Now that a good deal of the buildup is over – Jon and Kate Gosselin are indeed divorcing – TLC and the family had to make a decision about what to do with the show, at least in the short term. They’ve decided to go on hiatus until the first week of August. So far they’re only six episodes into their season, and it sounds like it’s been a hectic, stressful experience just getting the first couple episodes on the air. TLC also admitted that it was the network’s decision to go on hiatus, not the family’s.
Production has been halted on Jon & Kate Plus 8 following the Gosselins’ Monday revelation they’re splitting up, the network has announced. TLC says next Monday’s episode will feature a clip package with some new footage, but the next all-new episode won’t air until August 3, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Times says the decision came from the network — not the family.
Only six episodes of the 40-episode season have aired. Through tears on Monday’s show, Kate declared “the show must go on!” Jon & Kate Plus 8 has become TLC’s highest-rated show. Its May premiere drew in 9.8-million viewers, a record for the network.
The Times says TLC does not have enough footage to put together new episodes because of the Gosselins’ marital turmoil, as documented by Us Weekly. Episodes that were televised this season were often shot last-minute and even completed on the day of airing.
[From Us Weekly]
The quote from Kate about how “the show must go on” is really creepy. I suppose she could have meant it in the traditional use of the phrase, meaning they have to carry on. But considering all the fame mongering that’s gone on, you can’t help but feel she means it in the literal sense – the most important thing is that the show goes on. As US mentioned, they’ve still got 34 episodes to film this season – though the specifics of their show’s future are obviously unknown right now.
The Gosselins are never without their critics, and their divorce announcement is certainly no exception. Many of their friends and neighbors expressed disappointment that they chose to make the announcement on TV and see it as further exploitation.
“We’re just so heartbroken and sad about the announcement that they made — an announcement that could be so life-shattering to a young child,” Kate’s brother, Kevin Kreider, tells RadarOnline.com. “And it was used as a teaser, used to gain ratings, without any regards for my nieces and nephews. It was really hurtful. We were really sad to see that.”
Adds their onetime neighorbod [sic], Denis: “I do feel bad for the children. Hopefully they will be civil and everything for the kids sake. He needs to get away from her and run as fast as he can. The kids are the ones who will suffer, and that is the sad part.”
[From Us Weekly]
Many T.V. critics and web boards have echoed similar opinions. US reported in May that Jon and Kate make up to $75,000 an episode, so a lot of money is at stake. That little bit about how the network decided to go on hiatus – not the family – sure is telling. Does that mean that TLC made the decision all on their own, possibly not even asking the Gosselins? Or does the “not the family” part mean they did not make the decision to go on hiatus, but TLC overruled them?
Hopefully Jon and Kate will truly put their kids first right now. This is going to be the worst time of their young lives and they’re all going to be miserable for a while. It might be time to seriously reconsider long-term priorities and the needs of the family as a whole.
Or maybe it means Jon and Kate requested it and TLC made the ultimate decision.
Look, I think these two idiots are doing incredible damage to their children but I don’t really think it’s any worse than what Madonna is doing to her kids. A lot of celebrities whore their kids out and look at Susan Boyle – she’s the prime example of what happens when fame comes too quickly to someone relatively unsuspecting. Jon and Kate started the whole television thing with good intentions and ended up making a big mess of everything. That doesn’t mean we need to vilify them in the news. Let these people have their break and hopefully they will come to their senses and start putting their kids first again.
“Kate’s brother, Kevin Kreider, tells RadarOnline.com”
Just shut up, Kate’s brother. How are you helping the situation by continuing to go to Radar with your comments? Please stop acting like all you care about is the children, and not the 2 minutes you’re getting out of this.
Correct, “used as a ratings teaser.” These kids, yes, more than one, want the camera’s, “off.”
I’m wondering with most of the f/b as negative if they will be able to sustain this season.
I hope not, and I hope the advertiser’s are paying attention.
Everyone is making these people out to be the worst people ever. “Oh, they’re horrible parents”, “oh, they’re only worried about the money”. Reality check, since when where humans ever perfect? Hmmm, I can’t think of anyone that is perfect. Yeah, they made mistakes, yeah, they did decisions that probably weren’t for the best reasons. The only reason why everyone is crucifying them now is cause they’re doing it on tv.
It’s a shame that so many people were rooting for their downfall, and hoping that they didn’t make it. And I know I’m probably going to get negative feedback for this, but just try to see that at the end of the day, we’re all humans and we’re not perfect. Everyone needs to get off their high horse and stop bashing these people. What makes all the bashers so much better?
i think it was incredibly tacky to announce their divorce on the show and wait until a few minutes before 5pm last night before the shop closed in order to do so and try and control for scoops so that more people would tune in. how entirely cynical and crass. everything they do, including the time of their filing is for show and $$. tacky people.
princessjay, i think there is a difference between mistakes and peccadilloes and repeating the decision for 5 seasons in a row to go on air with your show and make the conscious CHOICE to keep your kids being filmed constantly and accepting all manner of gifts and monetary rewards over a very long period of time, cutting your family members out of your kids’ lives, and cynically announcing divorce on air (only because their arrangement to let jon do what he wanted blew up in their faces because he got caught-otherwise we would be none the wiser). this isnt human weakness or a mistake that everyone makes. this is calculated, conscious, repetitive behavior.
bros: what type of sins are you talking about that they did? What I was trying to point out is that we’re not perfect. Plain and simple.
Nup, none of us are perfect Princess Jay but I think the fact that this money and fame hungry b1tch is using her children as her cash cow is what is so utterly reprehensible. If it wasn’t for the children they would never have had a tv show offered to them and regardless of how it affects the children she is determined they’ll keep working to earn her money. She is loathsome and vile.
