Is anybody still watching Jon & Kate plus 8?

[Sha]

Curious.... I probably watched one episode since the new series (since the separation) started. It was the episode when they having the kitchen at the house redone and Kate and Jon alternated looking after the kids at the house.

I haven''t watched any other shows, but I notice from the previews that most of the new episodes follow the same pattern - Kate on an outing with the boys/girls. Jon on an outing/doing a project with the boys/girls. I know that most of the earlier shows were about family outings too - but somehow it just seems like the family dynamic is gone now... Yes, Kate and the children and Jon and the children are still a family - but it still seems like something is missing. It feels like they''re taking regular field trips to keep the show going, but there''s no more ''family'' anymore.

It also seems strange to me that the Show is still named ''Jon & Kate + 8'' ...since there''s obviously no more ''Jon + Kate''. Did anyone see the recent interviews Jon did? So much bitterness....he actually said he despises Kate and has more love for Halley (his new girlfriend) than he ever had for her. Ouch...

 

[Upgradable]

I saw last night''s episode, and it definitely feels like all of the activities are scripted. I wanted to sock Jon when he called little Joes a "wuss"!

 

[kittybean]

I haven''t watched any of the episodes since their separation/divorce/overexposure/hate-fest. I still think the kids are amazing and precious, but I cannot deal with Jon or Kate anymore.

Is it just me, or is each one''s appearance getting increasingly more Hollywood-tastic recently? Yuck.

 

[Ara Ann]

I am not a regular viewer of their program and will turn it off if I have the TV on when it comes on. Just child exploitation at this point.

And again, not a regular viewer of "The View" either, but I turned it off when I saw Kate was a guest co-host two days this week! Yikes! Guess it was Jon''s turn to be with the kids.

I truly can''t stand either of them anymore.

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 9/16/2009 7:06:42 PM
Author: kittybean
I haven''t watched any of the episodes since their separation/divorce/overexposure/hate-fest. I still think the kids are amazing and precious, but I cannot deal with Jon or Kate anymore.

Is it just me, or is each one''s appearance getting increasingly more Hollywood-tastic recently? Yuck.

I still watch when I remember to. Jon and Kate both seem fake, but Kate seems faker to me. She is always giving these ''whoa is me'' sob stories about how she has to be sooo strong and do everything on her own. They have help. They are not the only single parents in America. They are not the only large family.

I felt that Jon was genuinely frustrated when he did that interview. Harsh words, but at least he was not pandering to the camera. Kate seems like she is reading from a script when she is on tv. So unfeeling and rehearsed. Blargh!


Cute kids though!

 

[Ara Ann]

Date: 9/16/2009 7:17:19 PM
Author: trillionaire

Date: 9/16/2009 7:06:42 PM




...... Jon and Kate both seem fake, but Kate seems faker to me. She is always giving these 'whoa is me' sob stories about how she has to be sooo strong and do everything on her own. They have help. They are not the only single parents in America. They are not the only large family.

I felt that Jon was genuinely frustrated when he did that interview. Harsh words, but at least he was not pandering to the camera. Kate seems like she is reading from a script when she is on tv. So unfeeling and rehearsed. Blargh!



Cute kids though!

+1

 

[swingirl]

The shows seem like they have very little to do with the kids. Sure, the kids are dragged along on some field trip that TLC is paying for but I don't see much interaction. Poor Kate has to learn to barbeque. And she wants to make "memories". Every time I tune in I want to puke. To think that they are being paid to show the world what a dysfunctional family is like. I won't watch again.

I am amazed that they are still making new episodes and that people are interested enough to watch. I guess Kate has her following.

And something about the kids isn't cute anymore. The twins look sad and the little ones look lost.

 

[VRBeauty]

I have not watched this show, so I may be all wet here. But... it seems to me that forcing young children to grow up in front of a television audience is questionable to begin with. Continuing the taping while these children are trying to figure out and react to their parents'' separation is just plain wrong.

