This week’s Jon & Kate Plus Eight was an hour-long clip-job: “Viewers’ Top Moments,” as voted by long-time J&K-watchers on TLC’s website. This was a smart programming decision. After so many weeks of Kate and TLC trying to make entertainment out of the muck of tabloid controversy, simply letting us watch old footage, when the Gosselins were unusual only in having eight kids, was pretty pleasurable.
Those of us who’ve watched all five seasons remember sweet little scenes such as Alexis discovering she loved alligators (“aldergators,” she fan-famously called ‘em):
A Jon-less Kate set up the clips; the producers came up with the categories. You can’t say Kate wasn’t a good sport about this. She had to sit through her meltdown in a Toys R Us, during which she yelled at Jon to stay by her side and bellowed down an aisle, “Come!” — as though Jon was a wayward dog. Yes, this and a few other scenes (how about the time Jon went to a store and didn’t bring coupons, leading Kate to mutter furiously, “You let that man out of the house and this is what happens”?) were among the ones that launched the Kate-as-oppressor, Jon-as-whipped images. These roles eventually became the pair’s on-screen personalities.
The kid footage was terrific, whether they were visiting the dentist for the first time, bopping each other on the head with toy blocks, or hearing Joel discover his manhood:
Speaking of wieners, there was some new interview footage with Kate Gosselin near the end of the hour that reaffirmed the couple’s fundamental differences.
“I was me all along,” Kate asserted after watching the old clips. Then she added, “Jon discovered he was somebody different than we had known him to be.”
Jon, of course, was nowhere to be seen on-camera. But in one old clip, he reacted sharply when Kate was fussing and yelling at him as they tried to dress the kids for some outdoor activity.
“When are you going to pull the stick out?” Jon snapped at his wife.
Kate, in a new interview, said with a sigh, “Perhaps [that] was a sign of things to come.”
Indeed.
Comments (1-30) of 71 Add your comment
you blog about this show incessantly. Yet I have not seen you talk about Flash Forward or real tv with such regularity
Here you go, Marc:
http://watching-tv.ew.com/2009/09/25/flashforward-premiere/
and
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20314284,00.html
In your face Marc!!
Sooooooooo sad!
I wish them well!
I really enjoyed this episode. I’m sorry it will stop. Hopefully, one day soon, the 8 Gosselin children can film new episodes.
*
I do think being on TV is harmful to the Gosselin children. Ron Howard was a child star as was Shirley Temple. They grew to be fine adults as did members of The Mickey Mouse Club.
Ron Howard and Shirley Temple arrived on the set at a certain time and left the set at a certain time. They didn’t work on weekends and the camera didn’t follow them home and continue filming. They had private time to play, poop, and pout privately without it being filmed. THAT’s why they turned out well adjusted and why the Gosselin 8 might not.
Correction: I do NOT think being on TV is harmful to the Gosselin children.
There’s a difference between Ron Howard and these children. Ron Howard had responsible, sane, non-egocentric parents who kept his acting and home life separate. The Gosselin parents are pretty much the opposite.
Apples and oranges KC, apples and oranges. Ron Howard, Shirley Temple and the Mouseketeers were never paraded around like circus show ponies from one staged event to the next. Ron Howard, Shirley Temple and the Mouseketeers never had their most personal, intimate moments spilled out in front of a camera’s lens for the pleasure of a rabid and voyeuristic viewing public. And I’ll tell you something else, Ron Howard, Shirley Temple and the Mouseketeers never needed to look at security guards and cameramen as pseudo father figures or to their fleet of nannies in lieu of their mother.
Well said Lea and Sandra.
I do agree with Lea and Sandra on their statements. However what kills me is the fact that no one was saying all this until the tabloids and the magazines. If everyone cares so much someone should have stepped in a long time ago. Furthermore we don’t know anything about this family. I have been watching this family from their first filming and I can’t even say I know them.
You must mean the old Mouseketeers as some of the new Mouseketeers have had a pretty rough time of it.
But it’s apples to oranges. Child actors have protections such as amount of time on screen and money put back in their names. Reality shows do not have the same requirements. These children have no separation between their private lives and what is out on the airwaves for the entire world to see over and over again on YouTube.
I really do not understand Ken Tucker’s obsession with this show. Both parents are attention seeking and irresponsible, and he keeps rewarding them with more attention. Can other shows, good shows, be discussed?
How hard is it to figure out that it’s his job? He writes about this show and then a few hundred people come to the website to comment and see ads.
