Jon & Kate Plus 8: The Most Abusive Celebrity Parents Ever?
Have Jon and Kate Gosselin invented a new form of 21st century child abuse? I'd say so. Come on — would you allow cameras to be following your kids every single move on 40 episodes a year of national TV?
There's only 52 weeks in the calendar. That means these kids barely catch a break, i.e. a few days without camera crews camping inside their home.
It's a real life "Truman Show" with eight voiceless victims instead of just one.
I'm not 
saying that children should never be on TV or in show business. There's a long cultural history of showbiz kids dating back to vaudeville days through infamous child stars: Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Jay North of Dennis the Menace, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and all the other Mouseketeers, the Olsen twins, Jodi Foster, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brooke Shields, Danny Bonaduce and the Partridge Family members, the Brady Bunch, and now Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and on and on.
Yes, some of these young stars were terribly exploited Judy Garland-style and grew up to crash and burn. But others went on to perfectly successful adult lives and careers. Being young, talented and pushed into in the public spotlight is not necessarily a recipe for exploitative disaster.
But, kids on movie and professional TV sets are subject to child labor laws. Children in reality shows are NOT, a point made forcefully by the Gosselin 8's Aunt Jodi and Uncle Kevin Krieder, Kate Gosselin's brother and sister-in-law who've been busy blogging, and then blabbing, about how vile the Gosselins are, especially Kate, to celebrity newsweeklies and on CBS's "Early Show."
"We want to be the voice of our nieces and nephews... they're being viewed as a commodity," uncle Kevin intoned on national TV.
"They're being exploited," added Aunt Jodi.
Of course, the Kreiders were very much a part of the Jon & Kate Plus 8 show for the first three seasons, before supposedly being kicked off by Kate because they asked to be paid for their appearances. So their indignation over the public lives of their nieces and nephews may not be fueled by totally pure motives. And really, what kind of family takes their beefs to the celebrity press anyway?
It seems to me that the Gosselin 8 need an impartial advocate and interventionist. Parents have a right to raise their kids as they see fit — to choose their religion and their schools, and to discipline them, as long as it doesn't cross the line into physical abuse. But do they have a right to make millions of dollars by filming them, virtually all the time, for years at a time? The TLC Jon & Kate series isn't a serious documentary or a one season special. And unlike Supernanny or Nanny 911 which zoom in on a different family of dysfunctional kids every week, this show is in its fifth season and is relentless in its intrusiveness into the kids' lives.
"Kids have bad times... they cry and having the camera zoom in on a crying child... this should not be a form of entertainment," insists Jodi. Should it?
And here's my next big question: Are any of the bags of money earned by Jon & Kate and the hardworking Gosselins being set aside in trust funds for each of the kids? Or are Jon & Kate free to use it all for her French manicures and his frequent bar-hopping?
If not, these adorable tots aren't much different than the little stars of Slumdog Millionaire, which has grossed over $400 million, while they're back to living homeless in the Mumbai slums. A bunch of adults made enormous bucks from the work of these kids in front of film cameras, yet the little ones didn't end up with much more than a few nice, new outfits.
Hey, the Gosselin kids are always well-dressed too. At least in front of the cameras!
Who's going to intervene?
For more on Jon & Kate Plus 8 follow Bonnie Fuller on Twitter at twitter.com/bonniefuller
Tell me: Who's the worst celebrity parent? Vote below!
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It's pathetically obvious that Kate has been completely corrupted by money and fame. Everything she says and does to justify this sad situation is just an attempt to cling to it. She is incapable of making decisions that are in the best interests of her family because she's no better than an addict. It's really just the Kate Gosselin show. Jon and the kids are little more than foils to what she imagines to be her superior cleverness. She's so enraptured by her own celebrity and greed that she's failed to notice what the rest of us already know - it's over.
You have to deal with the good AND the BAD with anything in life...And for almost 5 years they have went on with the show with nothing bad happening, Well get ready boys and girls here comes the bad... mommy went crazy from fame and daddy got tried of it, left her and found someone sane... In the last part of the first episode of season 5 Jon said his focus was on the kids. Kate's was when my "Job" doesn't take me away from them.... I honestly think the fame got to her... they need to go back to the old days when she stayed home with them all day and Jon went and worked and came home.. Back when there "fame"' wasn't hardly mentioned in the show.. now it's all "well mom's on a book tour so you wont see her this episode".. I do believe she went all "Hollywood" on us...