 

[Girlrocks]

No, I don''t watch anymore. It was interesting to me when it was just the 2 of them trying to manage 8 kids on their own...feedings, naps, etc. Now that they are Mr. and Mrs. Gucci with a mansion and paid staff, it isn''t interesting anymore. Plus the youngest are now in all day Kindergarten, so it''s just a bunch of weekend field trips.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Nope. I am soooooooooo over them and everything that goes along with them!

 

[asscherisme]

Date: 9/16/2009 8:15:42 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
Nope. I am soooooooooo over them and everything that goes along with them!

My thoughts exactly. Its gone from a show my kids use to enjoy watching with me to my kids asking me why they are on the magazines at the grocery store checkout! Today I was in a doctor's room waiting room with my kids and my 7 year old son picks up a mazazing with Jon on the front with some headline about him having sex and my son asks me what sex means. From family friendly to trashy. Blech.

Divorce is hard enough on kids, but to drag it out in front of the cameras? I feel so bad for their kids.

 

[radiantquest]

I used to loooove the show. I could sit and watch the marathons, episode after episode. My husband always hated Kate. He said that she was awful. I defended her and said that she was forced to be that way because she has so many kids. Now since the marriage has disolved and things have gone the way they have I have no interest in the show. I really can''t believe they have not changed the intro. "It may be a crazy life, but it''s our life" Doesn''t really seem fitting anymore. When I look back at the clips of the way Kate treated Jon all those years she really was a tyrant. I was even embarassed for him watching those clips the way she was so condescending and just overbearing, but that doesn''t give him a right to say the things that he has said recently especially since it is public. His kids may see that one day and know that his dad said that he loved is girlfriend more than he ever loved their mom. To me that is just wong regardless of how you feel, that is not something that your kids need to know. I think that the whole situation was/is handled badly.

 

[somethingshiny]

I was never exactly a fan of J&K, but I would watch it occasionally. Since the split I haven''t watched it. I feel like it''s a privacy invasion or something.

And, Jon saying that he "despises" Kate is unconscionable. This is his childrens'' mother! Those words will come back on him someday and in a hard way.

 

[Bia]

Date: 9/16/2009 6:51:39 PM
Author:Sha
Curious.... I probably watched one episode since the new series (since the separation) started. It was the episode when they having the kitchen at the house redone and Kate and Jon alternated looking after the kids at the house.

I haven't watched any other shows, but I notice from the previews that most of the new episodes follow the same pattern - Kate on an outing with the boys/girls. Jon on an outing/doing a project with the boys/girls. I know that most of the earlier shows were about family outings too - but somehow it just seems like the family dynamic is gone now... Yes, Kate and the children and Jon and the children are still a family - but it still seems like something is missing. It feels like they're taking regular field trips to keep the show going, but there's no more 'family' anymore.

It also seems strange to me that the Show is still named 'Jon & Kate + 8' ...since there's obviously no more 'Jon + Kate'. Did anyone see the recent interviews Jon did? So much bitterness....he actually said he despises Kate and has more love for Halley (his new girlfriend) than he ever had for her. Ouch...

I saw that and when he said this, I acutally winced. I wondered how he could say those things about the mother of all his children - on National TV! No matter what the feelings, no need to go there.

I was never invested in the show--I think a big reason was because their relationship was a little tense and not very loving--so it doesn't matter what happens in this case. But to Jon, that's your wife of however many years, don't say you hate her - not in public where your kids will find out. Very sad. Kate was no angel either (as far as I can tell), but I imagine that must hurt.

