Tuesday, August 16, 2011

'Real Housewives' husband commits suicide

“This show has literally pushed us to the limit,” Russell Armstrong told People about a month before he hanged himself in his L.A. home. 

The Armstrong's rocky relationship has been fodder for Real Housewives of Beverly Hills since the beginning of the show, and the second season was slated to chronicle their messy, expensive divorce. Taylor told People last month that this season of the show was going to be "hard for me to watch." The couple's five-year-old daughter was often featured on the show, including her lavish $60,000 birthday party. Although Taylor told People that Russell was abusive toward her, she was also quick to add that he is an amazing father and she wants him part of their daughter's life.

Will Bravo continue to air the marriage's downfall, even after Russell was found dead yesterday? What role did the stress of airing their dirty laundry on a reality show play in his death? Should their child have a right to have this last season kept private in light of her father's death?

58 sediments (sic) from readers:

mama mia said...

Out of respect for his children Bravo should not air this footage. But who are we kidding? Reality tv is all about mothers falling over themselves to eat their young for a paycheque.

AuntieAnn said...

Mama, so sad that there's a huge audience too, who love to devour this genre of tv. It's a new form of cannibalism. I'll take the good old sitcom any day. Or a nature show or a PBS real cooking show, none of the dumb competition crap that's on food network now. Reality tv in almost any form is getting to be pure garbage.

A Pink Straight Jacket For Kate said...

Pitiful.

And a cautionary tale for anyone interested in doing a reality t.v. show.

PJ's momma said...

How very, very sad. Two children will not have a father because of this ridiculous quest for fame, money, notoriety, all things that are fleeting and mean nothing in the end. My husband's best friend since childhood committed suicide in March and it has been ROUGH. And if it's rough for us, I can only imagine the emptiness, confusion and even anger that his devastated wife and children feel every waking moment.

She's such a c word said...

I believe that they aired footage of Kandi Burress' (Real Housewives of Atlanta) ex-fiance A.J. Jewell after he was murdered. Different set of circumstances entirely, but...

I think Bravo will air what they have. Season starts September 5th.

Reality TV kills another one.

Anonymous said...

And already it starts. One of the Sheeple recommended in the comments on a site (hollybaby? Sorry, they tend to blur together after a while), that Jon should "do an Armstrong". What a sad, sick and disgusting thing to say about another human being.

I never watched any of the RH shows, but I'm sorry for this man's family, especially that little 5 year old who won't have a daddy around as she grows up.

readerlady

Anonymous said...

And already it starts. One of the Sheeple recommended in the comments on a site (hollybaby? Sorry, they tend to blur together after a while), that Jon should "do an Armstrong". What a sad, sick and disgusting thing to say about another human being.
________________

And they call US the haters? Do they even realize what they sound like to other people?

Nobody Likes a Narcissist said...

Ratings are in, but I posted them in the previous post.

SmileyGrl - I mentioned something here earlier today when the suicide news came out, that I wasn't going to say it but I was thinking that the sheeple were going to go there, and predictably, those vile sheeple did. They've been bashing Jon like CRAZY all day, but most of it is between themselves on Twitter, they're leaving Khate's Twitter name out if it.

JudyK said...

First, I was shocked to read this--it's a very sad reflection of the toll and consequences exacted by some of these shows. I don't follow and have never followed any Gosselin blog but this one, but the comment by one of the sheeple on another blog that Jon should follow suit is an indication of the average I.Q. of the sheeple following Kate and of their dangerous, stalking, inappropriate remarks. It is just mind-blowing that Kate has put so much personal information out there by using Twitter as a personal Message Board for fanatic sheeple of such a mentally unstable caliber.

Jane said...

From TV By the Numbers

Kate Plus 8 TLC 9:00 PM 1325 0.5

Nobody Likes a Narcissist said...

I'm not sure if we've moved to this post or not. I posted back in the previous post because I was kind of leaving this post to be about the suicide, not about stupid Khate. I posted the ratings for the year back there. It was no big improvement just bumped up slightly to the level she was at in April with the season premiere and again in June, with all the media atteantion.

A Pink Straight Jacket For Kate said...

Sorry, OT:

Kate Plus 8: "Kate's Toughest Questions"

http://www.rr.com/entertainment/tv/article/rr/47851768/48774201/Kate_Plus_8_Kates_Toughest_Questions_/full



On the flipside, and not that it matters anymore:

(From tvbythenumbers)

Kate Plus 8 won’t be back after this season, but last night’s episode was up a tenth from last week to a 0.5 adults 18-49 rating for the 9pm episode.


