Kate Gosselin’s bother, Kevin Kreide, and his wife, Jodi, first expressed their concerns about their sister’s show in video interviews with Radar Online posted a couple of weeks ago. You could tell that they were both genuinely upset by the situation and concerned that Jon and Kate fooled viewers in past seasons by continuing to act as if things were fine.
Yesterday morning Kevin and Jodi went on CBS’ Early Show to talk about their famous relatives and issue a public appeal that they cancel the show for the sake of their children. They want more laws to protect children from being exploited on reality television, and say that their nieces and nephews have told them that they don’t want the cameras around. One issue Kevin brings up is particularly upsetting – he asks what will happen when the kids get older and start to question their childhood. Are they going to wonder if their parents were doing so many nice things for them just because of the show?
We watched them quite a bit about a year ago and further back. And, you know, they would say, Aunt Jodi, I don’t like the cameras on every vacation with us. I don’t like them, you know. And, too, you know, kids have bad times, bad moments, they cry, and having the camera zoom in on a crying child. I mean, this is just — this is — this should not be a form of entertainment…
SMITH: Are you estranged now from your sister and her husband?
K. KREIDER: I do talk to Kate and Jon. We haven’t seen the kids in a while, which is hard. But, yes, our relationship has definitely been strained now. What we hope is that they will kind of come around, see the effects, see what’s most important and…
J. KREIDER: They’re very lost right now. They’re very blinded by all of this media and this — you know, the fame and the fortune, and…
SMITH: Every time you go to the newsstand, there’s another cover and another cover.
J. KREIDER: Of course, of course. And it is time to really put priorities first, which is they say their children, but clearly their actions are showing something completely…
SMITH: You say that they say their children is a top priority.
J. KREIDER: They say their children is their priority, but clearly it is not…
K. KREIDER: You can’t imagine as a child realizing that my birthday party, that all the outings that my parents took me on were because, you know, ratings, for ratings, and all organized by production companies.
SMITH: And last but not least, do you think the television company has any responsibility? Does TLC, is that about the cash register, or is there any part of them that is sitting there thinking, what is good for these children?
J. KREIDER: Unfortunately, I think it has come down to all about the ratings. And no one is looking at these children as what they are going through and the life consequences they are going to have as they get older.
[Transcript via Huffington Post]
Season 5 of “Jon & Kate Plus 8” premiered Monday on TLC, and the show tackled the issue of the couple’s tabloid coverage along with their troubled relationship without getting into specifics. It was the highest rated episode of all time with 9.8 million viewers and better ratings than the season finale of Lost. Rumor has it that Jon wants off the show. He looked drunk and acted detached in the first episode this season, which was filmed less than two weeks ago. Legal experts have speculated that Jon might not be able to get off the show due to contractual agreements. TLC has issued a statement that they will continue to air “Jon & Kate” as long as the family agrees and there is interest in it. There are 40 episodes planned this season, which is twice as many as last season.
If Jon, an adult, can’t get the show to stop then there’s little chance his poor kids are going to have a say as to whether their childhood continues to be documented and broadcast for all the world to see. It’s all about their parents getting more money and free stuff at the expense of their kids’ freedom and privacy.
UMMM reportedly said caring brother is shopping around a $30,000+ tell all book.
If they were concerned they should have gone to child services and not to tv shows or book publishers to sell their story.I imagine that the book and tv presentations are a great way to show the kids that uncle Kevin and aunt jodi care,right?
I thought this television show was a terrible idea when I first heard of it and now I feel grimly Cassandric. Jodi and Kevin both brought up some great points, but in this day and age, who’s to say they’re not posturing for the media?
PCS is just for neglected children who need to be taken away from their families. I don’t think Jodi and Kevin want the kids removed, they just want Jon and Kate to pay more attention to their kids and focus on being a family.
Going to the media probably is the best way to get to them because they aren’t talking. Also, given the audience an inside look to whats really going on gives us perspective on the situation and questioning whether or not the show is actually good entertainment.
