Well I said it the last time and I will say it again, I would be pretty upset if I was Jon's wife. I don't buy his excuse either. You can pick up a telephone if you want to talk to the bar owner at midnight.
Jon's behavior is immature and disappointing. But he does not need to answer to me.
It's not that it's conclusively inappropriate behavior in my eyes. Being married and being a father doesn't mean to me that you absolutely shouldn't go to a club or bar, even at 2:00 a.m., or that you shouldn't ride in a car with a female friend (on the contrary, if he had been drinking, I'm glad he wasn't driving).
But even for the average guy, the confluence of circumstances skirts the edge of "the appearance of impropriety". For Jon, considering the trouble he's already gotten in, we're talking boneheaded stupid and perhaps even self-destructive behavior. He seriously needs to get his act together.
I agree, Guinevere. Being a dad and husband doesn't mean a man can't go to a bar and have female friends. And if he was drinking, kudos to him for having someone else drive. But it doesn't make sense considering his previous behavior. He had to have known that there were cameras outside. I also think when you respond to "bad" pictures or stories about yourself that you're, in a sense, admitting a sense of guilt. Perhaps instead of emailing a response, he should've just let it go. I don't know, I've never been "caught" by the paparazzi, so I guess I have no room to talk.
Why are the paps hanging out in Wernersville though?
Well Guinevere, that is what I am talking about. Were there no lessons learned?
I am not saying he was guilty of anything other than being really stupid and extremely immature. He knows he is under scrutiny. This is something that could have been prevented. I am leaning toward self-destructive behavior also.
He's a married father of 8. He should not be in bars, without his wife. Maybe I'm extreme, but his place is at home with his wife and kids. Period. Time he grew up and realized that the bar scene is not for a married father of 8 with a show about the family.
Sure, he can have female friends, but what a stupid move for him to hang out with his female friend knowing the flack he got for the Juanita college picture.
I hope Kate rips him a new one if this is indeed him on the town with a gal (that she doesn't know or know about this excursion). He should've known better. But, like Guin said, at least if he had been drinking, he did have someone else drive.
I now officially absolve Kate of any ill treatment she has afforded Jon in the past.
Seriously, I would be saying right now, "Who cares?!" Except for the fact that there are eight innocent children involved. Eight innocent children who deserve much better than this. In my opinion this show's name should be changed from Jon & Kate Plus Eight because it doesn't look like either Jon or Kate is placing any importance on their precious eight. As a grandmother, I would be there in a heartbeat, slapping both of those parents upside their empty heads! They'd be getting Grandma's opinion BIG TIME whether it was welcome or not. Nevermind their needs, nevermind their marriage even, it is time now for them to put aside their wants and needs and put those innocents first and foremost. That fool doesn't get a pass from me because he was having his 'BABE' drive while he was drunk! He's lucky he's not my son!
Certainly Jon's explanation is plausible. I think that he displays very bad judgement whether or not this is a mistress or a friend.
I've always thought that the image portrayed of Jon on the show is that he is extremely immature. Whether he is or not is certainly up for debate.
I've always thought that as a couple J & K have an extremely dysfunctional dynamic going on. He plays helpless, dependent, boy and she plays overbearing, controlling mother.
I think that Kate goes way overboard with her aggressive comments and commentary abounds about her conduct.
However I think that there are times when Jon is overboard in his passive behavior and the destructiveness of that is not often pointed out.
I see what you are all saying and respect everyone's opinions, and perhaps this is my age speaking (although I'm not that young), but I do really feel that it's okay if a married man with children goes to a bar with friends sometimes. Emphasis on sometimes. I really don't feel like anyone's place is strictly in the home. Should parents be with their kids more often than not? Absolutely. But being a parent, in my mind, doesn't confine you to your home nor does it force you to toss all shreds of a social life out the window.
I also have to consider the source here. US Weekly. It's a tabloid. It's "alleging" that Jon was wasted and called this lady "babe." And then there's a picture of Jon in a car with a lady driving. That's not exactly scathing. On the flip side of this though, Jon has never come across as the brightest star in the sky (sometimes I cringe when he talks). It is kind of weird that he'd allow himself to allow this to happen again. But, again, I have to consider that the paps go after everything and anything. Regardless of any of this, I'm wondering if this story in US Weekly will possibly increase buzz and ratings for the new season?
That fool doesn't get a pass from me because he was having his 'BABE' drive while he was drunk! He's lucky he's not my son!You're right on Eileen. I believe he should not be out clubbing, at bars, out drunk. And, especially with another woman. He doesn't get a pass from me either.
I'm sorry to be a party pooper, but... here we go again. Kate is 2,000 miles away on her book tour, and Jon is out at 2:00 a.m. in a car w/a female friend. Some truths. 1. Rumor, Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car and was pictured showing it, was that really Jon? Fact: Yes, the picture was correct and Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car. Rumor, Jon pictured in bar w/college kids... purely innocent.. Fact Jon was out partying with college girls. Now this... Jon in his new sports car with a female friend. One, why does Jon have "female friends" at his age and as long as he has been married and is caught at a bar at 2:00 a.m.? This friend appeared college age also... why does a married man with 8 kids have a college age female friend? What happened to all the friends they had before.. Beth, Bob, Jodi, and on an on. I think the crap is just starting to hit the fan and I'm sorry but this family is a disaster waiting to implode... Yes there will be a Season 5 of TLC making this family seem happy and real... party pooper that I am it won't be long after when J&K will officially announce that they are separating. It is already happening w/Kate forging her own way and making a living for herself w/o Jon and Jon reliving the "glory" days that he never had. My heart goes out to those 8 children.
There is no excuse for his behavior. People get on Kate's case for telling Jon what to do and harping on him. It is becoming obvious that when left to his own devices Jon does not know how to behave like an adult.
I'm just disappointed that the kids have to see this kind of stuff. Its one thing to have the TV show and all that, but seriously-- like Guin said this is at the very least the appearance of impropriety.
There is nothing wrong with having female friends, but like you all have said-- has he not learned his lesson by now? I can't imagine the stress and pain this is causing Kate either. I've never been in a cheating or possibly cheating situation before but it cannot be something which is enjoyable. Not to mention the fact that she has always been the backbone of their family so now that task is even more stressful.
By the way, I don't remember everyone's comments on this site, but I don't recall anyone saying that it wasn't Jon with the car or at least the majority did not.
Who really cares about the car? What does Jon buying a car really have to do with anything? Why is that even a rumor? Why is that even news?
The guy's been driving a 15 passenger van for at least the past five years. If he got a sports car, who cares. Let him enjoy it. But, responsibly...like a married father of 8.
I was referring to this statement: 1. Rumor, Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car and was pictured showing it, was that really Jon? Fact: Yes, the picture was correct and Jon bought himself a very expensive sports carI never realized this was a rumor and I am asking why Jon buying himself a sports car is an issue here.
There is a part of the story that is unclear. The article said he was drinking heavily and comments are saying that it was good that he had someone else drive. His email to US magazine said that he had a woman in his car because she wanted to check out his car and was only driving it to hers. It seems just like the last time he was caught, he puts out a damage control statement but it seems there are inconsistencies.
I can't remember the fact that Jon bought himself a sports car was an issue at all here, and I can't speak for OhioMom but I think she's referring to it being a rumor out in the Gosselin blog war world, I remember reading comments (both pro and con about the subject) here and there, maybe in articles? I'm so bad in that way, I'll have to start writing everything down! But I believe she is right that it was a quarrelsome type of gossip. I don't think anyone here cared either way. I normally don't have a strong opinion either way, but you can see this latest has my ire up.
Why are you focusing on the rumor thing? Why aren't you addressing my other comments on why he was with at 2 a.m. a very young woman? Jon needs to realize that if they continue on filming that he will be subject to people taking his picture especially when he is at a questionable spot. This probably was someone local who had a camera phone. I don't think the paps are stalking Jon in PA. I could care less about the car... but I think there are some untruths that need to be cleared up by this couple and the network.
I am so disgusted. He has NO business being in a bar or anywhere else with another woman at 2am. Period.
Yes he can have friends, yes he can have a life. However that life shouldn't include being with a female "Friend" in the middle of the night. If kate was at home I can't imagine her not going ballistic- as would I, and if she was away on her book tour- that makes it all the more inexcusable.
Has he learned nothing? What a complete lack of judgement and immaturity.
On another note: Regarding the sports car- I never questioned that it was or wasn't his because I honestly don't care. I don't understand the outrage about that issue.
I have made several statements all addressing the rumor. Strong statements. Did you read them?
Your first post just appeared like you hadn't read what the majority of the people were saying here when you mentioned pooping on our party. And there seemed to be an issue with the car in your first statement. That is all.
Haven't seen you around here before. But I am familiar with the name. I noticed that inconsistency also.
I would say that Jon calls a cab if he was drinking heavily, or a male friend. That is how I feel about it.
But in my mind, he should not be at a bar at all that time of night without his wife . There are other ways a father of eight can socialize even with female friends. Nice dinners, theater, movies and sporting events to name a few. Entertaining in that new house you just purchased.
i may get crucified here but i'm going to say what i think anyway (haven't i always :) 1. it is completely inappropriate for him to be in this situation, period. there is no valid excuse for him to in a bar with any woman other than his wife in the middle of the night. i don't care what the circumstances are. 2. happy people don't cheat. if jon talked to kate the way she talks to him, then we saw her with another man, the response would be "oh she found a man who will treat her well". if he "play tapped" her, demeaned her intelligence in front of children and cameras, and constantly criticized her: the outrage would be through the roof. people would be rooting for her to leave him. i'm not in any way condoning cheating for either partner, my point is that i'm not surprised. men crave respect and words of affirmation. if they don't get it, then some young girl comes along and gives it to them, you do the math. it's the same for women. we need love, affection and companionship. if we don't get it at home, we're much more vulnerable if it is offered by another. i don't think Kate gets the hero card here. i think Kate had equal part in creating this dysfunctional marriage and now the consequences are happening. 3. the whole thing makes me want to knock both of their heads together. it's bad enough for children to have their parents struggling in a marriage. it's an entire other thing to have that played out in the media. i hope those children's little hearts and minds are protected.
I'll start by first throwing out there the possibility that this was a publicity stunt. The ratings for the finale show in March when Jon addressed being in the public eye were the highest this show has ever had. The debute of the new season is May 25th and this picture was supposed to have been taken on April 18th, close to Jon's birthday and the purchase of the new car.
Why is the picture just now making the news 10 days later?
Consider the possibility.
That being said, I DO agree that it would be a tasteless and wreckless choice for the Gosselins and for TLC if this is a purposeful act. Even if they controlled the contents of the picture, they couldn't possibly control what the tabloids might make up about what was supposedly overheard or the timeline or the description of them driving off with the headlights off or that Jon was drunk (if, indeed, it was made up).
The possibility that this is Jon continuing to be wreckless with his behavior, even if it only LOOKS bad, is just nuts.
I've recently reconnected with several old college friends, many who are male and married with kids, and I don't feel I couldn't get together with them over a drink and remember old times. I would certainly invite take my husband along, but if he wanted to opt out it wouldn't be strange or innappropriate.
The difference between me and Jon Gosselin is I don't have a show, haven't had previous bad press, and don't have paparazzi watching my every move hoping to create scandal.
And, finally, I'd NEVER take the chance again that the press could get pictures of me and manipulate them and the backstory (if that's what happened previously) in a way that would hurt my children. NEVER.
PERIOD. They just wouldn't get a picture of me out after dark, near a restaurant with a bar, with a member of the opposite sex, etc., when I wasn't with my spouse and kids....EVER AGAIN.
IF this is Jon's passive aggressive way of acting out (against his wife or against the tabloids who he feels are infringing on his private life), he needs to grow up. Plain and simple.
Kate has her own issues to deal with, but when Jon exposes his marriage and family life to unneccesary criticism the way he has (like they need more!), it's hurting the children.
I agree with Guinevere and PhillyGal. To me, not a big deal for married people to go out or have friends of the opposite sex. But pretty dumb move on Jon's part given what he said on the show about not having privacy.
I will admit that it will bother me that the haters will be saying, "I told you so, sheeple." when, to me, its not about being right, its about not assuming bad things about people without appropriate evidence. To some people, this article will be considered evidence of an affair, but I think its just Jon being dumb and self destructive.
PhillyGal said... I see what you are all saying and respect everyone's opinions, and perhaps this is my age speaking (although I'm not that young), but I do really feel that it's okay if a married man with children goes to a bar with friends sometimes. Emphasis on sometimes. I really don't feel like anyone's place is strictly in the home. Should parents be with their kids more often than not? Absolutely. But being a parent, in my mind, doesn't confine you to your home nor does it force you to toss all shreds of a social life out the window. I am in agreement w/phillygal. I think it's fine for either one to go out w/friends sometimes. Imo, they need to live their life the way want regardless of scrutiny. So much of celebrity marriage talk is white noise to me. Mags and the tv are always buzzing about rumors since it sells. I hope it was just as Jon says and nothing more. I am surprised he made a statement. Is he going to reply to every rumor about their marriage? The speculation from the public isn't going to stop.
Jon doesn't get a pass from me bc his wife is high strung. I expect him to man the hell up and work his problems with his wife out. If they can't work them out- he isn't doing Kate or those children any favors by staying married, only to be found in the local bar at 2am with another woman.
He doesn't get to run around on her bc some 3rd party who reperesents fun and freedom, makes him feel good. Life gets tough, marriage is hard. We all know that. This is where maturity and good judgement are quite helpful.
I wouldn't give Kate a pass either-I would never say "good for her", I hold both spouses to the same standard.
themrs: you know you're my blog buddy so if this makes you feel crucified I'm truly sorry, but just like you, I'm gonna speak my mind.
no nina bell, that's not what i meant at all. you guys are always nice to me :) i meant it as a figure of speech. i have some pretty strong opinions about cheating and what leads to it that can be very unpopular. that was all i meant :)
as far as what some OP have pointed out about having friends of the opposite sex, i have them too. here's the difference: would you go out, alone, with one of them in the middle of the night? if you wanted to reconnect with an old college friend, would you do so at 2am at a bar while your wife is out of town?
Respectfully, you've never been attacked here for your standpoint on the Gosselins that I can recall, so forgive me if I'm perplexed by your recent martyred attitude.
I, personally, don't share many of your opinions, but I've never felt the need to tell you you're wrong, just that I think differently. Isn't that the point?
People don't always agree with me on this site either, but I've never felt my opinion was discounted or that I was treated disrespectfully by the other commenters here.
I hope you continue to share your opinions here, whatever they may be. It appears, particularly in this thread, that we're all on basically the same page...so there was especially no reason to start your post defensively, IMO.
I agree Samantha, regardless of the way Kate treats him he needs to act like an adult. If he doesn't want to be married to Kate, fine but own up to it at least, don't be going to bars in the wee hours of the morning with other woman knowing full well that you are a hot topic for the press.
Jon doesn't get a pass from me bc his wife is high strung. I expect him to man the hell up and work his problems with his wife out. If they can't work them out- he isn't doing Kate or those children any favors by staying married, only to be found in the local bar at 2am with another woman.
He doesn't get to run around on her bc some 3rd party who reperesents fun and freedom, makes him feel good. Life gets tough, marriage is hard. We all know that. This is where maturity and good judgement are quite helpful.
I wouldn't give Kate a pass either-I would never say "good for her", I hold both spouses to the same standard.AMEN Samantha!!
I just read the article Denise listed. That doesn't sound good. Now, I'm leaning more towards the attitude of Jon should own up if he doesn't want to be married. If it's true, how stupid is that? Very sad.
The thing about the car -- Just this winter Jon gave an interview to a TV station in Utah, he specifically stated that he wasn't out blowing the money, buying expensive cars! The outrage is over the blatant lying these two do to their fans. It is disgusting. If he wants a car, more power too him. Anyway, it's about a $42K car, probably got it for $33-35K, that to me is not that expensive of a car. These rumours keep popping up and they have never been disproven. It is sad. Very vey sad. The kids are the ones paying the ultimate price and they have no say in the matter whatsoever.
CatLady, I see your point, but in your post you say that he was lying in the statement that he is not out blowing his money on expensive cars, then you state that the price he most likely paid is not that expensive. I completely agree that they should not be spending their kids money on frivolous things but I also think that we have no way of knowing how much they have saved verses how much they are spending. Without that information I don't think I can in good conscience judge Jon for his choice in vehicle- we just don't know enough.
As far as the Enquirer article, I will give that about as much clout as I give any Enquirer article. In the end like most of us have said it is just a really sad situation.
To me that just is not a rumor. It is just someone buying a car. Even at 40 K that is not out of line for a car in my opinion. To me rumors are this article that Denise just sent in. This is the stuff that is sad.
Somehow I don't see the woman that was in the car as a beautiful brunette. Mousy brown maybe. Now he makes the National Enquirer, boy that is a reliable magazine. Maybe the brunette he was one of the aliens they have on their covers. But it is sad that when I go grocery shopping this story will be in these trash magazines by the check-outs. Thank goodness the kids don't go grocery shopping anymore. It is not funny anymore and this couple need to make a selfless decision on what is best for their children.
Every single negative thing about this couple can all be just rumor, the fact of the matter is that it looks bad. In the past they didn't care about negative comments, but now negative press is a very different story when your livelihood can be dependent on good press. They can try to sell themselves as a united family and a united couple but when you see pictures of a husband seemingly on the prowl you get more of a message of how disjointed they seem. How many times can people be expected to believe Jon when he says "We're a loving family and I'm part of a loving couple."? If this latest rumor of a girl in a motel are true, that line isn't going to be swallowed by anyone. Hasn't anyone ever told Jon that actions speak louder than words? I think there are very few out in the public that are going to be willing to give Jon the benefit of the doubt anymore, including myself. So much for my resolve to be fair and balanced.
Oh, by the way, I don't think themrs came off as playing the martyr by making that offhand remark.
It's more than the car. Basically their whole life is a lie and they pimped out themselves and their children to get where they are now. And then to go to bars and maybe even a hotel and been seen w/women other than your wife and mother of 8 kids, that's wrong. It doesn't jive with what we see every week on TV. Their whole life is a sham. And going to churches and getting "love offerings, or whatever you want to call them...and then to see him w/this type of car? He was begging for money for his family. This type of car, a two-seater, isn't for the family. It's for him, plain and simple. Would you not feel anger if you had given him a donation and then see him riding around in this type of car?
Who's with the kids when all of this is going on? Kate said they have a helper with the kids but was very adamant that she wasn't a nanny. If she's not a live in then who is with the kids in the middle of the night when Jon is out "showing his car" and Kate is out of town on a book tour?
Oh wow. I think I know who that girl is on the cover. I live in the same area as Jon and Kate do, and I go to Legends from time to time. Personally, I have no idea what Jon would be doing there anyway since Legends mainly caters to young 20 somethings. The only nights I've ever seen people older than (roughly) 30 in there is Tuesdays for karaoke. I don't even enjoy the place much and I'm 27. Although I guess I could see him knowing the owner, because tons of people in this area do. But still. It doesn't excuse his behavior.
I just had no idea there were "paparazzi" in Reading. Nothing ever happens here.
It makes me wonder if in his passive aggresive way, Jon is trying to sabotoge things. He's made it pretty clear how he's felt about being in the public eye. IMO, rumor or not, Jon and Kate could really use couples therapy. It might also be better to for their whole family if they stop doing weekly episodes and move to maybe shooting a yearly special instead. Just some thoughts....
Can you imagine being at the checkout lane at Target and then you see a magazine with a picture of your parents on it and big bold words about secret naughty nights with another woman? There is no way Cara & Mady won't see this eventuatlly. Regardless of what may or may not be true about this story, the fact is plain and simple...Jon shouldn't even put himself in a situation like this to begin with! I mean, who does he think he is? Lindsay Lohan? The kids must all be in bed by 8, that is still enough time to do dinner and have fun with friends and get home by midnight. DO NOT STAY OUT til 2 at a club with a woman other than your wife when you are on TLC's highest rated family "reality" show! COMMON SENSE JONATHAN!
First and foremost, I would really be pissed at my H if he did this. Jon does not seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed so to speak. He really needs to stay home and be a dad. Even if it was all innocent, he should not be bar hopping especially with the tabloids on them.
Denise - thanks for the link. I haven't read it yet, but will.
Laura - one of my biggest issues of all of the Gosselin talk - good and bad - has been Mady & Cara reading this stuff.
I just had no idea there were "paparazzi" in Reading. Nothing ever happens here.
Maybe it wasn't taken by paparazzi- (just a regular person took it) or maybe it is just a PR stunt. I do hope it is not a PR stunt..that would be heartless. But, the show is on hiatus and it gives the blogs/boards something new to talk about. How much can people discuss about Kate's book tour? This kind of stuff will keep them in the headlines.
I do not feel sorry for Kate or Jon in this situation. I am actually angry at them that they are putting eight innocent kids through the tramua of having their marital problems in the national media. I would write more, but my 6 month old just started crying.........
I have to agree with Guin that considering all that recently went down, you would think that he would intentionally lay low even though there's nothing wrong with going out to a bar. But when your "Jon Gosselin" and you with a unknown woman at 2am, it could be nothing and its something. Why would he intentionally try to sabotage himself like that? Could he truly think that now people STILL aren't trying to catch him in bad situations?
And regarding the car thing, its his money and he could buy whatever car he wants.. Whats the big deal with that? If hes cruising for chicks at 2 am with its, that's another story...Ohh why does he of ALL people have to be giving the trolls more to dance over???
Ohh and please don't believe the crap that the National Enquirer is spewing.. They could basically say anything at this point and if they don't have proof, I aint buying it.
According to the article, Jon didn't even arrive at the bar until after 11P. His explanation doesn't make anything better; if he was driving his "friend" to her car, does that mean that he -- reportedly barely able to walk by the end of the night -- then drove himself home? And Kate is on a book tour -- who was taking care of the kids while he was out? Was he in charge of them the next day, after staying out late and possibly with a hangover?
I think part of what makes this so unseemly is the fact that Kate was out of town when it happened. It's one thing for a spouse to go out to have a good time with friends when the other is home. My husband goes out with his friends (none of whom are 20-something single women, just saying) with my blessing. It's quite another for it to happen while the other is gone, with the kids left with ... who? The nanny Kate so firmly claimed they don't have?
It's inappropriate behavior, and even if completely innocent (which I don't believe), looks sneaky. Jon should have known better, particularly after the uproar a few months ago.
