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LACKLUSTER GOLDEN GLOBES

Administrator — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:03:55 +0000

By SASHA PASULKA
This week in celeb gossip was dominated by the Golden Globes and NBC’s decision to give Conan O’Brien’s Tonight Show timeslot back to Jay Leno, and I have to admit I was bored by both.
From a red-carpet perspective, the Golden Globes were a grim affair — the rare Los Angeles downpour combined with the tragedy in Haiti caused celebs to err on the side of caution, so we didn’t see a lot of fun or interesting fashion choices.
Kate Hudson, Lea Michele and Olivia Wilde sported some of my favorite looks, while Mariah Carey, Penelope Cruz and Fergie disappointed.
From an awards perspective, it started out on the right note, with Mo’Nique taking home a best supporting actress award for her phenomenal turn as an abusive mother in “Precious,” but then it veered off-course, as Sandra Bullock inexplicably beat out Helen Mirren and Gabourey Sidibe for the best motion-picture actress, Julianna Margulies bested Anna Paquin and Glenn Close for the best television actress, and James Cameron’s three-dimensions-but-zero-script “Avatar” scored the best motion picture win.
Meanwhile, the nation rallies firmly around O’Brien – something they seemed unwilling to do before, you know, NBC canceled his show and gave Leno his time slot back.
While NBC’s decision might not delight the Internet, it makes good business sense: Leno consistently beat CBS’s David Letterman in the ratings, whereas Conan couldn’t ever seem to best him.
Leno’s primetime show’s been getting slammed for months – it can’t compete with existing primetime television. It was a poor decision on NBC’s part to move Leno in the first place, and now they’re going to take heat for trying to make it right again.
It’s not especially fair to O’Brien, but, in the end, NBC answers to its stockholders, not to Conan, and this is the right call. It’s not personal; it’s just business.
On a happier note, hometown cutie Taylor Swift just released a fantastic new single called “Today Was a Fairytale,” used in the upcoming film Valentine’s Day, where Taylor S. has a cameo opposite her former love, Taylor Lautner.
I’ve been listening to it over and over again since it first showed up on YouTube on Tuesday. I adore her so!
While Kate Gosselin comes to terms with her new hair extensions, ex-hubby Jon seems to be coming closer to his new girlfriend, Park City lady Morgan Christie. He’s been spotted out regularly with the 25-year-old Morgan and her family.
In an even stranger turn, Jon’s former flame, ex-Star reporter Kate Major, has taken up with none other than Father of the Year Michael Lohan, who palled around with Jon in the months following his split from Kate. This Kate Major chick is either addicted to fame or the beer gut – it’s anyone’s guess which. Man, I’d much rather be dealing with hair extensions than love triangles composed entirely of crazy people. Kate wins. Check back next week to see what all our favorite beautiful fools are up to!
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Sasha Pasulka is the managing editor of Evil Beet Gossip, your daily source of celeb gossip and snarky wit. Check us out at www.EvilBeetGossip.com.

NEWS ROUNDUP

Administrator — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:40:10 +0000

Police: Man hits woman
A 25-year-old Middletown man struck a 22-year-old Royalton woman and pulled her to the ground during an incident on Dogwood Road in Londonderry Township on Jan. 12, state police at Harrisburg said.
The suspect — who wasn’t identified — faces a harassment charge, state police said.

Police: Man stole car
A man stole a 1992 Ford Taurus from the parking lot of Portabellas Bar on East Harrisburg Pike on Londonderry Township between Jan. 12 and 13, state police at Harrisburg said.
The suspect, Dan Quackenbush, 31,of Middletown, was arrested after the vehicle was found on the 500 block of Highland Avenue in Harrisburg, state police said.
Quackenbush was charged with theft of motor vehicle, state police said.

Police: Man punches woman — in face
A man punched a woman in the face after an argument turned physical at the Travel Center of America in West Hanover Township, Dauphin County, on Jan. 12, state police at Harrisburg said.
The suspect, Darnell Williams, 26, of Rochester, N.Y., faces an harassment charge, state police said.
The victim is Allania Williams, 26, of Rochester, N.Y., state police said.

Police: Woman, girl face charges after altercation
Lisa Marko, 42, of Jonestown, and a 15-year-old Jonestown girl face a harassment charge after a physical altercation in the Subway/Exxon parking lot in Union Township, Lebanon County, on Jan. 11, state police at Jonestown said.
Marko also faces a disorderly conduct charge, state police said.

