15 Minutes, Gosselin Style

Kate Gosselin: 'Nothing tastes as good as thin feels'

2012-02-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

Is Kate encouraging the pro-anorexia movement?

Kate continues to be a horrible role model for teen girls and women. Her latest is this tweet, where she told a fan that this slogan (words eerily similar to what got Kate Moss in hot water) was one of her many mottos. In September, Kate tweeted a similar rallying cry: "Can never be tiny enough lol."

In light of all of Kate's young, impressionable fans, we plead with her to retract her comments and to stop saying things like this.

In 2009, another Kate, model Kate Moss, told fans she lives by the motto: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” The slogan was adopted by many pro-anorexia web sites. Moss was blasted by a variety of people in the industry, including other models and the groups Say No to Size Zero and Beating Eating Disorders (BEAT). The Advertising Standards Authority, a regulatory group in England, even banned t-shirts with the slogan.

Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. 24 million people suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U.S. A survey of female college students found that 58% felt pressure to be a certain weight, and of the 83% that dieted for weight loss, 44% were of normal weight.

Dance Moms chassés its way to stage exploitation

2012-02-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

What does a fake reality show do to a real kid's psyche?

Dance Moms, about a no-nonsense, abrasive Pittsburgh dance teacher and her young students, is turning into Jon and Kate Plus 8's biggest rival for Pennsylvania's most exploited kids. From ranking the girls in a pyramid each week, to filming the girls sad and crying when they make mistakes, to all the fighting that happens in front of the kids, this show is hot on our radar.

But turns out, even the star of the show admits a lot of it is fake.

When asked about the infamous pyramid, in which the same girl is usually on the top, dance teacher Abby Lee Miller told TV Guide:
I've never done that in my life. That has nothing to do with me. That's the show. They came up with that whole process. The whole pyramid thing was for the show because we could not do a new solo for every single child, and a new group and new duets and trios every single week. There's just not time available.

As for the constant competitions in which the girls have just a week to learn their routines, Miller said:
All these competitions we're attending, I've never attended in my life. Teaching children a routine in a hotel hallway that they are performing onstage the next day? That's insane. Nobody would do that.

But Miller does admit she likes the perks of a reality show:
For the first time in my life at my age, I was at a dance convention, not sleeping on a roll-away, not on an air mattress with seven other kids in my room, but I actually had my own room. I thought, at this point in my life, I have done amazing things and I have dedicated my entire life — I don't have a husband, I don't have children — to my students. And this involves me. And it's the only thing I've ever done for myself and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

So, real little girls living real lives. But, fake ones, sort of. A lot of it. Has Lifetime thought at all about the psychological implications this fake reality is having on little hearts and minds?

'Home Improvement' child star arrested on DUI charges, 'Harry Potter' had a drinking problem, and Aaron and Nick Carter's sister overdosed at 25

2012-02-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

It's been a sad week for former child stars, and reminds us of some of the serious problems fame brought to all three of the following kids. Here is the round-up.

Taran Noah Smith arrested. The youngest Home Improvement kid was arrested after police found pot in his car. In 2001, he sued his parents over the money he made as a minor, alleging they were squandering his trust fund, including a house and a boat. "My mother always used to tell me to look out for the sharks, people who were going to take my money," Smith said. "Turns out she was talking about herself."

Daniel Radcliff was an alcoholic. The Harry Potter star admits he had a drinking problem. "I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work … I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone. Dead behind the eyes.” Radcliff points to the pressures of all his obligations to the public as to why he turned to alcohol. "I was living in constant fear of who I’d meet, what I might have said to them, what I might have done with them, so I’d stay in my apartment for days and drink alone. I was a recluse at 20.” Radcliff also reveals how he was bullied in school for being a child star, and how hard it is to go out in public and be recognized all the time.

Leslie Carter overdoses. The sister of pop stars Aaron and Nick Carter was featured on the reality show "House of Carters" with her siblings. She overdosed earlier this week.

The Carter children have had a long-standing feud with their ex-manager--their mother. In 2007, 20/20 interviewed the family (for the second time). Reporter Chris Connely asked Nick and Aaron, "You know a lot of people out there are saying, guys, she sacrificed her life for these boys' careers, she gave them every opportunity. These ungrateful boys." To which Aaron replied, "But at the same time, we gave her a job for 12 years."

Aaron expressed frustration with his mother's mismanagement of his money. He believes his mother did not pay him what he earned. "She's lied so much that she has to cover a lie with a lie," he said.

When Jane Carter asked what the price of fame was, she said, "The loss of my family." Four out of five of Jane's children were estranged from her, as well as her ex-husband. At the time of the interview, Aaron lived with his father. Ironically, Leslie Carter was the only child not to be estranged from her. Jane was her manager. "It's going be fun this time," Jane said.

"Leslie, my advice to you would be, don't let mom manage you," Aaron said in 2007.

Mady and Cara to travel with Kate on Cruise

2012-02-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

Looks like Kate has resorted to using her own children to try to get people to book a spot on August's celebrity cruise on Royal Caribbean. After weeks of begging people to sign up, even adding "morning runs" with Kate to the itinerary, she's finally tweeted this:

Kateplusmy8 Kate Gosselin

Yep. It's true! Mady and Cara are sailing too! Can't wait to have a big girls week with our fans! Join US! kategosselincruise.com

2 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Will the children have obligations to the fans too, or do they get to just be kids?

Kate in Runner's World

2012-01-31T18:29:00.000-08:00

Kate is featured in this month's issue of Runner's World. And the article, is like, you know, um, really fascinating!

Says Kate on why she decided to run a full marathon:

“ My goal was to run half this year, full next year. I just changed it a few weeks ago. One day I was like, I totally won't feel like I completed it. I can't describe it. I wasn't doing the whole thing, and I wouldn't feel good about it. I didn't want to leave there wondering if I could have done the whole thing. It's so funny, because a friend of mine said, 'I really think you can do the whole thing.' I was like, 'Be quiet, I'm not doing the whole thing. You're scaring me, I'm not doing it.' She's like, 'I'm serious. You can do the whole thing.' I literally yelled at her for telling me that. I talked to another friend, and she said, 'I totally agree with her.' I was literally panicking. Then I hung up the phone and was like, they both think I can do it. And also those thoughts in the back of my head, You won't have completed the whole thing. Then I was like, "Okay, I'll do the whole thing." ”

K.G. phone home ???

Donny Osmond: 'It would have been nice to have a simple life'

2012-01-30T08:17:00.000-08:00

Donny and Marie are doing their own celebrity cruise next month, which made us wonder how, 40 years later, they feel about their childhoods in the spotlight

And it turns out, there are some disturbing similarities to the Gosselin kids.

Children made to work when sick.

The Gosselin kids had to work when they had double ear infections and were severely constipated. Donny had to work when he had appendicitis. Although he was experiencing severe symptoms, 15-year-old

Donny put on his show before being rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.

"It was only years later that I thought: 'I'd had a major operation, I almost lost my life," Donny said.

Losing their money.

When asked about his family spending his money he earned as a kid, Donny said, "I have never asked for the details. What was I going to do about it?"

Osmond's father and brother Alan are reportedly plagued with guilt over misguided investments that nearly bankrupted the family.

"Choosing" to be famous.

"I think I was coerced into the business, the Osmond Business," Donny said. "I look at the alternative - a very simple life. It would have been nice to have a simple life." You mean, Donny wishes his life were more mediocre?

Donny once wrote to his mother begging to let him come home. His parents said no. "I was nine years old and on a six-week tour of Sweden with my father, playing three shows a day."

"I've been in it all my life and I don't really know anything else. I've never really known it any other way and maybe that's an advantage. Maybe it's a disadvantage," Marie said.

As for the Donny and Marie cruise, it's nice to know there are celebrities out there who are honest about what you are getting for your money. Their cruise is also jam-packed full of events, and sails next month during a Hurricane-free time.

Kate: Jon is 'trying' to be a good Dad, the kids are 'now okay going there'

2012-01-24T09:46:00.000-08:00

Kate can't resist throwing Jon under the bus on Dr. Drew, which will air Feb. 22

She says Jon is working now, and says that things are more "peaceful" now, not because of anything she changed of course, but because Jon is "happier" with himself.

Funny, Kate claims the kids are "now okay" going to Jon's. Because we remember this downright disturbing video from August 2010 when the kids were returned to Kate screaming and crying for their daddy. It looks like they were not okay at all with leaving Jon, actually, Kate! Maybe she's confused, maybe she means they are now okay going back to her?

Get The Look: You too can dress as swagish as Kate, and for much cheaper

2012-01-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

We found Kate's look for just $29.48 total.

1. Foil dress: Reynolds wrap heavy duty foil, Target, $4.99.

Thanks, AuntieAnn!

2. Over processed hair extensions: Hay, free at your local chicken farm.

3. Hooker heels too small for your feet: Costume Supercenter women's jumbo feet, $12.99. (Please supply your own hooker heels tucked away in the back of your closet from the college years)

4. Your own personal booby guard: Inflatable bodyguard to make you interact with the pesky fans, Bluw Inc., $11.50.

Kate in Los Angeles

2012-01-19T08:14:00.000-08:00

Kate is scheduled to appear on Dr. Drew's Lifechangers, and interview with Extra and with a Mommy blogger today

Extra does TV spots from The Grove, a famous shopping center near Beverly Hills, and Kate is on the line-up today. She will also interview with This Week in M.O.M's Diane Mizota, who promises to ask Kate some "real" questions.

Kate and Steve at The Grove, SplashNewsOnline

When the butter hits the fan: Paula Deen's unhealthy reality

2012-01-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

The beloved Food Network southern cook is a diabetic. And some say, a liar and a fake, too.

Comfort food connoisseur and butter and egg lover Paula Deen confirmed a long-standing rumor today--she has Type 2 Diabetes. But Deen didn't just learn of the diagnosis yesterday. She was diagnosed three years ago, and has continued to cook and dish up her high-calorie comfort food and maintain an unhealthy weight all the while keeping her health problems a secret from her adoring public.

Are TV stars obligated to disclose information like this about them, especially when it might seem hypocritical? This brought to mind Jon and Kate's elaborate marriage renewal in Hawaii. We found out later, the marriage was seriously on the rocks. Jon and Kate also downplayed all the money they made from their TV show while they continued their speaking circuit asking for donations.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57360118-10391704/paula-deens-type-2-diabetes-is-her-cooking-to-blame/

Hey, Kate Gosselin looks just like Mrs. Wiggins

2012-01-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

Breaking News: Kate's doppelgänger has been located.

Cardiogirl.net

And it's that hysterical, and rather cotton-brained secretary Mrs. Wiggins from The Carol Burnett Show. (Just because we feel like being completely silly this long weekend. Happy MLK Day.)

Kate wraps up conference with CouponCabin.com in Las Vegas

2012-01-11T22:19:00.000-08:00

According to our Affiliate Summit conference PR rep contact, Kate met with CouponCabin's top merchants including Home Depot, Sears, Macy's and Restaurant.com. She also attended a happy hour at Cleopatra's Barge at Caesar's Palace. According to the rep, "attendees were really excited to meet Kate and she happily posed for photos with anyone who asked." Kate was also on hand to help CouponCabin accept an award from Share-A-Sale (an affiliate network) for "Top 1% Sales-Generating Affiliate Marketer of 2011."

A fellow tweeter also spotted Kate and Stevie-boy at the Human Body exhibit and Titanic exhibit.

Special thanks to PR rep Lauren for sharing these with us.

Are the veggie burgers and organic healthy eating facade getting to Kate?

2012-01-09T21:26:00.000-08:00

Kate lets loose at McDonalds

Just before Kate jetted off to Las Vegas, she was spotted in the Lancaster area at none other than ... McDonalds!

According to a very sweet employee who works at the Lititz, PA McDonalds (via Facebook):

XXXX XXX

Celebrity day at work....just served Kate Gosselin!!!!

Kate has spent the better part of the past year and beyond constantly talking about health food. In fact even today she was bragging about a veggie burger and some rice and sweet potatoes. Maybe she cannot keep up with the lies anymore and just needed to chow down on a Big Mac? We don't blame her. Dear, Kate: Quit the act and admit it, you just want a nice juicy burger sometimes like the rest of us mediocre.

To put it simply:

Blech!:

Kateplusmy8.com

Yummy, real food!!!!

Kate at affiliate conference in Las Vegas

2012-01-09T19:19:00.000-08:00

This week, Kate is slumming it with the mediocre who make their living on the internet. Kate is attending the Affiliate Summit conference in Las Vegas as a Coupon Cabin rep.

Which way to the grifting suite please?

This is your grifting suite??! WTF!!!

Zzzz ....

ZZZZZZZZZZ. Steve, bring me my boxed wine. Steve?

Rat claws goes undercover?

Book a Royal Caribbean celebrity cruise with Kate next August

2012-01-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

No, this is actually not a parody dreamed up for a few laughs by the nonbelievers on a slow Friday night. Kate really is joining Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas August 12-19, 2012. For just several thousand dollars (plus flight to Ft. Lauderdale, plus hotel the night before, plus tips, plus alcohol, plus shore excursions, plus fuel surcharge of $70/day if fuel goes over $65/barrel), you too can:

Meet Kate Gosselin at our private welcome cocktail party
A commemorative personalized gift from Kate (one per family)
Capture your memories onboard with a personal photo with Kate Gosselin
Join Kate for a private BBQ on deck with a fabulous band
Join Kate for a morning brunch
Fun fun family games with Kate and staff
Charity dinner with Kate (optional)
Got questions for Kate? Attend her Q & A session
Check out Kate's latest book and bring it onboard for a book signing
Doesn't Kate always have the best ideas! Learn a new craft from the professional herself
Let's explore! Shore excursion with Kate
Let's talk about our fabulous cruise experience! Private group farewell dinner

Oh by the way, if Kate doesn't show up for whatever reason, I don't know like if Steve gets a splinter, you're SOL. According to a press release, two of the children will be going. For more information and to sign up, check out the official web site. http://www.kategosselincruise.com/

Kate scheduled to travel to Las Vegas and Bermuda this month

2012-01-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Kate will make a lot of memories in the new year--but without the kids

Coupon Cabin confirmed that Kate will attend a marketing conference in Las Vegas this weekend. And the next weekend, she's off to get some sun in Bermuda to support a charity about premature birth awareness. Freebies? Sign her up! Here is the press release:

The Diamonds & Caviar Gala
Bermuda (Syncairly Yours Foundation) January 4, 2012- Syncairly Yours Foundation will be hosting their first Diamonds & Caviar Gala to raise awareness about mothers and families affected by premature childbirth at the Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Bermuda.

The founder of Diamonds & Caviar, Molessia Joynes, was inspired by the survival story of her grandson, Syncair Smith, (now 13 months old) who overcame the trauma of premature birth thanks to the selfless intervention of hospital staff, friends and family members. Her family is also struggling with the extraordinary medical costs of more than $1 million that resulted from the uninsured status of Syncair's mother.

January 13th-16th, 2012, celebrities will unite to support a cause very dear to their hearts in a celebration of giving back, embracing new life, and spreading global awareness about the rise and increase in the problematic influx of premature births and its affects.

Diamonds & Caviar embodies the idea that a luxury experience can be the catalyst that connects the finer things in life with the realities of shared sacrifice that are required to achieve a common objective. Participants are encouraged to use the event to network, exchange ideas and promote further collaboration.

The first celebrity to embrace this vision was the International Entertainment Mogul Qadree El- Amin. As a former manager for global superstars such as Michael Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Boyz II Men, and Janet Jackson, he has recruited a team of celebrities to attend the event and ensure that the message is well received by their industry counterparts.

A list of “who’s who” will be in attendance at this much anticipated event of the New Year. Diamonds & Caviar will be a private event where celebs lend their talents and support to shed great light on a worthy cause. Invited guest include Health Advocate news and legal correspondent Star Jones, Emmy Nominated co-host of the award winning talk show The Doctors, Dr. Lisa Masterson, Humanitarian, Holly Robinson Peete, Kate Gosselin from Kate Plus 8, actor, Hawthorne’s Vanessa Calloway, The Game’s Wendy Raquel Robinson, VH1’s Baseball Wives Anna Benson, Our Family Wedding’s Lance Gross, The Heart Specialist’s Brian White, from the Temptations actor Leon, legendary musician Teddy Riley, Macy Gray, Marvin Gay meets Miles Davis’ Johnny Britt, Grammy Nominated singer/songwriter, humanitarian, and younger sister to Wyclef Jean; Melky Jean, X Factor’s Stacy Francis, Nuwamba, Salt N’ Pepa, Tony Terry, and many more.

If you’d like more information on this topic or for press inquiries, please call Love Logan 973- 626-9720 or email Love at LoveLoganProductions@gmail.com

'I'm not going to be ignored!': When fans become dangerous

2011-12-31T11:48:00.000-08:00

It may be a campy cult classic, but many celebrities have had fans with fatal attractions. Kate tweeted this today: FYI-getting a lot of emails thinking I'm ignoring/forgetting u all. I'm doing my best 2 read&respond.Pls b patient w/ this busy girl!XO2all

Uh oh. Has she thought about the many other celebs who have experienced serious, sometimes even deadly problems with their fans? Here are just a few.

1. John Lennon's death. Mark David Chapman got John Lennon's autograph and shook Sean Lennon's hand (Sean was five at the time) just before he shot and killed the singer in 1980.

2. Selena's death. Yolanda Saldívar was president of Selena's fan club and worked her way up to managing Selena's clothing stores. Selena's designer quit because of Saldivar, calling her "possessive." When Salvdivar was accused of embezzling money, she fatally shot Selena in 1995.

3. Jodi Foster's stalker. In 1980, Ronald Reagan was almost killed by John Hinckley Jr., Jodi Foster's stalker. Foster spoke with Hinckley on the phone a few times when he called. "Over the past seven months I've left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me," Hinckley wrote in a letter to Foster just before the shooting. Foster has had at least two other stalkers since Hinckley.