I don't think the Enquirer is saying, if they had a photo then maybe but regardless if this is a PR stunt, just Jon hanging out with a friend or something else I think Jon needs to grow up and own up.
oopps! My comment really makes no sense so lets try this again shall we....
I don't think what the Enquirer is saying is true, if they had a photo than maybe. But even if this is a PR stunt, Jon just hanging out with some friends, or something else I think Jon needs to grow up and own up.
Jon says in this article: ""Like most people, I have male and female friends and I'm not going to end my friendships just because I'm on TV," Gosselin said. "However, being out...late at night showed poor judgment on my part. What makes me sick is that my careless behavior has put my family in this uncomfortable position. My family is the most important thing in my life and it kills me that these allegations have hurt them."That is a sensible reply to something that really did show poor judgment. I'm still disappointed, but at least he is kinda owning up to it from this article.
I also found this interesting-- I can totally understand how Kate would feel better having the gate and set back from the road house considering this info:
In fact, the Gosselins said it's common to find upwards of 200 cars parked on the country road outside of their home on any given day. Strangers routinely try to snap pictures of the family, who now live in a picturesque, two-story home on a sprawling piece of rural property. But the house is at least 400 feet away from the road, so it's nearly impossible to catch the clan in the front yard. The gate at the top of the driveway and the semi-private nature of the property are a great comfort to Kate Gosselin.
I feel terrible for the kids. Is Jon even thinking about them at all when he does stuff like this? I get that Kate is mean to him and all but still, have some class Jon. You're hurting your children when you do stuff like this....
I am not buying this whole "friend" thing Jon tried to explain US magazine. Who calls a platonic friend "Babe"?
So sad for the little ones. So sad to see their earlier shows--when life was simple and they were happier.
In fact, the Gosselins said it's common to find upwards of 200 cars parked on the country road outside of their home on any given day. Strangers routinely try to snap pictures of the family, who now live in a picturesque, two-story home on a sprawling piece of rural property. But the house is at least 400 feet away from the road, so it's nearly impossible to catch the clan in the front yard. The gate at the top of the driveway and the semi-private nature of the property are a great comfort to Kate Gosselin. ------------------------------- If I had 200 cars parked on my road trying to take my kids pictures..I would get off TV and quickly!
It's more than the car. Basically their whole life is a lie and they pimped out themselves and their children to get where they are now. Catlady, your comments made sense until you said this.
I'm not going to blame Kate or blame Jon because it's their marriage which they both are active participants(sp)so they need to come together and figure out why their marriage is getting toxic for the sake of their children. Even if the rumor's are true then they need some serious help. Sometimes marriages struggle for different reasons and it's the people involved who care enough to fix it or not. Let's pray Jon and Kate can work out their differences or if not just end it and move on.
As far as the people driving by, I think that says more about those 200 people in their cars on the side of the road than Jon and Kate. I think if it were my life I would want to do what I felt was best even though it would take time to get used to being in the public eye,
What ever happened to having personal responsibility? I don't mean Jon and Kate (though that would be good, too) but for those people outside their house-- it just seems like everyone holds the Gosselins to a standard which is impossible to attain. I already said I think Jon was wrong and that it seems like Kate is how she is because she has to be (how else will anything get done!)... but it really seems like many people want to point fingers and criticize instead of seeing that the response of the public on many blogs could be part of the problem.
I do not think it is appropriate to park by someones house just to try to get a look. I also do not think stopping the show would help this. If anything there would be more lurkers since without regular shows people would wonder what is really going on.
Don't get me wrong, I think all the people who "stalk" Jon and Kate have more than a few screws loose but at the same time if I were in Jon and Kate's position there would be no if and or butts, the show would be done.
Jon doesn't get a pass from me bc his wife is high strung. I expect him to man the hell up and work his problems with his wife out. If they can't work them out- he isn't doing Kate or those children any favors by staying married, only to be found in the local bar at 2am with another woman.Samantha, I could not agree more with you. My sentiments exactly.
His follow-up statement (or desperate attempt on the part of PR to smooth things over) is a half assed attempt at an apology after the fact. Maybe I'd buy it if it was the first time. Its the second time in 2 months. If he were truly sorry and was thinking about his family in any way, the second time would have never happened.
The man is 30 years old. He has 8 children and a wife. It is never appropriate to be at a bar at 2am with a female in that situation. It's not appropriate (or legal) to get completely and utterly wasted and drive home.
If anyone thinks that at ages 5 and 8, the kids aren't picking up on the fighting, the rumors and the tension in the home, they are mistaken. They don't need to read the tabloids, they are living it and I'm very sad for them. Their parents need to pull their heads out of their behinds and do what they need to do (whatever that may be).
I truly doubt that 200 cars a day drive by their house to take a picture. While Jon's picture coming out of Legends doesn't prove that he is cheating, it does show his poor judgement. They want the niceties that this show brings them, then they have to deal with the down side also. You really can't have your cake and eat it too. Their PR company is working overtime on this one.
Kate finds comfort being 400 ft from the road with 200 cars stopping in a given day? There would not be any feet that would give me comfort with God know who is stopping by my home trying to take pics of the kids. Semi-Private nature of the property? Do they have some kind of electric fence surrounding their property? Are there security patrols 24/7? If I were them I would consider getting the above. It is now becoming dangerous for the children. They have now achieved "celebrity" status and are no different than Brad & Angelina, Keith & Nicole, Tom & Katie etc. Jon and Kate need to accept this fact and get their family off television. Do something selfless for once and stop thinking of yourselves and the next book tour, next season, speaking engagements and protect your children. As I have stated before my heart breaks for Mady, Cara, Leah, Alexis, Hannah, Joel, Collin and Aiden.
As far as the people driving by, I think that says more about those 200 people in their cars on the side of the road than Jon and KateThough I hear what you are saying and agree with the point about personal responsibility, it is a well known fact that people get curious about celebrity homes. In California, they sell maps on the streets that point you to the homes of different celebrities. People drive by celebrity homes all the time and its mostly fans who do so.
Should they be attempting to take pictures or trespassing on the property? No way and there should be security ensuring that this does not happen (as Im sure there is).
I don't think people driving by the home has anything to do with blogs. It would happen whether there were blogs or not. I know some of the blogs get large numbers but I don't think there is a force of 200 haters in PA stationed outside of the Gosselin home.
The curiosity has everything to do with their celebrity. They've put their children in the public eye as well as themselves. They made the decision to continue with the show, despite the toll it is taking on their marriage. Kate stated in the last article we posted that she will do the show "as long as she has breath." Where does Jon and Kate's responsibility come into play? I'd buy the "we had no idea all of this could happen and people would be so interested" line in the first 3 seasons. At season 5, they are well versed in celebrity and media attention. They are ignorant no longer. So why continue on a path that you know is destructive? The love of money is the root of all evil.
We all have personal responsibilities but ultimatley its up to Jon and Kate to do whats best for their children- 200 car loads of strangers certainly won't.
If thats true it would really freak me out. Its up to Jon and Kate to do whats right for them, but I honestly think getting out of the weekly shows would help greatly. People might not forget immediatley but eventually they will and the chaos will subside. Kate can continue speaking/books and provide very nicely for them even without the show.
What's with the passive aggressive quotations around the word lost? Are you "Cranky"?
Most of the comments today have been anything but complimentary to Jon or Kate and I'm assuming that yours wasn't either. Was yours so vile that you think you've been singled out?
I do feel sorry for Kate and the kids. It is shameful to expose his wife and children to ridicule this way. It's not like he didn't know that this would be the response if he went out again in the company of a female friend. Another point I haven't read is that she doesn't look old enough to be an "old friend."
Jon is a rich man. I would not be surprised if he found himself more attractive to young ladies because of it.
This may not be grounds for divorce for me, but it would be grounds for counselling and pulling the plug on the show, especially since they do not have financial pressure.
Kate's comment about doing the show "as long as I breathe" recently doesn't sit well with me. It certainly doesn't sound like her former answer that emphasized the family needs.
I agree that if there are 200 cars at their house they are not likely to be mostly haters, but people interested in the celebrity. I agree with Nomoredrama that it's not surprising or unusaul. I wouldn't call that stalking. I doubt the count is that high anyway.
The problem I have with the 200+ cars is not if they are haters, I think people obsessed with Jon and Kate and the kids, to the point that they spend their day outside their home trying to see the kids is FAR more dangerous than a few woman sitting on a blog complaining that Kate is _________.
I moderate quite a few comments from my Blackberry. Sometimes when I scroll down and I am in a hurry (when there are a lot of comments coming in) I will scroll past and accidently hit the reject hyperlink. I am aware I did that today. Several times. I apologize. They are then deleted from the dashboard. Most people will just resubmit them if it happens. I guess you found a place to discuss it. Good luck to you.
Jacelynn, I hope you didn't take my comment as directed to yours. I just meant to say that not all those who would drive by would be obsessed. I was agreeing with nomoredrama that most would just be curious.
I truly cannot believe that 200 cars drive by. I think that would make the papers because it would be such a nuisance. I would be more likely to believe 200 cars total have driven by.
I am tempted to drive by to see just how many cars there are (j/k-lol!)
Yeah, except that a lot of the people who complain about Kate being ________ also talk about their hearts breaking for the kids and wanting to 'save' or 'rescue' them. I think they could be just as bad.
Dr. H: Yes, they do but I was talking about the people who don't love Kate. Overall I think it has become a toxic environment for the kids and thats just sad.
Saint: No it just made me realize my comment may have not been as clear as is could have been.
Jon's apology sounds phony and half-assed, considering the circumstance. Everyone in the Reading area knows you go to Legends if you want to get laid. It's attached to a hotel, for chrissake's!
I don't care if the Gosselins are having marital troubles, it's none of my business. But being a figure in the public eye Jon has to realize he can't just go running around on Kate and think no one will notice. Especially in his own freaking hometown. And if everything really is as innocent as he claims then he should smarten up a bit. Hell, at least go to a better bar where it doesn't look like everyone's auditioning for a music video.
Sadly, this seems to be a common thread on the road to fame. People that become rich and famous seem to become self destructive. I'll give Jon the benefit of the doubt and think he is having issues dealing with the kids alone while Kate travels so much. Otherwise, the only conclusion I can draw is that he is incredibly stupid.
Rumor, Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car and was pictured showing it, was that really Jon? I thought the car was like $32K? Is that considered very expensive? I heard $32K, which I don't consider "very expensive", and also $40K, which I guess I'd consider expensive but not very.
Sorry, this just stuck out for me. I think rumors get thrown around and sometimes they are true (Jodi not being on the show) and sometimes they aren't (the move to another state, getting rid of the dogs). I don't recall everyone here saying that they didn't believe he'd bought the car, just that they didn't know one way or another. Which seems reasonable when you don't actually know.
Aside from whether it's true or not, both times, I've been surprised by how many think Jon shouldn't be seen at a bar w/a woman because he's a dad/husband. I know some have related it to “under the circumstances”. It's such an acceptable thing in my social circle. I so like reading the different viewpoints.
If he's home all the time and the kids are getting older, he should get out some. There are lots of choices of what he could do, but, I think he has that right as long as Kate knows what's going on. If he's out drinking, that's a big no-no for their church. I can see how their generation might let it “slide by” for some wine w/dinner or a “once in a great while”. If he keeps getting seen at bars, he's not going to be welcomed to speak unless he can give some explanation. That might be why he made a statement.
I am more apt to believe a story in the Nat Enqu. I wonder why it took 10 days for this story to come out. I like the ones where the informer takes a polygraph. The guy is a security guard. He gave his name and occupation. Wouldn't that put his job in jeopardy if he was lying? Would it be enough money to lie to lose your job?
I truly cannot believe that 200 cars drive by. I think that would make the papers because it would be such a nuisance. I would be more likely to believe 200 cars total have driven by. I can't imagine that many either. It would seem like a road hazard that the police would handle.
If the rumors are true, stopping the show isn't going to stop the publicity or the rumors. Kate's a celebrity and I don't think she's going to give up her job. Even if they split, I don't think that it would do much damage to her popularity. I believe she would still be in demand as a speaker and spokesperson. Hopefully, they have already discussed the tabloid part of fame with their kids.
Unless he bought the Batmobile, I could care less if Jon bought a car.
The only issue I have with Jon buying a car is if he is using money that should be set aside for the kids. The kids are working, they are living stressful lives and I hope the are at least financially benefiting.
I will admit that it will bother me that the haters will be saying, "I told you so, sheeple." when, to me, its not about being right, its about not assuming bad things about people without appropriate evidence. To some people, this article will be considered evidence of an affair, but I think its just Jon being dumb and self destructive.Don't let it bother you if you can help it. There has always been this weird dynamic where some people think that they know THE TRUTH that the rest of us sheeple are just too dumb to see. But of course they are wrong. It's not about being sheeple or worshipping J&K. It's just about being fair and not quite so judgmental (at least for me). I'm "invested" enough to be annoyed at Jon for being so dumb, but ultimately, worst case scenario? He's cheating on Kate. It doesn't affect my life, and it's not the apocalyptic scandal that some people want to make it. People cheat. Marriages break up. I think it would be unfortunate, of course, but I'm not going to get into a contest with morons about who is "winning" and who is "right". (I'm not calling all anti-J&K folks morons, but the poster whose post Nina rejected earlier because it was essentially an attack on me? You, toots, are a moron. Not because you attacked me - been there, don't care - but because you honestly think OJ Simpson=Jon Gosselin. Just a clue: decapitating your wife is not the same thing as cheating on her. Not even close.)
At the end of the day the gosselins have proven the most vocal detractor correct.Oh, I don't think that's the case. The most vocal detractors have compared Kate to Diane Downs. Someone suggested there was something unwholesome about Hannah sitting in Jon's lap. Every day appallingly vile things are said about the Gosselins; I think J&K have a long way to go before any action of theirs would even come close to the things they are routinely accused of.
People talk about "crazed fans" but I really haven't seen them. I've only seen a handful of people online I'd call uber-fans, and many of those I suspect of being trolls. I may just not be hanging out where they hang out. I tend to guess that the most vocal fans are probably 13-year-old girls who are unlikely to have the opportunity or the inclination to do the Gosselins any harm. OTOH, the majority of the most vociferous haters appear to be grown women, and with the worst of them, if they believe half of what they say online, I'd say they are sort of scary and delusional.
Sorry about repeating others on the cost of the car; when I come to a thread late I never know if I should post as I go along and risk being redundant or wait until the end and then respond to 25 different posts in one.
Unless he bought the Batmobile, I could care less if Jon bought a car. lol...Merryway that was too funny. I agree who cares if he bought himself a 40k car. It's not like he bought himself a Ferrari or something.
His explanation was plausible.He is very young.I think he had fatherhood pushed on him,when he might have spent a few years growing up and enjoying himself.He has now learned that his every move will be watched.He probably feels overwhelmed at times.I feel sorry for him.
griffon: I definitely do not feel sorry for Jon. I don't care if he would have liked to have a few more years to be young, he chose to have fertility treatments and he got 8 gorgeous, healthy kids! While his explanation was plausible its not likely, or acceptable IMO. He has been given numerous opportunities to learn that his every move is being watched, he knew full well going out that he may be seen and reported on. I can promise you that he feels overwhelmed but that is NO reason to be at a bar, without your wedding ring, at two in the morning, WHILE your wife is away.
The article said Jon was being driven to his car. That means he was drunk driving. Why are people giving him kudos for having somebody drive him if he still drove home??
Wow is Jon in the news again. This story was on E-News, Entertainment Tonight, Daily 10 and Insider. Unbelievable. The have a PR thing scheduled for this weekend in PA for both of them. Will they both show up, Will just Kate show up, or will they do the Christian way and just cancel future appearances until further notice. I am a Christian and I will definitely say a prayer before I go to sleep tonight for those innocent children and for their parents to do the right thing and stop everything and stop it now. Jon and Kate need to be honest and up front because their charade is not working any more. Please I ask all of you to pray for those sweet children. God Bless
Oh, I might feel sorry for Jon if he was having to worry about how to feed and shelter his kids, as many people today are. He is living on easy street, and it seems he is determined to screw it up.
If he doesn't like his situation, he could go get himself a job, or do some volunteer work. It's not like he's needed at home, if he can go out all night when Kate is gone.
Well, this would fit my definition of the affects of being a celebrity are no longer good for their family. 1) Swarms of people stake out your house (this is according to Jon, who, while proobably exaggerating a wee bit, probably does feel as if 200 people are parked in front of his house all day even if it's not the literal truth); 2) You husband is having serious, serious issues (self-esteem, emotional, marital -take your pick) that he is willing to publically jeopardize his livelyhood and his marriage 2 times in 2 months? and 3) All the pretending that your marriage is all right for the cameras will probably cause even more strain to the relationship.
I have said before that while I think that Jon and Kate think they are doing to show for the good of the family, the money and the perks will cloud their judgement. Let's see if they actually can stop.
whiteflag? said... Is it me or are the lines between the Haters, Trolls, Sheeple, etc. getting blurrier by the minute?
At the end of the day the gosselins have proven the most vocal detractor correct.
The only expression that I can think of is "it is what it is".
If you browse all of the blogs, even the support blogs, you wouldnt know which one you were on if you didnt look at the address. -----------------------------------
Are you trying to say people on here are going to be mistaken for "haters" because they think Jon should have been less irresponsible, given his current situation? Should they prove the haters right and act like "sheeple" by making excuses for him regardless of what stunts he pulls? I have read both sides of the argument and while I try to keep my opinion of J&K fair, I must admit that this latest is making me wonder what is going on.
I also hate the saying "It is what it is". It's as if saying that means you don't have any responsibility in the matter and/or you cannot make a difference in fixing it.
It's not too late for them to fix their marriage. They have 8 good reasons to do so.
Baby Mama said...Ohh and please don't believe the crap that the National Enquirer is spewing.. They could basically say anything at this point and if they don't have proof, I aint buying it.
A fair amount of cynicism regarding the tabloids is understandable. While I do not admire the Enquirer, they are generally right more than they are wrong. They got the John Edwards story right. They have also accused Sarah Palin of having an affair, but that story doesn't seem to have gained traction. I think we would all be silly to say we know for sure what occured, but the behavior exhibited in this latest escapade is more disturbing to me on the face of it then the previous incident.
AAP said: I have said before that while I think that Jon and Kate think they are doing to show for the good of the family, the money and the perks will cloud their judgement. Let's see if they actually can stop. I appreciate you saying that because I think their intentions have been questioned for a long time, but I believe Kate, in particular, feels she is doing what she needs to for her family. Whether we agree with her or not, I don't think she is continuing the show solely for her own benefit or desire to be "a star." I think she does want the very best for her kids. That said, it appears the bad may now be outweighing the good....
Whiteflag? said...If you browse all of the blogs, even the support blogs, you wouldnt know which one you were on if you didnt look at the address.
Whiteflag, I have to disagree. I went on GWoP and I only read a few posts before Kate was blamed for everything. I read this entire thread, however, and I think only one person sought to directly put blame on Kate.
I think a big segment of the detractors are really torn - Kate is and always has been their main target, but it is poor Jon (married to that shrew!) who, is in fact, guilty of behavior that none of here have sought to justify. I don't think it is the "perfect comeuppance" they were hoping for because Kate is NOT left looking like the vile creature they are *sure* she is.....
The Gosselins, who are raising 8-year-old twins and 4-year-old sextuplets, have dealt with similar allegations in the past. In February, Jon was spotted hanging out with a couple of female college students from Juniata College, located near his hometown in Pennsylvania.
But a couple of girls who met Jon that night said he didn't flirt with anyone. "He was very well-behaved, a gentleman," Alex-Rae Campbell, a college student who attended the party, told PEOPLE. "He talked more about his wife than his kids. He was very friendly, very approachable."
Shortly after, the couple told PEOPLE that raising their children in public has been stressful for their marriage. "Kate's career is taking off and I'm a bit lost," Jon admitted. "This struggle has definitely put some tension in our marriage."
Although this is America and Jon is FREE to have friends, etc... Wouldn't it be more appropriate for Jon and Kate to be out with another COUPLE enjoying their company? I can't believe people will debate whether he should have been out like this. Some of you must really have an "open" marriage. I believe that SHE should be home and they should be working at regular jobs, focusing mainly on the health and welfare of their kids.
Do they still attend the Assemby of God Church that they used to? Just wondering, because they stress "avoiding even the appearance of evil", and members are not drinkers.
Well if you live close to J&K in PA. storm clouds will be a brewing above the Gosselin household. Kate is back home for 4 days before she goes back out on the road. She has a scheduled appearance on Saturday and it will be interesting to see if it is canceled. Jon was only 22 when he had twin girls and 25 when he had tups. My first child wasn't born until I was 28 after 7 years of marriage. They were way too young to have children and way too young for the responsibilities that come w/reality show t.v. The fame, money, perks, etc... were too tempting for such a young couple to resist and their "Cash Cows" the children were lost in the chaos and are still lost. Growing up with alcoholism and seeing the interview portion of the "green" episode, w/Jon ruddy face, glazed eyes he had been drinking. As I have said before Jon and Kate must make a selfless step and step away from the limelight for the kid's sake.
I can't believe people will debate whether he should have been out like this. Some of you must really have an "open" marriage.I don't think it's a matter of having an "open" marriage. I trust my husband and if he wanted to go to a bar until 2am, he is his own person and can do what he wants. That said, if I thought he was with another woman, or if after 9 years of marriage he suddenly had an interest in being out all hours of the night, it would be a different thing.
I guess you could say that the blame could go either way. He has said he's pretty unhappy about the situation, and if they are still together, Kate needs to get her priorities straight. On the other hand, Jon has proven time and again that he can be very immature, so it could be that Kate feels like she is doing what she needs to do to support her family and maybe follow her own dreams and Jon feels left out and is acting like a baby. If they want to stay together(if they still are), they really need to find some common ground. Both will need to make some compromises.
I personally think that if Kate can make a good living with the books and personal appearances, the show should end and she should continue doing those things. There is nothing wrong with following your dreams, and being a mother shouldn't stop anyone, but it should be done in a responsible way. I think you can do your thing and put your family first.
I think I may be in the minority here, but I don't really see what the fuss is about. My understanding (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that Jon left a bar late at night, may have been drunk, and had a friend drive his car for him. What am I missing? Is the issue that the friend was a female? If it is assumed that all married men with female friends must be cheating with those females, then I suppose my husband has cheated on me many many times.
