Jon Defends "Jon & Kate Plus 8"

(CBS)  Jon Gosselin says there's no truth to reports that his eight children have been hurt by the family's reality TV series.

Both Gosselin and his wife, Kate, have drawn tabloid fire as the couple, their 8-year-old twins and 5-year-old sextuplets continue to appear on TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8." The show is grabbing sky-high ratings at the start of this, its fifth season.

Last week, Pennsylvania's Labor Department said it was launching a probe to see if the hit show is complying with child labor laws. TLC says it "fully complies" with state laws and regulations.

Gosselin rejects the idea that his children are being exploited by the TV production.

"I don't even want to use that word, because I think it's ridiculous," he told People magazine. "We have healthy, happy, well-adjusted, educated kids. They're bouncing around and having a good time."

But Kevin Kreider, Kate's younger brother, and Kreider's wife, Jodi Kreider, said on The Early Show last week they think it's high-time for laws protecting children who appear in reality shows.

And Jodi said, ""Many times, they would come to me and say, 'Aunt Jodi, I don't like the cameras'. And, if they were crying, the cameras would go right to them, the one that's crying, and that's embarrassing. And you know this is being used as entertainment for America."

Even "Octomom" Nadya Suleman has criticized the Gosselins, remarking to Website RadarOnline.com she wants the reality show she just signed to do about her 14 young children "to be very NOT like 'Jon & Kate Plus 8,' where I feel they made a mistake allowing it to be more exploitative and invasive in the kids' lives."

Jon and Kate reportedly have cheated on each other. They deny it, but acknowlede their marriage is struggling in the media glare.

"I think all parents, and anyone who is married, are always going to have times when you're upset with someone," Jon said to People. "This is a reality show, so you're going to see real emotion."

[DeanLittle]

Check this out Jon and Kate have new neighbors....Look out TLC fans!


PAINT MISBEHAVIN'
NETWORK PREMIERE - Thursday June 25th @ 10pm on TLC
Steve Flanagan and his merry band team of "paintsters" build the cop car of the future, hoping to change the face of law enforcement with the flip of a switch. And, the team and their fireproof paint get a baptism of fire-straight out of a Hollywood movie.


Current Listings:

Thu 6/25 10:00-11:00pm TLC
Fri 6/26 12:00-1:00am TLC

[naj1953]

Now they are going to put another one of these dumb shows on with another family..Really why do people care about these reality shows.???..I've watched them and talk about boring......These people use their kids for money....Get a life.. Raise your kids..

[emwalker]

I've only watched the show a few times but...if I were parents of twins and then another 6 came along and I got a call from a producer I would seriously consider it for the the financial benefits - from a logical perspective 8 kids are expensive and 6 infants and 2 toddlers (when the show first started) would have made me overwhelmed thinking how I can provide for my family. With or with out the cameras it must be a busy stressful household. And don't forget - we don't see what ends up on the editing floor - this show isn't live afterall.

[dovestar]

You are looking at the other side of fame. This is the not-so-attractive side. Sure, everyone wants his or her 15 minutes of fame, but that carries with it the entry of the camera into your private life, or more correctly, you don't have a private life. Whatever compensation you gain is the price you are willing to pay to have live TV cameras follow you around. Have a problem? The camera never blinks. Have an argument? The camera never blinks. The inclusion of the camera changes everything. The family plays to the camera--not each other.

These are factors that the Gosselins should have considered, you say. But how could they? How could they possibly know in advance the demands of the ever present camera? How could they have possibly have forseen the effect on their marriage and family life of that ever present camera that doesn't have an "off" button?

How would your family life change with the ever present camera and TV production crew that views your every movement--public and private? Would your family be as stoic in this inclusion of a nationwide audience as the Gosselins have been thusfar?

True, there is a fascination with raising such a large family under one roof, and to a degree, a healthy interest in how this family copes with that challenge is understandable. But constant video monitoring, a continuous TV presence, with the camera never blinking seems like so much overkill.

Before you judge the Gosselins too harshly, consider one fact: There are a lot of people in this country who consider such privacy invasions entertainment.

[trillion1]

Two clowns have a bunch of kids and they are "stars". America needs to get a life.

[PVperson2]

LeavetheGosselinsALONE, we didn't put them on TV, we didn't go after the producers with contractual agreements for money and items including cosmetic surgery, we don't force them to exploit their family for "entertainment", these people opened the door to criticism and comment the day they went on air and began to display every aspect of their lives and troubles.

[snoopy28173]

These kids are NOT being explited. They are not acting. They are being kids.

The kids that the octo mom has are the ones being exploited; each and every one of them were born with a job.

[rearley1980]

grlfriday:
No sorry, I don't agree with you on this one. Shame on the Gosselins and shame on TLC to be the ones who are exploiting these kids. This show has run its course and should end, especially when it is obvious these two "parents" are in it for the money...

[grlfriday]

Kudos to dragyn30! Couldn't have said it better myself! Shame on The Early Show for getting in on the mud that the tabloids are smearing! They should be reporting facts not interviewing relatives that are jumping on the band wagon trying to make a dollar for themselves and for allowing people like Octomom to even have an opinion on these peoples lives. She went and got pregnant just to get a show and it seems to be working. Let this family have time to heal and get past this. They are only human just like the rest of us.

[dragyn30]

If I were Jon & Kate, I would throw the cameras out of the house for a few month and break a boot off in her brother's and sister-in-laws butts!! What dirtbags they are to go on TV and criticize their own flesh and blood - let them go live with that PIG Suleman so they can have something to be judgemental about.

Everyone has martial issues and challenges with raising children, but that is life.

Leave these folks alone and quit trying to make that low-life scumbag Suleman look like a patron saint of motherhood. She doe not provide for these children the tax payers do and Jon & Kate are at least trying to work through their issue, they do not need the media and family stirring up any more crap.