Police: Woman resident charged with DUI
Tammy Carper, 42, of Manheim, was charged with DUI after an incident on North Colebrook and Breneman roads in Rapho Township on Jan. 12, state police at Lancaster said.

Vehicle hits embankment, rolls over
A vehicle driven by Justin Loeb, of Bernville, struck an embankment and rolled over on its side on Manbeck Road at Dry Hollow Road in Upper Tulpehocken Township on Jan. 12, state police at Hamburg said.
Loeb was not injured.

Police: Teens face drug charges
A 17-year-old Lebanon girl was charged with possession of marijuana and Daniel Hoffman, 18, of Lebanon, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop on East Main Street and Third Avenue in Annville on Jan. 8, township police said.

Vehicles crack up in parking lot
Vehicles driven by Robert Springborn, 81, of Lebanon, and Aaron Chambers, 39, of Palmyra, were involved in an accident in the Blue Mountain Thrift Store parking lot in Annville on Jan. 9, township police said. Nobody was injured.

Vehicles collide in North Manheim
Vehicles driven by Karen Gavalis, 60, of Minersville, and Megan Williams Blackmon, 23, of Pottsville, were involved in an accident on Route 901 in North Manheim Township on Jan. 12, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
Nobody was injured.

JON & KATE PLUS A RABBI

Administrator — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:55:13 +0000

By ASHLEY DOS SANTOS
As thousands of Americans dressed up as Jon and Kate Gosselin for Halloween last week, Jon Gosselin also donned a new costume: spiritual pilgrim.
Jon, despite identifying as an evangelical Christian, recently had a very public meeting with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach for spiritual guidance on his quest to extend his 15 minutes of fame.
If there is one thing that the Gosselin media circus was missing, it was a good old fashioned dose of artificial piety.
Before their tabloid explosion, Jon and Kate Gosselin were actually considered role models by some religious communities because of their refusal to use selective termination when they found out that they were having sextuplets.
Now, it seems like Rabbi Shmuley is about the only religious figure willing to interact publicly with Jon Gosselin.
If the name Rabbi Shmuley sounds at all familiar, it’s because he was linked recently to Michael Jackson as his spiritual leader for a short time. The Rabbi’s book, chronicling the singer’s most private and confidential sentiments, was released in September after Jackson’s untimely death. Now that those 15 minutes of fame are up, Shmuley has conveniently found a new advisee in Jon Gosselin. You do the math.
Jon’s visit with the Rabbi is his latest public effort to clean up his image. We’re all painfully aware of Jon’s recent philandering, and how the slew of bad press forced TLC to drop him from his own television show.
So what did Jon learn throughout his deep spiritual quest? Jon told reporters after the meeting, “I am well aware that my behavior over the past few months has not always reflected my personal and religious values…I have allowed myself to become somewhat severed from my own moral anchor and be carried away by the challenges of fame.”
That’s an understatement, Jon. Just wait until your kids are old enough to Google you. Then try to teach them life lessons about morality and see how they react.
If there is one positive outcome from this ridiculous event, it’s that Jon Gosselin has reportedly “slowed things down” with his 22-year-old party-girl companion Hailey Glassman.
Previously, rumors were swirling that Glassman and Gosselin had discussed marriage, sending shivers down America’s collective backs.
The idea that this 22-year-old, whose Facebook profile is rife with photos of binge drinking and drug use, could possibly serve as a stepmother to 8 children under the age of ten would be laughable if it weren’t so utterly sad.
So while Jon Gosselin deserves credit for making one good decision, it’s pretty clear he hasn’t reached nirvana.
This meeting with Rabbi Shmuley conveniently took place a few days before Kate Gosselin’s highly publicized interview with NBC’s Natalie Morales aired on TLC. You don’t have to be a biblical scholar to figure out that this is yet another publicity stunt from a man who is watching his fame wane as his soon-to-be ex-wife’s stardom keeps rising.
To paraphrase a famous Bible verse: “It’s easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle… [than to get a man with tabloid money, hair plugs and a trashy college co-ed girlfriend into heaven].” Let’s hope Jon takes this message to heart and uses his new spiritual side to turn away from spending time with media-loving Rabbis and other C-list celebrities to focus on the truly important people in his life: his children.
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Ben Grinspan contributed to this article.
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Ashley Dos Santos serves as a senior account executive at Crosby~Volmer International Communications in Washington D.C. She received her bachelor of arts degree in women & gender studies and romance languages from Dartmouth College.