Is the issue that he has been "caught" (still don't know what he was caught doing, but whatever) twice (gasp!)? There is absolutely nothing that US Weekly has said that indicates that he's cheating. So he called a lady "babe"? Yeah, he's a cheeseball who needs to realize that is just weird, but does that automatically means he's cheating with her?
However, if Jon wants to maintain a low profile, stop going to bars in your hometown where people recognize you! And then stop making statements to the tabloids that "catch" you. I've never really thought Jon was the sharpest tool in the shed, and I'm fairly convinced of that now. But I am in no way convinced, based upon the news article to date, that he was cheating with this lady. I'm the first to admit that my marriage is not necessarily conventional and my husband and I in no way take on "traditional" husband and wife roles; but I trust him completely. I don't understand the automatic assumption of guilt people have put on Jon because he was with the opposite sex late at night. Perhaps Kate trusts him more than everyone else does, and kudos to her for trusting her husband.
All the rumored details behind this latest night out for Jon aside, to me the basic fact is this.....after the last escapade with the tabloids Jon should not have put himself in a position to cause his family more harm and embarrassment.
Any harm or embarrassment caused the family by the show existing at all is, and has been, debatable and debated. That criticism I do think the Gosselins believe is a natural byproduct of putting your life on tv and they had appeared to come to terms with a certain level of attention.
To subject his family to more than what they have probably perceived is a reasonble trade-off for doing the show (criticism about their parenting, hyperexamination of their kids' behavior, speculation about their finances) is just irresponsible and blatantly childish and selfish.
I don't care what else is going on in his life....put the kids' needs and feelings first. Stay home. Deal with your issues. Rearrange your priorities if you're unhappy. But stay out of the public eye when it's not necessary.
Their whole life is a sham. And going to churches and getting "love offerings, or whatever you want to call them...and then to see him w/this type of car? He was begging for money for his family. Well, I wouldn't call it begging but we've had the "love offering" discussion enough times. Are they still doing the church talks? It seems as if it has been a long time since Jon has participated in one. Maybe he needs to have more of his own public appearances to keep himself out of trouble. But I guess its too late now.
You are right, Jon really should stop boo-hooing about his lot in life (like it's so horrible anyway?) and do something to change his situation other than drinking in bars! When you think about the dire circumstances that people are living through today, and then this guy is singing the blues about not having privacy because he's so famous now. Cry me a river! I mean really, does he expect us to get out the violins for him? What does this man have to be so miserable about anyway? He has a beautiful wife, he has eight beautiful, healthy children, he's living a lot better than most (in the material sense), he's living a lot better than he was a few years ago, his family is provided for, he's well compensated (monetarily) for his loss of privacy, so where does the misery come in? And if things aren't perfection in his life (who has perfection in their life?), well, do something about it! And I don’t buy the ‘oh, he married and had children so young’ excuse either! No one held a gun to his head. I really have no patience for this at all. Man-up and take care of the children you brought into this world! I’ll say it again, Jon’s lucky he’s not my son!
IMO, the "love offering" subject seems to be a rallying cry for those who think the Gosselins still "beg" for money from people who somehow must not know they're wealthy now. (How ANYONE hasn't gotten the memo yet that the Gosselins are well off at this point....Kate's even been quoted in articles talking about their increased wealth...their new home has been on tv for months...I can't fathom.)
I think the fact that part of Kate's standard speech is talking about the hard times when the babies were little is somehow supposed to be a smokescreen the Gosselins are putting up to "fool the fans".
The church talks do seem more sporadic, but that may just be because Kate's book signing trips have increased exponentially. And, IIRC, Jon hasn't gone to a talk with Kate since last October at the Women's Show in Orlando, and has only done one speaking appearance on his own at a university in Feb. And, no, I don't think he was crying poor at either of those appearances.
The inconsistency (now the most overused word in Gosselin blogdome after con and greed) is that Jon made some offhand comment in a tv interview in UT about how he still drives a big, blue bus, not a Porsche. And, although his new car isn't a 90K Porsche, apparently a 30-40K Nissan two-seater he bought three months later is enough to label him a liar. Not the fact that life and circumstances change, but, as usual, *anything* the G's do differently than what has been stated on tape in the past means they lied purposely to fool the viewers. And now, even though the car has been shown on the internet at least twice, the Gosselins are still trying to "hide" their true financial wealth from the public (much like, "Why haven't we seen the pool on the show?", etc.)
The whole topic of the Gosselins' finances and what they do with their money is beyond moot to me. And the fact that some anti-Gosselin viewers think that somehow Jon's incredibly poor judgement about his public exposure in the media can be traced back to lying about how much money he has or how he wastes it on a sports car is just odd to me.
I think Jon has painted a rather pathetically classic picture of a man in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Another classic feature of someone in crisis is making wreckless choices. People may have viewed Jon as childish or selfish in the past, but, in my view, his behavior now shows signs of actual, full-blown wrecklessness and someone who is nearly completely self-absorbed.
At this point, his behavior and complete apparent lack of judgement is the issue, not their money or what they use it for, or even Jon and Kate's marriage. His inability to see beyond his own immediate needs is what's giving me pause.
I do think Jon and Kate are trying to hide their financial situation, I think they have far more than they let on and Kate is cleverly trying to hide this by insisting they use coupons, and the camera's don't really show much of the house or just how much it is. Do I have a problem with that? No, its their business not mine but when Jon is going to say that he's not blowing the money and then a mere 2 months later is photographed in his own semi-expensive sports car, it just seems a little odd. Like maybe he never intended for anybody to know he had the car? That bugs me.....
Its their money to spend how they see fit I just hope that there is a substantial amount of money being set aside for the kids because honestly without them NONE of this would be happening.
Jacelynn, I agree that it is nobody’s business how Jon and Kate choose to spend the money they earn. However, I think I may have a very different view from most people here on the earned income of the Gosselin family. It is my opinion that the children’s participation in the family business is what results in the family income. Without the children there would be no show, no books, no speaking engagements, no family business. The bulk of that money should be put away for those children, in my opinion it should not be divided ten ways, in the best interest of the children the parents should make it a salaried job for themselves (it could be one salary, or they each earn a separate salary), and goods bought for the home, or even a new house, cars, etc. should come out of whatever that salary can afford. That’s just my opinion and they may very well be doing that now, maybe the show, books, speaking engagements, etc. earn enough to give the bulk of the income to the children and still afford a salary for the parents to buy a million dollar home, sports cars, spa visits, clothes, etc. I don’t think anyone has an idea of what the Gosselin income might be so it’s all speculation. They could very well be blowing the children’s future security, or they may have done well to protect the children. But this is why I feel so adamant that laws should be set up to protect the financial interest of the children on Reality TV among other things. Not every parent acts in a responsible way towards the children entrusted to them. I have been looking into Child Labor Laws in different States and they vary. In Pennsylvania the law does not cover children that work farms or work in private homes. That is very unfair in my opinion.
Not disagreeing with you entirely, but, personally, I think you're giving the Gosselins way more credit for being sneaky than they're even capable of being or would care to be.
I mean, she had a fit about Jon using coupons because she felt the need to somehow prove to the world they still use them? Why even MENTION the fact he didn't use them on camera in the first place if you were trying to hide that fact? We would never have known if she hadn't had a temper tantrum. that exchange seemed, painfully, spontaneous to me and said more about her treatment of Jon than her need to show the viewers she still clips coupons.
And, honestly, I *get* why the purchase of newer cars and low-end designer clothes bothers people on some level if you're worried about how the kids' futures are being secured. But I don't think they're hiding their newfound wealth.
I mean, really, how much of that estate has been hidden? The pool? Even without a pool that house and the acreage would be quite obviously substantial to the naked eye.
I just think all the excessive complaints about their spending habits is a major detraction from what I see as the main point here...Jon's astounding lack of seeing being his own nose for the reality of his situation.
marci said... To subject his family to more than what they have probably perceived is a reasonble trade-off for doing the show (criticism about their parenting, hyperexamination of their kids' behavior, speculation about their finances) is just irresponsible and blatantly childish and selfish.
I don't care what else is going on in his life....put the kids' needs and feelings first. Stay home. Deal with your issues. Rearrange your priorities if you're unhappy. But stay out of the public eye when it's not necessary.
April 30, 2009 6:32 AMI agree Marci. Jon should've put his kids' (and wife's) feeling first. Family first.
At this point, his behavior and complete apparent lack of judgement is the issue, not their money or what they use it for, or even Jon and Kate's marriage. His inability to see beyond his own immediate needs is what's giving me pause.
April 30, 2009 7:18 AMYes, me too. I can't fathom why he would even put his family in this position of embarrassment.
And I don’t buy the ‘oh, he married and had children so young’ excuse either! No one held a gun to his head. I really have no patience for this at all. Man-up and take care of the children you brought into this world! I’ll say it again, Jon’s lucky he’s not my son!
April 30, 2009 6:54 AMEileen, you are so right!! I never believed the "he married young" line either. I believe when two people form a union in front of God, that they believed they were sure of this big step and the big step of starting a family. If they made that step at an early age, so be it, and act like a person who made a mature decision. He believed he was ready for marriage and kids and took those plunges. Since he is the father of this family...and knowing their beliefs in God...he needs to act not only responsibly, but respectfully, so he can be an example of a man of God for his sons. It all starts at home.
I absolutley think the children should have a VERY secure financial future- however I do not think that all of that money should belong to the children. I can't help but laugh when it is suggested that Jon and Kate don't work and havent earned money- even before Kate's speaking engagement career took off.
The man should be able to buy a $40k car if he wants to- I dont care how many seats it has.
I didn't mean to imply that Jon and Kate should have no income of their own from their efforts, I just mean the children should come first. After the children are secured, I don't care how many sports cars sit in their driveway. I'm sure there are things I spend money on that the outside world would not approve of and I'm glad my life isn't under a microscope. That's not my argument at all.
Theresa, I agree with everything you said, only you said it a hundred times better!
I can't read anymore about this, it's really making me feel nauseated to read about people that are so Blessed and then they spit in the face of it (and I'm not talking about being Blessed financially, that's just an added perk, I'm talking about those eight Blessings!).
I am posting here for the first time. I read here often.
I just have to add, dont forget that the National Enquirer was the rag mag that broke the John Edwards scandal. They may be a tabloid, but they do get it right sometimes. And it is more than one source with information about his wild night.
My own opinion is he is trying to sabotage the show & family. I think it is his passive aggressive behavior at it's worst. He has made it very clear he doesnt want to continue the show. TLC can only make excuses for this type of behavior for so long. And I think nothing positive or innocent comes out fo being hammered at a bar at 2 am with a young woman other than your wife.
Radar online yesterday had an article about him being with this woman at a local motel. Apparently they were caught in a stairwell passionately kissing by a man who works at the motel. Again without his ring on.
I definitely don't think Jon and Kate deserve no money or they shouldn't be allowed to purchase what they want, just that the kids should come first (as with any family IMO) and that the only reason Kate is able to do her own work (books, speaking engagements, etc.) is because of the fame the kids had/have. Without the kids nobody would care who Kate is. Kate and Jon are both working, well Kate may be doing more than Jon, because even when he is suppose to be raising the kids while she is securing their future he is at bars, they are both living stressful and hectic lives and have every right to a portion of the money.
Basically what Im trying to say is: All ten of them are working, and all ten of them deserve money. The kids don't have a voice in how the money is spent/saved and I hope Jon and Kate are making wise decisions and not making reckless purchases.
Gpail, Merryway: I wish you were the ones who'd married (or became the "serious girlfriend" of) some of my male friends! I hope your husbands thoroughly appreciate you ladies--if not, I'll offer to thump them in the head myself.
All this talk about how married people can't have friends of the opposite sex, can't socialize with such friends, can only socialize with such friends if Kate is there, can only socialize with another married couple etc. really gets my goat.
I'm speaking as a woman who has had many platonic male friends over the years. At times, my devotion and good deeds as (just!) a friend were tossed aside when these male buddys were told to cut contact with me, or were guilted into not socializing with me, etc. To me, this is just as bad as having a girlfriend who tosses you aside when she finds A Man. I think most relationship counselors are proponents of each member of a couple having their own lives in addition to their shared one--including friends, hobbies, pasttimes, and again, friends.
I realize that this may have nothing to do with Jon's friendship with that lady. And the fact that he should know by now how anything related to bars can and will be misconstrued, is probably one we all agree on.
But the way Jon + Female Friend + Late = Hate, I think, sheds more light on how women act and behave. Looking at Kate Hate, it's been argued that simple age-old env,y or the disturbing female tendency to attack a fellow mom/woman, is behind the vitriol. Looking at the reaction to Jon's situation I think it exposes just how jealous, possessive, etc. we women can be--even (or especially) by proxy.
How is Jon having a mid-life crisis when he is 32 years old? I don't buy the whole he married young story either. I got married when I was 18 and am still married to the same man almost 33 years later. He made choices and has to live with them. It just shows how incredibly immature and self-centered the man is. They chose this life for themselves and now boo-hoo, he can't be Jon anymore. Well, newsflash Jon, you can't have it both ways. If he was the "old" Jon, I doubt he would have been skiing in Utah, getting remarried in Hawaii, living in that big beatiful house or any of the other perks he has enjoyed. Sorry for the rant, I feel better now!
Personally, I think the problems they are having are far from new. Remember Kate telling the kids before the Hawaii trip "Daddy and I will be together forever". I think we all wondered why she kept repeating that. Who was she trying to convince? And I think Jon is a skunk for cheating on her but she is by no means blameless. Who wants to live with someone who does nothing but belittles, interrupts, embarrasses and ignores the one they supposedly love? Those poor kids are getting dragged thru this whole mess and it is no fault of their own. What a horrendously horrendous situation.
GPail said... I think I may be in the minority here, but I don't really see what the fuss is about.
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They have said that their religious beliefs and church play a huge part in their lives. They speak at several churches about marriage and raising their children. That is what they do for a "portion" of their living. What do you think their pastor thinks of Jon being at a bar until 2 am?
I don't know who's seen all the pics. The articles say Jon wasn't wearing a wedding ring. But, when you look at the one where Jon's pulling his seatbelt on, it's right there on his finger.
But how is it contradictory of their beliefs, the fact that they are supposed churchgoers, or the fact that they have children if Jon was seen walking out of a bar at 2 AM, getting into a car with a female, and driving away? Nobody that has Christian beliefs or has kids is allowed to do that? It's not like he was drinking from a bottle of vodka and grabbing asses in front of cameras. I'm sorry, I don't get it. I honestly don't see how the two (beliefs versus walking out in a bar and getting into a car with a person who was not Kate) are connected. I don't see how what we see in USWeekly is contradictory of their "walk" or their "talk." Just my opinion.
Hopefully their pastor has enough common sense not to comment on this, but my guess is the pastor doesn't care.
Merryway, I think it's funny that they mention the wedding ring at all, everyone knows he's married. I don't think any college girls would give him the time of day if he weren't "THE" Jon Gosselin.
All this talk about how married people can't have friends of the opposite sex, can't socialize with such friends, can only socialize with such friends if Kate is there, can only socialize with another married couple etc. really gets my goat.I'm sorry you've lost friends Kuromi! I have too, priorities shifted for my whole "Crew" once we started getting married and having families.
I don't think Jon's little situation would be perceived the same way if they had been having lunch at one in the afternoon, you know? At least by the public. It wouldn't as looked as bad as a bar at 2 in the morning.
For me though I gotta be honest- exclusive female friendships on my spouses part would not work for me, nor would the opposite work for him.
My husband would have been welcome to "keep" his female friends if he had had any..... (he's a man's man) she would be welcome at our home, we could certainly all go out together.
"Tata family, I'm off to dinner with Jane, have fun with the kids honey" would SO not work for me and I don't care how that would have made Jane or anyone else feel. The spouse's feelings take precedence and if they don't they certainly should.
The whole young thing doesn't fly for me either, I got married at 20.
I was the one who used the phrase "mid-life crisis". I was going to say something along the lines of "even though Jon's nowhere near middle age", but my use of the phrase was to define how his behavior comes across, not that he's reached that age, so I left it out.
And, I agree, Jon's way beyond using any excuses about how young he was when he became and husband and father...but, frankly, he's not the one using them in this instance, other commenters have brought it up (although not many on this thread, IIRC).
The only excuse I've heard come from Jon is he's not going to give up his lifestyle, and if the tabloids interpret it the wrong way...so be it.....but, please don't say things that are hurtful to my family. Um, NOPE! This situation could have easily been avoided on Jon's part, and, ultimately, he has to do his part to try and control how he's perceived. Even if he doesn't care for himself, he should care for his family's sake.
Many wives would mind having their husband out, past midnight, at a bar, drinking, in the company of a younger woman who wanted to "see his new sports car." I think that would be a strong natural temptation to any man. I know my husband would pass that test, but I still don't want him taking it.
GPail said...I think I may be in the minority here, but I don't really see what the fuss is about. My understanding (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that Jon left a bar late at night, may have been drunk, and had a friend drive his car for him. What am I missing? Is the issue that the friend was a female? If it is assumed that all married men with female friends must be cheating with those females, then I suppose my husband has cheated on me many many times.What you missed is Jon said he let the friend (test)drive his new car to her vehicle. Does that mean Jon (supposedly drunk)drove himself home after dropping her off at her car? The friend did not drive him home, which probably would have been a better explanation, by the way. You also missed the fact that Kate was away promoting her book. Who was at home with their kids besides the not-nanny?
Also, YOU may not have a problem with your husband staying out all night drinking with a female friend because you may have a strong and loving marriage that is built on trust. This does not seem to be the case with Jon and Kate. Remember, they put their lives on TV for the world to see. From what I see, Kate nags and henpecks Jon to death. He seems to be the only one taking care of the kids these days while Kate is all over the country pushing her book. He admits that he does not want to do the show anymore, the dude is miserable. So to see him out in public at 2am drunk with another woman,even if it was innocent, does not look right at all. I'm not surprised that most people on here would make the reasonable assumption that something duplicitous is going on here.
RE "mid-life crisis": I have actually heard that men go through several such crises. First one hits in the mid-twenties (and come to think of it, that's when several male acquaintances got themselves nicer, sportier cars). So maybe Jon's just late for his first one :)
I kind of thought that Jon going out that night wasn't just with that woman. Isn't he friends with the owner? It seemed to me (and I could be wrong) that he was out with a few friends, and that lady was just part of the crew. I could see how a man leaving his family home alone at night, for hanging out with that one friend, would be suspicious! But less so if it was a "group thing," as that girl told her dad in the one non-annoying anti-smoking commercial.
And yeah, I thought I saw his ring, too. But I think it's on his right hand. I did once have a male coworker who wore his ring on his right because the jeweler screwed up and it didn't fit on the proper finger. He said he and his wife joked about because... apparently a wedding band on the right hand means you're widowed!
Three Amazing Kids said... I wrote a commentary on it http://tinyurl.com/c7nker
Thanks for the link!
SamanthaNC said..."Tata family, I'm off to dinner with Jane, have fun with the kids honey" would SO not work for me and I don't care how that would have made Jane or anyone else feel.
Ha! You made me laugh out loud!
nancy019 said...And I think Jon is a skunk for cheating on her but she is by no means blameless.Who wants to live with someone who does nothing but belittles, interrupts, embarrasses and ignores the one they supposedly love?
Nancy, I don't think we have conclusive proof that Jon cheated and I don't think it helps the discussion to pretend otherwise. I'd prefer to stick to the facts at this point.
I also disagree with your characterization of Kate. There is no way we (the viewing audience) can know that "all Kate does" is this or that. We see perhaps 1% of their lives. That said, if Jon is unhappy, he needs to handle it like the adult father of 8 children that he is.
Marci, I have been battling the flu so I haven't weighed in much. Thanks for articulating just about everything I think about this whole situation much better than I could!
But the way Jon + Female Friend + Late = Hate, I think, sheds more light on how women act and behave. Looking at Kate Hate, it's been argued that simple age-old env,y or the disturbing female tendency to attack a fellow mom/woman, is behind the vitriol. Looking at the reaction to Jon's situation I think it exposes just how jealous, possessive, etc. we women can be--even (or especially) by proxy.Its not about jealousy. It's inappropriate. It looks bad whether you are a television star or Joe Brown down the street. Tongues wag, people talk, it hangs a cloud of embarassment over the family.
That Jon needs this type of validation from young females says a lot about his insecurity. That he says "Im not willing to give up my lifestyle because I'm on TV" also says a lot. Having children should shift your priorities a bit. Nothing seems to shift the parents priorities away from themselves and onto their kids.
Neomanda said...But how is it contradictory of their beliefs, the fact that they are supposed churchgoers, or the fact that they have children if Jon was seen walking out of a bar at 2 AM, getting into a car with a female, and driving away?I'm generalizing here, but as it was taught to me by my pastor (and I attend an AOG church, like J&K), a Christian should not partake in any behavior that might cause other people to sin or lead them away from God, even if the behavior itself is not a sin. A big example is drinking...if I go out drinking with my non-Christian friends, I may be perceived as a hypocrite by them, and would therefore be leading them away from a life of faith. The drinking itself is not a sin (but getting drunk definitely is), but it could cause others to "stumble." I choose the drinking example not because I agree with it, but because it fits in this discussion. The biblical example is eating pork, but that isn't quite as scandalous as it was when Christianity was a Jewish sect.
I think most peoples' issue with this, whether he's cheating on his wife or just going out for drinks, is the message he's sending to the public. Even if he were not a public figure, if he were my neighbor's husband, for example, this is behavior that appears to be in direct conflict with his self-proclaimed Christian beliefs. I don't think this would be as big a deal (minus the cheating part) if their faith wasn't such a huge part of their public agenda.
Gpail, Merryway: I wish you were the ones who'd married (or became the "serious girlfriend" of) some of my male friends! I hope your husbands thoroughly appreciate you ladies--if not, I'll offer to thump them in the head myself.I do understand other's perspectives on this and everyone has their own style of marriage. I also understand that for some, it's because it was late night and at a bar. It's just okay in my social circle, but no one is trying to hide anything from their partner. I guess I should say: “used to be okay”, none of us really hit the bars anymore. To me, it's more of “does Kate know of this woman? Is she okay w/him doing this and does she know where he's at?” I don't see a prob w/him going out a partying if that's what he wants to do. If that's what he choses, he's going to have to explain it to their church. I would think that their congregation would feel even more strongly about this issue than the majority of the posters here have expressed.
Neomanda, I am familiar w/the denomination that J&K attend. It's been my experience that would highly frown on Jon being at bar at any time.
Who was at home with their kids besides the not-nanny? I would hope reliable sitters. I think it's fine for Jon to have a sitter, especially since Kate has been traveling.
