Kate Plus 8 - General Discussion

[Greylady]

Other families with sextuplets have gotten by without reality television. The Gosselins were getting by without reality television before they did that first special. Kate would be smart to start saving some money, because this gravy train won't last much longer. The TLC large family and dwarfism gravy train is losing steam, and all those shows are going to start dropping off.

 

Having said that, Kate forcing the kids to pretend to be pilgrims is not as bad Jon discussing jerking off on Couples Therapy. I cringe to think what the twins' friends thought of that trainwreck. This episode was mostly just stupid fluff, even if it did reek of desperation.

At least Jon didn't have the kids on TV when he did Couples Therapy.  I don't mind Kate on Celebrity Apprentice because the kids aren't on with her. I don't like watchin her not deal with her kids. Her over exaggerated expressions and constant moaning about how hard she has it are too much for me.  She wanted those kids - she made the HOMs happen. No one else did that - it was all Kate!

 

And for the person who said that they thoght Robert's book was made up or something... he got that from Kate's own mommy journal.  She wrote about beating her children, leaving them in their cribs for four hours every afternoon becuase she couldnt deal wtih them.  She praised Jon in her journal because he took care of the kids - he bathed them, dressed them, fed them.  He only became disposable to her when he wanted to quit filming. ANd she is not single-handedly raising those kids - Jon has them quite a lot. He doesn't pay child support, but that is court ordered and is usually because there is a 50/50 split of parentling time.  Jon is a calming factor in those kids' lives., They are lucky to have him.

[kira28]

I don't think this show is going to make it. The "little kids" while beautiful, are no longer cute, the things they say and do are not amusing like they were when they were toddlers. They are all too old for this type of show. I felt so bad for the twins when they were dragged on that vacation that totally catered to the younger kids. 15 year old girls don't want to paint pictures with their younger siblings, they don't want to dress up like pilgrims and sweat in the heat and carry hay and sit and stare at sheep. I can see the younger kids getting excited about the animals and the dress up and pretending but not two teenage girls. I felt so bad for Cara especially, She just looks miserable. She's probably embarrassed by her mom AND her obnoxious sister. I wonder if the twins are close? Kate seems absolutely miserable, Even more miserable than she was with Jon. Maybe because she has no one to belittle and emasculate. She's always moaning about how difficult her life is and how she just gives up and lets the kids decide how to do things. Her life isn't all that difficult. She doesn't have to worry about a 9-5 job or working two jobs. She gets freebies and has paid household help. She's the one who wanted multiples. She should feel joy from having those kids, not be miserable.

[SoSueMe]

I continue to wonder how serious the whole nursing career was. I wonder how much actual nursing she did after completing college and nursing school. She started on the (fertility assisted) multiple kid lifestyle pretty early, possibly about the same time she realized nursing required a bedside manner and hands-on involvement. This woman was thrown by having to deal with diapers and vomiting kids, Jon did a lot of the heavy lifting there. And yet she perceives herself as some kind of Madonna. On the 10th birthday episode I got a kick out of her telling one of the twins that their (the twin's) friends  loved her (Kate). She is a legend in her own mind. Insufferable woman.

[technorebel]

At least Jon didn't have the kids on TV when he did Couples Therapy.  I don't mind Kate on Celebrity Apprentice because the kids aren't on with her. I don't like watchin her not deal with her kids. Her over exaggerated expressions and constant moaning about how hard she has it are too much for me.  She wanted those kids - she made the HOMs happen. No one else did that - it was all Kate!

 

And for the person who said that they thoght Robert's book was made up or something... he got that from Kate's own mommy journal.  She wrote about beating her children, leaving them in their cribs for four hours every afternoon becuase she couldnt deal wtih them.  She praised Jon in her journal because he took care of the kids - he bathed them, dressed them, fed them.  He only became disposable to her when he wanted to quit filming. ANd she is not single-handedly raising those kids - Jon has them quite a lot. He doesn't pay child support, but that is court ordered and is usually because there is a 50/50 split of parentling time.  Jon is a calming factor in those kids' lives., They are lucky to have him.

 

Hoffman claimed that he found Kate's hard drive in the trash and that it contained Kate's journal.  None of us know if that is actually true any more than we know that Kate did something to purposely have high order multiples.  I don't have any personal knowledge of how much time the kids spend with Jon or whether he is a "calming factor" in their lives.  I do have an impression of him based on past behaviour and his appearance on Couples Therapy.  I thought he was a complete disaster on that show and hope he's pulled himself together since then.