CELEBRITY KILLED THE REALITY STAR

Administrator — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:41:03 +0000

By ASHLEY DOS SANTOS
Oh Jon Gosselin, your Vegas parties and coed girlfriends have finally caught up to you.
On Tuesday, the TLC network announced that they were dropping Jon from “Jon & Kate Plus 8” to focus on Kate’s new life as a single mom in the revamped Kate Plus 8.
TLC President Eileen O’Neill said “Given the recent changes in the family dynamics, it only makes sense for us to refresh and recalibrate the program to keep pace with the family” and that they now intend to focus the show on “Kate’s role in the family and her journey as a single mother building the next chapter in her life.”
Not too long ago, Kate was being vilified as the overbearing control freak who pushed Jon too hard. Fans of the show lauded Jon for taking his life into his own hands and moving on without Kate looking over his shoulder.
Fast forward to the present day. Jon Gosselin has taken on the role as America’s most pathetic father (sorry Michael Lohan) who abused his newfound fame by womanizing, partying and choosing Saint Tropez getaways over quality time with his children.
When the news broke that TLC was dropping Jon Gosselin from the show, I think we all breathed a little sigh of relief. No viewer could believe that Jon is a dedicated father when he’s pictured lounging at a Las Vegas pool full of coeds at the MGM Grand.
Plus, with the show’s dwindling ratings, the announcement came at the perfect time to revitalize viewership before the series is canceled altogether. “Jon & Kate’s” ratings now thrive on the melodrama of the Gosselin divorce and not on the health and happiness of their eight children.
Speaking of melodrama, Jon Gosselin made his own announcement on Tuesday that he wants to slow down his divorce proceedings to reconsider his relationship with his family and atone for his behavior. Before you start thinking this is genuine, please note that on Wednesday he also filed an injunction stating that no camera crews are allowed in the family home effective immediately. Sounds like someone is a little bitter that his 15 minutes of fame is screeching to a halt. And all thanks to the same network that made him famous in the first place.
Jon’s latest attempts to cling to his fame mean that he is even sleazier than we thought. How about taking your kids to the park, dad, instead of sending away the family dog because it isn’t allowed in your new Manhattan bachelor pad?
By using his notoriety to land college girls and attend C-list parties in the Hamptons, Jon has managed to destroy his public image completely, making his very presence on the show not only a liability to TLC but, more importantly, to its advertisers. It’s clear that Jon Gosselin gave TLC no other choice than to drop him.
And where’s Kate in all this? Kate Gosselin appears to be positioning herself for the end of “Jon & Kate Plus 8” as well. Kate co-hosted ABC’s The View for two days and it’s an open secret that she wants to host her own talk show, possibly with celebrity chef Paula Deen. But you have to wonder if this show will have any appeal without the tawdry gossip associated with the Gosselins.
As America watches the Gosselins’ unraveling, I ask just one question. How is all of this affecting the kids? There would be no Jon & Kate without their eight. Being thrust in front of TV cameras at a young age is one thing, but watching your parents’ catfights in the media will add on many more months of therapy to what I’m sure will be a hefty bill once the children come of age.
So Jon, to borrow a line from Prince’s song “Kiss,” act your age and not your shoe size. Your kids are depending on you.
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Ben Grinspan contributed to this article.—
Ashley Dos Santos serves as a senior account executive at Crosby~Volmer International Communications in Washington D.C. She received her bachelor of arts degree in women & gender studies and romance languages from Dartmouth College.