They are not the first family to have a parent cheat on a spouse... it happens.. Yes, they are unfortunately dealing with martial problems but that doesn't make them bad parents They are just doing it on TV... I do think they need to understand how that life works though.. Kate saying the fans use to "freak her out".. umm the fans bought her a new house and pay her bills...Every time we watch the show, buy a magazine or book or anything involving them we keep them going.. if she doesn't want cameras fallowing her around well guess what suck it up that's what you got yourself into... Because can someone answer me this... In the first episode of Season 5 when Kate and the kids go shopping for birthday supplies she fusses because paparazzi are fallowing her... mm is there not a camera fallowing her to? how is that any different? the pictures the paparazzi take go on magazines that fuel popularity for her show...
I would also like the point out the Duggers have 18 kids and didnt adopt any of them how are they any different and no one talks about them this way... yet
honestly I'm on both sides of the fence here... I've been watching the show for a while after my mom got me hooked.. she watches all those shows on TLC.. And Jon and Kate is really the only one I ever liked... you have to admit they are some adorable and well behaved kids... While its "reality" you have to think about the fact that they only shoot like 3 days a weeks and edit a lot of the footage they get.. they aren't there with them every second seeing every little thing.... just 3 days.. While yes I agree Kate is bossy and Jon is a wuss who needs to grow a backbone and stand up for his self... I don't see it as being all bad on the kids... look at what all these kids have got to do and they are only 8 and 5... Hawaii, Disney World, Utah... the list keeps going... they are living in a nice house and I'm sure each of them have a college fund building if not already set and waiting for them...College for 8 kids!!! wonder if the Octomom can say the same thing?... hey speaking of is she not living with her parents??... So the Gosslins are well privileged kids.
I agree with Bonnie Fuller on this one. This show is exploitive, and the kids don't have a choice. The fact that this is their real life and their parent's problems are exposed to the world makes this worse than the average situation for child actors. The kids will be able to see these tapes when they get older, and everything their parents are doing. I hope those who say this is okay are willing to risk the fact that these kids may grow up to be people who strongly question why the public and the appropriate authorities did not protect them. What does it say about Jon and Kate that they aren't willing to walk away from this just in case it could possibly harm their kids?
I love this! These children are being exploited because they have no choice in whats happening in their lives. Are you also concerned for the children who are adopted by gay and lesbian parents to pursue their agenda, oh yes I know they are loved. Who decided that baby X has to grow up in a in a nontraditional home? It's going to be a hoot when these children grow up and sue their parents for not asking them if that's what they wanted! I guess they will also want to know why we let it happen to them.
oh. my. god. you DID NOT just make a comparision between parents who blatantly exploit their children for money to........gay parents????? dinner conversation at your house must have a game show quality, as you work diligently to turn every topic into a diatribe against equality for the g&l community.
"wow, these are really good baked beans."
"yes, but wouldn't they taste better in a world where nobody is subjected, without end, to thoughts of what two consenting adults of the same sex may be DOING to each other whilst we eat???????"
Actually Gary Coleman's parents should have been included in that list.
What I'm wondering isn't there is law (Coogan Law; after Jackie Coogan) I believe fifteen percent of the child actor's salary are supposed to be put into a trust fund and wouldn't it apply to these children? These children are part of this families show and I believe should receive some sort of the monetary compensation for them.
. I'd rather them find legal ways to make money while still being their for their children then total irresponsibility like Octomom who exploits her parents for care.
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YEP, no exploitation here !
Jesus, Grow-Up !~
While I am not fond of Kate's attitude, I think that calling the Gosselins abusive is reckless and irresponsible.
Unlike Octomom, Kate didn't plan on having 7 children when she attempted to get pregnant again after her twins.
When they found out they were, and if I'm not mistaken, Jon wanted to have less and Kate wanted to have all of them and that would have been my choice as well if I were in that situation. 1 did not survive but they have a beautiful family and now they have to care for them. I'd rather them find legal ways to make money while still being their for their children then total irresponsibility like Octomom who exploits her parents for care.
YEP, no exploitation here !
Jesus, try thinking, and try growing up !
Perhaps you should lead by example.
8 kids- hence, Jon and Kate plus 8...
DUHHH. They had TWINS, then they had sextuplets, 6. Kate's second pregnancy resulted in 7 fetuses, however, one wasn't fully developed, and was reabsorbed (I believe).