[Greylady]

Hoffman claimed that he found Kate's hard drive in the trash and that it contained Kate's journal.  None of us know if that is actually true any more than we know that Kate did something to purposely have high order multiples.  I don't have any personal knowledge of how much time the kids spend with Jon or whether he is a "calming factor" in their lives.  I do have an impression of him based on past behaviour and his appearance on Couples Therapy.  I thought he was a complete disaster on that show and hope he's pulled himself together since then.

How could you say Jon was a complete disaster on the show when he is the one who did all the care taking of the kids?  WHo helped poor Colin when he had the impacted bowel when they were shopping for beds?  Who picked the poor sick boy tup of the cold laundry room floor and cuddled him after he was forced to lay there so Kate wouldn't have to clean any more? Who did you see bathing the kids?  Who did the kids run to with big smiles?  It certainly wasn't Kate!  She has always acted like she is highly annoyed at having to care for the kids. She just wanted the fame that was her "right" after having HOMs.

[technorebel]

How could you say Jon was a complete disaster on the show when he is the one who did all the care taking of the kids?  WHo helped poor Colin when he had the impacted bowel when they were shopping for beds?  Who picked the poor sick boy tup of the cold laundry room floor and cuddled him after he was forced to lay there so Kate wouldn't have to clean any more? Who did you see bathing the kids?  Who did the kids run to with big smiles?  It certainly wasn't Kate!  She has always acted like she is highly annoyed at having to care for the kids. She just wanted the fame that was her "right" after having HOMs.

I meant that Jon was a disaster on the show Couples Therapy.

[OnceSane]

This thread is for discussing season 3 of Kate Plus 8. Please take the Jon discussion to his thread, which can be found here; and take the Celebrity Apprentice talk to that forum found here. Thank you.

[gunderda]

well I'm not entirely sure Kate got pregnant and was hoping for 6 more... so to say she WANTED them might be a bit of an overstatement. 

[ghoulina]

If I had 8 kids, I would everything possible to support them (which Kate is doing)  You want to feature my family on a Reality Tv show and pay us very well ?

Absofuckinglutely.

 

I guess everyone just has different priorities. Yes, I would want to do whatever I could to support my kids, but at what cost? Personally, I think extensively featuring children on reality shows can do a lot of damage. Not always, it depends on the kids. But generally I like to see them in very small roles, not front and center. There are some Housewife kids who hate being on camera, so we barely see them. I respect that. Just my personal opinion, but I would feel very squicky making money off of my kids. I'd work 3 jobs before I would do a show like this. 

 

well I'm not entirely sure Kate got pregnant and was hoping for 6 more... so to say she WANTED them might be a bit of an overstatement

 

True. But when you do IVF (isn't that what they did?) there is a known high chance of multiples. You have to prepared for that reality. 

[Chai]

I enjoyed seeing the kids now that they're older and thought they all seemed to be having a great time.  Had my doubts about another road trip because Kate has generally not done well with that sort of thing.  I don't know if the passage of time has lessened the symptoms of her OCD or if she's on a medication that's working for her, but this Kate was relaxed and genuinely just enjoyed her kids without getting ruffled about anything.  It was a pleasure to watch.

 

I'll duck now.

I read Robert Hoffman's book and he only described what you did as happening once in the whole time he was following her. (I can't remember if it was a year or a year and a half) He also said it was a pleasure watching her and them play on the swings and get Duncan  Donuts. How sad that that wasn't a regular thing for them.

 

Robert Hoffmans book painted her in such a bad light I almost felt sorry for her. Her utter greed and lack of anything motherly made me pity what she is throwing away with both hands, and doesn't even know it.

(And my opinion had nothing to do with her having an abortion or not. I felt that shouldn't have been in the book. It was based on her own behaviors that were cited from other people and her own diaries corrorborate it.)

[gunderda]

I guess everyone just has different priorities. Yes, I would want to do whatever I could to support my kids, but at what cost? Personally, I think extensively featuring children on reality shows can do a lot of damage. Not always, it depends on the kids. But generally I like to see them in very small roles, not front and center. There are some Housewife kids who hate being on camera, so we barely see them. I respect that. Just my personal opinion, but I would feel very squicky making money off of my kids. I'd work 3 jobs before I would do a show like this. 

 

 

 

 

True. But when you do IVF (isn't that what they did?) there is a known high chance of multiples. You have to prepared for that reality. 

 

Yes I think they did IVF and I'm sure they were expecting multiples... isn't that how they got Maddie and Cara?  But I'm sure way back then even they didnt think they would get THAT many.  I'm sure none of the families that have been features on tv shows or news stories were prepared for that. Even though they were likely told it COULD happen.

