Massucci's Take: Jon & Kate is about money, not love
Big news on Tuesday from the Jon and Kate Gosselin newswire: Jon's name is coming off the show's title. Oh, and maybe he doesn't want a divorce after all -- Jon asked for a 90-day delay. Money is at the heart of this matter, and anyone who doesn't think so may as well be living life on a TV show.It's curious that both items were announced on the same day: Jon gets demoted in TV-land, and he says he may want to be invited back into the house that has all those cameras rolling, in the name of love and family. The plan to turn the show into single-mom-raises-eight-kids may get kiboshed by Jon, who supposedly wants to reapply for full-time dad and high-income TV-star status.
What's love got to do, got to do with it? Nothing. It's about extending paydays for Jon -- and Kate, too. As long as they're married, Jon and Kate are still Jon & Kate. He saves face by being the dad who couldn't bear to live without his wife and kids, and he saves himself a jobhunt. Kate sells more books and makes more speeches as supermom and misunderstood (yet forgiving) wife. If she forgives and takes Jon back, she can say their kids are her top priority.
Kate's fame will continue at least in the short term, with or without Jon. She will star in a TV show co-hosted by the Food Network's Paula Deen, aimed at current and future mothers, RadarOnline.com reports. You think Jon wants a cut of that deal? If he stays married to Kate, he'll get it. Her payoff, if they stay married, is to keep her wife-and-mom image intact. Plus, it'd be less likely Jon would cash in by writing a tell-all memoir.
This flurry of Jon & Kate news came on the day TLC announced that Kate Plus 8 will debut November 2. Jon, whom TLC said will appear on the show less frequently, is booked for Thursday on Larry King Live on CNN, which has reported that the family receives as much as $75,000 per episode. Jon filed papers to stall his divorce from Kate for 90 days "to regain control over the future of our family." And the future of his, and their, payday? This 21st-century Brady Bunch won't go on much longer without mom, the kids, and dad living life under one roof.
The other night, my wife and I were flipping channels between Jon & Kate Plus 8 and ESPN's Monday Night Football. She didn't mind missing some of Jon & Kate for the game because, as she said, "It's become boring with just Kate and the kids." And therein lies the crux. Whether it was a ratings ploy or real-life drama played out in before the masses, Jon and Kate have raised the bar. The audience wants to see if the lion will eat the peasant; without that tension, the coliseum empties out, and ad dollars slip away.
In the old days, before Jon decided he wanted to party, an enticing aspect of the show was watching Kate verbally berate Jon. The perverse fun of watching how much Jon could tolerate, and the possibility that he might stand up for himself, kept us tuned in. At least with the two of them on the screen at the same time, there was tension in the air. Any good story needs such electricity. But now, with Jon playing in New York City and Kate taking the kids to the Carolinas on vacation, it's like watching rival teams playing on separate fields. Lucy needed Ricky, Sonny needed Cher, Heidi needs Spencer, and Jon and Kate need each other to keep their gravy train on track.
"I despise [her], because she's not speaking from the heart," Jon said this month on ABC's Good Morning America. "Please -- the stuff you tell me in private should be the stuff you tell me on TV." Even if he really does despise her now, what he must despise even more is the thought of life minus $75,000 an episode.
So how about owning up to what's really going on here, Jon? Speak from your heart. Tell us what you and Kate think what's best for your kids and their, and your, financial future is the income generated by the show. Tell us you want to stick around for the money. That's reality.
Anthony Massucci is a senior writer and columnist for DailyFinance. You may follow him on Twitter at hianthony.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 51)
9-30-2009 @ 2:07PM
Chris said...
THIS IS NOT NEWS..... WHY DO WE HAVE TO SEE THESE PEOPLE EVERYTIME WE GO TO AOL'S WEBSITE? THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON IN THE WORLD BESIDES THIS CRAP. STOP TRYING TO SELL YOUR @%&$&*! TV SHOWS AND GIVE PEOPLE THE NEWS THAT ACTUALLY MATTERS.....
