Us Weekly has been running cover after cover about the Gosselins, and this week’s story is a doozy. The headline is “What TV Didn’t Show: Inside Jon’s Prison” – I suppose because we’re supposed to think that Kate is to blame for everything going wrong in their marriage. Because a married father of eight wouldn’t have been banging random bar girls without feeling imprisoned, right? I’m not saying that Kate’s not a horrible person – but in my mind Jon is equally as bad, and it bothers me the way the tabloids are now making it seem like Kate is the root of all problems.
This week’s cover story is a lot like the story we ran last week – asking if Kate Gosselin will stick with the marriage for the sake of the assets. US Weekly has some new information on how money-obsessed both Kate and Jon are. Apparently, at one point in their marriage, Kate put Jon on a $5-a-day allowance. US Weekly is also teasing us with this little tidbit, if we only pick up the issue: “See how [Jon’s] lack of motivation and love of money have kept him with Kate.” Duh.
The new issue of Us Weekly has even more details on Kate Gosselin’s tight leash on husband Jon, and the long, strange private dynamic between the deteriorating couple.
“She used to give him only $5 to spend, and if he was out and needed more money, she would give him hell,” his former employer at Style Craft Corp, David Rothermel, tells Us.
Rothermel, who fired Jon for misusing company resources and remembers college dropout Jon looking online all day for freebies for the sextuplets, also recalls a very-pregnant-with-sextuplets Kate storming into the office one day.
“She came in raising hell because Jon’s father was supposed to bring her lunch and he was late,” Rothermel recalls. “She got up out of bed rest to come in and yell at anyone who would listen!” (The Gosselins later publicly concocted a story that Jon was let go by Rothermel because the company didn’t want to insure the sextuplets.)
Also during that time, when a friend of Jon’s father donated a 14-passenger van to the family, Kate “never thanked him,” says a source close to Jon. Instead, “she traded it in because she hated the color burgundy.”
During Monday’s season premiere, a beaten-down Jon revealed his lack of self-esteem. “I can’t write. Some people say I can’t talk or breathe right, either.” (Kate famously told him once to “stop breathing so loud.”) Also on the episode — the show’s highest-rated episode of all time – Kate admitted she’s “been hard” on Jon during the 10 years of their marriage.
“I would never deny that. I’ve always regretted it,” she says.
For more details on Kate’s terrifying control over Jon — including how she banned him from seeing his brothers after his father’s funeral, what you didn’t see on the TV premiere and how his lack of motivation and love of money have kept him with Kate — pick up the newest issue of Us Weekly, on stands today.
[From US Weekly]
Just regarding the $5 a day thing – I’d bet that Kate gave him a $5 for lunch, not for the whole day. Maybe, maybe not. All in all, I don’t really get the way this story is being covered by the tabloids. After Jon was caught cheating, it seemed like within the span of a week, the sh*tstorm came down on Kate, not Jon. Stories about how controlling Kate is, how horrible she is, blah, blah, blah. It’s reminds me of the OctoMom stuff – why continue to read about her if you think she’s so horrible? Why watch her? Why pay attention to her? You’re giving her what she wants.
Thanks to CoverAwards for the US Weekly cover.
US Weekly is really annoying me with what, 3 or 4 covers in a row now highlighting the downfall of the Gosselins? Please give it a rest.
I especially applaud the gall of all of the Gosselins’ family members and former employers, friends, etc. who have so classily gotten their 5 minutes of fame by spilling to any magazine or media outlet that will take their quotes. Bravo.
Also, I agree about the $5 probably being for lunch. If the $5 a day thing was before they had the sextuplets, their fame/money, etc. then I don’t really see what the big deal is… they obviously were preparing for a very big expense, didn’t have a lot of money, and you can make a sandwich for lunch for less than $5. Big deal, someone has to be financially prudent when you’re about to start feeding 6 new mouths!
My girlfriends managing tight budgets will tell their husband how much they can spend a day. Not a big deal.
