Kids and Work

[wrestlesflamingos]

This is a free for all question where I'd like your opinions, please. You don't have tie your thoughts to TLC. I'm just deeply curious about some things and if you feel like sharing, great.

 

1. If you object to kids on reality tv, what is your position about kids on scripted tv?

2. If those positions are different, why?

3. Kids have worked for their families forever. Farms, household chores, light labor, and sometimes organized work. What do you think of that custom?

4. What jobs have your children held or did you hold as a child?

 

Please don't argue.

[ZoloftBlob]

I actually think children on scripted tv is a touchy subject because the horde of dead/messed up child stars far outnumbers the ones that transition to adulthood well. I agree with Auntl that kids on scripted shows have more protections.... but those protections came about because of horrific abuses.

 

For me its always been a privacy issue and a control issue. Children on reality shows have no control over the money earned or the things depicted. With rare exception, we never see *parents* half dressed on the toilet or in bed or crawling out of bed, but its perfectly acceptable for the children to be depicted that way. Because its cute etc etc.

[Absolom]

Thanks for giving us this space.  Did anyone else see the short bit on ET last week.  One of the people they interviewed is researching children on reality TV.  Sorry I didn't catch his name.  He talked about how bad the conditions are getting children up at 4 AM, multiple retakes, working dead tired kids into the evening, etc.  He also brought up dangling candy behind the camera to get kids to say certain lines the way the producer wants or cuing kids to scream or yell.  They interviewed Honey Boo Boo and asked if she'd want to do reality TV again and she said maybe if they weren't filming all the time and she had more breaks like do it once in awhile.  She said something in the line of what hard work it is.  Jon Gosselin said producers once told them to go out and come back in - in 2 degree weather and he refused to allow it.  

 

I'd prefer no children on TV or movies, but that makes movie making tough.  So I would say only on movies and TV with protections for the children and try to avoid making child stars.  Being on one TV series where a child is treated well doesn't seem to be too harmful with good parents.  I don't guess there is much of a ways of controlling that.  

 

Without guild controls I'm still opposed to in principal because it is the child's life and their daily lives shouldn't be fodder for public entertainment.  There are too many opportunities for abuse also and from what leaks out it happens on almost every reality show with children.  The parents get pushed and pushed and many don't even think to push back.  I think most viewers don't realize exactly what it takes to be on a TV show or movie or reality TV.  We live in southern California and have done bit parts here and there.  A five minute or less piece of a movie was filmed at our house.  They used me as the homeowner as it was just easier.  It took over two days to film.  Part of that was them putting some boards over part of the house because they wanted to change the look, but shooting the actual scene with the primary actor took hours and hours.  Thankfully I was inside my own home while waiting, but I also couldn't leave my house during the day for three full days.  Some of the filming was on the street in front of the house so I wasn't actively involved in that except for staying out of sight and away from windows..  I was paid well, didn't have my personal life on display, and don't regret it.  But I don't think children should have their personal lives on display for entertainment or the parents' financial benefit.

 

It isn't as simple as the kids' just playing around and cameras just happen to be there.  Production picks the activities for the most part, there is waiting for set up, makeup, wardrobe, lighting, having cameras and microphones in their faces inches away, retakes, trying to get the children to say or do what the producer wants, and then there are the hours.  It takes days to get those 22 minutes of TV.  Expect four 10 to 12 hour days for each half hour episode.  It's no wonder we see so much filler.   The "one day trips" are filmed over multiple days.  The getting ready to go is filmed on one day, the actual trip is filmed over one very, very long day or two days, and usually coming home is filmed on yet a different day.  Then add in a day for talking heads.  What we see is taken from hours and hours of attempts, re-dos, and different shots or activities. 

[Honey]

I actually think children on scripted tv is a touchy subject because the horde of dead/messed up child stars far outnumbers the ones that transition to adulthood well. I agree with Auntl that kids on scripted shows have more protections.... but those protections came about because of horrific abuses.

 

For me its always been a privacy issue and a control issue. Children on reality shows have no control over the money earned or the things depicted. With rare exception, we never see *parents* half dressed on the toilet or in bed or crawling out of bed, but its perfectly acceptable for the children to be depicted that way. Because its cute etc etc.

Do you have a cite for that?  That the number of "dead/messed up child stars far outnumbers the ones that transition to adulthood well"  I think it would be the opposite.