*Boy- those ratings were released awful quick!*

A Pink Straight Jacket For Kate said...

Sorry Jane-

I didn't see your post until after I sent in my post.

Love,
Pink

Tamara said...

Does Kate's contract require that she cannot do anything on TV as Conan O'Brien's did? I would like to see Miss No Is Never No/The Laws Don't Apply To Me hauled into court. Unlike the psychiatrist TLC has the money and time to take it to the Supreme Court if they wish.

Jane said...

A Pink Straight Jacket For Kate said...
Sorry Jane-

I didn't see your post until after I sent in my post.

Love,
Pink
____________

No problem! I'm thinking I shouldn't have posted under this topic anyway.

Love,
'Jane' : )

JudyK said...

Her tweets are so self-servingly pathetic. I am despising her more and more and didn't think that was possible.

Anonymous said...

I've never seen this particular reality show but if it pushes an adult "to the limit"; think of what playing in front of the camera has done to the Gosselin CHILDREN. What is seen on TV is only a fraction of that which has been edited.

J. Heather Leigh said...

I put this on the other thread and I am not sure which one we are commenting on now.

My tweets to kate made it to an article. http://www.hollybaby.com/2011/08/16/kate-gosselin-kate-plus-8-twitter-canceled/

gotyournumberKate said...

How sad what reality TV did to this family. I'm sure there were other factors involved but I just can't understand why anyone would want to put their most intimate family issues on television. Very sad.

mama mia said...

I've not watched the Housewives series but went to twitter just now and searched, wow, these cast members have hundreds of thousands of followers, and I've never seen them on the Today Show, on the cover of People magazine. So where did Kate o so very wrong in not being able to command an audience? I noted one named Bethanny Frankel had over 53,000 just viewing one of her pics posted. It is a wonder Kate lasted this long on reality tv.

Tamara said...

Re Kate's hate-rant that Jon shouldn't have a say in his kid's lives because he only sees them 4 times a month: He still spends more real, quality time with those kids than she does. And she is locked in the same house/property with them.

Jon: 96/96 hours per
month loving, and parenting the kids

Kate: 1/624, and that is on the generous side.

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

While I don't condone anyone making their divorce public let alone filming it all for a reality show, I think it really has to be noted that Taylor went out of her way to say BUT when it comes to my daughter he's wonderful he's great.

She never trashed him as a father. She probably should have kept everything about them private but at least her daughter will never go back and read anything bad about him as her father like the Gosselin kids certainly might about their daddy.

And no say in his children's lives just because he doesn't have custody??? Kate should have just gotten a sperm vile. It's called parental rights, Kate. And unless you're bad for your kids you certainly do have a right to decisions about your kids. As I recall in the past she had no problem letting Jon have a say in these kids when he was the stay at home Dad. Also by Kate's own admission she had nannies five days a week! Heck maybe the nanny should have a say she was with them a lot more.

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

It's going to be very very interesting to see what Bravo will do about the whole divorce theme scheduled to air next season regarding Taylor and Russell. They have to know it's going to look downright disgusting of them to air it all given that he very likely committed suicide at least in part because of the divorce and the show. I'm watching to see how they will handle this, I'm sure there have been many meetings aleady.

HollyMo said...

I feel so behind the times here, in less than 24 hours!

Random thoughts here, carrying forward from 2 threads ago...

I can't believe how hard she threw Jon and Kevin under the bus - are we sure she didn't know she was cancelled? seems as if she wanted to make sure she got some revenge before she was gone.

Thank you admin for choosing me as a runner-up (that's my dog pooping!). And congrats to the winners!! If I had known the talent I was up against I wouldn't have entered.

As for the RHOBH husband committing suicide, not surprised. I think this is serious business and while I have strong feelings against kHate - I certainly don't wish that on anyone, not even her.
And I hope and pray those kids get lots of help!!

Hippie Chick said...

Of COURSE she followed shows about multiples since she was little; Hasn't she been planning this scheme all along? Well, it's over now...

Hippie Chick said...

