"Jon and Kate prove that they are more committed than ever to each other and their unique life together as parents of multiples. After almost ten years of marriage, Jon and Kate have a wedding vow renewal ceremony in Hawaii and you are cordially invited. Click on"Read More" to read more about the ceremony and reception.
The Gosselins' Vow Renewal Ceremony
After 9 years of marriage, Jon and Kate Gosselin renewed their vows in Maui, Hawaii on Aug. 12, 2008. Their first wedding was supposed to be held in Hawaii, but they changed their plans because their families couldn't travel to attend. They'd been dreaming of a Hawaii wedding ever since, and were thrilled to have their children witness it and be a part of it. Here's how it went.
WEDDING PROGRAM
WEDDING PROGRAM
Jon & Kate Gosselin
August 12, 2008
Hawaiian Procession
Conch shell blower, dancer, drummer
Circle of Love Jon and Kate stood encircled by native Hawaiian flowers like orchids, anthuriums and a variety of other flowers to represent how unique each of their children are.
Exchange of Vows
Lei Exchange
Jon and Kate exchanged leis, and each child placed a white lei around either Jon or Kate's neck.
Jon & Kate's Recessional
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow," Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
THE WEDDING PARTY
Officiant: Reverend Pia Aluli
Maid of Honor: Mady Gosselin
Best Woman: Cara Gosselin
Flower Children: Aaden Gosselin, Alexis Gosselin, Collin Gosselin, Hannah Gosselin, Leah Gosselin, Joel Gosselin
Wedding Reception
First Dance: "What a Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
The Menu: The Gosselins and their guests dined on traditional Korean dishes like kimchi and bulgogi, along with traditional Hawaiian dishes.
The Wedding Cake: Jon and Kate chose a mango cake with vanilla frosting. (Kate insisted on vanilla frosting, because she thought the kids would make a mess with a colored frosting.) There were 10 flowers piled on top to represent each Gosselin.
The top tier represented Jon & Kate, and had the bible verse Isaiah 40:31 written on it: "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint."
The second tier of the cake represented Mady and Cara, and had the bible verse Psalm 127: 3: "Behold, children are a gift from the Lord."
The third tier represented the sextuplets, and had the bible verse Psalms 139:13a and 14a written on it: "For you created my inmost being...I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
157 comments:
Awww, that sounds really nice. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Can't wait to see it- the cake looks beautiful!
I can't wait to see it! My husband and I were married in 1999 also. So Happy Belated Anniversary Jon and Kate!
It sounds beautiful!
I will add: Kate was right about the white frosting. I have no idea if the kids would have ruined their clothes, but the white frosting looks perfect for a vows renewal, and sets off the flowers and verses beautifully. I love the three-tiered, bible verses idea.
Where did I readthat Jon's relatives in Hawaii might attend? Does anyone know if that's true?
They said in an earlier episode that Jon had relatives in Hawaii and they would be there. Kate said she was "excited to meet them".
I'm looking forward to the episode. I think it will be cute!
Can't wait to see tonight's show but I still wonder why now and not wait until their 10th anniversary to have a renewal ceremony? I mean to each his own but it just puts all kinds of thoughts in my head about the reasons behind it. I know - it's their life but sometimes my head goes to dark places and I think it because I've read all those other blogs, sometimes it makes me see things that aren't there - if that makes any sense. Looking forward to seeing all the little ones - they're just too cute.
I don't see anything wrong with vow renewals before the ten year mark. My husband and I renewed ours at eight years for personal reasons. Our family thought ten years would have made more sense but at the time it was right for us and something we went through.
Her dress is so pretty and I love the headband she wears. From the previews showing Jon's family there, I am glad they can share that with his side that was unable to make their first wedding. Good for them. And of course the kids look adorable in the previews.
It just sucks being on the west coast as I have to wait until 10pm mountain time to watch this :(
I will definitly watch. I will see the kids parade around in all their cuteness. I will wonder why none of their local family and friends did not attend. I will pay particular attention to Mady and Cara.
Weed-they did this on their 9th anniversary because this is when the trip was offered for free.
Excited for this episode tonight!!! Cant wait. I told my dh we need to have our vows renewed on our 15th anniversary in Hawaii..lol :)
I found the explanation(of the renewal) they gave the kids was weird...to show that mommy and daddy will always be together? Why would the kids think anything different at the age?
It will be nice to see some outside family members on the show again.
My husband and I are waiting til we have our baby to renew our vows.(after ten years of marriage and hopefully an adoption this year, we want to re-start our new life as parents with an "Officially Fun" ceremony) We're going to Vegas and Gettin' re-hitched at the Elvis Chapel :D It might be our 11th anniversary, but I hope not!!
http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/reviews/view.bg?&articleid=1132786&format=&page=1&listingType=tvrev#articleFull
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Interesting article to share.
There is a not so nice article in the Boston Herald. The URL is http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/reviews/view.bg?&articleid=1132786&format=&page=1&listingType=tvrev#articleFull
I had to type it in - so hopefully you can pull it up. It's a review of the Wedding episode. It seems that some people are starting to take notice of the show and how it more or less focuses on all of the trips and freebies and not on the children. The author of the article is NOT a Kate fan. Thought you might be interested.
Can't wait to see the episode tonight!
To me it doesn't really matter why they did the renewal now and not on their actual anniversary. And I get why they want the kids to really know that they will always stay together. Their lives have been very stressful in the last few years and many marriages would not of made it through what the Gosselins have endured! I just hope they had an amazing time!
Maybe they feel the need to renew their vows and show their children that they will stay together because of all the people in internet land who continually dissect their marriage and suggest Jon leave his wife. I do agree with the author of the Globe article on one thing: He picked her.
I will suggest to the ladies who run the board, perhaps starting a separate thread to discuss the article? You could put this reply there if you like. I just think it will spark up discussion!
LuLu I think you're on to something!
I have to say I am pretty surprised this guy has a gig for a major newspaper. He's not a particularly good writer and doesn't seem to have anything original to say.
I am open to an honest commentary of the show by someone who has something new and thoughtful to say. This guy isn't it. It looks like he was on deadline and just cobbled together an article from some of the more lucid GWoP posts. Not impressed.
A quick google on him finds that he dislikes about 90% of what he reviews. So he's one of those critics. It's all below him, you know.
Anyway, I am looking forward to the episode tonight.
I am open to an honest commentary of the show by someone who has something new and thoughtful to say. This guy isn't it. It looks like he was on deadline and just cobbled together an article from some of the more lucid GWoP posts. Not impressed.
I had the same reaction. It seemed like a regurgitation of GWoP talking points:
Concern about the kids? Check.
Resentment over freebies? Check.
Utter humorlessness? Check. (I'm guessing that Kate's comment about the cake, was, you know, a joke. Some people just don't get, or choose not to get, her dry sense of humor.)
I found the explanation(of the renewal) they gave the kids was weird...to show that mommy and daddy will always be together? Why would the kids think anything different at the age?
It will be nice to see some outside family members on the show again.
Maybe because the kids started questioning where all their loved ones went...no grandparents, Jodi, Kevin, cousins, Beth and Bob and their kids, Nana Janet, etc...are all GONE. I think that could prompt J & K to have to reassure the children that mommy and daddy would not be leaving. Nice, huh?
Maybe because the kids started questioning where all their loved ones went...no grandparents, Jodi, Kevin, cousins, Beth and Bob and their kids, Nana Janet, etc...are all GONE. I think that could prompt J & K to have to reassure the children that mommy and daddy would not be leaving. Nice, huh?
I don't believe there has been any change in the status of the relationship with the grandparents for a long time. I've certainly not heard that they are estranged from Janet; and we don't know whether they see Beth and Bob or not.
Nor do we know where the relationship with Kevin and Jodi is at, and I agree that this may be confusing to the kids. How do you explain that your sister-in-law trashed you relentlessly to her sister, who then blabbed about it all over the internet?
I would start that explanation with the fact that mommy trashed Aunt Jodi who spent many hours caring for you and entertaining you in her home, on cable (national) tv over some gum. While it was not the way I would handle family problems, I can understand why Jodi's sister chose the internet to post her feelings. Sort of an apples to apples thing.
on the subject of grandparents ...has anyone ever entertained the idea that perhaps their extended family isn't all its cracked up to be? We've never seen the grandparents, how are we to know that they are really positive people who Jon and Kate are just "keeping from the children?" We've seen Beth and Jodi and they seem to love the children and look out for them- but we've never seen the grandparents- not even in the beginning which leads me to think the show doesn't have anything to do with them not being present.
Just a thought.
About the article-
Way to go literary genius, your astute observations and briliant writing style have amazed us all. How original.
on the subject of grandparents ...has anyone ever entertained the idea that perhaps their extended family isn't all its cracked up to be?
Yes, I think it's been touched on. I know even Julie claimed that Kate's father was controlling and that the children did not have much to do with him.
I think some people cannot see beyond their own family dynamics and trust that other people may be making the best choice for their own situation.
I would start that explanation with the fact that mommy trashed Aunt Jodi who spent many hours caring for you and entertaining you in her home, on cable (national) tv over some gum. While it was not the way I would handle family problems, I can understand why Jodi's sister chose the internet to post her feelings. Sort of an apples to apples thing.
Oh, please, Kate never trashed Jodi. I don't think 1 in 100 people who saw that sequence thought anything bad about Jodi; virtually every comment I've ever seen acknowledges that the situation made Kate look bad, not Jodi. Even if Julie was justified in her classless and extremely unhelpful behavior (which I don't think she was), the fact is that from what she said on her blog, it was obvious that Jodi talked crap about Kate all the time, to Julie and who knows who else. I would have a problem trusting someone who was nice to my face if I then found out she was trashing me behind my back.
I'm not gonna watch. I haven't watched in months. My husband hates the show and harps on me if I watch it and says i should be studying instead (i'm a once-again student). I will look forward to everyone's comments though (I hide internet time from hubby :/).
I do have to admit, for someone who loves vacations and needs one badly but can't afford it right now (one income family), I'm extremely jealous of this family as of looking at the pic on this post. I'd be jealous of any family who may be going on some fab vacation right now though. Or even a mini-one. Sigh.
Gag Me said...I would start that explanation with the fact that mommy trashed Aunt Jodi who spent many hours caring for you and entertaining you in her home, on cable (national) tv over some gum.
Really, that's how you would handle a difficult family matter with 4-year-old's???
Very interesting.
I do have to admit, for someone who loves vacations and needs one badly but can't afford it right now (one income family), I'm extremely jealous of this family as of looking at the pic on this post. I'd be jealous of any family who may be going on some fab vacation right now though. Or even a mini-one. Sigh.
Aw, I know what you mean. I went on a (short) vacation this summer, but it kind of sucked, so that doesn't count. Actually, I'm happy enough with staycations these days. Sometimes I don't know why I ever want to even leave the house.
I'm as capable of jealousy as the next person, but I find that I can kind of enjoy the Hawaii trip vicariously. When I see the cool water slides, or the boat trip to see the turtles, I feel a little bit of longing. But mostly I'm just happy for the Gosselin kids, because I really like them all so much and I feel that these experiences should balance out some of the negatives of being on the show.
I would start that explanation with the fact that mommy trashed Aunt Jodi who spent many hours caring for you and entertaining you in her home, on cable (national) tv over some gum. While it was not the way I would handle family problems, I can understand why Jodi's sister chose the internet to post her feelings. Sort of an apples to apples thing.