Personally? I’d love a job like that.
good grief, did i watch the same episode you did?! kate is a stupid, insensitive jerk. it’s okay when she’s berating jon but we’re supposed to feel for her when jon tells her to pull the stick out? and hey, the dog could have DIED and kate’s only worried about the 2000 bucks it cost for the surgery to save the dog’s life? did you notice how many times kate said “i wasn’t there..” when all these things happened? KATE, STAY HOME AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS IF YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS STUFF. and PLEASE don’t let kate have anymore animals EVER.
Agreed – she has now taught the kids that dogs are disposable. Yeah – that’s great parenting
I agree too! She proved her true mindset with the dogs. Watching the children’s aggression only shows they constantly feel it too! TLC ought to be ashamed of themselves for continually airing Kate, oh and lets not forget the money they will spend to sue Jon.
Oh my heck – get over yourself! She is a refreshing REAL mother. I wish I lived close enough to her, our group of mothers would love to have included in some of our discussions.
Kate you are disgusting. You use the show to get free things and if you don’t get it for free, you over work your kids to pay for what you want – like a boob job. Shame on you. You eyes scream “im dirty”, you probably spend your free time laying on your back with your body guard on top of you. You said you love the kids, so why do you use them to make you money? Let those kids be kids. You make me ill. By the way b4 you dressed bad because you had no money – no choice. You abused and abused Jon to the point of divorce – it was all your doing. You had a good man and you destroyed all that. Its good that you did the show so your kids will see how ignorant you have been and how bad you treated their dad and they will hate you. You know how we call you in Canada? Jon and BI_CH plus eight. Shameless, Shameless BI_CH PLUS eight… How dare you use those poor kids for money, how dare you rob them of their dad. Sl_t plus eight thats what the show should be called. May God have mercy on your soul.
more…
What are you?!? The lead mouthpiece for Mens Rights Now? What part of Canada are you from? Do the rest of us Canadians a favour and quit puporting that you speak on behalf of all of us. I’m not for Kate and I’m not for Jon, they each in their own way contributed to the breakdown of their marriage, but this has to be one of the most vulgar and tasteless comments ever to be published in all time. You’ll be wanting to put that bottle of screech away now. It’s made you ugly.
Sandra, I agree the comment from slutpluseight is vulgar and tasteless. I wonder if that person would kiss their mother or children with that mouth! If the vulgar and tasteless comments are removed I agree with the jist of the post.
How about cleaning up the potty fingers slutpluseight. How do we know which of the posts someone might print off for the Goddelin children to read later in their lives? The message was great, the delivery was terrible.
Can everybody try and remember the Gosselin children, who are inocent victims in this mess, nay read these post at some point later in their lives. Let’s try and have some class. Thank you.
Slut plus eight I agree totally with your post. I don’t condone the vulgarity you use but the gist of your posting is right on. It was all Kate’s fault. Anybody she tired of was “done” to use her words.
I think that you are the one who needs to be asking God for mercy, yikes. How judgmental you are!
You make me ashamed to be Canadian. And all the Canadians I know have never said any of what you stated in your post.
slutpluseight is a perfect example of the nasty, dissatisfied and mean-spirited women who hang out on the Kate hate blogs. Name calling and profanity are the norm.
Ladies – you need help. Step away from your computers and forget about Kate Gosselin for a while, you’ll feel a whole lot better about yourselves.
Absolutely true!!
yea, as another Canadian I think you’re ridiculous.
you don’t have to like either Jon or Kate, and you don’t have to watch the show. But there’s really no need for such brutal and cruel language.
slutpluseight says: “You know how we call you in Canada? Jon and BI_CH plus eight.” You Canadians, you’re mighty clever.
YOU ARE SICK!
Okay whack-job get a life!
Kate NEVER abused Jon. She was a terrific mother and a wife to a juvenile. Jon is a user and he used her and he is using everyone he is DOING these days. And TLC will show him what pain TRULY is when Jon is found liable to them for buku millions.
GO TLC!!
how dare you call yourself Canadian with such ignoranace spewing from your fingertips?
Ken Tucker, you are in serious need of some therapy. get some help. now.
slutpluseight – you are an idiot and anyone who sides with your worthless post is too !!! Jon G. was a terrible husband and did need to get the stick out !!! Geez, that man is worthless ! What father would move to another state and not be near his kids if he could. Talk about in it for the money….
Best moment? The ONLY moment remotely considered good in this piece of garbage is when it was CANCELED! This show was a terrible idea, exploited children for their fame–ore parents and was salivated about by too many morons in the press.
If I NEVER hear about John, Kate or the Plus Eight again, it will be way too soon.
PLEASE GO BACK TO TALKING ABOUT REAL TELEVISION SHOWS – from Glee to Flash Forward, there’s a lot of good new series out there that don’t rely on Octomoms or narcissistic dimwits.