This is another reason why people shouldn’t have litters. Our social/familial structure was meant to stagger births so that everyone was at a different developmental stage and the older could assist. Like the Duggars (even though I think that they are gross too). Imagine the enormous strain on a marriage and the family that produces these quantities of eggs and they feel are “people too” so they go ahead and fertilize the whole batch. They have EIGHT children under eight. No wonder they are getting a divorce. I feel bad for the batch of kids that they brought into this world that have been supporting their parents all their little lives.
sarca, i’m so with you… that guy is making me sick with his douchebaggery…
The brother, Kevin, is such a creep!
A bigger fame whore and even creepier is that Denis dude. Somebody posting here put a link to a blog he wrote and he took about two pages criticizing the Gosslins just to get out there that he wrote a book and shares an editor with Kate.
Let the Gosslines be.
They broadcast their lives on tv – and so yes, its fine for us to discuss their choices.
When people sign up for shows like this, they should sign on knowing they will get the good with the bad. P*ss or get off the pot, you know? Kate even admitted that ther eis no going back to the way it was because you can’t go back to a time when no ne knew of you. That’s the choice they made.
I’m glad they are taking a hiatus, but the “until August” part just shows that they will continue to film this train wreck…for ratings. That should cause a concern to even their supporters.
reality shows ruin marriages.
nick and jessica.
carmen and dave.
travis and shana…etc
The Kreiders are a couple of fame a-holes and need to go away. They only make things worse by interfering and throwing their unwanted opinions into the mix. They told people not to watch the show and people watched even more. Go back to your nice little life in the suburbs and mind your own business!
Come on! They were perfectly fine with airing their divorce on the t.v.! For everyone to watch. And Kate was talking about the kids having good memories about the Crooked Houses. I doubt it. They will think, that’s the episode where my parents split up.
I’m so sick of their “We’re doing this show to support our children.” They have made plenty of money. If they haven’t put money back for the college savings then there is something wrong. They should have plenty saved up and should just get a REAL job. If money got tight she could always “write” another book or whatever.
I love how Jon said that he was “excited.” His earrings are sooo tacky. Yea, he was treated like crap but he really needs to step up. It’s obvious he wants far away from Kate, but he seems to spend a lot of time away from home.
Have they even told the kids? It’s time to end the show yet they keep on going!
And, from Kate herself, they have been separated for two years.
Somehow, I don’t believe this couple, lol.
I’m betting the series is over.
Since they have admitted to being separated for two years and they had a contract saying they could see other people… I’m not sure why everyone is so surprised by this?
I also don’t think its alright that everyone is jumping on Jon’s case all the time if they clearly weren’t even together.
If the paparazzi wasn’t so nosy, I think this issue would have not exploded the way it did.
If they have been separated for 2 years, the whole Re-do of their marriage vows in Hawaii was a farce that TLC was part of.
Most people never hear of them until the divorce made the news. Now everyone knows about them.
All of a sudden everyone is attacking this family, where were all these people for the 1st 3 yrs? now all of a sudden its wrong, regardless if Kate is right or wrong, she loves her kids, bet all of u would do the same for that kind of money.How r they any worse than all the other shows, hello!!! the duggars????
Yes Kate was at times bitchy with Jon but he should have steped up, now he is acting like a teenager, can’t wait to start his bachelor life….
Excuse me but I always thought it was wrong and a bad parenting decision (and creepy to boot) to sell your children’s private lives for mass public consumption.
These two grifters are both jerks and it’s their kids who are suffering. Imagine having your family’s implosion played out on TV for ratings. That’s probably why TLC pulled the plug–even THEY didn’t have the heart to do something like that. Plus, as they said, just not enough footage to put together new episodes, because their lives are such a wreck.
These two are horrible parents, not just imperfect people who made a couple of mistakes. You don’t sell your kid’s privacy for wealth and your own fame, period.
I agree with Zoe (t.o.o.) mistakes are forgiven, but three years of putting your children under a microscope is going overboard. Celebrity children have it hard enough just being photographed when they are out, can you imagine what it would be like to have cameras around all the time?? No one knows what kind of effect this will have on the kids, and it makes me sad the parents didn’t even consider that. Renew your fake vows, and flirt with Chopper guys, but give the kids a break. They have no say in all of this and no amount of big houses and trips can replace the damage that could be done here.
Are the children going to be forced to grieve their parents’ broken marriage ON CAMERA?? The show should end now for good.
I won’t be watching any shows on TLC, The Loser’s Channel. Not even Kelly Ripa’s new show (should of went with another Network Kelly and Mark).
They both suck. The kids will pay the price, guaranteed.
There is inevitably a comment left on the J+K8 posts like “ZOMG all that money! Fame! Jealous h8rs! ZOMG you’d all do the same!”
I think you’d find the reason people that make shows like this are nutters is because that is bollocks and that any even semi-normal family would weigh the options .. money (on the pro side) .. Fame, intrusion, debilitating decades long PTSD, embarassment of telling one’s peers you are on a reality show (those are the cons). And then they’d say “not in a million zillion years, frack off TLC demons!”
How about permanently? Can we stop this show permanently now? Fame has done nothing good for this family, so how about people stop being voyeurs into the train wreck that is their lives? It’d be nice if John and Kate’s focus went back to actually caring for their kids, instead of finding new ways to profit off them while their childhoods continue to go down the toilet.
If there was ever a family in need of CPS stepping in, it’s this one. These people are just disgusting.
Good, as Gordon Ramsey says in Hell’s Kitchen–“Shut It Down!”
THE FINAL BLOW THAT TLC COULD EVER DO IS RETURN THE PROGRAM IN FALL WITH THE OTHER WOMAN.WOW,ANOTHER PERSON MAKING MONEY ON THE CHILDREN. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT TLC WOULD ALLOW THIS.