Good Housekeeping asked the Gosselins to be on the cover of the November issue, which proves more challenging than originally anticipated. With over 35 people on the premises, how does the family cope? And will Good Housekeeping get the perfect photo?
Here is the link to the Good Housekeeping cover.
51 comments:
I watched this episode last night. I really enjoy this show, but last nights episode to me was pretty boring.
I enjoyed watching the kids run around, they were so cute! But the episode as a whole was pretty boring.
I'm looking forward to next week's episode. :0)
I was bothered by this episode, I'll admit. Most of the time when Kate says the kids have fun, I believe her because I can see it on their faces.For the most part, on this day, the kids were not enjoying it. Cara and Mady especially seemed to be annoyed.
Now, I'm not calling CPS tomorrow or anything but I wasn't crazy about what I saw. Just my opinion
I found this episode extremely boring/intriguing. It was obviously boring, but why on earth, knowing the criticism out there about exploiting the children, would they base an entire episode on two days devoted to having pictures taken? I wasn't crazy about it, either. Do I believe it was enough to call CPS? No. Do I believe it was poor judgment? Yes. It didn't look like the kids had a good time, and it just added fuel to the already blazing fire of criticism.
Hello! My name is Jamie and I just found this blog today. Let me tell you this is a breath of fresh air to me. I was reading over at GWoP and them people have serious psychological issues. After several failed attempts to post comments or submit blogs (because they only post hateful things) I seen someone talking about "the other website" in regard to Pennmommys blog and "son." Which lead me to find this blog. I have only been on here a very short time and already have noticed a few key things.
On Gwop they have hundreds of anonymous commenters... this site had very little. I honestly think most people post several comments making it look like they are different people.
Gwop has a site hit counter. This does not. I believe when they hit 1 million views they are going to think they are some kind of special. A video on Youtube of a guy getting kicked in the (well you know) can get 1 million views within a week. They have been up for months and months now.
This also brings me to another point. On one of the submitted blogs a commenter said to google gwop instead of going through your favorites or just typing it out normally so it can be easier for new people to find. That I found hilarious. How pathetic is that? Another one said "I exit out and bring it back up at least 100 times in a row just to get hits on this site"
Gwop is one big joke. I find it funny how they try so hard to get this show off the air and yet still FAIL. With all the letters they write to such places as Regis and Kelly and they still have them on the show. With their attempts to boycott products on the show doing nothing because 200 people *at best* will not get the companies to stop. No one will ever take that site seriously because of all the hateful things to say. I point and laugh at Gwop.
Hi Jamie. Welcome! You will find plenty of us who shared your frustration with attempting to post on GWoP. How maddening is to spend 15-20 minutes composing a thoughtful post - taking into account your known audience (at least 80% Kate haters) - and never have it show up? I have seen the posts here from people rejected at GWoP and the vast majority of us can engage in respectful debate and also know proper grammer and spelling. So why did our posts never make it? The only determination I have been able to come to is "we were on the wrong side."
How interesting is it to hear your own opinions ricocheted back at you and confirmed 100% of the time? Not very (to me anyway).
I am pretty clued into GWoP, but I had never heard about the attempt to get the "hits" up! Honestly, who cares? I have never even looked at their site meter. Whatever....
Hope to see more of your posts.
I have to agree NMD and Scarfoot. Maybe it was just the idea of making the little girls wear what looked like scratchy wool sweaters in 90 degree heat (which I think is way meaner than the boys not getting cupcakes on their un-birthday), but I could not really agree with Kate that the kids had fun on this one.
There were some cute moments. The interaction between Aaden and the girl who was using the steamer to get the wrinkles out of the clothes was adorable. It appeared the photo crew and J&K gave some thought to making the shoot a bit more fun for the kids with the backpacks and the dog, but overall, I felt their pain.
On one hand, I could argue that this episode should have ended up on the cutting room floor, but the kids did experience it and I doubt having the t.v. show crew there as well made any real difference to them, so I guess it's somewhat of a non-issue.