The poster knew what she was talking about. Unlike you.
if she did not plan on it then why didn't she try letting nature do its thing first.. why mess with the drugs that cause multiple births. she knew as a RN what that drug could do.. she knew what she was getting into.. after growing up in her dads church and learning all about love offerings , maybe she knew to work the whole love offering scam you had to have a schtick... and then came the 6.
She did let nature take its course first - they were unable to have children without in utero fertilization because of Kate's physical problems. They did not have test tube babies where embryos are emplanted and you know how many there are, the eggs were fertilized in the uterus, which means no one knew how many there were. Roseanne Barr had the same proceedure and had one baby (her son, Bucky). My daughter had the same proceedure and didn't get pregnant.
"I think that calling the Gosselins abusive is reckless and irresponsible.'
co-signing
The children are not being exploited and every single moment in their lives isn't being recorded and shown to the world. In fact, some of the crew members of the show have become part of the family themselves and others are like friends with Jon and Kate.
The children are already reaping the benefits of having their own television show: they get to go on exclusive vacations they would have never been able to afford, they get to live in a spacious new home now instead of their cramped tiny house, they get to meet interesting people like Oprah Winfrey, they have the pleasure of getting new clothing, and they know that their college education will be paid for! Wow, college paid off for 8 children!!
The opportunities Jon and Kate have made for their children is something to be respected and they don't deserve to be called "bad parents". There have been many child stars who have went on and received ivy league educations, like Jodie Foster (Yale University) and Natalie Portman (Harvard University)...and Natalie played a provocative role as a child in a movie!!! Haha
Yes, the Gosselins are unfortunately dealing with martial problems but that doesn't make them bad parents. Divorce rate is high for parents of multiples. You can't just blame their appearance on television on every problem they face. I think they are doing a relatively good job and people like Bonnie Fuller writing crap about them doesn't help them nor the children.
Pimping out your kids for $$ because you couldn't afford to take care of them properly is wrong.
Children don't care about fancy houses or vacations or Oprah. They care about having a mom and dad who love them, and love each other. And having parents who are present. Kate travels frequently to promote the show and book, and now Jon is no longer living with them.
There is also a huge difference between acting - a profession - and being the star of a reality TV show in which your potty training habits are dissected for the camera. While I don't always agree with the choices made on behalf of child actors, I definitely don't agree with having preschoolers' dirty laundry aired for millions!
I don't know about you, but I would hate to live in a cramped house with all my siblings and my parents and to be forced to share bedrooms. I think it's a safe bet to say that the Gosselin children definitely love their new bigger home, thank you very much.
As for vacations - I don't know one child who wouldn't want to go to Disney World, go skiing, visit the Zoo, and so many other great places. You and your children might like being stuck at home everyday but normal children love vacations.
The Gosselin children DO have two parents who love them unconditionally. Jon and Kate's marital problems cannot be blamed on the show necessarily. Like I mentioned before, divorce rate for parents of multiples is really high.
Kate travels because that's part of her job! Wow, she's such a bad mother for having an occupation and providing for her family...whatever. And many parents who aren't famous work long hours too. I'm sure they would all want to spend more fun time with their children and still have the money rolling in but the world doesn't work that way.
I rather have my potty training aired on television than be an actor playing a child prostitute in a movie and being teased at school for it. Kids are kids, they make fun of each other for the most ridiculous reasons - whether you're famous or not.
"Infamous child stars"? None on this list strikes me as infamous.
Maybe Danny Bonaduce. He's been locked up a time or two.
Just another example of the mind numbing ignorance that is the American public !
So absolutely true.
I've never watched this particular show, but just wanted to ask what exactly is educational about any of TLC's programming? It's supposed to be "The Learning Channel". TLC sucks & now Discovery & History are getting about as bad.
Nothing. It's just a gimmick so someone can start a new channel. Once it's up and running, the content changes. It's too bad.
FYI - your statement at the top of the article about 40 episodes vs. 52 weeks a year is flawed. While I am not defending these two, you are wrongly assuming that it takes a week to shoot an episode and that is not how it is done. I don't know exactly - because each production is different -- but it is highly doubtful that this is the case. It may have been far far less! They may literally have shot an episode a day.... or more. When you edit it down, add in interviews, take into consideration commercials -- you can do a lot of shooting in one or two days. Possibly 3 or 4 episodes. And remember, they would not have necessarily shot for a week at a time. The schedule was likely setup to include a few days a week... whatever... based on what they want to catch on tape -- could be a day at the zoo or a few school scenes. That's how it is usually handled.
Gosslins say they shot 3 times a week..
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