Anonymous said...
I've never seen this particular reality show but if it pushes an adult "to the limit"; think of what playing in front of the camera has done to the Gosselin CHILDREN. What is seen on TV is only a fraction of that which has been edited.
----------------------------
I haven't seen it either, but I wonder the same thing. Good point. And how Kate is dealing with the cancellation must be hard on the kids as well. "No more this, no more that. We won't be able to do ANYTHING now." I'm sure the kids will love the fact that they won't have cameras in their faces, but Kate threatening them w/ no more material items & trips? No more getting out of school? And it's all because Kate won't get anything anymore. The kids could probably care less. I'm sure Jon will explain the GOOD reasons why this is happening...

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

WTF does Kevin have to do with anything and why is Kate throwing him under the bus NOW?

The last time Jodi and Kevin said anything about this hot mess was their testimony at congregational hearings, unpaid, sharing information with the committee about what they experienced, which they had every right to do for the sake of these kids and future kids in their state. Kate? That was April, 2010.

http://www.realitytvkids.com/2010/04/watch-aunt-jodi-live-at-child-labor.html

I.e. OVER A YEAR AGO.

She had her public forum to respond to that, she never actually refuted some of their accusations (hmmm?), and it was over. Why she would throw them under the bus over a year later is beyond me.

That's the thing with a narcissist. Cross them once and they will never, ever forget it. And what's more, they'll act like whatever you did to them happened yesterday. Sometimes you don't even KNOW what a narcissist is pissed at you about because it's so remote and unrelated to whatever is going on now.

Kate? Kevin didn't end your show. Your horrible ratings did. If Kevin ended your show then it would have been canceled after the hearings. It wasn't. In fact, remember this Kate? TLC, that network you hate so much, spent their money to hire a big shot lawyer from a firm in D.C. or some such to represent them AGAINST these child labor laws. This network you are now insulting had your back and big time.

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

For those who haven't seen it, I think it has to be said about how Russell was portrayed in the first season of Real Housewives. Not as a bad person by any means. A savvy businessman who brought the family a ton of money, but also as a very boring husband and not suited for Taylor. Taylor talked at length about how they were drifting apart and how she wanted to do A, B, and C and he wanted to do D, E, and F and they were never on the same page. In other words, his private marriage was criticized repeatedly. Her friends weighed in constantly too about how they didn't get her marriage, etc., etc. Maybe that was very hard for him to hear once it all actually aired, not to mention embarrassing. He was also portrayed as an inept father who didn't know how to deal with their daughter when left alone with her, basically a dad who manages to heat up some microwave pizzas and that's it.

When a show is criticizing you constantly like that, I cannot imagine how that would make a person feel. If you are already depressed or unstable, it could push you over the edge.

The same darn thing was done to Jon. I hope Kate hears about this and this causes her to reflect on how incredibly hurtful exposing someone's private short-comings can be on a person. It may have contributed to the suicide, absolutely. It could have been any number of people in reality TV who are portrayed negatively.

I think had Russell not said this show had pushed him to his limit, this wouldn't even be a story. But it was like he gave a dying message: this show did it. He was loud and clear.

a coincidence is not the same as an accident said...

Ever since just before the divorce announcement, I have truly wondered what kept Jon from doing the same.

He was mocked by in the media for his Ed Hardy wear, was referred to as a "douchebag," so many people thought he was a POS for "walking out" on his poor wife and 8 kids, and kate, Miss High Road Taker, has been bashing him in the media ALL this time. Her tweeple have not been kind to him, either.

I can only guess that his children mean more to him than the crap he's been through, and that's saying A LOT.
I can't imagine what it feels like, knowing that most of America despises you, and some people even wish death on you.

Jon isn't a perfect person, but he's a pretty damn good dad in my book.
Hang in there, Jon. I hope that support FINALLY turns to you, and everyone realizes who truly is the "douchebag" of your childrens' 2 parents. :-)

Donna said...

This couple, especially the wife, wanted to live a life that they couldn't afford to live. She spent $60,000, yes $60,000, on her 4 year olds birthday party. The child hated every minute of it. He died in deep financial debt trying to make her happy. She also accused him of severe physical abuse that there was no evidence of. IMO his wife placed the noose around his neck.

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

Here's an update, at least Bravo had the good sense to remove a preview video clip from the upcoming season in which there is a soundbite where Taylor says she feels like she is breaking. They also asked each cast member not to comment.

I think they are doing the sensible thing, just take everything down and ask everyone to please not comment until they can think this through carefully how best to handle it.

Just Dwindle Away said...

I dont know anything about this Taylor person, but right now I think she is Kate's idol. Coz that's about as far as Kate's mental illness lets her process things.