[technorebel]

It's odd to me that Hoffman, who had become buddies with Jon, just happened to be at Kate's house going through her trash on the very day that she threw computer discs in the trash, and that one of them contained what he alleges to be her journal.  Of course, since it's not handwritten, I don't know that it actually contains Kate's words, or that Hoffman even found such a thing.  I don't find him to be completely credible, and it's not that I'm a big fan of Kate.  I don't love her or hate her, but I don't see her as an ogre either. 

[Absolom]

They did IUI to get the kids not IVF which is more controlled.

Kate went to a certificate nursing program not college.

I expect that Maddie and Cara despise being on the show and realize that it's all a command performance for their mother. They don't even get the benefit of a fun activity out of it. I was actually surprised that Kate (and production) allowed Cara to bring a friend along. Maybe that helped save Cara some from the craziness of the rest of things.

[QuinnM]

 

Of course, since it's not handwritten, I don't know that it actually contains Kate's words, or that Hoffman even found such a thing.

 

That's always been my hold up on buying any of it 100%.  If I had a journal on a computer and someone was hacking my account - they could change a couple words, add an entry and suddenly very innocent remarks or thought become sinister.  What we heard Kate say on the show is that she is very non-technical and Jon handle all the email.  What came out in the court papers was that Jon had hacked her phone and email.  So without forensic verification - I just figure it's Jon's journal.  But even there - I don't know that to be true.  I am a very skeptical person.

[Steff]

That's always been my hold up on buying any of it 100%.  If I had a journal on a computer and someone was hacking my account - they could change a couple words, add an entry and suddenly very innocent remarks or thought become sinister.  What we heard Kate say on the show is that she is very non-technical and Jon handle all the email.  What came out in the court papers was that Jon had hacked her phone and email.  So without forensic verification - I just figure it's Jon's journal.  But even there - I don't know that to be true.  I am a very skeptical person.

That's what she accused him of, but it was never proven because it never went to court.  she dropped the case before it ever went to trial.  There were accusations & a court filing, but she dropped it WITH PREJUDICE.  So she can't go after him again over it.  doesn't sound like she had much proof that he was responsible for all of it.

[QuinnM]

That's what she accused him of, but it was never proven because it never went to court.

Oh I'm talking about during the divorce when the judge issued an injunction telling him that he was to stop hacking her voice mail and email. The info came from the babysitter he was bonking when he was still allowed on Kate's property.

That predates his sleazy plan with the unemployed paparazzi. But obviously nothing is beneath him as far as betrayal goes so I figure he'd edit her journal without even losing sleep.

[Joe Jitsu913]

well I'm not entirely sure Kate got pregnant and was hoping for 6 more... so to say she WANTED them might be a bit of an overstatement.

According to Robert's book, Kate was obsessed with a women who had multiples (McCaughey?) because that family got national exposure and lots of freebies. Kate saw dollar signs. Allegedly, she named some of the kids after the McCaughey babies. She knew exactly what she was doing.

I'm also skeptical of her claiming she had infertility since she got pregnant as a teen and had an abortion.

[Micks Picks]

She went to court and ended up copywriting that journal, so she herself has claimed authorship of the whole thing.  

[Micks Picks]

I was in the hospital for a month this time last year.  I would pull out my lines and have a hissy fit of my own if she showed up as my nurse.  Please, nobody should want her back in nursing.  I've heard she was hated by the fellow nurses on her 1 day of dialysis duty and also by the nurses attending to her during her pregnant hospital stay.  It's really hard to find people who have deal with her who have good things to say.

[Taylorh2]

Rumors.

[Absolom]

Sometimes when the stories are all the same and the common factor is the nasty bitch, there's truth in there.

[Joe Jitsu913]

Has Khate ever sued him for libel or ever accused him of lying about everything in his book?

[GleamingMist]

Is there any recent news of when Jon sees the kids/their arrangements for that?  I had a coworker tell me that Cara and Mady refuse to see him anymore.

[TEEVEE]

Boy I've got to disagree on this point.  I did watch all those shows and I never saw her say a word about weight of any of her kids.  I know that folks on forums really thought Hannah was 'fat'.  Plus I do not see her as being anorexic at all.  I compare that to people like Victoria Beckham or Guiliano  and Kate doesn't even come close.  But that might be because I am around a lot of 40+ women that run.  They look good and there just isn't any giggle.

She wrote about it in her journal on a few occasions. Mentioned Hannah's weight, sited her chubbiness.

I was in the hospital for a month this time last year.  I would pull out my lines and have a hissy fit of my own if she showed up as my nurse.  Please, nobody should want her back in nursing.  I've heard she was hated by the fellow nurses on her 1 day of dialysis duty and also by the nurses attending to her during her pregnant hospital stay.  It's really hard to find people who have deal with her who have good things to say.