4. Rebecca Schaefer's death. Robert John Bardo wrote letters to Schaefer for three years, showed up on the set of My Sister Sam, and sleuthed out Schaefer's private address through DMV records before shooting her at her front door. (After her death, the CA DMV changed its privacy laws).

5. Michael Douglas's stalker. Speaking of Fatal Attraction, fantasy became reality when an obsessed fan fell in love with Douglas and decided that his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones had to go. Dawnette Knight wrote in one of her letters, "She will be dead before she'll be able to blink an eye. Michael can finally be happy with his kids when the bitch is dead.'"

6. Sheryl Crow's stalker. One of her fans said that the singer was his "spiritual twin" and said they were "spiritually connected." Ambrose Kappos was arrested in 2003 after hopping into Crow's limo.

7. Gweneth Paltrow. Dante Michael Soiu showed up at her parents' house numerous times (where she often stayed), and sent the actress countless packages and letters. The FBI had to get involved. “I am more than a fan,” he said in one letter. “I have formed a soul union with you.” He was convicted in 2000.

Maybe it's time Kate get off Twitter.

'Our long national nightmare is finally over'

2011-12-28T06:27:00.000-08:00

Kate is making a few Year in Review lists this week, and it's not pretty.

Said MSN TV of the Kate Plus 8 cancellation: "It was just the back-to-school treat many incredulous viewers across the nation were hoping for, incredulous that Kate Gosselin had stretched her 15 seconds out so long."

And David Hiltbrand of The Philadelphia Inquirer had this to say: "Certainly, we can all celebrate the fact that a pair of ruthless despots were deposed in 2011: Moammar Gadhafi and Kate Gosselin."

Ouch!

http://tv.msn.com/tv/year-in-review/year-in-reality-tv/?photoidx=5

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/12/27/3339278/dave-on-demand-the-television.html#storylink=cpy

Kate’s Top Ten Worst Moments of 2011

2011-12-23T19:21:00.000-08:00

In our second annual recap of a year of sediment, Kate astounded us once again with her often pathetic, sometimes hysterical-ish, and usually atrocious behavior. From a 'naked' Red Cross photo, to her twit-rageous Twitter account, to some of the worst insults she's ever thrown at Jon, here is our year in review.

10. No shirt, no shoes, no service: Kate's naked Red Cross photo. When the Red Cross sent out blankets to a variety of local celebs to get them to support home fire relief, most of them graciously donned them and submitted modest and appropriate photos for the Red Cross web site. Kate, however, decided to wear a low cut top and snuggle up on her couch barefoot wrapped tightly in the blanket, giving the photo the appearance of her being naked underneath. In the charity's biggest scandal since they told the Dixie Chicks to F off, the Red Cross had to waste time they should have spent helping people in need to ask Kate to choose a different photo. And after a few days of stubbornly holding out, Kate actually complied--although the come hither photo remains on her personal web site.

9. You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on. Kate's trashy birthday in NYC. If the Sarah Palin camping trip was 2010's fleecing, this surely was 2011's. Kate just about lost the last of her flock after the episode "Kate's Night Out" aired, a bizarre departure from the typical family fare. The episode featured BFF (though not for long) Jamie surprising Kate with a trip to NYC for her birthday. They drank for about two days straight, there was some foot licking involved and awkward techno dancing ("You got a problem???" one Jersey Shore-sounding NYC clubber asks Kate. Ha.), Kate spills to a complete stranger/planted extra/Steve lookalike about her divorce, Jamie and Kate share a bed so they could wake up hung over together, there may have been a tiger, a baby and a missing tooth involved at some point, and worst of all, the kids cried their eyes out when Kate left home for this. The only redeeming factor was when Jamie called Kate a princess and said it's always about Kate's world. Oh, there will be more calling out to come from this BFF, hold onto your organic hats.

8. Occupy Stupidity. In an embarrassingly desperate attempt to keep the ailing Kate Plus 8 off life support, by order of the Queen, Kate decrees to her fans that must henceforth go forward and make Save Kate + 8 signs, display them to all the townships in the kingdom and take photos documenting it. The prize for the best sign: an autographed I Just Want You to Know, appraised at about six cents. No, this really happened. In response, we made our own Don't Watch signs here, and the two winners, Dwindle and Fade2black, both donated their Target gift cards to charity. Kate's show was cancelled the very next day. Heh.

7. Travel is 'knowlege'. Sort of. The twit joins Twitter. Psychology graduate theses will one day be written based solely on this account. If ever there was solid proof what her non-fans been saying all along about the extent of this woman's narcissism, poor parenting, and mental illness, her tweets were it. Actually, turns out, we were understating it. Thanks, Twitter.

6. Jon and Kate editor arrested for child porn. As were most people with their heads on halfway straight, Jon was shocked and dismayed that someone busted on multiple counts of child pornography was an editor for Jon and Kate Plus 8 and very likely had access to thousands of hours of footage of his kids. Jon, who said he had met Blankinship, was consulting an attorney as to how to proceed. As for Kate, she was just concerned about her own liability: Why, she didn't even know the guy! Well, he sure knew your kids.

5. Sorry officer, I was leading in the Indianpolis 500, but I think I took a wrong turn! Kate's four traffic tickets. If ever Kate was given the benefit of the doubt, it was on this one. It wasn't until Kate was caught going 88 mph in a 65 zone (one of four tickets in two years), incidentally, just hours after Joy Behar suggested she try lesbianism--and then Kate actually joked about speeding, we called foul. As for flipping to the other side, we don't think the lesbians want her.

4. Losing! Kate's therapist sues for unpaid earnings, and wins. Someone finally took this grifter to court, and actually won! You see Ms. Lafair expected to get paid for services rendered--silly Sylvia--but must have forgotten this is Kate we're talking about--she even grifts paper towels. Instead of just quietly settling the dispute, Kate publicly fought her tooth and French-tipped nail--and lost when the judge ordered her to pay up her $10,000 debt. Because no never means no, Kate appealed of course, and it was then that Lafair realized she would be fighting this woman until they were both cutting coupons for Depends, and for her own sanity, dropped the suit. Poor LaFair never knew what hit her.

3. Beep-beep, beep-beep, yeah! Kate buys an Audi sports car. Although she spent the bulk of the year still trying to convince us she is two food stamps away from living in a shack, telling us the savings for the kids are "not even close to what they'll need," and tweeting that she can't even afford gymnastics for them, Kate's spending habits when it comes to herself have been anything but frugal and protective of the children's hard-earned money. From lavish trips to NYC to Australia to the Kentucky Derby to Las Vegas, to the mother of all purchases, an Audi sports car--a car she hid from the public for months until a pap outed her, Kate's biggest lies this year have been about ~~her~~ the kids' finances.

2. Kate insults the backbone of America: God Bless the Mediocre! Kate thought she was just dissing Jon again like she always does, snarking on his 9-5 job out of the public eye and saying he was content with "mediocre" for the kids, but that she wants more than that for them. But really she ended up giving the finger to all the hard-working moms and dads everywhere who work their butts off at the best jobs they can get to support their families as best they can. It was so insulting that even idiot Sherri Shepherd, one of Kate's last remaining celeb sheeple, was like, WTF, girlfriend! And finally jumped ship.

Kate's behavior was so atrocious this year we just couldn't narrow it down to a top 10. So before we reveal number one, here are a few incidents that were a strong runner's up:

Kids? Yawn!!! Kate tweets that the kids' field trip was "dull."
Freebies from the teenies. Kate accepts countless birthday and Christmas gifts from her young fans, including food, encourages them to send more, rarely manages to thank them, and never once suggests they donate to charity instead or perhaps save their money for college. Half the purpose of her twitter account seems to be to grift from those less fortunate than her, from Starbucks to cereal to iPads.
Let the orphans eat cake. Kate leaves the kids yet again, this time to go run a marathon in Las Vegas. And gives the kids a cake! Not an "I miss you" cake or an "I love you cake," but a "Go Mommy Go" cake. Yummy, I love the flavor of narcissism. Hope they didn't choke.
Pulitzer Krize: Hello, who is this?--You called me.--No you called us! Reading Eagle exposes the real order of how it all went down. Turns out, when Kate was pregnant with the sextuplets she called up the Reading Eagle first to ask them to cover the story. We always thought the spotlight wasn't dumped in Kate's lap as she likes to pretend, but rather she sought it out. Thanks to the Reading Eagle, our suspicions were confirmed.
Who's your Daddy? We're all for all kinds of families, but this was ridiculous. Kate said when the cameras are off the crew are like dads to the kids, helping them, playing games with them, etc. Later on, she retweeted a tweet about how Jon "ruined" the family but she "healed it." When Jon and Kate editor Bill Blankinship was arrested last October, her daddies comment just got that much creepier, didn't it?
Crikey??? Australia Zoo Auction. Australia's favorite child exploiter Terry Irwin got Kate to fly Down Under again and donate a lunch with fans to the financially troubled zoo. But the actual amount the item sold for has turned into the biggest coverup since the JFK assassination. And a perfect example of why that zoo will fail, and soon.
Silent Night, Holy child exploiter. Kate interrupts a peaceful and reflective candlelight Christmas Eve service to take a picture of the kids with their candles and post it on her Twitter account.

And finally--drumroll please! Kate's worst moment of 2011 was ...

1. Who moved my boobyguards's pizza!!!: The RV trip from hell. It's bad enough to spend two weeks with Kate in a cramped RV that broke down every ten miles (Jon, did you cut the brakes?). Even worse when Kate chooses her "boyfriend" over her own kids. When Kate yelled at Jamie, Ashley, and the kids for eating Steve's pizza, touching it with bare hands, and gasp, having an HD TV in their RV, a knock down drag out ensued. Jamie called Kate childish and said "it's all about him, isn't it?", the nanny quit, and it was so bad Anderson Cooper even put it on his RidicuList. No one has ever been more deserving. "Middle-aged bodyguards can get pretty cranky if their routine is thrown off. You know lunch, juice box, binky, nap," Anderson said.

As for the best moment of 2011? Kate and Steve's romantic date at the Kentucky Derby, partners, inspiring this favorite photoshop of y'alls, our most popular post of the year.

http://www.realitytvkids.com/2011/05/two-bits-to-get-yalls-purdy-picture.html

Here's wishing everyone a great new year!

Local photographer captures photos of Kate at Target

2011-12-19T22:54:00.000-08:00

Up and coming Berks County photographer Shawn Rutkowski ran into Kate at Target the other day and whipped out his camera. The young artist captured a softer, gentler side of Kate we don't see that often as she shopped for paper towels, storage containers and feminine products. Shawn is graciously letting us post the photos here.

Thanks, Shawn, for sharing your work with us. You can check out more of Shawn's stunning photos at his web site, especially more of his awesome portraits.

Kate accepts many Christmas gifts from fans

2011-12-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Kateplusmy8 Kate Gosselin
Just opened last weeks mail..Thanku Leigh & thanku Colleen for Christmas gifts! Wow!Haven't opened so theres surprises on the day!Very kind!

This just keeps happening. Is this ethical? We sure don't think so.

Audrina Patridge says reality T.V. takes a toll on relationships because 'your mindset is to create good TV'

2011-12-12T20:36:00.000-08:00

Love vs. Money

Although Kate has always downplayed the role of the show in the disintegration of her marriage, there's no question that reality T.V. is stressful on relationships.

Audrina Patridge, 26, one of Tony's kinder, gentler DWTS partners and star of The Hills, took a break from seven years of filming this year, and says now things in her personal life are more balanced as a result: "It's hard on relationships, so after the show, Corey and I really worked on what was going on with us. We spent time together. I took five to six months off to just relax. With seven straight years of filming, I didn't really get time to organize my house or do things for myself, so I just took some time off. I moved to the beach."

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20551720,00.html

No follow-up specials for Kate Plus 8?

2011-12-07T23:42:00.000-08:00

Kate tweeted today that she doesn't think any specials are going to happen.

Kateplusmy8 Kate Gosselin

@XXXX don't think there are going to b any ....:(

Although a network rep told People last August, "TLC hopes to check in with Kate and the family periodically with specials in the future," Kate doesn't sound very hopeful. Who put the kibosh on this one? Jon? TLC? The fiasco with Bill Blankinship?

Kate completes Las Vegas marathon in 4:59:21

2011-12-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

Congrats to all the finishers, celebs and the just mediocre alike.

http://blogs.babble.com/famecrawler/2011/12/05/kate-gosselin-runs-her-first-marathon-photos/

Live now: Kate runs Las Vegas marathon for the 'nonbelievers'

2011-12-04T15:07:00.000-08:00

Kate starts the full Rock 'n' Roll Marathon tonight

twitter.com/kateplusmy8

As for her shirt we say: HUH??? Kate, who has said many times this marathon is about showing her kids she is determined and she doesn't care about people who don't like her, is now apparently running this marathon for her "haters."

twitter.com/kateplusmy8

Kate also had a cake made up for her kids left behind at home, that was naturally, all about her.

Las Vegas marathon prep

2011-12-03T07:14:00.000-08:00

Kate's gearing up to run the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in Las Vegas on Sunday. Based on what she's tweeted about her training and preparations, will she make it?

Kate also did a little pre-marathon manicure:

Me&my girls all did this 2our nails..In case I 4get how many miles I'm running..lol. It's now gone beyond mental prep! http://img.ly/b5Dh

Kate on Access Hollywood

2011-11-29T17:39:00.000-08:00

'Real Housewives' airs marriage counseling of reality star who committed suicide in August

2011-11-28T22:01:00.000-08:00

Despite the pleas of Russell Armstrong's family, Bravo has been including him extensively in the past few episodes of 'Beverly Hills'

Footage that Bravo wouldn't keep confidential, even despite the requests of the Armstrongs, includes 5-year-old Kennedy Armstrong's last birthday party with her father, and Russell and Taylor's attempts to save their marriage in therapy.

Ronald Richards, the family's attorney, said last August that “everyone on Russell’s side wants Bravo to edit him out and any characters affiliated with him this season. It would be bad taste for all three of Russell’s children to air scenes of their father who is dead."

Austin Kelsoe, Russell's nephew, also said, "I think, in my opinion, Russell should be edited out, in respect to Taylor and the family. In my personal opinion, Bravo should take the high road and do what they think is the right thing to do."

As for Bravo's response, in September they implied that insider reports that the counseling sessions would not be cut out were wrong. A rep told Radaronline: “The producers and Bravo are in the process of re-editing the entire series. As a result, any report regarding the content of upcoming episodes is mere speculation.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

Turkey of the year again goes to Kate, especially for the way she's relentlessly trashed Jon almost every chance she got this year.

Diana Mercer, who has been practicing divorce law as both an attorney and mediator since 1988 (she has handled an astounding 4,000 divorces), wrote an excellent article published last year explaining why Jon and Kate need to call a truce. What she had to say a year ago stil rings true today:

The best predictor of how kids do post-divorce is the amount of conflict between the parents. It takes two to tango. Kate's finger-pointing is a bigger problem than whatever Jon is up to. If he can't be father of the year, then it's up to her to figure out how to work with that -- and vice versa. She picked him to be the dad of those 8 kids, and now she's got to deal with her decision, and insulting Jon and refusing to resolve the ongoing conflict is no solution. For Kate to deny her role in their poor ongoing relationship is naïve and immature....And for her to speak publicly about her disappointment with Jon is damaging to the kids. While they're still little, they know they're ½ Mommy and ½ Daddy. By hearing that "Daddy is bad" they hear that they're bad, too. When they're old enough, they'll see what Mom said about Dad and form their own opinions. Kate's strategy of "I'm good; he's bad" will likely backfire on her in the long run. And what is she teaching them about how adults should handle relationships? What it means to be married, and to be parents?

http://www.realitytvkids.com/2010/12/divorce-expert-kate-and-jon-havent-read.html

Kate's first blog at Couponcabin.com

2011-11-22T07:07:00.000-08:00

"The money I save means my kids get more gifts and more gifts for them means I get more smiles and hugs on Christmas morning. And that, in itself, is the perfect gift for me!"

Kate's new job blogging officially begins today with her first post about Black Friday shopping.

http://www.couponcabin.com/blog/post/kates-black-friday-tips/

Child molester and kidnapper helped cast children in 'Super 8' and other films starring kids

2011-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Paramount Pictures admits they did not background check Jason James Murphy. He was a registered sex offender once featured on America's Most Wanted, but used an alias while working with child actors in California.

Super 8 (2011) was cast by a child molester

"It's shocking and it's devastating, not just as a filmmaker but as a father and someone who is entrusted to make sure that everyone I work with, especially children, are safe." ~ J.J. Abrams, director and producer, Super 8.

Murphy also helped to cast children in The Three Stooges, Bad News Bears, The School of Rock and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. He sent an email to Abrams Artists Agency on Wednesday "looking for 12-year-olds for a USC student film."
In 1996, he molested and then abducted an 8-year-old boy from his elementary school and flew with him to New York City. A prosecutor described Murphy in court papers as "obsessed" with the boy and cited a police interview in which a female friend said Murphy "was in love with" the child and had talked openly of taking him to live in London or Australia. Murphy pleaded guilty to child molestation and kidnapping charges and was given the maximum prison sentence of five years under state law by a judge who called him "a sick young man." Later after he was caught trying to contact the victim, he was given an additional five months.
He registered as a sex offender in California, but never registered his alias "Jason James."
California law prohibits sex offenders whose victims were younger than 16 from "working directly and in an unaccompanied setting with minor children on more than an incidental and occasional basis or have supervision or disciplinary power over minor children."
Paramount Pictures said it would change its screening process. "Moving forward, we … will also conduct background checks on all freelance employees, full time and part time, who work with minors on our productions."

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-fi-ct-casting-director-20111118,0,3505723.story

Is there hope for TLC in their new show about Southwest Airlines?