I dont understand all this 'reality' stuff. I have rarely watched any of it. Watched the Gosselins for a couple of seasons until the kids' 'first baseball game' was was in loge suite. Too staged for me and I felt those kids had just been cheated out of their game experience. That was the end of that.

I watched Deadliest Catch for a long time until Captain Phil died and then I couldnt / wouldnt watch the season that showed his death. Havent gone back.

I watch Ghost Hunters. And I did watch one season of RuPaul's Drag Race, which was staged and fun.

So I dont get it. Why do folks watch this? Why was this Taylor woman's marital problems considered good TV viewing? Why is HER business supposed to be more important to me than my sister's or my office partner's? After all, we PAY MONEY through cable and higher product retail to watch these shows. The folks I care about have enough woes without me seeking more out from the TV at the end of the day. I know I hear different ones say "It's my guilty pleasure" but how is it pleasure at all? If there is fun and silliness, cant I get that from Golden Girls or Royal Pains? Or out with my own friends on a Friday night?

Something in my brain doesnt comprehend why these shows get ratings and attention and even get made in the first place. I dont blame the networks as much as I blame viewers. Why do we think it is entertaining to be peeping toms into someone else's real life? Especially when we know much is staged and is hurtful to other people?

I am open to education on this coz I don't have enough understanding to feel any shock and awe here. Please dont beat me up here, just explain your thoughts. :)

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

Donna I have no doubt that Taylor is going over and over and over every choice she made and every word she said about him, especially over the course of the show. No doubt she is in agony over this. I do feel sorry for her that she is the poster child for what happens when you push it too far and make what should be private very public. It could have been anyone else in reality tv, this just happened to be where the chips fell and it was her.

I really do hope that something good comes out of this and people think twice before airing dirty laundry. Let this be on the minds of anyone who signs up for reality tv. Airing someone's private life, especially when they are going through a tough time, has finally resulted in something like this. What folks have been saying for years about how emotionally damaging this kind of thing has the potential to be has finally come true. It is just so sad someone had to DIE to bring attention to it.

Every mean word Kate says about people who love her and love her kids, you never know how much it is stinging them to hear your own family trash you publicly.

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

Just Dwindle, honestly? I think for a long time people watched these reality shows because there was nothing much else offered. People want to watch TV that's clear, and if all that's on is Westerns, well, you watch Westerns. That was the case in the 50's. And then became the case with reality. Now I don't know where you'd find a Western anywhere, it was just all that was offered. Reality tv has been around for several decades but really took off in the year 2000 with Survivor. Networks realized folks would watch and it could be made for CHEAP. So they made it not caring it wasn't quality, just caring about the numbers. And kept making it. And on and on. There was a long period in that decade when that's all that was on and most other scripted shows weren't that good. It was only in the past few years strong writing has reemerged and viewers have proven that if GOOD dramatic and comedic series are written, people will watch and watch in droves. In a strange way I'm sort of proud of viewers for really being loyal to some of these newer series and proving that YES, we want something better than the crap you gave us the past 10 years listen up!

There are at least a dozen good offerings I could name that I've either watched or read excellent reviews of over the past few years. Personally we just worked our way through Prison Break and thought it was excellent, and now are going through The Tudors and impressed so far. The good stuff is back, thank God.

Oh, and going back a few days but count me in for My So Called Life. I watched that from day one and I remember even then knowing how incredible it was. I cannot believe that show only got one season. It was one of the tightest, well-written, incredibly moving and REAL teen dramas to ever grace our screens, if not the best one. The strength of Everwood a few years back reminded me of it, it came close. They are so few and far between. One thing both of those shows had in common is they didn't dumb down teens. They gave them the respect they deserved and viewers were blown away. If you have Netflix, My so Called Life is on streaming.

Anonymous said...

Admin, It's a nice thought that Kate has heard about this tragedy and it might cause her to rethink her treatment of Jon. However, if she even knows this has happened, and given her level of self-absorption, I doubt that she does, it won't make a bit of difference in her behavior. There's a new article up at hollybaby where she says she doesn't regret bashing Jon. Apparently she feels it's justified because she and the kids "went through hell". Of course, we all know that it's the kids who are going through hell, and we all know who's responsible. http://www.hollybaby.com/2011/08/kate-gosselin-kate-plus-8-twitter-canceled/ .

readerlady

Anonymous said...

Sorry - the correct link is http://www.hollybaby.com/2011/08/16/kate-gosselin-kate-plus-8-twitter-canceled/ .

readerlady

TLC ship is sinking said...