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I think you're very confused. It's Jodi who trashed Jon and Kate. I haven't seen a blog from Jon and Kate dedicated to speaking ill of Jodi.
Jodi was not so bright to give kids gum when she knew full well they didn't chew gum. If she really thought it was ok to give the kids gum, she wouldn't have had to ask them about it - dead give away. If she was really on top of things, she would have made sure that the kids would have given her the gum when they were done. Jodi knew Kate. Jodi knew Kate would freak out over gum on clothes, and Jodi gave six three year olds gum anyway, and didn't keep track of where the gum ended up. Some great babysitter she is...I mean WAS. She didn't seem to care that she gave the kids something that their parents didn't allow them to have.
If you go on the TLC website you can see a clip which shows Jon's family at the wedding. I believe it showed two of his great aunts and a great uncle as well as some additional extended family. A few had met Jon and or Kate before, some had not seem Jon since he was a child. It is possible Jon's Mom plays more of a role in their lives than we know of and just asks not to be filmed. I doubt Jon's side of the family would have traveled from Kauai and Oahu which each involve a flight (albeit a short one) to Maui to be there for the wedding vow renewal if they didn't care about Jon and Kate or their kids.
Difficult family situation? It was gumballs not abuse. On a sock and a toy. Geez. You put the item in the freezer for a few minutes and peel it off (much better than peanut butter) Then Kate put it all out there on tv. I don't remember her exact phrasing but it pointed to Jodi to being "sweet" but clueless of how to handle children. I am not confused. Jodi's mistake was trying to help out her unappreciative sister-in-law.
I'm beginning to think that TLC has totally gone over the deep end. They recently have been playing ads for Gosselin program every time they post a commercial with some theme song that is driving me (personally) nuts. Today... a mini Jon and Kate with family popped up in the bottom left hand corner of what I was watching. They are on TLC constantly, sheesh. Time to complain to my satilite company, why am I paying for this. - sorry a bit off topic.
Gag me,
First of all, your name is offensive. But you chose that name to antagonize some of the people that frequent this blog. That in itself makes it very difficult to have any kind of rational discussion.
Secondly, I would call explaining to the children what happened between Aunt Jodi and their parents a "difficult situation."
This is not an "apples to apples" thing with Julie for god's sake. Julie has nothing to do with this and I would be willing to bet a good sum of money that Jodi wishes she would have kept quiet. It is between Jodi and Kate.
Had enough
I think that TLC is going with what is making them money. Just like all the other networks do. I too get very tired of seeing the same programming commericals over and over. Is this Jon and Kate's fault? May I suggest getting a TiVO.
Gag Me said..."Difficult family situation?"
Just to clarify, by "difficult family situation", I was referring to the supposed estrangement between J&K and Jodi & Kevin as well as all the ancillary drama created by people like Julie. Personally, I don't feel it is appropriate to bring four-year-olds (or eight-year-olds) into that matter. Obviously, if they are not currently in each other's lives, some explanation is owed the children, but I would not get into the details of who said what.
In my opinion, Kate did NOT trash Jodi. Kate overacted and was patronizing regarding Jodi. There's a difference.
I don't know, the whole thing - gum - is just so stupid. I can't believe I am still talking about this subject months later. :-)
I had to reject the last comment because it was anon. Please resubmit with your screen name. Thanks
Maybe the whole reason Jon and Kate are having trouble can be seen with Kate's explanation about the "re-wedding."
To quote verbatim: "We had been thinking and hoping, I think dreaming actually, of going to Hawaii for a long time. Jon and I were supposed to get married there originally. And, um, that didn’t happen. Our family members weren’t able or willing to come so we opted to side with the family and got married here. And every time we thought of our beautiful wedding, my thoughts always wandered to how it would have been in Hawaii.
So the day after we arrived, met with wedding coordinator… blah blah."
OK--here are my sarcastic comments: "Gee, my husband and I wanted to get married in Russia and our family wasn't able or willing to come. So I'll downplay the absolutely beautiful wedding we did at home, make snide comments from time to time and then, hopefully some national company will pay for us to get that wedding in Russia in 9-1/2 years."
I just don't get why they couldn't go privately for their honeymoon instead of Disney World? And if they couldn't afford to fly to Hawaii and drove to Disney (didn't Kate say she hadn't flown ever-- but I might be wrong) why should they expect others to travel so far? Why are they harping on it a decade later? Couldn't they have had a private ceremony later if it meant so much?
I REALLY need another hobby.
I haven't watched J&K+8 for a very long time but tonight I am.
I think it was lovely. There have been moments here and there were I thought..hmmm some people are going to pick THAT apart. But, honestly it was really nice. I liked how Jon promised to ask what she needs in times of stress and her vow to respect him (obviously they said more than that but those stuck out for me)
I hope they are still together in 90 years..now that would be an interesting show :)
Where to start? With Alexis wrinkling her nose and saying "That's disgusting!" Or maybe when she had her little contented sigh while getting her pedicure. Then again there was how sweet it was to see Mady take charge and help with her siblings, just like it was cute to see Cara look so beautiful with curls in her hair.
And the vow renewal was gorgeous-- Kate's comment about how she will work harder at being relaxed, etc, seems to have worked :). Jon does seem to be holding up his end of the bargain as well (with helping out)!
Best moment though was seeing Collin twirl Hannah while they danced-- that was too cute!!
Joybe,
To tell someone that their name is offensive is offensive in itself. My biggest pet peeve is when people DO NOT spell the "G" in God with a capital letter.
That said, I really am enjoying the new episode. I will be going to see Kate speak and I am looking forward to meeting her. The children are just wonderful!
The kids were adorable as usual.
All of the outfits were totally appropriate for a destination wedding/vow renewal.
The orchids were stunning.
I loved the verses on the cake and the symbolism of the number of flowers representing the kids, as well as each tier respresenting J&K, twins and tups.
I'm sure many who are looking for the worst will miss K's sweet/kind "mom" moments:
enjoying seeing her kids at the spa & taking pictures to document the occasion, allowing the girls to pick whatever color for their nails and tootsies, not making Mady get a "hairdo", not stressing out over the kids antics during the ceremony, being gracious to Jon's family, talking to her kids and asking them questions at the reception dinner table, putting the special bracelet on the stuffed animal who didn't want to be packed in the suitcase, etc.
Oh, and the kids dancing with one another was really cute!
happymama,
Well then I could tell you that you are offensive by calling me offensive, right??
I am a polytheists. We do not capitalize the the g in god.
joybe,
I am not the one that said her name was offessive, you were. People pick their name for their own personal reason and for someone else to say it is offensive is not right. That's her business, not yours. I don't care if you are a polytheists, Someone not spelling God with a capitol "G" is still my pet peeve.
That said, I will be going to see Kate in January in Marcy, New York. I am looking so forward to it.
Hi ladies, it's me again. The only man that posts here. I was baby-sitting my neices and nephews tonight and of course they were watching their favorite kids, the Gosselins. I can't believe how quiet it is here when the show is on. Those gosselin kids, you never know what they are going to do. They are the best.
cincymom, I think since Kate has always dreamed of a wedding in Hawaii she found a way to make it happen with TLC. She also got the extra perk of having her kids enjoy paradise. J&K are the royalty of TLC and Kate is definitely the princess type. How strange is it that I can see this whole family living at Disneyland? There life seems magical these days.
Kate was so calm about the wedding.
I'm at the end of the new Hayes show. I'm feeling exactly what I felt when I watched J&K for the first time, only more so.
Oh my, how do manage? How does she cope? I hope this show brings them some blessings.
Beautiful episode!
I really liked this episode. I saw Kate in a way more relaxed atmosphere and it was nice.
I liked how Jenny reigns the kids in. She does not let them intimidate her (it seems) and that is good.
Good job to Kate for not freaking out with the kids talking and moving around during the ceremony.
Kids were adorable as usual.
How do you explain that your sister-in-law trashed you relentlessly to her sister, who then blabbed about it all over the internet?
I agree with alot of things you say and everyone else, not this. In another thread you said you like to give J&K the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Jodi should get this as well, on this matter. I felt she was very reluctant to post the video. I was less than convinced about that or any of the other drama, how did she know what I read or heard.
I have little belief though that her complaints were "relentlessly" made to Julie. The J&K website disclaimer was equally awkward assuming I read the worst if I read anything other than what they posted.
IF TLC did try to pay her during the 2nd season and they knew Kate did not allow it then, then they were relentless in there efforts to try the same thing again this year if it happened at all.
A lot of nice moments.
My favorite part was the kids dancing at the reception. I think it was Collin who twirled Hannah around a couple of times? So sweet.
IZ's "Over the Rainbow" always makes me weepy. I never get sick of that song.
I loved the concept of the wedding cake and it was simply beautiful.
Aaden, Collin and Joel in their matching shirts trekking down the hallway together were such an endearing site. They are turning into some handsome little dudes.
All the girls were beautiful. I loved the soft curls on Alexis. It was impressive how well behaved the little girls were when they were getting their hair done. They sat nice and still and the results were great.
Mady gave a very sweet and thoughtful answer to Kate's question about why they were renewing their vows.
Monica, I agree about Jenny. She seems much more in command than when we first were introduced to her.
Small quibbles: for me some of the interactions with relatives seemed a bit forced/uneasy. I am glad Kate was so relaxed about the ceremony and she had the right idea about focusing on what was important, but to see the kids wandering all over the place when they were trying to recite their vows made *me* a bit anxious! LOL
How do you explain that your sister-in-law trashed you relentlessly to her sister, who then blabbed about it all over the internet?
I agree with alot of things you say and everyone else, not this. In another thread you said you like to give J&K the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Jodi should get this as well, on this matter. I felt she was very reluctant to post the video. I was less than convinced about that or any of the other drama, how did she know what I read or heard.
I'm not trying to be super-hard on Jodi. I think she's a good person. I may be unfair for being harsh on her; it's just that I think she did do wrong in this instance and contribute to the rift, and I don't think the anti-Gosselinites begin to acknowledge that. I've always said I think there is plenty of blame to go around in that situation, and I don't think any of the people involved are bad people (even Julie; I don't like her, because I haven't seen anything good from her, but I have no doubt she has good qualities).
I also felt Jodi was reluctant to post the video. In fact, the whole way that Jodi seemed very fragile and upset and then when Julie jumped in she was all cheerful and seemed super-excited was kind of disturbing to me.
happymama said...
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That said, I will be going to see Kate in January in Marcy, New York. I am looking so forward to it.
November 17, 2008 7:39 PM
Going to see her do what? I didn't know she did speaking engagements on her own.
I have to say that I was disappointed with last night’s wedding episode. Maybe the hype was too much and I was let down?? I realize Jon hasn’t seen his family in 20 years but they were complete strangers. I honestly believe they were invited to just fill the chairs. What’s up with the little ones treating Jenny so poorly? I hope she gets paid well for the treatment she receives. I’ve seen her be treated rough for the last few episodes. The kids don’t listen to her, I’ve seen them smack her and then last night with the cheese sticks. Those kids show no respect to her and treat her horribly (spelling??) Granted, Kate looked awesome and the kids were adorable as usual but poor Mady – she’s so over this show. Jon’s vows did bring tears to my eyes – who would have thought he was such a romantic
Joybe: First of all, I apologize for offending you. I did not chose that name to antagonize the blog as you suggested. I will, however, point out to you that not capitalzing the G in God offends me. I guess I have been berated by you with your "had enough" comment. Are you the board bully? I thought this was a place where you could have balanced discussion. I take that to mean discussion on both sides of the issue not simply pro-Gosselin. And for the record, I would not actually discuss the family relations with the kids, I was simply pointing out that Jodi was not the villian in all of this. Is is really worth severing family relationships and airing dirty laundry over a few gum balls?