I have no idea if it's innocent or not. I'm never surprised anymore in the manner in which marriages break up. I was waiting for the Nat Enq article and I wasn't that impressed. I do think the security guard who was an eyewitness to the kissing in the stairway could have lied. Again, why 10 days for the story? I don't see any proof that Jon was drunk either time.
If Jon's seeing someone, he doesn't get a pass from me that he married young. I would think he was a slimeball and feel bad for Kate and the kids.
Sorry, my typos are prob going to be worse as I cut my fingers like an idiot. Nothing bad, but it's making it harder to type w/o lots of attn to detail.
Fanny -- I agree with most of what you posted. However, I just do not condone a husbnd and father being out drinking at local bars and schmoozing with young girls. Flirting, whatever you want to call it....it's not right in my book. I can't imagine my husband doing something like that. That to me, is the sign of someone who wants to be single, or maybe is an alcoholic....for them to choose going out (not with "the guys", remember) and playing up to other women. Besides, I am a Christian, and that behavior is just not what most wives would feel content with. It surely leads to trouble most of the time.
Boston Bean, Good point. I've been thinking about this. One of the reasons I trust my husband is because he wouldn't think this behavior is appropriate either.
With me, I don't think his having friends of the opposite is the issue here. It's where he was and the time of the nighr he was with her. My hubby has friends who are female but if he was out with any one of them at 2 am at a bar I would be really upset. He knows where I stand about his female friends and they even know where I stand so all parties have an understanding of what is appropriate so no hard feelings happen and vice versa.
Did Kate ever comment about the first picture incident? Because if she has no problem with Jon going out to bars she could just say so and they wouldn't have to keep dealing with this kind of stuff. But if she does have a problem with it, and knowing what it can look like to the public,then Jon needs to respect his family and find another social outlet.
Part of the problem with Jon and Kate is that they are defined as Jon and Kate together. They don't seem to have an identity that is seperate from one another. My husband and I have been married for 28 years and we have 3 children the last who is graduating high school this year. Our children came quite quickly after marriage so like Jon and Kate there was little time to establish our own "space". As they grew and we caught our breath we were able to reconnect with some old friends and pursue some interests that had taken a back seat due to our children's needs. I'm not a bar person but my husband often stops by a bar with his hockey team and chats until the wee hours. Many nights some other wives or girlfriends will join them. My husband has been going out this way throughout our marriage. Nights at the bar were maybe once every month or so when the kids were young now he goes once a week at least. He is also a Big Brother, donates blood and has been a bone marrow donor - he likes to be out and about. Me not so much...when I get home from work, I like to stay there, but I have a few friends I go to movies with! It has worked for us. Jon hasn't been as social as he may have wanted to be because he had 8 children that were very young, now that they are older he is venturing out. Jon may need to establish some good friendships and maybe participate in some regular sports with these friends, we know he loves a variety of sports. Granted he may not be doing things exactly as some may wish him to be doing them, but if someone were trying to tell my husband how to run his life, not to go to a bar if I was out of town, not to buy the vehicle he wants, that his place was home with his children.....well I don't have to guess, he said it to me just tonight "the tv show is for the public to watch, life is for the family to live, I'd tell everyone else where to go!"
Traci said... Part of the problem with Jon and Kate is that they are defined as Jon and Kate together. They don't seem to have an identity that is seperate from one another They don't seem to have separate identities because that is not what their show portrays. It's about them being married and raising 8 children in a christian home. We wouldn't be watching their show otherwise. And if they feel they don't have separate identities then that was the sacrifice they made to financially secure their children's future. Sorry but they need to suck it up and keep going or end the show at season 5.
Traci, You make some interesting points and I want to say that I DO thing partners can and should have a life and interests outside of one another. That's a non-negotiable for me in relationships.
The difference between your scenario and Jons is that Jon wasn't out with a bunch of guys and their girlfriends/wives, he was out with a young, probably single female. The situation is completely different.
Can any woman here honestly say that if their man (husband/boyfriend) was out with a younger woman in the wee hours of the morning, you wouldn't be the tiniest bit uncomfortable? What if it was the second time it happened in 2 months (that we know of)?
There is a new article up on People.com with numerous quotes from friends of Jon defending his behavior, and an account from the Bouncer at the bar saying there was nothing romantic going on between him and the famale friend.
I'm willing to give Jon the benefit of the doubt that there is no affair, but I agree with many posters that this is immature, passive-agressive behavior meant to show Kate that he is unhappy with things. I personally would NEVER want to be in a marriage like theirs, but I do wish them well, if only for the fact that there are children involved.
I mean, she had a fit about Jon using coupons because she felt the need to somehow prove to the world they still use them? Why even MENTION the fact he didn't use them on camera in the first place if you were trying to hide that fact?I agree. I think it's very possible that Kate is really tight with their money. She seems like the type that would save. Besides, my boss is pretty well off and still buys generic EVERYTHING. He's a tightwad and he'd be that way whether he had money or not. Sometimes it's just the person.
I just posted this on GWOP, but I doubt they'll post it. I read the USWeekly article, and it's nothing new. It's mindless speculation, and everything that was said in it was also in the Philly Mag article. There are no bombshell pictures either. They interviewed Jon's old boss again, and he said nothing new and nothing of note. The other sources in the article weren't named (a neighbor, a lady whose niece had a baby in the hospital where Kate worked -- how is that a credible source anyhow?). Anyhow, they called Mady "Mini Kate" also, which was a low blow, considering the article basically portrayed Kate as a total b*tch. Going after the kids...classy move, USWeekly. Anyhow, of all the weekly magazines in the checkout aisle at Target, USWeekly was the most picked over. So people are curious, but they're not going to get any bombshell article. I wouldn't even recommend reading it.
Well between watching Dr. Shrill (hate him!) and Nancy Grace (heart her!), I decided to look up the latest news on Kon on the computer machine. As I was reading, my 4-year-old looked over my shoulder and said: "Wrong as rain going up." Then my 2-year-old wandered over and commented: "You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear."
Out of the mouth of babes!
Then my 28-year-old (from my second marriage), strolled over and said: "We don't have a dog in that fight." I told him to shut up and go back to his room. He obviously doesn't understand child advocacy!!!
I'm a little late to the party because this was the last week of classes and things have been pretty hectic. (I turned in a 40-page Psychology paper yesterday.!)
NMD, I completely agree. I don't think the issue is having friends of the opposite sex at all. However, Jon being out with just one other person, a younger woman, is completely inappropriate, and even if nothing was going on he should be aware by now what that scenario looks like. What is with him and bars? I'm in college now, and older guys at the bar = sleezeballs in my opinion. They always seem to want to prove that they can get a "hot young chick" and never seem to realize we are laughing with them, not at them.
We all like to say that we don't care what others think of us, but at the same time we know that reputation is key in a lot of situations. Regardless of whether he cares what the public thinks, he should always be considering his wife and childrens' feelings.
Anya, weird, the same thing happened to me today. My 14-month-old was watching television and a story came on about Jon. She picked up her cell phone and called her friend and said, "I'm no Monday morning quarterback, but the more things change the more they sound the same." My 6-week-old then updated her Twitter page with, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."
While I think it odd, I ask myself--how do I know that this woman just isn't a family friend and Kate had knowledge of them going out and blessed it.
You'd have to have trust issues if you couldn't trust your spouse with a person of the same sex.
Though things can happen if there are marital issues to begin with, but some people can hang out with the opposite sex just fine and not cheat.
Such a catch-22 in this world. Woman are "all about me" and "treat me as an equal" and then anytime a man gets photographed with a woman that isn't "his"--people get their panties in a bunch.
Sure he should err on the side of caution--but we this society is an oxymoron when it comes to judging people.
(my open comment--I haven't read the postings yet and this is just my comment in general about the tabloid/paparazzi mags)
"I will be honest. In my eyes, he can not go to a bar at 2 am with another woman. Case closed. He is married and a father of eight. "
I've gone with other men. Of course they were gay and one was my brother and it was Pleasure Island at Disney World and my introvert husband was totally okay with this.
I have to wonder (generally speaking) when did becoming a spouse and a parent automatically exclude oneself to an occasional outing.
And how do we know the girl isn't a lesbian--at which point, we wouldn't have to worry about him cheating.
So odd in our 20th century culture that continues to stuff feminism and homosexuality as the norm that we are being so close minded as to only jumping to one conclusion in this instance.
Heck--if my sister took a photograph, one would have thought that I was picking up 3 guys in a night club. But 2 were a couple and one was my brother--so my sister and I were pretty much out of luck if that was our intent.
Now if Jon were at a strip club--where the purpose is to sexually stimulate the mind if not the nethers by women whom he is not joined in covenant with---that would be a REALLY BIG ISSUE.
And one last comment--despite the appearance of inappropriate behavior...
Kate in town, out of town--doesn't make a difference.
Just b/c a parent is on travel for work (and yes--I count what she does at work when she goes on these trips...)--doesn't mean that the parent who is at home cannot have a night out.
Clearly--the kids had a sitter of some kind lest they break some parenting law of leaving the kids home alone.
So the fact that he was out is moot. He is permitted to do this in society and I have to say--HOOKAIRS?
The girl--we don't know who she is so anything is just a guess.
In society, we are entitled to some degree of privacy. Just b/c he has a show--doesn't remove his right to have privacy. Sure he has to be somewhat cognizant of the possibility that someone might "catch" him in a compromising place or position.
But just b/c he has celebrity status, doesn't mean he must live life as a recluse and never go out or do anything remotely enjoyable b/c we as viewers hold him to higher standards than perhaps we even hold for ourselves.
It is misguided and very much wrong to use this as proof that he really must not want privacy.
Papparazzi make the big bucks for a reason. They get a bounty for their photos if they get a good one. They are constantly on the lookout and constantly getting the scoop.
Why are we not questioning why this photographer wasn't home with his wife or his children?
Why are we not questioning why he is looking for sleazy stories or stories that at least "appear" sleazy or at the very least questionable.
Jon is not the brightest bulb in the box or the most articulate of souls so it is no surprise that he does try to defend himself perhaps unsuccessfully.
Just the hypocrisy in the thought process and judgement--just ruffles me the wrong way and I am a fairly conservative person who might be miffed if it were my husband out with someone. But only b/c--he's an introvert and the action would not make sense.
But if Jon likes to have a drink and dance like a dork in a bar, who am I to judge that he can't do this b/c he is a parent of 8 kids, has a dominating wife and a tv show.
That is a big joke IMHO to take that leap.
And until this woman is proven to not be part of the show, some type of family friend or a lesbian--I'm not going to make the leap that he picked her up in a bar or that he was cheating on Kate.
Was he playing with a full deck? Probably not.
But becoming a parent doesn't automatically get all the "parties" out and as legal adults we do not lose the right to have a good "legal" time.
"Who's with the kids when all of this is going on? Kate said they have a helper with the kids but was very adamant that she wasn't a nanny. If she's not a live in then who is with the kids in the middle of the night when Jon is out "showing his car" and Kate is out of town on a book tour?"
Most people hire babysitters when they go out either as a couple or when one parent is out of town and the other is going out.
I do this.
I must be evil bad for being so selfish.
Why are we always placing Jon and Kate out of our paradigms and accusing them of things as bad that ordinary parents do (higher sitters and gasp--go out with friend(s) when the other parent is out of town just b/c that is when there was availability on the calendar.)
My husband travels frequently. In June he will be gone for three weeks.
From what I have learned here--I am not to go out b/c it is bad, evil and selfish.
And double that if it is with a man.
Sorry for the sarcasm--but despite the fact that we "television-know" the family--they are still just 2 adults with children who are permitted to *gasp* have lives that are not centered around the children 24/7.
I just don't know what double-income real world parents do when they send the kids to before school care at 6am and pick them up at 6pm (due to that long commute and working day) and then run home, rush through dinner and put them to bed.
That 1 hour of quality time between Monday and Friday--must be much better than going out once every couple of months until 2 in the morning.
If Kate gave her blessing or if they as a couple have decided this kind of behavior is OK, why would Jon feel the need to apologize? His mea culpa specifically reference his family, which indicates that he knows his behavior was foul.
PS. I haven't suggested, nor do I have an opinion on whether Jon is having an affair with this woman or not. One doesn't have to label this "cheating" to think it was inapropriate at best. His apology, moreso than his behavior, tells me that he's guilty. Of what, I don't know.
A Mom-ynous, I agree that we don't know the whole story and shouldn't jump to conclusions. My biggest issue is that he might be putting his family's livelihood at stake with his stupidity. The first time it happened, oops. Second time is self destructive. He can complain all he wants to, but the reality of being a reality show success, is that you have made your life open to the public. It is not like an actor, that performs for a movie. They have both said the show is their life and their life is the show. You can't just turn it off. Common sense might come in handy here. He is not like and average Joe out for some fun. No one is waiting for me at the grocery store to take my picture without make-up. In exchange for my privacy, I worry about how to pay off the credit card. Life isn't fair, and Jon needs to get the memo.
"If Kate gave her blessing or if they as a couple have decided this kind of behavior is OK, why would Jon feel the need to apologize? His mea culpa specifically reference his family, which indicates that he knows his behavior was foul.
PS. I haven't suggested, nor do I have an opinion on whether Jon is having an affair with this woman or not. One doesn't have to label this "cheating" to think it was inapropriate at best. His apology, moreso than his behavior, tells me that he's guilty. Of what, I don't know."
It really isn't my concern.
I am just posting what the other possibilities are and how quick folks are to 1) jump to conclusions and 2) envision some unwritten law that states once married with children you are to never have any life that resembles "partying" ever again.
I'm pretty conservative, but I find the judgement in that manner to be rather prudish and harsh.
As I tell people that it is not my concern if there will be children to bully my kids for what they do (i.e. the parents should be responsible for properly raising kids who don't bully and parental decisions shouldn't have to be made assuming that the kid will get beat up.)
It is society's problem that they have a sweet tooth for gossip. While what he did may have been foolish and potentially embarrassing due to the fact that an article making gross assumptions was written--it is sad that voyeurism is alive and well and folks can't remember to mind their own business.
Everything has to be blown out of proportion and exaggerated.
Even if this is all as being conveyed--it is none of my business. The show is about raising 8 kids. If we want to blame the show for Jon's behavior, how do we explain the rest of society. And if he isn't permitted to make mistakes due to the show--when the heck did fame mean one must be perfect.
And FTR--I'd be very concerned if it were my husband due to some personal reasons. While he should respect these reasons--in the end it is my insecurities and not his risk of impropriety that is the problem.
I'm not defendin Jon. I am more---NOT defending the folks who are so Puritan in their opinions of this situation. It speaks of being Naive into thinking this family lives in glass house and are subject to all of this nonsense.
My parents were on a tv show once. We had people "stalk" so to speak in front of our home months after the show concluded. While it was interesting that these folks had great admiration and curiousity for stopping/driving by--it is really odd to assume that they had the inalienable right to actually follow through with it.
Again--why are we not questioning the photographer's life and why he/she is out at 2am in order to hopefully snap the prize photo?
"My biggest issue is that he might be putting his family's livelihood at stake with his stupidity. "
I don't agree that it was fully stupid. Him not thinking of what it would look like--their fame is growing, he would not be the first celeb or pseudo-celeb to make an err in judgement.
"He can complain all he wants to, but the reality of being a reality show success, is that you have made your life open to the public. It is not like an actor, that performs for a movie. They have both said the show is their life and their life is the show. You can't just turn it off. "
I disagree.
Actor's antics are always subject of scrutiny. We haven't heard too much from the actress who played the Virgin Mary in the Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. She had a baby out of wedlock (and she was very young IIRC). Very opposite her character, yet she was held to the standards of Jesus' mother.
Second--in the photo, noticebly absent are the cameras that follow them around. So yes, they were turned off.
Seeing as this is the first paparazzi photo that we are aware of--it was really him being naive as opposed to stupid and not realizing that the tabloids are beginning to stalk them.
We had to begin closing the shutters on our family home due to all the tabloids. Blocking natural light in the home b/c people wanted to see the house on tv.
It was unfair that we'd be expected to have a camera ready home at all times or risk embarassment. So since folks didn't have manners to not stalk the house--we had to shut ourselves from the world.
Pretty sad.
Being on tv is not grounds for losing your personal boundaries of privacy.
Twist it any way you wish--but this is all defense of the papparazzi IMHO who really are a sleazy and quasi-legal version of a peeping tom.
This is probably my BIGGEST issue with this whole thing.
Will this jeopardize their show--I seriously doubt it.
When I have the opportunity to find an interview of them discussing this incident, I will send it to a nationally recognized natural deception expert who instincively can tell whether a person is likely to be lying or likely to be telling the truth. It is a weird science to say the least--but she is my authority so to speak that I trust. Lie to Me--a tv show on Fox is based on one of the 50 people in the world who have that ability. (Cool show btw!)
If anyone has links to an actual interview--i'd be happy to pass it along to her.
Her website is eyesforlies.com Very cool stuff.
But I refuse to judge Jon at this point.
People who have never been on television or radio let alone a reality show--just don't get how difficult it is to realize the oddness in any type of celebrity status from 15 minutes of fame on up to folks plucked from obscurity to riches via their 15 minutes that have stretched far beyond that.
A Mom-ynous, What I meant when I said you can't just turn it off, was you can't just turn off the public's interest in your life, when you make a living off the public's interest in your life. The girl in the Passion of the Christ is not really the Virgin Mary. Jon and Kate are really Jon and Kate.
"In our society, unfortunately, fame is an involuntary surrender of all privacy."
And that would be a problem with society, would it not?
His real life on tv...
Are we to assume that he is not a parent b/c he was at a bar at 2am?
The scolding he is getting is as though he is the husband of each of the women posting here.
Perhaps they have better control of their husbands, I don't know.
Or that they are envisioning their husband doing this, I am not sure.
I would freak if it were my husband.
But that is the point...Jon is not my husband.
I don't watch his show and assume that he and Kate have a "perfect" marriage or a "perfect" family.
It is a reality show after all and not a scripted fairy tale.
And I am not sure what world people live in where parents must stay home and cater to their children 24/7 and ignore their own adult enjoyment whatever that may be. And if it involves a whiskey sour at a dance club--so be it.
The reason I responded is because you keep making these sweeping generalizations as if all 168 comments on this thread say the exact same thing. You can look at the first 2 comments on this page and see differing opinions. So, maybe you should actually read what people have to say before you begin lecturing on opinions that haven't necessarily been offered. Aren't you being just like the judgmental people you can't stand? (I love this phrase): Pot, meet kettle.
I read an article about the bouncer at Legends defending Jon. Why don't these people keep their traps shut already? It seems the more damage control they try to do, the worse it sounds. I get the feeling reading that article that Jon is a frequent patron, I mean how else would the bouncer notice if he wore a wedding ring or not?
Anyhoo, I'm surprised no other friends have come forward to defend Jon except the bouncer.
I can totally understand how Kate would feel better having the gate and set back from the road house considering this info:
In fact, the Gosselins said it's common to find upwards of 200 cars parked on the country road outside of their home on any given day. Strangers routinely try to snap pictures of the family, who now live in a picturesque, two-story home on a sprawling piece of rural property. But the house is at least 400 feet away from the road, so it's nearly impossible to catch the clan in the front yard. The gate at the top of the driveway and the semi-private nature of the property are a great comfort to Kate Gosselin.
This is my first time posting, and the only reason I am doing so is to let everyone know that THIS IS A LIE. I am a local and take that back road almost daily to and from work and NEVER, NEVER, NEVER see any cars parked or anyone taking pictures. Believe me, the police would be there in an snap...there isn't very much that happens in our community. And no one locally is surprised about anything being written...
Jax-- first of all welcome! Thank you for posting-- I was just quoting the article and Kate's statement. While you may have never seen any cars I have read blogs and seen pictures some have taken from the side of the road. Those people have stated they saw other cars 'rubbernecking' as well. If you are interested in these links feel free to email me and I'd be happy to pass it on. Naturally I don't think this kind of behavior is a good idea so its not something I want to post here.
Thanks for the offer Liza Beth but I'm going to pass on the links...I know what I see. Also, I don't like to get caught up in all of this postings, I just wanted to share what I see daily.
174 comments:
Well I said it the last time and I will say it again, I would be pretty upset if I was Jon's wife. I don't buy his excuse either. You can pick up a telephone if you want to talk to the bar owner at midnight.
Jon's behavior is immature and disappointing. But he does not need to answer to me.
It's not that it's conclusively inappropriate behavior in my eyes. Being married and being a father doesn't mean to me that you absolutely shouldn't go to a club or bar, even at 2:00 a.m., or that you shouldn't ride in a car with a female friend (on the contrary, if he had been drinking, I'm glad he wasn't driving).
But even for the average guy, the confluence of circumstances skirts the edge of "the appearance of impropriety". For Jon, considering the trouble he's already gotten in, we're talking boneheaded stupid and perhaps even self-destructive behavior. He seriously needs to get his act together.
I agree, Guinevere. Being a dad and husband doesn't mean a man can't go to a bar and have female friends. And if he was drinking, kudos to him for having someone else drive. But it doesn't make sense considering his previous behavior. He had to have known that there were cameras outside. I also think when you respond to "bad" pictures or stories about yourself that you're, in a sense, admitting a sense of guilt. Perhaps instead of emailing a response, he should've just let it go. I don't know, I've never been "caught" by the paparazzi, so I guess I have no room to talk.
Why are the paps hanging out in Wernersville though?
Well Guinevere, that is what I am talking about. Were there no lessons learned?
I am not saying he was guilty of anything other than being really stupid and extremely immature. He knows he is under scrutiny. This is something that could have been prevented. I am leaning toward self-destructive behavior also.
He's a married father of 8. He should not be in bars, without his wife. Maybe I'm extreme, but his place is at home with his wife and kids. Period. Time he grew up and realized that the bar scene is not for a married father of 8 with a show about the family.
Sure, he can have female friends, but what a stupid move for him to hang out with his female friend knowing the flack he got for the Juanita college picture.
I hope Kate rips him a new one if this is indeed him on the town with a gal (that she doesn't know or know about this excursion). He should've known better. But, like Guin said, at least if he had been drinking, he did have someone else drive.
I agree with you Nina.
I will be honest. In my eyes, he can not go to a bar at 2 am with another woman. Case closed. He is married and a father of eight.
Exactly Nina.
I think this is sad. Incredibly sad!
Mind-boggling to say the least.