Apparently she feels it's justified because she and the kids "went through hell".

What "hell" is Kate trying to imply here? That Jon was emotionally or physically abusive to her kids? That it was his fault that they are divorced? He completely deserted his family?

If by "hell" Kate means that Jon wasn't playing nice by fighting to take their kids off tv, then Kate is delusional. That's the sense I get from comments about Kate ranting about his parental rights. She's bitter than she doesn't have 100% control over those kids, to continue to use them as "money-makers" as she sees fit. Did she think that full custody would mean that Jon would have to give up his rights as their father?

Silly me...I thought Kate wanted full custody to spend more time with her kids. This was just another "win" over Jon for her. She treats those precious kids like material possessions.

If this was the biblical story about two mothers (rather parents) fighting over a baby, Kate would tell King Solomon that she'd want the bigger, better half while Jon would give the baby up.

TLC ship is sinking said...

Correction to previous post...that Jon was emotionally or physically abusive to her and the kids?

Just Dwindle Away said...

Administrator said... Just Dwindle, honestly? I think for a long time people watched these reality shows because there was nothing much else offered. People want to watch TV that's clear, and if all that's on is Westerns, well, you watch Westerns. That was the case in the 50's. And then became the case with reality. Now I don't know where you'd find a Western anywhere, it was just all that was offered. Reality tv has been around for several decades but really took off in the year 2000 with Survivor...

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I think you are the first person who has ever stated what I also believe - Survivor went through the roof because it was different, and the networks and faux-networks realized how cheap it was to produce this stuff. So they sort of all decided that 'we will air it, you will watch it and we will convince you that you like it. WE decide, not the viewers.'

In the early days of American Idol (which I also have never watched an episode of) a local DJ bemoaned the fact that he was being mandated to discuss the show every week while he was on the air. The radio station was being paid for their on-air staff to casually talk about Idol a certain number of minutes per day. Purchasing air time directly from TV and Radio personalities and calling it "news" was a new way of advertising and got Americans thinking this Idol thing was a huge deal. It was smart but shady advertising and by the way, that DJ was fired for disclosing that info on the air. I realized then that we were being manipulated.

Most times I think there is something wrong with me that I object to all this and wont buy into it. Sometimes they get me in spite of myself, like with the Gosselins in the beginning on the so called "Discovery Health Network", but for those of us that paid attention we realized by the 2nd special that this was destined to the "Kate & Kate plus Kate" show. Still, I gawked at the babies.

Everything you said above it so true. I guess I am just odd. We cancelled our cable in December. We have to go actively searching for what we want to watch on antenna or internet TV, no more scanning the guide and settling for the lesser of all evils. So I am even more out of the reality loop than I used to be. Not having cable in the house has had a long term refreshing and stress-reducing effect on us somehow.

I dont mean to criticize other viewers. I just think, especially in light of a guy killing himself over his reality show, that we should all think about why being a voyeur into strangers' lives and illnesses is so entertaining for us. Thanks for letting me vent.

Tamara said...

Just Dwindled, I am right there with you. I think that part of the Housewife viewership is there not to see drama, but to see wealth. The sick, pointless kind of wealth that gives 4 year olds 60k birthday parties and million dollar wardrobes, 10 bedroom mansions when you have three people in your family, more cars than you can drive in a year, and four walk-in closets full of clothes you don't wear more than once, if that, and don't even like but were bought because you heard that designer or boutique is IT by Zoe or the stylist of the moment.

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

Just Dwindle my feelings about reality are by no means original! It's simple, Survivor was sort of just a cheap gimmick and when it took off a million copycats followed, cheaper and cheaper. Since it was all that was left, people just picked whatever was the least boring and watched that. In a way, the reality tv craze came at a perfect time, just when American ran out of money to pay fancy writers and producers and all that, it was TV on a shoestring budget for a country in crisis.

I actually have been thinking seriously of cancelling my cable too. So it's working for you? I do have my favorite shows I'll admit it but it seems you can get most episodes of shows you are interested in via Hulu or Netflix, which in total would only be about 20 bucks a month.

My biggest concern is sports! I'm okay most of the year but college football season.... I heard there is something called ESPN3 you can stream which I've been reading up on a little, but I don't know if I can take seeing those football games on just a tiny little screen.

Now that Kate is gone and I won't need to recap, all the more reason to toss cable.

Unknown said...

