Kate Plus 8 - General Discussion

[AnnaMayWong]

⬆Yes, it was.

Although, It WAS hilarious when during Kate's strangely acrimonious rant and Zip Guy's increasing frustration at Kate's persistent verbal attacks, she uttered, "... If I was a PAYING customer..." and The Zip Guy responded, "But, you're not..." He actually caused her to shut the _ _ _ _ up for a moment.

...

Edited January 30, 2016 by BookElitist

[Alapaki]

Okay. However, you were not on television. You were not on a REALity show.

If one decides to be on such a show, one obviously wishes the public to view it in order for the program to not be cancelled.

 

 

I don't disagree.  And I have no problem with the snark that gets hurled at Kate.

 

Even if they signed on originally out of desperation for financial support, at some point Kate clearly made a decision to make this her "full time" job.  And she's been able to parlay that into a pretty sweet lifestyle in exchange for probably less than a month of work each year (and most of that either "working" at home, or on a beach).  The public scrutiny is the price you pay for the benefits that being a famewhore affords you.

 

Of course, I wouldn't apply that to the kids.  They never made a decision to be on TV; they frankly don't remember any other way of life; and their ordeal actually led to Pennsylvania passing a law putting restricting on reality-tv filming of minors in this Commonwealth.

 

But Kate is certainly fair game.  My point is simply that I sympathize with her parenting frustrations (but not the fact that she's an asshole generally).

and The Zip Guy responded, "But, you're not..." He actually caused her to shut the _ _ _ _ up for a moment.

 

 

Actually, the way I heard it, it was even better.  I heard zip-line guy say "if you were a paying customer we would've kicked your ass out of here ten minutes ago!"

[AnnaMayWong]

I do understand your points.

Haha! I think that your 'hearing' is excellent.:-)

...

Edited January 29, 2016 by BookElitist

[Alapaki]

And another thing about that zip-line incident is that it demonstrates exactly how entitled Kate thinks she is.

 

At one point, Kate (not a production person) tried to big-time the zip-line guy by saying "Hey, we're filming here!".

 

Now, I suppose this show has never really even tried very hard to create even the facade of a fourth-wall.

 

But that one little comment revealed alot.  It showed that, at least while they're filming, Kate doesn't consider herself a "mother of 8", but rather a "tv personality who plays a mother of 8" on TV.

[AnnaMayWong]

Oh, my gosh! You're right! She screeched something like, "...this is just a filming..." while the bodyguard, miserably, hovered.

And, yes.You are SO on point--

The illustrations of 'playing' a mother vs. the state of 'being' a mother.

[Chai]

These last posts about the zipline guy made me laugh! I bet more people than we know really talk to her like that!

[farmgal4]

That was a nasty display of nastiness.

Yes, it was indeed nasty, but not as nasty as the tantrum she had in Alaska. I was so hoping they would show that ugly little episode. "Bitch" doesn't even begin to describe her behavior during that fiasco.

Edited January 31, 2016 by farmgal4

[farmgal4]

I don't disagree.  And I have no problem with the snark that gets hurled at Kate.

 

Even if they signed on originally out of desperation for financial support, at some point Kate clearly made a decision to make this her "full time" job.  And she's been able to parlay that into a pretty sweet lifestyle in exchange for probably less than a month of work each year (and most of that either "working" at home, or on a beach).  The public scrutiny is the price you pay for the benefits that being a famewhore affords you.

 

Of course, I wouldn't apply that to the kids.  They never made a decision to be on TV; they frankly don't remember any other way of life; and their ordeal actually led to Pennsylvania passing a law putting restricting on reality-tv filming of minors in this Commonwealth.

 

But Kate is certainly fair game.  My point is simply that I sympathize with her parenting frustrations (but not the fact that she's an asshole generally).

 

Actually, the way I heard it, it was even better.  I heard zip-line guy say "if you were a paying customer we would've kicked your ass out of here ten minutes ago!"

THAT was what he said. Was it a zip line? I thought she was on a bungee cord.