As long as he only ate lunch at Subway, for the $5.00 footlong (drink extra) I can’t imagine why $5.00 wouldn’t be enough money for a grown man. *groan* I’ve watched this show for years, or did, and even with my own bias towards overwrought moms who have to run a tight ship, Kate never failed to come off as a bitch. Castigating the guy constantly for not following her very specific orders put him squarely in the same category as the kids: do what mom says, or else. Believe me, I always tried to land on Kate’s side, even though I couldn’t help but think that maybe her approach wasn’t exactly the best way to get things done.
In the episode where they went to a furniture store to select new beds for the kids, Kate did nothing but suck up HOURS of time while she waffled between this color or that. Jon was totally responsible for all 8 (bored) kids while Kate sat on a sofa and thought about her choices. Who the heck takes all their kids to buy new beds? Even with one or two kids present, it’s hard to focus on what you’re doing there. My family was in the furniture business for 52 years, and I can testify that dragging kids along is going to be one helluva experience. The kids couldn’t care less what bed they eventually end up with, as long as it’s theirs once they get home. Kate just sat on a sofa, fanned herself, bemoaned her difficult life, and generally was a pain in the butt. I know that store was damned glad when they finally picked something and got the heck out of there.
My. I’m sorry this post is so looong.
I understand people having issues in their daily life, but the media really has nothing else to do but start crap. There are more important issues going on in world than just ripping into a reality show couple’s lives. Give them a break, let them deal with their own problems, and not go by hearsay from other people for the almighty dollar.
I don’t think US Weekly has it out for Kate. They are a magazine in a struggling industry and want to go with the story that will sell their mags. Anyone who’s watched that show even from the beigining season, could see how she was. And NOW all of a sudden they are wanting to report on it? I think they are just angling on the side of how the majority of America is feeling and most can’t stand Kate – so they go with that angle.
She’s a pill, but he’s not a child. He should speak up when it bothers him.
girl x: If they hadn’t invited the world to observe their lives, nobody would give a rat’s behind whether she’s a bitch or not. Kate would do well to heed your advice and put a stop to their way too public daily lives.
Kate isn’t all bad. Yes, she has caused some wince worthy moments on the show but was only trying to run a tight ship. She is trying to save her marriage at least. Jon seems to be feeling quite sorry for himself. His poor me attitude about being in “prison” is wearing a little thin especially since he was the one who made the poor choices.
Or…it is completely possible that she’s a selfish manipulative narcissist AND he’s a spineless douchenozzle.
Honestly, why did they have eight kids? That’s what my mind keeps coming back to. I saw the phrase from someone else around here as “baby-greedy freaks” and it just fits. People want the attention of having all these kids, then they want the stuff, the freebies, the fame, but they ignore the fact that none of it is really free–it ALL comes with a cost. And if you’re already somewhat messed up people with a messed up marriage, guess what? It’s gonna be a train wreck.
Honestly I’m starting to think the only good thing to come out of this show is that it might end up putting their marriage out of its misery sooner than without the show. But the show has still been horrible for the kids and a terrible parenting decision. I can honestly say as parents, they suck for selling their kid’s private lives for so long and profiting off of them.
I agree that everything is getting dumped on her because she has to play bad cop while he plays easygoing (slacker) cop. People tend to marry people at the same level of dysfunction with opposite tendencies in the big areas. So he married her because she’s Type A and she married him because he’s Type B and they need each other and they’re equally dysfunctional. However, the stories about their unethical and selfish behavior, if true, are disgusting.
No matter which way you slice it, she seems emotionally abusive. The few times I’ve watched a few minutes of their show, she has said mean things in a mean way to everyone; not once have I seen her hugging or laughing with anyone. He seems to feel worthless; what better way to get what his subconscious wants than to be with someone who will say exactly that? They both need therapy asap.
I don’t think everything was all bad from the start. I think they ended up with 8 kids because they really wanted kids. They seemed very in love from videos of them dating and getting engaged.