I now officially absolve Kate of any ill treatment she has afforded Jon in the past.
Seriously, I would be saying right now, "Who cares?!"
Except for the fact that there are eight innocent children involved. Eight innocent children who deserve much better than this.
In my opinion this show's name should be changed from Jon & Kate Plus Eight because it doesn't look like either Jon or Kate is placing any importance on their precious eight.
As a grandmother, I would be there in a heartbeat, slapping both of those parents upside their empty heads! They'd be getting Grandma's opinion BIG TIME whether it was welcome or not. Nevermind their needs, nevermind their marriage even, it is time now for them to put aside their wants and needs and put those innocents first and foremost.
That fool doesn't get a pass from me because he was having his 'BABE' drive while he was drunk! He's lucky he's not my son!
I'll say it.
Certainly Jon's explanation is plausible. I think that he displays very bad judgement whether or not this is a mistress or a friend.
I've always thought that the image portrayed of Jon on the show is that he is extremely immature. Whether he is or not is certainly up for debate.
I've always thought that as a couple J & K have an extremely dysfunctional dynamic going on. He plays helpless, dependent, boy and she plays overbearing, controlling mother.
I think that Kate goes way overboard with her aggressive comments and commentary abounds about her conduct.
However I think that there are times when Jon is overboard in his passive behavior and the destructiveness of that is not often pointed out.
I see what you are all saying and respect everyone's opinions, and perhaps this is my age speaking (although I'm not that young), but I do really feel that it's okay if a married man with children goes to a bar with friends sometimes. Emphasis on sometimes. I really don't feel like anyone's place is strictly in the home. Should parents be with their kids more often than not? Absolutely. But being a parent, in my mind, doesn't confine you to your home nor does it force you to toss all shreds of a social life out the window.
I also have to consider the source here. US Weekly. It's a tabloid. It's "alleging" that Jon was wasted and called this lady "babe." And then there's a picture of Jon in a car with a lady driving. That's not exactly scathing. On the flip side of this though, Jon has never come across as the brightest star in the sky (sometimes I cringe when he talks). It is kind of weird that he'd allow himself to allow this to happen again. But, again, I have to consider that the paps go after everything and anything. Regardless of any of this, I'm wondering if this story in US Weekly will possibly increase buzz and ratings for the new season?
That fool doesn't get a pass from me because he was having his 'BABE' drive while he was drunk! He's lucky he's not my son!You're right on Eileen. I believe he should not be out clubbing, at bars, out drunk. And, especially with another woman. He doesn't get a pass from me either.
I'm sorry to be a party pooper, but... here we go again. Kate is 2,000 miles away on her book tour, and Jon is out at 2:00 a.m. in a car w/a female friend. Some truths. 1. Rumor, Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car and was pictured showing it, was that really Jon? Fact: Yes, the picture was correct and Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car. Rumor, Jon pictured in bar w/college kids... purely innocent.. Fact Jon was out partying with college girls. Now this... Jon in his new sports car with a female friend. One, why does Jon have "female friends" at his age and as long as he has been married and is caught at a bar at 2:00 a.m.? This friend appeared college age also... why does a married man with 8 kids have a college age female friend? What happened to all the friends they had before.. Beth, Bob, Jodi, and on an on. I think the crap is just starting to hit the fan and I'm sorry but this family is a disaster waiting to implode... Yes there will be a Season 5 of TLC making this family seem happy and real... party pooper that I am it won't be long after when J&K will officially announce that they are separating. It is already happening w/Kate forging her own way and making a living for herself w/o Jon and Jon reliving the "glory" days that he never had. My heart goes out to those 8 children.
There is no excuse for his behavior. People get on Kate's case for telling Jon what to do and harping on him. It is becoming obvious that when left to his own devices Jon does not know how to behave like an adult.
I'm just disappointed that the kids have to see this kind of stuff. Its one thing to have the TV show and all that, but seriously-- like Guin said this is at the very least the appearance of impropriety.
There is nothing wrong with having female friends, but like you all have said-- has he not learned his lesson by now? I can't imagine the stress and pain this is causing Kate either. I've never been in a cheating or possibly cheating situation before but it cannot be something which is enjoyable. Not to mention the fact that she has always been the backbone of their family so now that task is even more stressful.
Just really unfortunate.
I am sorry to be a party pooper What party are you pooping on?
By the way, I don't remember everyone's comments on this site, but I don't recall anyone saying that it wasn't Jon with the car or at least the majority did not.
Who really cares about the car? What does Jon buying a car really have to do with anything? Why is that even a rumor? Why is that even news?
The guy's been driving a 15 passenger van for at least the past five years. If he got a sports car, who cares. Let him enjoy it. But, responsibly...like a married father of 8.
It is not the car, it is where and who and time the car was.
OhioMom53
I was referring to this statement:
1. Rumor, Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car and was pictured showing it, was that really Jon? Fact: Yes, the picture was correct and Jon bought himself a very expensive sports carI never realized this was a rumor and I am asking why Jon buying himself a sports car is an issue here.
There is a part of the story that is unclear. The article said he was drinking heavily and comments are saying that it was good that he had someone else drive. His email to US magazine said that he had a woman in his car because she wanted to check out his car and was only driving it to hers. It seems just like the last time he was caught, he puts out a damage control statement but it seems there are inconsistencies.
I can't remember the fact that Jon bought himself a sports car was an issue at all here, and I can't speak for OhioMom but I think she's referring to it being a rumor out in the Gosselin blog war world, I remember reading comments (both pro and con about the subject) here and there, maybe in articles? I'm so bad in that way, I'll have to start writing everything down!
But I believe she is right that it was a quarrelsome type of gossip.
I don't think anyone here cared either way.
I normally don't have a strong opinion either way, but you can see this latest has my ire up.
Why are you focusing on the rumor thing? Why aren't you addressing my other comments on why he was with at 2 a.m. a very young woman? Jon needs to realize that if they continue on filming that he will be subject to people taking his picture especially when he is at a questionable spot. This probably was someone local who had a camera phone. I don't think the paps are stalking Jon in PA. I could care less about the car... but I think there are some untruths that need to be cleared up by this couple and the network.
I am so disgusted. He has NO business being in a bar or anywhere else with another woman at 2am. Period.
Yes he can have friends, yes he can have a life. However that life shouldn't include being with a female "Friend" in the middle of the night. If kate was at home I can't imagine her not going ballistic- as would I, and if she was away on her book tour- that makes it all the more inexcusable.
Has he learned nothing? What a complete lack of judgement and immaturity.
On another note: Regarding the sports car- I never questioned that it was or wasn't his because I honestly don't care. I don't understand the outrage about that issue.
OhioMom53
I have made several statements all addressing the rumor. Strong statements. Did you read them?
Your first post just appeared like you hadn't read what the majority of the people were saying here when you mentioned pooping on our party. And there seemed to be an issue with the car in your first statement. That is all.
Hi Pamela,
Haven't seen you around here before. But I am familiar with the name. I noticed that inconsistency also.
I would say that Jon calls a cab if he was drinking heavily, or a male friend. That is how I feel about it.
But in my mind, he should not be at a bar at all that time of night without his wife . There are other ways a father of eight can socialize even with female friends. Nice dinners, theater, movies and sporting events to name a few. Entertaining in that new house you just purchased.
i may get crucified here but i'm going to say what i think anyway (haven't i always :)
1. it is completely inappropriate for him to be in this situation, period. there is no valid excuse for him to in a bar with any woman other than his wife in the middle of the night. i don't care what the circumstances are.
2. happy people don't cheat. if jon talked to kate the way she talks to him, then we saw her with another man, the response would be "oh she found a man who will treat her well". if he "play tapped" her, demeaned her intelligence in front of children and cameras, and constantly criticized her: the outrage would be through the roof. people would be rooting for her to leave him. i'm not in any way condoning cheating for either partner, my point is that i'm not surprised. men crave respect and words of affirmation. if they don't get it, then some young girl comes along and gives it to them, you do the math. it's the same for women. we need love, affection and companionship. if we don't get it at home, we're much more vulnerable if it is offered by another. i don't think Kate gets the hero card here. i think Kate had equal part in creating this dysfunctional marriage and now the consequences are happening.
3. the whole thing makes me want to knock both of their heads together. it's bad enough for children to have their parents struggling in a marriage. it's an entire other thing to have that played out in the media. i hope those children's little hearts and minds are protected.
Well themrs, if you are going to get crucified then I guess I will also. Have you been crucified here before?
I would be very upset if I were Kate. I definitely agree with Nina.
I'll start by first throwing out there the possibility that this was a publicity stunt. The ratings for the finale show in March when Jon addressed being in the public eye were the highest this show has ever had. The debute of the new season is May 25th and this picture was supposed to have been taken on April 18th, close to Jon's birthday and the purchase of the new car.
Why is the picture just now making the news 10 days later?
Consider the possibility.
That being said, I DO agree that it would be a tasteless and wreckless choice for the Gosselins and for TLC if this is a purposeful act. Even if they controlled the contents of the picture, they couldn't possibly control what the tabloids might make up about what was supposedly overheard or the timeline or the description of them driving off with the headlights off or that Jon was drunk (if, indeed, it was made up).
The possibility that this is Jon continuing to be wreckless with his behavior, even if it only LOOKS bad, is just nuts.
I've recently reconnected with several old college friends, many who are male and married with kids, and I don't feel I couldn't get together with them over a drink and remember old times. I would certainly invite take my husband along, but if he wanted to opt out it wouldn't be strange or innappropriate.
The difference between me and Jon Gosselin is I don't have a show, haven't had previous bad press, and don't have paparazzi watching my every move hoping to create scandal.
And, finally, I'd NEVER take the chance again that the press could get pictures of me and manipulate them and the backstory (if that's what happened previously) in a way that would hurt my children. NEVER.
PERIOD. They just wouldn't get a picture of me out after dark, near a restaurant with a bar, with a member of the opposite sex, etc., when I wasn't with my spouse and kids....EVER AGAIN.
IF this is Jon's passive aggressive way of acting out (against his wife or against the tabloids who he feels are infringing on his private life), he needs to grow up. Plain and simple.
Kate has her own issues to deal with, but when Jon exposes his marriage and family life to unneccesary criticism the way he has (like they need more!), it's hurting the children.
Jon, get a grip!
I have no more words.
I agree with Guinevere and PhillyGal. To me, not a big deal for married people to go out or have friends of the opposite sex. But pretty dumb move on Jon's part given what he said on the show about not having privacy.
I will admit that it will bother me that the haters will be saying, "I told you so, sheeple." when, to me, its not about being right, its about not assuming bad things about people without appropriate evidence. To some people, this article will be considered evidence of an affair, but I think its just Jon being dumb and self destructive.
By the way, PhillyGal, I'm 35. Is that young?
PhillyGal said...
I see what you are all saying and respect everyone's opinions, and perhaps this is my age speaking (although I'm not that young), but I do really feel that it's okay if a married man with children goes to a bar with friends sometimes. Emphasis on sometimes. I really don't feel like anyone's place is strictly in the home. Should parents be with their kids more often than not? Absolutely. But being a parent, in my mind, doesn't confine you to your home nor does it force you to toss all shreds of a social life out the window. I am in agreement w/phillygal. I think it's fine for either one to go out w/friends sometimes. Imo, they need to live their life the way want regardless of scrutiny. So much of celebrity marriage talk is white noise to me. Mags and the tv are always buzzing about rumors since it sells. I hope it was just as Jon says and nothing more. I am surprised he made a statement. Is he going to reply to every rumor about their marriage? The speculation from the public isn't going to stop.
Jon doesn't get a pass from me bc his wife is high strung. I expect him to man the hell up and work his problems with his wife out. If they can't work them out- he isn't doing Kate or those children any favors by staying married, only to be found in the local bar at 2am with another woman.
He doesn't get to run around on her bc some 3rd party who reperesents fun and freedom, makes him feel good. Life gets tough, marriage is hard. We all know that. This is where maturity and good judgement are quite helpful.
I wouldn't give Kate a pass either-I would never say "good for her", I hold both spouses to the same standard.
themrs: you know you're my blog buddy so if this makes you feel crucified I'm truly sorry, but just like you, I'm gonna speak my mind.
no nina bell, that's not what i meant at all. you guys are always nice to me :) i meant it as a figure of speech. i have some pretty strong opinions about cheating and what leads to it that can be very unpopular. that was all i meant :)
as far as what some OP have pointed out about having friends of the opposite sex, i have them too. here's the difference: would you go out, alone, with one of them in the middle of the night? if you wanted to reconnect with an old college friend, would you do so at 2am at a bar while your wife is out of town?
Yes, themrs,
Respectfully, you've never been attacked here for your standpoint on the Gosselins that I can recall, so forgive me if I'm perplexed by your recent martyred attitude.
I, personally, don't share many of your opinions, but I've never felt the need to tell you you're wrong, just that I think differently. Isn't that the point?
People don't always agree with me on this site either, but I've never felt my opinion was discounted or that I was treated disrespectfully by the other commenters here.
I hope you continue to share your opinions here, whatever they may be. It appears, particularly in this thread, that we're all on basically the same page...so there was especially no reason to start your post defensively, IMO.
Hope you're doing well.
I agree Samantha, regardless of the way Kate treats him he needs to act like an adult. If he doesn't want to be married to Kate, fine but own up to it at least, don't be going to bars in the wee hours of the morning with other woman knowing full well that you are a hot topic for the press.
Jon doesn't get a pass from me bc his wife is high strung. I expect him to man the hell up and work his problems with his wife out. If they can't work them out- he isn't doing Kate or those children any favors by staying married, only to be found in the local bar at 2am with another woman.
He doesn't get to run around on her bc some 3rd party who reperesents fun and freedom, makes him feel good. Life gets tough, marriage is hard. We all know that. This is where maturity and good judgement are quite helpful.
I wouldn't give Kate a pass either-I would never say "good for her", I hold both spouses to the same standard.AMEN Samantha!!
It gets worse (hard to believe) Apparently Enquirer has them at a motel that same night.
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2009/04/exclusive-eyewitness-account-%E2%80%9Cjon-kate%E2%80%9D-star-busted-cheating
I just read the article Denise listed. That doesn't sound good. Now, I'm leaning more towards the attitude of Jon should own up if he doesn't want to be married. If it's true, how stupid is that? Very sad.
The thing about the car -- Just this winter Jon gave an interview to a TV station in Utah, he specifically stated that he wasn't out blowing the money, buying expensive cars! The outrage is over the blatant lying these two do to their fans. It is disgusting. If he wants a car, more power too him. Anyway, it's about a $42K car, probably got it for $33-35K, that to me is not that expensive of a car. These rumours keep popping up and they have never been disproven. It is sad. Very vey sad. The kids are the ones paying the ultimate price and they have no say in the matter whatsoever.
CatLady, I see your point, but in your post you say that he was lying in the statement that he is not out blowing his money on expensive cars, then you state that the price he most likely paid is not that expensive. I completely agree that they should not be spending their kids money on frivolous things but I also think that we have no way of knowing how much they have saved verses how much they are spending. Without that information I don't think I can in good conscience judge Jon for his choice in vehicle- we just don't know enough.
As far as the Enquirer article, I will give that about as much clout as I give any Enquirer article. In the end like most of us have said it is just a really sad situation.
Well Catlady
To me that just is not a rumor. It is just someone buying a car. Even at 40 K that is not out of line for a car in my opinion. To me rumors are this article that Denise just sent in. This is the stuff that is sad.
Somehow I don't see the woman that was in the car as a beautiful brunette. Mousy brown maybe. Now he makes the National Enquirer, boy that is a reliable magazine. Maybe the brunette he was one of the aliens they have on their covers. But it is sad that when I go grocery shopping this story will be in these trash magazines by the check-outs. Thank goodness the kids don't go grocery shopping anymore. It is not funny anymore and this couple need to make a selfless decision on what is best for their children.
Every single negative thing about this couple can all be just rumor, the fact of the matter is that it looks bad. In the past they didn't care about negative comments, but now negative press is a very different story when your livelihood can be dependent on good press.
They can try to sell themselves as a united family and a united couple but when you see pictures of a husband seemingly on the prowl you get more of a message of how disjointed they seem. How many times can people be expected to believe Jon when he says "We're a loving family and I'm part of a loving couple."? If this latest rumor of a girl in a motel are true, that line isn't going to be swallowed by anyone.
Hasn't anyone ever told Jon that actions speak louder than words?
I think there are very few out in the public that are going to be willing to give Jon the benefit of the doubt anymore, including myself.
So much for my resolve to be fair and balanced.
Oh, by the way, I don't think themrs came off as playing the martyr by making that offhand remark.
It's more than the car. Basically their whole life is a lie and they pimped out themselves and their children to get where they are now. And then to go to bars and maybe even a hotel and been seen w/women other than your wife and mother of 8 kids, that's wrong. It doesn't jive with what we see every week on TV. Their whole life is a sham. And going to churches and getting "love offerings, or whatever you want to call them...and then to see him w/this type of car? He was begging for money for his family. This type of car, a two-seater, isn't for the family. It's for him, plain and simple. Would you not feel anger if you had given him a donation and then see him riding around in this type of car?
Who's with the kids when all of this is going on? Kate said they have a helper with the kids but was very adamant that she wasn't a nanny. If she's not a live in then who is with the kids in the middle of the night when Jon is out "showing his car" and Kate is out of town on a book tour?
Oh wow. I think I know who that girl is on the cover. I live in the same area as Jon and Kate do, and I go to Legends from time to time. Personally, I have no idea what Jon would be doing there anyway since Legends mainly caters to young 20 somethings. The only nights I've ever seen people older than (roughly) 30 in there is Tuesdays for karaoke. I don't even enjoy the place much and I'm 27. Although I guess I could see him knowing the owner, because tons of people in this area do. But still. It doesn't excuse his behavior.
I just had no idea there were "paparazzi" in Reading. Nothing ever happens here.
It makes me wonder if in his passive aggresive way, Jon is trying to sabotoge things. He's made it pretty clear how he's felt about being in the public eye. IMO, rumor or not, Jon and Kate could really use couples therapy. It might also be better to for their whole family if they stop doing weekly episodes and move to maybe shooting a yearly special instead. Just some thoughts....
Can you imagine being at the checkout lane at Target and then you see a magazine with a picture of your parents on it and big bold words about secret naughty nights with another woman? There is no way Cara & Mady won't see this eventuatlly. Regardless of what may or may not be true about this story, the fact is plain and simple...Jon shouldn't even put himself in a situation like this to begin with! I mean, who does he think he is? Lindsay Lohan? The kids must all be in bed by 8, that is still enough time to do dinner and have fun with friends and get home by midnight. DO NOT STAY OUT til 2 at a club with a woman other than your wife when you are on TLC's highest rated family "reality" show! COMMON SENSE JONATHAN!
First and foremost, I would really be pissed at my H if he did this. Jon does not seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed so to speak. He really needs to stay home and be a dad. Even if it was all innocent, he should not be bar hopping especially with the tabloids on them.
Denise - thanks for the link. I haven't read it yet, but will.
Laura - one of my biggest issues of all of the Gosselin talk - good and bad - has been Mady & Cara reading this stuff.
I just had no idea there were "paparazzi" in Reading. Nothing ever happens here.
Maybe it wasn't taken by paparazzi- (just a regular person took it) or maybe it is just a PR stunt. I do hope it is not a PR stunt..that would be heartless. But, the show is on hiatus and it gives the blogs/boards something new to talk about. How much can people discuss about Kate's book tour? This kind of stuff will keep them in the headlines.
I do not feel sorry for Kate or Jon in this situation. I am actually angry at them that they are putting eight innocent kids through the tramua of having their marital problems in the national media. I would write more, but my 6 month old just started crying.........
I have to agree with Guin that considering all that recently went down, you would think that he would intentionally lay low even though there's nothing wrong with going out to a bar. But when your "Jon Gosselin" and you with a unknown woman at 2am, it could be nothing and its something. Why would he intentionally try to sabotage himself like that? Could he truly think that now people STILL aren't trying to catch him in bad situations?
And regarding the car thing, its his money and he could buy whatever car he wants.. Whats the big deal with that? If hes cruising for chicks at 2 am with its, that's another story...Ohh why does he of ALL people have to be giving the trolls more to dance over???
Ohh and please don't believe the crap that the National Enquirer is spewing.. They could basically say anything at this point and if they don't have proof, I aint buying it.
According to the article, Jon didn't even arrive at the bar until after 11P. His explanation doesn't make anything better; if he was driving his "friend" to her car, does that mean that he -- reportedly barely able to walk by the end of the night -- then drove himself home? And Kate is on a book tour -- who was taking care of the kids while he was out? Was he in charge of them the next day, after staying out late and possibly with a hangover?
I think part of what makes this so unseemly is the fact that Kate was out of town when it happened. It's one thing for a spouse to go out to have a good time with friends when the other is home. My husband goes out with his friends (none of whom are 20-something single women, just saying) with my blessing. It's quite another for it to happen while the other is gone, with the kids left with ... who? The nanny Kate so firmly claimed they don't have?
It's inappropriate behavior, and even if completely innocent (which I don't believe), looks sneaky. Jon should have known better, particularly after the uproar a few months ago.
I don't think the Enquirer is saying, if they had a photo then maybe but regardless if this is a PR stunt, just Jon hanging out with a friend or something else I think Jon needs to grow up and own up.
oopps! My comment really makes no sense so lets try this again shall we....
I don't think what the Enquirer is saying is true, if they had a photo than maybe. But even if this is a PR stunt, Jon just hanging out with some friends, or something else I think Jon needs to grow up and own up.
http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/04/jon-gosselin-on.html
Jon says in this article:
""Like most people, I have male and female friends and I'm not going to end my friendships just because I'm on TV," Gosselin said. "However, being out...late at night showed poor judgment on my part. What makes me sick is that my careless behavior has put my family in this uncomfortable position. My family is the most important thing in my life and it kills me that these allegations have hurt them."That is a sensible reply to something that really did show poor judgment. I'm still disappointed, but at least he is kinda owning up to it from this article.
I also found this interesting-- I can totally understand how Kate would feel better having the gate and set back from the road house considering this info:
In fact, the Gosselins said it's common to find upwards of 200 cars parked on the country road outside of their home on any given day. Strangers routinely try to snap pictures of the family, who now live in a picturesque, two-story home on a sprawling piece of rural property. But the house is at least 400 feet away from the road, so it's nearly impossible to catch the clan in the front yard. The gate at the top of the driveway and the semi-private nature of the property are a great comfort to Kate Gosselin.