Truthfully, if the kids have only have to do something like this a few times a year, I don't have a huge issue with it, but I would hope it wouldn't become more frequent than that.
Yeah, this was definitely one of those episodes that was hard not to watch through my GWoP-colored lenses: things being faked (the fall photo shoot in the summer) - check; kids being compelled to do stuff they clearly didn't want to do - check...and so on.
I think when I put it context, yeah, it's not such a big deal. If you accept that this is the choice the Gosselin parents have made for their family (and I do get that that is a BIG "if"), then having to wear a sweater for a few hours and stand still and smile doesn't seem so onerous. It's the flip side of the benefits that the Gosselin children get from the show. But it still makes it uncomfortable to watch at times, especially when you know it's just going to add fuel to the fire.
Anyone catch the wooden stands used for the 'tups third birthday carnival (that Kevin and Jon built) now being used as plant stands on the back patio? They looked pretty good as plant stands, too! I recognized them right away.
The photo shoot looked like a giant pain, but I really didn't see it as being that bad. Good Housekeeping's December cover usually features the McCaughey septuplets (since the December issue always comes out around their November birthday), but perhaps because they are no longer young (they're about 11 now, right?) and losing the "cute kid factor," GH is switching to the Gosselins. The big family cover issues are big sellers.
Gee, if the McCaughey's appear on the December issue, I wonder if the GWoPpers will send GH hate mail about the OTHER family of multiples being "exploited" every year? My guess is no, since the real reason they hate the Gosselins has nothing to do with how long those kids had to stand around and get their photos taken, and everything to do with their feelings toward Kate.
I agree with others. I found this episode kind of boring and I did think it was too much for the kids. But then I remember having to do things I didn't like as a child. You know, Christmas parties where you have to dress up and hang out with a bunch of adults. I thought it was sweet how some of the kids were so huggy to the adults who were pretty much strangers. That made me think that it wasn't all bad for them and they weren't getting damaged by the whole experience.
Morning all. Just have to add that I applaud them for including it as an episode. It didn't exactly show the beautiful picture of kids who are happy and excited to be doing something like a photo shoot. If this is as bad as it got that day, then it's not something that will be a horror to remember for those kids. I also recall the family pictures at the holidays. Specifically one day when my father had us posing in front of the Christmas tree. We all had to get dressed and then sit for a couple of hours while he took pics of mom and me, then my brother with mom, etc. He was sending these photos to his family in Europe and he wanted them just right! Today I look back at them fondly and when I see them I think of him and recall that we were crabby and just kept smiling. But I'm not going to jump off a bridge over it ;). I guess most family pics are a drag when they are happening.
Morecowbell said...Gee, if the McCaughey's appear on the December issue, I wonder if the GWoPpers will send GH hate mail about the OTHER family of multiples being "exploited" every year?
I don't post on that other site, although I have read it. So I'm not speaking for them but myself here. I wish the gosselins would be more like the McCaugheys and just do updates occasionally. I think they do a once a year update but I could be wrong.
As I've said before I don't hate Jon or kate. I just wish they weren't using this show as their sole income. It makes it harder for them to make unbiased and correct choices for their kids. It's their family and they need to do what's best for them and I'm in no position to tell them what to do. I just wish it was a little less tv show/exposure for the kids.
I didn't find this episode particularly thrilling, but I thought it was interesting to see how much goes into producing an article like this.
I have to say, I felt the Gosselin kids' pain. My mom photographed every possible moment of our lives growing up, and posing for a family Christmas picture was a year-round occurance...she took as many shots throughout the year as possible and picked the best one. Thank God this was before the Internet Age when she could have sent one of those dreaded Christmas emails with picture attachments!
I remember her trying to get three kids to smile at the same time. I can't imagine what a headache it is to get 8 to do it. And, not surprisingly, there's more than one picture in our family albums where one or more of us had faces like Cara's.
I totally agree with 'joy in nj'. I feel the kids need an advocate that is not making money off of them. While I have no doubt that Jon and Kate love their children, their decisions are definitely colored green. This episode was work for those kids and not a typical "family photo" that most of us endured at some point in our childhood.