2011-11-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

After a string of outrageously exploitive reality shows, many about children, TLC ventures into a tried and true concept--Southwest Airlines.

Will this be something actually worth watching?

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-17/travel/travel_southwest-reality-series_1_tlc-air-travel-holiday-travel-rush?_s=PM:TRAVEL

A&E's similar Airline reality show, which aired six years ago, was one of the best reality shows to ever be produced. It provided an honest look into a typical day at a busy airline. And the compassion and patience employees showed passengers even in very uncomfortable situations, endeared them to viewers.

In this clip, employees calmly deal with a drunk passenger, a passenger playing the race card, and a passenger with body odor. If only all reality shows could be so sensitive to their subjects:

Kate and Steve at the Australia zoo and Brisbane airport

2011-11-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

Hmm......

Kate at Australia Zoo for Steve Irwin Day

2011-11-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

Terri Irwin, Bindi and Robert introduced Kate, who was dressed in khaki and fed a croc, as part of the opening ceremonies for Steve Irwin Day, today (Tuesday morning, Aussie time). Later, Kate put her hands in cement at ~~Grauman's Chinese Theater~~ the zoo's celeb walk.

Kate spoke briefly about her trip to Australia in January, and about Mady wanting to be a veterinarian.

Watch the live streaming: http://www.steveirwinday.org/events/live/

Kate at Steve Irwin Day Gala Dinner

2011-11-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

Sunshinecoastdaily.com

Twitter.com

Kate took to the, um, podium today in Brisbane, Australia at the Gala Dinner and auction. No word yet on how much lunch with Kate this Monday went for.

Red Cross posts different, more modest photo of Kate

2011-11-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

After a two day stand-off, Kate has at last complied with the Red Cross's request to choose a different photo.

Now move on now and let this organization do its good work.

General Custer's new photo:

Donate now to the Red Cross here.

Nine Red Cross celebrities minus Kate

2011-11-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

The Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter revealed its Philly Home Fire Campaign's celebrity supporters, but just as they warned, Kate's barefoot, low-cut photo didn't make the cut. The Red Cross asked her two days ago to "choose a different photo." But so far, Kate has not publicly responded to the request or changed her photo on her web site.

Kate's "F.U." photo she refuses to take down from her web site:

The other celebs who managed to shoot an appropriate photo:

Donate now to the Red Cross here.

Kate in Chicago

2011-11-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

Kate showed up on WGN this morning to promote her new gig on couponcabin, UMM, dot.com. Or, couponcabin.com.

Kudos to the reporters who finally asked some tough questions, including, "Do you ever think about, 20-25 years down the road where your kids are grown up and they may look at this experience from old tapes and not think of it as favorably?"

http://www.wgntv.com/videogallery/65990531/News/Kate-Gosselin-joins-Morning-News

Red Cross: We asked Kate 'to choose a different photo to post on her website and are awaiting her response'

2011-11-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to email us regarding [Kate Gosselin]. I can understand your/their concern, but I would like to make a few things very clear.

First, Kate was NOT paid or compensated in any way for the photo. Kate is a supporter of the Red Cross on her own and this is her way of showing her support. It is not the choice I would have made, however, we had nothing to do with the pose or the choice she made. She is also in NO way a spokesperson for us.

We have since asked her to choose a different photo to post on her website and are awaiting her response.

Kate is one of dozens of local and national celebrities with Philadelphia area ties who have agreed to don a Red Cross blanket to show their support. Among the others are Bill Cosby and Kevin Bacon.

All I can ask is that you and your family to continue to support the Red Cross because of the wonderful work we do and the hundreds of thousands of people we help every year recover from what is often the worst moment of their lives, not because Kate Gosselin or any other celebrity showed their support for us.

Thanks for your time and consideration. Have a great day.

Sincerely, Dave [Schrader]

Director of Communications

American Red Cross Southeastern PA Chapter

The Red Cross didn't approve this one!

2011-11-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

The Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter said they had nothing to do with Kate's recent, insensitive photo on her web site, in which she is barefoot and wearing a low cut top that blends in with a Red Cross blanket given to victims of disasters. The organization, which leans very conservative, has been getting a lot of complaints.

kateplusmy8.com

Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, a conservative Republican who once worked on Elizabeth Dole's campaign for president, is the current chairman of the American Red Cross. Thanks to Gather's Sue Buddy for giving the local chapter a call.

Donate to the Southeastern PA's chapter here. They have lots of options, from local disaster relief, to aid to Africa.

Knocked up for reality T.V.

2011-11-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

The Duggars announced this morning mom Michelle, 45, is pregnant with baby number twenty. But after their last child Josie was born premature with severe health problems (and the perfect opportunity to craft several episodes around the drama), is this new life and the high risk pregnancy that comes with it something they sincerely want, or is it really to keep interest alive in their show?

20 kids and counting! Michelle Duggar announces she's pregnant again

Halloween as a social skill building activity

2011-11-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Kate deprived her children of more than just treats when she chose to skip Halloween this year

Kate admitted in a recent blog post that the sextuplets missed out on Halloween due to "schedule" conflicts (Kate was having the time of her life on The View's Halloween special that morning) and a snowstorm (that occurred a full two days before the holiday and had all melted away by then). At least the twins were able to go trick-or-treating with some friends. Kate thinks she made up for Halloween the next day by hiding discounted candy around the basement and having the children find it. But is this enough?

Not by a long shot, according to Dr. Polly Blake Dunn, Ph.D., a Licensed Psychologist specializing in child psychology. Halloween is a great time to build a child's social skills. Here are some of her tips:

Encourage your kids to make eye contact with people handing out candy and friends and neighbors that they might see on Halloween night. The earlier our children get the hang of this important social skill, the better.
Remind your children not to run off to the next house, but say thank you as they leave. Who doesn’t want to say thank you to someone who has just handed them a piece of candy? Unfortunately, it’s easy to forget this step when there is more candy waiting for you right next door. This might take several reminders, but learning how and when to express gratitude is important.
It’s important to teach our children that they aren’t always going to get what they want. Make sure they know that they should still say thank you, even if they don’t like what they were given.
Teach patience. One of the hardest parts of Halloween for kids is waiting! First, they have to wait until the last day of the tenth month for Halloween to finally arrive. Then, they have to wait until nighttime for the fun to really begin. Once the trick-or-treating is underway, they have to wait behind other children who might have gotten to their neighbor’s door first. And finally, they have to wait until they get home to really get a good look at their loot (not to mention eating all of those yummy treats)! Remind your children ahead of time that they will probably have to be patient.

And one from Realitytvkids.com:

Encourage fun and silliness! It's important for kids to know there is a time and a place to just let loose, dress up as something scary or funny and not be embarrassed, hang out with friends and have a great time while still being safe. Work hard, but play hard, too.

Kate speaks at Penn State Fayette campus

2011-11-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Kate is scheduled to speak at a satellite campus of Penn State today at noon. The free event in Uniontown will be about "resilience, determination, tenacity, strength!" according to Kate.

The sextuplets were born at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center.

http://www.fe.psu.edu/32433.htm

Jon: I'm 'freaked out by this'

2011-11-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Jon is looking into legal action over show editor arrested for child pornography

Jon says he met Bill Blankinship, arrested October 21, several times. Jon, who has already consulted a lawyer, is trying to find out what footage the ex-employee may have possessed of the children's, and expressed concern about the revealing footage Blankinship had access to. "The cameraman definitely shot the kids getting ready for bed, being showered and being changed,” Jon said.

Figure 8 headquarters

Figure 8 Films, based in North Carolina where the Blankinship arrest took place and where Jon and Kate have vacationed several times and even looked for properties once, is a small company that lists only fifteen employees currently. Its offices are located in Carrboro.

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/11/jon-gosselin-jon-kate-plus-8-editor-arrested-sexual-exploit-minor

Discussion Thread: Kate on The View 10/31/11

2011-10-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

Kate's off in NYC for Halloween to appear on The View. Will the ladies treat her with kid gloves? Or will they dare question her about the recent arrest of Bill Blankinship, a writer and editor for her show, on charges of child pornography, as well as their tirade against her just last month after she called Jon "mediocre"?

(Video, September 2011: Whoopi Goldberg, who once so desperately tried to convince the other ladies of The View Kate is an "angry bitch" who should be voted off DWTS, has finally brought them around that Kate needs to be voted off. As in, this planet.)

Figure 8 calls arrest of Jon and Kate Plus 8 editor for child porn 'shocking'

2011-10-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

In a brief statement, Figure 8 (the company that produced Jon and Kate) says Blankinship, who was contracted by them, has been fired, and [thankfully] never had direct contact with any of TLC's 'talent'

Blankinship, 56, was contracted by Figure 8 Films to edit Jon and Kate Plus 8 and other reality shows about children. He was arrested October 21 and charged with 10 counts of 2nd-degree distribution of child pornography.

According to IMDB.com, Blankinship was involved in some form in the following 23 episodes of Jon and Kate Plus 8:

Girls Day Out (29 June 2008) - Editor
Sextuplets' 4th Birthday (7 July 2008) - Editor
Wild Horses (11 August 2008) - Editor
Leis & Luaus (10 November 2008) - on-line editor , Editor
Twins Are Mommy for a Day (8 December 2008) - Editor
All You Wanted to Know (19 January 2009) - on-line editor , Editor
The Big Move (2 February 2009) - on-line editor
Home Sweet Home (16 February 2009) - Editor
Bye Old House (2 March 2009) - on-line editor
Slopes, Sleds and Sesame (16 March 2009) - on-line editor , Editor
Family Outing (23 March 2009) - on-line editor , Editor
B-Ball & More (23 March 2009) - on-line editor
Turning 5 & The Future! (25 May 2009) - Editor
Bam! 100th Episode (8 June 2009) - on-line editor , Editor
Jon & Kate Plus 8: The First 10 Years (29 June 2009) - on-line editor
Renovations & Vacations (3 August 2009) - Editor
Camping Out (3 August 2009) - on-line editor
Beach and Kitchen Reveal (10 August 2009) - on-line editor
Battleship & Barber (17 August 2009) - on-line editor , Editor
Dude Ranch and Dress Up (31 August 2009) - on-line editor
Movie & a Catch (14 September 2009) - on-line editor
Farm to Table (21 September 2009) - on-line editor
Gymnastics and Baseball (16 November 2009) - on-line editor

BREAKING NEWS: Former Jon and Kate Plus 8 writer and editor arrested for child pornography

2011-10-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

Blankinship's mug shot

A large bust in North Carolina included the arrest of William Johnson Blankinship, credited by TLC as Bill Blankinship, who is listed as a writer, editor and on-line editor for Jon and Kate Plus 8 from 2007-2009 and an on-line editor for Kate Plus 8 from 2010-2011.

Blankinship also worked on 19 Kids and Counting, Sister Wives and Table for 12, three other TLC shows about children.

According to authorities, "Operation Spyglass" resulted in the arrest of 24 men over five months on felony charges ranging from the possession and distribution of child pornography to indecent liberties with a minor. Several of the men will be charged with felonies and could face prison time.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/28/1600197/child-porn-effort-snares-25.html

Kate gets caught parking in the fire lane again

2011-10-26T23:05:00.000-07:00

Will it take someone to die because they couldn't get emergency treatment for Kate to get out of the fire lane? What is this, the fourth time? Won't someone please just tow her?

infdaily.com

Meanwhile Kate is scheduled to be interviewed Thursday (10/27) by SiriusXM Satellite Radio's What's Worth Watching, the authority on what you should be watching on TV every night. LIVE Thursdays @ 2pm Eastern on Howard 101.

http://www.jonhein.com

Study: Young girls who watch reality TV value physical appearance more, and lying, bullying and gossiping

2011-10-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

However interestingly, the study by the Girl Scout Research Institute also suggests girls who watch reality TV view themselves as leaders and role models and say reality TV exposes them to new perspectives.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/Relationships/Reality-TV-induces-real-life-drama/Article1-760008.aspx

Kate admits she was 'stressed' on Old Navy trip with twins

2011-10-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

infdaily.com

In response to some depressing photos of Kate upset at her kids again, Kate tweeted this:

Lies again! Old navy pics were taken on SUNDAY before fam photo shoot.stressed 2b styling Fam of 9 1hr before pics?Yes! Good try INF daily!

Regardless when the photos were taken, it's sad to see Kate take stress out on her children, If her obligations when it comes to staying relevant, including professional photo shoots, are too stressful for her to handle, then don't do them.

Kate and the kids' (working) fall photo shoot and more grifting

2011-10-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.infdaily.com/2011/10/exclusive-pics-kate-gosselin-the-kids-pose-for-fall-family-portrait.html

Although the show is cancelled, Kate is still putting the kids to work--this time at elaborate professional photo shoots for her blog. The kids spent their Sunday last weekend going to church (allegedly) and then sitting for photos. Kate tweeted she was up at 7 a.m. that day and was moving "full force" all day.

Despite having just participated in what was surely an expensive photo shoot, Kate accepted another free cereal freebie today, even tweeting what kind of cereal she preferred, instead of asking the cereal company to please donate to those really in need.

http://www.steveirwinday.org/?p=gala-dinner

In other news, Kate is slated to attend "Steve Irwin Day Gala Dinner" on November 12 in Brisbane, Australia, where "LUNCH WITH KATE GOSSELIN, STAR OF KATE PLUS 8 A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you and 9 friends to dine with Kate Gosselin at the multi-award winning Chalk Hotel in Brisbane, plus a signed copy of her book" will be auctioned off.

Kate's gross recipes vs. our yummy ones

2011-10-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

Kate's Monday recipes she's been posting on her blog often seem not only unhealthy, but at times, well, gross. What are your favorite delicious, (relatively) healthy recipes?

Here's one of ours:

Not-my-original-idea Simple Fall Supper in One Pan (compiled over the years from a variety of recipes and chefs):

Main ingredients: Chicken, zucchini, yams, fresh uncooked spinach, dried cranberries.

1. Saute chicken with a little salt and pepper, olive oil, big squeeze of real lemon and chopped garlic. If using chicken on the bone, it'll have to be roasted to finish cooking thoroughly. If using skinless boneless, cook at slightly lower temperature to prevent drying out.
2. Chop into bite-sized green and yellow zucchini, throw in the pan next to the chicken with more garlic, a little salt and pepper, and if you have it fresh thyme or whatever herb you have on hand.
3. Peel yams and chop into bite-sized. Add a sprinkling of brown sugar if you want to really bring out the sweet flavor. Throw in some more thyme and saute with zucchini.
4. Combine uncooked spinach and dried cranberries with favorite salad dressing, or make a simple vinaigrette of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon and a bit of brown sugar.

All done, plate it up! Salad can be served on the side, or yummier still, place chicken and veggies directly on top of salad and dress all together. Slice of pumpkin pie for dessert. For variety, try subbing out the chicken for salmon or other favorite fish, poached egg, or whole wheat pasta. Or if you eat meat, steak strips.

Jason Duggar's terrifying accident is filmed by his mom and siblings for their show

2011-10-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

Michelle Duggar (left) whips out a camera phone right after the accident

After the eleven-year-old could have been killed when he fell 12 feet into an orchestra pit (luckily, he only knocked out some teeth, fractured his jaw, and sprained his knee), his family members' first reactions were to pull out their phones and start filming the aftermath.

The Duggars have gone too far, and need a serious, perhaps permanent, break from documenting every moment of their lives, including accidents and illness (they have also filmed their children going through chicken pox and wisdom teeth removal). Why was making sure this child's serious accident was captured on film the priority?

Teachers are not to blame for educational lapses when kids are put to work

2011-10-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

Stewart, age 12, with Jodi Foster in The Panic Room (2002)

Twilight actress and former child star Kirsten Stewart spoke out this week about her childhood education. Stewart, who has been ~~acting~~ working since she was eight years old, was in regular school until the seventh grade, when it became too difficult to make it mesh with her career: "My teachers became a problem," Stewart said. "They didn't want to do the extra work or put packages together so I could keep up while away. They failed me. My teachers failed me. Not one, but all of them."

Stewart, now 21, has every right to feel like she missed out on a lot not being in regular school, because she did. But it wasn't her teachers' faults. In fact, they were doing the right thing by not accommodating her.

It does not serve a working child's best interest to constantly give them special treatment. Working or not, kids need to learn that in the real working world, there likely won't be any special treatment either. Projects need to be done, phone calls need to be made, and meetings need to be attended whether one is a star, or has a second job, or is very busy at home. Giving a child the impression the world will bend around their needs does them a disservice. If a child really wants to work, home schooling them may be the only option and is a sacrifice they may have to make and live with.

Stewart (in a Twilight hunk sandwich), 2011

Moreover, singling a child out as special can wreck havoc on a child's social life. Mady Gosselin admitted to cameras that some children at school are mean to her about the show (although fortunately, most are nice, according to her). Being just one of the crowd fosters healthy relationships among children during crucial developmental years when fitting in is of primary importance to a child. Singling a child out as different and special and deserving of special treatment for no good reason (as in, they just happen to work and be famous) can sabotage that child's ability to form healthy friendships with normal kids. In fact, many child stars have reported their closest friends are adults they've met on sets, set teachers, and other actors. Age-appropriate friendships can become very difficult to maintain the more immersed a child becomes in that world, and treating child actors differently only makes it worse.

Finally, it's not fair to the educational needs of the other children in the class and at the entire school for their teachers to be spending so much time trying to accommodate a working child who is being pulled out of school. Kristen Stewart didn't suggest she had a learning disability or other special needs that would require extra attention. Her special needs that required extra attention were the result of a choice to work as a child. She could have chosen to wait to work until she finished school, or her parents could have made the choice for her and made her wait. Teachers, whose time is already stretched thin, need to be spending extra time with students who have real special needs, such as learning disabilities or illness.