I loved this episode. They all looked great, the cake was beautiful (wish I would have thought of putting scripture on my cake, what a cool idea!)the kids dancing together were adorable and Jon's relative telling him "you're more handsome in person than on the episodes" was funny. The vows were my favorite part, though. They were touching and apropos.
Gag me
For the record, that is the first time I have seen Joybe post here, so I could hardly call her a board bully.
It appears her Had enough comment was directed to a poster that had previously posted as "Had Enough".
Please let's get the post back on topic.
Thanks
I thought it was a sweet episode, I enjoyed it. I laughed when Alexis threw her half a cheese stick and angrily stalked away. It's the first real act of defiance I have ever seen from her and it shocked me, but I couldn't help but laugh - I'm sure some people thought it was just horrible and not a laughing matter at all.
The kids were all so cute in this episode. From the time they were in the hotel room playing and jumping on the bed, to taking the piece of bread that Jon offered them, to Joel saying the girls were going to get a "pedi...can" I don't remember exactly how he put it but he was adorable and on and on. I loved Leah asking Cara if she was getting her hair done to match her (or something like that) and Cara denying it and sounding so offended by it, even though I was kind of shocked that Cara would sound so mean and Leah - I'm not sure how she took it. Was she upset? Did she shrug it off? I couldn't tell.
I have never felt more sure that the twins are just your typical rebelling 7-8 year olds than I did while watching this episode. In several of the scenes we see Cara smiling and having a good time but sometimes she looks like she's absolutely determined NOT TO smile, and Mady saying that she didn't want to be "Maid of Honor," that it wasn't her choice...I don't remember the wording, but it was enough to break a mother's heart. It felt like she said it just to try and hurt Kate. I guess a lot of kids say that sort of thing while growing up but I really felt pained by that.
The funniest adult moment came when Jon was in the interview chair saying that he liked Kate's vows, that he enjoyed her "scripture quotes" best and she responded, "I didn't have any scripture in my vows." Busted! Sorry, but I watch that and automatically think, "can Jon be anymore the typical man that women claim men are?" It's sitcomish. It's really something out of Seinfeld, only it wasn't. It actually happened. And Kate laughed about it. I don't they have huge expectations about each other any more. It's been 9 years and they know each other and they accept that Jon is like that, and Kate is the way she is. They may bicker, but they know and they do accept who the other is.
I'm someone who likes to see them venturing out to zoos or theme parks so this episode felt a little slow, but I did enjoy it very much.
I haven't had a chance to read all the comments, but I wanted to post my reaction to this episode.
It was boring. It felt forced to me, like the G.'s didn't really want to do the things we saw on TV. They didn't seem all that happy to meet "new" family or even renew their vows. I felt a little sad for them.
I suspect they loved the vacation, just not the TV show part of it.
I was disappointed b/c that San Diego visit was great, and they actually seemed really happy. I expected a more moving episode, oh well.
The clothes were nice, anyway.
I didn't like this episode as much as last weeks.
I also felt the interactions with extended family awkward. It looked like the immediate Gosselin family was celebrating and the rest of the family were accessories. I would have liked to see Jon dancing with one of his cute, little aunts or Kate dancing with one of Jon's cousins, but I realize they are essentially strangers. It made me wonder whether it was even Jon and Kate's idea to invite them.
In the favorite scene thread, someone mentioned the episode in which the tups were donating their pacis to Benny. Jon was holding Benny and it looked like he was savoring the smell of him. Oh, I thought that was just way too sweet.
I don't know what the relationship is like with their extended family and friends but I would sure like to see more of that loving interaction than the uncomfortableness in this latest episode.
BITTER JULIE SPEAKS!!!!
The Truth Will Set You Free said...
I thought it was really sad that not 1 friend or family member cared enough for them to come to Hawaii for their vow renewal.
Do you really think they even invited anyone? This wasn't about J&K renewing their vows. It was a win-win for everyone involved. Kate gets her dream vacation and TLC gets a months worth of episodes. Period!
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How does Julie commenting on this issue help poor Jodi move on and get on with her life???
I think BITTER JULIE is missing the limelight!
I do agree it was slow. I wondered if I would be bored like I sometimes am at obligatory weddings. It seems the way of the show. Sometimes I love it, sometimes I can't believe I have to catch up on Heroes because of it. The last few episodes have become some of my favorites.
I identified with Jon when he was meeting his relatives. I'm often that way at family reunions. I love them but I don't know what to say. I was impressed with the simplicity of the vow renewal. I thought it was going to be a lavish event. They did it laid back and beautiful Hawaiian style.
I am very interested in the new show/family, which makes me feel so nosy. Can you ladies manage two blogs?:)
Nor do we know where the relationship with Kevin and Jodi is at, and I agree that this may be confusing to the kids. How do you explain that your sister-in-law trashed you relentlessly to her sister, who then blabbed about it all over the internet?
November 17, 2008 12:24 PM
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And it looks like she is gearing up for more of the same!
JULIE-just go away and be quiet!
I would start that explanation with the fact that mommy trashed Aunt Jodi who spent many hours caring for you and entertaining you in her home, on cable (national) tv over some gum.
Yes, because what Julie has done in response has made the family situation SO MUCH BETTER, don't you think?
Except not.
Kate's freak out about the gum is nothing compared to the shit storm that Julie has caused with her twisted sense of decency.
I thought the vow renewal was nice, and GLORY BE {tm Kate}, there are GOSSELIN RELATIVES ON CAMERA. But, I thought they had alienated everyone and that none of the relatives want anything to do with them? huh. Go figure.
The kids looked gorgeous, Jon and Kate looked happy and it was a nice trip. The resort got two weeks of free advertising, which was the point of giving Jon and Kate this freebie in the first place. Heck, I want to go there, now!
They are on TLC constantly, sheesh. Time to complain to my satilite company, why am I paying for this.
Well, there is a little thing on your remote called a channel button. You can always not watch a particular channel if it bugs you that much. But, if those little ads in the corner of the screen bother you so much, don't watch VH-1, Lifetime, TBS, TNT, USA, or any other popular cable network, because they ALL do it. I was watching a movie on one of those stations this weekend. The movie was in "letterbox" format, so there was a black section at the top and at the bottom of the screen. Instead of putting their logos on the black part, they superimposed it over the movie. BOTH SIDES. There was "Lifetime" in the lower right hand corner, and an ad for that new John Stamos/Mr. Kissel movie they're promoting in the left hand corner.
And that "it's a beautiful life" song is being used for the Roloff's, Duggars and Hayes' family shows, too. They're promoting the hell out of MONDAY'S (TLC's most popular and biggest ratings night), not just J&K.
hate to be critical, but a few things stuck out to me. the first being that jenny didn't get a pedi. really? after she's chased those kids all over hawaii no one can spring for a pedi for her?
secondly, doesn't anyone else find it odd that the family that was there hadn't seen them in twenty years? kate had never even met them. now before everyone jumps on me that it's because they live in hawaii, we know that J&K went there with the twins before the tups were born. why wouldn't they have seen any of these people then? especially to show them their two beautiful daughters? i think TLC did this. one more thing, if i heard kate tell the kids one more time that her and jon were going to be together forever i was going to vomit. we get it, you're staying together. i would think constantly telling your young children that might make them become more insecure. my kids would never assume otherwise unless i made a huge deal over it. Just my two cents..
Amyf,
I will be going to see Jon and Kate at a speaking engagement at the First Assembly of God in Marcy, New York on January 10th. I mainly want to see Kate and hear her speak. Jon kind of bores me. Tickets were only $10.00.
A few comments:
Very contrived and awkward show IMO. Again, overall, ungracious, classless behavior from Jon and Kate.
If this renewal was Jon and Kate's idea, I would be very disappointed. It was distracting, awkward, and pointless. The kids didn't have a clue what was going on. And having their parent's harp about why they were doing this, would to me, lend to more insecurities that Mom and Dad have thought about not being together forever. Weird to me.
Could not believe that the kids could not control themselves for a short ceremony. Obviously, to me, the G's don't hold their kids to very high expectations.
Kids were darling as usual.
Couldn't make it one episode without filming the boys in their underwear??? What is up with that?
Great nannying when Alexis just walked off, and clearly only the cameraman noticed.
I am truly glad this season is over. I hope to see so real family stuff in the future.
Julie may or may not have made a wise choice when airing the family laundry on television. But ...
Common, folks ... she's Jodi's SISTER. I'm sure she adores Jodi and would do anything to defend her sister. I can cut her a lot of slack simply because I know she must've been SO full of frustration after hearing Kate say Jodi was "sweet" but unable to care for that many children.
For me, the loser in all this (besides the Gosselin 8, of course) ... is Kevin. I mean, Kate is HIS sister, right? So, here his wife is ... having a pissing match with his sister ... things get out of hand ... and now he's cut out of his nieces and nephews lives.
It's a lose lose ... nobody is winning in this train wreck of a show.
BITTER JULIE SPEAKS!!!!
The Truth Will Set You Free said...
I thought it was really sad that not 1 friend or family member cared enough for them to come to Hawaii for their vow renewal.
Ummm, Jules, honey? Have you priced airline tickets lately? Especially back in August (when the show was filmed) and gas was $4 a gallon? I doubt TLC was going to foot the bill for both sides of J&K's family to fly to Hawaii and put them up at the resort for free. How much do you think it would have cost family members to fly to Hawaii and back? That was one of the reasons that J&K's original wedding was not held in Hawaii in the first place, and prices have gone WAY up since then.
Or are you just pissed because that wasn't offered up to Jodi for free? After all, your "crusade" began when your sister didn't get paid for her services, and I'm sure that J&K and TLC weren't going to bend over backward to fly Kevin, Jodi and the kids over when Jodi's bittercakes sibling has been trashing their family all over the Internet for the past few months.
Morecowbell, as usual, echos my thoughts on Julie. Moving back to the episode:
**************************
Kimber said..."I thought it was a sweet episode, I enjoyed it. I laughed when Alexis threw her half a cheese stick and angrily stalked away. It's the first real act of defiance I have ever seen from her and it shocked me, but I couldn't help but laugh - I'm sure some people thought it was just horrible and not a laughing matter at all."
Of course, SOME people will make a big friggin deal of it and claim the kids are so badly behaved, etc. etc... I can hear it now: "Alexis is SO over the camera." LOL.
Seriously, very typical behavior from a 4-year-old. I laughed too. Jenny handled it well. Alexis only hurt herself.
"I loved Leah asking Cara if she was getting her hair done to match her (or something like that) and Cara denying it and sounding so offended by it, even though I was kind of shocked that Cara would sound so mean and Leah - I'm not sure how she took it. Was she upset? Did she shrug it off? I couldn't tell."
I saw that too and felt a bit bad for Leah, but from I could tell she let it roll off her back. Cara is usually so sweet, but I am sure she has her moments where she wants to excercise her big sister rights to be different and I think she thought only the "big girls" would be allowed curls. Her feelings were understandable.
"Mady saying that she didn't want to be "Maid of Honor," that it wasn't her choice...I don't remember the wording, but it was enough to break a mother's heart. It felt like she said it just to try and hurt Kate. I guess a lot of kids say that sort of thing while growing up but I really felt pained by that."