I guess I can kind of see both views. I do kind of view the whole thing as an expanded family photo shoot that some of you all have experienced. This is obviously on another plane, but doesn't seem to be something that will scar them.
I can't help thinking about all the beautiful pictures of their family they will have to look back at when they get older. Something really to treasure, in my opinion.
I just wish they weren't using this show as their sole income.
I think that's a valid concern, though I would point out that they do have other sources of income: the upcoming book, the speaking engagements (however much they generate) and now it appears some endorsement deals. But people complain about those as well, because "no one would care about the Gosselins if it weren't for the sextuplets." Which, true, but you would think people concerned about the kids' privacy would be happy when J&K earn money in some way that doesn't directly involve the kids being on camera.
While I have no doubt that Jon and Kate love their children, their decisions are definitely colored green.
I understand being concerned, but I find this statement a little too harsh. You could say the same about any parent that goes out to work. Should a mother take a promotion, knowing it will mean longer work hours and less time with her kids? Are her decisions "colored green"?
My point is that you can see the Gosselins' choices two ways - you can see them as parents who are making the best financial decisions they can for their entire family, or you can see them as greedy. Actually, I guess you can see them somewhere in the middle, as well - but what I'm trying to say is that I personally don't equate the financial choices they are making with greed.
I've said it before, but I don't see the Gosselins living high off the hog on their money. If they started buying expensive cars and Kate started wearing designer clothes and big diamonds, I might see it differently. But right now I see their choices as motivated by a desire for financial security, and I can relate to that. Obviously, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are making the right choices - that's a topic worthy of debate - but if we agree that the Gosselins love their children, maybe we can agree that they believe they are acting in their children's best interests.
I felt soooo sorry for Mady and Cara. Those girls do not seem to like this attention at all, but the little kids seemed to hold up pretty well.
Sounds like J and K do alot of bribing and rewarding to keep the kids in line.
Really sad.
I just have to say, in the past few days, I've realized that I "belong" here more than I ever belonged at GWoP. I've said many times that I fall more in the middle than I do on either "side", but after reading the comments about this episode on GWoP and seeing the intelligent, well thought out discussion here; it's clear to me that I made a mistake in the past thinking people here was a sheeple. I've gained a lot of respect for you all in the past several days, I've enjoyed the level headed conversation that has not once turned into a mud slinging, name calling event. While the majority of you all here share the same opinion(s), each of them are expressed in such a manner that it's clear you all have your own thoughts, rather than 90+ people saying the same thing as the herd before them and I sincerely appreciate that. What I find even more admirable is that even on the occasion that people don't agree, opinions are still presented thoughtfully and respect is shown on both sides; it's a quality I look for not only on the internet but one I find in the most genuine people in real life.
Thank you all for allowing me to post here but most of all, thank you for allowing me the time to "see the light". I may not always agree with an opinion expressed here, but I do know that I won't ever hesitate in speaking my peace because it's allowed here :)
Was noticing some differences between the Gosselin photo and McCaugheys (spelling? sorry). Anyway, they are featured annually in Ladies Home Journal, not Good Housekeeping.
Their photos seem relaxed and they are not in identical clothes. Just different parenting styles. Also, parents aren't in the cover photo, just the septuplets and older sister Mikayla. With two fewer people, there is more space, allowing for more relaxed poses for such a tight (not SKINNY, I think it is an example of Kate using the wrong word and everyone jumping on her saying it has a different meaning!!!) shot.
Guinevere,
When I said:
While I have no doubt that Jon and Kate love their children, their decisions are definitely colored green.
I am not saying that the Gosselins are greedy, although I understand why you assumed that. I meant that there is always a financial overtone to their choices in regards to the kids.
Have you ever played the "What would you do for x amount of dollars?" game with friends? Would you run naked down the street? Would you eat a worm?
I see the Gosselins playing that game every day in regards to their children. Would you install studio lighting in your house? Would you publicize video of your kids naked in the shower? Would you videotape your childs tantrum and then show it to her friends? Most parents would very quickly answer "No" to those questions, but Jon & Kate are being paid to say "Yes". Their decisions are colored green.