[ZoloftBlob]

The child cast of Diff'rent Strokes - dead from drugs, dead from health issues and dead broke from parents stealing money, and known drug addict.

 

Child cast of Full house - eating disorders for 2, possibly three, and meth addiction

 Child actor from Seaquest - Suicide

 

Child cast of STand by Me - Dead from drugs, lengthy history of drug abuse, and to be fair, two reasonably successful

 

Child actor from Star Trek Next Gen - in jail at last check for drugs

 

I could go on because there's a ton more examples. I'd also suggest the website "A minor consideration"

[wrestlesflamingos]

Here's a video of 30 child actors with tragic ends. All scripted shows.

http://celebs.answers.com/scandals/30-child-actors-who-tragically-died-young

Edited March 4, 2015 by wrestlesflamingos

[Quof]

Aside from the examples of child actors who have had quite successful transitions from child stars to adults in the entertainment business (Ron Howard and the like), I expect there are a multitude who have transitioned to a successful adulthood that doesn't involve show business. They acted for a while, then went to school, had careers, got married, had families, and have been completely off the Hollywood radar just living normal lives. I expect they outnumber the high profile train wreck kids. We just don't hear about them. 

[wrestlesflamingos]

Ron Howard, Melissa Joan Hart, Miley Cyrus, Myiam Bialik, the Harry Potter cast, off the top of my head.

 

For every healthy Christina Aguilera, you get a Britney Spears. While I think there is some bias, the loudest stories are the bad ones, the number of children of Hollywood that fail is higher than non-hollywood.

[Absolom]

I'm not sure we have to worry about statistical analysis or that some individuals escape unscathed, but that such high numbers of child actors have problems adjusting. We held our children out of anything except very small parts because we wanted them to have normal lives.  I still think it was the right decision.  

[Foghorn Leghorn]

I'm not sure we have to worry about statistical analysis or that some individuals escape unscathed, but that such high numbers of child actors have problems adjusting. We held our children out of anything except very small parts because we wanted them to have normal lives.  I still think it was the right decision.  

 

Agreed.  The fact there are so many sad outcomes speaks volumes making it not worth the risk.  

[mbutterfly]

Aside from the examples of child actors who have had quite successful transitions from child stars to adults in the entertainment business (Ron Howard and the like), I expect there are a multitude who have transitioned to a successful adulthood that doesn't involve show business. They acted for a while, then went to school, had careers, got married, had families, and have been completely off the Hollywood radar just living normal lives. I expect they outnumber the high profile train wreck kids. We just don't hear about them. 

I like to check IMDB especially about old shows and movies. There you can find many, many children who acted in a one or a few films and then did something else entirely. In some cases, it simply stops with the last film made, in some cases (especially if the child were in a prominent position in a popular film) it gives information like "He is now a dentist." 

[Quof]

I saw a feature on the Sound of Music the other day.  All 7 kids turned out just fine, I think only 2 ever acted again.

It's kind of like the theory that a disproportionate number of entertainers are killed in plane crashes because they travel so much.  The vast majority of people who die in plane crashes are regular people - teachers, insurance agents, nurses.  We just don't hear about them.  

[Lillybee]

One name does come to mind, Kim Richards was a big child star and now we are watching her fall apart on RHONJ. So very sad.

[walnutqueen]

One name does come to mind, Kim Richards was a big child star and now we are watching her fall apart on RHONJ. So very sad.

 

RHoBH. puleese!!!

[Snow8585]

Maybe its kids and fame in general..I even feel sorry for some of these young figure skaters. Look at the Olympic gold medalist Oksana Baiul(spelling?). She won the medal and her life seemed to get out of control aftetward..drug and alcohol abuse. Very sad.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Snow8585

[Quof]

Yuna Kim, Sarah Hughes, Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Shizuka Arakawa, Katarina Witt, Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming. All perfectly healthy, productive adults.  You're remembering the exception, not the rule.

[Snow8585]

Yet it is another example. Kids, TV, and fame can be a tricky combination. 

[joanne3482]

I think most of the results of kids on TV or famous really depends on the parents and their support and treatment of their kids. I would wager that most of those kids who were one or two and done had parents who were not relying on their kids' income and supported their kids' desire to not continue acting if they didn't enjoy it. There were a lot of stories when McCauley Culkin's parents were getting divorced about his dad's backstage behavior and the family's reliance on Mac's money.  Drew Barrymore's mother was famously caught up in Drew's fame. When they identify too much with their kids' careers it means they aren't looking out for their kids' best interest. In contrast, Mara Wilson (Mathilda and Mrs. Doubtfire) stopped acting when she wanted to and her dad supported that choice.