Yeah, that was an "ouch" moment for me too. Both C and M seem to be hitting the pre-teen years kind of early and along with that comes -- The Mouth. (Which actually lasts until they leave for college as far as I can tell). I felt for Kate in that moment. Mady isn't in the place to really understand the impact of her words yet. It's unfortunate.
I enjoyed the episode. It is just such a beautiful location, and most people would have to admit that they are a beautiful family. I have been bothered in the past by their seemingly blase attitude about all the perks that come their way. But, I started thinking about it from a different perspective. To them it has become the family business. These wonderful locations are not giving these trips out of the goodness of their heart. It is an advertising bonanza. I'm sure Jon and Kate don't get to call all the shots about what happens on their trip. I'm sure TLC and the resort have things they want showcased. I am happy that they have a good time, but I am not jealous of them. It is a trade off of sorts. A better lifestyle that comes along with a legion of people scrutinizing your life. I hope it has made them financially secure for their future.
As far as the kids behaviors, I do feel sorry for Jon and Kate. I remember an episode of a trip to an amusement park when Mady had a meltdown. In the interview, Jon said it was hard when they acted out like that, because they knew how well behaved they can be.
It seems like my kids could be wonderful 90% of the time, and then have an awful meltdown in a store with people staring at me. I felt mortified then, I can't imagine having thousands of people witness it. Overall, the kids seem pretty nice--for all the attention they receive.
MCB -
Where did Julie post? I didn't see it. Let me know please. Thanks. :-)
morecowbell,
I could be wrong, but the quote you have from Julie(off of GWOP)looked like something someone else had said, and she responded to it by saying, no one else was invited. She went on to say it was a win/win for the resort and Kate. She didn't sound that bad to me. I know not many people here like her, again, I don't know her. But, I think if she was responding to someone else, that should be pointed out.
Common, folks ... she's Jodi's SISTER. I'm sure she adores Jodi and would do anything to defend her sister...
---
Who is Julie really defending her sister from? Would anyone even know or care what happened to Jodi and why she wasn't on the show anymore if it wasn't for Julie and her blog? She brought this out to the "public." It's spreading gossip pure and simple. Jon and Kate haven't responded, so we only know what Julie and Jodi want us to know, and miracle of miracles, Jodi looks like the "victim" of "mean and nasty Jon and Kate." Who would have ever expected that? (sarcasm)
I don't feel sorry for Jodi at all. I do believe she's upset because she's not on the show anymore and it's probably embarrassing for her (people she knows probably commented all the time about her being on the show) so she went out of her way to get her version of the story out there.
I feel sorry for Kevin for being married to that goofy woman and for all the trouble she caused the family. Yes, JODI is causing the trouble, not Kate or Jon, because JODI is the one who's allowing this gossip out there.
BITTER JULIE SPEAKS!!!!
I sense a little bitterness in that comment.
Yes, it was Julie "responding" on GWoP.
I find it ironic that just a few weeks ago she removed all the trash from her blog stating Jodi was trying to move on, and yet her Julie is again, commenting on Jon and Kate's personal affairs.
How does that help Jodi, Julie?
I am quite sure you would never speak outside your comfort zone, so I will answer for you.....it does not help Jodi, in fact, I think you are missing the attention, and that is why you are posting again at GWoP. Sure you will have other things to add shortly.
More about PM?
More about the house in NC?
I do think people who watch the show care what happened to Jodi, even if they've never set eyes on a J&K blog. She was a big part of the show for quite a few episodes. The bitterness towards Jodi seems out of wack to me.
The Truth Will Set You Free said...
deb: I would like to hear what Julie thought about the episode.
I don't watch. It was the Toys R Us episode that did it for me. I've only seen a handful and I haven't even seen all of the episodes that Jodi is in.
anon: Beth and Jodi.....congratulations...you two are the only ones who made it out with your diginity.
I agree. After I watched gumgate and then found out the direction the show was going, my advice to Jodi was: GET OUT NOW!! I didn't want her to be associated with where this was heading.
It turned out that she didn't have a choice, so IMO it was probably a blessing in disguise (I'm only talking about Jodi's association with the show).
11/18/2008 8:40 AM
----
More from BITTER JULIE......
Saint said...
BITTER JULIE SPEAKS!!!!
I sense a little bitterness in that comment.
November 18, 2008 1:04 PM
----
Call it what you want! I think it is hard to contain someone who needs the attention.
Jodi was just occasionally on the show. She's not Jon, Kate or the 8, so why she is no longer there would not have been notable in any way (any more so than any other occasional person who was around sometimes), until she made it notable through Julie.
She was not a big part of the show, regardless of what anyone claims. She was just one of the people who happened to take care of the kids on occasion, the same way Beth or Carla or Janet did, the difference being that none of the other babysitters ever broke J&K's rule and gave the kids something they weren't allowed to have.
You know, I would MUCH rather this thread had 70+ responses dealing only with last night's show. I don't like to wade into the negativity, but I just have to say, Julie never fails to surprise. Just when I think we have the seen the last of her, she pops her head back in. She just can't stay away. At times, I have been open to hearing other people's more charitable views of her, but I think I am now fully convinced she is just a low-class meddling drama queen. I honestly do feel sorry for Jodi. I would not want this woman for a sibling.
And yeah, I really *buy* that she has not bothered to watch all the episodes - even the ones with her OWN SISTER in them! Does that ring true to anyone?!?
I have a question that is OT. I saw on Cafemom(I'm a member and post under the same screen name) that the J&K were being sued by a family member. I was surprised to see that. Has anyone else heard this or it this just another wild rumor?
I must not keep up with things to well. As for the episode, I really didn't enjoy it. Actually, I changed channels-got so bored-I just could not believe what Kate was saying about the wedding-really sounded like sour grapes.
From what they showed from the videos, it looked to be a very lovely wedding. I did see the very end where she said: we are coming back, real soon, right? Didn't like that part but really enjoyed the shots of the children at the end enjoying the various activites.
Anya,
DITTO!
She is unbelievable!
Kimber, I think Jodi and her family were notable. I liked seeing both families interact. I would have expected to keep seeing them because they were shown having a big part in J&K's family's life.
Anya, when I read Julie's comment, I thought the same thing. I cannot picture her watching not the show.
I feel sorry for Jodie. I think she's the type who tries to be nice and just doesn't know how to stand up for herself. IMO the possibility that Julie had a pure motive in helping her sister is gone. She's not helping her at all and probably holding her back.
Being on about 13 out of over 75 episodes, not really that notable, imo. And just as someone who takes care of the kids while Jon and Kate are out...I found Beth to be a more important person in their life. She seemed to have a relationship with Kate that was a friendship she was not just the wife of Kate's brother.
iluvobx said..."I have a question that is OT. I saw on Cafemom(I'm a member and post under the same screen name) that the J&K were being sued by a family member. I was surprised to see that. Has anyone else heard this or it this just another wild rumor?
I must not keep up with things to well. As for the episode, I really didn't enjoy it. Actually, I changed channels-got so bored-I just could not believe what Kate was saying about the wedding-really sounded like sour grapes."
I personally haven't heard that one. Nothing surprises me when it comes to families and $$$, but I tend to think that belongs in the unconfirmed crazy rumor category.
Just curious - what did Kate say about the wedding that you thought sounded like sour grapes? Most of it to seemed to me to be overkill -- how grateful and lucky they were, blah, blah, blah. I have no problem with this, it just seems at this point a trick the producers use to make sure us viewers are aware that J&K appreciate everything. Ok, I got it after the 8th time. I believe you! :-)
Was it the comments about the first wedding in PA? Just wondering...
I find it ironic that just a few weeks ago she removed all the trash from her blog stating Jodi was trying to move on, and yet her Julie is again, commenting on Jon and Kate's personal affairs.
Fawning adoration (having your butt kissed in exchange for gossip) and (misplaced) hero worship is like a drug. Once you've had it, it's hard to it give up.
Julie never fails to surprise. Just when I think we have the seen the last of her, she pops her head back in. She just can't stay away.
Once a famewhore.......always a famewhore!
Maybe she needs an intervention.
http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/jon-and-kate/video.html
There is a video with Jon and Kate's original vows, then their renewal vows-- I can't recall the exact way it was on the show, but it seems like parts had been edited out-- Kate does say she vows to speak more gently, and Jon is sweet to add he will be more open and communicative.
Just really nice to see them displaying their love in front of their kids in this manner. Part of me wonders if Mady and Cara had asked questions about their marriage-- you have to assume some of their classmates have parents who may not be fans of J & K, so I guess I'm morbidly curious as to whether 'friends'' comments made Jon and Kate start to think of ways to demonstrate to their children how strong their marriage was.
Just a thought... I liked seeing the vows though and appreciate how it seems since August they have been more relaxed and gentle with each other.
anya,
I'm sorry. I just read what I typed and posted and I left something out. I meant sour grapes concerning the wedding in Pa. She seemed to trash it because it wasn't Hawaii. At the Pa. wedding, they had all the parents present and that would make it very special as Jon's dad is no longer alive. I do not feel like last nights episode was a wedding, they are already married. It was a renewal IMO. It was nice to a certain extent but they had no friends or close relatives with them and that is sad. I also feel that Kate & Beth are no longer friends as Beth was not at the "2nd wedding". Beth would have the means to take her whole family there. If it was my best friend, I would be there. JMHO
As I stated, I had not heard the other and figured it might be a rumor. Probably got started when Julie removed her "writings" from the blog.
Would anyone even know or care what happened to Jodi and why she wasn't on the show anymore if it wasn't for Julie and her blog? She brought this out to the "public."
I would. Actually, I first came to the Gosselin blogs trying to find out what happened to Aunt Jodi. I am glad to know the story Julie put out. I was curious, and now I know. If there is a different explanation than the one tied to "Gumgate" I wouldn't mind hearing it.
Julie was wrong to vouch for Pennmommy (though she admitted in that post that she did not know her.) That doesn't make her wrong on everything else, whether the PM thing was hurtful to anyone or not.
I have NO PROBLEM with her defending her sister from patronizing and overreacting comments by Kate.
The defense of Jodi can definitely go overboard. Some things Julie did right: summarize the story, accept no comments, take the story down after a few months. Some things Julie did wrong: associate with mean posters at GWoP, fall for the Possummomma/Pennmommy story (like I did), fail to comment on PM/PM story when GDNNOP posted evidence (very annoying to me). Her blog now is just redundant.
Keep in mind, Kate is NOT Julie's family. Julie defended her own family. If Kate Gosselin isn't speaking to her brother or sister-in-law or whomever, it sure isn't Julie's fault AT ALL. Kate had those problems without Julie's involvement. I suspect this part of the story is true: Jodi waited to see if she was cut out by Kate, as she expected, before Julie put out an explanation. In other words, Julie explaned what happened. She didn't cause what happened. It's Kate's, Jon's, Jodi's, and Kevin's problem. Put the blame for that fall-out where it belongs. Maybe Julie makes it harder for them to all get over it and apologize. It's not insurmountable, though, and if it doesn't happen, it's their problem. They all just need to swallow their pride. (Been there. Done that.)
How do her negative comments about the vows renewal help the children? They don't. Neither do your comments (whoever asked that question.) Not every comment on the show has to "help the children." Does it?