Stewart is yet another living breathing example of the negative consequences of children working. It's too bad she missed out on regular school, but it was through no fault of anyone but her and her parents' choices.

http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/teachers-forced-kristen-stewart-out-of-school-20111007-1ld0p.html#ixzz1acTw91PT

Kate and Steve spotted in Wyoming: Where is all this money coming from?

2011-10-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

A fan passing through Wyoming snapped a photo with Kate on Saturday night. Steve can be seen in the background on the left.

http://yfrog.com/user/thackert/profile

Another traveler says she saw Kate, the twins and Steve in the Denver airport, on Friday, a day before the twins' eleventh birthday. This is Kate's second trip to Wyoming this year, and her fourth trip total to Wyoming. How does a mom who cannot even afford gymnastics manage to splurge on a trip like this, or was it another freebie? We just hope the twins didn't have to work on their special day, or at all.

Reality T.V. may finally be losing steam

2011-10-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

After over a decade of bad singers and bug eating and sex and freakish families, reality television is disappearing from the line-up

This fall's ratings show a promising trend: scripted television. Only two reality shows managed to break into the top 20 rated primetime shows last week, Dancing With the Stars and The X Factor. The rest of the slots were filled with actors, plots, scripts, and made-up stories, as well as a few football games. Welcome back, writers, it's been too long.

http://www.zap2it.com/zap-weekly-ratings,0,2436061.htmlstory

Kate's bizarre, rage-fueled rampage on Twitter

2011-10-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Kate took to twitter last night to clear the air about some rumors, in the process insulting Jon, Jodi and Kevin, and the "riff raff" she has to deal with, as well as denying how much money she spends on herself, ignoring questions about travel expenses to go collect her freebies.

Kate thought she was putting to rest some rumors, however Kate's unstable streaming consciousness just made her seem, well:

Kateplusmy8
response2article:nvr had 2bsitters-died laughing@their 'salary',sch tuition$-noteven close.hav nvr pd $ 4 Elysasuzanne clothing

Kateplusmy8
we all wish he [Jon] would tak them mor than 4d/mo but doesn't.they hav fun there but def love living w me/here. So happy here!

Kateplusmy8
Hate the rif raf that goes w this line of work

Kateplusmy8
oh yeah! [Jodi and Kevin] sold and bought a big house and went on vacation too... Blood money... Sick.

Kateplusmy8
never. Always comped. Wouldn't dream of spending that kind of $ on hair!!??!

Amanda Knox is going back to 'normal' after four years in the public eye

2011-10-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

Knox in 2006, a year before the murder of her roommate

How will Knox adjust to her old life after her horrifying reality has been broadcast around the world for so long?

"Amanda Knox is free," an Italian court said today. Knox and her family are in Rome and are expected to fly home to Seattle within hours.

Knox today after she was freed

Knox, the victim of a botched investigation, shaky evidence, and a corrupt prosecutor, has been unwittingly thrust into the public eye as a trial and then an appeal has dragged on seemingly endlessly in Perugia, Italy. Are there parallels here between this young woman forced to live her life in the public eye against her will, and other young people who have been forced to live their lives on reality T.V.?

Family members say Knox is not even aware of the full extent of the media coverage and they want to protect her from it. How will this young woman adjust not only to life back in the United States, but the barrage of media that is not likely to go away anytime soon?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/03/world/europe/knox-obsession-continues/index.html

Kate's angry bus stop pickup, Thursday 9/29/11

2011-09-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Infdaily.com

Is Kate taking the cancellation of the show out on the kids? What could they have possibly done between the walk from the bus to the car that would warrant such a vile outburst?

Infdaily.com

Parents who force sick and fragile kids to work on reality tv: how much is too much?

2011-09-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

Concerning information has been leaking out this week about the Duggar's marathon trip to Europe and Israel. According to a statement from Terem Emergency Medical Centers in Jerusalem, Josie, age 1 (born at 25 weeks and weighing just 1 pound 6 ounces and who has continued to suffer health problems), took ill and had to stay behind in the Holy Land with her mother because doctors wouldn't clear her to fly. Eventually a doctor flew home with them. A family rep is reporting that the whole incident will be made into an episode. This is not the first time the Duggars have filmed Josie during her most medically fragile moments. Cameras were welcome into the highly sensitive NICU during her stay.

Filming in the NICU

The Duggars have also filmed their other children suffering from chicken pox.

Filming chicken pox

Some of the most questionable decisions Jon and Kate ever made was to force sick, uncomfortable kids to work anyway. Most good parents don't send sick children to school, and yet these children are made to work? With an independent set teacher around (a responsible adult who gets paid whether they force kids to work), a child wouldn't have to be cleared to work when he doesn't feel well, even if a parent thinks they can work anyway.

International syndication rights and the children's money

2011-09-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Today Kate tweeted she did some "international press" over the phone with six countries. Even though the series is cooked in the U.S., could TLC be gearing up to sell the syndication rights to Kate Plus 8 and Jon and Kate Plus 8 to other countries? The series already airs internationally, including in Canada and England. But it has not yet appeared in dozens of other countries, especially in Asia--countries that may take interest in the cute brood.

Could the children's private moments be played around the world for years and even decades? Since residuals for syndication rights are usually negotiated upfront, does anyone actually think young Jon and Kate actually thought to include international syndication rights in their contract, or that these kids will see one dime of their money every time this show is played abroad?

Should networks be required to provide independent lawyers to their naive reality tv subjects when negotiating complicated, life-changing contracts, including complex international syndication rights? (We say, heck yes.)

Advocates have suggested Reality TV participants should be eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild, which works to protect its members' residuals and foreign royalties.

Regis Philbin changes mind and passes on opportunity for a reality show

2011-09-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

The retiring co-host really wanted a reality show, then changed his mind after actually opening his doors to a film crew. "It’s not for me. It didn’t feel right," Philbin said after letting cameras around his family to try it out.

Halloween, 2009

It's refreshing to see more and more celebs turning down reality shows. Philbin said he and his wife did an "experiment" for a few hours with a film crew and had the footage edited down to two minutes. However they decided afterward not to do the show. A few weeks before, Philbin was excited about it, telling reporters, "There are several things that interest me. You know these reality shows? I would love to do a real reality show." But after actually filming? Seems he's changed his mind.

http://www.okmagazine.com/2011/09/regis-philbin-says-reality-show-rumors-not-true-its-not-for-me/

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/story/2011-09-07/Regis-Philbin-reality-TV-star/50305624/1

Real Housewife: 'If it weren't for the cameras, there's a chance' husband wouldn't have committed suicide

2011-09-22T23:46:00.000-07:00

Taylor Armstrong downplays the role of their reality T.V. show, but Dr. Phil suggests 'exposing the difficulties of your marriage' contributed to death

Widowed Armstrong is on a (questionable motives) media blitz, but perhaps the most revealing interview thus far has been with Dr. Phil (a daytime personality who has emerged lately with surprisingly sharp interview skills), where she talked about how exposing the family's private moments, including the bad, may have pushed her husband to a breaking point.

Will Russell's suicide be a wake-up call in the industry about the dangers of exploiting vulnerable, mentally unstable people, as many have suggested? When Kate and Jon were exposing their divorce on television, how easily could this have happened to them?

Kate accepts free ipad

2011-09-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

The nerve. Instead of suggesting her fans donate to charity, Kate, who drives three cars including an Audi sportscar and just spent a few days in Los Angeles and at the Emmys, is still accepting freebies from fans. She tweeted today thanking a fan for the pricey gift (ipads start at $499 on apple.com), and the fan tweeted back that four more are on the way. Is there a GREED app?

Meanwhile, director and comedian Michelle Thorn has created a hysterical parody of Kate Plus 8 ..... a look into the future:

Kate's Aug. 9 ticket revealed: 23 mph over the speed limit at 1:37 a.m., just hours after rough interview with Joy Behar in N.Y.

2011-09-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

The View co-host suggested Kate try lesbianism. In the wee hours of the following morning, Kate was pulled over clocked at 88 mph in a 65 zone

Lancaster Online has the details of one of Kate's four tickets in the past two years.

NYC, Aug. 8, 2011
State police at Ephrata used radar to catch the former "Jon & Kate Plus 8" star speeding on Route 222 North, near Route 897, according to a traffic docket filed at District Judge Rodney Hartman's office. It happened on Aug. 9 at 1:37 a.m. In the remarks on the traffic citation, police reported that Gosselin said she was speeding because she was trying to get home to her kids. Gosselin mailed in her guilty plea and paid a $174 fine.

Some interesting facts: Kate was just on the Joy Behar show that day, August 8, where Joy wouldn't let her off easy. When Kate tried to sidestep some questions about fertility and blame it on something other people tweeted, Joy threw her own quotes back at her, "No, no, no this is you" Joy told her as she read the quote back to her. Joy also told her she was going to have a really hard time finding a man, and "I think you would be better off going with lesbianism because a woman would be probably easier." Kate's reply? "Oh, my gosh."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1108/08/joy.01.html

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/462222_Kate-goes-88----and-gets-a-ticket-from-state-police.html#ixzz1YVI08jEm

Kate at 2011 Emmy Awards

2011-09-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

Although no photos have appeared, Kate tweeted she went with a friend to last night's Emmys. The same day, Kate also wrote in a blog post she wished she had more hours in the day to "spend more time playing and talking with my kids."

Will a camera-free life be a difficult adjustment for the Gosselin children?

2011-09-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

Experts worry about the dramatic change back to "normal"

For so long so many people had been fighting, hoping, wishing, even praying the Gosselin children won't have to film their private moments anymore, but now that Kate Plus 8 is finally canceled, the question becomes, how will the kids adjust to what is normal for the vast majority of children, yet perhaps so very foreign to them?

"The children are so accustomed to the camera that they're going to need affirmation," said Robert Galinsky, actor, writer and founder of The New York Reality TV School. "The camera will no longer be there to shine a light on them, and that light was never authentic anyway — it was just there to suck the life from these children. They're going to seek other ways to be fulfilled."

And Dr. Russell Hyken of St. Louis, a psychologist specializing in education and a former teacher, had this to say: "When children are showered with attention because they're on TV, that creates behavioral problems because they become more attention-seeking."

Even Galinsky, who makes a living trying to get people on reality television, thinks the industry should be regulated: "Reality TV took the entertainment industry by surprise. No one could have predicted that it would last this long, with no end in sight. Guidelines have to be drawn up at some point to protect these kids, because there's nothing now."

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44505433/ns/today-entertainment/

Roundup: Kate's pricey jaunt to New York City, another speeding ticket to pay, and the ladies of The View (finally) jump ship

2011-09-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Kate, who claims to be "freaking out" about her financial future and complains constantly about Jon's child support, got her beans spilled by her hairstylist this week. Instead of pinching pennies to survive, she was in NYC today getting her hair done, followed by dinner at Fig and Olive, a Mediterranean restaurant popular with celebs like Robert Downey Jr. and Leonard DiCaprio. If her finances are so uncertain, why is she blowing money in NYC .... or racking up speeding ticket fines? Kate received her fourth speeding ticket since 2009 this week, issued on September 11, 2011, of all days.

In other news, Whoopi Goldberg, who once so desperately tried to convince the other ladies of The View Kate is an "angry bitch" who should be voted off DWTS, has finally brought them around that Kate needs to be voted off. As in, this planet.

Jon to single mothers: 'Kids don't need money, they need love'

2011-09-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

Jon doled out some simple, yet profound words this evening as the curtains were drawn on the final episode of Kate Plus 8. We wish this good father we've watched for six years, a father who has proven over the past several months he really does walk the walk, a life of happiness, love, and perpetual privacy for his children.

(Press play)

Discussion Thread: The Finale 9/12/11

2011-09-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

Finally, the last episode of Kate Plus 8! Oh, happy day!

Meanwhile, Kate begins a soft launch of her official web site www.kateplusmy8.com, promising more information about and photos of the children. Has she gotten permission from TLC and Jon to run such a site? Time, and the courts, will tell.

The Finale
TLC, 9 p.m., TV-PG
Kate and her 8 kids have made unforgettable memories over the past 7 years of filming. As the show comes to a close, the Gosselins say goodbye to the fans and reminisce about their favorite memories. Also, hear from family friends about their experiences.

Kate's press tour before series finale--9/12/11

2011-09-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

On Today, Kate calls Jon's job out of the public eye 'mediocre'

Kate makes the rounds of Today and the Wendy Williams show this morning. Will anyone bother to question Kate, who has been on a poor me tour this week claiming to be "terrified" and "freaking out" about the future, about this little purchase she successfully hid from the public since April?

Jon to Kate: 'There are families out there that have several kids, people work normal jobs and things work out .... Reality television is not a career'

2011-09-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

Jon speaks out during Kate's latest poor me tour, telling Kate to "Get back to normal life, simple life, provide for your family."

Meanwhile, Kate was hoping no one would notice a certain third wheel hanging around, an Audi sports car.

Photoshop courtesy of Kristi

Kate's real wheels exposed: The struggling mother has the nerve to show up in an Audi sports car after telling People how worried she is about her financial future

2011-09-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

Kate admits on Twitter she owns no less than three vehicles.

Including this two-seater Audi she bought in April, which she claims will save gas. After insurance, fees, and maintenance, how does she figure?

Which is it, Kate, are you rich, poor, or just plain stupid? This is why lawmakers have to write laws protecting the hard-earned money of children in the entertainment business, because parents just like her cannot be trusted to do it on their own. Congrats, Kate, you're why.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20526134,00.html

Recap: RV Breakdown 9/5/11: This is Kate’s story. She is responsible for being alone.

2011-09-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

Coming up on Kate Plus 8! The party bus is gushing sediment like Old Faithful (real sediment, not emotions), Ashley and Kunta Kinte are giving winks and nods left and right hoping somebody, anybody is a conductor on the Underground Railroad and might get them out of here, and Kate’s having a love affair with Steve. If only in her head.

Credits. Aaden! Collin! Joel! And for a brief 10 seconds, it’s all cupcakes and bunny rabbits until the reality begins.

Day 8, Jackson Hole, WY! TLC must have put out their lemonade stand this past week and have forked over a little extra cash for some Western sounding guitar rifts for the background music. I find it rather coincidental that viewers were complaining how odd and dark last week’s episode was without music. Wouldn’t you know it, suddenly part two is full of chirpy guitars. Why would you make part one of an episode dead silent, and bring in a full orchestra for part two? I think someone was busy in the editing room this week--TLC is so transparent, aren’t they? But since they are finally admitting they hate Kate, too, as evidenced by the past few episodes, I’ll let this one go.

Some light-hearted teasing about the party bus/boring bus, with Ashley playfully writing “boring bus” on a window, turns into a perfect opportunity for Kate, who is bending over the campfire serving up some undercooked turkey bacon, to point out that she does all the work and Ashley and Jamie lay around all day getting hot rock treatments and sipping pinot grigio with the other Housewives.

Kate jokes that had she and Jamie been in the same RV they would have killed each other by now. I’m not so sure Kate is the best person to be joking about that. She’s pissed off so many folks over the years she probably qualifies for the witness protection program. “There’s still time left,” Jamie quips with a subtle, yet distinct eye roll off to the side. Ha. You know I never really liked her, but things are getting warmer between us.

For some reason they skip completely over Jackson Hole, where some people reported on Twitter/Facebook seeing them. Kate would have us believe this is because Kate was lovely and wonderful there and thus it was edited out. I think more likely there was just too much bad behavior to squeeze into two measly little episodes, it would take an epic 12-week miniseries at least. They then begin the day-long drive to Utah, and suddenly on a winding mountain road the party bus starts smoking really bad and has to pull over. Jon, you didn’t slash the tires during the night, did you? What’s revealing about this is that as the boring bus passes the smoking bus, there’s another Challenger RV right behind it. Oops, weren’t supposed to see that folks, look over here, not there! Likely I assume the third bus is where Kate, and perhaps someone else, really spends most of her time. We’ll call that the smoosh room bus.

A cop comes by to try to help, and, uh-oh, this isn’t good, the engine is gushing ugly brown sediment everywhere! It looks like Jon literally took a screwdriver to it and pretended it was Kate‘s face. Jon, you got the wrong bus, she’s over there in the boring bus! Well, at least we know how the party bus really feels about Kate.

Kate and Steve have a long boring hubby-wifey conversation about what to do, and decide to order some SUVs. For ordinary people, this sounds like a nightmare that could take hours and hours or even all day, but Kate seems to think she can conjure up a couple of SUVs in the middle of nowhere Utah like you might call in a pizza in New York. I’ve been to Utah and it’s just lovely but I think Samantha Stevens here doesn’t have a clue. Kate goes over to the party bus and yells at everyone to start packing up luggage for two days. What she tells them right now will be important, so remember it, because she’ll lie about it a short time later. When Jamie goes off to the bedroom to start packing, Kate for some reason I sure as heck can’t figure out accuses her of acting like a child. I don’t think Jamie heard that, because I’m certain if she had, the knock down drag out would have happened right there and then in all the sediment, Laura Ingalls/Nellie Olsen style. Kate is probably wondering which character she would be. Hint: the prairie bitch.

Another golden (platter?) opportunity for Kate to trash the party bus, calling the boring bus ship-shape and organized. Which is exactly why they would be the boring bus. Also she rudely imitates the party busers’ blank stares and lack of urgency. She doesn’t understand that with a narcissist, you can either move your ass, or you can stay sitting there and give your narcissist a blank stare, but either way you‘re gonna get chewed out for doing it wrong. And sometimes, moving your ass gets you in worse trouble--more things Kate can choose from to criticize. So sometimes, with Kate, a blank stare is actually your best option. But really, how urgent do they need to be when they’re trying to get two rental SUVs out to a winding mountain road in Utah? They could be here longer than the Donner Party with this kind of trouble, and we all know who would be eaten first. Meanwhile, cute little piano ditties and something going ba-ba-ba-bum over and over is playing in the background. The music truly makes all this so much easier to handle, like a soothing wave machine by your bed at night. If only the Donner Party had the luxury of a TLC piano-guitar track.