[Micks Picks]

No way is TLC making money off this.  Less than a million viewers and a .3 share won't pay for a crew let alone the 2 vacations they put out for this year, and the landscaping and new wrap around deck.  Pricey, and a great plus for Kate, money in her pocket and adds value to the house.  But come on, the viewership isn't there, and I can't see her supporting the bottom line.

[Alapaki]

THAT was what he said. Was it a zip line? I thought she was on a bungee cord.

You're right. I misspoke (I think I was actually quoting another poster and wasn't thinking too closely about the appliance). Although, it didn't seem like that much of a bungee, in that it didn't look like she dropped a long way in free fall and then bounced back up high. It was more of a "gently lowering her down" situation.

No way is TLC making money off this.  Less than a million viewers and a .3 share won't pay for a crew let alone the 2 vacations they put out for this year, and the landscaping and new wrap around deck.  Pricey, and a great plus for Kate, money in her pocket and adds value to the house.  But come on, the viewership isn't there, and I can't see her supporting the bottom line.

I agree. And I think the evidence is that about 70% of the commercials during each episode are for other TLC shows.

I think the only way this show makes sense financially is if the vacations and the house upgrades that we see are either free or greatly discounted "for promotional consideration".

[gunderda]

I think the scene of her being nasty with the zip-line(?) guy and her free falling were two different events.  I know they showed her doing the free falling but I think she was wearing a different suit than when she was freaking out at that guy?  

 

Because it made me wondering why she would try TWO different height things when she's that terrified.  The free-fall she did but she was a bawling mess when she reached the ground. Her kids were all excited for her and there she was looking like an idiot. That was awkward.

[AnnaMayWong]

Apparently, the confusion between Ziplining, Bungee Jumping, or Free-Falling lies with my statement. It was the activity wherein she verbally savaged the poor worker and, later, ever so lightly touched the ground then crumpled into a po' Kate hysterical mess.

[Steff]

She's already announced on twitter that they are filming again.  Filmed on the snow days kids were out of school & at Costco on Saturday.

[Pdxblonde]

She's already announced on twitter that they are filming again.  Filmed on the snow days kids were out of school & at Costco on Saturday.

Wow... how amazingly boring. Aren't these kids a little old for us to see how "cute" they are on a snowday? Costco? They are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. I will say this, though, I'd rather they film this boring day to day crap then see Kate get ANOTHER free vacation.

[AnnaMayWong]

Well, jeepers! Kate must certainly know a lucky leprechaun, a badass genie in a bottle, or possess some magical mojo because she's receiving da buck$ for doing ab-so-lute-ly nothing. Nothing. And, after all, THAT is her wish fulfilled. Amazing.

[gunderda]

I enjoy the show but I could definitely be ok with a once a year "update" show and not an entire "season"

[mangosplums]

I don't like it when people criticize Mady. They don't know what it's like to grow up with a narcissist mother like Kate. Mady is just fighting back for her own survival. She's a nice person to other people she interacts with, the rare times we see her interact with them. I think Mady is very smart and witty and I hope she doesn't let Kate influence her too much. I hope she grows up to be a different person than Kate. 

[mangosplums]

Kate thinks that her and Mady are really alike, but I don't think Kate could ever be as funny as Mady. Mady's relationship with Kate reminds me of my relationship with my mother. We would scream and yell at each other, and I wasn't very nice to her. I look back on it now, and I realize I wasn't a bad person to be mean to her, though I've lived with a lot of guilt about it. I was just trying my hardest to reject everything she was about, because she's not someone I like or respect as a person. There was never any love in our relationship, it was always just a battle of wills between us. It was just manipulation. That's the relationship Mady has with Kate. As soon as she can get away from Kate, she should. As soon as all the kid's can get away from Kate, they should, but I have a feeling she is going to keep their money from them. When they become adults they are going to want the money they deserve for the child labor they did. She isn't going to give it to them and they are going to have to sue her for it. 

[Absolom]

By the time they are legal adults, Kate will have spent all the money she was required to put into trust.  There will be nothing to sue to get.  She'll have bags and bags of receipts of every dime she spent on a child to justify the expenditures. I may be wrong, but that's my view of Kate.