You guys keep bashing on Ken Tucker, but he’s only doing what he’s getting paid to do; reviewing a show that entertains millions. But I mean, if you guys don’t want to read about it… don’t click on the link. -_-’ That way you don’t need to continue reading what you consider to be useless and dumb.
On another note though, I miss watching the show when the family was intact. I stopped watching after the first episode of this season. The prospect of a pending divorce was obvious; that’s when the show stopped being about Jon & Kate Plus Eight, it became Jon & Kate and their messy divorce.
TLC should hired a hitman to kill the hussy responsible for this mess in the 1st place.
Slutpluseight I know this is you trying to hide behind a new name. Smarten up! If you can’t stay civil at least stay away from your computer, you’re out of control. You want to remember that you can be traced through your e-mail address and that you’re nudging right up to the line that separates legal from illegal. Keep it up and you’ll have the law at your door. Something tells me that won’t be an entirely new experience for you.
Kate and TLC have not been trying to make entertainment out of this situation! Your reporting is far from the truth. Jon in fact is the one on the Insider, and talking to the media non stop. Jon has some serious issues. I applaud Kate as she has her hands full and is handling herself much better compared to Jon.
You support Kate because she’s a woman, you must hate men. Kate is a bad mom, whoring her kids just to get freebies.
Yesterday, Jon Gosselin left for Hawaii for ANOTHER MUCH NEEDED VACATION, lets see, France, Vegas, Hamptons, Hawaii??????
Kate is the responsible parent, she had been away earlier in the year for a book tour (by the way that is when Jon lost it, he could not take staying at home with the children he long to have)
I will be sooo happy to see this program go. At one time I enjoyed it, but not anymore. Kate is so used to having alot of money now -I wonder how much time she actually spends with the kids and how much more time a nanny spends with them.
I liked the show, despite Kate’s overuse of the word ‘precious’. I don’t harbor the hatred for J and or K that many people do I guess.
I don’t get why so many people spend so much time on the internet bashing this family. Life’s too short to spend hating on a couple of strangers, and if I want to feel good about myself I’ll try to do something nice for somebody, not try to convince people how terrible I think that somebody else is.
AGREE! So much energy wasted on this.
More unnecessary Jon and Kate moments reporting. It makes me kinda miss the overly obsessed Megan Fox and Twilight blogs. *sigh* those were the days! I’ll even take Levi Johnston news…wait…no I won’t!
I like Kate, admire her alot. she is strong and will provide for those kids which is not something Jon ever did.
I am also from Canada, do not speak for me….
HELLO!!! Who do you think watched those children when Kate was book signing, On Rachel ray, Larry King etc, etc, etc, Kate had the nannies. Jon, did the work and the cooking! That is why he snapped!
Really? Do you live in the main house or the guest house?
Kate is weak, a b****, and likes to make sob stories so she can teach women to hate men and be lesbians, especially with her lesbian haircut.
You must hate men, do you. I rather see a weak woman than a feminazi
How could anyone enjoy these 2 clowns! The only thing they do is show how NOT to be parents! I hope their 15 minutes of fame are over!
the show was the most boring yet. although there were some cute moments we have seen them all dozens of time, so not so cute any more. The last three shows have been podiums for kate to spout HER side of the story (for which she accepts no blame, maybe she thinks since she is gone most of the time she is not involved in the family and its fate). Kate has an inflated ego, opinion of herself and obviously thinks we all feel her children are the ‘darlings’ that she does. Her ‘darlings’, in fact, leave a lot to not be desired. At 5 1/2 they should be ready for kindergarten in speech, actions and knowledge, however, at least half of them are developmentally behind in speech, they all act more like 3 year olds (constant whining, crying, screaming, hitting, kicking, biting over the least little thing) and they all just mimic each other and show little ability to think for themselves. Kate has kept them ‘babyish’ (bibs, sippy cups, high chair, no markers, no messyish fun, potty chairs all over the house waaay past the age of normal use) for a very important reason – LITTLE KIDS SELL BETTER THAN OLDER ONES. Well, they ain’t so entertaining, ain’t so interesting and definitely ain’t so cute any more. Say bye bye Gosselins (as Kate would say, “you’re DONE”).
jon decided to mut his own voice when he filed the lawsuit so he could get paid elsewhere…his choice not to be speaking
I can’t see any difference between this show and 18 duggers or 12 for dinner except the parents of this show are not getting a divorce. I never hear how those other kids are being exploited. Duggers just keep having more kids to keep everyone interested. I enjoyed watching the Gosslin show and I hope it comes back with out Jon. He ruined it for all of us. Do you think he just started drinking and smoking in the last year. I think not. When she was yelling for him he was probably outside smoking. None of us knows what went on in there private lives.