I really don't believe it is a conscious thing they ask themselves. Is X worth Y dollars, but it does boil down to that in the end.
I would like to see a third party that has no direct financial gain be involved in the decision making process.
Holly:
I am right with you. After reading here for a bit I have found it to be a more mature place to have discussions without the personal snarking on Kate.
Zappa, thanks for clarifying. I see your point. I still do think that parents make those sorts of decisions every day with their kids, though the decisions usually look a little different, of course. For that and other reasons, I'm a little concerned about the idea of third party oversight, though I have no problem with the idea of laws being enacted with respect to working hours, conditions and renumeration for kids on reality TV.
Oh, and I want to say welcome to the new people here who find that we represent mature and thoughtful discussion. It really was never anyone's intention, I don't think, to have this place be an echo chamber. Reasonable people can usually find common ground on anything if they are honest and fair.
I second Guin's comment and I want to add that I wouldn't come here if I felt like I was talking to a bunch of bobbleheads. I love a good debate, and while at times they do get a little heated, most of the posters here are able to be objective.
There are some very respectable, honest, and good hearted people here, and I'm proud to be in their company.
http://justjared.buzznet.com/gallery/photos.php?yr=2008&mon=10&evt=gosselins-housekeeping&pic=gosselins-good-housekeeping-01.jpg
Heres a link to the GH cover. Odd photo. Some of the kids (jon too) don't even look like themselves. This photo was photoshopped to the max. Hanna especially looks like a totally different kid.
Its Hannah's face. Her face doesnt look right. Thanks for the link.
Argh! I am so sick of the photoshoping of magazine covers. How are we supposed to have realistic ideas of beauty in this country when editors are using computer programs to slim, lighten/darken complexions, change the shape of eyes, etc. etc.
I agree, something is a bit off in Hannah's picture and I'll bet anything the original was just fine and they should have left it alone.
Anyway, overall it's a very nice picture. I love all the orange, but I love fall. Alexis looks adorable!
Something occurred to me that I thought I would run by you all. I have always heard that producers hope their tv shows will make it to 100 episodes because that is the magic number to go into syndication.
I wonder if that is why they are doing so many shows?
Not that I think there would be a huge demand for
J&K reruns, but there are a lot of cable channels with time to fill. Even if they want to continue, once the little ones are in school full time they won't be able to keep up the pace. And by then they won't be as cute and I'm sure there are all kinds of families waiting to take their place.
I think Joel is growing into a very handsome boy. He has a great smile.
They all look the same except Jon and Hannah (Kate is going to have a cow over that one, IMO). With Jon, maybe it's the makeup, but I agree, that Hannah doesn't even look like herself.
Collin's eyelid is droopy. No wonder Kate wanted it "fixed".
Awwww Colin is my favorite. He is so darn cute. He reminds me of my son when he was that small.
Hey all. You know how TLC will rerun a new Monday episode the following Wednesday, as part of the Wednesday marathon? They're not doing it today. The marathon is still playing, but the Good Housekeeping photo shoot isn't part of it. Anyone have any ideas why? Think they got (what some might consider justifiable) backlash?
Kuromi said...
Hey all. You know how TLC will rerun a new Monday episode the following Wednesday, as part of the Wednesday marathon? They're not doing it today. The marathon is still playing, but the Good Housekeeping photo shoot isn't part of it. Anyone have any ideas why? Think they got (what some might consider justifiable) backlash?
That is interesting. It certainly is the case that they usually replay Monday's new episode on Wednesday.
To be honest, I have no idea. But they have re-run other episodes that probably should have remained in the vault forever. Gumgate anyone?
Kuromi said...
Hey all. You know how TLC will rerun a new Monday episode the following Wednesday, as part of the Wednesday marathon? They're not doing it today. The marathon is still playing, but the Good Housekeeping photo shoot isn't part of it. Anyone have any ideas why? Think they got (what some might consider justifiable) backlash?