 

The problem, then, with reality TV kids is that many of the parents seem to be relying on their show to be their sole source of income. I can't imagine how Jon and Kate thought they were going to pay the bills when (after spending a lot on the fertility treatments) they were told they were having 6 babies. I didn't watch a lot of their show but I don't remember them keeping their 'day' jobs. I know a lot of Kate's choices post the first run of the show were under the guise of "taking care of her family." Honey Boo Boo's family NEEDED the money her shows were bringing in. The same with the Teen Mom crew.  I've only watched a few of the reality shows that are about xyz family, but it seems like many of the ones that are featured are families that are already financially in trouble and this, to them, is like winning the lottery.  

[wrestlesflamingos]

I can't imagine how Jon and Kate thought they were going to pay the bills when (after spending a lot on the fertility treatments) they were told they were having 6 babies. I didn't watch a lot of their show but I don't remember them keeping their 'day' jobs. 

 

 

Many of you may know the answer to this question, please don't succumb to temptation. Joanne is just making a point, not opening the door to Gosselin history. It the urge is too strong, I do think we have a Gosselin forum somewhere. Please don't tell me where.

[Emily Thrace]

Actually the majority of child stars simply quit and go into other careers. They do have a much higher addiction and prison rate than average population however. A couple of reason for that don't really apply to the Arnold-Klein's situation.  In that many of the worst cases there were underlying family issues that fame magnified and made much worse. Joe Jackson beat his boys long before the had a hit record, and Joe was definitely a big part of Micheal's issues. Drew Barrymore's mother was an addict. I could list about a dozen more examples but my point is Bill and Jenn while not perfect parents don't seem to have those sorts of issues.

 

Another thing that separates Will and Zoe from kids on other tv shows is they're not actors they're just living. Something that known to cause issues in grown-up child stars is that they grew up around adults and can have trouble connecting with real people. Or they've spent so much time performing a role that's expected of them they don't really know themselves. Will and Zoe don't have these expectations so they won't have to worry about these issues. For the most part the show focuses on their disability not their antics, I could them having issues with certain aspects of the show (the same way some kids find home videos embarrassing) but for the most kids on these reality shows have a very different experience than sitcom kids.

[wrestlesflamingos]

That's kinda where I fall with the topic. Scripted child actors have to learn lines, blocking, makeup/hair, wardrobe fittings, and rehearsals - I think it's a lot more work than reality tv. Those kids get the same amount of criticism too, I recall pages of posts from TWOP mocking the toddler actress playing Lilly on Modern Family. Toddler. I shook my head dizzy on that one.

 

I don't think kids should work. If a kid has a special skill, I could see developing that with tutors and experts. I could stretch to an occasional recital performed in a single session.  We are lucky enough to live in a  developed world where only adults have to sell their time. I don't think that the arts benefit from taking a step backwards.

 

Personal bias: I've worked since I was 11 in my father's music studio and later traditional jobs.

[ZoloftBlob]

See, I have a different take on that. My view is that scripted kids, kids on scripted tv shows, are acknowledged to be working and there's a disconnect between who "George" is on Downton Abbey versus the two little twin boys who play "George". "George" is left at the set.... only really foolish fans think "George" is really named George etc etc. The kids who play "George" get to strip off the Edwardian sailor suits and play in the back yard and throw dog poo at each other for all we know. The child actor can retreat.

 

Whereas on a reality show - no matter what show it is, there's no sanctuary at home. The kids involved aren't allowed choices. If mom and dad want their medical appointments filmed, or their humilating moments of failure, thats not up to the kid. To give a specific example - as much as I don't like Jeremy Roloff (and I don't) - I genuinely felt horrible for him that his parents filmed him in tears from finding out he didn't make ODP soccer. Or when they showed his failing report card. There's no where to retreat when you're a child on a reality show. Your bedroom is a set and if you cry and pout and sneak goldfish crackers (and folks, dig deep for a minute and consider, we've all cried and pouted and snuck gold fish crackers) thats all grist for the mill. Throw a tantrum and see the cameramen run. Lock yourself in the closet and listen to mom and dad's talking head segments about whats wrong with you. And everyone knows what your home is like and who you are and that you cry when x y and z happens. The scripted kid doesn't have to be "George" all the time, but the reality show kid does.

