Kin: “Jon & Kate” Kids Being “Exploited”

Kids Kate Her Brother And Sister-in-law Call For Laws Protecting Children In Reality Shows..

by CBS

Published: Wed, May 27, 2009 - 10:27 am CST Last Updated: Wed, May 27, 2009 - 10:30 am CST

(CBS) The eight children of Jon and Kate Gosselin are being exploited and viewed as commodities, all in the name of ratings, Kate's brother and sister-in-law charged on The Early Show Wednesday.

Kevin Kreider, Kate's younger brother, and Kreider's wife, Jodi Kreider, told co-anchor Harry Smith they're speaking out now because they think it's high-time for laws protecting children who appear in reality shows such as TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8." They say they want to be the "voice" of the Gosselin youngsters.

The Kreiders say they're already seeing signs of adverse effects on the Gosselins' sextuplets and twins of having TV cameras constantly capturing the lives of all Gosselin family members.

Tabloid reports claim the show is also impacting the Gosselin marriage. Both are said to be having or have had affairs. Both deny it.

All the controversy surrounding the show helped it draw record ratings Monday night for the premiere of its fifth season. Almost 10 million viewers tuned in, "good numbers for network TV, pure gold on cable," observes CBS News correspondent Michelle Gielan. "To put that in perspective, the show set a ratings record just two years ago with just under 3 millions viewers."
Kevin and Jodi were involved with the show when it started.

"We thought it was very innocent at the time," Jodi explained. "And it -- the first season started, I think, eight episodes. And it quickly turned into more and more demands of Jon and Kate from the network, and turned into 40 episodes in a six-month span. ... There were cameras in the children's bedrooms at one point. And they were filming all year-round. These were very huge concerns for us."

"We spoke to them about that. And ... their response was, 'This is our choice. This is what we want to do. Just respect that." '

"We're speaking out now," Kevin pointed out, "because we want to be the voice of our nieces and nephews. We're seeing it turn-tide, that they're being viewed as a commodity."

Jodi was more blunt. "They're being exploited," she said emphatically. "It's time for America to see the situation for what it really is, which is -- unfortunately, there no laws protecting children in reality TV shows. And it's time for the public to be aware of this. And that these -- these children are very aware of the cameras in their homes. Their home is their workplace. And this is not a healthy environment for kids to be raised in."

" ... There are effects already being -- you know, signs already. ... They don't want the cameras around. They have told me personally. ... We watched them quite a bit about a year ago and further back. They would say, 'Aunt Jodi, I don't like the cameras on every vacation with us. I don't like them -- and, too, you know, kids have bad times, bad moments, they cry -- and having the camera zoom in on a crying child, I mean, this is just -- this should not be a form of entertainment."

Kevin noted that, "I do talk to Kate and Jon. We haven't seen the kids in awhile, which is hard. ... Our relationship has definitely been strained now. What we hope is that they will kind of come around, see the effects, see what's most important."

"They're very lost right now," Jodi asserted. "They're very blinded by all of this media and this -- you know, the fame and the fortune. ... Unfortunately, I think it has come down to (being) all about the ratings. And no one is looking at these children as (to) what they are going through and the life consequences they are going to have as they get older."

WKRG.com » News Stream » Entertainment

Photo

WKRG.com Related

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

engtchr Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 7:11 pm

These kids are going to hate their parents’ guts one day. They will never, ever be normal unless someone intervenes now because everything about their lives is contrived and captured for the viewer…So sad. I do not support this show by watching it.

ickthus Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 5:47 pm

Jon is the man. The mud he put up with from her would drive anybody away. Narcissistic, controlling, self-centered, germ-a-phoebe, clean freak. Nothing he did was right, good enough or how she thought he should have done it, Her way or the highway. Glad you went in her purse and found your cojones.

scott45 Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 5:20 pm

Most people have affairs men and women so what. If it hadn’t been for the affair I would never have even watched the show now that I did so what. It’s not a good show.

Sirk Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 4:06 pm

As far as bashing Jon, no really I’m bashing any man who would act this way not just Jon. I would also feel the same way if the woman decided she didn’t want to spend all of her time at home taking care of her family.

We all make a decision whether to bring a child into this world. When you make that decision, you have a long road ahead of you until those children are grown and move out. There are many methods of birth control if you do not want this responsbility. You don’t wait until after the children arrive and then decide ooops that’s not what I wanted.

Sirk Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 4:03 pm

Jon had a job until two years ago when he quit it for whatever reason I don’t know. Probably because there was enough money coming in and he maybe didn’t want to work. While Kate was off promoting her book, he was at home with the kids, but he was not alone because they had someone helping him.

If I had wanted to leave this situation, I would have left when the kids were in diapers because that would have been the most distressing time or it would have been to me with all the diaper changing and feedings and not getting enough sleep.

The kids are going to school now so they will be out of the house for 8 hours at least so now is a fine time to wimp out. When you have 8 kids and 6 of them are the same age, you have to have good control of your household or you would then be on the show Nanny 911.

No one forces you to bring children into this world. When you have children they are yours to care for and not anyone else or everyone else.

mob1 Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 3:43 pm

OK, now your bashing Jon. I am not taking up for him but no one knows for sure if he had an affair so lets not assume he did just because some media outlet out there somewhere has accused him of this.
I do not doubt they are supplying what the kids need, I personally do not watch the show so I can’t say for sure either way.
I do understand how the media such as TLC can stiff arm folks and exploit people, I think they both as parents should put a stop to it.
Yes, I do agree that Jon should hold his fair share and get a job as well. However can you imagine what the day care cost would be for 8 kids even if they were to get a discount, WOW.
I can also understand needing to just get away for a little while from the kids after being with them all day. Both my wife and myself get away sometimes after one of us watched our son all day.

Sirk Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 3:24 pm

If Jon had wanted out of the show, then he should have gotten a better paying job or two jobs to support 8 kids. They both agreed to have the kids and it took both of them to make the kids so therefore he should take on extra work to keep them comfortable. If he doesn’t want to work then he should sit at home and take care of the kids and Kate could work.

southernbelle6913 Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 3:24 pm

Thank you Sirk. You have covered it all now.

Sirk Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 3:22 pm

There is no excuse for having an affair. Get out of the marriage if you don’t want to be in it. Don’t drag kids down a long nasty divorce road with an affair.

Jon quit his job so he could be at home. I’m guessing he realized that being a “housewife” was not what all he thought it was. He figured he could sit around and do nothing all day. After taking care of kids he thinks he should be able to go out and party on the weekends.

What about an actual housewife who takes care of the family 24/7, 365 days a year. Does she ever get a vacation? Weekend off? Day off? If the housewife stopped cleaning, cooking and taking kids here and there after 8 hours a day, what kind of person would she be called. A man thinks after he works 8-10 hours a day all he needs to do is come home and sit down and put his feet up and the wife is supposed to wait on him. Not all men do that, but a lot do. Also most women work 40 hours a week outside the home plus have housework to do.

cmb1 Says:

Wed, May 27, 2009 at 2:09 pm

I agree with both of you, It seems that Kate is in it all for the fame and the money, because Jon wanted out of it and she didn’t. She wanted to do a few more years for the new house. Is there any kind of account set up for these kids for when there older? or is mom just spending all the money? I don’t blame Jon for having an affair (if he did) she is a _itch. I haven’t seen the show but a few times and that was enough for me.