That is interesting. It certainly is the case that they usually replay Monday's new episode on Wednesday.
To be honest, I have no idea. But they have re-run other episodes that probably should have remained in the vault forever. Gumgate anyone?
To Kuromi and Anya... the reason why they didn't replay Monday's new episode as usual was because this was a special "Birthday Marathon" in honor of Wed Oct 8th being Mady & Cara's 8th birthday! So the episodes were all ones that M&C had big parts in... I didn't watch the whole marathon but when flipping through channels I did notice their 6 yr old bday in new york at american girl epi being played, as well as both the episode of Mady's "special day" of ear piercing and Cara's "special day" of rollerskating (which also was the "gumgate episode) and the ones where the twins get their violin/piano. So anyways, any backlash (if there even was a considerable amount) had nothing to do with the choice of not airing the Good Housekeeping episode, it just was because it wasn't one that had a main focus on Mady and Cara. :) I for one thought it was sweet of TLC to mention the twins' b-day being today, though I myself was already aware of it since I had recently seen it posted somewhere.
Linda - this is for you.
On the "Cara's Day" episode, Jon says "Financially this something we cannot do everyday."
I was watching the marathon and on the episode for the twins' 7th birthday, there was a commercial for Ikea. There is an Asian woman cooking in her kitchen and a child that STRONGLY resembles Cara.
Anyone else notice this??
Hi Niecy -
I watched the Cara's Day episode and heard/saw that too. I was going to post it here this morning.
I think Cara looks like she was photoshopped in. If you look at the enlarged version, the lines around her don't look natural as if she were "placed" later on.
I think Hannah looks different because we rarely see her smile that "large." Her full smile is like Jon's. Cara also has it.
I think the only issue with the photo is that like every magazine cover, it's airbrushed and touched up. Kate looks gorgeous.
I FINALLY got my latest issue of People with Paul Newman on the cover and the Gosselins inside. Someone at my post office must have been reading it. What great photos from Hawaii! I also notice that the accompanying article mentions Kate being a "target" on Internet blogs (gee...YOU THINK?). They gave it the proper amount of attention. Didn't make a big deal about it and shrugged it off as "what can you do?" Exactly. Loved that Mady was the "maid of honor" and Cara was "Best Woman." LOL! Perfect, because I don't think it would have worked the other way around. Mady is definitely her mother's daughter and Cara is her father's.
Nice article, great photos. But, I'm sure People has already heard from the GWoP bullies in their mailbag.
Niecy said...
Linda - this is for you.
On the "Cara's Day" episode, Jon says "Financially this something we cannot do everyday."
----
Those are the little things that bother me.
When one of the little girls was doing her "I want a bagel" chant, Kate said they were a rare treat. I find that so hard to buy with craft services being there. I would imagine that bagels are standard fare, unless she didn't let them have then that often.
It was interesting to see what goes into a shoot. That was some of the stuff I was wondering how it worked and what the kiddies were required to do.
I never saw the "bagels are a rare treat" comment as a financial issue. What's a bagel cost, 65 cents? And that's if you buy them individually; if you buy them in the store in a six-pack, they're even cheaper.
I don't know what the craft services spread includes, but if bagels are included, it doesn't mean Kate lets her kids have them. Maybe she thinks they are too many empty carbs. Maybe the little ones don't finish them and she doesn't like the waste. Who knows?
Personally, I love bagels. I've had them twice for breakfast this week.
Thanks, Laura for clearing that up.
Happy belated birthday to Mady and Cara. Hope your un-birthday does NOT involve anything having to do with cupcakes! :-)
I've always seen the bagels are a rare treat comment as more related to Kate's food issues than the price.
I did not remember Jon saying the reason they can't regularly do special days is from the financial aspect, but he did say it. I don't see them as trying to deceive people about their financial standing.
Since they got the TV series I always assumed that there was some significant financial compensation going on.
I never saw the "bagels are a rare treat" comment as a financial issue.
