And so it finally was announced. In separate on-camera interviews tonight, Jon and Kate each said they were going to “separate.” (A screen message toward the end of the hour said that today they had filed for the “dissolution” of their marriage: divorce.)
“Jon has a lot of anger toward me… he won’t talk to me.”
“I don’t hate Kate, but, y’know…”
“Thank God we have the show, so we can tell what we want to tell,” said Jon.
These comments, scattered throughout a special one-hour edition of Jon & Kate Plus Eight, was wrenching and a relief — probably for Jon and Kate Gosselin, certainly for those of us watching. “I’m still on the show,” said Jon, confirming what we all pretty much assumed. The series will now be episodes of “me and the kids, her and the kids,” said Jon.
Kate remains Kate, blunt and articulate. “I’ve become very hard and very crass and very jaded,” she said. “I will not lie down and die… I will survive and [the kids] will survive.”
Jon remains Jon, somewhat inarticulate but stubborn and newly defiant. “I was too passive; I let her rule the roost.”
Whereas Kate’s eyes filled with tears and she said, “I don’t really want to be alone,” Jon said he was looking forward to “a new chapter in my life.”
The notoriety the show has brought the family seeped into the first half-hour, which was supposed to be a more typical, harmless Jon & Kate episode about the kids. They were getting some “crooked houses” — custom-made playhouses that were to be erected on the Gosselins’ property. Kate wanted the houses placed near their main house, but Jon wanted them further away, in the woods. “We have privacy issues,” he said, and noted that “the paparazzi” wouldn’t be able to take pictures if the houses were in a remote location. Kate was having none of it. “He wants them down there,” she said, asserting that the kids “would never play” from a location far from her sight in the Gosselin home.
As usual, Kate got her way. (For the record, I side with her on this one.) The kids, as always, were pretty much non-stop wonderful. They were totally in their own play-world that the houses inspired. Cara chose to have her house designed as a haunted house, complete with a “door shaped like a coffin.” (Uh-oh: future Goth Gosselin!) The tykes romped and giggled and dreamed up scenarios: “We’re having a wedding, ’cause this is my boy,” said one of the girls, playing “marriage” with her brother. As always, they provided the joy. Ironic joy, in this case, but joy.
And truth. “Daddy, be quiet, ’cause we’re doin’ the interviews!” one of the kids yelled as they sat for the cameras for the umpteenth time, with no end in sight.
Did you watch? What did you think? Will you keep watching after this?
For more on the Gosselins:
Jon and Kate file for divorce
I predict next year the show will be renamed Single Kate and be about how a single mom wrangles eight kids without a husband. Jon obviously wants out of the show and I bet next year he will have his wish but Kate would rather sacrifice her marriage than lose 75,000 an ep. Way to go Kate! You’re rich and everyone thinks you’re a witch!
I’m really sad this happened. Those early episodes were great and they were a great normal couple. I hope for the best, but I hope they are ok.
I felt to sad for them, for kate, I think she gets an unfair treatment, people love to make jugdments about how others are in their personal lives but nobody really knows. I hope they both find happiness, my parents did after they divorced.
My oh my what a surprise, you get what you get paid for. You value things, well that’s what your left with in the end. It’s absolutely disgraceful that these two weak adults allowed greed to seep into their nest to this degree. Guess that should be expected from those who choose to create something in a lab rather than be truly loving and adopt.
To Nerwen Aldarion: Don’t speak for everyone–I don’t think Kate’s a witch.
I am so sad and heartbroken for them. All Kate’s demanding ways finally took a toll on Jon. It’s about time Jon stood for himself but I think he’s taking it to the extreme. Too bad they can’t meet in the middle. I wish they’d take marriage counseling and quit the show for the sake of their children and mariage.
Incredibly sad for all of them. It is excruciatingly painful to go through a divorce. I hope the kids will be okay.
It was very sad how neither Jon or Kate spoke once about getting help. Instead they spoke about the next chapter of their life. They both reflected on their happy memories which included many free trips, including the one to Hawaii. Did they renew their vows there a year ago in Hawaii b/c it was good PR or did they actually mean them? Personally, I think the two of them are hypocrites, and should be ashamed of their behavior over this past year. Furthermore, TLC hs totally enabled them all for the mighty $$.
Honestly, just sad. Just plain sad. Am thinking of divorce myself and it’s not tv fodder- it’s real life- painful and sad. The children will suffer……..the parents will too, No matter waht the jaded people think.
I think it is disgusting that people judge Kate for wanting to continue the show. 99% of you all would do a show in a heartbeat I know I would and I only have two kids to feed not EIGHT! You are all so transparent when you bash her decision to do the show. Plus do not forget it is Jon travelling all over with random chicks. WTH??? you are a husband and a FATHER! Does he realize why he is doing to those kids? I love his “I am only 32…” comment Well your youngest kids are only 5 they don;t deserve this. Jon you are too selfish to do what is right and I don’t blame Kate for biting your head off. You are a POS and don’t deserve your kids or Kate as your wife! You will look back when your kids are teens and realize you went off with tramps while they were little. You should have never had kids!
Sad. I hope they stop the show and move on with their lives.
I think it’s heartbreaking that she/he/they chose money rather than ditching their lives in a fishbowl to try and save their marriage and their family. I also think TLC should change their initials DGAS (Don’t Give a S_ _ _)
To Kal: REad the comments in the other threads, yeah most people do think Kate is a witch. She treats Jon like crap, yelling at him for mundane things (You didn’t use a coupon for a shower head when we just bought this gigantic house with acres of land and we make millions of dollars a year!)I’m not saying Kate is at fault for everything in their marriage, Jon’s infidelity is dispicable but I’m not surprised he eventually took that route since Kate is terrible to him all the time.
I’m 23, unmarried, with no children and even I know that they should end the show and work on what’s IMPORTANT; their marriage and their children. They need counseling on communication to get to the bottom of all their issues with each other. They have anger towards each other because nobody is talking about anything. It’s awful to watch this display on national tv and my heart goes out to their struggling family. I hope they are able to resolve everything and I hope for that happy ending. If not that then I hope the best for Jon, Kate, and all of their children. Such a tragedy to see the american family torn apart by society’s greed.
You would be a witch too if your immature husband was out screwing other women and drinking in random bars while you were working or taking care of the kids. He should not have had kids if he did not want the responsibility of being a father. No one said life is easy and rainsing kids is not skipping throuh the park everyday it is WORK but I guess it is easier for Jon to hook up with a skank who is 13 years older than his older daughters and what 10 years younger than he is? PLEASE