I feel terrible for the kids. Is Jon even thinking about them at all when he does stuff like this? I get that Kate is mean to him and all but still, have some class Jon. You're hurting your children when you do stuff like this....
I am not buying this whole "friend" thing Jon tried to explain US magazine. Who calls a platonic friend "Babe"?
So sad for the little ones. So sad to see their earlier shows--when life was simple and they were happier.
In fact, the Gosselins said it's common to find upwards of 200 cars parked on the country road outside of their home on any given day. Strangers routinely try to snap pictures of the family, who now live in a picturesque, two-story home on a sprawling piece of rural property. But the house is at least 400 feet away from the road, so it's nearly impossible to catch the clan in the front yard. The gate at the top of the driveway and the semi-private nature of the property are a great comfort to Kate Gosselin.
-------------------------------
If I had 200 cars parked on my road trying to take my kids pictures..I would get off TV and quickly!
I would too Erin, no amount of money is worth 200 people I don't know, potentially dangerous people, trying to take photos of my children.
It's more than the car. Basically their whole life is a lie and they pimped out themselves and their children to get where they are now. Catlady, your comments made sense until you said this.
I'm not going to blame Kate or blame Jon because it's their marriage which they both are active participants(sp)so they need to come together and figure out why their marriage is getting toxic for the sake of their children. Even if the rumor's are true then they need some serious help. Sometimes marriages struggle for different reasons and it's the people involved who care enough to fix it or not. Let's pray Jon and Kate can work out their differences or if not just end it and move on.
As far as the people driving by, I think that says more about those 200 people in their cars on the side of the road than Jon and Kate. I think if it were my life I would want to do what I felt was best even though it would take time to get used to being in the public eye,
What ever happened to having personal responsibility? I don't mean Jon and Kate (though that would be good, too) but for those people outside their house-- it just seems like everyone holds the Gosselins to a standard which is impossible to attain. I already said I think Jon was wrong and that it seems like Kate is how she is because she has to be (how else will anything get done!)... but it really seems like many people want to point fingers and criticize instead of seeing that the response of the public on many blogs could be part of the problem.
I do not think it is appropriate to park by someones house just to try to get a look. I also do not think stopping the show would help this. If anything there would be more lurkers since without regular shows people would wonder what is really going on.
Don't get me wrong, I think all the people who "stalk" Jon and Kate have more than a few screws loose but at the same time if I were in Jon and Kate's position there would be no if and or butts, the show would be done.
Is it me or are the lines between the Haters, Trolls, Sheeple, etc. getting blurrier by the minute?
At the end of the day the gosselins have proven the most vocal detractor correct.
The only expression that I can think of is "it is what it is".
If you browse all of the blogs, even the support blogs, you wouldnt know which one you were on if you didnt look at the address.
Jon doesn't get a pass from me bc his wife is high strung. I expect him to man the hell up and work his problems with his wife out. If they can't work them out- he isn't doing Kate or those children any favors by staying married, only to be found in the local bar at 2am with another woman.Samantha,
I could not agree more with you. My sentiments exactly.
His follow-up statement (or desperate attempt on the part of PR to smooth things over) is a half assed attempt at an apology after the fact. Maybe I'd buy it if it was the first time. Its the second time in 2 months. If he were truly sorry and was thinking about his family in any way, the second time would have never happened.
The man is 30 years old. He has 8 children and a wife. It is never appropriate to be at a bar at 2am with a female in that situation. It's not appropriate (or legal) to get completely and utterly wasted and drive home.
If anyone thinks that at ages 5 and 8, the kids aren't picking up on the fighting, the rumors and the tension in the home, they are mistaken. They don't need to read the tabloids, they are living it and I'm very sad for them. Their parents need to pull their heads out of their behinds and do what they need to do (whatever that may be).
I truly doubt that 200 cars a day drive by their house to take a picture. While Jon's picture coming out of Legends doesn't prove that he is cheating, it does show his poor judgement. They want the niceties that this show brings them, then they have to deal with the down side also. You really can't have your cake and eat it too. Their PR company is working overtime on this one.
"How You Like Them Apples"- we did not receive your comment, so please resubmit. Thanks!
Kate finds comfort being 400 ft from the road with 200 cars stopping in a given day? There would not be any feet that would give me comfort with God know who is stopping by my home trying to take pics of the kids. Semi-Private nature of the property? Do they have some kind of electric fence surrounding their property? Are there security patrols 24/7? If I were them I would consider getting the above. It is now becoming dangerous for the children. They have now achieved "celebrity" status and are no different than Brad & Angelina, Keith & Nicole, Tom & Katie etc. Jon and Kate need to accept this fact and get their family off television. Do something selfless for once and stop thinking of yourselves and the next book tour, next season, speaking engagements and protect your children. As I have stated before my heart breaks for Mady, Cara, Leah, Alexis, Hannah, Joel, Collin and Aiden.
Liza Beth said...
As far as the people driving by, I think that says more about those 200 people in their cars on the side of the road than Jon and KateThough I hear what you are saying and agree with the point about personal responsibility, it is a well known fact that people get curious about celebrity homes. In California, they sell maps on the streets that point you to the homes of different celebrities. People drive by celebrity homes all the time and its mostly fans who do so.
Should they be attempting to take pictures or trespassing on the property? No way and there should be security ensuring that this does not happen (as Im sure there is).
I don't think people driving by the home has anything to do with blogs. It would happen whether there were blogs or not. I know some of the blogs get large numbers but I don't think there is a force of 200 haters in PA stationed outside of the Gosselin home.
The curiosity has everything to do with their celebrity. They've put their children in the public eye as well as themselves. They made the decision to continue with the show, despite the toll it is taking on their marriage. Kate stated in the last article we posted that she will do the show "as long as she has breath." Where does Jon and Kate's responsibility come into play? I'd buy the "we had no idea all of this could happen and people would be so interested" line in the first 3 seasons. At season 5, they are well versed in celebrity and media attention. They are ignorant no longer. So why continue on a path that you know is destructive? The love of money is the root of all evil.
We all have personal responsibilities but ultimatley its up to Jon and Kate to do whats best for their children- 200 car loads of strangers certainly won't.
If thats true it would really freak me out. Its up to Jon and Kate to do whats right for them, but I honestly think getting out of the weekly shows would help greatly. People might not forget immediatley but eventually they will and the chaos will subside. Kate can continue speaking/books and provide very nicely for them even without the show.
Did my comment get "lost" too?
kerokerokeroppi
I am having some issues with my phone today. Some comments have been deleted unintentionally. Not sure which ones.
kero-
What's with the passive aggressive quotations around the word lost? Are you "Cranky"?
Most of the comments today have been anything but complimentary to Jon or Kate and I'm assuming that yours wasn't either. Was yours so vile that you think you've been singled out?
I do feel sorry for Kate and the kids. It is shameful to expose his wife and children to ridicule this way. It's not like he didn't know that this would be the response if he went out again in the company of a female friend. Another point I haven't read is that she doesn't look old enough to be an "old friend."
Jon is a rich man. I would not be surprised if he found himself more attractive to young ladies because of it.
This may not be grounds for divorce for me, but it would be grounds for counselling and pulling the plug on the show, especially since they do not have financial pressure.
Kate's comment about doing the show "as long as I breathe" recently doesn't sit well with me. It certainly doesn't sound like her former answer that emphasized the family needs.
I agree that if there are 200 cars at their house they are not likely to be mostly haters, but people interested in the celebrity. I agree with Nomoredrama that it's not surprising or unusaul. I wouldn't call that stalking. I doubt the count is that high anyway.
The problem I have with the 200+ cars is not if they are haters, I think people obsessed with Jon and Kate and the kids, to the point that they spend their day outside their home trying to see the kids is FAR more dangerous than a few woman sitting on a blog complaining that Kate is _________.
kerokerokeroppi or japanese frog,
I moderate quite a few comments from my Blackberry. Sometimes when I scroll down and I am in a hurry (when there are a lot of comments coming in) I will scroll past and accidently hit the reject hyperlink. I am aware I did that today. Several times. I apologize. They are then deleted from the dashboard. Most people will just resubmit them if it happens.
I guess you found a place to discuss it. Good luck to you.
Jacelynn,
I hope you didn't take my comment as directed to yours. I just meant to say that not all those who would drive by would be obsessed. I was agreeing with nomoredrama that most would just be curious.
I truly cannot believe that 200 cars drive by. I think that would make the papers because it would be such a nuisance. I would be more likely to believe 200 cars total have driven by.
I am tempted to drive by to see just how many cars there are (j/k-lol!)
Yeah, except that a lot of the people who complain about Kate being ________ also talk about their hearts breaking for the kids and wanting to 'save' or 'rescue' them. I think they could be just as bad.
Dr. H: Yes, they do but I was talking about the people who don't love Kate. Overall I think it has become a toxic environment for the kids and thats just sad.
Saint: No it just made me realize my comment may have not been as clear as is could have been.
Jon's apology sounds phony and half-assed, considering the circumstance. Everyone in the Reading area knows you go to Legends if you want to get laid. It's attached to a hotel, for chrissake's!
I don't care if the Gosselins are having marital troubles, it's none of my business. But being a figure in the public eye Jon has to realize he can't just go running around on Kate and think no one will notice. Especially in his own freaking hometown. And if everything really is as innocent as he claims then he should smarten up a bit. Hell, at least go to a better bar where it doesn't look like everyone's auditioning for a music video.
Sadly, this seems to be a common thread on the road to fame. People that become rich and famous seem to become self destructive. I'll give Jon the benefit of the doubt and think he is having issues dealing with the kids alone while Kate travels so much. Otherwise, the only conclusion I can draw is that he is incredibly stupid.
Rumor, Jon bought himself a very expensive sports car and was pictured showing it, was that really Jon? I thought the car was like $32K? Is that considered very expensive? I heard $32K, which I don't consider "very expensive", and also $40K, which I guess I'd consider expensive but not very.
Sorry, this just stuck out for me. I think rumors get thrown around and sometimes they are true (Jodi not being on the show) and sometimes they aren't (the move to another state, getting rid of the dogs). I don't recall everyone here saying that they didn't believe he'd bought the car, just that they didn't know one way or another. Which seems reasonable when you don't actually know.
Aside from whether it's true or not, both times, I've been surprised by how many think Jon shouldn't be seen at a bar w/a woman because he's a dad/husband. I know some have related it to “under the circumstances”. It's such an acceptable thing in my social circle. I so like reading the different viewpoints.
If he's home all the time and the kids are getting older, he should get out some. There are lots of choices of what he could do, but, I think he has that right as long as Kate knows what's going on. If he's out drinking, that's a big no-no for their church. I can see how their generation might let it “slide by” for some wine w/dinner or a “once in a great while”. If he keeps getting seen at bars, he's not going to be welcomed to speak unless he can give some explanation. That might be why he made a statement.
I am more apt to believe a story in the Nat Enqu. I wonder why it took 10 days for this story to come out. I like the ones where the informer takes a polygraph. The guy is a security guard. He gave his name and occupation. Wouldn't that put his job in jeopardy if he was lying? Would it be enough money to lie to lose your job?
I truly cannot believe that 200 cars drive by. I think that would make the papers because it would be such a nuisance. I would be more likely to believe 200 cars total have driven by. I can't imagine that many either. It would seem like a road hazard that the police would handle.
If the rumors are true, stopping the show isn't going to stop the publicity or the rumors. Kate's a celebrity and I don't think she's going to give up her job. Even if they split, I don't think that it would do much damage to her popularity. I believe she would still be in demand as a speaker and spokesperson. Hopefully, they have already discussed the tabloid part of fame with their kids.
Unless he bought the Batmobile, I could care less if Jon bought a car.
The only issue I have with Jon buying a car is if he is using money that should be set aside for the kids. The kids are working, they are living stressful lives and I hope the are at least financially benefiting.
I will admit that it will bother me that the haters will be saying, "I told you so, sheeple." when, to me, its not about being right, its about not assuming bad things about people without appropriate evidence. To some people, this article will be considered evidence of an affair, but I think its just Jon being dumb and self destructive.Don't let it bother you if you can help it. There has always been this weird dynamic where some people think that they know THE TRUTH that the rest of us sheeple are just too dumb to see. But of course they are wrong. It's not about being sheeple or worshipping J&K. It's just about being fair and not quite so judgmental (at least for me). I'm "invested" enough to be annoyed at Jon for being so dumb, but ultimately, worst case scenario? He's cheating on Kate. It doesn't affect my life, and it's not the apocalyptic scandal that some people want to make it. People cheat. Marriages break up. I think it would be unfortunate, of course, but I'm not going to get into a contest with morons about who is "winning" and who is "right". (I'm not calling all anti-J&K folks morons, but the poster whose post Nina rejected earlier because it was essentially an attack on me? You, toots, are a moron. Not because you attacked me - been there, don't care - but because you honestly think OJ Simpson=Jon Gosselin. Just a clue: decapitating your wife is not the same thing as cheating on her. Not even close.)
At the end of the day the gosselins have proven the most vocal detractor correct.Oh, I don't think that's the case. The most vocal detractors have compared Kate to Diane Downs. Someone suggested there was something unwholesome about Hannah sitting in Jon's lap. Every day appallingly vile things are said about the Gosselins; I think J&K have a long way to go before any action of theirs would even come close to the things they are routinely accused of.
People talk about "crazed fans" but I really haven't seen them. I've only seen a handful of people online I'd call uber-fans, and many of those I suspect of being trolls. I may just not be hanging out where they hang out. I tend to guess that the most vocal fans are probably 13-year-old girls who are unlikely to have the opportunity or the inclination to do the Gosselins any harm. OTOH, the majority of the most vociferous haters appear to be grown women, and with the worst of them, if they believe half of what they say online, I'd say they are sort of scary and delusional.
Sorry about repeating others on the cost of the car; when I come to a thread late I never know if I should post as I go along and risk being redundant or wait until the end and then respond to 25 different posts in one.
Unless he bought the Batmobile, I could care less if Jon bought a car.
lol...Merryway that was too funny. I agree who cares if he bought himself a 40k car. It's not like he bought himself a Ferrari or something.
His explanation was plausible.He is very young.I think he had fatherhood pushed on him,when he might have spent a few years growing up and enjoying himself.He has now learned that his every move will be watched.He probably feels overwhelmed at times.I feel sorry for him.
griffon: I definitely do not feel sorry for Jon. I don't care if he would have liked to have a few more years to be young, he chose to have fertility treatments and he got 8 gorgeous, healthy kids! While his explanation was plausible its not likely, or acceptable IMO. He has been given numerous opportunities to learn that his every move is being watched, he knew full well going out that he may be seen and reported on. I can promise you that he feels overwhelmed but that is NO reason to be at a bar, without your wedding ring, at two in the morning, WHILE your wife is away.
The article said Jon was being driven to his car. That means he was drunk driving.
Why are people giving him kudos for having somebody drive him if he still drove home??
Some of the fans were insisting that Jon did not buy a sports car because he's a wonderful family man and he only thinks of the kids.
Claudette,
Who were some of those fans.
Wow is Jon in the news again. This story was on E-News, Entertainment Tonight, Daily 10 and Insider. Unbelievable. The have a PR thing scheduled for this weekend in PA for both of them. Will they both show up, Will just Kate show up, or will they do the Christian way and just cancel future appearances until further notice. I am a Christian and I will definitely say a prayer before I go to sleep tonight for those innocent children and for their parents to do the right thing and stop everything and stop it now. Jon and Kate need to be honest and up front because their charade is not working any more. Please I ask all of you to pray for those sweet children. God Bless
I don't think being young is an excuse. He is old enough to "get it."
Personally I do not think there is any excuse, period.
Oh, I might feel sorry for Jon if he was having to worry about how to feed and shelter his kids, as many people today are. He is living on easy street, and it seems he is determined to screw it up.
If he doesn't like his situation, he could go get himself a job, or do some volunteer work. It's not like he's needed at home, if he can go out all night when Kate is gone.
Well, this would fit my definition of the affects of being a celebrity are no longer good for their family. 1) Swarms of people stake out your house (this is according to Jon, who, while proobably exaggerating a wee bit, probably does feel as if 200 people are parked in front of his house all day even if it's not the literal truth); 2) You husband is having serious, serious issues (self-esteem, emotional, marital -take your pick) that he is willing to publically jeopardize his livelyhood and his marriage 2 times in 2 months? and 3) All the pretending that your marriage is all right for the cameras will probably cause even more strain to the relationship.
I have said before that while I think that Jon and Kate think they are doing to show for the good of the family, the money and the perks will cloud their judgement. Let's see if they actually can stop.
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whiteflag? said...
Is it me or are the lines between the Haters, Trolls, Sheeple, etc. getting blurrier by the minute?
At the end of the day the gosselins have proven the most vocal detractor correct.
The only expression that I can think of is "it is what it is".
If you browse all of the blogs, even the support blogs, you wouldnt know which one you were on if you didnt look at the address.
-----------------------------------
Are you trying to say people on here are going to be mistaken for "haters" because they think Jon should have been less irresponsible, given his current situation? Should they prove the haters right and act like "sheeple" by making excuses for him regardless of what stunts he pulls? I have read both sides of the argument and while I try to keep my opinion of J&K fair, I must admit that this latest is making me wonder what is going on.
I also hate the saying "It is what it is". It's as if saying that means you don't have any responsibility in the matter and/or you cannot make a difference in fixing it.
It's not too late for them to fix their marriage. They have 8 good reasons to do so.
"It is what it is" doesn't fly with me.
Baby Mama said...Ohh and please don't believe the crap that the National Enquirer is spewing.. They could basically say anything at this point and if they don't have proof, I aint buying it.
A fair amount of cynicism regarding the tabloids is understandable. While I do not admire the Enquirer, they are generally right more than they are wrong. They got the John Edwards story right. They have also accused Sarah Palin of having an affair, but that story doesn't seem to have gained traction. I think we would all be silly to say we know for sure what occured, but the behavior exhibited in this latest escapade is more disturbing to me on the face of it then the previous incident.
AAP said: I have said before that while I think that Jon and Kate think they are doing to show for the good of the family, the money and the perks will cloud their judgement. Let's see if they actually can stop. I appreciate you saying that because I think their intentions have been questioned for a long time, but I believe Kate, in particular, feels she is doing what she needs to for her family. Whether we agree with her or not, I don't think she is continuing the show solely for her own benefit or desire to be "a star." I think she does want the very best for her kids. That said, it appears the bad may now be outweighing the good....
Whiteflag? said...If you browse all of the blogs, even the support blogs, you wouldnt know which one you were on if you didnt look at the address.
Whiteflag, I have to disagree. I went on GWoP and I only read a few posts before Kate was blamed for everything. I read this entire thread, however, and I think only one person sought to directly put blame on Kate.
I think a big segment of the detractors are really torn - Kate is and always has been their main target, but it is poor Jon (married to that shrew!) who, is in fact, guilty of behavior that none of here have sought to justify. I don't think it is the "perfect comeuppance" they were hoping for because Kate is NOT left looking like the vile creature they are *sure* she is.....
There is also an article in people magazine
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20275605,00.html
I find this quote interesting:
The Gosselins, who are raising 8-year-old twins and 4-year-old sextuplets, have dealt with similar allegations in the past. In February, Jon was spotted hanging out with a couple of female college students from Juniata College, located near his hometown in Pennsylvania.
But a couple of girls who met Jon that night said he didn't flirt with anyone. "He was very well-behaved, a gentleman," Alex-Rae Campbell, a college student who attended the party, told PEOPLE. "He talked more about his wife than his kids. He was very friendly, very approachable."
Shortly after, the couple told PEOPLE that raising their children in public has been stressful for their marriage. "Kate's career is taking off and I'm a bit lost," Jon admitted. "This struggle has definitely put some tension in our marriage."
Although this is America and Jon is FREE to have friends, etc...
Wouldn't it be more appropriate for Jon and Kate to be out with another COUPLE enjoying their company?
I can't believe people will debate whether he should have been out like this.
Some of you must really have an "open" marriage.
I believe that SHE should be home and they should be working at regular jobs, focusing mainly on the health and welfare of their kids.
Do they still attend the Assemby of God Church that they used to?
Just wondering, because they stress "avoiding even the appearance of evil", and members are not drinkers.
Whoever wrote that Jon may be hell-bent on sabotaging the family's livelihood, the marriage, etc. was very insightful.
To me -- it is another manifestation of their dysfunctional relationship.
Not just Kate. Not just Jon. But how they related together.
I feel sad for them and their family.
Well if you live close to J&K in PA. storm clouds will be a brewing above the Gosselin household. Kate is back home for 4 days before she goes back out on the road. She has a scheduled appearance on Saturday and it will be interesting to see if it is canceled. Jon was only 22 when he had twin girls and 25 when he had tups. My first child wasn't born until I was 28 after 7 years of marriage. They were way too young to have children and way too young for the responsibilities that come w/reality show t.v. The fame, money, perks, etc... were too tempting for such a young couple to resist and their "Cash Cows" the children were lost in the chaos and are still lost. Growing up with alcoholism and seeing the interview portion of the "green" episode, w/Jon ruddy face, glazed eyes he had been drinking. As I have said before Jon and Kate must make a selfless step and step away from the limelight for the kid's sake.
I can't believe people will debate whether he should have been out like this.
Some of you must really have an "open" marriage.I don't think it's a matter of having an "open" marriage. I trust my husband and if he wanted to go to a bar until 2am, he is his own person and can do what he wants. That said, if I thought he was with another woman, or if after 9 years of marriage he suddenly had an interest in being out all hours of the night, it would be a different thing.
I guess you could say that the blame could go either way. He has said he's pretty unhappy about the situation, and if they are still together, Kate needs to get her priorities straight. On the other hand, Jon has proven time and again that he can be very immature, so it could be that Kate feels like she is doing what she needs to do to support her family and maybe follow her own dreams and Jon feels left out and is acting like a baby. If they want to stay together(if they still are), they really need to find some common ground. Both will need to make some compromises.
I personally think that if Kate can make a good living with the books and personal appearances, the show should end and she should continue doing those things. There is nothing wrong with following your dreams, and being a mother shouldn't stop anyone, but it should be done in a responsible way. I think you can do your thing and put your family first.
I think I may be in the minority here, but I don't really see what the fuss is about. My understanding (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that Jon left a bar late at night, may have been drunk, and had a friend drive his car for him. What am I missing? Is the issue that the friend was a female? If it is assumed that all married men with female friends must be cheating with those females, then I suppose my husband has cheated on me many many times.