IMO, Kate uses the term "rare treat" frequently. IIRC - she uses in the financial sense. In the "Wild Horses" episode, it's extremely noticeable. Kate uses the word to describe the crab among other things.
Because it is more obviously financially related in other episodes - that's what makes the "bagel" comment more ridiculous.
Like Linda, maybe when this episode reruns, this topic is worth a revisit.
I never saw the "bagels are a rare treat" comment as a financial issue.
IMO, Kate uses the term "rare treat" frequently. IIRC - she uses in the financial sense. In the "Wild Horses" episode, it's extremely noticeable. Kate uses the word to describe the crab among other things.
Because it is more obviously financially related in other episodes - that's what makes the "bagel" comment more ridiculous.
Like Linda, maybe when this episode reruns, this topic is worth a revisit.
Im a middle of the fencer on Jon and Kate but I dont see her "rare treat" comment as something bad. They have 8 small kids. Im sure having an hour to yourself is even a rare treat. My husband and myself have very good incomes and we even say "lets treat ourselves" when we want a lobster dinner or something. As far as the bagels I think its more of a food issue as well and not monetary. Gotta love those carbs. Especially toasted with butter and apricot jam :)
I did not remember Jon saying the reason they can't regularly do special days is from the financial aspect, but he did say it. I don't see them as trying to deceive people about their financial standing.
The exact quote was
"Financially this is something we cannot do everyday."
I don't know who to interpret that other than it meaning "We cannot afford to do this everyday."
Coupled with the other "Day" episodes where they claim the days were possible because they "save".
IMO. I won't go as far as saying "deceive" - but that statement is misleading.
The "Babies and Bedrooms" episode replayed and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why Kate spent so much time picking out beds - the beds for the boys "rustic and hearty" - she picked because they look like "boys" beds.
Why do they look like the boys sleep on pallets?
The girls' beds she "ordered" from a catalog are lovely.
IMO, Kate does make a case for preference (of the girls).
Poor Collin. He was really asking Kate specifically for help.
I think the "bagels are a rare treat" has to do with the fact that most packages of bagels in the store have 8 bagels a package to them. You'd need at least one package per meal to feel the Gosselins (the pickier eaters probably only eat half, but some may want a whole bagel if they really like them). My guess is that they're a rare treat because she'd have to buy so many packages to have bagels on hand for a couple meals a week.
To answer the question about the beds. One of the boys sleeps on the "trundle bed," which kinda looks like a pallet. They bought a set of bunk beds and a single bed for the boys and the girls, plus a trundle which slides under the single bed as a spare. No one uses the top bunks yet, because they're afraid they'll roll off, so each room had a tup sleeping on a trundle, which is really low so it looks like a mat on the floor. Leah and either Joel or Aaden sleep on the trundles. It sounds like the trundles will be used for guests and the kids will move to a top bunk once they get older. At least that was my impression.
No one responded to my earlier comment about a girl who looked remarkably like Cara in an IKEA commercial... I'm really, really curious if she and/or Mady have finally gotten in the 'biz on their own. Remember the visit to the talent agent lady???
Did anyone else see this?
cincymom said...
No one responded to my earlier comment about a girl who looked remarkably like Cara in an IKEA commercial... I'm really, really curious if she and/or Mady have finally gotten in the 'biz on their own. Remember the visit to the talent agent lady???
I didn't see it, but I was wondering if anyone else did. If she is doing IKEA commercials, she's prob a member of SAG. I THINK that would restrict her working hours on J&K. I only sort of know how these rules work but I think there's only a couple of loopholes for the first time you work outside of SAG after you're a member. Someone else prob knows more about this than me.
On this episode, I agree it was boring. The last few have not held my interest well at all.
I truly felt for those kids in winter sweaters in the summer. Two days of photo shoots is a lot combined with the time they spend filming the show. With the families who just do specials I don't think it would be as much of a concern because the children have so much more of their life free from cameras.
I still can't figure out the rare treat about bagels. The morning the tups had cereal and the twins had bagels and again the episode where they showed the twins running around and Cara trying to do her homework before school, the twins had bagels again.
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