Hi Luke.

[ginger90]

I guess Jon feels it's okay for his children to appear on a reality show again.

[mittsigirl]

At least Jon didn't have the kids on TV when he did Couples Therapy.  I don't mind Kate on Celebrity Apprentice because the kids aren't on with her. I don't like watchin her not deal with her kids. Her over exaggerated expressions and constant moaning about how hard she has it are too much for me.  She wanted those kids - she made the HOMs happen. No one else did that - it was all Kate!

 

And for the person who said that they thoght Robert's book was made up or something... he got that from Kate's own mommy journal.  She wrote about beating her children, leaving them in their cribs for four hours every afternoon becuase she couldnt deal wtih them.  She praised Jon in her journal because he took care of the kids - he bathed them, dressed them, fed them.  He only became disposable to her when he wanted to quit filming. ANd she is not single-handedly raising those kids - Jon has them quite a lot. He doesn't pay child support, but that is court ordered and is usually because there is a 50/50 split of parentling time.  Jon is a calming factor in those kids' lives., They are lucky to have him.

Greylady, agree 100% with all you say. It is difficult when some of us know what has/is going on, after so many years, to try to convince those who don't know. With every show, the kids only got 15%, out of the alleged $40,00. per show, those kids WERE the show! They will never see it, not a penny of it.

[technorebel]

Greylady, agree 100% with all you say. It is difficult when some of us know what has/is going on, after so many years, to try to convince those who don't know. With every show, the kids only got 15%, out of the alleged $40,00. per show, those kids WERE the show! They will never see it, not a penny of it.

 

Some of you know what's going on as opposed to those of us who have no clue?  I don't know the family personally and neither do you.  What's posted here is only each of our opinions and not much more.  We're all entitled to an opinion, no? 

[kathe5133]

They have seen the "penny's". The house they live in, their education, their clothes, and so much more. What astounds me, and I know this from personal experience, is how much people are capable of hating someone simply because of what that someone "has". I don't know her, I think if I did she would "work my nerves" but the sheer volume of the hatred makes me think it is all routed in jealousy! But, ironically, their rage and hate stokes the controversy and raises the ratings. She's earned the money and the kids are reaping the rewards, like it or not, because of those who write tell all books, inside stories, etc. If everyone who hates her so much stopped talking, no show, no apprentice, no nothing. She is laughing all the way to the bank!

[OnceSane]

Everyone has a right to express their opinions here as long as they follow the rules. So snark the show, not each other or how much money you think someone has or their reasons for liking/disliking Kate. Posts that cross the line will be deleted from this point forward.

[Steff]

I'm not the least bit jealous of Kate.  I actually enjoy my family, unlike Kate who can't wait to get away from her kids & cut off the rest of her family. 

[glowlights]

 Kate went to a certificate nursing program not college.

 

So does that mean she was more like a nurse assistant or tech rather than a RN? She seemed so happy to visit the dialysis clinic where she used to work - I wondered if maybe she did get a lot of satisfaction and fulfillment from her days at the clinic. Then again, maybe it just seems like a great time in comparison to being the caregiver of twins and sextuplets, which she seems to hate. 

 

I only saw a couple of episodes randomly last week and am still thinking about it... not in a good way.

[QuinnM]

 

So does that mean she was more like a nurse assistant or tech rather than a RN?

 

Not at all.  The program at Reading Hospital is a diploma program and you finish as an RN.  If you go to a four year university you have a Bachelor of Science and are credentialed as an RN.  So there are a couple paths to an RN.  A lot of nurses will go to a diploma program so they can work as an RN and use the income to pay for a college degree.  There are more fields and specialties open to a RN with a BS degree.  And THEN you can get a Masters and get even farther up the ladder.  

[jcbrown]

I liked her more here than I used to, actually. She seems to be letting up a tiny bit, albeit a tiny bit for a control freak still leaves you with a control freak (I speak as one, myself). I actually kind of loved Maddie's non-stop efforts to push her mother's buttons. That kid is pretty smart, methinks. I think the kids are all gorgeous.

Edited January 19, 2015 by jcbrown

[Chai]

I always thought Jon had his childrens best interests at heart. I thought he was almost a saint to put up with what he did from Kate. Remember when shenscreamed his name in the toy store? They used to show that on the show all the time. I used to love it when he used to tell her to take the stick out.

[QuinnM]

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.