Is the issue that he has been "caught" (still don't know what he was caught doing, but whatever) twice (gasp!)? There is absolutely nothing that US Weekly has said that indicates that he's cheating. So he called a lady "babe"? Yeah, he's a cheeseball who needs to realize that is just weird, but does that automatically means he's cheating with her?
However, if Jon wants to maintain a low profile, stop going to bars in your hometown where people recognize you! And then stop making statements to the tabloids that "catch" you. I've never really thought Jon was the sharpest tool in the shed, and I'm fairly convinced of that now. But I am in no way convinced, based upon the news article to date, that he was cheating with this lady. I'm the first to admit that my marriage is not necessarily conventional and my husband and I in no way take on "traditional" husband and wife roles; but I trust him completely. I don't understand the automatic assumption of guilt people have put on Jon because he was with the opposite sex late at night. Perhaps Kate trusts him more than everyone else does, and kudos to her for trusting her husband.
All the rumored details behind this latest night out for Jon aside, to me the basic fact is this.....after the last escapade with the tabloids Jon should not have put himself in a position to cause his family more harm and embarrassment.
Any harm or embarrassment caused the family by the show existing at all is, and has been, debatable and debated. That criticism I do think the Gosselins believe is a natural byproduct of putting your life on tv and they had appeared to come to terms with a certain level of attention.
To subject his family to more than what they have probably perceived is a reasonble trade-off for doing the show (criticism about their parenting, hyperexamination of their kids' behavior, speculation about their finances) is just irresponsible and blatantly childish and selfish.
I don't care what else is going on in his life....put the kids' needs and feelings first. Stay home. Deal with your issues. Rearrange your priorities if you're unhappy. But stay out of the public eye when it's not necessary.
Their whole life is a sham. And going to churches and getting "love offerings, or whatever you want to call them...and then to see him w/this type of car? He was begging for money for his family. Well, I wouldn't call it begging but we've had the "love offering" discussion enough times. Are they still doing the church talks? It seems as if it has been a long time since Jon has participated in one. Maybe he needs to have more of his own public appearances to keep himself out of trouble. But I guess its too late now.
Kikibee, what you said was profound!
You are right, Jon really should stop boo-hooing about his lot in life (like it's so horrible anyway?) and do something to change his situation other than drinking in bars! When you think about the dire circumstances that people are living through today, and then this guy is singing the blues about not having privacy because he's so famous now. Cry me a river! I mean really, does he expect us to get out the violins for him?
What does this man have to be so miserable about anyway? He has a beautiful wife, he has eight beautiful, healthy children, he's living a lot better than most (in the material sense), he's living a lot better than he was a few years ago, his family is provided for, he's well compensated (monetarily) for his loss of privacy, so where does the misery come in?
And if things aren't perfection in his life (who has perfection in their life?), well, do something about it!
And I don’t buy the ‘oh, he married and had children so young’ excuse either! No one held a gun to his head.
I really have no patience for this at all. Man-up and take care of the children you brought into this world! I’ll say it again, Jon’s lucky he’s not my son!
MommyZinger,
I'm going to expound on what you brought up.
IMO, the "love offering" subject seems to be a rallying cry for those who think the Gosselins still "beg" for money from people who somehow must not know they're wealthy now. (How ANYONE hasn't gotten the memo yet that the Gosselins are well off at this point....Kate's even been quoted in articles talking about their increased wealth...their new home has been on tv for months...I can't fathom.)
I think the fact that part of Kate's standard speech is talking about the hard times when the babies were little is somehow supposed to be a smokescreen the Gosselins are putting up to "fool the fans".
The church talks do seem more sporadic, but that may just be because Kate's book signing trips have increased exponentially. And, IIRC, Jon hasn't gone to a talk with Kate since last October at the Women's Show in Orlando, and has only done one speaking appearance on his own at a university in Feb. And, no, I don't think he was crying poor at either of those appearances.
The inconsistency (now the most overused word in Gosselin blogdome after con and greed) is that Jon made some offhand comment in a tv interview in UT about how he still drives a big, blue bus, not a Porsche. And, although his new car isn't a 90K Porsche, apparently a 30-40K Nissan two-seater he bought three months later is enough to label him a liar. Not the fact that life and circumstances change, but, as usual, *anything* the G's do differently than what has been stated on tape in the past means they lied purposely to fool the viewers. And now, even though the car has been shown on the internet at least twice, the Gosselins are still trying to "hide" their true financial wealth from the public (much like, "Why haven't we seen the pool on the show?", etc.)
The whole topic of the Gosselins' finances and what they do with their money is beyond moot to me. And the fact that some anti-Gosselin viewers think that somehow Jon's incredibly poor judgement about his public exposure in the media can be traced back to lying about how much money he has or how he wastes it on a sports car is just odd to me.
I think Jon has painted a rather pathetically classic picture of a man in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Another classic feature of someone in crisis is making wreckless choices. People may have viewed Jon as childish or selfish in the past, but, in my view, his behavior now shows signs of actual, full-blown wrecklessness and someone who is nearly completely self-absorbed.
At this point, his behavior and complete apparent lack of judgement is the issue, not their money or what they use it for, or even Jon and Kate's marriage. His inability to see beyond his own immediate needs is what's giving me pause.
I do think Jon and Kate are trying to hide their financial situation, I think they have far more than they let on and Kate is cleverly trying to hide this by insisting they use coupons, and the camera's don't really show much of the house or just how much it is. Do I have a problem with that? No, its their business not mine but when Jon is going to say that he's not blowing the money and then a mere 2 months later is photographed in his own semi-expensive sports car, it just seems a little odd. Like maybe he never intended for anybody to know he had the car? That bugs me.....
Its their money to spend how they see fit I just hope that there is a substantial amount of money being set aside for the kids because honestly without them NONE of this would be happening.
Jacelynn, I agree that it is nobody’s business how Jon and Kate choose to spend the money they earn. However, I think I may have a very different view from most people here on the earned income of the Gosselin family. It is my opinion that the children’s participation in the family business is what results in the family income. Without the children there would be no show, no books, no speaking engagements, no family business. The bulk of that money should be put away for those children, in my opinion it should not be divided ten ways, in the best interest of the children the parents should make it a salaried job for themselves (it could be one salary, or they each earn a separate salary), and goods bought for the home, or even a new house, cars, etc. should come out of whatever that salary can afford.
That’s just my opinion and they may very well be doing that now, maybe the show, books, speaking engagements, etc. earn enough to give the bulk of the income to the children and still afford a salary for the parents to buy a million dollar home, sports cars, spa visits, clothes, etc. I don’t think anyone has an idea of what the Gosselin income might be so it’s all speculation. They could very well be blowing the children’s future security, or they may have done well to protect the children. But this is why I feel so adamant that laws should be set up to protect the financial interest of the children on Reality TV among other things. Not every parent acts in a responsible way towards the children entrusted to them.
I have been looking into Child Labor Laws in different States and they vary. In Pennsylvania the law does not cover children that work farms or work in private homes. That is very unfair in my opinion.
Jacelynn,
Not disagreeing with you entirely, but, personally, I think you're giving the Gosselins way more credit for being sneaky than they're even capable of being or would care to be.
I mean, she had a fit about Jon using coupons because she felt the need to somehow prove to the world they still use them? Why even MENTION the fact he didn't use them on camera in the first place if you were trying to hide that fact? We would never have known if she hadn't had a temper tantrum.
that exchange seemed, painfully, spontaneous to me and said more about her treatment of Jon than her need to show the viewers she still clips coupons.
And, honestly, I *get* why the purchase of newer cars and low-end designer clothes bothers people on some level if you're worried about how the kids' futures are being secured. But I don't think they're hiding their newfound wealth.
I mean, really, how much of that estate has been hidden? The pool? Even without a pool that house and the acreage would be quite obviously substantial to the naked eye.
I just think all the excessive complaints about their spending habits is a major detraction from what I see as the main point here...Jon's astounding lack of seeing being his own nose for the reality of his situation.
Sorry....meant to write "seeing BEYOND his own nose"....
marci said...
To subject his family to more than what they have probably perceived is a reasonble trade-off for doing the show (criticism about their parenting, hyperexamination of their kids' behavior, speculation about their finances) is just irresponsible and blatantly childish and selfish.
I don't care what else is going on in his life....put the kids' needs and feelings first. Stay home. Deal with your issues. Rearrange your priorities if you're unhappy. But stay out of the public eye when it's not necessary.
April 30, 2009 6:32 AMI agree Marci. Jon should've put his kids' (and wife's) feeling first. Family first.
At this point, his behavior and complete apparent lack of judgement is the issue, not their money or what they use it for, or even Jon and Kate's marriage. His inability to see beyond his own immediate needs is what's giving me pause.
April 30, 2009 7:18 AMYes, me too. I can't fathom why he would even put his family in this position of embarrassment.
And I don’t buy the ‘oh, he married and had children so young’ excuse either! No one held a gun to his head.
I really have no patience for this at all. Man-up and take care of the children you brought into this world! I’ll say it again, Jon’s lucky he’s not my son!
April 30, 2009 6:54 AMEileen, you are so right!! I never believed the "he married young" line either. I believe when two people form a union in front of God, that they believed they were sure of this big step and the big step of starting a family. If they made that step at an early age, so be it, and act like a person who made a mature decision. He believed he was ready for marriage and kids and took those plunges. Since he is the father of this family...and knowing their beliefs in God...he needs to act not only responsibly, but respectfully, so he can be an example of a man of God for his sons. It all starts at home.
I absolutley think the children should have a VERY secure financial future- however I do not think that all of that money should belong to the children. I can't help but laugh when it is suggested that Jon and Kate don't work and havent earned money- even before Kate's speaking engagement career took off.
The man should be able to buy a
$40k car if he wants to- I dont care how many seats it has.
I didn't mean to imply that Jon and Kate should have no income of their own from their efforts, I just mean the children should come first. After the children are secured, I don't care how many sports cars sit in their driveway.
I'm sure there are things I spend money on that the outside world would not approve of and I'm glad my life isn't under a microscope. That's not my argument at all.
Theresa, I agree with everything you said, only you said it a hundred times better!
I can't read anymore about this, it's really making me feel nauseated to read about people that are so Blessed and then they spit in the face of it (and I'm not talking about being Blessed financially, that's just an added perk, I'm talking about those eight Blessings!).
I am posting here for the first time. I read here often.
I just have to add, dont forget that the National Enquirer was the rag mag that broke the John Edwards scandal. They may be a tabloid, but they do get it right sometimes. And it is more than one source with information about his wild night.
My own opinion is he is trying to sabotage the show & family. I think it is his passive aggressive behavior at it's worst. He has made it very clear he doesnt want to continue the show. TLC can only make excuses for this type of behavior for so long.
And I think nothing positive or innocent comes out fo being hammered at a bar at 2 am with a young woman other than your wife.
Radar online yesterday had an article about him being with this woman at a local motel. Apparently they were caught in a stairwell passionately kissing by a man who works at the motel. Again without his ring on.
I definitely don't think Jon and Kate deserve no money or they shouldn't be allowed to purchase what they want, just that the kids should come first (as with any family IMO) and that the only reason Kate is able to do her own work (books, speaking engagements, etc.) is because of the fame the kids had/have. Without the kids nobody would care who Kate is. Kate and Jon are both working, well Kate may be doing more than Jon, because even when he is suppose to be raising the kids while she is securing their future he is at bars, they are both living stressful and hectic lives and have every right to a portion of the money.
Basically what Im trying to say is: All ten of them are working, and all ten of them deserve money. The kids don't have a voice in how the money is spent/saved and I hope Jon and Kate are making wise decisions and not making reckless purchases.
Gpail, Merryway: I wish you were the ones who'd married (or became the "serious girlfriend" of) some of my male friends! I hope your husbands thoroughly appreciate you ladies--if not, I'll offer to thump them in the head myself.
All this talk about how married people can't have friends of the opposite sex, can't socialize with such friends, can only socialize with such friends if Kate is there, can only socialize with another married couple etc. really gets my goat.
I'm speaking as a woman who has had many platonic male friends over the years. At times, my devotion and good deeds as (just!) a friend were tossed aside when these male buddys were told to cut contact with me, or were guilted into not socializing with me, etc. To me, this is just as bad as having a girlfriend who tosses you aside when she finds A Man. I think most relationship counselors are proponents of each member of a couple having their own lives in addition to their shared one--including friends, hobbies, pasttimes, and again, friends.
I realize that this may have nothing to do with Jon's friendship with that lady. And the fact that he should know by now how anything related to bars can and will be misconstrued, is probably one we all agree on.
But the way Jon + Female Friend + Late = Hate, I think, sheds more light on how women act and behave. Looking at Kate Hate, it's been argued that simple age-old env,y or the disturbing female tendency to attack a fellow mom/woman, is behind the vitriol. Looking at the reaction to Jon's situation I think it exposes just how jealous, possessive, etc. we women can be--even (or especially) by proxy.
I wrote a commentary on it http://tinyurl.com/c7nker
The whole situation is just very sad
How is Jon having a mid-life crisis when he is 32 years old? I don't buy the whole he married young story either. I got married when I was 18 and am still married to the same man almost 33 years later. He made choices and has to live with them. It just shows how incredibly immature and self-centered the man is. They chose this life for themselves and now boo-hoo, he can't be Jon anymore. Well, newsflash Jon, you can't have it both ways. If he was the "old" Jon, I doubt he would have been skiing in Utah, getting remarried in Hawaii, living in that big beatiful house or any of the other perks he has enjoyed. Sorry for the rant, I feel better now!
Personally, I think the problems they are having are far from new. Remember Kate telling the kids before the Hawaii trip "Daddy and I will be together forever". I think we all wondered why she kept repeating that. Who was she trying to convince?
And I think Jon is a skunk for cheating on her but she is by no means blameless. Who wants to live with someone who does nothing but belittles, interrupts, embarrasses and ignores the one they supposedly love? Those poor kids are getting dragged thru this whole mess and it is no fault of their own. What a horrendously horrendous situation.
"What a wicked web we weave...."
GPail said...
I think I may be in the minority here, but I don't really see what the fuss is about.
============================
They have said that their religious beliefs and church play a huge part in their lives. They speak at several churches about marriage and raising their children. That is what they do for a "portion" of their living. What do you think their pastor thinks of Jon being at a bar until 2 am?
If you can't walk the walk, don't talk the talk.
I don't know who's seen all the pics. The articles say Jon wasn't wearing a wedding ring. But, when you look at the one where Jon's pulling his seatbelt on, it's right there on his finger.
But how is it contradictory of their beliefs, the fact that they are supposed churchgoers, or the fact that they have children if Jon was seen walking out of a bar at 2 AM, getting into a car with a female, and driving away? Nobody that has Christian beliefs or has kids is allowed to do that? It's not like he was drinking from a bottle of vodka and grabbing asses in front of cameras. I'm sorry, I don't get it. I honestly don't see how the two (beliefs versus walking out in a bar and getting into a car with a person who was not Kate) are connected. I don't see how what we see in USWeekly is contradictory of their "walk" or their "talk." Just my opinion.
Hopefully their pastor has enough common sense not to comment on this, but my guess is the pastor doesn't care.
Merryway, I think it's funny that they mention the wedding ring at all, everyone knows he's married.
I don't think any college girls would give him the time of day if he weren't "THE" Jon Gosselin.
All this talk about how married people can't have friends of the opposite sex, can't socialize with such friends, can only socialize with such friends if Kate is there, can only socialize with another married couple etc. really gets my goat.I'm sorry you've lost friends Kuromi! I have too, priorities shifted for my whole "Crew" once we started getting married and having families.
I don't think Jon's little situation would be perceived the same way if they had been having lunch at one in the afternoon, you know? At least by the public. It wouldn't as looked as bad as a bar at 2 in the morning.
For me though I gotta be honest- exclusive female friendships on my spouses part would not work for me, nor would the opposite work for him.
My husband would have been welcome to "keep" his female friends if he had had any..... (he's a man's man) she would be welcome at our home, we could certainly all go out together.
"Tata family, I'm off to dinner with Jane, have fun with the kids honey" would SO not work for me and I don't care how that would have made Jane or anyone else feel. The spouse's feelings take precedence and if they don't they certainly should.
The whole young thing doesn't fly for me either, I got married at 20.
I was the one who used the phrase "mid-life crisis". I was going to say something along the lines of "even though Jon's nowhere near middle age", but my use of the phrase was to define how his behavior comes across, not that he's reached that age, so I left it out.
And, I agree, Jon's way beyond using any excuses about how young he was when he became and husband and father...but, frankly, he's not the one using them in this instance, other commenters have brought it up (although not many on this thread, IIRC).
The only excuse I've heard come from Jon is he's not going to give up his lifestyle, and if the tabloids interpret it the wrong way...so be it.....but, please don't say things that are hurtful to my family. Um, NOPE! This situation could have easily been avoided on Jon's part, and, ultimately, he has to do his part to try and control how he's perceived. Even if he doesn't care for himself, he should care for his family's sake.
Many wives would mind having their husband out, past midnight, at a bar, drinking, in the company of a younger woman who wanted to "see his new sports car." I think that would be a strong natural temptation to any man. I know my husband would pass that test, but I still don't want him taking it.
I agree Saint, 100% with your last comment.
GPail said...I think I may be in the minority here, but I don't really see what the fuss is about. My understanding (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that Jon left a bar late at night, may have been drunk, and had a friend drive his car for him. What am I missing? Is the issue that the friend was a female? If it is assumed that all married men with female friends must be cheating with those females, then I suppose my husband has cheated on me many many times.What you missed is Jon said he let the friend (test)drive his new car to her vehicle. Does that mean Jon (supposedly drunk)drove himself home after dropping her off at her car? The friend did not drive him home, which probably would have been a better explanation, by the way. You also missed the fact that Kate was away promoting her book. Who was at home with their kids besides the not-nanny?
Also, YOU may not have a problem with your husband staying out all night drinking with a female friend because you may have a strong and loving marriage that is built on trust. This does not seem to be the case with Jon and Kate. Remember, they put their lives on TV for the world to see. From what I see, Kate nags and henpecks Jon to death. He seems to be the only one taking care of the kids these days while Kate is all over the country pushing her book. He admits that he does not want to do the show anymore, the dude is miserable. So to see him out in public at 2am drunk with another woman,even if it was innocent, does not look right at all. I'm not surprised that most people on here would make the reasonable assumption that something duplicitous is going on here.
RE "mid-life crisis": I have actually heard that men go through several such crises. First one hits in the mid-twenties (and come to think of it, that's when several male acquaintances got themselves nicer, sportier cars). So maybe Jon's just late for his first one :)
I kind of thought that Jon going out that night wasn't just with that woman. Isn't he friends with the owner? It seemed to me (and I could be wrong) that he was out with a few friends, and that lady was just part of the crew. I could see how a man leaving his family home alone at night, for hanging out with that one friend, would be suspicious! But less so if it was a "group thing," as that girl told her dad in the one non-annoying anti-smoking commercial.
And yeah, I thought I saw his ring, too. But I think it's on his right hand. I did once have a male coworker who wore his ring on his right because the jeweler screwed up and it didn't fit on the proper finger. He said he and his wife joked about because... apparently a wedding band on the right hand means you're widowed!
Three Amazing Kids said...
I wrote a commentary on it http://tinyurl.com/c7nker
Thanks for the link!
SamanthaNC said..."Tata family, I'm off to dinner with Jane, have fun with the kids honey" would SO not work for me and I don't care how that would have made Jane or anyone else feel.
Ha! You made me laugh out loud!
nancy019 said...And I think Jon is a skunk for cheating on her but she is by no means blameless.Who wants to live with someone who does nothing but belittles, interrupts, embarrasses and ignores the one they supposedly love?
Nancy, I don't think we have conclusive proof that Jon cheated and I don't think it helps the discussion to pretend otherwise. I'd prefer to stick to the facts at this point.
I also disagree with your characterization of Kate. There is no way we (the viewing audience) can know that "all Kate does" is this or that. We see perhaps 1% of their lives. That said, if Jon is unhappy, he needs to handle it like the adult father of 8 children that he is.
Marci, I have been battling the flu so I haven't weighed in much. Thanks for articulating just about everything I think about this whole situation much better than I could!
But the way Jon + Female Friend + Late = Hate, I think, sheds more light on how women act and behave. Looking at Kate Hate, it's been argued that simple age-old env,y or the disturbing female tendency to attack a fellow mom/woman, is behind the vitriol. Looking at the reaction to Jon's situation I think it exposes just how jealous, possessive, etc. we women can be--even (or especially) by proxy.Its not about jealousy. It's inappropriate. It looks bad whether you are a television star or Joe Brown down the street. Tongues wag, people talk, it hangs a cloud of embarassment over the family.
That Jon needs this type of validation from young females says a lot about his insecurity. That he says "Im not willing to give up my lifestyle because I'm on TV" also says a lot. Having children should shift your priorities a bit. Nothing seems to shift the parents priorities away from themselves and onto their kids.
That, to me, is the worst part of all of this.
Neomanda said...But how is it contradictory of their beliefs, the fact that they are supposed churchgoers, or the fact that they have children if Jon was seen walking out of a bar at 2 AM, getting into a car with a female, and driving away?I'm generalizing here, but as it was taught to me by my pastor (and I attend an AOG church, like J&K), a Christian should not partake in any behavior that might cause other people to sin or lead them away from God, even if the behavior itself is not a sin. A big example is drinking...if I go out drinking with my non-Christian friends, I may be perceived as a hypocrite by them, and would therefore be leading them away from a life of faith. The drinking itself is not a sin (but getting drunk definitely is), but it could cause others to "stumble." I choose the drinking example not because I agree with it, but because it fits in this discussion. The biblical example is eating pork, but that isn't quite as scandalous as it was when Christianity was a Jewish sect.
I think most peoples' issue with this, whether he's cheating on his wife or just going out for drinks, is the message he's sending to the public. Even if he were not a public figure, if he were my neighbor's husband, for example, this is behavior that appears to be in direct conflict with his self-proclaimed Christian beliefs. I don't think this would be as big a deal (minus the cheating part) if their faith wasn't such a huge part of their public agenda.