If the show stops, what can Jon do to make the money to support 10 people in the lavish lifestyle they’ve come to expect? Without the show, Kate’s books won’t sell as well. And how many books can she write? They are screwed if they stop the show and screwed if they don’t…
40 episodes at a reported $75,000 per is
$3,000,000. This season.
They are reportedly worth an estimated 10 million dollars right now. They should be able to support their kids with that type of money. Hopefully, everything works out for the best interests for all of them.
Ling–nice cassandra reference
I agree with Sol. They protest too much. Looks like they are cashing in with the Kate and Jon bashing. May be jealous of the attention too.
These two losers, the Kreides, (as they make the rounds of every talk show and media outlet that will give them air time) are eager for their 15 minutes of fame amd will milk it for as long as they can. It must have eaten them up to look in from the sidelines at Jon & Kate’s show and the success that went along with it. Now they’re hoping to cash in somehow by going to the media. Most people can see their motivation is based on greed and a hope to somehow profit from the problems this family is having.
Everything is revolved around the almighty dollar, but the euro is mightier than the american dollar now. Too bad J and K are only working for a third of a dollar now. I pray for the kids, bump the money hungry adults. They really should consider ending this show pronto.
It seems that whistle blowers are not much appreciated by the public for blowing the lid off someone’s “aww, aren’t they so sweet” image. It’s entirely possible, even likely, that the Kreides are calling it like they see it. I remember when “Aunt Jodi” was in a few episodes, and there is no doubt the kids were crazy about her. Having been one of the viewers long before this scandalous phase came about, I can only say that Kate’s always seemed bitchy beyond the call of duty, and Jon has always sucked it up and done whatever the hell she wanted him to do. Some people call that weak, others think it’s more along the lines of being respectful of a woman. If Kate were a man talking to his wife like she talks to Jon, she would be under attack for a whole ‘nother reason.
these two just want a piece of the pie.
I never heard of these two until the tabloid stuff hit. My friends with kids watched the show to see about time management and juggling kids, work, money etc. Now I really feel sorry for the entire family because this whole thing has snowballed
Amazing these two weren’t concerned when THEY were on the show. They all need to shut up.
Those 2 are just as bad as Jon and Kate.
I have never really watched that show, caught a bit here and there. But I have to wonder if this issue of childrens rights in reality ‘shows’ shouldn’t be addressed. Sure the parents should get paid, but it seems that if the children are to be included or even ‘used’ then the television station should consider that a mise en garde be included in the contract that the parents must put money aside in separate equal trusts for all 8 children for college or just to be given to them when they reach a certain adult age (18, 21, 25, etc) or the contract will be null and void. It seems only fair considering these children have had to give up their childhood to the rubber-necking public.
They were on several episodes of this show. The crap hit the fan apparently when the producers wanted to start paying them money also. The Gosselins objected to that – not sure why.
I do agree that the family is talking too much, and it may be sour grapes, but still … I can’t figure out why The Gosselins would object to them being paid money, especially since they had no problems sending the whole brood over to “Aunt Jodi’s” to watch on many occasions.
This is sad all around. Their ratings are sky high but at what expense though?
Kate supposedly objected to them being paid because it meant less money that could be directed toward she and Jon.
But “Aunt Jodi” is sure seemingly trying to cash in now. I mean, come on. Be a little less obvious.
These two hags (the bro and s-i-l) clearly are just as horrible. Anyone that goes out of their way for people they supposedly don’t care for are vengeful, hateful, jealous and bored. They are just not good people.
On a side, they are both some of the Fugliest people I have ever seen. ( their personalities must be shining through) Let’s hope they don’t breed. And if they had, shouldn’t they be more focused on their own home life instead of running to the press???
I agree with Sol.