I have never seen one of the many housewife episodes. I never will. But isn't it a pity that Kate could not remain married quite long enough to segue into that genre. Ah, another failure.

Tamara said...

Gosselin Gossip, thanks for the info. Interesting. I wonder how stiff TLC will be over any contractual rules and agreements they have?

Admin, I'm a big football fan too. What team/school do you follow? I'm a born and bred diehard Notre Dame fan, which most college football fans either love me or hate me for :) I also watch the NFL and was relieved when all the leagues business was finally worked out. Fall and winter without football would just be wrong.

Anonymous said...

I've never watched much "reality" tv. Can't stand AI, watched about 10 minutes of "Survivor" and found it disgusting, have never seen an episode of any of the RH shows. I do occasionally watch DWTS, if there is a competitor I like, but I usually record the show and fast forward through most of the nonsense. J&K+8 is one of the few reality shows I've watched. I saw the first special when I was stuck in bed with pneumonia, thought the kids were adorable, and got hooked for about 2 seasons. Never liked Kate, but I thought Jon got a bad rap and, as I said, the kids were adorable. I haven't seen an episode since they moved into the mansion. Most of what I know about the later episodes comes from the recaps here and on other sites. I do like cable TV, though. Where I live, you can get sound on one network and picture on another without cable. I just have basic, and I'm hooked on some of the scripted shows on TNT, USA and SyFy LOL. Plus I love baseball and am a big Cincinnati Reds fan, so I watch most of their games. I occasionally watch Netflix streaming, but usually have download problems, so I don't think I'll be giving up my cable anytime soon. More power to those of you who do. It sure would be cheaper.

TLC ship - I have no idea what "hell" Kate is referring to. She drops these "hints", suggesting something sinister about Jon, but then says her lips are sealed "for the kids' sake". Personally, I think it's just another way for her to bash him. He can't defend himself against innuendo. She can get all righteously indignant and claim she never said anything bad about him. She's a weasel, and she's learned all the nasty tricks.

readerlady

Starz22 said...

I really dont watch much reality tv. When I logged into my puter last night I saw kate + 8 was cancelled!!!! WOOT.This is what this blog has been after for years.These kids were over worked and under-paid.They have a mother (gag) who dosent give a rats ass about them.All she cares about is living the high life.Those kids were her pay checks.
Now we have a man in his 50's? (correct me if I'm wong pls) who couldnt handle the stress of a reality show ...where his wife berated him...talked smack...begged for pitty...was FORCED into the public eye...who DIDNT ask for this...who COULDNT handle it....and he took his own life? It speaks voulmes!!!

AMD said...

I think for many viewers that the fact that reality shows are broadcast on mainstream tv legitimizes the shows as well as the behaviour of the individuals on the shows. Unfortunately it's extremely bad behaviour that garners the ratings and thus the networks which produce these shows encourage it. There apparently are no boundaries or filters as to what is said and done. Sadly many impressionable viewers see this behaviour as being condoned because it is on mainstream tv and therefore feel justified in watching it (and emulating it). Many of us have learned from the Gosselin situation that reality tv is anything but. It is simply voyeurism, with potentially tragic consequences. I realized boundaries were being crossed when TLC didn't pull the plug during the Gosselin divorce. This sensationalist programming is just wrong, whether minors are involved or not. These are real people, not actors and the networks should take responsibility for messing with the lives of vulnerable people.

mama mia said...

I hope Beth Carson signs on to do a Reality Show entitled "My Book that Kate Gosselin Took Credit For, and Other Kate Gosselin Lies". It will begin with Beth revealing how much cash Kate managed to squeeze out of her church love offering baskets and how this was used to hire an agent and PR to promote the show. Next up Beth will tell how she and Jon both were contractually required to sit back and let Kate take credit for the book, doing the book signing tour. She'll also reveal that while Kate was doing her purse full of bills tour, Kate was receiving her million dollar cut from the book while getting her attorneys to lock up Jon's cut as child support. Then we'll have Jodi and Kevin on to tell how Kate used them as free babysitters while moaning to her sheeple about how expensive it was having to pay for help. Then a TLC intern can be interviewed on how everything we saw on the show was either comped by the sponsors or paid for by TLC, and how the cameras were deliberately prevented from showing the wealth Kate had accumulated while crying poverty. All the people she stiffed along the way from the chef, gardener, assistant, PR, agent, etc can then talk about how she never paid on time, they had to chase her down to get paid and how they kept those kids safe while she was in LA avoiding the icky cold PA weather while pretending to take dance lessons. Enter Tony who can tell all about how Kate put so little time and effort it was embarassing for him too having to film each week. And how clearly Kate was just there to collect a paycheque for doing nothing. Now the cast of DWTS can freely talk about how Kate thought she was a superstar and made stupid demands intended to convey she was a superstar and they all thought she was just some dumb illiterate phony wanna be from PA. Special appearances by Joy Behar and Barbara Walters to talk about how ABC was contractually obligated to TLC to keep Kate relevant but no matter how many times they had her on the View her lack of ease, talent, polish and ability to hold a conversation made all that hard work for naught. Perhaps John will agree to appear to share his tales of woe, though likely he'll remember she is the mother of his children and making her look any worse than she already does won't help them, so he'll pass. And this will make the sheeple start rumours that he owns the production company making this show and is thus secretly profiting off Kate. And if this show does air, I want my cut for suggesting it, lol