[mangosplums]

By the time they are legal adults, Kate will have spent all the money she was required to put into trust.  There will be nothing to sue to get.  She'll have bags and bags of receipts of every dime she spent on a child to justify the expenditures. I may be wrong, but that's my view of Kate.

you might be right, but i hope not. I want those kids to get some money. 

Edited February 7, 2016 by mangosplums

[RazzleberryPie]

The point of a trust is to prevent parents from spending it all. Kate creating that trust was a red flag to me that she and john were about to split, and the money was being protected from any kind of revenge antics. Sure enough, they announced their divorce not long after.

One think about Kate is she will hustle - Jon is lazy, but Kate will hustle. Both are entitled, but Kate does not play the victim. She moans and whines, but is no victim.

Maddy is loud like Kate but passively snarky and lazy like Jon. I see far more of him in Maddy than I see Kate. Her mannerisms, her tone of voice, her passive aggressive, entitled snark, that's all straight up Jon, just amplified like Kate.

I really don't like that girl's attitude.

I also wish she and her sister would learn to sit up straight and not all slouched with their heads cocked sideways and that 24/7 eye roll. My Nona wouldn't smacked that attitude upside the head of we dared be that disrespectful toward our mother, even if she had been the piece of work that Kate is.

[Absolom]

The trust was directed by the state of PA.  It allows use of the earnings of the children for items related to the child(ren)'s welfare such as medical care, education, etc.  Kate can legally take money from the trust to pay for things for the children including their private school tuition.  I'm not saying absolutely that she has, but she can.

[Maharincess]

Well, jeepers! Kate must certainly know a lucky leprechaun, a badass genie in a bottle, or possess some magical mojo because she's receiving da buck$ for doing ab-so-lute-ly nothing. Nothing. And, after all, THAT is her wish fulfilled. Amazing.

She not only gets paid money for doing absolutely nothing, she also gets trips and expensive home remodeling for free while getting paid for doing absolutely nothing.

I don't care how much money she has, she'll never be a happy, content person. I don't have that kind of money, I don't have a house as nice as hers but I wouldn't trade my life for hers for anything. Because I'm happy. I can see the good, positive things in my life and know that they far outweigh the negatives. She only focuses on the negative.

And I have never seen my kids as a burden.

She could be a billionaire and she still wouldn't be happy.

[RazzleberryPie]

Why did the State of PA not make them form a trust until the the little kids were five or so?

[Absolom]

PA didn't have a law on the books until then.  It was only after online viewers of the show banded together and got other people involved that it pushed the legislature to pass a law. 

[mbutterfly]

I don't like it when people criticize Mady. They don't know what it's like to grow up with a narcissist mother like Kate. Mady is just fighting back for her own survival. She's a nice person to other people she interacts with, the rare times we see her interact with them. I think Mady is very smart and witty and I hope she doesn't let Kate influence her too much. I hope she grows up to be a different person than Kate. 

I agree. I have always seen the fairly grown up Mady be polite and friendly to others. She's adjusted in her own way, and I think she'll be fine. I like her a lot now. 

[MarysWetBar]

I don't like it when people criticize Mady. They don't know what it's like to grow up with a narcissist mother like Kate. Mady is just fighting back for her own survival. She's a nice person to other people she interacts with, the rare times we see her interact with them. I think Mady is very smart and witty and I hope she doesn't let Kate influence her too much. I hope she grows up to be a different person than Kate.

Maddie? Welcome to PTV.

Jussst joking! I keep waiting for one of Kates kids to show up :)

[Maharincess]

I'm sure Kate herself has been here. She has nothing to do while the kids are in school all day, I'm sure she sits on the computer googling herself all day.

[Whyyouneedaname]

" I think Mady would've been happier  shopping in a vintage clothing store. Cara would've been happier if she had stayed home. Mady has been making me laugh and I'm kinda Team Mady now. I can see her calling her mom "Kate" really soon, if not already."

 

The way the kids, all of them, still refer to her as mommy, just seems odd to me.  

Edited February 23, 2016 by Whyyouneedaname

[tobeyoungagain]

I feel bad for him.  It's not like he's refusing to work;  that show was his income for many years and now he has nothing.  Kate got everything and no doubt is turning the kids against him.  I think the whole thing is sad.