I realize that in the last comment I posted that I said Julie's blog is redundant. It is a collection of posts persuading the reader that the G. children are being exploited, and they will suffer in the future from the TV show. Other sites take the same position, so it is redundant. However, I do think that of all the "anti-exploitation Gosselin blogs" out there, Julie's presents that position best. No comments accepted, no snarking on the children, updates only when something relevant can be linked, articles from and references to real people with real life experience on the issue.
I don't necessarily agree with all of her blog, but if I had to choose the best way to present that side of the Gosselin issue, Julie's is better than most.
Saint,
That is how I feel about GWoP. If they would have stayed on course with their blog and just printed their mission or goal, factual information and resources with links and information on how to assist them, I would have a lot more respect for them. I might not agreed but I also would have been open to reading the information.
I know how you feel about Julie but I personally can not give her a pass. I give her credit in her original postings for not allowing comments. I personally do not understand how this really helped anyone, especially Jodi. I was never one who doubted that Julie was who she said she was. I did doubt her motive and do remember reading where she wrote that she started the blog as a form of therapy for herself. So I have somewhat of a problem respecting her role now as a child advocate.
Saint, if I am ever brought up on "charges" in the blogosphere, I want you to defend me! :-)
Saint, I see your point about Julie now doing a concise job speaking on exploitation... my main issue is that she began the blog spilling all manner of family issues into the public. She admitted that it snowballed far faster than she ever would have thought. I also cannot respect how she never stated anything about PM after the fact-- vouching for her was wrong, but more than that deleting posts and parts of posts to hide her choice to support PM is deceptive and just really shady.
I agree that there are some possible good things that might come out of this now but the ends do not justify the means. Julie now has 'moved on' from supporting Jodi so her sister is able to 'move on' but that does not at all make what she did right. I may not agree with everything my family members do, and even be hurt and disappointed in their choices, but starting a blog and being buddy/buddy with people who blatantly hate my sisters husbands family is just so wrong.
Keep in mind, Kate is NOT Julie's family. Julie defended her own family. If Kate Gosselin isn't speaking to her brother or sister-in-law or whomever, it sure isn't Julie's fault AT ALL. Kate had those problems without Julie's involvement. I suspect this part of the story is true: Jodi waited to see if she was cut out by Kate, as she expected, before Julie put out an explanation. In other words, Julie explaned what happened. She didn't cause what happened. It's Kate's, Jon's, Jodi's, and Kevin's problem. Put the blame for that fall-out where it belongs. Maybe Julie makes it harder for them to all get over it and apologize. It's not insurmountable, though, and if it doesn't happen, it's their problem. They all just need to swallow their pride
______
Respectively disagree. I think alot of the fault rests at Julie's feet. Jodi made her privy to family issues. Did she need to tell her sister, "this is private, between Kate and I...please don't blog about it."
If Jodi had something to say, she should have stood on her own 2 grown up lady feet and said it herself.
And no, it may not be insumountable...Julie just weeks ago said Jodi was trying to move on and thus Julie deleted the "facts" from her blog.
Now, Julie is sticking her nose into the Gosselin's affairs once again.
I think Julie's motives are messed up.
Question for Julie...
How would you feel if someone started blogging about you, your husband and children? It's not like your information is not out there.
Nina,
I agree. I think GWoP started out one way and took a turn for the worse.
And yeah, I really *buy* that she has not bothered to watch all the episodes - even the ones with her OWN SISTER in them! Does that ring true to anyone?!?
November 18, 2008 3:53 PM
---
Actually Anya, Julie did indeed say that she watched the episodes that Jodi was in, because Jodi let her know.
I can't defend Julie's association with GWoP either.
I also understand why this has come up again...it looked like, after PM was exposed, she took a step back and stopped commenting with the ferocity seen during PM's glory. So her new comment hit a nerve. PM definitely egged Julie on and embarassed a whole lot of people (though perhaps not as many as should be.) I thought Julie was finished with everything except compiling the evidence "against exploitation." I understand why she isn't getting a pass from most posters over here.
Her lack of response about PM is vexing.
The mods and at least one poster over here deserve an apology for being mocked and lied about over that PM story.
The mods deserve a thank you for sharing information from anyone who was hoaxed to any degree about PM, including the GWoP moderators, their regular posters, Bohemian Moon, and Julie. The mods here shared information they had, and it stopped a fraud from being perpetrated on the posters at other blogs. Anyone who has followed links to other sites can see where the PM thing was headed: wishlists and medical fund donations.
Having said that, I know that many people have expressed gratitude, and if I have failed to do so, I add my thanks now.
Saint,
I just don't understand Julie's posting period.
I think if she wants to comment, she should do it under another name, if in fact she is under Jodi's wishes of trying to put this mess behind here.
JMO
Fiona,
Do you mean if she wants to post things now? That if she wants to add her two cents like the rest of us, she should create a screen name and post under that instead of her 'truth' screen name? I'm not sure why that would make a difference? Is it because she's too close to the Gosselins and their family?
I actually don't think the sister-in-law's sister connection is all that close. I am pretty sure my own kids would only vaguely recognize my sister-in-law's sister or a similar relationship in their lives.
You may be able to change my thinking on this, but I really don't see what difference her screen name makes. If I know it's Julie, it tells me she has some credibility speaking about Jodi. Period. Not Kate.
Regarding the comment she made at GWoP recently. It was something like "You don't believe they invited anyone, do you?" (paraphrasing) I read that and thought, "Well I guess Jodi and Kevin weren't invited." I have no idea if Julie knows if anyone else was or wasn't asked to go. I just figure she can't possibly know that. She's not Kate's or Jon's family.
Also: I think the two "truth" sisters seem pretty close, like they're not going to let this Gosselin thing come between them. I am guessing that Jodi rethought her public involvement and asked for Julie to take her video and story down. I don't disagree with you about Julie's blog not helping Jodi move on, but maybe it is up with Jodi's approval? maybe Jodi thinks it is the best way to present that side of the "exploitation" issue. It's much better than GWoP.
fiona-
I think that is what 'vexes' (thanks for reminding me of such a great work, saint!) me the most-- the fact that Julie is suddenly starting fresh with just exploitation info, and then continues to be snarky and bitter on GWoP.
As a side note, I find it interesting how a lot of the serious haters feel the need to constantly tell us they aren't jealous or bitter of Jon and Kate. If it was really true, they wouldn't have to keep saying it... I know some on this blog (myself included) have mentioned once, maybe twice, that we are not as blessed monetarily as J & K (and would love a trip to Hawaii any day) but that should be where it ends. No one is forcing them to talk about how not jealous they are of the trips, or how not bitter they are... In my opinion those constant responses are VERY telling!
You know, at this point, Julie and/or Jodi can't win.
When anyone posts anonymously and says they know or have known J&K, they are instantly called liars and are attacked for making things up.
Julie ADMITS who she is and posts as the SAME name everytime. She takes OWNERSHIP of her posts and her opinions. So now, she should be using a fake name if she wants to post?
I guess we're all just going to have to respectfully agree to disagree. I have no problem with Julie posting. I have no problem with Jodi.
Everyone who watches J&K can see Kate's negative personality traits week after week after week. All I saw of Jodi was a loving Aunt trying to participate in her niece's and nephew's lives.
I still stand by my earlier statement ... I feel sorry for Kevin ... first because he's caught in the middle ... and second because he's related to Kate.
Saint,
I see what you are saying, but if Jodi is trying to move on, as Julie herself says, then continuing to post about the Gosselin's seems conterproductive to that.
Her 2 cents come with a different prospective...and insider who has chosen to spread some dirt around that no one knows is actually true. So there is where I have a problem.
Lizbeth,
It is funny how some of the haters are actually now saying they are indeed jealous. Because of the economy etc...they work hard, but would never be able to stay at such nice places.
I don't consider JK's wealth a blessing, but rather their earnings. They pay a high price for their fame IMO, and will continue to do so, as will the kids.
JMO...
Fiona -
I don't like the fact that Julie adds her two cents now about things like the wedding, especially since she claims she hasn't seen the show since the Toys R Us episode......HOWEVER, I don't think she should post anonymous.
Mom,
I can see your point.
You know, at this point, Julie and/or Jodi can't win.
----
Losers never win, so I agree with you. No matter what they do, Julie and Jodi can't win. They've already shown everyone what losers they are, and nothing they say or do now, will ever change that fact.
I frequently add that I am not jealous to my posts because if you say anything negative, the reply is always "you are just jealous" or "you just can't afford it" I think that is why alot of people do. I do wish that I could partake is some of these trips but that being said, I would much rather have the knowledge that I gave my kids the gift of two parents who love each other and nutured and protected them from the world until they were ready to fly on their own.
FYI to all: we will not be putting through comments regarding the "insider" who supposedly attended J&K's wedding and posted about it on GWoP. We get plenty of comments and emails from people claiming to be insiders, often positive towards the Gosselins, but we don't feel it's appropriate to give people a platform when there is no way to confirm that their claims are credible, and plenty of past instances of "insiders" being exposed as liars.
I frequently add that I am not jealous to my posts because if you say anything negative, the reply is always "you are just jealous" or "you just can't afford it" I think that is why alot of people do. I do wish that I could partake is some of these trips but that being said, I would much rather have the knowledge that I gave my kids the gift of two parents who love each other and nutured and protected them from the world until they were ready to fly on their own.
I don't think it's fair to say that anything negative is met with the "just jealous" charge. When people specifically complain about "freebies" and comment about how they themselves can't afford this or that, what else would you call it but jealousy? Or at the very least, resentment? (I'm not sure how to differentiate between the two, honestly, but maybe the latter term feels a little less perjorative?)
I'm asking honestly, if someone can give me a reason to be angry about the trips and the other benefits of the show that the Gosselins enjoy, one that doesn't involve jealousy or resentment - I'm happy to listen.
Losers never win, so I agree with you. No matter what they do, Julie and Jodi can't win. They've already shown everyone what losers they are, and nothing they say or do now, will ever change that fact.
I'm far from Julie's biggest fan, but I wouldn't call her a loser. I think she is a flawed human being, like Jodi, like Kate, like all of us. I think her mistake was striking out at someone she didn't like (Kate) in a very public way and then being unwilling to back down and know when to stop. I think some of the adulation may have gone to her head, too.
Actually, to play armchair psychiatrist (a vocation I claim no particular expertise in), I think Julie may share some personality traits with Kate. I only have what I've seen of her online to go by, of course, as well as the knowledge that we often abhor in others what we are guilty of ourselves. Julie seems to me to have a strong personality and an inability to admit her mistakes.
When anyone posts anonymously and says they know or have known J&K, they are instantly called liars and are attacked for making things up.
I don't know that I've seen people "attacked". I think there's a healthy skepticism towards supposed insiders here at this point. It's understandable given the PennMommy fiasco, I think.
Everyone who watches J&K can see Kate's negative personality traits week after week after week.
Yes, and people who visit certain message boards can see the negative personality traits of the posters there. I said above that I don't think she's a "loser", but I absolutely think she has shown negative personality traits to the world (or that portion of the world who has stumbled onto her blog or GWoP). She has every right to post, but at this point I think she's just making a fool of herself.