Edited March 30, 2015 by ZoloftBlob

[joanne3482]

I don't see anything wrong with it if a kid WANTS to work. The problem is, of course, then determining the difference between those who genuinely want to be there and those who feel like they have to be there due to family pressures and therefore "want" to be there. There are a lot of protections for regular acting kids that weren't there 40 years ago. I do agree that reality show kids should have those same protections. Just like Danny Bonaduce and Gary Coleman couldn't rely on their parents to "do the right thing,"  some of the other reality show kids may not be able to rely on their parents to "do the right thing." 

[Absolom]

I think we need a show on making reality shows with children.  It would probably only need to be one or two hours, but it could show how reality shows are put together, how they get the kids to perform and say their lines, the hours that have to be worked, and protections or lack of them in various states.  

[wrestlesflamingos]

I would absolutely watch that show Absolom!

[joanne3482]

I think we need a show on making reality shows with children.  It would probably only need to be one or two hours, but it could show how reality shows are put together, how they get the kids to perform and say their lines, the hours that have to be worked, and protections or lack of them in various states.  

I would watch it, too!  Unfortunately since almost all the networks that are "informational" have reality shows that have kids on it, I'm sure no network would touch it. It would have to be an expose done by like 20/20 or Dateline I think to get made.  And those are so sensationalized it would be hard to believe them too.  

 

Upon further reflection (and after reading ZoloftBob's post) I don't know that reality kids get a choice. Mara Wilson chose when she started and ended acting. As much as I enjoy Will and Zoey, they've no choice in the matter, although they are also too young to really voice an opinion. Maddie, Kara et al don't have one and are now old enough to have an opinion. I'm not sure if Honey Boo Boo or that Asia kid had a choice since their shows are more about them as opposed to an entire family they are part of. There are things for children that are compulsory, such as school. Being on a reality show isn't one of them. 

[BW Manilowe]

I saw a feature on the Sound of Music the other day. All 7 kids turned out just fine, I think only 2 ever acted again.

It's kind of like the theory that a disproportionate number of entertainers are killed in plane crashes because they travel so much. The vast majority of people who die in plane crashes are regular people - teachers, insurance agents, nurses. We just don't hear about them.

Actually *6* of the kid actors who played the Von Trapp kids have acting credits beyond the movie: Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, & Kym Karath.

Duane Chase, who played Kurt, apparently only did a guest role in an episode of The Big Valley after the movie, then retired from acting & eventually became a software designer.

Debbie Turner, who played Marta, apparently retired from acting shortly after the film debuted, to focus on her education. She's now a floral designer, with big clients like the Republican National Convention (when it was in Minnesota) & she was 1 of 3 float judges for the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade.

The other 5 actors have recent acting credits anywhere from the 1980s to this year (an upcoming show, I think).

Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) starred in The Amazing Spider-Man on CBS in the late 70s.

Heather Menzies (aka Heather Menzies Urich), who played Louisa, is the widow of TV cop/PI show star Robert Urich. She & Urich had 3 children; she's apparently now a grandmother. Now retired from acting, she also co-starred with Gregory Harrison in the CBS series version of the sci-fi film Logan's Run, in 1977-78. She's apparently involved with a research foundation named for Robert Urich, which works on Sarcoma (as I remember, a form of Sarcoma--which, at 1 time, he'd thought he'd beaten--is what killed him, in 2002).

Beyond the movie, Angela Cartwright (Brigitta) is probably best known as Danny Thomas' daughter (stepdaughter?) in Make Room for Daddy & as Penny Robinson, the daughter in the Robinson family which was Lost in Space. She will appear in a show called Bosch sometime this year, if it hasn't already aired. She's also a photographer.

Charmian Carr (Liesl) apparently hasn't retired from acting, but focuses on her eponymous interior design firm these days. She's also written 2 memoirs.

Kym Karath (Gretl) apparently last acted in All My Children episodes which aired in 1988. She's also subsequently worked with her "Von Trapp siblings" on a documentary about the making of the movie.

[wrestlesflamingos]

Ok guys, we're done here, we finally outed the Sound of Music expert! :)

[BW Manilowe]

Ok guys, we're done here, we finally outed the Sound of Music expert! :)

I really just looked up the movie page on Wikipedia, then the individual pages linked there for the actors who played the "Von Trapp siblings", with a touch of IMDb research thrown in. I'm not really an expert on the movie--but I do/did like it.