 

Jon got into arrears on child support. Since this is a state law he had to pay or be punished. He signed to allow the children to film in exchange for being released from child support. So quite frankly he sold his right. Since they have joint custody ( not to be confused with physical custody) both parents permission was needed.

Now he hasn't seen the twins in a year. He was seeing the tups every other weekend and once a week for dinner. Now that he's lost his home he probably just has day visits on the weekend. So not much time and zero dollars. What a prince.

[mangosplums]

Maddie? Welcome to PTV.

Jussst joking! I keep waiting for one of Kates kids to show up :)

I'm not Maddie. Though when I read my post back to myself, I can see why you think that I am. I am just someone who feels protective over her because I was so much like her when I was younger.

 

 

Edited March 3, 2016 by mangosplums

[Chai]

Kates journal is published online at www.realitytvscandals.com/2015/01/09/kate-gosselins-journals-published-disturbing-content/http://www.realitytvscandals.com/2015/01/09/kate-gosselins-journals-published-disturbing-content/

[Absolom]

That was over a year ago, but yes, it showed how terrible Kate was.

[Talky Tina]

Wow. I've been reading those diaries. If I didn't know better I would think Kate had one kid named Hannah and a sometimes kid named Leah. All she writes about is Hannah and she throws Leah in every once in a while but it's usually in relation to Hannah. When she does mention the other kids, it's usually in a negative way.

She sure likes her exclamation marks.

"John and I got in the bus!!!!"

"The kids walked upstairs!!!!!!"

You can tell she wrote these because I can "hear" her in them.

She's disgusting.

[Talky Tina]

Wait! She finally mentioned Alexis, of course it was only to talk about her "long, drawn out whining".

The only time she writes about the boys is to say how bad they are and the different ways she beats them, especially Colin and Joel.

I'm bored today so I used the search feature and counted how many times she wrote about the kids.

Hannah was mentioned 177 times

Leah got 164, Joel got a whopping 48 mentions and Collin and Aaden each got 61 mentions.

She's pretty open about her favoritism. Hannah and Leah are her favorites and she makes no bones about it.

The times the boys are written about its either about how bad they are or it lists the ways she's beaten them.

I don't know why anybody would defend this woman.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Talky Tina

[mangosplums]

Someone put season 4 on youtube, so I'm finally getting to watch it. I've watched two episodes so far. Kate seems to have mellowed quite a bit. On an everyday level, she seems to be a pretty good mother actually. It's the larger picture that's potentially worrying. She has made her children famous, whether they like it or not, and the implications of that are yet to be seen. We won't know till they are adults whether this method of raising them was good or bad. We also don't know, as has been said, how much money she is saving for them. I think that she does genuinely care for them and is saving money for college, but we will see if that's true when they are older. 

 

The one kid that does worry me is Colin. Someone said earlier on this thread that he seems like he's medicated, and I agree. He's not himself. His eyes seem to be always half open and he seems out of it most of the time. He is not the bright-eyed child he used to be. I also noticed that he seems to be ostracized from his siblings. He is always off by himself when the others are together, and I don't see him being playful with his siblings like the others are. I hope he's okay. I think he has been treated like the "problem" kid by Kate and that may do some damage to his self-esteem. He always seemed to me in previous seasons like he was the smartest of the sextuplets. It doesn't seem that Kate notices that there's anything wrong. I felt bad for him when all the other tups were having fun in the pool with their friends at the "deck party" and he was standing watching them with the adults. 

 

One last thing:  This is a minor gripe, but I wish that Kate wasn't so invested in gender roles, and didn't divide the kids up by gender so much. I understand that Kate is conservative, so it's not surprising. If any of the kid's grows up to be gay, they will probably have a bit of a struggle because they grew up in a household that puts such high value on traditional gender roles. Not all people fit into traditional gender roles and that's ok. Wish Kate would get with the times. 

Edited March 16, 2016 by mangosplums

[tobeyoungagain]

I can't believe this show is still on!  Does anyone actually care about her and her kids anymore?  I mean honestly it's not like she lets them do anything interesting so what's the fun?  They're getting too old for us to coo and gaga over their first adventures or sunday pancake making.