I find the whole anti-Gosselinite habit of cloaking the dislike of Kate Gosselin in the mantle of child advocacy distasteful. But somehow to me it seems just a little bit more so in Julie's case. I'm not sure why. I'd say that she's just so painfully obvious - she went from having a personal grudge against Kate because of stuff that happened with her sister to suddenly beng All! About! The! Children! But in all honesty, that's the path I've seen most anti-Gosselinites take, minus the "personal" part of the grudge, and while I think it's gross, it still bothers me a bit more coming from her. Maybe because as an actual semi-quasi-insider, I feel like she has a greater responsibility to be honest. Instead, she has used her status to pursue her vendetta against Kate, and that just strikes me as very wrong (plus, I still think she has really played a part in any estrangement that may have occurred between Jon & Kate and Kevin & Jodi).
All I saw of Jodi was a loving Aunt trying to participate in her niece's and nephew's lives.
Well, that's what I saw on the show, as well. But from Julie's blog and the video, I've discovered that she also apparently talked a lot of trash about the Gosselins to her sister, and then later backed up her sister's decision to share that trash with the internet. Which is not cool, IMO, and not conducive to her image as a protective aunt.
Jodi may (or may not) want to have a part in her nieces' and nephews' lives, but that's not her choice. It's the Gosselins'. Even if people think Jodi walks on water, she is still not the parent of those children, and she does not have the right to see them if J&K deem her to be a negative presence.
I still stand by my earlier statement ... I feel sorry for Kevin ... first because he's caught in the middle ... and second because he's related to Kate.
We don't know that he's "caught in the middle" - unless I've missed something, he hasn't said anything publicly. So he may be totally on J&K's side. I don't know. He may be angry at his wife for talking so much crap about his sister. If he is in the middle, I do feel sorry for him, because that's a tough place to be. But I don't feel sorry for him for having Kate as a sister. I've never seen any indication that she is a bad sister to him.
I'm far from Julie's biggest fan, but I wouldn't call her a loser. I think she is a flawed human being, like Jodi, like Kate, like all of us.
__
Semantics. imo Julie and Jodi have shown their true colors, if anyone wants to chalk that up to being "flawed" that's fine. As you say, we're all flawed, and my overwhelming feeling is that they are both "losers" - read that as "bitter, vengeful, angry, troublemakers" etc. It all falls into that same category in the end.
I was going to comment on the "insider" comment on GWoP, but I see that this is not sanctioned discussion, LOL. I say this half-joking, because I've always appreciated that just about anything of pertinence to "issues surrounding the show" can be stated on this blog as long as it's done decently. I didn't really want to talk about the mystery family member as much as how quickly some of the members of GWoP took the account and ran with it. One would think after the PM saga/drama/fiasco, that no one would believe anything coming from an "insider" without some careful vetting, especially on GWoP, because PM burned them so badly.
"One would think after the PM saga/drama/fiasco, that no one would believe anything coming from an "insider" without some careful vetting, especially on GWoP, because PM burned them so badly."
Some people never learn. Bohemian Moon made the "insider" info a comment on her blog.
This is off topic but does anyone know when new episodes will be airing again???
I know we are not supposed to comment on the supposed insider but I just read the comment about Bohemian Moon letting this through in her blog.
I have to ask, because readers here will I'm sure come across this letter sooner or later.
Does the insider have pictures? Can they prove they are in actuality an insider?
I am at a loss why this "insider" is being given any platform to share this info without any careful investigation, any proof that they are who they say they are. It seems to me that the willingness to believe any negative reports on J&K is superceding any attempts at prudence, fairness, temperance...I mean pick any word.
"She shunned us". It's like a statement picked to provoke the right kind of reaction.
And for the record, I am not a fan of the show. I am certainly not a fan of Kate.
Oh, IMO, if the couple did ask for gifts, I quite vehemently disagree with that. With all the blessings they've been given, I feel they should have stated quite clearly to their guests that their presence were enough. What other material wants could they possibly need? Most times, a couple is just starting out, hence the gifts at a wedding comes in handy. This wasn't the case with them.
Does anyone know if the couple actually asked for gifts? I think if it turns out that they didn't, I'd be proven in my instinct that this isn't an insider at all.
Last night, someone sent us a link to a comment that was made on a blog that stated they had inside information from TLC regarding the reason why Aunt Jodi is not on the show anymore. It shed a favorable light on the Gosselins. We chose not to post it because there was no way to verify it.
Today, when someone sent a comment in that copied the whole anon poster's comment from GWoP, we felt the same way. No way to verify it. So we didn't post it.
It is not that we are trying to keep people from seeing it. It is all over the blogosphere. I understand the need to discuss it but as Guin said, we really do not want to feed into this and give this person a platform.
This just gives me the feeling of Penn Mommy re-visted.
Laura said...This is off topic but does anyone know when new episodes will be airing again???
Hope you can stand the wait! LOL
http://tlc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/daily.html?date=20081124.329
Next Monday is the infamous "yard sale."
Insider? Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I wonder why the insider didn't post before the episode aired? Hmmmmm? Probably just "stumbled across this blog" at just the right time?
How could they believe the stuff about gifts? In their world, evil greedy Kate would open every one on camera to rub their "fans'" noses in the freebies, complain about the gifts, and roll her eyes instead of thanking the giver.
Umm, was Pennmommy this obvious? Did I really fall for this c**p? (Hides face in shame.)
I wish the extended family was on more, too. I'd like to see the kids playing with other children, too. I wish they had more interaction with the neighbors, though I doubt I'd go on my neighbors' TV show, myself.
I was one of the posters who sent information concerning a "family member" posting on GWOP yesterday. I understand why you didn't want to repeat the info 'cause I honestly don't think it is true - but over on the other site it's like they've found gold, no questions asked about verifying the info, they've taken it and run. I'm sorry if I created a problem by sending the info yesterday or even with this message today. I just thought it was an interesting post - no, I don't believe the poster, but I did think it was worth a small mention.
We completely understand, Weed,
Whether it is true or not,, people just like to discuss it.
You created no problem here.
I'm confused why Jodi and her personality and actions are always taken at face value. It doesn't matter that we've never seen her outside of the show, or know her, or anything. Suddenly people just "know" she's a wonderful and wronged person. All we've seen of her is what we see on the show.
But when someone makes a comment about something good Kate or Jon did on the show, they're still just horrible people.
I guess what I'm saying is that we don't know what happened with Jodi. The only thing we know is what Julie posts and to me she does not seem to be that trustworthy.
I am a somewhat new fan of the show. And I have to be honest, as much as I love it, I always have an unsettling feeling when I watch it. I love the kids and Jon makes me laugh with his little remarks...but what the heck is up with Kate? Why don't I trust her? Why doesn't she have anything to do with her parents? So I started researching the show and all the behind the scenes tidbits on the net and it's all starting to make sense. All I can say is that I will pray for her children and I hope Jon doesn't leave her.
Weed, I completely agree with you. I think it's pretty obvious that the "family member" was just regurgitating all the old GWoP positions on J&K, but that site it treating it as gospel. If I haven't said it before, can I just say that I LOVE that anonymous posting isn't allowed here. I posted a comment to GWoP--something to the effect of "Why are we accepting this first-hand account as true? Haven't we been here before?" But, of course, it wasn't posted. Interesting, I wasn't supporting the show, calling anyone names, invoking God, or any of the other infractions that automatically bar a comment from being posted on GWoP, but it still didn't get through. I swear that website is more heavily edited than a Michael Moore film.
Tricia -
I agree with your post. Everyone is so wrapped up in the word "truth" these days, they seem to forget that everyone is human, including Jodi and Kate.
We know nothing about Jodi except for what we've seen on TV.
junexxxbug said..."I am a somewhat new fan of the show. And I have to be honest, as much as I love it, I always have an unsettling feeling when I watch it. I love the kids and Jon makes me laugh with his little remarks...but what the heck is up with Kate? Why don't I trust her? Why doesn't she have anything to do with her parents? So I started researching the show and all the behind the scenes tidbits on the net and it's all starting to make sense. All I can say is that I will pray for her children and I hope Jon doesn't leave her."
Welcome Junexxxbug! If I can offer a little friendly advice, it's to take all the "behind the scenes tidbits" that you have compiled with a BIG grain of salt. The vast majority of it is not verified and some of it is just not true (e.g., one of the volunteers was not dismissed due to some missing yoghurt!). A lot of people don't seem to care for Kate's personality based on what she reveals on the show. That's understandable, but I don't think any of us regular viewers should pretend that we "really know" either Jon or Kate.
As for the status of the Gosselins marriage, I am not too worried. Again, I have no insider information, but everything I have seen leads me to think they are pretty devoted to each other and their family.
We do only know about Jodi from TV. We also know what the Gosselins said about her.
Kate said she was really nice. So did Jon. They spoke highly of Kevin and Jodi. I won't go over the list of nice things they did for J&K and the kids.
I am sure there is plenty of blame to go around with that relationship.
I just keep coming back to the fact that J&K seem to have problems with other relationships, too, with both sides of the family. They've got some sort of relationship problem that can be perceived by viewers. They showed those videos of their wedding on the Hawaiin episode, and EVERYONE else was blurred out. It may have been to be nice and afford privacy, but it looked odd. The situation is not normal.
I can also see enough of Kate to know she would NOT be my favorite sister-in-law if I had to share my family with her. And I confess that if she WERE my sister-in-law, I'd be spilling my frustration to my own sisters about her plenty.
Disclaimer: I love my sisters-in-law, even if they remind me of Kate sometimes.
:)
We do only know about Jodi from TV. We also know what the Gosselins said about her.
Kate said she was really nice. So did Jon. They spoke highly of Kevin and Jodi. I won't go over the list of nice things they did for J&K and the kids.
---
Every one of us learns new things about the people in our lives as time goes by.
Kate may have thought Jodi was nice when she said it, but what Jodi has done, talking about Kate negatively (which bashes the whole family, regardless of whether or not she intended that or not) and allowing her sister to do the same (most likely encouraging it), is not the work of someone who is "nice." That was not a "nice" thing to do. Seriously, does anybody think that what Jodi and her sister did was "nice?"
Can you consider someone to be "nice" if they do things that aren't "nice?"
Everyone can have moments of being "nice." It's the way one handles the opportunities one has to do something that's "not nice" that defines their true character.
I know someone is going to counter that Jodi and Julie are "human" they have "flaws" and that people are complex, but it's really rather simple. What Jodi and her sister did: NOT NICE.
I'm confused why Jodi and her personality and actions are always taken at face value. It doesn't matter that we've never seen her outside of the show, or know her, or anything. Suddenly people just "know" she's a wonderful and wronged person. All we've seen of her is what we see on the show.
I think it's natural for people to take what they see at face value. On the surface of it, Jodi is a sweet, nice woman. I think she's probably a lot more complex than she was portrayed as being on the show, but reality TV does like to shove people into niches.
I also think in the minds of some viewers, Jodi was everything Kate was not - soft-spoken where Kate was loud, sincere where Kate was sarcastic. I think even their respective physical appearances - Jodi's long, feminine hair v. Kate's much-maligned haircut - played into some people's prejudices about femininity and motherhood. That's always bothered me because I think it's so unfair to put women in a position where there is only one way to be considered feminine, only one way to be considered a good mother.
I was one of the posters who sent information concerning a "family member" posting on GWOP yesterday. I understand why you didn't want to repeat the info 'cause I honestly don't think it is true - but over on the other site it's like they've found gold, no questions asked about verifying the info, they've taken it and run. I'm sorry if I created a problem by sending the info yesterday or even with this message today. I just thought it was an interesting post - no, I don't believe the poster, but I did think it was worth a small mention.