wayward said...

TLC ship is sinking said... Apparently she feels it's justified because she and the kids "went through hell".

What "hell" is Kate trying to imply here? That Jon was emotionally or physically abusive to her kids? That it was his fault that they are divorced? He completely deserted his family?
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Ya know.... isn't it interesting that Kate ramps up her attacks on Jon and drops previously unmentioned innuendos just when the show is canceled?

While we will never really know what went on between the two of them, if I had to guess I think the "hell" Kate is referring to is that Jon refused to be Kate's whipping boy any longer, hence her many "he turned into a different person overnight" comments. She might be thinking that if he had just remained the nutless wonder who muttered under his breath while he did what he was told, the show might still be on the air. What she doesn't get is that they are not actors, it was painfully clear they were unhappy and could no longer stand each other. On the other board, we used to joke about how they sat on the couch as far apart as they could be and how the tension could be cut with a knife. My favorite comment about the fake vow renewal in Hawaii was when someone said they looked like they were eating worms when they recited their vows. My favorite sheeple response to that is when one wrote on BMs site that we were "jus jellus of there luv."

She's not smart, but if she was she would keep her mouth shut and knock off the smack talk on Jon. I'm fairly sure he could ruin her if he talked. Click here

As the anonymous poster said, who posts about her experiences with the naricissist in her family (love her posts!) narcissists don't EVER blame themselves. Even the 20 yr. old Jersey Shore kids immediately branched out to expand their 15 minutes and generate fallback income. Not Kate. With her eight (count 'em) eight kids to support, she sabotaged all her other solo income opportunities. She intended to do the show until the tups were in high school. And that was it. Now that it's been axed, it's JON'S fault because he refused to obey and revolted. I really wish he would look into a gag order, perhaps he's letting her go to build a case of some sort.

Dallas Lady said...

Kate just tweeted that she's doing her courses by mail for recertification as a nurse this week.

Good for her and all (she'll probably need it, though I don't know who would hire her) but didn't she say just a few months ago (maybe six?) on one of those talk shows that she just recertified? Nurses surely don't have to recertify every six months, do they?

Dallas Lady said...

Ah, nevermind. It was longer ago than I thought. She renewed in October 2009 (wasn't she worried about the show not going on at that point?) and her current certification expires October 31, 2011. Just a couple of months.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/kate-gosselin---no-flash-20092710

Definitely a smart move to recertify, seeing as she has no talent to offer the entertainment industry, but I shudder at the idea of her being responsible for the care of anyone who is sick or hurt. Still, she very likely will have to go back to a regular job like the rest of us. And downgrade that house.

A Pink Straight Jacket For Kate said...

Dallas Lady said...

Ah, nevermind. It was longer ago than I thought. She renewed in October 2009 (wasn't she worried about the show not going on at that point?) and her current certification expires October 31, 2011. Just a couple of months.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/kate-gosselin---no-flash-20092710

Definitely a smart move to recertify, seeing as she has no talent to offer the entertainment industry, but I shudder at the idea of her being responsible for the care of anyone who is sick or hurt. Still, she very likely will have to go back to a regular job like the rest of us. And downgrade that house.

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Hate to be cynical about this but I have a funny feeling that she's just doing the same thing she has done in the past. Keeping her nursing certificate current, but not doing anything with it.

I am sure that narcissist has no desire to rub elbows with the "little people", who earn way below what she has become accustomed to.

Robin said...