I do not think they just assumed they would get rich and famous, so carrying 6 kids for 9 months and going through all of that would be worth it. There was no way for them to know they would get more than some newspaper articles as far as that goes.
I think also the show may have begun with good intentions – to document their kids’ lives and get some help, since caring for 8 kids is obviously a huge job. But I think it got out of control. I don’t think they are inherently evil people who had this diabolical plan to have 8 kids and make lots of money off of them. I think people are condemning them as way worse people than what they actually are.
@Jag
Just this recent season premiere showed both Jon and Kate hugging their kids and kissing them. I don’t think they are horrible people. They are imperfect. I think the kids appear to be normal, healthy and happy now. How this exposure affects them in the future remains to be seen, though. And the extensive media coverage from US Weekly, who as someone pointed out, is milking America’s interest in this scandal for all it’s worth, does not help.
sarcra: she was obsessed with that other family that had sextuplets and all the freebies they got, and talked about them quite a lot before she even got pregnant with the sextuplets. She was hospitalized because her ovaries were so overstimulated and they were told to sit out that cycle, but when she was discharged from the hospital and went home, they obviously disregarded that advice, because that’s when she got pregnant with sextuplets.
They also only tried to get pregnant a few months with each pregnancy and then claimed fertility issues. Why in the world a doctor would treat them for fertility issues after only a few months is beyond me. They were in their 20s, too! They should have been told to try longer. But no.
I don’t give them a pass on this. She knew exactly what she was doing. And now the kids are a gravy train she’s going to ride as long as she possibly can.
These two need couples’ counseling stat. Whether they break up or not, they are unable to communicate. Not only do they barely speak to each other, but when one does the other tries to “score points” by ignoring them.
It also occurred to me that since neither is respecting the other’s feelings, they are both now using money to replace what they can’t get emotionally from each other. She is trying to control him with money, and he is threatening to take half of what she cares about most via divorce, i.e. the money.
I don’t doubt that they love their children, but they have clearly lost focus, and are caught up in accumulating wealth (more episodes, books, speaking tours) and scoring points off each other and getting each other’s attention in only the most toxic ways.
TLC: make up for your sins by getting these two into counseling so they can have a good marriage again or at least a civil divorce!
If he brought a lunch that would surely be part of their grocery budget. What else would he need? Gasoline? Part of the auto budget. Could he drink coffee before leaving for work or in a travel mug on the way to work? Sure and it would also be part of the grocery budget. $25/week to spend on unnecessary odds and ends seems plenty in a family on a tight budget. What I read of this story it while she was pregnant with the sextuplets. Only one of them was working. It sounds like reality to me and I’m no fan of Kate.
For those who are devoted to the show, its pretty obvious what kind of person Kate Gosselin is, continues to be, and was all along.
I mean, have you seen their home videos? How they met and so on? Jon never wanted to get married or even have children, he didn’t want any other children after Cara & Maddy –
In the videos, she is ALL OVER HIM. She was with her arms wrapped tight around him, she squeezed him, kissed his head, and reminded me of a desperate female.
I understand cuteness, but when you are emphatically grabbing, kissing, and being aggressive with your “love” you are desperate my friend.
He was walking along during a picnic, and in Kate’s own words, was that she wanted him, and would have him by the end of the day.
She pursued him, he was always the slacker, goofy guy, easily manipulated. I honestly feel bad for the guy, and there are times you see his interactions with the kids are much more heartfelt and loving than Kate’s.
She is constantly nagging and criticizing and people paint Jon as this loser, but for a nice guy like him, to be with someone as demanding and aggressive & dominant as her – do you see where I’m heading? She totally manipulates and controls the man.
I hate when people criticize him for the “affair” I believe that the marriage was long over, and he should be allowed to be with someone that wants him, and makes him feel like a man.
I would have cheated or left Kate, and believe me, cheating is worse than leaving, and maybe if it was “cheating” it was a feel-good stab at Kate, because sexually, he rather be with someone else.
Even the most basic carnal desire, he rather share with some random girl than her – I think thats pretty embarrassing for her.