 

[janinegirly]

Jon is so immature, obviously married too young and to someone that was more of a mother figure than partner--so now is acting out like a 17 year old (with clothes and earrings to complete the look!). What he said about the gf was just absurd.

to answer the orginal question, i''m one of the guilty ones who rarely watched the show until it hit the tabloids, then I did out of curiosity. But this season is boring...just "arranged" field trips like someone said earlier. The previous episodes were more fun to watch b/c they were more every day life of a couple with 8 and all the mishaps, but these created trips are too forced and not compelling. So that leaves the tabloid element to draw interest (will they show Jon''s new gf meeting the kids?) which of course is a bad path to head down. Obviously all parties have a part in this, the parents need the $ to keep their lifestyle (pampered, non-working parents), and TLC loves the ratings/publicity. The kids thanfully still too young, but will be rough once they''re closer to teens than toddlers. But they do benefit from the $$ too and the opportunity it will give them--something that would have been very very difficult with 8 and one working parent in a cramped house (what it would have been without the show).

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 9/17/2009 11:31:35 AM
Author: somethingshiny
I was never exactly a fan of J&K, but I would watch it occasionally. Since the split I haven''t watched it. I feel like it''s a privacy invasion or something.

And, Jon saying that he ''despises'' Kate is unconscionable. This is his childrens'' mother! Those words will come back on him someday and in a hard way.

Ditto!!

 

[cara]

I watched the rerun episode earlier this week where they got the puppies for last christmas... only to wake up the next day and see a headline that they had sent the dogs back to the breeder! (Jon blames Kate for not taking care of them while he's away at his no-pets apartment in NYC.) How truly sad and irresponsible.

I have to say, I thought this was going to go bad from the beginning of the end this year... Kate was abusive to him for years and they didn't really seem to love one another in the way that would motivate trying to repair their relationship - its like for years they were just dealing and surviving and fell into unhealthy patterns. You could see it a little bit when they first went snowboarding - even with all the assistance, monetary and otherwise, Kate treated it like a huge hassle for which she should be rewarded with spa treatments, most of the kids were allowed to laze about inside after one day in the snow if they didn't like it (instead of taking them out again - which would be necessary to get all of them adapted and interested in snow sports going forward), while Jon wistfully went snowboarding alone and talked about how much he had given up and how much he missed things in his old life. Once Jon got out from under Kate's thumb a little bit I can see why he ran the other way rather than trying to repair their marriage...

But none of that excuses him not speaking up for years or his current behavior: the things he says about Kate or their marriage to tabloids to print for his children to later read when they discover computers, or him chain smoking in front of his kids, giving up his dogs instead of finding a way to care for them, sleeping with various 20yros, introducing his traumatized and exploited children to his girlfriends, or any of the other crap he has been pulling. That's on him, and its appalling. (Hmm, maybe its appalling that I've been following this in the headlines to this extent?)

As for Kate sounding 'fake' on TV, I applaud her. Whatever her flaws, she has at least muzzled herself to the extent of not making a complete ass or fool out of herself and adding multiple hateful statements about the father of her children to the permanent online record.

 

[setell]

I''m not going to beat around the bush but why do so many people bash Jon? I know he made a lot of stupid decisions by dating these college age girls and going on national tv to say he “hates” Kate etc. But I have to say his last outburst that he “despises” Kate was from everybody making him look like the breakup was his fault. Give the guy a break. If what he says is true then I’m sorry to say this but the kids just have really messed up parents and Kate is more controlling/belittling then what she is showing us through the show. If we can pick up how much of a b!tch Kate is on tv do you guys honestly think these kids won’t know how and why their parents marriage broke up when they are older? We all know Jon hates Kate and he’s just saying what we’re all thinking that is all. Ever since I started watching it a couple years ago I thought that Jon took too much crap and that one of these days he’s going to blow and it won’t be pretty. Well the time has come and hold and behold Kate is making herself look like the victim!! It takes two to tango and Kate going on national tv having these crying/tearful sessions how she “can’t let go” etc. is just a big fat act! I have no respect for either of these individuals as quite frankly their first mistake was going through in-vitro after the twins since they couldn’t provide for more children financially!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Cara, I read the news about the dogs yesterday and it was hard to read. On one hand, Kate admitted she didn''t like the dogs and Jon moved to a NYC apartment, so it might be best for the dogs, but what about the kids? All I hear them say is that everything they do is about the kids, yet taking away the family pets is reasonable? WTF?

