are going through. I'm very sad for them as a couple.

You know my situation {well} - I can tell you that I related 100% to that episode and so did Lonnie. For the first time in months I felt I wasn't alone. Until you have alot of kids that are young, I feel that you really have no idea what they are going through.

You are so focused on taking care of your kids {fortunately, your husband can wipe his own butt - whether he chooses to or not} - that you do loose site of one another. And when you do finally see the light at the end of the tunnel you run for it. Which is what I see has happened for them.

Rachel Wheat said...

Yeah, the thing about always being gone bothered me, I was like, if I can't stand to be away from my one overnight, how can you leave 8?!?!?!!?

Lindsay said...

Amen Sista! Seriously - I used to enjoy that show and then I just could no longer handle the way she talked to Jon. It's really bad. And now - I'm sure you've seen where their marriage has ended up. Sad. So sad.

On the other hand - if you want decent shows to watch on TLC - try 18 Kids and Counting (the Duggar family) and now Table of 12 - both so far are MUCH better!