 

Someone please pull the plug... it's honestly not interesting

[Talky Tina]

I've been going through my bookshelves to thin them out a little and came across the Hoffman book. I skimmed through it and it made me so mad all over again. 

The younger kids just turned 12, they're at the age where teasing and bullying really kicks in. I can't imagine being a 12 year old walking down the hall at school and having other kids looking at their phones and giggling as they watch a video of me on the potty seat, having a tantrum or watching my sister talk about how I "popped in my underwear".    I really hope they aren't being teased and made fun of over these private moments but I would bet that they are.   Even now when they aren't on TV, their mother still tweets their private moments to the world. 

I hope that growing up as they have doesn't negatively affect them for the rest of their lives but I guess only time will tell. 

[Absolom]

According to a promo on TLC, they'll be back soon.

[JenMcSnark]

Jon has been talking in the press lately about how he doesn't have a relationship with Maddy, Cara, and Colin.  Very sad.  

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

On August 8, 2016 at 10:14 PM, JenMcSnark said:

Jon has been talking in the press lately about how he doesn't have a relationship with Maddy, Cara, and Colin.  Very sad.  

Perhaps talking to the press about this is not the best way to remedy that situation. 

(I agree it is sad, though.)

[doodlebug]

So, Kate has now given an interview to People mag in which she says Collin has 'special needs' and he has been sent to a residential facility to learn to deal with it.  Because, as we know, there is nothing that a kid who feels 'different' needs more than his mother going to the national media to get a story for herself based on blabbing about his problems.

The article is very vague as to what his diagnosis might be and doesn't give any hint as to the name or the location of the facility where he is now living.  I suppose Kate is saving the big reveal for a 'very special episode' of Kate Plus 8.

I suppose this explains, at least in part, Jon's assertion that he hasn't seen Collin recently.

Edited August 24, 2016 by doodlebug

[IndianPaintbrush]

Does Collin have autism?  It must be really serious if he's living somewhere else.

I'm surprised to learn that Maddy and Cara don't speak to their father.  They are at the exact age when many children of divorce start rebelling against the custodial parent in favor of the non-custodial parent.  

[AZChristian]

Isn't Collin the one who was expelled from their private Christian school because of physical altercations with other students and/or teachers?  To be honest, if Kate was my mother, I'd be messed up, too.  

[Steff]

Collin was always Kate's scapegoat.  The things she journaled that she did to him as a toddler were horrifying.   She's always wanted him to go away & now she found a way to do it.  that poor little boy. 

[AZChristian]

Something just popping up from personal past experiences and reading  makes me wonder if Collin is the one whose personality reminds her most of Jon.

[farmgal4]

3 hours ago, doodlebug said:

So, Kate has now given an interview to People mag in which she says Collin has 'special needs' and he has been sent to a residential facility to learn to deal with it.  Because, as we know, there is nothing that a kid who feels 'different' needs more than his mother going to the national media to get a story for herself based on blabbing about his problems.

The article is very vague as to what his diagnosis might be and doesn't give any hint as to the name or the location of the facility where he is now living.  I suppose Kate is saving the big reveal for a 'very special episode' of Kate Plus 8.

I suppose this explains, at least in part, Jon's assertion that he hasn't seen Collin recently.

Not only did she give People an interview about Collin and his problems, but she and the kids are on the cover... without Collin.  That bitch is a real piece of work.  

[ginger90]

I live in Pennsylvania and I am curious where they chose, if he is in the state. Not in a stalker way, I should say. I hope whatever the situation, that it is what HE needs.

[Pickles]

How does she have money for all of this? Collin has been sent away and surely she must have to pay for his care? All of the other kids are in private school. That costs money. Then there is the big house and it's upkeep. She gets her TLC paycheck, but she can't be raking in the money that she once was.

[Quof]

What kind of mother allows her teens to speak that way about their father to a magazine?   Sure, she can't control what they say in other settings, but she sure as hell can refuse to sign the release for the "journalist" to interview them. 

What am I thinking; the same kind of mother who sells out her children's privacy in exchange for a tummy tuck and some free trips.

Wasn't Collin the one whom Jon had to disimpact in the parking lot of a furniture store (speaking of selling out your child's privacy)?