So what exactly are the "courses" one must take to be recertified as a nurse that can be done by mail within the course of one week???? What kind of continuing ed is that?? And - didn't someone say her children go back to school next week? I find it disgusting that she is spending their last week at home with her "tweeties" and working on her own stuff. WTF.

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

Kateplusmy8 Your happy secure expressive & personable kids speak volumes about you as a parent!
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Funny, I assumed the kids were mostly a reflection of Jon, since he raised them during the most formative years.

mama mia said...

Now Kate, you are a NY Times best selling author, the sheeple believe you can spin words into gold and now you are letting them down once again with your internet nursing Plan B move. Don't the sheeple have rights here, Kate? Didn't you lead them to believe you are busy, busy, busy, hanging with the celebs, snapping your fingers, making things happen? And what about co-hosting the View? Wasn't that a paid gig and aren't you the gal with the gift of gab? And how come Sherri Shepherd, Brooke Burke and Joy Behar all got married and you didn't tweet them well wishes? I am really starting to think you are a charade my dear, the sheeple think you are the best, well organized, patient, kind, hardworking, god fearing woman on the planet. You are pretty much telling them to suck it.

Anonymous said...

Admin, reality tv did take off with Survivor, which started with a writers' strike. There were no new scripted shows that year so Survivor was born out of desperation. It was new and different and the public ate it up. Since more, bigger and better is the American way and reality was cheap to produce, we have been treated to reality overload ever since. I finally feel that the pendulum is swinging the other way; the public is burning out on anything with reality in the name. Personally, I will be happy to see the last of it, especially any "reality" show that involves children.

I ditched cable a couple of years ago and, shockingly, have not missed it one bit. I read more, sew more, talk to my daughter more and actually enjoy the shows I choose to watch. I am also a huge football fan and have been able to watch almost all the games I want to see either on tv or online. I am still a little surprised by how much I do NOT miss cable. I sure don't miss those ginormous cable bills!

fade2black
P.S. GO COLTS!

Matt Lauer, Bravo Producer and Russell's attorney said...

The Today Show did a very good segment this morning on Russell Armstrong's death. They mentioned how much more invasive a reality show is than people at first imagine.


http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/44172518#44172518

Realitytvkids.com ~ Administrator said...

You know Kate's ridiculous statement that Jon shouldn't have a say in the kids at all might have actually been cryptic. Jon has joint legal custody with her--50/50. This is medical, religious and educational decisions and would include decisions about contracts. If she tries to secure a new contract with a new network, Jon will either have to agree or she has to take him to court for the judge to decide. Waa-waaa! What network is going to want to waste time and resources fighting father in court on a show they have no idea will work? Not to mention the bad PR, for most people, excluding a few psycho sheeple, it looks bad to fight a father who is just trying to protect his children from further exploitation. I don't think there is a network out there willing to gamble on this when here are a hundred other show ideas they could go with that don't involve this mess.

Even though Jon lost his lawsuit in the end against TLC it's a really good thing he did it because he has set it up that if any other network tries to exploit these kids he's going to fight them tooth and nail. I do't

I think Jon has, perhaps inadvertently, done the best thing he can do to protect these kids from future projects--by provig that you'll have to fight him in court every time you try. Kate must be really pissed when and if this dawns on her that he has basically screwed her.

This is once against yet another perfect example of Kate not thinking big picture. By pushing Jon so much that he had to finally file suit against her, she very likely may have condemned her entire family and made them virtually untouchable by any other network not wanting to take on this risk. Kate and her stupidity strike again. She would have been tons better off negotiating with Jon behind closed doors maybe even getting him to agree to a special every few months or so. But no, greedy Kate wanted it all.

Not a Fan of Kardashian Anything said...

Well, I mean who spend millions and more on a wedding for a woman who was married for 4 yrs, then made a very "in your face nude sexual film" and is more concerned with being a really great role model for her younger sister on the Kardashian show?

The news is calling this American Royalty.

We have really gone down the drain is all I can say.

Kate Gosselin was nothing compared to this family who can't keep their underwear on; in additon to not being able to stay out of bed.

Watch your parental controls Folks. This family will ruin your kids.

By the way, this woman worse 3 different Vera Wang dresses during the wedding and reception.

We must not let this country become a country of material possessions when places like the areas hit hard by the Tornadoes still don't have the proper school clothes. This is pitiful in our own country. One out of 5 children are hungry and go to bed that way.

What has the Kardashian American Royality done for America lately?

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