[technorebel]

Jon said in an interview that the twins refuse to see him.  I hope that changes.  I don't know what the reason is, but he's still their father and that relationship is important.  It's too bad he and Kate don't get along better.  It would've been great if she'd offered to let him stay in the garage apartment until he gets back on his feet.  Of course, going on Couples Therapy and screaming about wanting Kate to die isn't the way to get along with your ex. 

 

The twins did an interview with People magazine in which they said the only strange thing about their childhood was the never-ending stream of girlfriends with their Dad.  Maybe things would improve between them if he were in a stable relationship.

Edited January 19, 2015 by technorebel

[ginger90]

He signed to allow the children to film in exchange for being released from child support.

 

If this is true the state of Pennsylvania is pretty messed up.

[MarysWetBar]

I still say he's not half as batshit crazy as she is. He's a fall down but not evil incarnate.

[MarysWetBar]

I couldn't help but notice that she is still excluding Alexis same as she has for years.Hannah was always her favorite. .her little helper. The one who ratted the other kids out for special favors from Mommy Dearest. Leaving Alexis in the room with her sisters both saying they hated sleeping with her was hurtful, i thought.

Edited January 19, 2015 by MarysWetBar

[Joe Jitsu913]

I still say he's not half as batshit crazy as she is. He's a fall down but not evil incarnate.

Kate is a Nazi compared to Jon. He's no saint but he's very calming compared to that banshee.

[QuinnM]

Remember that Alexis wakes her sisters up all night. It isn't Kate excluding her it's Alexis choosing to act that way. She's 10 years old. If she can't let her sisters sleep then they will exclude her. If we were talking about babies that's one thing but at this point in her life waking her sisters is a deliberate act. I wonder what they do at home since it's only a 4 bedroom home. She may be sleeping in the family room.

[jilliannatalia]

How old were the sextuplets in the RV/Grand Canyon episode? Kate made a few references to being stuck with "the preschoolers." Those children appeared to have their permanent upper front incisors in place already, which isn't often the case with preschoolers, and they looked awfully big to be preschoolers.

Edited January 19, 2015 by OnceSane
fixed triple post

[gunderda]

Something I thought of last night... doesn't Jon have to agree to let the kids be on TV?? I wonder if he gets any compensation from it.
I was only thinking that because I would think if Maddie and Cara were against filming they could likely rally with their dad and try to stop it. 

There are multiple families on Real Housewives were the kids are not shown because ex-husbands won't give their approval.

[QuinnM]

 

Something I thought of last night... doesn't Jon have to agree to let the kids be on TV?? I wonder if he gets any compensation from it.

He signed consent in exchange for being relieved of all child support requirements and dismissal of his arrears.  I say that with authority since the gossip sites actually posted the court ruling and niether Jon nor Kate's camp corrected it.

 

 

I was only thinking that because I would think if Maddie and Cara were against filming they could likely rally with their dad and try to stop it.

I doubt that will happen now.  Whatever went down he hasn't talked to them in over a year.  They gave a print interview where they said they were tired of the constant stream of young women in his life.

[Absolom]

I wonder how much of the twins saying that was Kate. On the early morning talk show she had obviously prepped them with what to say and then they refused.

[QuinnM]

 

I wonder how much of the twins saying that was Kate. On the early morning talk show she had obviously prepped them with what to say and then they refused.

 

True, we may never know why they stopped talking to him.  But as stubborn as Maddy is I can guarantee if she thought being friends with her dad would piss Kate off you know she would have moved in with him. 

[Almost 3000]

I thought they weren't talking to him because he signed off on his right to refuse filming of the kids. Read that somewhere...

[SoSueMe]

I wonder how much of the twins saying that was Kate. On the early morning talk show she had obviously prepped them with what to say and then they refused.

I guess the whole Steve/bodyguard thing doesn't bother them.

[Chai]

Yes I was disgusted with him signing off in return of no child support. I can understand the twins anger at him for doing that, when he knew how much they hated filming. He was the only thing that stopped Kate's precious filming career. He threw it away with both hands.

 

Maybe he was quoted child support from when he was making $$$$ on the tv show and had no where near that when he and Kate divorced? He couldn't afford that working as a waiter. 

 

I think he always knew he had a chip in his pocket. He knew Kate was perceived (for a while) as a wonder mom of eight, very organized,etc. when in reality she was a shrew. I think that's where Robert Hoffman's book came from. I think Jon couldn't take her anymore and wanted to show the world what she really was.  

[Kellyee]

I had a lot more respect for Jon Gosselin before I watched him on Couples Therapy. Now I think he's a professional victim, and I'm not at all surprised that he sold out his kids to avoid child support. It didn't seem like he fought all that hard for them during the divorce either. He was too busy with his new girlfriend and hanging out with Michael Lohan.