Yeah, Weed, it wasn't a problem. It's just sort of a gray area for us, because we don't want to promote something we think is most likely false, but at the same time we really don't like to tell people that they can't talk about something here.
I love the kids and Jon makes me laugh with his little remarks...but what the heck is up with Kate? Why don't I trust her? Why doesn't she have anything to do with her parents? So I started researching the show and all the behind the scenes tidbits on the net and it's all starting to make sense. All I can say is that I will pray for her children and I hope Jon doesn't leave her.
We don't really know that she doesn't have anything to do with her parents - anymore than we know that Jon has nothing to do with his mother, which would appear to be the case if you're just going by what's on the show.
I guess I don't understand the idea of "researching" and trying to find some ultimate truth about the Gosselins. It's a TV show. I think what's on the show is pretty much what there is to see. There appears to be some alienation from friends and family that has come about as a result of the show, but I don't see that as all Kate's fault; I don't really know the truth of it and I kind of feel it's not my business (not that I'm not curious).
Why do you think Jon would leave Kate?
I think it's natural for people to take what they see at face value. On the surface of it, Jodi is a sweet, nice woman. I think she's probably a lot more complex than she was portrayed as being on the show, but reality TV does like to shove people into niches
----
Well exactly Guin....this is what people do with Kate...judge her by what they see...same with Jodi. However, I do agree that there may be more of Jodi's character, simply because we have only seen a small amount of her.
With Kate, we see her all the time, good, bad and ugly. It is natural to be able to draw more of a conclusion with Kate.
According to Kate's quotes in the magazines, "family, friends and neighbors do not understand us"....what do you think this means Guin?
Guinevere, you might be right on the Kreider family dynamics. You might also have to accept, one day, the explaination that Kates actions hurt her father and the church in general. They do not attend there now. There is as much evidence to show Kate was demeaning as there is to show a quirky family. I have a newspaper link where Jon states the church is helping 100% and they needed nothing financially. When and how did they become so needy?
Kimber, here is what we have seen from Jodi. She watched the kids on Friday's to give Kate a breather. In fact the story is J&K moved to the second house to be closer to them. She was involved in caring for them when J&K were doing some of the trips and events for TLC. She flew out to Utah to help them with them kids, on the trip back home. She felt as though the filming was limited at her home to give the kids a break as well.
What does she get? Jon saying she gets alot of fan mail, but he is to busy to read it and deletes it. Question, if he is an IT tech does he not know how to mark a message and forward it? Sounds like someone is jealous to me and it isn't Jodi. Whatever. If the Julie blog is true then it is what it is. To label them as losers is your right and opinion. I think that sometimes anyone against J&K is labeled a loser, a hater or jealous. To me this mentality is as disappointing as mystery posters and "family members" posting on the other board. Can I share my definition of a loser?
Somebody who expects others to provide care for their children, financially and physically, for present needs and future needs.
Somebody who spends hours on a computer while unemployed and while his wife has 8 kids to care for.
Somebody that thinks their life is the only one worthy of making exceptions for.
Somebody that always wants more, and feels someone else owes them. They don't want to work for it, and feel society owes them.
Somebody that rationaizes their behavior by providing clinical diagnosis', that are undiagnosed.
Somebody that wants me to believe that this show is their life, or that they get invited everywhere.
Somebody that thinks I dont know Maui is in Hawaii, by saying to viewers several times. Maui, Hawaii. Guaranteed Denver is in Colorado too.
Somebody that sets a persons worth on how they can help them.
Somebody that bitches about a speck of gum but forgets about a hole her kids left in a wall.
Somebody that gets "remarried" as a reason to show 6, 4 yr olds, mommy and daddy will be together forever. Well thats one explaination of a few.
If you think Jodi is a loser fine, then next weeks episode should be a great time for you. St. Kate sells things given to her for free or in exchange for advertising, then donates those proceeds to a charity. What generous, wonderful people they have to be compared to that loser Jodi.
If this is posted I apologize for my rambling. I just find it odd that Jodi is such a piece of crap and Kate is the saint. Both are human and less than perfect.
NC Res,
I liked your post and I believe alot of it to be true.
However, it seems that Guin likes to debate and be devil's advocate ad nauseum. It gets old Guin..really.
Wish you could just let some of the anti comments go without bolding and disecting, that's all.
Thanks
NC Resident:
At the very least Jodi has shown herself to be equally as "bad" as you seem to think Jon and Kate are. She's no better. You can list all the "good things" she's done over and over again, but is her approval and participation in the Julie blog that demonstrates her true character.
If Jodi really was the better person, that blog would not exist, or at the VERY least (acknowledging that Jodi only has control over what she does, and could not have stopped Julie if Julie wanted to put all that out there with or without Jodi's approval), Jodi wouldn't have approved it being written, and she wouldn't have appeared via video to show her support of that blog.
When you speak ill of others, all you really do is reveal your true self. Jodi revealed her true self and it's not pretty and it's not nice. Her true self is vengeful and bitter.
Well exactly Guin....this is what people do with Kate...judge her by what they see...same with Jodi. However, I do agree that there may be more of Jodi's character, simply because we have only seen a small amount of her.
With Kate, we see her all the time, good, bad and ugly. It is natural to be able to draw more of a conclusion with Kate.
True, but there exists a certain subset of viewers who only see the bad at this point. It does not matter what Kate does; they will find a way to criticize it. She doesn't hug her kids - she's cold and unloving. She hugs her kids; she's doing it for the cameras and the kids are scared of her - look how they flinch away from her! Kate is not the devil incarnate, I don't think she's even a particularly "bad" person (however bad might be defined). I think she's more difficult and prickly than some people, but within the normal range of human behavior. You wouldn't know that from the posts of people who constantly diagnose her with serious mental issues and compare her to child-killers.
According to Kate's quotes in the magazines, "family, friends and neighbors do not understand us"....what do you think this means Guin?
I don't know. Why are you asking me?
You might also have to accept, one day, the explaination that Kates actions hurt her father and the church in general. They do not attend there now. There is as much evidence to show Kate was demeaning as there is to show a quirky family.
It's not like I'm unwilling to accept some absolute truth about Kate. I've said all along that I think there is blame to go around; that's generally the case in family estrangements. I can believe that Kate wasn't always as grateful and gracious as she could have been. I have some sympathy for her on that because I think she was extremely stressed out when the sextuplets were born, and I think we've seen that Kate doesn't handle stress well (I can definitely sympathize there, though I tend to freak out rather than lash out).
We have people saying that Kate was ungracious, which I guess could be seen as hurtful and embarrassing to her father. We have at least one person (Julie) saying that Kate's father is a very difficult and controlling person. I don't know the truth of it and don't consider it my business. I just don't see Kate's apparent estrangement from her father as prima facie evidence that Kate is a bad daughter or a bad person.
However, it seems that Guin likes to debate and be devil's advocate ad nauseum. It gets old Guin..really.
Is there a reason you feel the need to personally insult me? I don't always like the way that other people post here, but I try to keep my comments limited to the substance of what they state without insulting them. You have stated twice now that I like to play "the devil's advocate" - you are wrong. I may like to debate, but I do not take positions contrary to others simply for the sake of arguments. I believe what I write.
Wish you could just let some of the anti comments go without bolding and disecting, that's all.
This is the second time that my bolding comments I'm responding to has been mentioned - do people really have a problem with that? I simply do it for clarity's sake; there is no quote function here. I have no other sinister ulterior motive for bolding others' words, I swear.
As for dissecting - you say tomato, etc. Certainly, I've been accused of this before. I call it responding. Some people seem to have a different notion about what it means to have a discussion than I do. I would not want to post what I have to say and not have anyone respond or have any opinion on my opinion; that would be boring to me (I could do without being insulted, though).
If you'd prefer, Fiona, I can just ignore your posts and not respond to them.
I love those kids and their antics. They are just the cutest!
But I do think the episodes leading up to THE episode were more entertaining.
The whole renewing the wedding vows was a bit contrived. After 9 years of marriage, why the need to renew other than the producer/director of the show threw it out there as a show idea.
Why not just take a trip to Hawaii and do all of the touristy stuff and leave the wedding out of it. I would have rather seen them interact with the family members they didn't know well rather than watch the ceremony which at times, was a tad embarassing and uncomfortable.
I do like this show and I promise I am not a Kate or Jon basher. I just think sometimes they should re-think their ideas (the hairplug show, Kate shopping for new clothes and the wedding renewal) and go for something a little less over the top. Less is more.
Having said that, I at least feel welcome here with my opinion. I cannot tell you how many times I have typed,"loved the episode" on one of the recaps at the GWOP board and it is never published. Oh well.
For the record, bolding a response like that is more to respect the original poster than 'call them out' in my book. It shows that you are giving their quote (in its entirety) some thought, then responding accordingly. I prefer when people post that way....
As for all the other things Fiona and ncresident have stated, we all have agreed to disagree. I feel that Kate is to blame for some problems, but so is Jodi. I have never seen Kate write blog entries stating her thoughts on what we are all saying. Some claim Jon to have written scathing posts and emails, but how are we to know for sure that is who sent these items (if they do exist)? Jodi, on the other hand, told her sister many things which she then agreed to allow Julie to publish. Julie even stated that they waiting a couple of months before deciding to go public with the blog. Jodi was in on it the whole time- hence her video, and now her encouragement to take down the posts which criticized Jon and Kate. I know Jodi seemed like the perfect aunt (and I really do think she did well with the kids for the most part) but the fact that she sanctioned and in a way participated in Julie's blog really lowers her respectability in my book. If she did a video apologizing for and explaining all of that she may be able to regain some composure...
Kimber I am going to agree with Guin on this. There is enough blame to go around. Jodi didnt need a blog I agree. I hope she told Julie to drop things, and whether you believe this or not I hope they have a Thanksgiving full of family members and close friends, at their table. I thought Jodi was a loving person. BTW, I think Kate loves her kids, is a good mom, Jon loves them as well. Since I'm a man I think she is attractive too. I thought this wedding wasn't near as lovely as the first, even though Hawaii is such a lovely place. I just dont want this blog to seem like the other one. That you have to take sides. These guys seem to allow various views here. I hope I can say Kate is pretty, but I disagree with her on somethings as well.
Nina could that info you have be as reliable as the "family member" on fixed income with internet access and just happens to find the GWOP board . LOL I pictures the 91 yr old aunt typing that LOL
In all honesty Guin it was not at all meant as an insult!
It just seems like you have a little too much fun with it.
I did not mean to offend you. Plese accept my apology.
This is the second time in a week Guin has been attacked for the manner she posts- I'm shocked at how rude some can be. Guin, we don't always agree but I love your posts, and the way you break your points down. In my opinion- Keep it up!
I agree. I like to read Guin's points of view. You can tell she puts alot of thought into what she posts. I don't see her attacking and picking on everything, just stating her views and beliefs. JMO....
I think the Kreider family has problems far beyond anything Kate may have done. People have said that Julie was just defending her sister and didn't owe any loyalty to J&K and the Kreiders. Well, what about Jodi and Kevin's loyalty to his family? Yes, of course, Kevin's first concern should be his wife, but why would he not ask Julie to lay off after her initial posts about the gum and the non-payment of Jodi?
I just feel it was extremely disrespectful to his mother and the rest of the family to allow his sister-in-law to broadcast their family business. Even if his parents and sisters are estranged from J&K that doesn't mean they want any of the details out there for everyone to see. And his parents are still married, so perhaps his family doesn't appreciate seeing him dissed. And if they don't care, that's kind of strange, too, and probably has nothing to do with anything Kate did.