Jamie, who by the way has been lauded as Kate’s best friend forever for two years now, approaches the camera, puts her face up to the lens and says, “She’s such a *BLEEP*!!” Oh, so that’s why this was rated TVPG L, because somebody finally told the cameras what they really think of Kate. Or at least it wasn’t edited out this time. Go Jamie. We support you and your fatty creamer against this witch!

They manage to get everyone to a rest stop, and Steve is essentially yelling at Jamie about where she put all their stuff while Kate makes rude faces at her. Jamie is explaining that she followed directions and packed up two days' worth of stuff, but doesn‘t know where it went after that, and Ashley had the exact same understanding and did the same thing. We saw in an earlier clip it somehow got routed by a driver outside the RV. Kate gives a bitchy little laugh of disbelief, and here it comes! Jamie grows a pair faster than a Chia Pet and gets up in her face and says, “You know what?! I can get on a plane right now and leave!”

Kate is spouting some nonsense, most of it lies, about how she told Jamie to get checked luggage and carry-on luggage, an explanation we certainly never saw. It’s so bad Steve has to tell Kate to go to the other bus, as if he’s the level-headed husband trying to help everyone get along. Because Kate has absolutely no friends or family she can lament to, she bitches to the camera about how disorganized (i.e. fun) the party bus is. Meanwhile, Jamie and Ashley are commiserating in their bus about how Kate never said before what she is saying now (Ladies, she lies for a living, get over it) and how absolutely silly this is, which they would be absolutely correct about. It’s sad that Cara is standing right there, one thing that stinks about being the child of a narcissist is that when it’s this bad, people can’t help sometimes talking about her in front of you. It’s still her Mommy and I imagine it must hurt very deeply to know people don’t like your Mommy even if you‘re well aware why. Incidentally though, Cara backs up Jamie and Ashley and says yes I heard two days, too. Bet Jamie is really regretting all the times she left her children back home in another state to go be Kate’s shoulder to cry on and personal slave through Kate’s divorce. That’s what happens when you allow a narcissist to feed on you, eventually you realize what you’ve done and then come the big regrets. Jamie just got there before our very eyes.

The semi-tow truck shows up, they don‘t even seem to want to tell us God knows how many hours later. Kate says she thinks generally her attitude has been very good. If she means, very good at making everyone else miserable, I agree.

Kate is disappointed in Jamie for her attitude and goes on and on about what a screw up she is. Kate blames this entire thing on partying all day. I’m confused, if you party a lot, the vehicle you are in will break down? Is this anything like those folks who used to try to scare normal warm-blooded young people by saying if you do a certain something you’ll go blind? “That’s what they get!” Hannah, or possibly a parrot, shouts from inside an RV. I know that sounds very mean, and it is, but since the little kids still have to stay with Kate in her RV, it serves their best interest to just back her up as much as they can no matter how ludicrous she is being. I also get the sense that Kate is teaching the kids when bad things happen, God is punishing you for something, like being disorganized, or getting a granule of sugar on the floor. Some more guitars take us into the commercial break. Welcome back, guitars, it was scarier than I imagined without you.

Upbeat drum kit leading us into Day 11. What happened to day nine and 10? Those were the days Kate was busy rocking some malnourished babies and nursing a kitten with a broken leg back to health and so of course it was edited out? It’s the editing I tell you!

They pull over the side of the highway and now Kate is throwing a fit because Jamie and Ashley can’t find some of the kids’ swimsuits. She tells the cameras that she texted instructions “this long” and holds her hands about three feet apart. A three-foot long text message just about swimsuits? My phone would probably automatically reject that one. I give her credit there, it must have taken ages to tap out three feet worth of all her usual convoluted nonsense and lies on her fifth pink iphone. “I don’t know how they could survive without me!” she laments. Well, for starters, the family might actually enjoy their vacation. Wouldn’t you know it, after just a little looking Jamie comes up with the swimsuits. All that moaning for nothing. More orders from Kate to do things her way, something about unless there are 16 tornadoes I must have my way, though really, Jamie, I wouldn’t bother, as all those instructions will be changed up the next time you touch base. Kate is like a human bingo cage, something new spits out every time you play. As Jamie walks back to her trailer, she sticks her thumb out to hitchhike. Ha! Oh, Jamie, a girl after our own hearts!

White water rafting on the beautiful Colorado. Ha, Ashley and Jamie are like this is our chance to escape, get a boat! When you’re spending the bulk of your vacation plotting how to get out of there, something is not right. Next thing you know they’ll be getting tattoos on their chests resembling the blueprints of the RVs and a map of the Colorado down their arms.

Mr. River Man tells the kids to pee in the river. Kate tells them they can’t do that (why?) but without so much as blinking Mr. River Man outright vetoes Kate and tells Clay to get in the water and demonstrate, yes we will pee in the river and have fun, screw you, Kate. I can already tell this little part of the trip is going to be great.

Kate wants the little kids in her boat, and doesn’t want to get wet. So, she’s going white water rafting but doesn‘t actually want to get any white water on herself? What, that orange tan isn’t waterproof? Seems her stupid logic applies not just to all her f-ed up relationships, but extends to river rafts as well. This is rather like holding your hand over a fire and demanding you better not get burned. Let’s see, what else can Kate dream up to complain about? Ah-ha, the seat is too hot. When Mr. River Man helpfully tries to wet it down, she freaks out and scrambles to the front of the boat, the wettest part, as Mr. River Man informs her. Ha.

“Sit down!” Kate’s husband orders her. I believe he forgot the other half of that, which would be, “and shut up!” Or if you prefer and probably necessary in this case, “shut the f up!”

Ashley, bless her heart, tries to educate the kids a bit about how this river formed the Grand Canyon. Eh, who wants silly trivia like that you’ll only ever need if you’re a contestant on Jeopardy when you can shout incessantly at Mr. River Man to make the boat go straight?

Jamie and Ashley are harassing the “boring boat.” They’ve turned into the mean girls, only Kate deserves every last stinking bit of it. I’ve never cheered for bullies before, Kate has brought me to this point. “Is it snack time? You only get one!” Jamie mocks. Heh, that’s great. So Jamie’s noticed the absurd portion control too? What’s next, Kate doles out ration cards? Isn't it wonderful to know after all this time, we, the non-fans, are not crazy after all?

Kate shouts back that they stuck her with the preschoolers. What preschoolers? She must mean her own multiple personalities, right? Not these smart, funny, growing seven-year-old kids going into first grade who really should be in second. Mr. River Man, God love him, calls Kate out: Um, as I recall, lady, you chose to ride with the “preschoolers.” As I recall as well, that’s exactly how it went down.

And in a very telling, multifaceted statement, Kate replies, “I did because they’re the youngest and they’re the um, the most defenseless.” Yup, control, that would be it exactly.

A couple rapids you would call kiddie if you‘ve ever done this before, and I keep wishing it were Kate that Kevin Bacon tried to kidnap and take down the Gauntlet and not Meryl Streep.

Kate is still complaining about getting wet. Mr. River Man cuts her down to size, telling her he made sure she didn‘t get a drop on her, that was the gentlest part of the river, I never said what you said I said I did (none of us ever said what Kate said we did, Mr. River Man), shut up you f-ing bitch, and the like.

The kids go swimming, Kate goes grimacing.

“We’re gonna give out an Academy Award at the end of the day and I’m nominating you,” Mr. River Man tells Kate. Baw-hahaha! He reminds me so much of our dear friend and Kiwi national hero Brad. Same story, different setting. Do you suppose River Man has a nephew working at a sky jump in New Zealand?

“She’s the type of person that can test one’s patience,” a producer says to Mr. River Man. Et tu, Brutus?

“Mm-hm, I would say that,” Mr. River Man replies. You know those moments in sports where you‘re watching the big game and they throw the Hail Mary pass and the receiver catches it, and you realize you just witnessed history? This is like that, only not nearly as fun. One for the history books in the land of Kate.

Day 12. The producers are in full on sell Kate down the Colorado river mode, as much as they possibly can with only a few days left. They interview the little kids, who say they much prefer the party bus, and the boring bus is very boring because all they do is watch T.V.; it’s “sad” one of them says. Yes it is very sad when all your mother cares to do to help keep you happy on a very long trip is to gather 200 DVDs together. Makes you wonder what’s happening at home.

For Kate’s next clue about where they are going, she takes an axe and carves out a long line in the dirt. I would try to take a guess what the heck this is supposed to be this time, but someone as unstable as Kate carrying a weapon as dangerous as an axe is leaving me too paralyzed, even the nice little guitar riffs in the background aren’t reassuring me this time, just please put it down, slowly. The kids once again guess it right away, although this time they say it was because they heard Jamie mention it. Boy does this piss Kate off that Jamie told them about that huge missing chunk of earth deep crevicey thing. Known to those not in the middle of a complete psychotic breakdown as the Grand Canyon. It doesn’t matter to hypocritical Kate that hypocritical Kate covered a bunch of containers with giant “Food for the RV” signs and that’s how Mady found out about the trip in the first place. Jamie’s response to all this? “She can kiss my $%&.” Oh, like she would bend over for that, Jamie!

More bus problems, this time with the generator on the boring bus. How cozy, Kate and Steve are sitting at a little table together to talk out this problem. This time Kate takes it much more calmly, and is even proud of the kids for handling it so well, probably because there is no possible way she can blame this on anyone else this time, certainly not Jamie and Ashley. You know she was racking her brain for a good three hours trying to figure out how to pin this on someone. When something bad happens to the party bus, it's all their fault. When it's Kate's bus, it's like we're frolicking in a meadow because why would it be Kate's fault?

Things were going so well until Kate announces they’ll probably switch RVs tomorrow as that is only fair. What the hell? I didn’t hear Kate offering to give up her RV when the party bus broke down. What a hypocritical piece of work.

Kate wants to cook chicken with grills Jamie says the RV park doesn’t even have; everyone else wants to just make it easy and get pizza after such a long day, including Steve. Kate stomps off in a huff, “I don’t care, that’s rude!” she shouts at Steve.

What’s rude, that everyone else wants pizza and Kate wants chicken? That’s not rude, that’s called majority rules. Maybe Kate thinks the expression is majority rude? She does tend to mix up her idioms a lot.

Kate demands Steve come into the RV to talk to her, like a hubby-wifey talk. When he won’t do it (because that’s weird, bizarro, outrageously inappropriate, all of the above?), she slams the door on him. Steve finally agrees to go in because how else will this ever stop? Mady explains to the cameras that Mommy threw a fit over pizza because they already had a candy bar today, and was upset about someone taking a photo. Oh, it all makes sense now. Not! Which is sort of Mady's body language.

Steve and Kate come back. And, we’re getting pizza, folks. HA-HA, he’s a stronger man that Jon! Kate, who is having an affair with Steve in her head, says we have footage to prove Steve scoffed at her about something or other stupid thing, this is so over, the chicken is going to waste, and wants Steve to take care of someone taking a photo across the way, which Steve refuses to do. You know, because it’s a public place and it’s a free (and great) country and all that. Incidentally, in a hot room in Philly sometime in the 18th century, the First Amendment was written exactly for people like Kate who don't want any of their misdeeds documented and criticized. Go Founding Fathers, especially the ones from PA. How could you have such foresight? I don’t know what Steve could be doing with that pair of pliers he keeps pinching throughout this other than visualizing pulling out Kate’s upper bicuspids with nothing but whiskey for anesthetic. Kate is tearful, because that’s what she does when she has absolutely nothing left to stay to justify her terrible behavior, but still holds out some kind of delusional hope we’ll sympathize with her.

Steve blames this all on the lack of air conditioning, and when asked if he would ever do a trip like this again, he replies “With these people? Ask me in about six months.” A random member of the crew, Danny, also cannot wait until this trip is over. Don't know where he came from, but, funny.

Day 13. Grand Canyon. “Ashley, don’t choke nobody,” the driver warns as they disembark. Is it so bad we’re contemplating first degree murder now?

Cara is very upset over some kind of dispute over underwear, and although it’s disturbing to see her so distressed, I have no idea why Mady got punished too. They are not the same person, Kate. But both Mady and Cara get sent to the RV to wait with Ashley. Unbelievable.

‘They look out over the beautiful Grand Canyon, which Kate calls wasted space. People with dollar signs for eyes like Kate can never, ever appreciate something that doesn’t give you something tangible back like dollar bills--they’re too busy wondering how many condos and McMansions they could squeeze in there. Kind-hearted Jamie just keeps talking about how Ashley, Mady and Cara are missing it. I know, aw. Kate says the canyon stretches 10,000 miles. No, Kate, try 277. Maybe she’s mixing this up with the Mary Chapin Carpenter song?

(Play as you read on, it may soothe you)

More RV trouble again? I am downright convinced Jon is paying someone to pour Koolaid into the gas tanks in the dead of night. Some light hearted teasing between Kate and Jamie, with the best comment of all being Jamie saying the kids' "attitudes go away when they come over here.” I bet they do.

Kate discovers that the party bus is digging into the pizza leftovers. She marches over there and demands they hand over Steve’s slice, as it was reserved by him last night. How old is Steve again, 12? Jamie is basically like, well, none of us knew that, but no problem, Mady will give it to him. Next Kate freaks out because Mady handed it to Steve with her bare hands, without wrapping it in foil. What the whaty what? Mady sobs, “Mommy, I’m sorry. I didn’t know, okay?” Aw, poor kid.

Kate says she is always the jerk on the trip running around like a nut. She knows? Ashley tearfully says she’s tired of Kate’s dramatics and that Kate always acts like Ashley does nothing. Exactly, Kate has zero appreciation for all her nanny’s hard work, five years worth of it. Kate says she’s the mastermind. So was Hitler.

In front of their window, Kate repeatedly insults Jamie and Ashley telling the cameras she does everything, Jamie and Ashley are not the same people, they have an HD TV and she doesn’t (oh, the humanity!) and other cruel, hateful things. Ashley slams the window on her, rightfully so.

Kate admits they helped, but they didn’t help enough, they didn’t ask her what they can do to help, which sounds exactly like what she used to say to Jon! He also finally couldn’t take it anymore. By the way, the nice thing about these episodes for Jon is that most of America not only understands the Ed Hardy phase, but now commends him for it and can’t fathom why it didn’t last longer. Really, Ed Hardy was as harmless as a sandbox and juice boxes compared to what he’s been through.

Ashley and Jamie, the adults still oriented to space and time on this trip, essentially say a blowup over one piece of pizza is childish. Which is pretty much what the 400 comments in this blog’s discussion thread said too, so at least they are not alone.

Commercials, and we’re back, and is Kate really, really going on about the stupid pizza still? And the HD TV. That HD TV really bothers her, doesn’t it? 27 Dresses just does not look as good slumming it on standard definition! Also she throws in that she is paying Ashley and Jamie, because I guess if you’re getting paid, you are not allowed to have feelings. Kate says they’re always 20 minutes late because Kate is doing everything.

Seems to me the camera men are filming Kate’s tirades for a bit, then skipping over to Jamie and Ashley to get the real story, then back to Kate, and back again. Heh. Ashley says actually, since Kate went there, the real reason they were late is because Kate was showering and doing make-up for two hours while they watched all the kids. We all knew that, don’t worry, Ashley.

Kate feels bad saying bad things about people she loves. I don’t believe for a second she really loves these people, because if she did, she would stop right now. Actually, she never would have started. She says they don’t take posh trips. Good one! Wait, that wasn’t a joke? See North Carolina, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, the resort in Mexico, the foot licking in NYC, must I really go on?

Ashley lets it out of the bag that she’s been treated like this for five years. Thought so about that, too. She wipes away her tears. I feel for her so, because I was once in her shoes nannying for a famous (and nutty) woman’s children, I loved them, too, and I cried, too when I finally knew that as much as I loved the children, I mean really loved them as my own as she does, for my own sanity I had to leave. This is so very heartbreaking and personal for me, as I’m sure it is for so many other viewers, but in a strange way, I’m glad this all came out before the show is done for good. Maybe up in that big blue sky there was a reason this show dragged on so long, and it was so people could be pushed so much that they would finally let out the truth before all was said and done and these kids were left alone with their mother and no viewers anymore to keep tabs.

“I would die for these kids but I can’t spend one more minute with her,” Ashley says, “Please send me home.” The crew says they’re working on it.

A graphic says during a private conversation Ashley told Kate she was leaving. Kate will claim later she didn't know. Someone is lying, and I just checked, odds are now 400 to 1 it's Kate. Outside the RV, Ashley tells the kids “I love you with all my heart, don’t let anyone tell you any differently.” Who would be so horrifically evil as to tell the kids that? Hmm.

What I find so telling about this scene, which I don’t think has been mentioned yet, is that even Clay is there, looking up at Ashley sadly, so sorry to see her go. Ashley is such a sweet girl and good nanny even Clay feels the loss after only spending a few days with her. Ashley, if you ever stumble across this, you are a good person and a good nanny, don’t let anyone tell you any differently.

The kids are sobbing and telling her how much they love her. I am sobbing, too. It’s bullshit Kate isn’t there to comfort them and is only interested in telling the cameras her side of things. Kate’s reaction to Ashley leaving is “whatever.” She has to move on, people leave her life, she keeps on going. As she is driven away, Ashley says she’ll always love them and be there for them but just couldn't take it. Jamie says essentially she’s staying for the kids. She did not expect such a sad ending. Eh, I did, since it’s Kate.

Kate says pretty much everyone leaves her eventually, and makes it sound like it’s because of the kids. This sounds so familiar, because she pulled this same tired shtick when Tony walked out on her on Dancing With the Stars. And what I said about that a year and a half ago still rings true today:

Thank you for not quitting, Kate tells Tony. A lot of people have quit on me in my life. I wait for Tony to remove his cowboy hat and tearfully quiver, “I wish I knew how to quit you, Kart!” Whoops, wrong movie.