$5 isn’t enough for a man. My boyfriend easily spends $10 on lunch, with a bottle of water, maybe some chips for later, sandwich etc and he’s a fit 5’6 male.
Thats my rant. I really really dislike Kate Gosselin, feel terrible for those poor kids, and honestly? I hope Jon packs up and takes off with half of everything, because the shows depict her character pretty well as an emasculating pathetic desperate woman. 🙂
x
Jag, I’m glad you touched upon what I was thinking. Kate is abusive towards Jon. I’m surprised how many people brush off this abuse because it is a woman doing it to a man. If the genders were reversed, everyone would be bashing the man for his demeaning, controlling, verbally and emotionally abusive behavior. But, because it’s a woman doing it, and she’s a mother to a litter of kids, some people think that it’s OK because her life is just so hectic. Many people have hard lives because of job loss, sick loved ones, lack of insurance, etc. But, the public rarely gives them a pass to act like an ass towards those around them.
I’m not saying that Us magazine is right for upping the exploitation of the family’s current troubles, but I don’t think that they’re wrong for highlighting the misbehavior of Kate.
Jon should definitely better defend himself as far as defining what behavior is and is not acceptable, but he is a victim of abuse here.
I’m not sure what he should do about it as her manipulative and mean-spirited ways would surely extend to custody and visitation should they finally divorce/separate, but I definitely don’t think she should get a pass on abusive behavior because she’s a mother of 8 and her husband is passive-aggressive.
Interesting post, UrbanRube. It also seems like the magazine is trying to blame Kate for Jon’s embezzlement of company funds (he “had to” take the money because Kate would give him none). What malarkey.
I’ve never watched their show, and have no desire to. I had no idea who these people were, until they’re ALL over the media in the last few days. It seems like total exploitation of their kids, and look at the price tag that has came with it. They put being famous and the money from the show, over their kids.
I had never watched this show until it hit the tabloids about the affair. So I watched an episode the day TLC had an all-day marathon. I wish I had that 1/2 hour of my life back. The show is so obviously contrived it’s as fake as a soap opera. The rift in their marriage might be real, but it is TLC that decides that you see Jon as a bumbling, inept fool and Kate as a bitch. You will never see the real story or real situations in reality tv. Real life is not that interesting. All of you that have thrown away the precious hours of your life watching this drivel will want that time back when you are lying on your death beds. What a waste.
On the plus side, we haven’t had to hear about Octomom for about two weeks now!!!
You know, I don’t have a ton of pity for this woman because she did choose (along with him) to let everyone into their business. However, Jon needs to grow the hell up. If he did not want 8 kids, he should have held firm or left! Grow a pair already! Same for her nagging. If you don’t like it, leave, but don’t act as though you are single when you are MARRIED!!! If this woman was the devil, that is still no excuse for cheating and/or acting like a fool. Divorce and then go have your fun. As for the $5 a week, I can relate. At one point, my husband and I were struggling and we each had $20 a week we could spend on whatever. You have to do what you have to do. I doubt that is the case now, based off the car he is driving. Whatever. I will get off my soapbox now.
Jane: so her excuse for acting like a b*tch on wheels are the eight kids, right?
But his excuse for anything he does is….he has none. Right?
I see.
Kate totally emasculates him. I’m surprised he wasn’t caught hanging out with a female late at night much sooner.
I don’t watch the show regularly but I remember watching “The Soup” and seeing them showing a clip of Kate getting angry at Jon for not using a coupon when he went to the store and demanding to get the receipt from him. Wow.