I watched the season premier and haven''t watched an episde since. I feel so awful for the kids that I can''t stand to see either parent when they appear on TV.

 

[House Cat]

Date: 9/17/2009 11:31:35 AM
Author: somethingshiny
I was never exactly a fan of J&K, but I would watch it occasionally. Since the split I haven''t watched it. I feel like it''s a privacy invasion or something.

And, Jon saying that he ''despises'' Kate is unconscionable. This is his childrens'' mother! Those words will come back on him someday and in a hard way.

Agreed. Somehow he doesn''t get that he''s insulting his children''s DNA! I wish he would handle himself with some sort of diginity, but it seems that he is incapable.

 

[Upgradable]

Admittedly, I just started watching the show since all of the chaos. But from what I can see, Kate was a total bitch to Jon during their marriage, but he''s working really hard to catch up!

 

[snowflakeluvr]

I used to watch this show with my own children-we have five of ages all over the place so it made our own household seem perfectly tolerable

but frankly I always found them to be a rather dull, ordinary family(outside of their size). I never liked Kate, never. My own life/marriage has been a bit of a struggle(married to a workaholic) and yes, dh and I have had our moments, but if either of us had ever showed each other such consistent disrespect, well, I know we would not be together still.

Kate says she is doing everything she can for her children-I''m sorry. There will only ever be one divorce(I''m guessing) between these 8 children''s parents, this one time, so why why couldn''t she have the grace to leave the public playing field and clean things up. Then come back, maybe next year, as Kate and her eight, or whatever. Everyone says that what is being said, the children will google, see eventually. Even though they are young, you don''t think they haven''t figured "stuff" out? That mommy is terribly over-bearing and controlling, that daddy is off doing what daddy never did before. Kids KNOW, they feel and live the tension too. Of course, the "adult" subject matter of Hailey and others would be foreign to them.

My husband and I have had marital counseling more than once-Kate calls herself a Christian but she never said(and I have read that she refused) to go to counseling with Jon. Makes me question her faith.

I hope their show goes away. The children don''t need the media frenzy, not healthy for them. I believe there is enough interest in them for them to ride the financial wave a bit longer. People argue that it''s a huge family and Kate is doing the right thing. If she has invested and not squandered their earnings so far, and it appears she hasn''t, as I think they live rather middle/somewhat upper middle class, then the supposed millions they have already made would last for some time. I don''t know. We have five kids, one''s a diabetic who costs $$$, and we''ll never see that kind of money and we do just fine.

I guess we just need to stop seeking them out and they may go away...

 

[swingirl]

Date: 9/17/2009 5:45:07 PM
Author: Upgradable
Admittedly, I just started watching the show since all of the chaos. But from what I can see, Kate was a total bitch to Jon during their marriage, but he''s working really hard to catch up!

Yep, they are neck and neck at this point.

 

[Sha]

Date: 9/17/2009 11:55:15 AM
Author: janinegirly
Jon is so immature, obviously married too young and to someone that was more of a mother figure than partner--so now is acting out like a 17 year old (with clothes and earrings to complete the look!). What he said about the gf was just absurd.

to answer the orginal question, i'm one of the guilty ones who rarely watched the show until it hit the tabloids, then I did out of curiosity. But this season is boring...just 'arranged' field trips like someone said earlier. The previous episodes were more fun to watch b/c they were more every day life of a couple with 8 and all the mishaps, but these created trips are too forced and not compelling. So that leaves the tabloid element to draw interest (will they show Jon's new gf meeting the kids?) which of course is a bad path to head down. Obviously all parties have a part in this, the parents need the $ to keep their lifestyle (pampered, non-working parents), and TLC loves the ratings/publicity. The kids thanfully still too young, but will be rough once they're closer to teens than toddlers. But they do benefit from the $$ too and the opportunity it will give them--something that would have been very very difficult with 8 and one working parent in a cramped house (what it would have been without the show).