Now, see, if you didn’t know Kate that well, like maybe this is the first time you’ve really seen her in action, you might fall for that pathetic and manipulative “Everyone has quit on me” comment. But don’t, and I’ll tell you why! People in Kart’s life don’t quit on Kart. Kart DRIVES THEM AWAY. She has estranged all the children’s closest relatives and friends. She goes through nannies like the kids go through organic fluffernutter. You wouldn’t know it the way she tells it, but she filed for divorce first, not Jon. Yes, check the archives of Radaronline, the Shopping Kart is the Petitioner and Jon is the DEFENDANT! She actively drove him away by treating him like a doormat. She’s amassed more enemies than Bernie Madoff. Kate has always wanted us to believe that all those people are wrong, every single one of them, and she’s right. Uh-huh….This is Kate’s story. She is responsible for being alone.

It was Kate’s story then, it’s Kate’s story now, and unless she gets some serious mental health treatment, it will forever be her story.

Discussion Thread: RV Breakdown

2011-09-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Kate Plus 8

RV Breakdown
TV-PG (L) (for language)

Sept. 5, 9 p.m. EST TLC

The Gosselins are halfway through their RV road trip and it has been a vacation like no other -- full of adventure and drama! But when the RVs experience mechanical issues, will Kate finally reach her boiling point? And later, someone decides to leave.

Reality T.V. stars, their impressionable young fans, and body image

2011-09-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

Kate Gosselin has many fans who are teenage girls. That's why a lot of people were outraged when she tweeted the following this weekend:

"Can never be tiny enough lol."

Kate has also mentioned dieting, exercise, and what size she wears, multiple times, including on Twitter (even uploading photos of her salad dinners), and in interviews, and even on the show (last week she was complaining about full fat creamer and mentioned she is a size four).

Like it or not, whether Kate is just being herself on a reality show, she has become a role model for (some) young girls, just like this age group looks up to actresses who read scripts. Kate's constant obsession with discussing her weight, her diet, and eating habits, and her exercise routine, is a bad example for vulnerable young teen girls who should be focused on school, sports and friends--not their bodies. Reality T.V. stars, especially those popular with young people, need to have an awareness of their fanbase and an awareness of how what they are saying could influence a teenager. There is such a thing as too tiny and Kate should be aware of it--anorexic, bulimia, crash dieting, and poor body image run rampant among teenagers. Anyone in the public eye should guard what they say in this culture of body obsession.

Recap: RV Trip 8/29/11: Even FDR would prefer his lettuce chopped, not torn!

2011-09-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Coming up on Kate Plus 8! The Griswold’s road trip, remember that? Picture yourself in Clark’s shoes. You accidentally kill Aunt Edna‘s dog when you forget you tied him to the back of the station wagon, the hotel won‘t take your check so you have to steal out of the cash register to pay, the not-a-boob-job hot chick driving the red Ferrari turns out to be just a figment of your imagination, and when you finally get there, Walley World is closed for repairs. Only picture all that about 666 times worse and you’ve got the vacation (a.k.a. TLC‘s great revenge) that Kate is about to take with Jamie, Ashley, the kids and a massive support system that rivals the production crew of Celine Dion’s What’s Goin’ On Show--Live in Las Vegas at Caesar’s Palace through 2012.

Credits! Sheesh, from all this happy music and excited shouting (Mady! Cara! Alexis!) you would think this show is sooner about lollipops and Leprechauns. When really it’s a highly unethical psychological experiment of misery and infuriation and one cruel, delusional, batshit crazy bitch.

Weird serious graphic flashes across the screen: “In July of 2011, Kate and her kids embarked on an RV Trip … ” What is this, did Michael Moore join production?

Day 13. Oh, are we starting at the end and working our way backward? Will Kate wake up from a drunken night of clubbing and foot licking in NYC, wondering why there is a baby and a tiger in the room, Jamie’s missing a tooth, and Steve is nowhere to be found but his mattress is on the RV roof?

It breaks my heart to recap this part, and I think TLC, and Kate, and anyone who had a hand in letting this be filmed are sick, disgusting human beings. Ashley cannot stand it anymore. She says to Kate, “I’m done! After this trip, I’m done!” Mady, Cara, and Collin are literally sobbing and wailing Ashley’s name as she packs up and leaves. Ashley’s devastated, too. This show has never made me cry before until now. Actually, one other time I cried, when Kate suggested that kiwis are birds without arms, but that was tears of disbelief as I could not comprehend the sheer stupidity.

Flashback to Day 1 and Kate is packing like it‘s the second coming and she actually thinks she‘s not going to get Left Behind. I know it‘s the wild, wild West, but we do have grocery stores and Targets and even a couple gas stations out here, too. I hear tell some folks even have that fancy newfangled cable T.V.! Also, no aliens, don’t believe the movies! Kate wants to surprise the kids with each location. Eh, rather she’s just too lazy to take them to the local library and help them read up on what they‘re going to see. Kate also tries to play this off like it will be leaked to the paparazzi. The concept that no one gives a flying rip about her 100th stupid stressful child exploiting trip is as foreign to her as physics, or even, American history.

Even though Kate has tried to keep it a secret, sharp as a stick Mady has already figured out they are going on an RV trip, how? Because her stupid mother labeled a bunch of containers none other than, “FOOD TO BE PUT IN RV.” Oops. Oh, and Mady heard Kate talking about it on the phone while Mady was standing right there. Remind me never to hire Kate for espionage.

Kate snaps at Mady to get paper towels. For what? Why, to wipe a little dust off the bumper off the van. Oh, good, I thought it was something serious like she hit a deer or somebody vomited again or something. Mady is going as fast as she can, bolting back inside, but Kate shouts, “Honestly! Get a little bit of fire under your butt! Man! You should know by now whenever you’re helping me you should be running at all times!”

“Sorry,” Mady murmurs, chastened. I may cry more than once this episode yet.

The RVs are on the lawn and Kate starts shoving stuff in the storage below the cabin and being a big baby about it, crying she hurt her hand. “Uh, um, at some point we’re going to have to stop playing ‘we’re filming a T.V. show’ and really work because I’m really done,” Kate snaps to what appears to be some production off camera.

So this whole time we were playing filming a T.V. show. Ah-ha, I knew it!

More rather creepy documentary graphics. Also, as someone pointed out, there’s no music. Budget cuts? What’s next, no more Starbucks and manicures for Kate? This is like a prison movie. I need upbeat drums and an intern screwing around on a keyboard to soothe me, I‘m getting anxiety otherwise.

“Two days later, the Gosselins flew to South Dakota to meet up with their packed RV’s.” Jamie and her kids met them there.

I need a second. Hahahahaha. Hahahaha. Okay, I’m good. I never realized the “road” in “road trip” meant you hire some stranger to do the driving for you and you fly out and meet them later. This is like paying someone to say Hail Marys for you. Or if you like, having children only to leave them to nannies like Ashley to raise while you twitter all day. Missing the point, really, really, missing the point.

The kids all pile into the gigantic RVs and explore. “It’s small!” is Hannah’s first reaction. That makes sense. To Kate, millions upon millions of dollars is not enough to fully fund college, so why wouldn’t a huge luxury RV famous rock stars use all the time on tour be “small” to this family? One thing that will become very clear about this episode? Just as we feared, six years of giving kids everything they could ever dream of is finally catching up, and it’s very sad to watch (and certainly, not the children‘s fault). Kate wanted her kids (read: herself) to have everything, and this is the result of that misguided wish.

“Don’t touch anything!” Kate shouts psychotically. Kate brags that she is a size four (heh, and those girls are real too) as they squeeze into the narrow area between a counter and the table. I missed how it happened, but Collin cuts his elbow. Kate screams at Jamie to pass her paper towels, pronto! Your name is Jamie, not Kunta Kinte!

Kate will be driving. Who wants to go with her?! Beuller? Beuller?

Collin raises his hand, probably in the vain hope this will somehow improve his standing a millimeter or two up from the basement of the totem poll. Hannah, the golden child, raises her hand because she’s the golden child and likely has no clue what the rest of the children are going through, as her life with Kate is relatively great. Someday, she will most likely be the one disputing the tell-alls that come out about her mother, saying that never happened they’re just making up lies for money, because for her, she would be right, that never happened. Jamie’s son Clay raises his hand because he hasn’t spent that much time with Kate and is blissfully unaware, though not for long, of what a living nightmare being around her is, especially if you are of the male persuasion (he will get an education very soon, read on). Leah raises her hand, then seconds later puts it back down in regret; perhaps she thought she was being asked who wants ice cream. And that’s it. Just three kids of the eleven want to be with Kate. In a democracy, or even in Charlie Sheen la-la-land, this is called … LOSING!

“Hi, I’m Mike,” the RV driver says as he shakes Kate’s hand. Mike what? This is a man who is going to be around her children 24/7 and she’s just meeting him now? Hm, has he gotten a background check or did production just pull some random trucker off his rig at a weigh station somewhere in Maryland on the way up? Hm, you don’t look like a child molester, how would you like to drive around an RV for a couple weeks with Kate Gosselin? Would a little extra hazard pay sweeten the deal? Okay fine, a lot extra.

Kate takes a stab at driving. “Hold hands,” Hannah says snarkily, “so if we die, we die together!” Ha, good one, Hannah.

Also, what’s a bit odd is that all the sextuplets are now riding with Kate when only two of them wanted to go when they voted. Either the six decided they’d rather just be together narcissistic witch at the wheel or not, or their votes don’t mean a darn thing in the dictatorship that is their lives. I’m guessing the latter. (We find out later, it's the latter. Kate decided herself where they would ride before they ever even left. I hate adults that pretend it's a democracy and take a vote knowing all along they're just going to do what they want vote in their favor or not.) I guess it’s good the kids are going through this together and look to each other like this. Their lives, I mean. Hold hands, sextuplets, so when the narcissist eats your souls, you’ll all be eaten together.

“If you care about your life you’ll ride quietly,” Kate orders.

“How would you ride quietly?” Hannah retorts. I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds funny! Kid’s on a roll!

You know what’s kind of sad about Kate driving for about a mile and a half? The kids are so supportive. Lots of things like, “you did it, Mommy!” and clapping. Far more supportive of her accomplishments than she has been of anything they have ever done. The wacky role reversal here, where the kids are rapidly emerging as far more mature and normal than Kate, meanwhile Kate just keeps regressing to become even more childlike and crazy, is fascinating. "Jesus, take the wheel," Jamie quips. Ha, good song. I guess when you have to be around Kate, all you can do to survive and not poke your eyeballs out with a plastic fork is just keep making snide remarks like that one.

Day 2! It's been cold and drizzly for a few days (huh? We're only on day 2 and it was sunny yesterday) and Kate says everyone's feeling cooped up so they decide to go out in the rain. "You are weird," Hannah accuses Clay, who appears to be doing nothing more benign than playing with a stick. "According to science, you're weird," Clay retorts. Hey, that's a good one, Clay. "You're mean!" Hannah cries, outraged. Well, Hannah, when you start with someone, that's often what happens, they dish it right back, and it can be mean. Ask Kate. On second thought, don't ask Kate, she will deny she ever instigated anything.

"I think camping and freezing cold temperatures with me must go together," Kate says. And I think camping is trying to tell her that, much like the rest of the world, they don't want her.

The kids start a playful mud fight in the creek. How confusing for a child who one day is not allowed to get even so much as a granule of sugar on the floor, and the next is allowed to roll around in the dirt like it’s Woodstock. This will be the one and only time on this trip Kate relaxes and has fun with a child, only it won't be with any of her own kids--she chases around Clay and they sling mud and get the giggles and have a good ole time. My mouth is sort of half open because I've never seen Kate interact with a child like this in my life. She is covered in mud so it's hard to tell, maybe this is just her stand in? Will the real Kate please come out and hit her mark?

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?!" Kate cries as she puts him in a headlock. I don't know, but when's the last time she told her bio children that? This whole thing should be so cute. But because she never, ever cuts loose with her own children, it has this bizarre undertone. In a way, it's almost like she's trying to rub it in with her own kids. What message she's trying to send them, I don't really know for sure, (maybe, if only you could be like Clay then I could really have fun with you?) because it's the mind of a narcissist and their motives often have no basis in any rational thinking. Weird.

Since everything is on Kate's terms, when she decides she's done and announces as such, all the fun screeches to a grinding halt. These kids must have developed amazing brakes by now.

Day 3! Leah says she was claustrophobic during the night because it was cold and she was zipped up tight in her sleeping bag. That's a big word for a little girl, good for her! I’m guessing she learned it from Kate. This McMansion is so claustrophobic! First class makes me claustrophobic! Steve, make me claustrophobic!

They all pile around the tables in the RV to have breakfast. A little griping from the kids, but the biggest whiner is Kate. They only have full fat coffee creamer, blech! For some reason, Kunta Kinte gets blamed for this. “Yes! All right!” Jamie says with a Jersey-shore style fist pump. Good for her, way to stand up for normal food! By the way, I find it rather insensitive when a very thin person who really is the last gal who needs to worry about her weight, constantly talks about dieting around friends who aren’t necessarily as horizontally blessed.

It took all night to organize, Kate is freezing cold she was awake all night and her back is killing her. Organize what? A few foodstuffs? What could possibly take so long to line up some cereal boxes, put out some plastic spoons and some fatso fatty-pants needs to get on Biggest Loser to have any hope creamer? Or maybe she means she was organizing her hooker heels? I can see how that might keep one up all night.

Kate has some bizarro explanation I can't follow for why she ended up in one RV with the younger kids and Ashley and Jamie in the other with the older kids. But the real reason is, because nobody likes you, Kate, but it‘s easier to force the younger kids to go with you. Kate’s response to getting stuck with the little kids, you know, her flesh and blood children who are sweet and funny and full of life? “Oh, crap.”

The kids want a servant to go get them extra blankets and things they need. That's Steve, one of the kids says. That one little comment told me so much about how these kids have been groomed to perceive their world. Without a hint of irony, Kate tells them, no that's not Steve's job (Steve is for my vanity, not yours, child), but "someday when you’re rich and powerful, you can have a servant, but you’ve gotta work hard.” Yikes, these kids have worked their butts off for six years even through vacations (with no time and a half!) and for many of those years for free, how many more years does Kate envision they will have to do this before the reap any rewards? I guess early retirement is out of the question.

Day 3! Kate gathers the kids at a table and lays out some clues as to where they are going. A rock, a hammer, a chisel and a dollar bill. How do these all fit together, Kate asks. Um, um, um, I know! Things you can use to knock the stupidity out of Mommy with? Dollar bill, hmm. Uhh, what will be left in the bank for the kids when all is said and done?

Mount Rushmore! Mady blurts out about three seconds later. I’m not sure why this surprises Kate so much, Mady‘s far from stupid. Mady gets the dollar bill for a prize. Better go ask for some change, Mady, Kate will want her 85% of that.

They arrive at Mount Rushmore, the kids have to go to the bathroom and for some reason this really annoys Kate. “We’re a photo opportunity!” Kate cries. She wants the kids to be ready to go at the door of the RV’s to run out when they get to places. One of the kids says if you don’t give me a warning when we are about to get there how the heck am I supposed to know where we are and whether we‘re almost there? Such a good point!

People are taking authorized photos and tweeting them! Kate bemoans. I never saw any photos from this attraction at all, though there were a few tweets after the fact. Kate? Public place. The law says you can take photos of whoever you want if they‘re in a public place or the paparazzi wouldn‘t be able to exist in the first place. There’s nothing “unauthorized” about this. Also, maybe if you didn’t traipse around everywhere with a huge camera crew and boom mics and producers with headsets and a bodyguard, people wouldn’t realize you’re anyone famous, and wouldn’t take photos and tweet! Most people would assume it’s just another school group if this weren’t always such a spectacle. Like waving a sign around all day saying “Somebody please sock me in the face” and then being upset when someone actually takes you up on it.

“There’s nothing we can do about it,” Jamie says sensibly. Exactly, so what is the point in being upset and throwing a fit and upsetting the kids? Ashley’s body language is crossed arms and annoyed. Jamie and Ashley have more common sense in their little fingers than Kate could ever hope for, and their attitudes are eons more healthy for these kids right now than Kate’s.

As they walk to the monument, Jamie whispers to Ashley, “Why does she care who takes pictures? Who cares? They’re going to take pictures.”

Ashley, bless her heart, tries to muster up some kind of defense for this delusional monster she calls her employer, “Well, they don‘t want….” Ashley defended Kate because a good nanny defends the mother of the kids no matter what, and yet Kate threw her under the bus on twitter once the episode aired. Kate doesn’t deserve Ashley’s loyalty.

“But they’re going to do it no matter what,” Jamie goes on, there’s nothing you can do, so why get all stressed?

Jamie, you are applying logic to the most illogical person I’ve ever seen profiled on camera. Like trying to eat fluffernutter without it sticking to the roof of your mouth, it’s impossible to make sense of Kate. Don’t hurt yourself.

It’s so foggy you can barely see FDR up there. Even Mount Rushmore wants Kate to GO AWAY nothing to see here move along. Yes, you heard right, that’s FDR. Even Ashley goes along with this, which doesn’t bode well for home school’s reputation, I hate to say it. Cara is like, ummmm, I’m pretty sure that’s Teddy. Kate insists it’s FDR and even pulls out her pamphlet to prove it. Sure, that’s FDR, right next to President Ben Franklin, Chuck E Cheese, and that guy who invented Post-its. How long were they here, seems like two seconds later we’re turning around. Get enough for the dailies and move on.

Arthur Fry, American hero

Kate is on some tirade about how everything in the RV is broken and she planned and planned. She is talking a mile a minute and sounds truly manic. Something about there are no restaurants? There are very few places in America where you can’t drive to a restaurant within an hour, what in the world is she talking about? She really loves to make it seem like she is schlepping the kids on a sun-burnt pilgrimage through the mountains of Tibet with one canteen and some freeze-dried potatoes and no compass. And no shoes. No matches either.