I haven't posted for almost two weeks because I cannot prove my opinions. Guin does jump all over everything line by line and it is annoying. She is not the only person here who is thoughtful when they post. And when something was said last week, there was a big love-fest for her.
This is my opinion,
The love fest thing, is that your opinion or can you provide me a link so I can take a look at what you are talking about.
When you posted before, was it under this is my opinion? I don't remember that screen name.
Guin's posts seem fine to me, and I've been on the other side of them plenty. She is respectful and thought-provoking, like so many others here.
I'll agree to disagree with anyone about Jodi/Kate/Julie. We'll all agree no one is perfect. I suspect that our own personal experiences in life help shape how much benefit of the doubt we'll give one over the other or what stands out to us on the show. I don't even agree with all the posters here that I "agree" with! I know I have tempered my critical eye toward the Gosselins by reading here, just as people who stumble into GWoP often develop a much more critical eye toward Jon and Kate.
I don't understand the value in calling out a particular person's posts and saying negative things about how they choose to communicate.
I appreciate the bolding and cutting/pasting, it makes things much easier to read and comprehend. My pet peeve is posters who don't use paragraphs - it is really hard on the eyes. I personally try and read everyone's posts. Some I agree with, some I don't and some I am somewhere in between about. We all have have different styles of communication and views on these topics, but if we try and be respectful and don't assume a defensive approach at the outset, I think our "conversations" will continue to be interesting and fun to read.
I haven't seen anyone called on the carpet to "prove" their opinions, what I have sometimes seen, however, is folks who state their opinions as FACTS. If you do that, there is a possibility you might be challenged. It's just the way it goes....
One additional note, if somebody takes the time to bold what you have to say and respond to it, wouldn't you take that as somewhat of a compliment?
I really have no problem with the way Guin posts. I think she is respectful and very fair.
I have a real problem also when people post things as if they are fact. Even if at the end they say JMO. Like that makes a difference. It is the first 6 paragraphs that people read. When people read the same thing over and over again, it does soon become entrenched in their brains as fact.
I think Guin tries to negate that .
Was that too much of a love fest? Because I missed the last one.
Fiona -
Your comment about Guin and to Guin was rude. What's nauseating to me is all the flip-flopping you have been doing this past week. It seems you are provoking senseless debates for sake of arguing.
The mods here let everyone say their peace on the Gs. The mods and all the bloggers can question someone's opinion without insulting them.
We are adults here, si? We can all agree to disagree without being bitter, yes?
Now let's move on to our regularly scheduled program.....
Hi all. This is my first time commenting. I’ve been reading this blog for a while now and have enjoyed your discussions and debates.
I am pretty ‘middle of the road’ in terms of my opinion of the Gosselins. I like the show. The kids are cute. Sometimes I even like Jon and Kate. There are definitely some things I find annoying and I do think the kids could benefit from less camera time. But it certainly doesn’t keep me up at night, wringing my hands and worrying that the little ones are going to be scarred for life (yes, I’ve perused some of the other boards too.)
I found the vow renewal episode lacking. Not really sure what I was expecting. Maybe I got caught up in the commercials because TLC really hyped the hell out of this episode. But on the whole, it was kind of boring. There were fun moments here and there but overall…meh. Other posters have described the interaction between Jon and his family as ‘forced’. I completely agree. I hope, for all their sakes, that after the cake cutting and the first dances, the cameras were shut off and the family and guests had time for more meaningful interaction. Granted, we only see a small part of what went on so perhaps that’s exactly what happened.
There were a couple of parts I really liked. It’s nice to see Kate trying to be a little less controlling of everyone and everything. I think this new, laid-back Kate is, in some part, a response to all the criticism she has faced. Or perhaps it’s a response to seeing herself in past episodes and realizing how she comes across. Whatever the reason, I applaud her efforts. As someone who’s a bit controlling myself, I know how hard it can be to loosen the reins.
The other thing that stood out for me was the vows. Their words were real, reflective of their lives and even their shortcomings. I’m thinking in particular of Jon’s vow to ask Kate how he can help/what she needs and her vow to speak to speak more gently. I didn’t think much of the ceremony itself but I thought the vows were great. And in the end, that’s really the most important part of any wedding. (With the possible exception of an open bar. Cheers!)
No, I have never posted under that name. I will not post here under my real name because apparently I caused problems here a little over a week ago when I stated "my opinion" Maybe a love fest was the wrong thing to call it - but I got the point - my opinion is not valued or wanted here. I don't find it a compliment to have my every thought discected line by line. They are MY thoughts, observations and opinions and I have never stated any of them as fact. I don't take apart everyone else's thoughts line by line either.
Nina Bell: Is there a way that I can e-mail you privately. I would like to tell you exactly why I feel the way I do about some of the posts. I also would like to apologize to everyone for here for my post. I let my emotions get the best of me.
Sure, ninabell53@gmail.com
Hi all. This is my first time commenting. I’ve been reading this blog for a while now and have enjoyed your discussions and debates.
Welcome! It's great to have someone new decide to join the discussion.
I found the vow renewal episode lacking. Not really sure what I was expecting. Maybe I got caught up in the commercials because TLC really hyped the hell out of this episode. But on the whole, it was kind of boring.
I know what you mean. I think for me it was partly that the episode the week before was really awesome and had a lot of great moments. So I did have high expectations, and while there were some nice moments, it wasn't quite as great as I expected it to be.
I felt that there were a few times that Kate just wasn't feeling it (like with the wedding planner), and one thing I've noticed, when she's in a mood, she's not good at covering it up, and it kind of affects the mood of the episode. I felt that way about the twins 4th birthday episode. Not Cupcakegate, which I felt at the time and continue to feel was about the stupidest controversy EVER. But when they were decorating the cupcakes, Kate and Jon were sniping, and she just seemed to be in a bad mood and it sort of cast a pall over the episode. I felt a bit like that about the wedding episode. I didn't think she was in as bad a mood this time, but she definitely didn't strike me as happy-go-lucky at certain times. Maybe the wedding stuff was stressing her out.
Other posters have described the interaction between Jon and his family as ‘forced’. I completely agree. I hope, for all their sakes, that after the cake cutting and the first dances, the cameras were shut off and the family and guests had time for more meaningful interaction. Granted, we only see a small part of what went on so perhaps that’s exactly what happened.
Yeah, I think everyone was just a little shy and uncomfortable. It might've been better to have them meet up first without the cameras, but I guess the producers wanted to capture the reunion.
Or perhaps it’s a response to seeing herself in past episodes and realizing how she comes across. Whatever the reason, I applaud her efforts. As someone who’s a bit controlling myself, I know how hard it can be to loosen the reins.
Heh. With all the freebies the Gosselins supposedly get, couldn't someone hook Kate up with some Valium? It can do wonders!
I didn’t think much of the ceremony itself but I thought the vows were great. And in the end, that’s really the most important part of any wedding. (With the possible exception of an open bar. Cheers!)
My sister said she didn't like the minister, and I kind of agreed. He wasn't obnoxious or anything, but there was something a little insincere and off-putting about him.
An open bar can make a party! (And get the shy relatives to loosen up.) I don't know that I've ever seen Kate drink. I remember Jon being tipsy that one time, on his birthday when they went out to dinner and she gave him the surprise about their trip to...was it Florida? I can't remember where they went.
Just my opinion said...No, I have never posted under that name. I will not post here under my real name because apparently I caused problems here a little over a week ago when I stated "my opinion"
For what it's worth, I don't remember any "problems" here over the last week and as I have mentioned previously, I read all the threads.
I think sometimes another poster may say something you don't like and maybe you feel like your opinion is being singled out. As a sensitive person myself, I encourage you to take it all with a grain of salt and not let it get to you. I think the majority of posters here value lively debate. I personally feel our discussions are made much more interesting by those with different perspectives, but part of the deal is another poster may present another view that challenges your opinion.
For what it's worth, I think Guin's method of replying point by point ensures that other readers know what she's referring to and helps keep a discussion on point.
Guin! I agreed with you. Where do I send the smelling salts?
mkb77 said..."But I do think the episodes leading up to THE episode were more entertaining.
The whole renewing the wedding vows was a bit contrived. After 9 years of marriage, why the need to renew other than the producer/director of the show threw it out there as a show idea.
Why not just take a trip to Hawaii and do all of the touristy stuff and leave the wedding out of it. I would have rather seen them interact with the family members they didn't know well rather than watch the ceremony which at times, was a tad embarassing and uncomfortable."
I agree with all your points here.
If there is one thing I agree with some of the naysayers about, it's the producers sometimes feel the need to overproduce the show and create too many outside activities. I think most of us watch the show for the simple pleasure of seeing the kids and their interactions. That said, it's a balance and I understand the reasons for getting them out of the house - both for keeping interest in the show and also limiting the number of hours of filming in their home.
Samantha, Mom, and to whomever I may have offended...
I think I have stated my opinion about the G's very clearly in the past, and frankly I do not feel I need to restate them. I think nauseating is a little strong, but if that is the affect I have on you, I am sorry.
I have an open mind and am able to make and state my opinions. Do things appear to change sometimes with the G's? Yes, I think they do, thus an opinion can change as well.
I base my thoughts on what I observe. In know way am I flip flopping, if what is meant by that, that I go from pro-G to anti-G or vice-versa.
I said my peace about Guin, I apologized to what she took as insulting and I meant that.
I see alot of rose colored glasses, and sometimes I wonder if it is because some of you are so cranked up about the other site that you purposely post things that are so naive sounding.
I truly just try and call it like I see it.
This is really a great place to post. The mods have been fair and respectful and I appreciate that.
And Mom,
I could definitly take your comment as insulting, but I chose not to.
Guinevere, there have been a couple episodes where J&K have had a glass of wine. NC trip, night out.
Saint, I was much like you were. I was actually looking for the Gosselin website. Then I found it and alot more. Right below it was the GWOP site, below it, this site. Alot of what I found was revealing information to me but was already known and had been debated here at length. Much of this information cast the Gosselins in a negative light. I realize I have barged in here like a "bull in a china shop." Even as one poster stated my comments had been debated "ad nauseum." This seems kinda rough but I can give as good as I can take. The Gosselin website had that disclaimer so I wondered what was up.
The suggestion that someone sees something on this blog enough to become physically ill is over the top. To me it comes just short of saying you make me sick. Maybe the advise to turn the TV off, could apply here to stop looking, for the weakof stomach. Fair or unfair there is alot of negative opinion of J&K.
I even found some links to the Kreider family because I looked for the dairy farm Aaden went to with Jon. Curious if that is a relative it is the Kreider Farms. Again I saw links looked them up several comments actually hundreds anti-Gosselin.
I defended Jodi's actions, to extreme, maybe, here for two reasons. First, if we believe some of what we read about the Gosselins and even J&K's quotes are true they are lucky for the family and church members that have remained silent. Jodi was the first and only person that has revealed her dealings with Kate and she waited. I wonder if Kate had a blog about Jodi being a bad sitter for example as a reason for her departure if we would bash Kate for revealing family secrets. I also defended Jodi because even in cases when we see or hear Kate in a bad light the excuses and justification run rampant, for her. It just makes me feel that Jodi pulls less credibility here that Kate and always will. Neither are perfect however.
Belated thanks for the welcome, Guinevere. I look forward to joining in the discussions!
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