Kate and Jon didn’t have a lot of money to spend when she had him on 5.00/day budget. I am sure that was a big chunk of their funds once their bills were paid. Why do people find this wrong or call it abusive??? All this stuff about Kate being so bad irks me! She recently said she suggested to Jon to go back to college and finish his degree. He was moaning he wanted to have a career or do something with his life. But so far he has declined. One wonders why he would quit work completely and stay home if it’s miserable for him there? Do I sense that Jon doesn’t have a lot of drive and motivation??? He doesn’t wish to write or speak as she does, so what does he want to do….hang out in bars after hours when he is supposed to be taking care of the kids and play about with the younger women??? Bahhhhh…he should be man enough to stop the abuse being hurled at his wife and mother of his 8 children by telling the news media to knock it off because she doesn’t deserve it! The woman who has probably been the brains behind any good ideas the family has ever had!!! I am guessing the big problem is that she has outgrown him. He is still stuck in his “hang-out-party” days, failing to mature as his family has grown.
anastasiabea:
Where do you get this info from? Unless you are intimately involved and/or related to the family there is no way you could know this to be true. I don’t mind readers commenting with their opinions, but cannot stand people who claim to have intimate knowledge and post it on a public forum as if it’s truth. And, if you are a health professional who helped to treat these two, than you are in deep ethical shit.
KJeanne: I could not have said it better. Thank you. I am so sick of this guy crying about how unfulfilled he is. Grow up already. You signed on the dotted line in both the marriage and on the reality show. Wake up in the morning and be glad you don’t live in Darfur or Ethiopia!! Your wife has grown beyond your pea sized brain and you can’t keep up. You wanted to be home…now your home. Did you think quitting work and staying at home would mean you could play on your Xbox all day? You have 8 kids, yes you love them, but you have to love them enough to give up those “young twenties” that you keep crying about missing.
anastasiibea – No, it is not an excuse. My point is he is a big boy, and he can leave if he is unhappy. If that is what his intentions are, then do it with class instead of sneaking off and getting caught. He flat out said he was concerned about his kids looking up this stuff one day. If that is the case, he should keep his nose clean and he should have no problems. At no point did I say she had an excuse to act like she does. My point is he has a responsibility to his kids and his wife. If he decides the wife makes him miserable, then leave. He needs to put on his big boy pants already.
::Kate totally emasculates him. I’m surprised he wasn’t caught hanging out with a female late at night much sooner.::
This kind of crap makes me sick and sounds a lot like people who said Rihanna probably deserved to get beat up. What on earth kind of childhoods did some of you have?
NO ONE deserves to be beaten up or cheated on. Be an adult and learn how to handle your issues and not act like a complete loser in the process.
This is also like people who justify Kate’s behavior and say she’s trying to “run a tight ship”. SO IS EVERYONE ELSE, you take life day by day. Acting like a jerk can’t be justified by having several offspring. We all have responsibilities, many of which we chose for ourselves to have.
People do to you what you let them to do to you. I’m no Kate fan by any means, but does Jon have any balls whatsoever? People are all defending his lame cheating ways. Why couldn’t he just stand up to his wife ONE TIME? I guarantee the dynamics of the relationship would have been completely different. She emasculates him because he lets her. Then he runs off with other women, like two wrongs make a right. Any of you making a case for that need some counseling yourselves.
By the way, counseling isn’t going to help those two, it wouldn’t have worked out show or not because relationships are built on respect. Kate obviously never respected Jon, and he never respected himself enough to defend himself so either way, their pathos is completely screwed.
As for the people saying Kate is trying to work out her marriage and that in the premiere they kissed their kids so they are good people… I can’t help but marvel at sheep mentality. In case you didn’t know, reality TV isn’t real AT ALL. That show is largely scripted and of course Jon and Kate are going to say whatever TLC wants them to say for the sake of keeping a show going, which frankly appears to be of far higher importance. From all I’ve heard from Kate’s end, it sounds like she gave up on any hope already. Oh, and just because someone kisses their kids doesn’t mean they are great people. Editors know how to put together a shot and frankly, what bad person out there hasn’t kissed someone? These people are parasites destroying their kids lives, and anyone who felt a self-entitlement to have to watch this train wreck, especially the premiere, is just as guilty as they and TLC are. Wake up and start taking responsibility for the programming you are contributing to via supply and demand, people’s lives are at stake and not everything is for your entertainment only.