YOU CAN HELP KIDS BY NOT WATCHING

Administrator — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:10:03 +0000

By ASHLEY DOS SANTOS
It’s finally happened – the once happy and loveable “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ is taking the plunge into the realm of dysfunctional TV families.
Kate Gosselin, now one of the most talked about TV moms in history, filed divorce papers on June 22 after making the statement, “Over the course of this weekend, Jon’s activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children.”
Should someone who has exposed their entire family to a TV crew, producers and millions of viewers over the past two years really be making statements about “protecting” their children?
By filing for divorce, Kate may have been protecting her kids – but she was also protecting the guaranteed mega-boost in ratings that night for her hit reality series.
TLC has finally begun to see how their reality show may be a bit too real.
They announced a halt in the show’s production while the family’s “transition” takes place, thereby removing their eight unsuspecting children from the media spotlight.
Of course, the lights can only be dimmed for so long, as the series will be back up and running on Aug. 3. This gives the kids just under two months to adjust to a complete upheaval in their world as they have always known it.
Will this situation finally make TV producers, or Americans themselves, realize what these shows can do to good people?
Of course not.
America has come way too far with the show and all of its drama to give it up now.
TLC’s promotional spots alone have been laying it on thick, and for good reason. Studio execs have managed to successfully create a nationwide addiction in “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” with everyone from “The Today Show” to actor Ryan Reynolds weighing in on the family-turned-statistic.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reynolds stated, “I wanna see ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8: The Musical,’” he says. “Jon versus Kate. I wanna see four kids on one side and four kids on the other, snapping menacingly to music as they walk toward one another.”
His sardonic take on the situation may seem comical, if not improbable. But I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss his idea. Monday night’s episode brought a series – and network – best of 10.6 million viewers. Magazines featuring Jon/Kate covers have seen their sales skyrocket.
This family of ten has become a money-making machine of millions within two short years.
The Gosselins are now a textbook case of reality TV going too far. These eight children will grow up with reruns and magazine articles chronicling the demise of their parents’ marriage for the foreseeable future.
It’s safe to assume that if episodes of Fox’s “Temptation Island,” which aired in 2001, are still on television today, the Gosselins’ family drama will play out for quite some time.
But the truth is, there may never be a “too far” for reality TV. If the ruin of a 10-year marriage with 8 small casualties isn’t enough to draw a line, then the line may actually be nonexistent.
Although TLC has declared that they are concerned about the well-being of the Gosselins, TV networks’ number one concern is and always will be increasing their ratings to make money.
And as viewers have demonstrated in droves, Americans need drama-filled reality shows to satisfy their ongoing addictions.
By postponing production of the show for 1½ months, TLC and the Gosselins are simply anteing up on the anticipation for new episodes come Labor Day weekend. A brilliant ploy for yet another ratings boost at the expense of children too young to protest on their own behalf.
Kate’s brother came out on Tuesday begging for people to stop watching the show for the sake of the kids. No viewers means no ratings, which means no cameras in the children’s faces.
But let’s be honest. Asking TLC to put a stop to everything “Jon and Kate” is like asking McDonald’s to stop making the Big Mac. Until America develops a distaste for family ruin – or for delicious hamburgers – reality TV will continue to go “too far”.
The buck does not stop with the Gosselins or even their show’s producers – it lies squarely on the shoulders of their ratings-boosting, gossip-seeking fans.
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Ashley Dos Santos serves as a senior account executive at Crosby~Volmer International Communications in Washington D.C. She received her bachelor of arts degree in women & gender studies and romance languages from Dartmouth College.

THIS IS GOING TO GET UGLY

Administrator — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:05:38 +0000

By MOLLY DAVIS
The marriage of Jon and Kate is over.
And so is their union to TLC, for now.
After the couple announced on their show on June 22 that they were separating, TLC released a statement that it would stop production of the series — and that it was the network’s decision.
“TLC continues to support the Gosselin family and will work closely with them to determine the best way to continue to tell their story as they navigate through this difficult time,” the network’s statement said.
“The measures are taken in order to give the family ‘time off to regroup’ during the hiatus. Then ‘a modified schedule will be in place to support the family’s transition.’
There were 40 shows slated to run — only six have been aired.
Good riddance.
And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Hopefully, they can sort out their separation in peace and quiet.
At least from the public.
I’m sure Kate’s mouth will be running on overdrive.
I do not envy her soon-to-be ex-hubby.
The court document indicated that Kate and Jon have been “separate and apart for two years.” However, lawyers for the couple say the document’s language is common for no-fault divorce cases and the Gosselins have lived together.
However, if the Gosselins were apart for two years, the show was all staged.
Wedding vows renewed in Hawaii?
Fake.
Free vacation, check.
Just add that to the list of free wares and services the family has received.
It’s a very long list.
Speaking of perks, Kate was caught on camera outside a grocery store, getting into her brand-new Land Cruiser.
Reporters were bombarding her with questions about the show being staged.
And Kate says she’ll be “flexible” — but only if she gets what she wants.
She wants the kids for every holiday and birthday.
Let’s be honest.
No divorce can be completely amicable.
But I would not want to meet Kate in court.
The porcupine-headed Kate said she was forced to file the papers because “Jon’s actions this weekend left me with no other choice.”
What did he do?
Rumors are that she was furious Jon held an impromptu press conference with the
Paps — who she hates — and fans outside their home.
Kate reportedly charges $20 per autograph.
Yuck.
That’s disgusting.
Really, how hard is it to give 30 seconds of your time, lift your hand and sign a piece of paper?
I bet her adoring fans would even provide the pen.
And he — GASP — had the audacity to sign autographs for free!
How could he?
It’s for your kid’s future, you selfish oaf.
Kate should be charged fines every time she walks out of the house with that haircut.
I thought maybe he was out with another woman or some other unforgivable offense.
But no.
She finally had enough — not because of his rumored cheating — but because he didn’t charge for his John Hancock.
Although my moral compass isn’t always pointed up, I don’t think that would push
me over the edge.
Walking in on my hubby with another woman would have done it for me.
In any case, it’s bound to get ugly.
Round goes one to?
Kate.
Ding ding.

KATE ISN’T CLAIR HUXTABLE

Administrator — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:46:44 +0000

By ASHLEY DOS SANTOS
“Jon & Kate Plus 8″ may want to consider changing its name to “Do You Hate Kate? Yeah, Us Too.”
Or at least that’s what Kate’s critics would lead us to believe.
In recent weeks, Kate Gosselin has transformed from “Mom to Monster” according to US Weekly.
Deemed rude, mean and hateful – reportedly by her own children and their paid caretakers – Kate is now fighting an uphill public relations battle to reshape her image. Currently embroiled in a media soundoff with the infamous Octomom, Kate is already off to a rough start.
It would be easy to blame both Jon and Kate’s cheating scandals for the onslaught of venom aimed toward Kate but her negative press began some time ago.
Several “Jon & Kate” episodes depict Kate as overbearing, nagging and wholly unlikeable in comparison to her husband.
Now with rumors of Kate’s affair, her approval ratings are taking an even bigger nosedive. And yet her husband, Jon, reportedly cheated first.
So where are Jon’s “From Dad to Demon” headlines?
Beyond a few sporadic asides, they are nowhere to be found. Media critics and the general public have saved all the demonizing for Kate as America’s modern-day June Cleaver gone wrong.
She is too focused on her career and not on the kids. She uses the reality show’s profits to pay for liposuction and haircuts instead of college savings plans. She tears down Jon instead of working with him to raise their eight children.
There may be some truth to these allegations. Or they may be completely blown out of proportion. Either way, Kate and Jon are not held to the same level of scrutiny.
“Kate Gosselin” returns more than double the amount of Google news hits as “Jon Gosselin” within the past 30 days alone. On magazine covers, you are more likely to see an enlarged picture of Kate next a postage stamp image of her husband than a picture of same-sized Jon and Kate together.
For now at least, Kate Gosselin is the tabloid money maker and her husband is an after thought. She is in a no-win situation. In an age where working moms are more common than their stay-at-home counterparts, Kate serves as an example that women’s progress over the decades is still incredibly fragile and prone to censure.
Though both Jon and Kate are reaping the same financial rewards from the show, Kate is the only one accused of being an opportunist seeking to forge a career for herself at the expense of her children.
And though Jon was first seen stepping out with a younger woman, Kate’s alleged infidelity with her bodyguard has garnered more media coverage. Historically, women have received the lion’s share of responsibility – and blame – in child-rearing and family maintenance despite outside commitments.
While 2009 offers opportunities that women in 1959 did not have, the familial responsibilities and expectations are often the same. And some of Kate’s biggest critics are women, which suggests that her public disdain is not rooted in misogyny but in ties to tradition.
The perception being that if Kate spent more time as a wife and mother instead of basking in the glow of stardom, perhaps her approval ratings would start to rise.
But it’s easy to use the women’s liberation movement to explain away Kate’s lack of public appeal when the issue simply may be that she is not as personable as her husband. America’s favorite TV mom, Clair Huxtable, of “The Cosby Show” was a sassy working mom and has been embraced by millions of families over the past 25 years.
Kate Gosselin does not have the personality or the appeal of our beloved Clair and is miles away from ever achieving the same level of adoration.
Instead of a hair and body makeover, Kate Gosselin is in dire need of a perception modification. A shift in focus from self-promotion to family healing would do the world of good for all ten Gosselins and the millions of viewers waiting to see what will happen next. And for Kate to translate her current fame into long-term success, her next photo opportunity should show more hands-on parenting and less of her bikini-ready body.
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Ashley Dos Santos serves as a senior account executive at Crosby~Volmer International Communications in Washington D.C. She received her bachelor of arts degree in women & gender studies and romance languages from Dartmouth College.

WE LOVE TO HATE KATE

Administrator — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:44:47 +0000

By SASHA PASULKA
The show is called “Jon & Kate Plus Eight,” but at this point it should probably be called The Kate Gosselin Show featuring Jon and Eight.
Audiences originally tuned in to watch the children – they stayed to watch Kate.There’s a reason the show is TLC’s greatest hit to date, despite the fact that their lineup has featured plenty of other families with adorable kids. That reason is Kate Gosselin, the villain we love to hate. What’s so compelling about Kate – and what has been from the start – is her willingness to be completely herself, along with all her flaws, on camera.
She’s a clean freak.
She’s a control freak.
She’s condescending toward her husband.
She finds fault in everything, and she feels it’s her duty to vocalize every negative thought that crosses through her head.
Kate has never attempted to disguise these qualities – not in the filmed “reality” of her day-to-day life and not in the interviews she gives on the now-famous couch. As the seasons went by, Kate took increasing heat for her behavior from bloggers, columnists and, I’m sure, assorted fans who took the time to e-mail her outlining her many character flaws. (I get these emails daily, and I just write a gossip column; I can only imagine the carnage of Kate’s inbox.)
To her credit (or to her detriment?) she never changed her on-camera persona. If anything, these grating character flaws became even more pronounced.
She continued to put her personality out there, unchanged, for the world to watch and criticize. Is this a decision she made intentionally? I’ve considered that, and I doubt it. Kate’s most prominent character flaw is that she unwaveringly believes she is right.
It’s apparent already in the early fifth-season interviews: She really doesn’t understand why Jon left. She is still totally unwilling to believe that she may be at fault. She does not see the role she played in the demise of this relationship. It’s a lesson we all have to learn at some point in life, and the earlier we learn it, the better off we are: We are not always right. We don’t always know best. We need to step back, look at contrasting opinions from outside observers, and consider their validity.
We need to be willing to make changes in the way we behave, in the things we believe. Life goes much smoother that way. But it makes far less interesting television.
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Sasha Pasulka is the founder and head writer for Evil Beet Gossip (www.EvilBeetGossip.com).

KATE’S STUNNING BIKINI OVERSHADOWS REAL ISSUE

Administrator — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:05:12 +0000

By MOLLY DAVIS
I didn’t think it was possible for the Jon and Kate scandal to get any worse.
Silly me.
The couple is reportedly under investigation by the Pennsylvania Labor Board to see if they are complying with child labor laws.
While a $2.5 million home is a far cry from a sweatshop, a complaint was made about the hours the eight kids devote to the show, “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” according to a Labor Dept. spokesperson.
TLC issued this statement:
“TLC fully complies with all applicable laws and regulations. ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8” is no exception. For an extended period of time, we have been engaged in cooperative discussions and supplied all requested information to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. We will continue to engage the appropriate officials and meet any standards or regulations that are applicable to TLC procedures.”
But what worried me is that people seem more concerned with Kate’s post-tummy tuck bod.
Pics of the rightful “octo-mom” title clad in a teeny orange bikini have been splashed all over the Internet.
She looks great.
No argument here.
Except for her reverse-mullet.
Seriously, someone needs to let her hairstylist know she’s dyslexic.
What scares me is that the pix of Kate and kids at the beach in N.C. are overshadowing what the main issue is…
The cameras constantly shadowing the eight adorable offspring.
While it may not seem like traditional “work” to the public, for all intents and purposes, it is a job.
And they should all benefit for their “jobs.”
Handsomely.
Trust funds should be set up, as well as college funds.
Have they done that?
I certainly hope so.
People watch the show for the kids – not for Kate Gosselin.
Sure, it’s enticing to watch their marital woes unfold.
Ultimately, though, the show’s success belongs to the multiples.
I hope they have someone in their corner that’s looking out for them…
Look out Kate, or people will sic Gloria Allred on you.
What also disheartens me are the supposed “fans.”
The audience has reared its ugly head.
Support of Kate and her ability to juggle eight kids, and everything that comes along with them, has turned on a dime and the public is salivating at the possible demise of the marriage.
Fame and fans are fickle.
Yes, I make fun of her hair and her bossy ways.
But I still tune in every Monday night.
So instead of everyone attacking the show and her parenting ways, I have a suggestion.
Change the channel.
Let the show die the old-fashioned way, instead of turning the whole obsession into a witch hunt.
No one is perfect.
Including Kate Gosselin.
Cut her some slack.
To quote a great philosopher:
“Sometimes the only way you can feel good about yourself is by making someone else look bad.”
– Homer Simpson.