[ZoloftBlob]

See, my Sound of Music trivia is this - Christopher Plummer? Captain Von Trapp! Hated *HATED* the song "Edilweiss" and though it was treacly and terrible.

[ZoloftBlob]

Sorry - I don't think the adoptive status of the children in any way makes a difference in making the exploitation worse or less. I also don't think financial status is an excuse.

 

I mean, whether you birthed them yourself or adopted them, children are the parents financial responsible responsibility. If a middle or lower class family goes on a reality show for the money, at the end of the day, they are doing it for the same reason a wealthier family is - for the money. That they might need the money for more serious issues than say, a new beach house, does not mean they are not using their children - adopted or born to them - to provide for the family.

 

Adoptive status also has nothing to do with the exploitation factor, unless you're stating that the Johnstons and Kleins adopted children purely for the potential profit of a reality show.

[ZoloftBlob]

Then there's no point in raising the adoptive status at all. Bio parents have children because they want children. Adoptive parents adopt children because they want children. The Roloffs exploited their biological children as soon as they could. So did the Johnstons, with bio and adopted kids, and the family on Our Little Family - all bio kids.

 

Whether a child is exploited or not on a reality show - there's no need to draw attention to the child's adopted status unless you believe the child was adopted to be exploited.

[mbutterfly]

See, my Sound of Music trivia is this - Christopher Plummer? Captain Von Trapp! Hated *HATED* the song "Edilweiss" and though it was treacly and terrible.

I know. That was the song that made me realize I like treacle. 

See, my Sound of Music trivia is this - Christopher Plummer? Captain Von Trapp! Hated *HATED* the song "Edilweiss" and though it was treacly and terrible.

I know. That was the song that made me realize I like treacle. 

[ZoloftBlob]

Please, I LOVE that song and the whole movie

[joanne3482]

I think that the Kleins are worse than other reality tv families for 2 reasons:

1. Unlike other families that make the decision to put their children in this position, they don't appear to need money. Jen is a doctor and I would assume makes a very good salary. The other TLC families are not in the Klein's financial bracket.

2. Other than the Johnston's, the other families are making this decision for their biological children only. Jen and Bill took these children out of a precarious situation and proceeded to exploit them for money that they don't appear to need.

Unlike all the other families, the Little Couple were a show BEFORE the kids came around. It's been talked to death, but we have no idea what their contract states and how long a contract they're currently on. 

 

To me, doing the show because you NEED the money makes it worse than just because you would like extra money because it becomes that much harder to walk away. Honey Boo Boo's mother allegedly pressured the molested daughter to recant her story just so they could get their show back. 

[Snow8585]

The kids are helping to keep them in the public eye. Both of them have been actively using the show as a springboard to other opportunities. Some successful some not. A couple of years ago, Bill was lobbying to be on Celebrity Apprentice. That did not happen. Rumor has it Jen wants to be the next Dr Sanjay Gupta on CNN or somewhere else. Strike while the iron is hot!

Edited April 2, 2015 by Snow8585

[joanne3482]

This is what I find so questionable. Jen and Bill have put themselves and their children in a position where their peers are The Honey Boo Boo family, The Gosselins, The Browns, My 600lb. Life People, The Long Island Medium, and the rest. Jen is a doctor. I don't understand why they would put themselves in a position where they would lump themselves or their children in with these people. As another poster on this board said, "Go to bed with dogs and wake up with fleas.".

Do you feel the same way about the Johnstons and that other little family who is all blonde? 

[ZoloftBlob]

Both the Johnstons and the Hamills seem like they could use the money more than the Kleins.

 

How is that better? The Johnstons can't live the lifestyle they *want* (not need) and adopt children at the same time so rather than make more money like adults with children are supposed to, they whore out the kids. The Hamills are even worse - Mommy wants to be a stay at home mom so the kids need to have their every temper tantrum filmed for dollars - and why? So their parents can benefit.

 

The only family on TLC that I ever considered to have *needed* the money was the HoneyBooBoo clan anyway. The Hamills are hardly living in section 8 welfare housing. I mean, at the end of the day, none of these people *need* the TLC money to put food in the mouths of their starving children.

[ZoloftBlob]

It's obviously money, and from a *need* standpoint - I argue that the Hamills and Johnstons don't appear to be any more needy than the Kleins. The Hamils in particular seem to have a very nice living from the dad's job. They have a very nice home in a pleasant suburban neighborhood, they both drive nice cars and the mom doesn't have to work. That's actually very similar to the Kleins.