Reply
9-30-2009 @ 2:19PM
quinana2001 said...
I agree Chris, let's concentrate on the real issues plaguing our society and leave their disfunctional issues with them to sort through. We have wars, hunger, sickness, and poverty increasing in our country, and people feel they are doing a public service by commenting on such pettiness! AOL needs to serious, and certain posters need to get a life!
9-30-2009 @ 2:25PM
ccwstauffer said...
9-30-2009 @ 2:16PM
BellaDonna said...Yeah, she's much better off running around with the body guard!! She's no better! Both money hungrey ho's!@@@@@@BellaDonna is the only person who got it right!!!
9-30-2009 @ 2:33PM
JUE said...
yea!! I agreeeeeeeeeee.
9-30-2009 @ 2:36PM
Holland said...
Then why waste your time clicking on the article? So many people complain about all these reality stars but you obviously took the time out focusing on your more important topics to read this. Not to mention comment on it. Come on now.
9-30-2009 @ 2:38PM
Fran said...
I agree!!!
9-30-2009 @ 3:22PM
amcconn13 said...
Chris, if you don't care, then why even read the page or "waste your time" to write on the blog? Move on to the next page. There is no law that says you have to read it... So, Get over yourself..
9-30-2009 @ 3:03PM
Dorothy said...
I am also so sick of those people. They are everywhere you look. On television, internet, tabloids staring at you in the store. I just want them to go away. TLC needs to cancel this show. It's not reality at all. Most of it is staged.
9-30-2009 @ 3:21PM
Alexandria said...
Chris--
If your so sick and tired of Jon and Kate, don't read the articles. You are obviously quite interested in Jon and Kate or you are coming on here to cuss and use CAPS LOCK and scream and whine about how stupid these articles are. So, just stop reading them or say something nice.
9-30-2009 @ 3:23PM
gregg said...
I agree. Im so sick of seeing them every GD day I could hurl. Who are these people? WHY are we forced to see them every day? Its disgusting.
9-30-2009 @ 3:24PM
mel said...
Thank you thank you thank you-so true
9-30-2009 @ 3:30PM
paymyownway said...
What WAS Kate thinking when she MARRIED this little Crayon Dik of a monkey?
What a mess and with all this DNA flying around...omG!
KATE ALREADY HAD 2 KIDS, and was quoted on Larry King regarding taking FERTILITY DRUGS..........."WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS."
Then she proceeded to blast OCTOMOM as OCTOMOM is a THREAT. (reality show bs)
KATE and JON have made a fortune $ $ $ off those kids, and wait until they grow up and start writing books and giving interviews about what it was REALLY LIKE.
DIS FUN CTIO NAL.... FA MI LY.
9-30-2009 @ 3:34PM
FRANCES said...
I KNOW I HATE SEEN THEM ON T.V .I THINK ITS A STUPID SHOW THEY NEED TO TAKE IT OFF THE AIR.
9-30-2009 @ 3:36PM
Jami said...
If you don't like what AOL has to offer, stop coming to the site.
9-30-2009 @ 3:43PM
hi said...
Then why are you reading this?
9-30-2009 @ 4:47PM
whatever said...
CHRIS for president!
9-30-2009 @ 3:58PM
sabrina said...
I know right! It's not like the world depends on them! Talk about something that will accutley affect other people! I totaly agree with you!
9-30-2009 @ 4:01PM
Tammy said...
Agreed, we are giving them exactly what they crave...attention, some example they are setting for the 8 children they are supposed to be raising. PUBLICITY STUNT is what I've seen from the start.
9-30-2009 @ 4:04PM
davies said...
I believe Chris is right .Who cares about what these two moroons think or do . Get real jobs and by the way my mother gave birth to 8 kind and raised 4 other relatives .
These two characters are lazy - period
9-30-2009 @ 4:05PM
katina said...
HERE HERE!!! I AGREE, IT REALLY WARRENTS THE FRONT PAGE????????? wHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO???