Why the Gosselins Bug Me Part 2

I had always wondered where the grandparents were on the show. I thought maybe they didn't want to be filmed, but that they were still part of their lives. Sooo, I did some looking around the internet. Boy, was I surprised to read the various stories about why no grandparents are on the show OR apparently involved in their everyday lives. Then I read about the studio lighting installed in the house. And then Kate saying "we never really had a break" from filming (3 days a week, year round?)--well, that got to me also. What kind of lives were these children leading? Why were the cameras allowed to film them on the potty, being bathed, getting dressed?
My inside gut said "This is just wrong. Not right. End of story." If you don't see anything wrong with it, then please, stop reading. My main discomfort/disgust with the show is the amount of episodes being filmed (WAAYY too many--although zero would be fine with me) and the situations and parental commentary filmed for millions of viewers to see in perpetuity.
The end (material wealth) does NOT justify the means, IMO.
Many people have in the present and have had in the past large families. They do/did not need reality TV shows to survive and thrive.
The Gosselins have been the recipients of many donations of time, labor, money, and goods before they even had a TV show. I do not begrudge them the help they recieved when the tups were born. The Commonwealth of PA even created a job just for Jon Gosselin. Kate could have gone back part-time as a nurse when the tups began nursery school. They already had a respectable house in a nice little neighborhood. They never were really poor -- not homeless, not starving. IMO, they did not "need" to do a reality show as their only means of survival. They were a nice, middle-class family with multiples.
But the TV show has changed all that. The wealth and "celebrity" have changed them--and not for the better.

Why the Gosselins Bug Me

I used to be a fan of the show Jon & Kate + 8 -- for maybe the first season. Kate always kinda irked me, though--she seemed very negative for someone that was so "blessed." However, I wrote it off as resulting from the stress of having twins and sextuplets in a short period of time.

I also figured that getting some free stuff and making a little extra money for the family by doing some shows was not that bad of an idea. Heck, I was even glad for her when she got the tummy tuck--her belly WAS horrendously horrendous!

As a resident of PA, I was aware of some controversy regarding the state funded private nurse, but I was willing at that time to give them the benefit of the doubt--maybe it really WAS needed--I had no idea what having sextuplets was like, after all. And, as for Kate staying home with the kids, I figured full-time childcare for six babies would be VERY expensive and defeat the purpose of Kate and Jon both working outside the home.

Then came season 2. I wondered, "is this show still continuing?" Hmmm. I looked up some info on the internet. Interesting. People had quite strong views about J&K.
...to be continued...

Cock-eyed optimist

My goal in life is to be a cock-eyed optimist. No, I'm not really that happy-go-lucky. To people that don't know me, I may seem a little flaky, but inside its a different story (isn't it usually?). What I have come to learn in this life is that EVERYONE has problems, some serious, some not so much. On this planet of billions of people, there always will be someone who has it better than you, or worse than you. I've had my share of dark days, but if you wallow in it, you'll never overcome it. I fight pessimism and negativity within myself every day. However, I love to laugh--I love comedy--if it's funny, it's funny--it can be silly, inane, off-color, relevant observational--I don't care. Sometimes others think that because I laugh and have a sense of humor, I must be happy-- or stupid-- or that I must be weak-minded, easily amused. It's not so simple as that. I believe in the old saying that "laughter is the best medicine." When given a choice, would you rather laugh or cry? I do both, but I'd rather laugh.