The New 'Jon & Kate' Shows

Well, after a brief sabbatical, the show called ‘Jon & Kate Plus Eight’ returned last night with not one but two exciting episodes! The shows probably drew high ratings, as I am sure that many people (including myself) wanted to see what was happening with all the drama behind their separation, the magazine covers, etc.
In fact I read somewhere that only Michael Jackson had a higher “Q Rating” this summer than Jon and Kate. (For those of you not obsessed with popular culture, a “Q Rating” is a gauge of a product or person’s overall fame or popularity based upon appearances on magazine covers, mentions on gossip shows, etc.)
Anyway, the shows certainly let down probably everyone who watched them. That is if you tuned in to see drama and gossip, you certainly were disappointed. And if you are a fan of the “old” John & Kate shows and wanted to watch a cute family with 8 kids struggle to survive the day to day chores of life, you certainly were disappointed.
And, if you were someone drawn to the show to see how a separated couple could manage the travails of raising a family with eight kids, then you definitely were disappointed.
Yes, the new “Jon & Kate” show is neither fish nor fowl. It has merely picked up where it left off, as a combination of an infomercial and “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
The first episode, titled “Renovations & Vacations” was particularly appalling. In this episode the Gosselins had decided to renovate their kitchen. Supposedly the decision was made before they decided to separate. The most telling comment was made by five year old Joel (standing in the midst of a kitchen probably much more spacious and modern than 99.9% of the viewers’ kitchens) and asking “Why are we getting a new kitchen?”
Silly Joel, didn’t he realize that a kitchen without pullout shelves and under the counter refrigerators is pretty useless?
Then Jon answered on the interview couch that they had already decided to renovate the kitchen, and they didn’t want to basically deprive the kids of a better kitchen, because after all it is the kids’ house, and they love the kids so very much.
Of course left unsaid was that contracts had probably already been signed with the kitchen renovation company, and I am sure this new kitchen was not going to cost the Gosselins a penny (nothing really does), and it would add value to their house, as well as give them a subject for another episode.
And the real reason for going ahead with the kitchen was that it gave Kate the opportunity to take the kids to the beach where she had “secured” a fabulous beach house, and more importantly she could show off her new tanned “bod” in an orange bikini to the world, including the paparazzi. You don’t think she knew those shots of her in the skimpy suit would show up on magazine covers?
Now the rest of this episode will be continued next week, when viewers will get to see the finished kitchen. Wow, what a cliffhanger; can’t wait to see those pullout shelves!
The second show was even more revealing. Yes, except for the opening credits, Jon was totally missing from the “Camping Out” episode. Kate got to show us that she could handle things by herself (of course with the help of several friends and the television crew). Kate and the kids roughed it, camping out in their back yard in a tent that would have made Lawrence of Arabia proud. (The tent even included a battery-powered ceiling fan!)
The roughing it part also included shots of the kids frolicking in their huge in ground swimming pool. These scenes HAD to be included, so we could see shots Kate in her new blue bikini.
There were several mentions of how much better Daddy is at starting fires and putting up tents, but aside from those brief mentions Jon was a no show in this episode. Of course he was probably out gallivanting with his assortment of girl friends shown with him on the cover of all the newsstand gossip magazines.
But the camping trip was a big success. And of course I have to mention the two commercials from Coleman Camping, “the original social networking” people. Gee I wonder how much the Gosselins had to pay for their camping equipment.
Finally, I am left to ponder one question that keeps nagging at me. Whatever happened to their two German shepherd dogs? They must be very well-trained to be so silent during the backyard camping outing.