Gpail, Merryway: I wish you were the ones who'd married (or became the "serious girlfriend" of) some of my male friends! I hope your husbands thoroughly appreciate you ladies--if not, I'll offer to thump them in the head myself.I do understand other's perspectives on this and everyone has their own style of marriage. I also understand that for some, it's because it was late night and at a bar. It's just okay in my social circle, but no one is trying to hide anything from their partner. I guess I should say: “used to be okay”, none of us really hit the bars anymore. To me, it's more of “does Kate know of this woman? Is she okay w/him doing this and does she know where he's at?” I don't see a prob w/him going out a partying if that's what he wants to do. If that's what he choses, he's going to have to explain it to their church. I would think that their congregation would feel even more strongly about this issue than the majority of the posters here have expressed.
Neomanda, I am familiar w/the denomination that J&K attend. It's been my experience that would highly frown on Jon being at bar at any time.
Who was at home with their kids besides the not-nanny? I would hope reliable sitters. I think it's fine for Jon to have a sitter, especially since Kate has been traveling.
I have no idea if it's innocent or not. I'm never surprised anymore in the manner in which marriages break up. I was waiting for the Nat Enq article and I wasn't that impressed. I do think the security guard who was an eyewitness to the kissing in the stairway could have lied. Again, why 10 days for the story? I don't see any proof that Jon was drunk either time.
If Jon's seeing someone, he doesn't get a pass from me that he married young. I would think he was a slimeball and feel bad for Kate and the kids.
Sorry, my typos are prob going to be worse as I cut my fingers like an idiot. Nothing bad, but it's making it harder to type w/o lots of attn to detail.
kikibee, ita about the wedding ring.
Fanny -- I agree with most of what you posted. However, I just do not condone a husbnd and father being out drinking at local bars and schmoozing with young girls. Flirting, whatever you want to call it....it's not right in my book.
I can't imagine my husband doing something like that. That to me, is the sign of someone who wants to be single, or maybe is an alcoholic....for them to choose going out (not with "the guys", remember) and playing up to other women. Besides, I am a Christian, and that behavior is just not what most wives would feel content with. It surely leads to trouble most of the time.
I see Kate is going to be on The Today Show on May 7th. I wonder if they'll ask about this latest incident.
Boston Bean,
Good point.
I've been thinking about this. One of the reasons I trust my husband is because he wouldn't think this behavior is appropriate either.
Lots of good points on this thread.
With me, I don't think his having friends of the opposite is the issue here. It's where he was and the time of the nighr he was with her. My hubby has friends who are female but if he was out with any one of them at 2 am at a bar I would be really upset. He knows where I stand about his female friends and they even know where I stand so all parties have an understanding of what is appropriate so no hard feelings happen and vice versa.
They need couples therapy.
Did Kate ever comment about the first picture incident? Because if she has no problem with Jon going out to bars she could just say so and they wouldn't have to keep dealing with this kind of stuff. But if she does have a problem with it, and knowing what it can look like to the public,then Jon needs to respect his family and find another social outlet.
Part of the problem with Jon and Kate is that they are defined as Jon and Kate together. They don't seem to have an identity that is seperate from one another. My husband and I have been married for 28 years and we have 3 children the last who is graduating high school this year. Our children came quite quickly after marriage so like Jon and Kate there was little time to establish our own "space". As they grew and we caught our breath we were able to reconnect with some old friends and pursue some interests that had taken a back seat due to our children's needs. I'm not a bar person but my husband often stops by a bar with his hockey team and chats until the wee hours. Many nights some other wives or girlfriends will join them. My husband has been going out this way throughout our marriage. Nights at the bar were maybe once every month or so when the kids were young now he goes once a week at least. He is also a Big Brother, donates blood and has been a bone marrow donor - he likes to be out and about. Me not so much...when I get home from work, I like to stay there, but I have a few friends I go to movies with! It has worked for us. Jon hasn't been as social as he may have wanted to be because he had 8 children that were very young, now that they are older he is venturing out. Jon may need to establish some good friendships and maybe participate in some regular sports with these friends, we know he loves a variety of sports. Granted he may not be doing things exactly as some may wish him to be doing them, but if someone were trying to tell my husband how to run his life, not to go to a bar if I was out of town, not to buy the vehicle he wants, that his place was home with his children.....well I don't have to guess, he said it to me just tonight "the tv show is for the public to watch, life is for the family to live, I'd tell everyone else where to go!"
Traci said...
Part of the problem with Jon and Kate is that they are defined as Jon and Kate together. They don't seem to have an identity that is seperate from one another They don't seem to have separate identities because that is not what their show portrays. It's about them being married and raising 8 children in a christian home. We wouldn't be watching their show otherwise. And if they feel they don't have separate identities then that was the sacrifice they made to financially secure their children's future. Sorry but they need to suck it up and keep going or end the show at season 5.
Traci,
You make some interesting points and I want to say that I DO thing partners can and should have a life and interests outside of one another. That's a non-negotiable for me in relationships.
The difference between your scenario and Jons is that Jon wasn't out with a bunch of guys and their girlfriends/wives, he was out with a young, probably single female. The situation is completely different.
Can any woman here honestly say that if their man (husband/boyfriend) was out with a younger woman in the wee hours of the morning, you wouldn't be the tiniest bit uncomfortable? What if it was the second time it happened in 2 months (that we know of)?
There is a new article up on People.com with numerous quotes from friends of Jon defending his behavior, and an account from the Bouncer at the bar saying there was nothing romantic going on between him and the famale friend.
I'm willing to give Jon the benefit of the doubt that there is no affair, but I agree with many posters that this is immature, passive-agressive behavior meant to show Kate that he is unhappy with things. I personally would NEVER want to be in a marriage like theirs, but I do wish them well, if only for the fact that there are children involved.
Thank's Rachel. That was an interesting article.
I mean, she had a fit about Jon using coupons because she felt the need to somehow prove to the world they still use them? Why even MENTION the fact he didn't use them on camera in the first place if you were trying to hide that fact?I agree. I think it's very possible that Kate is really tight with their money. She seems like the type that would save. Besides, my boss is pretty well off and still buys generic EVERYTHING. He's a tightwad and he'd be that way whether he had money or not. Sometimes it's just the person.
I just posted this on GWOP, but I doubt they'll post it. I read the USWeekly article, and it's nothing new. It's mindless speculation, and everything that was said in it was also in the Philly Mag article. There are no bombshell pictures either. They interviewed Jon's old boss again, and he said nothing new and nothing of note. The other sources in the article weren't named (a neighbor, a lady whose niece had a baby in the hospital where Kate worked -- how is that a credible source anyhow?). Anyhow, they called Mady "Mini Kate" also, which was a low blow, considering the article basically portrayed Kate as a total b*tch. Going after the kids...classy move, USWeekly. Anyhow, of all the weekly magazines in the checkout aisle at Target, USWeekly was the most picked over. So people are curious, but they're not going to get any bombshell article. I wouldn't even recommend reading it.
Well between watching Dr. Shrill (hate him!) and Nancy Grace (heart her!), I decided to look up the latest news on Kon on the computer machine. As I was reading, my 4-year-old looked over my shoulder and said: "Wrong as rain going up." Then my 2-year-old wandered over and commented: "You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear."
Out of the mouth of babes!
Then my 28-year-old (from my second marriage), strolled over and said: "We don't have a dog in that fight." I told him to shut up and go back to his room. He obviously doesn't understand child advocacy!!!
Hi All!
I'm a little late to the party because this was the last week of classes and things have been pretty hectic. (I turned in a 40-page Psychology paper yesterday.!)
NMD, I completely agree. I don't think the issue is having friends of the opposite sex at all. However, Jon being out with just one other person, a younger woman, is completely inappropriate, and even if nothing was going on he should be aware by now what that scenario looks like. What is with him and bars? I'm in college now, and older guys at the bar = sleezeballs in my opinion. They always seem to want to prove that they can get a "hot young chick" and never seem to realize we are laughing with them, not at them.
We all like to say that we don't care what others think of us, but at the same time we know that reputation is key in a lot of situations. Regardless of whether he cares what the public thinks, he should always be considering his wife and childrens' feelings.
Anya, weird, the same thing happened to me today. My 14-month-old was watching television and a story came on about Jon. She picked up her cell phone and called her friend and said, "I'm no Monday morning quarterback, but the more things change the more they sound the same." My 6-week-old then updated her Twitter page with, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."
Indeed, out of the mouths of babes.
Anya and DurhamDora,
Priceless! I just about shot my bevarage through my nose reading your last comments.
BTW, while reading this thread my unborn baby telepathically communicated to me that, "there's no free lunch" and "Monkey see, monkey do."
Amazing what insight an 8-week old fetus has in regards to the Gosselins, isn't is?
Oh my, that was all so funny,
GLO, that was extra hilarious.
Anya, DD, Glo,
Thanks. ;)
While I think it odd, I ask myself--how do I know that this woman just isn't a family friend and Kate had knowledge of them going out and blessed it.
You'd have to have trust issues if you couldn't trust your spouse with a person of the same sex.
Though things can happen if there are marital issues to begin with, but some people can hang out with the opposite sex just fine and not cheat.
Such a catch-22 in this world. Woman are "all about me" and "treat me as an equal" and then anytime a man gets photographed with a woman that isn't "his"--people get their panties in a bunch.
Sure he should err on the side of caution--but we this society is an oxymoron when it comes to judging people.
(my open comment--I haven't read the postings yet and this is just my comment in general about the tabloid/paparazzi mags)
"He's a married father of 8. He should not be in bars, without his wife. Maybe I'm extreme, but his place is at home with his wife and kids. "
I've gone to a bar or "out" with friends (all be it female friends) since having children.
Since when is it taboo to do this?
Call me strange--but I've never gone to bars to pick up guys to begin with, so I'm not sure how that would change AFTER I got married.
Bar is such a seedy word anyway--maybe a nightclub where people dance or something? Who knows?
Maybe Kate--gave her blessing. Who knows?
"I will be honest. In my eyes, he can not go to a bar at 2 am with another woman. Case closed. He is married and a father of eight.
"
I've gone with other men. Of course they were gay and one was my brother and it was Pleasure Island at Disney World and my introvert husband was totally okay with this.
I have to wonder (generally speaking) when did becoming a spouse and a parent automatically exclude oneself to an occasional outing.
And how do we know the girl isn't a lesbian--at which point, we wouldn't have to worry about him cheating.
So odd in our 20th century culture that continues to stuff feminism and homosexuality as the norm that we are being so close minded as to only jumping to one conclusion in this instance.
Heck--if my sister took a photograph, one would have thought that I was picking up 3 guys in a night club. But 2 were a couple and one was my brother--so my sister and I were pretty much out of luck if that was our intent.
Now if Jon were at a strip club--where the purpose is to sexually stimulate the mind if not the nethers by women whom he is not joined in covenant with---that would be a REALLY BIG ISSUE.
And one last comment--despite the appearance of inappropriate behavior...
Kate in town, out of town--doesn't make a difference.
Just b/c a parent is on travel for work (and yes--I count what she does at work when she goes on these trips...)--doesn't mean that the parent who is at home cannot have a night out.
Clearly--the kids had a sitter of some kind lest they break some parenting law of leaving the kids home alone.
So the fact that he was out is moot. He is permitted to do this in society and I have to say--HOOKAIRS?
The girl--we don't know who she is so anything is just a guess.
In society, we are entitled to some degree of privacy. Just b/c he has a show--doesn't remove his right to have privacy. Sure he has to be somewhat cognizant of the possibility that someone might "catch" him in a compromising place or position.
But just b/c he has celebrity status, doesn't mean he must live life as a recluse and never go out or do anything remotely enjoyable b/c we as viewers hold him to higher standards than perhaps we even hold for ourselves.
It is misguided and very much wrong to use this as proof that he really must not want privacy.
Papparazzi make the big bucks for a reason. They get a bounty for their photos if they get a good one. They are constantly on the lookout and constantly getting the scoop.
Why are we not questioning why this photographer wasn't home with his wife or his children?
Why are we not questioning why he is looking for sleazy stories or stories that at least "appear" sleazy or at the very least questionable.
Jon is not the brightest bulb in the box or the most articulate of souls so it is no surprise that he does try to defend himself perhaps unsuccessfully.
Just the hypocrisy in the thought process and judgement--just ruffles me the wrong way and I am a fairly conservative person who might be miffed if it were my husband out with someone. But only b/c--he's an introvert and the action would not make sense.
But if Jon likes to have a drink and dance like a dork in a bar, who am I to judge that he can't do this b/c he is a parent of 8 kids, has a dominating wife and a tv show.
That is a big joke IMHO to take that leap.
And until this woman is proven to not be part of the show, some type of family friend or a lesbian--I'm not going to make the leap that he picked her up in a bar or that he was cheating on Kate.
Was he playing with a full deck? Probably not.
But becoming a parent doesn't automatically get all the "parties" out and as legal adults we do not lose the right to have a good "legal" time.
"Who's with the kids when all of this is going on? Kate said they have a helper with the kids but was very adamant that she wasn't a nanny. If she's not a live in then who is with the kids in the middle of the night when Jon is out "showing his car" and Kate is out of town on a book tour?"
Most people hire babysitters when they go out either as a couple or when one parent is out of town and the other is going out.
I do this.
I must be evil bad for being so selfish.
Why are we always placing Jon and Kate out of our paradigms and accusing them of things as bad that ordinary parents do (higher sitters and gasp--go out with friend(s) when the other parent is out of town just b/c that is when there was availability on the calendar.)
My husband travels frequently. In June he will be gone for three weeks.
From what I have learned here--I am not to go out b/c it is bad, evil and selfish.
And double that if it is with a man.
Sorry for the sarcasm--but despite the fact that we "television-know" the family--they are still just 2 adults with children who are permitted to *gasp* have lives that are not centered around the children 24/7.
I just don't know what double-income real world parents do when they send the kids to before school care at 6am and pick them up at 6pm (due to that long commute and working day) and then run home, rush through dinner and put them to bed.
That 1 hour of quality time between Monday and Friday--must be much better than going out once every couple of months until 2 in the morning.
A-Mom-ynous,
If Kate gave her blessing or if they as a couple have decided this kind of behavior is OK, why would Jon feel the need to apologize? His mea culpa specifically reference his family, which indicates that he knows his behavior was foul.
PS. I haven't suggested, nor do I have an opinion on whether Jon is having an affair with this woman or not. One doesn't have to label this "cheating" to think it was inapropriate at best. His apology, moreso than his behavior, tells me that he's guilty. Of what, I don't know.
A Mom-ynous,
I agree that we don't know the whole story and shouldn't jump to conclusions. My biggest issue is that he might be putting his family's livelihood at stake with his stupidity. The first time it happened, oops. Second time is self destructive. He can complain all he wants to, but the reality of being a reality show success, is that you have made your life open to the public. It is not like an actor, that performs for a movie. They have both said the show is their life and their life is the show. You can't just turn it off. Common sense might come in handy here. He is not like and average Joe out for some fun. No one is waiting for me at the grocery store to take my picture without make-up. In exchange for my privacy, I worry about how to pay off the credit card. Life isn't fair, and Jon needs to get the memo.
"If Kate gave her blessing or if they as a couple have decided this kind of behavior is OK, why would Jon feel the need to apologize? His mea culpa specifically reference his family, which indicates that he knows his behavior was foul.
PS. I haven't suggested, nor do I have an opinion on whether Jon is having an affair with this woman or not. One doesn't have to label this "cheating" to think it was inapropriate at best. His apology, moreso than his behavior, tells me that he's guilty. Of what, I don't know."
It really isn't my concern.
I am just posting what the other possibilities are and how quick folks are to 1) jump to conclusions and 2) envision some unwritten law that states once married with children you are to never have any life that resembles "partying" ever again.
I'm pretty conservative, but I find the judgement in that manner to be rather prudish and harsh.
As I tell people that it is not my concern if there will be children to bully my kids for what they do (i.e. the parents should be responsible for properly raising kids who don't bully and parental decisions shouldn't have to be made assuming that the kid will get beat up.)
It is society's problem that they have a sweet tooth for gossip. While what he did may have been foolish and potentially embarrassing due to the fact that an article making gross assumptions was written--it is sad that voyeurism is alive and well and folks can't remember to mind their own business.
Everything has to be blown out of proportion and exaggerated.
Even if this is all as being conveyed--it is none of my business. The show is about raising 8 kids. If we want to blame the show for Jon's behavior, how do we explain the rest of society. And if he isn't permitted to make mistakes due to the show--when the heck did fame mean one must be perfect.
And FTR--I'd be very concerned if it were my husband due to some personal reasons. While he should respect these reasons--in the end it is my insecurities and not his risk of impropriety that is the problem.
I'm not defendin Jon. I am more---NOT defending the folks who are so Puritan in their opinions of this situation. It speaks of being Naive into thinking this family lives in glass house and are subject to all of this nonsense.
My parents were on a tv show once. We had people "stalk" so to speak in front of our home months after the show concluded. While it was interesting that these folks had great admiration and curiousity for stopping/driving by--it is really odd to assume that they had the inalienable right to actually follow through with it.
Again--why are we not questioning the photographer's life and why he/she is out at 2am in order to hopefully snap the prize photo?
Fame is not a voluntary surrender of all privacy.
"My biggest issue is that he might be putting his family's livelihood at stake with his stupidity. "
I don't agree that it was fully stupid. Him not thinking of what it would look like--their fame is growing, he would not be the first celeb or pseudo-celeb to make an err in judgement.
"He can complain all he wants to, but the reality of being a reality show success, is that you have made your life open to the public. It is not like an actor, that performs for a movie. They have both said the show is their life and their life is the show. You can't just turn it off. "
I disagree.
Actor's antics are always subject of scrutiny. We haven't heard too much from the actress who played the Virgin Mary in the Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. She had a baby out of wedlock (and she was very young IIRC). Very opposite her character, yet she was held to the standards of Jesus' mother.
Second--in the photo, noticebly absent are the cameras that follow them around. So yes, they were turned off.
Seeing as this is the first paparazzi photo that we are aware of--it was really him being naive as opposed to stupid and not realizing that the tabloids are beginning to stalk them.
We had to begin closing the shutters on our family home due to all the tabloids. Blocking natural light in the home b/c people wanted to see the house on tv.
It was unfair that we'd be expected to have a camera ready home at all times or risk embarassment. So since folks didn't have manners to not stalk the house--we had to shut ourselves from the world.
Pretty sad.
Being on tv is not grounds for losing your personal boundaries of privacy.
Twist it any way you wish--but this is all defense of the papparazzi IMHO who really are a sleazy and quasi-legal version of a peeping tom.
This is probably my BIGGEST issue with this whole thing.
Will this jeopardize their show--I seriously doubt it.
When I have the opportunity to find an interview of them discussing this incident, I will send it to a nationally recognized natural deception expert who instincively can tell whether a person is likely to be lying or likely to be telling the truth. It is a weird science to say the least--but she is my authority so to speak that I trust. Lie to Me--a tv show on Fox is based on one of the 50 people in the world who have that ability. (Cool show btw!)
If anyone has links to an actual interview--i'd be happy to pass it along to her.
Her website is eyesforlies.com Very cool stuff.
But I refuse to judge Jon at this point.
People who have never been on television or radio let alone a reality show--just don't get how difficult it is to realize the oddness in any type of celebrity status from 15 minutes of fame on up to folks plucked from obscurity to riches via their 15 minutes that have stretched far beyond that.
A Mom-ynous,
What I meant when I said you can't just turn it off, was you can't just turn off the public's interest in your life, when you make a living off the public's interest in your life.
The girl in the Passion of the Christ is not really the Virgin Mary.
Jon and Kate are really Jon and Kate.
Also--No fame is not a voluntary surrender of all privacy.
In our society, unfortunately, fame is an involuntary surrender of all privacy.
There are famous people that do a great job of protecting their privacy. Maybe Jon should take a page from their book.
"In our society, unfortunately, fame is an involuntary surrender of all privacy."
And that would be a problem with society, would it not?
His real life on tv...
Are we to assume that he is not a parent b/c he was at a bar at 2am?
The scolding he is getting is as though he is the husband of each of the women posting here.
Perhaps they have better control of their husbands, I don't know.
Or that they are envisioning their husband doing this, I am not sure.
I would freak if it were my husband.
But that is the point...Jon is not my husband.
I don't watch his show and assume that he and Kate have a "perfect" marriage or a "perfect" family.
It is a reality show after all and not a scripted fairy tale.
And I am not sure what world people live in where parents must stay home and cater to their children 24/7 and ignore their own adult enjoyment whatever that may be. And if it involves a whiskey sour at a dance club--so be it.
A Mom-ynous,
The reason I responded is because you keep making these sweeping generalizations as if all 168 comments on this thread say the exact same thing. You can look at the first 2 comments on this page and see differing opinions. So, maybe you should actually read what people have to say before you begin lecturing on opinions that haven't necessarily been offered. Aren't you being just like the judgmental people you can't stand? (I love this phrase): Pot, meet kettle.
I guess my point is getting lost in all of my verbage.
Here is my point in a nutshell. The only "scolding" I would give to Jon is the same one I give to myself.
Life is not fair--get over it.
I read an article about the bouncer at Legends defending Jon. Why don't these people keep their traps shut already? It seems the more damage control they try to do, the worse it sounds. I get the feeling reading that article that Jon is a frequent patron, I mean how else would the bouncer notice if he wore a wedding ring or not?
Anyhoo, I'm surprised no other friends have come forward to defend Jon except the bouncer.
Liza Beth said...
I can totally understand how Kate would feel better having the gate and set back from the road house considering this info:
In fact, the Gosselins said it's common to find upwards of 200 cars parked on the country road outside of their home on any given day. Strangers routinely try to snap pictures of the family, who now live in a picturesque, two-story home on a sprawling piece of rural property. But the house is at least 400 feet away from the road, so it's nearly impossible to catch the clan in the front yard. The gate at the top of the driveway and the semi-private nature of the property are a great comfort to Kate Gosselin.
This is my first time posting, and the only reason I am doing so is to let everyone know that THIS IS A LIE. I am a local and take that back road almost daily to and from work and NEVER, NEVER, NEVER see any cars parked or anyone taking pictures. Believe me, the police would be there in an snap...there isn't very much that happens in our community. And no one locally is surprised about anything being written...
Jax-- first of all welcome! Thank you for posting-- I was just quoting the article and Kate's statement. While you may have never seen any cars I have read blogs and seen pictures some have taken from the side of the road. Those people have stated they saw other cars 'rubbernecking' as well. If you are interested in these links feel free to email me and I'd be happy to pass it on. Naturally I don't think this kind of behavior is a good idea so its not something I want to post here.
Thanks for the offer Liza Beth but I'm going to pass on the links...I know what I see. Also, I don't like to get caught up in all of this postings, I just wanted to share what I see daily.
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