[RottinginNS]

The child cast of Diff'rent Strokes - dead from drugs, dead from health issues and dead broke from parents stealing money, and known drug addict.

Child cast of Full house - eating disorders for 2, possibly three, and meth addiction

Child actor from Seaquest - Suicide

Child cast of STand by Me - Dead from drugs, lengthy history of drug abuse, and to be fair, two reasonably successful

Child actor from Star Trek Next Gen - in jail at last check for drugs

I could go on because there's a ton more examples. I'd also suggest the websiUte "A minor consideration"

I know people with health issues.

I know people who committed suicide

I know people who abuse drugs and alcohol

I know people in jail

I know people with eating disorders

I know people who are broke

None of these people were involved in film production.

I work in film production and in my experience the children are treated with kid gloves. Education is mandatory, safety is priority and time is a major factor. The hours they are allowed to work are kept quite strict, including call times (when they start in the day) and when they wrap(finish shooting for the day) and the turn around times(time off between call times). Healthy meals are provided with several options to chose from as well.

If the kids end up a little left of center then it's the guardians that are to blame. Film productions are big business and no one wants to jeprodize the cash flow by getting tired up in court over labor laws and paying huge penalties.

To the person who stayed in the home while they were shooting........I'm willing to bet they offered to put you and your family in a nice hotel and provide meals. Am I wrong? Perhaps you wanted to stick around and watch the action which some people find exciting but I'm sure you found out quickly that it's not as glamorous as you thought it would be.

Children and animals are the hardest to work with.....usually it's work 'for'

Edited April 2, 2015 by RottinginNS

[ZoloftBlob]

Then someone needs to consider whether being a stay at home mom is worth it, don't you think? The Hamills don't appear to be impoverished but if they want to afford their own home, their *only* choice isn't to whore their kids out. Mrs. Hamil could work. Having a parent be a stay at home parent is a luxury, and not a luxury many can afford and yet the Hamills do.

 

I work in film production and in my experience the children are treated with kid gloves. Education is mandatory, safety is priority and time is a major factor. The hours they are allowed to work are kept quite strict, including call times (when they start in the day) and when they wrap(finish shooting for the day) and the turn around times(time off between call times). Healthy meals are provided with several options to chose from as well.

 

And yet child actors still seem to have higher reports of serious issues. Also, the sad thing is that *reality shows* aren't governed by the laws for entertainers that exist in California.

[gunderda]

The Hamills rent their town house and have said that they can't afford to buy a house at this time. I don't think that they are even close to the Kleins financially.

And I bet you that rental is NOT cheap. That is a very expensive living area.  They can likely afford something in a different area but they want to stay where they are.

I think it's obvious they aren't making the same kind of money as the Kleins but they arent hurting by any means.  For someone to be a stay at home in that part of the country the husband has to be making a pretty penny.

[Absolom]

Reality show children are most often not covered by the guild restrictions listed above.  

 

 

To the person who stayed in the home while they were shooting........I'm willing to bet they offered to put you and your family in a nice hotel and provide meals. Am I wrong? Perhaps you wanted to stick around and watch the action which some people find exciting but I'm sure you found out quickly that it's not as glamorous as you thought it would be.

In one case where the house was used, yes we were paid handsomely and our stay in a resort was fully covered.  

 

However, in the one I discussed here they asked if I minded being in the movie.  They thought I could do the part fine.  It was a teeny tiny part and saved them bringing someone into the house.  I was paid nicely to sit in my house.  However, as you even said it isn't glamorous and can be a bit of drudgery and that was my exact point.  It's work and I don't think it's necessarily work that we should ask children to do routinely.  Too many people think the children are going about their normal activities with no interference at all and that isn't the way filming works.  

 

I don't begrudge the film industry.  We have family members who work in it and it helped put one daughter through college.  I don't like people seemingly exploiting very young children especially in the states with no regulation of reality show filming.  

[Wellfleet]

I agree with you Zoloftblob. All of these families are using their children to make money. The distinction that I'm making is that I can understand the other families' motivation, where the Klein's motivation stumps me.

 

If the rumors about Bill wanting to be on "Celebrity Apprentice" and Jen wanting to be the next Sanjay Gupta are true, I'm guessing the Kleins' primary motivation had to be exposure. Maybe the $$ was just a nice bonus for them. And many people believe that old line, that there's no such thing as bad publicity. This would explain why they were not fussy about what network they appeared on.