I agree with boomchakaboom. I also used to watch the show in its early season and clearly remember the children being excited about staying with Aunt Jodi. She has 2 or 3 children of her own and seemed to usually be watching her kids and 7 or 8 of the Gosselins at the same time. A lot of the time that they spent with Aunt Jodi was off-camera (unscripted) and she seemed to try to make the most of their time by really allowing them to be kids (running around, trying gum, not strictly organized activities). I don’t know what would have been the best way to get their point across, but they are bringing up legitimate points. The children are essentially working for free in that they are attempting to live their life with cameras in their face all the time. It’s not fair and it’s not right just because their parents agreed to have their lives exploited, no one is discussing what is in the best interests of the child. But, unfortunately, our laws are limited to protecting children from physical abuse and obvious neglect. They don’t extend to protecting mental well-being.
As a last point, I don’t agree that the children’s lives are automatically better because the show has allowed their parents to become rich. Living on a limited budget is not the worst thing that could happen to a child, being exploited for the public’s viewing pleasure, being ignored by your bickering parents, having an overall limited childhood because it’s not must-see-tv to watch children taking a walk with their parents or playing in the rain/mud.
Sorry for the long post.
this lady’s sibling makes me sick… having a family member (especially a brother or a sister) jump on a bandwagon to bash someone is just so sad to me… have some dignity and maybe just a TAD bit of loyalty you douche…
Acutally, I think this is the perfect time for Jodi and Kevin to start talking. Jon and Kate are all over the place right now, under a TON of scrutiny. If you didn’t know them before, you most likely do now.
They’re just putting the emphasis on what a sham they are and that they’re exploiting their children. They could have done that LAST YEAR when everything really started going wrong, but who would have believed them then?
Now that US Weekly has decided to take Kate down, it’s easier for them to get their story out and hopefully people will realize what they’ve seen on TV is not real life. Anything that gets people to stop watching, stop sponsoring, and stop buying into the bullshit, is a step in the right direction. Even airing the dirty laundry.
Today is the 75th birthday of the Dionne quintuplets. They were put on display so the masses could enjoy them as “special children” goggle them – and see what lives they had after the crowds left.
Wow, where did all the Kate worshippers come from? LOL.
I noticed no one addresses Kevin’s most chilling point: that the kids will wonder about every event, every gift, every trip, every memory. It was all for the cameras, kids. It was for ratings, for the show, to MAKE MONEY.
I never even thought of it from that perspective, the perspective of the kids when they are older. It had occurred to me how embarrassed they are going to be, but this point is even more disturbing.
The bottom line is that deciding to sell your children’s private lives for mass public consumption is a HORRIBLE parenting decision. Horrible. Shows like this need to be gone, posthaste.
I think it’s high time we stop talking about Jon and Kate and Jodie and focus on the kids. Who cares what Jodie’s motives are, it’s obvious this is a bad situation for the kids and that’s what they are trying to say which is absolutely true.
::If the show stops, what can Jon do to make the money to support 10 people in the lavish lifestyle they’ve come to expect?::
I know this is hard to believe, but Jon and Kate aren’t the only large family in America. There are tons of big families out there, ones even bigger than theirs, where parents have to – gasp – actually work for a living. If Jon and Kate were so concerned about their kids futures, they wouldn’t quit their jobs while doing a show that could get canceled any minute. When it does, there will be 8 kids with 2 unemployed parents. BRILLIANT. There will be no money left for those kids with the way Jon and Kate are frivolously spending it on themselves, I guess their children will just have to get grants and scholarships like EVERY OTHER KID in this country who has a hard time paying for college. As for “the lavish lifestyle they have come to expect”, guess they’ll just have to start living like the ‘real’ people they keep claiming to be and stop spending hundreds of dollars on haircuts or buying a new sports car or eating at five star celebrity restaurants. Am I honestly supposed to feel bad for these people? May I remind you, the rest of us are in a recession.
…well they could acclimate to another lifestyle. With sound investments, they could live off of what they have very comfortably for the rest of their lives.
Just a suggestion.
On the first episode this season, Kate seemed really annoyed with all the kids. Madi has NEVER seemed happy, EVER. Kate has lost it.