Day 5! Her next clues are a banana and a rock. Hmm, let’s see. She fantasizes about a rock on her finger from Steve, and wishes she could peel his banana?

Yellowstone, the kids guess almost instantly. Really Kate, stop just finding whatever is within reach and work to come up with some more challenging clues. They see a buffalo and snow. They stop to play in the snow a little. This whole scene goes on for what feels like three hours. Really, TLC?

Jamie and Ashley say they have the party bus and Kate has the boring bus. Shots of the party bus doing what normal fun people do on RV vacations. Eating junk food, laughing and screaming, doing Blair Witch project parodies. All around fun, what vacation should be about.

Shots of the boring bus. Kate removing dirt from under Collin’s finger nails and giving him a warning. Ha. What was that warning, to stop being a boy? Who's next, step right up, kids! Kate is bitching the RV is inconvenient because she has to adjust the little pillow behind her back.

Kate is excited to see Old Faithful because it’s an iconic part of our country. I suppose she thinks it shoots up Jello pudding? Ha, the producers are just having fun with her now, though she appears clueless to it. Do they know anything about Old Faithful? one asks. Sorry to say, no, Kate admits. She Googled it on the way over. I’m guessing she was that kid who scratched out their book report on the back of a bus seat on the way to school and doesn't care if they fail because they're the greatest anyway.

Mady starts to go on about what she knows about Old Faithful, then kind of stumbles and says she wants to start over. You mean, take two? No! says Kate. Oh, give the child another take, Kate, have a heart! You probably would give yourself ten! In case Old Faithful didn’t know, it’s all about Kate. She is about to spew just like it!

Kate does an interview about the day and says it was beautiful but the kids weren’t very appreciative. What, crazy? Does she listen to her children at all? The kids said they loved it, and Leah said that Old Faithful was the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. That’s hardly not appreciative, especially for just a seven year old. Kate is in what is arguably the most spectacular park in the entire country and all Kate can talk about is being back in her own bed.

The kids are racing on a rocky path and some of them get scraped up. Cara goes over to Ashley and accuses Clay of tripping them. The whole thing is on film, and that is absolutely not true. He just slipped. Poor Clay, his expression is like, you’re not believing this are you? Thankfully, Ashley handles it well, telling her firmly it was an accident and she can go sit in the RV if she wants. Good girl, Ashley. There are no playing favorites here.

Kate’s back to her tirade about how much the RVs suck. Hint to Kate, when you’re doing a product placement for Challenger RVs, you might want to say a few nice things about them. Just every couple days. Hey, Challenger? Your RVs look rockin’ to us, in fact, here’s a link to y‘all! Why, Kate could even mention them in her manic tweets. But Kate wouldn't know how to promote something if it hit her in her leathery face.

Day 6! We’re almost halfway through this vacation from hell. Still in Yellowstone, a cranky breakfast in the RV. In the absolute middle of breakfast, Kate decides to grab a vacuum, drag it violently across some rocks, and vacuum the RV from top to bottom. This actually seems to calm her as she breaths a sigh.

After breakfast, Clay wants to play legos with Collin and Cara. Cara is so upset I can’t completely understand her, but she starts crying to Ashley that Kate said she didn‘t have to play with Clay. Ashley is like, No she didn’t, that‘s ridiculous?! I understand Ashley is fed up by the constant absurd undermining by Kate, but sadly, she lets it get the best of her and throws the lego box on the table and stomps off, slamming a bedroom door. Sigh.

You know, I understand a girl Cara’s age not wanting a boy his age around. But it’s an important lesson to get along with other kids, even kids you don’t like, and indulging their desires doesn’t help them.

Cara goes crying to Kate but heck if Kate wants to deal with this. She does everything she can to pass her off on Jamie, Ashley, Steve, the muffin man, Mr. Ed. Anybody but her please handle this. Finally Kate says tell Clay to sit somewhere else. Oh, that's fair. Not! Cara marches back to Jamie and informs her Clay has to leave the table. Good for Jamie, standing up for Clay. She doesn’t indulge this. Jamie goes over to talk to Kate. Kate tries to blame this on any child but Cara, but Jamie pegs it right from the get-go. Kate, the problem here is Cara. Not Collin, not Clay, not anyone else.

“Keep Clay away from her, please!” Kate retorts.

That’s how Kate deals with anyone she disagrees with, isn’t it? Just get them away, don’t deal with them, estrange them out. Never deal with your people problems head on, that’s for wusses!

“You need to control Clay!” Kate has the audacity to say to Jamie. Jamie is the one who should be packing up right now and getting out of this with a big F-U, where the hell does Kate get off? Not to mention, I have not seen a single solitary second of footage that remotely suggested Clay is a problem. He seems quiet and agreeable, sweet and fun. He enjoys playing with sticks for pity sake, how much trouble can he be? I suppose that’s just the editing, right Kate? He’s really a monster?

Finally Kate is just like, you play with your legos and Clay plays with his. I don’t think that was the issue, the problem was playing with each of their legos at the same table. Ashley is just kind of laughing in disbelief saying this is bad, there’s gonna be a knock down drag out!

Still on Day 6! Yikes. I guess we’re camping for real now? The kids gather rocks.

Kate went to the grocery store, it must be organic, Jamie snarks. Ashley says the trip is stressful and actually it‘s mostly the adults who argue, not the kids. They say as long as Kate stays in her bus they’ll be okay. Okay, they’re just bitter now. There’s this interesting bond developing between Ashley and Jamie. I’ve seen this very same phenomenon happen among normal people who have to be around a narcissist. The worse the narcissist treats you, the closer you feel to other victims. Also this can be seen in hostage situations, where hostages come out of a two-year ordeal tied together in a dark basement, and feel like long lost sisters.

She’s baaack! Wowser, where did that nice GMC red SUV come from? Just appeared? Is this anything like that roll of paper towels that appeared on the porch one day?

Kate gives orders to her slaves to cut and wash and chop. Steve, like most men in Kate’s life, is just trying to stay out of this all, which becomes a lot easier when there is a fire to tend and lighter fluid to pour on it. Stuff like that somehow always manages to keep men busy for hours. Meanwhile Kate freaks out on Jamie for ripping some lettuce instead of chopping it.

“If you have to rip it, I’d rather chop it, really!” Kate tells her.

Jamie gives her a confused look. “If you’d rather rip it you‘d rather have to chop it?” Jamie, stop trying to understand the crazy. Really, you’re going to injure yourself.

More childish sniping over an onion. From the adults. The kids are hitting and tipping each other over in the chairs and crying. The adults don’t know what to do anymore but just ignore it all. So what do you do when it all goes to hell? Why, makeovers! Out of the blue, Ashley starts painting eye shadow and eye liner on the girls. Um, what? The only thing that would make this family seem any more dysfunctional than at this moment is to doll up the seven-year-old girls.

Kate scorched the chicken over an open flame. Really bad choice to cook chicken over an open flame, it‘s one of the most difficult meats, and dangerous, to cook that way. The cavemen never would have invented fire had they known Kate would have screwed dinner up this badly. Kate says she nearly burned the chicken. And a circle is nearly round. The chicken is absolutely charred. Honestly, I don’t know what the plan is for tomorrow! Kate brags. You don’t have to when production does it all!

If you think TLC hates Kate after watching this episode, wait until you see what happens next week.

Ratings for RV Trip hit 1.3 million

2011-08-30T22:44:00.000-07:00

Looks like some former viewers may have tuned in to see how it all finally goes down as TLC starts sending off Kate, throwing her under the bus as they go. Will ratings that are better than most of the summer have any impact on the cancellation?

Kate Plus 8
TLC 9:00 PM 1.372 million
Adults 18-45 0.5

Tvbythenumbers.com

Discussion Thread: RV Trip 8/29/11

2011-08-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

Kate Plus 8
RV Trip
9 p.m. EST, TLC, TV-PG

The Gosselins, Ashley and Jamie are on the road again, traveling across middle America in an RV for 2 weeks -- and Kate's driving! Witness the family like you've never seen them before, visiting the nation's most beautiful landscapes and attractions.

Ooo, I hope we get to see 'My Rushmore'!

Meanwhile, Hollywood Reporter has an excellent article about how the suicide of Real Housewives' cast member Russell Armstrong has shed some light on how exploitive reality television can be--not just on children, but everyone participating.

Says Hollywood Reporter:

"All about me" has become the mantra of reality TV, even if it means opening up painful private lives to cameras and sacrificing family and friends -- and even, perhaps, if it means someone might die.

...."This is the worst-case scenario for the reality TV business," says one executive who declined to be named. "It's a very public suicide of a guy who was made to look absolutely terrible on that show. This death is causing people to think hard about the kinds of people we make shows about and whether they are equipped psychologically to be television stars."....While it would be simplistic to claim that Bravo or Real Housewives of Beverly Hills producers Evolution Media were responsible for his death, they are operating in an environment that remains unregulated and inadequately scrutinized. On many shows, for instance, participants sign "360-degree deals," notes Hayden Meyer, a partner and head of alternative TV at agency APA. That means the production company can take a percentage of any income a performer earns from books, appearances and the like.

Unfettered by contracts with AFTRA, SAG and other guilds, most networks have the right to replay each episode as often as they wish or to "repackage" series to create new episodes, without paying participants extra cash. "It's a buyer's market," Meyer laments.

Recap: Kate's Toughest Questions (part 2): Just remember who's picking your nursing home, Kate. Hint, not your 'tweeties'

2011-08-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

Coming up on part two of Kate’s Toughest Questions. Uncle Kevin nurses back to health an endangered baby lion cub named Fluffy-poo and Kate hates him for it.

Next question, the number one question asked of Kate because her situation is so bizarre and abnormal even her fans can‘t help wondering--Where the heck is all your family, Kate?

Kate answers that all of her family members, every single one, are very different from her. They are not open-minded or adventurous. If by this she means they are not “open-minded” to eight kids having nearly their entire childhoods exploited for six years, including dragging them on countless long and grueling flights and road trips to experience “adventurous” working vacations, the bulk of which most of them don’t even remember, then yes, I see how there might be some family tension. Kate says she doesn‘t judge what her family does so they shouldn’t judge what she does. More awesome logic from Kate again. If a family member is a bank robber and you are a well-adjusted doctor, you shouldn’t judge them because they shouldn’t judge you? I don’t think so. Of course you should judge, family members have a moral obligation to try to steer down a different path family members making bad choices. Just think, if we all lived like Kate there would be no shows like Hoarders or Intervention. Now that would be truly tragical for a great number of viewers. Helping a family member is not always a bad thing, even if they hate you for it. From what I can tell, the more wrong the family you are trying to help are, the more they’re gonna hate you for trying to help, and Kate sure is fitting right in there with that theory. Anyway, it’s not just about Kate choosing to rob a bank and the family members can‘t mind their own business--there are eight other family members involved, children no less, and likely that’s why her family started saying something.

Also, what’s funny is I distinctly remember when Kate judged and accused Kevin of leaving his kids to speak for one day at a congressional hearing. In fact, let's pull the exact quote shall we? Kate said of Kevin, he “has four children of his own and spending time in court and gallivanting to New York to complain about me, couldn't he be at home with his kids?" That’s not judging?

Incidentally, Kate? He went to a hearing in Horsham, Pa., less than two hours from his home--not New York. The one time he was on a New York-based show was a live feed from his house! One day he left his kids. One. It was a school day so three of his four kids weren't home anyway. And he was summoned to the hearing to offer his own unique first-hand knowledge of abuses in the industry to make a difference for all kids working in the industry in his state and the country. How many days, weeks, and months has Kate abandoned her children for much less noble causes, such as hair extensions, or Nobu? Or to go get drunk all weekend in New York and meet strange men in a club. What am I saying, this woman is one big heel-stomping contradiction. Although it’s become almost like a fun game to trap her in her own lies, especially with her own quotes. I see now why Kate doesn't want to be quoted without permission, how could she possibly keep it all straight?

Look, the real answer to this question is more likely: Kate estranged her family members for a variety of reasons that mostly boils down to them not agreeing this narcissist’s agenda was the right thing for the kids. In case any of Kate’s tweeties asking these stupid questions are wondering, there is a pattern here. Remember in elementary school? Square--square--circle--square. The pattern here is: Kate‘s fault--Kate's fault--family members get estranged because of sociopathic diabolic narcissistic Kate--Kate‘s fault. For extra credit, try to figure out what the pattern is in the divorce. Hint: start with it's all Kate’s fault.

Kate says Kevin turned on her. Haha, and then they show a clip of Kevin bottle-feeding his lion cub. Or rather, he says he just wants the kids to be safe and all reality T.V. show kids should be protected. The man wants his nieces and nephews safe from well-documented abuses against young children in the entertainment industry that have gone on as far back as Jackie Coogan and the Dionne’s in the 1930’s! Et tu, Keven? What a betrayal! Brutus and Cassius and Judas are hanging their heads in shame.

Kate says you should go to the parent when there is a concern, not the media. Huh, how does one do that if the parent in question has estranged you? Because by Kate’s own admission, at the time of the hearing, she herself hadn’t let Kevin see the family in more than two years (though there were photos of Jon having them over when Kate wasn't home).

Ha, more clips of what a wonderful brother Kevin was and how helpful he was. Never thought I would say this, but, You go, TLC. Kate says she’s considering getting back together with the grandparents. “We’ll see.” She’s such a tease. She loves to keep people squirming, doesn’t she, especially people who love the kids. This is called manipulation, or if you like, psychotic.

An alarming number of clips of the children pummeling each other, many of which with no adult around whatsoever. I usually end the fight, Hannah explains. Ha, I bet she does. I usually help her, Leah adds. “And I usually run away!” says Joel. Haha, Joel! Does Kate realize what she has here? These kids are funny, I love this age. But kids say the darndest things should be for family and friends, not a bunch of obsessed strangers.

The kids all have unique personalities, Kate says. They do? Then how come all eight do all the same thing all at the same time all the time? And, they even feel all exactly the same, especially when it comes to backing up Kate, like regular Children of the Corn. Collin is anal, Kate says. You suck, Kate. The pattern here couldn’t be more simple--just a straight, You suck, Kate. And repeat.

Next question, where will you be in 30 years? Um, well tweeties, that’s all going to depend on the kids and which nursing home they pick, why don’t you ask them? Why don't you start with Mady?

Press three if you don't want us filming you going to the toilet. Oh, snap, three doesn't work!

As usual, Kate says, uhh, let me think, uhh, nope, she wouldn’t do a darn thing different if she had to do it over again. Sheesh, not even that boob halfway through tunneling its great escape? Nope, nothing, nothing at all. I half expect her to break into some long soliloquy about why Jesus loves her more than most. Kate actually thinks she made wise decisions. For herself, maybe. For her skin, her hair and her eight kids, not so much.

I love the clip they show from a few years ago of Kate with Steve in New York where Kate is boo-hooing about something or other stupid thing. Steve is basically like, well, Kate, welcome to life. You have to make a decision that might be hard just like we all do at times, oh, well, suck it up. Translation, quit your crying, you big freaking baby, how old are you? This clip was the moment when I realized she and Steve are in fact, actually not doing it, much to my surprise.

Kate wants lots of grandkids. She may have, but whether she will be allowed to see them will be another matter. Remember, kids are watching you, watching the things that you do. And that includes, estranging everyone you love around you.

Where would you be if you didn‘t have the show, Kate? Maestro, cue the music please.

(Press play, haters)

Struggling, bemoans Kate. Many, many shifts in a day as a nurse. (Uh, there are regulations regarding nursing shifts that wouldn‘t permit that.) Instead of raising chickens I'd have to eat chicken feed! Living in a shack and wearing potato sacks! Sip of water, crust of bread for dinner. Is America really this gullible? Sadly, apparently so.

Also, more hypocrisy from, Kate. I thought she said she is struggling with a purseful of bills? So, she would be struggling had she not had the show, too? Then what was the point? It sounds like her point at this moment in particular is to justify the exploitation by saying, look what a great lifestyle this show gave me, had I not had this, things would be so very, very destitute. Either the show has prevented poverty or it hasn‘t, but pick one story and get on board with one consistent message here and stop being such a Sybil.

If push came to shove would you ever work a normal job? Yes, but her preference is to be a narcissistic diva. Kate just hates the paparazzi. Except when she doesn’t.

The nosey tweeties want to know all about how the divorce made Kate and the kids feel. Kate can’t do everything, sob, sob, it’s been so hard. Well, they do still have a Daddy they see and love. Love so much many of them just said at the beginning of this episode they don’t want a new one. Just love to remind Herr Kate of that.

Kate doesn’t understand why “the law” (she says this like she‘s fifteen years old and talking about her parents‘ curfew) would let Jon have any say in these kids. Yes, it’s so very, very unfair for a father to be making decisions as to the children he not just fathered but raised and they adore. Apparently Kate has never heard of something called parental rights. Jon has them, and you have to be pretty darn abusive and detrimental for a very long period of time for the silly law to strip them away. But it’s Kate, the pesky law never applies to her. This is also another great example of Kate not thinking beyond the end of her powdered nose. Would she want the law to have such power that it can take away her parental rights just like that for a few mistakes two years ago? What a scary place that would be to live in. Over her tanned dead body. She wants the law to be a dictatorship against Jon, just not her. Jon is not on the same team as her, says Kate. Nope, he’s not. Team Exploitation is not a team the vast majority of people want to be on, not after six years of this.

Ha, more clips of Jon being an absolutely wonderful daddy. Real long clips with cute music of Jon being so cute with Leah and then Aaden, and all of them. Leah lovingly caressing her Daddy’s cheek. TLC is not exactly supportive of Kate’s propaganda campaign. In fact at this point it's a full-on counter-propaganda campaign. I wonder if they even refused mandatory sterilization, too.