VIEWERS WILL LOSE INTEREST IN GOSSELINS

Administrator — Fri, 29 May 2009 05:52:11 +0000

By SASHA PASULKA
Jon and Kate have an uphill battle ahead of them. It will be interesting to see how the show’s ratings work moving forward.
TLC just ordered 40 episodes for the upcoming season – probably because they know there won’t be another one.
The Season 5 premiere brought in more than 9 million viewers – that’s an unheard-of number for cable programming.
The next several episodes will see equally high ratings, but after that I expect they’ll drop off.
With eight adorable, innocent children involved, Americans will tire of rubber-necking as this family falls apart. It’s like staring at a terrible car wreck: at first it’s exciting, and then you start to feel kind of dirty and move on. Jon and Kate didn’t start off as a show about a train wreck.
It built its core audience on the appeal of those children and on two parents raising so many young kids in what was, at the time, a typical suburban home.
Today, they live in a mansion on a sprawling piece of land with multiple nannies, assistants and a film crew.
Regardless of what’s happening in Jon and Kate’s marriage, the story has become considerably less relatable for the average American.
Audiences tuned in en masse last week to watch the train wreck, but they’ll move on and lose interest in the Gosselins shortly.
The show is on its last legs. This presents a challenge for a family who has come to rely entirely on income from being famous. Kate has found success as an author and public speaker, and my guess is she’ll continue along that road.
She’s a fascinating on-screen personality – audiences may hate her and judge her, but they love to do so. If she plays her cards right, she can continue to work in television and as an author without actually putting her kids on TV.
If I were her, that’s what I’d do at this point: Refuse to film another season of the show with the kids, and instead focus on promoting herself as a super-mom personality for appearances and interviews.
As for Jon, he clearly has public opinion on his side, but he’s a less intriguing personality in the absence of Kate. Jon’s come to the same terrifying realization that a lot of young starlets have to deal with: Once you’re that famous, you’re famous forever.
It never ends and there’s no way out. The world doesn’t stop watching just because you need some alone time to put your life back together, to make some human mistakes in the process.
It’s almost a paralyzing concept – as scary to a 30-something Jon as it was to a 25-year-old Britney Spears. What Jon wants to do is back away from the spotlight and focus on his children and his personal life, and I expect that’s exactly what he’ll do as soon as this season ends.
Regarding all the speculation involving how this will affect the children: The biggest struggle they are going to face is, ultimately, having divorced parents.
Kids are resilient – the cameras were a part of their childhood, but they may not be a part moving forward, and that will be fine. Right now, paparazzi are stalking their every move because they’re a huge story, but, realistically, these people live in Wernersville , not the Hollywood Hills.
Eventually – and sooner rather than later – it won’t make sense for the photo agencies to pay photogs to wander around Wernersville waiting for a shot.
That attention will die down quickly, and the kids will get back to a normal life.
What it comes down to is this: These children are fed and clothed and housed and educated and supervised and, above all, very clearly loved.
I’ve watched every episode of that show, and I haven’t seen anything that even borders on abuse of the children.
If we, as a society, want to focus on the safety of young children, there are far more pressing cases off-screen that could desperately use the resources we’ve devoted to worrying about the Gosselin kids.
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Sasha Pasulka is the founder and head writer for Evil Beet Gossip.