[Cherrio]

I think the Kleins definitely like the money, but I think their quest for fame is top of the list.

 As far as the money, I dont see them any different than the all the other families.    Jen might make more, but a hospital doctor doesnt make that much. Both of them have taken off tremendous amount of time from work for trips, parties, adoptions, sickness and surgeries.   Yet, they are looking at beach houses and drive cars that are in the 60,000 dollar range, not to mention all the other stuff.

           They are just on a different level of what they want to buy compared to the other families.

    I also like many others here have always questioned why 2 highly educated people would even consider being on Tv, let alone TLC.  That is where the lust for fame comes in.

[Snow8585]

I read about Bill wanting to be on CA on either Jen's or The Little Couple twitter feed. They were encouraging folks to tweet support for him to Donald Trump. Was not successful. They are pulling back on info on the kids these days drawing the spotlight back to them and promoting their own skills and/or business ventures. Im sure they are busy looking ahead to life after TLC.

[Wellfleet]

I think it's very distasteful to use your children to advance your career, but I hope that they both get want they want sooner than later. If they achieve their ultimate goals, hopefully they will take WIll and Zoey off TV.

I think that Bill would make a good Celebrity Apprentice candidate. He certainly would have been better than Kate Gosselin. I wonder why Donald Trump didn't pick him.

 

Agree - I've never watched any of the Apprentice shows. Can't abide Donald Trump - a walking ego with a bad hairpiece. And I'm so over all the competition-type programming on TV these days. But I might watch if I knew Bill was going to be on. Of course if I hadn't known him previously from "The Little Couple" I'm not sure it would be a draw that The Donald was going to have a little person contestant. But Bill would be good - he's witty, lively and I think probably has a lot of business sense too.

[RottinginNS]

And yet child actors still seem to have higher reports of serious issues. Also, the sad thing is that *reality shows* aren't governed by the laws for entertainers that exist in California.

Only seems that way because they are in the spotlight. Have a look around other town that don't have a 'Hollywood' sign. Kids are messed up everywhere.

Higher reports of serious issues? Ever have a look at serious issues children have in places like Northen Canada? It's unfair to blame the film/tv world for the problems they have. What is comes down to plain and simple is the guardian responsible for raising them.

[walnutqueen]

I actually feel sorry for everyone in this age of the internet and social media - because almost no one is immune.  From stupid facebook postings to twitter, instagram, youtube, et al, it seems like everyone's life is on display in one form or another.  I think most people are guilty of over-sharing what should remain personal and private these days, and I think it is biting a lot of people in the ass, or will, eventually.  I, myself share a lot of "personal (aka honest)" stuff here in some of the Small Talk forums, but there are maybe a couple of people in the whole wide world who know my nom-de-plume, and my internet footprint is almost invisible.  This seems to be the Age of Oversharing, where everyone and their cat is an erstwhile "famewhore" to some degree, yet denigrate others for "taking it too far".   It is a fascinating social shift to witness.

 

ETA - it is the equivalent of people in the "good old days" who'd proudly display pictures of the kids on their work desks, only on steroids.

Edited November 12, 2015 by walnutqueen

[BizBuzz]

I believe all of their classmates will know that Will and Zoey were TV personalities. The internet is forever. Their classmates can easily find out anything that they want to know about them.

 

See, I disagree with this statement ... no offense intended.

 

The internet is so freaking huge, that someone would have to have a personal vendetta against these two kids for them to spend the time to even find something remotely linking them to this time frame.  I try to find some things that I knew I knew a few years ago, and if I wasn't the die hard researcher that I am, I don't think any lay person would be able to find it.

 

By the time these kids are in high school, I doubt TLC archives will still hold on to past episodes, and finding a TLC episode will be like me trying to find L.A. Law online.  ::giggle::

 

I honestly feel that unless you have something personal against these kids in the future, to find any video regarding them will be hard pressed to find.

 

Unless of course one of them ends up being some sort of drug addict or taking their own life, and then it would be easy enough for anyone to find information, I would imagine, but 10 years from now, I doubt anyone would care.

 

Ok ... please know this isn't office mod business, this is just my viewpoint.  You can agree or disagree, I don't mind, but please don't think this is the expressed views of PTV.

 

::giggle::