“Duggers just keep having more kids to keep everyone interested.”
What?! How in the world would you know that … unless you’re Michelle Duggar and not really “nan” as you claim.
I’m glad the show is about over. Everyone is saying Jon ruin everything but the truth is Kate did. She was “done” with him so she thought she could push him to the side and keep stepping, but that didn’t happen. The opposite did in which Jon stood up and fought back. I agree it was time to drop the curtains because the children are not quite anymore. They need special attention from both parents, but never of them have time. Kate was depending on Jon to be there while she run the street. Jon said, “no you have the money and control” no thanks. With that said I reckon its over for both of them. Just hope they don’t come back.
Just. Stop. It. The only reason these people are still taking up valuable space is that folks are obsessed with watching real lives explode on camera. The popularity of ridiculous reality TV shows is at an all time high, and it’s no wonder. People are so dissatisfied with their own lives that they are wallowing in the travails of others as a way to feel better about themselves. Just. Stop. It. Turn off the TV, and live your life! Stop living through idiots on the screen!!
AGREE AGAIN!
Look, even you can’t stop. Yours is one more comment that will be counted. The more comments, the more often this will be written about. Telling everyone to stop is not the way to stop it. Ignoring it, hard as that is (especially since we all love telling everyono else what to do), is the way to stop it.
Me? I think this is going to go on for years, whether we’re there to watch or not.
My two year old son sleeps with an alligator just like Alexis’ and he pronouces it just like her- so cute!
shows like Jon & Kate–the Duggars are reasons people should not breed children —I doubt the Gosselin kids are getting the attention and stimulation they need–going to events is not a substitute for real learning–do we ever see these kids being read a story? The Duggars seem like nice enough parents —but the olders kids care for the younger and they all look the same and have bland personalities its as if they belong to a cult of family–they don’t even get to go to regular schools–too much parent supervising all the time—someone stop the child making–Michele was more interested in her new pregnancy then her new grandchild!
Why would anyone care how many kids someone else has? If you have a dozen kids, and I’m not forced to finance your choices (i.e., welfare), then you’re none of my business. If you don’t want to watch, don’t watch. Isn’t that what the liberals say?
I’m sorry – I enjoyed the “when are you going to take the stick out” comment? Because, honestly, when is that stick going to be removed?
I didn’t much care for her reaction to that comment. We just got done watching her scream about a freakin’ coupon, we were going to see her scream and act like an idiot in the middle of a toy store, but that was all fine. To her, the true travesty of that segment was being asked when she was going to remove her large stick – she acted like he was clubbing baby seals with dead puppies when he said that.
I feel bad for the kids because they have such a self centered mother. I hope that YouTube isn’t around when those kids are old enough to use a computer by themselves so they don’t have to see this.
Let’s just put it this way. Those children do not know any other way of life. They only know life with a camera on them. When they get old enough they will realize how exposed they were. This was their way of life. The children don’t know any better, however, the parents should
Could absolutely care less, they are nobody.
Have not watched one second of their show.
So, the Best moment? Hearing that the show is over!
Maybe the media will shut up about them…but I doubt it.
skooter…. you COULDN’T care less… meaning you could not possibly care less than you already do.. get your grammar straight…
i watched this show because the kids were adorable… after all that’s gone on the past 8 months i am relieved that the final show is next week. good luck kids! you are gonna need it!
I really got tired of hearing Kate say John changed. NO KATE, you changed!!!! We seemed like an every day mom who put her kids first into a prima dona. John only changed because you pushed him over the edge. How much emotional abuse can someone take. I don’t care if its a man or women. The way you treated those dogs says it all. You disposed of them like they were garbage and you disposed your husband, family members and friends the same way. You want all the money, house and material things for yourself. Go do some volunteer work. Help someone less fortunate than yourself. God knows there are a lot of people struggling. Just stop whining about how you didn’t change and John did!!!!!!
I think TLC should took care of things earlier by hiring a hitman to kill the homewrecker that caused this mess.
Okay. That’s it, you’re done. You have consistently demonstrated yourself to be a menace and I’m flagging all your comments and reporting you.
Nobody is reporting on the paltry 1.6 million viewers that tuned in, to see the “Jon-less Kate” blather on over all those “oh so precious” memories. Wonder why? Guess it’s only news when it’s good ratings, not when they are in the toilet.
This was a reply to “oh dear”.
They also took a picture next to the pillow and put it in the first poop scrapbook.