Would you still be with Jon if not for the show? Again, why their business again? No! cries Kate. A bunch of clips of Kate being a complete shrew to Jon. Including this little gem, “YOU DIDN’T USE A COUPON??!!!” Who wouldn’t divorce this psycho eventually? The only crazy part is it was Kate who finally filed, not Jon.

Next question, if you could change one thing about you what would it be? Hold onto your hair extensions, folks, because Kate is going to do a teeny, tiny bit of self-reflection here. Kate wishes she were pleasant all the time and weren’t in a funk. Are you sitting down on your leather couch? She also doesn’t understand why she gets grouchy sometimes, probably because she feels uncomfortable. Uncomfortable? From the stick maybe? Kate wants to be perfect. That explains so much actually. People that want to be perfect are forever going to feel frustrated and grumpy.

Final question, what does she hope for the future? Healthy kids. That’s nice. Oh, and of course, to be on T.V. Kate thanks her creepy tweeple for their support. And we thank the creepy tweeple for hours of entertainment. We salute you, tweener tweeties!

Recap: Kate's Toughest Questions (part 1) 8/15/11: Kate and only Kate's propaganda film, 'Free Range'

2011-08-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Coming up, Kate’s Toughest Questions. Hm, wonder what those could be? Maybe, if you were stranded on a desert island and could only pick one Nobu sushi roll to eat, which would it be? Or, what do you hate the most about Jon? Name any current event at all either domestic or international, or maybe, without relying on your pink iphone calculator, what is nine plus twelve? Apparently on this episode, Kate gets her own open forum, once again, to trash talk. And trash talk. And trash talk. And no one she throws under the bus will get a chance to respond. Hm, one person telling us how it’s going to be and everyone else silenced--sounds rather like a propaganda film to me. I half expect Kate to tell us what we can read (my books!) and what we must burn (anything else I didn‘t “write”!), and declare who is of pure blood and free to reproduce (tanners and grifters and dummies) and who is not and must be sterilized (everyone else!). Wait for it.

We’re at the house, and Mady is bellyaching, like a normal child would, about why she has to help tidy up the house. “I provide a roof over your head,” Kate actually tells her with a straight face, without the slightest hint of irony either. We are so, so close to Mady being old enough to realize what is going on here and snap back, “No, I do, fool!” Maybe a few more months and we‘re there.

Oh, there’s Kate’s makeup artist powdering Kate’s nose in the kitchen. If I were a tweetie, my first question to Kate would be, Huh, if this is the realest reality show, who is that person in the kitchen? Here comes the plumber, or an underpaid extra, to try to balance that out and make this seem like a normal family. They pretend there’s some leak in the basement and it’s all very stiff and awkward, not exactly a Shakespearean performance from either Kate or this guy.

Kate says her tweetie friends really want her to answer some questions because they’re interested in her and so on. I call this obsessed creepy stalking, she calls it tweetie friends interested in her life. Po-tate-o, po-tot-o.

Exactly as suspected, there’s a shot of Kate glued to her phone like it’s a pacemaker for her eyes while Hannah is pleading with her to please fix her shoe. She ignores the kids to be on twitter all day, it’s obvious. Poor Hannah, she has to give Kate a generous deadline of tomorrow to fix her shoe. She may have to limp around another day shoeless while Kate posts some grammatically incorrect streaming consciousness about stewing tomatoes. It probably does take Kate a good twenty-four hours to wean herself away from Twitter to attend to her young children, Hannah is bearing this in mind. Hannah probably should get two Advil ready to go for the withdrawal headaches Kate is sure to experience when she finally puts down the pinkiphone.

You know, if there were a Nobel Peace prize for inventions for shallow, image-obsessed narcissistic women, it would go to Apple for inventing the key pad. Because that key pad doesn’t hate on your nails like Blackberry and most other phones. On the contrary, it welcomes them. Now narcissists like Kate can communicate with their fans like they never could before. An entire class of people cut off from the technological masterpiece that is Twitter are now brought into the fold, like inventing a cheap water purification system and saving a nation. Just think, without Apple? We'd never know about Kate's sediments. I’m tearful.

Why are the kids on the couch? I thought these were questions for Kate.

Pattiepie wants to know if Kate is dating anyone. Many of these names are going to sound familiar, as many of them have harassed us like crazy psychos on Twitter. Twitter is the playground for adults bullied as children who never got the proper therapy and support from friends and family and security in their own accomplishments to rebuild their self-esteem and properly process their childhoods. It fulfills every unhealthy desire they’ve ever had to pass it right on to the next person even worse without any consequences. It’s pathetic, really.

I’ll answer this question for you, Pat. No, of course Kate is not dating anyone. She will play this off because she has eight kids. But really it’s because she’s a narcissistic, pessimistic, selfish, self-obsessed, self-absorbed, money-hungry, man-eating, gluten-hating, child-exploiting bitch that no man wants to be around. Next?

Why in the entire world are the kids being asked by producers whether they want Kate to date and marry? That’s so inappropriate! There isn’t a child psychologist in the entire state of Pennsylvania who would condone this as healthy. It’s so disgusting I‘m not even going to go into detail what they‘re saying, other than to say a lot of it has nothing to do with what Kate always tells us they feel, as several of them say very firmly, “NO” and they “DON‘T WANT A DIFFERENT DAD.” Whatever, Kate the lying liar about the kids begging for a new daddy.

So, is Kate jealous of Jon dating?

Puh-shaw! says Kate. No! Whatever! OMG yada yada. It kills Kate to admit the kids come home happy from their visits with him. Also, it kills me to have to look at that right mound of tanned boob pouring out of her matching blinding pink iphone top. What the heck? Is it looking for a baby or something? Or just trying to escape I guess.

Life landed her single, bemoans Kate. Wow, she’s even blaming life itself now? Even Life is now the narcissist‘s victim. Don‘t take it personally, Life.

Next question, how do you get eight kids out the door for school? How stupid are these people? Nannies, nannies, nannies, of course.

But Kate’s PC answer? “Schedule, schedule, schedule.” As in, making sure the nannies know the schedule.

Another twitter-twatter asks, do you ever miss marriage?

Well, as expected, Kate doesn’t miss Jon. But she does miss having a parent to do shit for her. That wasn’t the question. What does her stupid answer have to do with the daily ups and downs and joys and fulfillment of the unique and profound relationship with a man or woman we call marriage? Because all I’m hearing is an evil stepsister wants her servant back. Waa-waa-waa, Jon changed. No, Kate, you changed, which is why Jon wanted to go back to how things were before except you wouldn‘t let him! But people who change into something horrible always think everyone else changed except them, don’t they? The best part is this all occurs while old clips show Jon practically rescuing some kittens from a tree with one hand and saving a baby seal with the other. Tons of footage of him hugging and kissing the kids, helping them get ready for school, the kids all over him adoring him. Ha, slick one, TLC.

Next, why has your style changed so much?

Kate: Uh, um, you know I wore a tshirt because I had little kids, something about tie-dye (what?), I have eight kids. I.e., I wasn’t famous enough and getting enough stylish free crap just yet, but just wait, I will! What do clips of Alexis’s poop and Joel’s vomit have to do with anything, other than to humiliate them once again?

Why do you always wear high heels? Oh sheeple, why is the earth round?

I don’t understand Kate’s answer. They don’t stop me? Huh? Well, TLC stopped you. Last week. They canceled your show. Bam! Kate says heels make her feel good about herself. It’s typical that someone like her would use inanimate, expensive objects like heels to feel good about herself, and not feel good about herself because maybe she has a lovely family and supportive husband and good job and is a good person.

Next question. Give me something deep, tweeple, I know you have it in you: “If you didn’t know how old you were how old would you be?” Like, uh, wow, um! Ooo, philosophy. I dig it.

Hmm, how old does Kate feel? I’m guessing at least twelve but no older than fifteen. No, surprisingly, Kate is 30, she says. She started to know what she wanted then. Eh, I think most of us have come to the conclusion she knew exactly what she wanted before the sextuplets were conceived, which was way before she turned 30.

Fired Up (for Kate, not Jesus. No, really) says, what dress size do you wear? Good grief, who cares? Two-fourish, lies Kate. Baw-hahahha.

Does Kate use tanning beds, we already know the answer to this. Yes. At least Kate admits she’s not an advocate of it. So, do what I say not as I do. I freaking hate adults like that. As a kid, and now just as much as an adult.

Is her tummy tuck the only plastic surgery Kate has ever had? Watch how diabolical Kate is here. “Plastic? Yes, my stomach is all plastic!” she says sarcastically. You see, by telling herself in her mind no surgery is “plastic” she can answer the question “truthfully.” Yes, it‘s the only surgery she‘s had. Baw-hahahaha. Her boob is halfway down the Nile and she’s actually trying to tell us those girls are all hers. She also says some nonsense that “will it be forever in a day, probably not?” What in the world is she blathering about? She is so batshit! And TLC doesn’t care, they’re just throwing all her ramblings in without a care whether they make any sense whatsoever or not. Also, she says if any other surgeries are necessary she’s not against it. Hm, does this mean she’d consider a lobotomy?

How do you deal with negativity? I ignore it, Kate says. Oh, I didn’t realize calling a non-fan “rude” for questioning her ridiculous greed to take dozens and dozens of free cupcakes from DC Cupcakes was “ignoring it.” She gets testy every few days or so and responds nastily to a non-fan on twitter (and sometimes even a fan that pushes the wrong button), that’s hardly ignoring her criticism. When you’re in public people think it’s “free range” to put their opinions out there.

First, Kate, the expression is not “free range.” You are confusing this with how those organic chickens you love so much are fed. The expression you’re looking for is free reign (or less commonly but still correct, free rein). And the fact that people feel they have “free range” to criticize you has a heck of a lot more to do with the fact that you have exploited these kids for six years, and little to do with your very firm status as a public figure, otherwise we‘d be going around ripping on every single person all day long who‘s ever had their face on T.V.

Kate babbles some nonsense about how if she were a nurse or teacher, people would still criticize, but no one would really care, so she doesn’t pay attention. Wait, if she had a real job like a nurse or teacher, she wouldn’t be exploiting the kids, so why would people criticize her in the first place? That’s what started this all, being on T.V. and exploiting the kids. What is she even trying to say here? A jar of fluffernutter probably has more logic than Kate.

Kate says at the end of this all the only opinions that are really going to count are the kids’. I couldn’t agree more. And she seems blissfully unaware of what lies ahead. Let her enjoy the honeymoon period I guess.

Oh, God, this is rich. Let’s ask Kate how the kids feel about being on TV, how are they handling TV life? Kate’s absolutely ridiculous answer? They don’t know any different.

Kate, let me introduce you to something called logic. A child who is beaten up every day by his mother also doesn’t know anything different. That doesn’t mean beating a child up is good for him. Nor do many of us believe filming a childhood for six years is good for them whether that‘s all they know, and you know full well the vast majority of rational people feel the same and have said so. Your justification for this exploitation is about the most illogical answer I’ve ever heard in my life.

A few of the kids say being on TV is fun and they like it. How come the rest of the kids don’t get to answer this question? Also, if Kate claims they don’t know anything different, then how can they be in a position to say they like it as opposed to having a camera free life if they‘ve never experienced anything else? She boxes herself into a corner every single time with these answers. Well, at least the show is canceled now and hopefully they will never have to go through this again. Poor Mady says there are some people at school mean to them about being on T.V. Aw. But most are true friends. Good, though I fear that might not last.

Aaden’s favorite episode is when he went to Australia. His favorite episode? His life is in episodes now? Truman Show anyone? All of the kids’ favorite “episodes” of their lives are pretty recent episodes. Duh, because they can’t remember so much of what was filmed before. Ha, all those trips and they don’t have any memory of it.

Cara’s favorite episode is one with a scene of Jon and Aaden where he lost his glasses. I love that her favorite episode is something with Jon, that must kill Kate.

Harry’s Princess asks, What is the “funnest” part of having eight kids? Can’t Kate just sort of correct her grammar so as not to embarrass her? Instead she calls attention to it and claims she, Kate, made funnest a word. Her narcissism knows no bounds. Oh, Harry‘s princess, you’re royalty, you should know what‘s so great about having eight kids! The money, Princess, of course! But Kate makes up something about family and teams.

It’s pick on Alexis day, they all complain that Alexis screams. Oh, time to pick on Collin, who eats like a pig. This is basically what many large families do, tease and pick on each other. Only something seems very despicable about all this, by virtue of the fact that it’s being filmed so publicly.

Oh, this is revealing. They ask the kids, “If you could be any other brother or sister who would you be?” Guess who they pick? Hannah! The golden child!

If you don’t know about narcissism and golden children and scapegoats, here’s a quick 101. Psychologists have noticed a common trend among families with a narcissistic parent--often the mother. Moms will have one or more golden children she treats lovingly and fairly and often lavishes special treatment on, while other children are scapegoats and treated cruelly. This fascinating dynamic was observed in Joan Crawford’s family. Christopher and Christina reported incident after incident of abuse toward them and were backed up by several witnesses, while Crawford’s younger children, Cathy and Cindy, disputed their accounts. Why? Likely they were Crawford’s golden children, and therefore, might not realize abuse was going on toward the older scapegoat children. Scapegoat children lie awake nights just praying and wishing they had been born the golden child. In a way it’s kind of sad to hear the kids say they want to be Hannah. It just fits too perfectly with everything that’s been said about this family and Kate’s severe narcissism. Wouldn’t you know it in Kate’s own book, she sets Hannah apart from the others, admitting she has a special relationship with her.

Joel says he would just be himself. Good for him. This started out as rather a silly question, but turned out to be very revealing.

Cara and Mady slap each other then hug it out on the couch for about five minutes. They're just putting filler in now, they really don't care. I think they know full well at this point this show is done, and frankly, Kate is lucky to get any kind of send off at all, let alone an entire hour to just speak her mind without anyone questioning her.

Coming up in Part Two, Kate is pissed off at Kevin for helping a baby chick across a puddle. To be continued...

Discussion Thread: Treehouse & Chicks 8/22/11

2011-08-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

The first of the last four episodes of Kate Plus 8 airs tonight.

Kate Plus 8
Treehouse & Chicks
9 p.m. EST, TV-PG

Kate and the kids are working in the yard preparing for their newest addition -- baby chicks! Kate discovers her skills as a carpenter as she attempts to build a fence and a swinging barn door. Meanwhile, construction on a new tree house is underway.

Kate takes kids for back-to-school haircuts in first appearance since show canceled

2011-08-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

After six years of exploiting the children, remarkably, Kate tweeted this morning she wanted a "money tree" to support her family.

http://www.infdaily.com/2011/08/exclusive-pics-kate-gosselin-takes-the-kids-for-haircuts-that-she-gasp-may-have-to-pay-for-herself.html

Jon 'very relieved' the show is canceled

2011-08-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

"I hope that this will bring more privacy to my children and that they can get the proper attention they need for any personal issues they might have in the future."

Jon's interview to Radaronline pretty much sums it up.

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/08/jon-gosselin-relieved-his-kids-will-no-longer-be-tv

Meanwhile, Kate says she's in the process of renewing her nursing license, which surprisingly, she kept current throughout this mess. It expires in October.

And finally, it's worth re-running our Open Letter to the Gosselin Children, since everything we said in 2009 rings true today. We sincerely wish you the best, little Gosselins.

'Real Housewives' husband commits suicide

2011-08-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

“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?

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/real-housewives-stars-husband-russell-armsrong-found-dead/story?id=14316572

'Don't Watch Kate Plus 8' signs contest winners!

2011-08-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest. Hey, apparently it worked, as Kate Plus 8 was officially, finally cancelled today. There were so many clever ones to choose from, this was a very hard decision. But after much debate ....

The winner is ...... Just Dwindle Away! For her "I'd rather poke my eye out than watch Kate" sign.

Congrats, Just Dwindle! I'll be e-mailing you your $40 Target gift card. And for our runner up? Fade2black! For her "Officer Steve" submission:

Fade2Black, your $10 gift card is on its way. Congrats, gals.

I received so many submissions I can't post them all. They were all so great wish they would all fit here, but here are some runner ups:

AuntieAnn:

Dallas Lady:

Amanda:

MomRulz:

Carol:

Call Me Crazy:

Lisa:

Pink:

PJ's Mama:

Ingrid:

JensOpinion:

HockeyMom:

No Regrets:

Holly:

BREAKING NEWS: TLC rep tells People Kate Plus 8 won't be renewed

2011-08-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

Canceled.

'Don't watch Kate Plus 8' sign contest for $40 Target gift card; Discussion Thread: Kate's Toughest Questions

2011-08-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ratings are pretty stagnent for Kate Plus 8, which appears to have put Kate in panic mode. Now she's asking her tweeple to make signs urging everyone to watch the show Monday. The prize? An autographed copy of Kate's book!

Want a better prize? Like say, a $40 Target gift card?! We're having our own counter-contest here at Realitytvkids.com. Design your own sign urging folks not to watch, you can use photoshop or make it out of cut up boxed wine boxes or whatever strikes your fancy. No rules, even illegal signs allowed! The funnier the better. You can email it to us at admin@realitytvkids.com, or tweet it to us at @realitytvkids. Happy creativity, get the entries in to me before the end of the show Monday and I'll pick the winner after the show airs. The winner will receive a $40 Target gift card via e-mail (for online shopping at Target.com only). The runner up will receive a $10 Target gift card via mail (for online or in store use).

Kate Plus 8
Kate's Toughest Questions
Monday 8/15/11, 9 p.m. TLC, TV-PG
Kate Gosselin is in the hot seat again, answering the viewers' toughest questions. Learn everything you ever wanted to know, from "Is Kate daing again?" to "How many plastic surgeries has she had?" in this tell all episode of Kate Plus 8!