Jon & Kate Plus 8: Watch but Don't Judge

Alicia White
Alicia White, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Feb 23, 2008 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Love them or hate them, people love to judge Jon and Kate Gosselin from TLC's hit TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8. The now defunct fan forum over at the Discovery Health website was loaded with comments from people who were disgusted by Kate's outbursts and husband bashing, as well as comments from those who were disgusted at people who passed negative judgment on this family. The question is, how can one watch a televised train wreck and not pass judgment on it?

Jon & Kate Plus 8 was once an endearing show about the struggles of raising a set of sextuplets and twins, and has since evolved into a show that resembles Kate & Kate Plus Kate. The show still revolves around the children, but more often than not, the focus lies on Kate's talent for demeaning her husband, her self-professed OCD, spazzing out over the most trivial details, and how her erratic behavior is being passed down to her children. With all of this immature behavior emitting from Kate, are viewers really expected to watch without judging? According to countless fans, apparently so.

As soon as some poor soul calls this family out on their poor behavior, fans come rushing to the side of the Gosselins. "How dare you judge..." is usually the first comment out of their ironically judgmental mouths, followed by, "Well, obviously your home life is perfect otherwise..."

First off, while no marriage or family is perfect, no one should talk to their spouse the way Kate speaks to her husband. Call it self-control, class, mutual respect or maturity, constant demeaning and publicly yelling at your significant other is in poor taste. Many Kate-supporters claim her reactions are very normal and almost boast about how they often react in the same manner towards family members.

While my own marriage isn't perfect (but apparently close to it, no thanks to hard work on both sides) I would never speak to my husband the way Kate speaks to her husband. When we are arguing, I never bring my children into it the way Kate has done on the air. It's common sense. If these fans' marriages really do contain the angst seen in Jon and Kate's relationship, I feel sorry for them, because they probably don't know any better, or they have never learned what unconditional love encompasses.

I've been told that they have a one-person army consisting of a personal friend, who sniffs around online and E-mails those who are outspoken and against the show. You would think these people are living in an oppressed communist country talking out against their leader or something. If the Gosselins didn't want their every move scrutinized, why on Earth would they allow cameras into their home year after year? Despite what comes out of the mouths of Kate-supporters, it is human nature to judge others, especially when blatantly poor behavior is dismissed by the guilty parties and then televised for everyone to see.

Judging is a vicious circle. Don't judge me for having an opinion, and I won't judge you for judging me. It happens all the time in online forums. People who love the show are constantly wagging their online fingers at those who find fault with Kate's actions, no matter how well thought out (and valid) their arguments are. People who find fault with the show are immediately coined as perfect individuals who spend hours judging some poor family on TV. I can assure you, neither is true, and their reactions are nothing but proverbial rose-colored glasses when it comes to how the troubled Gosselins take pleasure in the cash cow that is their dysfunctional family.

I don't judge the show to be mean-spirited. Thanks to Kate's behavior, I'm not even a regular viewer, but I still feel compelled to speak out about her not-so-passive aggressiveness because it goes against everything I've ever learned about being a social person, a good wife and a loving mom.

Until the day comes when the United States becomes a censored or otherwise communist country, or when I choose to become a Christian (who aren't allowed to judge others under any circumstance, as I'm often reminded), I will continue to judge Kate and her publicly-televised neuroses. Whether there are eight kids or none at all, that type of environment is neither healthy nor normal, and the only good thing that will come out of Jon & Kate Plus 8 is a shining example of how not to treat your loved ones if you want to preserve sanity in your life.

Published by Alicia White

Alicia is a former air traffic controller who lived in Japan for several years. She's currently a freelance writer in California, and a full-time student majoring in digital media/graphic design.  View profile

132 Comments

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  • Paula3/18/2010

    It is now 2010 and they are still milking the "gravy train" the Kids !!! Please take the show off, DO NOT I NFLICT KATE ON US PLEASE PLEASE. Jon will get on with his life I am sure and love being treated like a human being and he might be able to save the kids, especially Maddy, she is not hypoglycemic like Mum, she just needs DICIPLINE and we did see some from Jon when they were making a lemonade stand for the Fire Dept. KEEP AN EYE ON THE KIDS JON FOR GOD'S SAKE.

  • susan9/9/2009

    Could someone please tell TLC to cancel this show?! I can't believe it's still on. I pray these kids can recover from all they have been exposed to and the embarrassment of their parents. PLease TLC take this show off before more damage is done!!

  • lynn8/7/2009

    Kates brother and his wife have a family and they seem to be great parents, from what I have seen of Jon and Kate lately, I stand by saying they still need to grow up and yes, they want us to watch but not comment, get real you two

  • Lynn7/12/2009

    I agree totally. Its embarrassing to even watch. Usually I cant find the remote fast enough and have to swallow a few minutes of the most boring show lf the century. After that quickly came table of 12 and the one about 17 or 18 and counting. If no one wants to be judged then they shouldn't publicize their life for all to judge. Kate has never treated her husband with respect and now he's the bad guy for wanting out. Kate doesn't want the grandparents involved because wholly cow they might give some advice that she clearly doesn't need. lol I wish them all well but its not the end of the world if this show is cancelled and the sun will keep rising each day and cancer will keep killing us and kids all over the world will keep starving to death. But ,,, Jon and Kates 8 kids may need therapy. lmao Lets get a life.

  • J-mom6/18/2009

    So, now there's going to be a "big announcement" on the show. I hate more than anything that TLC has decided that we are so invested in the lives of this wildly dysfunctional family that we'll all tune in and hang on through every commercial to hear some irrelevant news about people for whom I have no respect. I HATE that TLC has me figured out.

  • Ernie Campbell6/18/2009

    I agree with Louie. The grandparents could probably make a happier life for these kids or even their aunts and uncles. Kate and Jon
    are greedy and it is all about what money that show can bring in. Stop watching people and please do not watch Monday night. The news media show Showbiz Tonight will give you all the news on the latest drama.

  • Louie Martin6/18/2009

    Any mother who denies little children an opportunity to know their grandparents have some serious problems. Maybe these kids should visit their grandparents at the campground he owes and learn what love can be about. Enough of Kate! Enough of John. Can you imagine when Mady and Kara are older and see these shows what they will think and wonder why Jodi and Beth were taken away? You've got a lot of questions in your future John and Kate so your future personal lives may not be so cozy with your newest mates.

  • Louie Martin6/18/2009

    I want to see this show off the air. It has become about Kate and I am sick of her and of her wimpy, whinning husband. These little children are suffering for one on one love. Nice home and things are nothing compared to true love and kindness. Take this show off and get on to something beside this trainwreck.

  • patti 6/15/2009

    Suzi Anderson-I totally agree with what you said. For all the others who think that its ok to treat other people the way Kate does need some serious help themselves. The show is not enjoyable to watch now its not about the kids its about how much airtime Kate gets. I loved to watch when Jodi Kevin and Beth were on the show.

  • judi6/4/2009

    what really bothers me is how they never say grace or say their prayers at bed-time.this means a lot to kids,esp.since there are 8 of them.it gives each little one a little alone time with parents.aren't they christians?kate needs a time-out at least once a day,with mady!?

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