Yah, that's exactly how it feels to me. "Arranged'. Not like everyday family life anymore...just scheduled trips to keep the cameras going.

I wonder if the children don't get tired of going on trips every weekend?

 

[Sha]

Date: 9/17/2009 8:07:25 PM
Author: snowflakeluvr
I used to watch this show with my own children-we have five of ages all over the place so it made our own household seem perfectly tolerable

but frankly I always found them to be a rather dull, ordinary family(outside of their size). I never liked Kate, never. My own life/marriage has been a bit of a struggle(married to a workaholic) and yes, dh and I have had our moments, but if either of us had ever showed each other such consistent disrespect, well, I know we would not be together still.

Kate says she is doing everything she can for her children-I'm sorry. There will only ever be one divorce(I'm guessing) between these 8 children's parents, this one time, so why why couldn't she have the grace to leave the public playing field and clean things up. Then come back, maybe next year, as Kate and her eight, or whatever. Everyone says that what is being said, the children will google, see eventually. Even though they are young, you don't think they haven't figured 'stuff' out? That mommy is terribly over-bearing and controlling, that daddy is off doing what daddy never did before. Kids KNOW, they feel and live the tension too. Of course, the 'adult' subject matter of Hailey and others would be foreign to them.

My husband and I have had marital counseling more than once-Kate calls herself a Christian but she never said(and I have read that she refused) to go to counseling with Jon. Makes me question her faith.

I hope their show goes away. The children don't need the media frenzy, not healthy for them. I believe there is enough interest in them for them to ride the financial wave a bit longer. People argue that it's a huge family and Kate is doing the right thing. If she has invested and not squandered their earnings so far, and it appears she hasn't, as I think they live rather middle/somewhat upper middle class, then the supposed millions they have already made would last for some time. I don't know. We have five kids, one's a diabetic who costs $$$, and we'll never see that kind of money and we do just fine.

I guess we just need to stop seeking them out and they may go away...

In the episode that they announced their separation, I remember Kate saying that she was trying to work it out with Jon (I think she was referring to counselling too), but that he wouldn't talk to her. I got the impression that she was the one who wanted to discuss things but he just wanted 'out' of the marriage.

I agree that it would be a good idea for them to take a break and regroup as a family. Let the children have a break from the cameras and just experience ordinary life for a change!

 

[softly softly]

I've only watched a few episodes here and there and have mostly found it rather boring. I personally don't see why they ever generated such a huge level of interest. Sure they were dealing with a large number of small children, but I have never really understood why that made them worth watching for half an hour once a week.

However, I did happen to catch a repeat of the first ever show they filmed and it just made me sad to think how dramatic the change has been. Sure the kids now live in a bigger house and go on more free trips, but at what price? They have gone from having 2 involved parents to being left at home while their attention-needy mother and father take it in turns to see who can garner the most press coverage.

What I will never understand is how either Jon or Kate can possibly think it is okay to have such intimate details of their kids lives caught on camera. The sextuplets have had their potty training documented for all the world to see and thanks to YouTube that footage won't just go away when the show does. I think the fact that they are both willing to continue filming despite the complete breakdown of their family and the attendant trauma their children must be suffering makes them cruel and neglectful parents. If the amount of money they are rumoured to have made from the show thus far is correct, surely they should have amassed enough to enable them to live comfortably for some time. I guess their definition of comfortable has now expanded to include an apartment in NYC, numerous beach holidays and household staff.

At this point it's hard to guess what will cause more long term damage for the kids - being forced to live their lives on camera, or having to watch their parents snipe at each other through national media. I wish the network who produces the show would do the responsible thing and pull the show off air.

 

[mtjoya]

Seriously, I am tired of this family! I feel like the kids are spoiled and they let them get away with everything. I stopped watching because Kate would act like such a _______ with Jon. Jon now just sickens me. He is running around hooking up with all these trashy girls and it''s just dumb drama. I hate this show!