The Reality of a Disaster

First I must confess, I watch reality TV, a moderate amount of it, but my recent addiction is Jon & Kate Plus 8. I will even admit that I am not new to the JK+8 bandwagon. Oh no, I discovered it on Comcast On Demand while home from work a while back. So whenever the husband is not in the room I will find an episode and turn it on. So I was a fan before the recent explosion. The mom in me watched in pure amazement of raising 8 children.

On the flip side, I am a marketer, I get to peek behind the curtain as to how our modern day entertainment is crafted. I know that there is nothing “real” about reality shows and that they all employ writers and producers to come up with the entertaining scenarios portrayed for our viewing pleasure. The marketer in me was impressed with how they leveraged their family dynamic for a Gymboree sponsorship, free trips and even great photo shoots.

Then it all blew up.

I read with somewhat disbelief (considering the source) all of the tabloid reports of the couple and I am not here to take a side nor condone anyone’s behavior. However, after watching the previous 4 seasons in a marathon over the weekend, it became a focus group in how fame can change people. Jon and Kate made the decision to do the show to “chronicle their children’s lives” – I take that to mean provide for our large family. I mean can you really blame them, a production studio will pay them upwards of $25,000 - $50,000 per episode (this is their rumored salary) to follow them to the grocery store, through the travails of potty training, and taking the kids to their first day of school.

Over the 4 seasons you can see them change, you can see Kate’s domineering taking over in every armchair interview they do. You see them only talk about the kids, never to one another and about their relationship or common interests. You see Kate take on the role of “mom” expert and offer advice. You see Jon get himself in shape and get hair plugs. You see them both take to fame – Kate more so than Jon. There was an episode on this weekend that had Jon taking Kate shopping talking as to how she had no sense of style. Flash forward 4 years and you see her in oversize sunglasses, with a spray tan and fake nail tips talking about how she only eats salads.

My point here is to say that the decision these parents made “for their kids” seems to be the decision that ultimately spilt the family apart – not really in the kids best interest. They could never have predicted the fall out from how the beast of entertainment would grab hold of all of them. This season premiere was very sad and at times hard to watch. I was hoping all of the tabloid reports were a big ruse for ratings and this season would kick off with a big “surprise”. But no, what they gave us access to over the last 4 seasons is a chronicle of how loosing yourselves as a couple when you have kids multiplied by the current flash in the pan will ultimately tear you apart.

I am sorry we had to witness this. I wonder if everyone now views these episodes and watches them wondering “is this the moment that broke them.” But truly I am sorry for the kids, I am sorry that they can know first hand what happened to break their family apart, some things need to be kept private, but the machine has swallowed Jon & Kate up have spit them out separately. Is the fancy house and fleeting fame really worth all of that?

I am not sure if I will watch the show anymore, there is enough misery in the world that I really don’t need to DVR someone’s pending divorce (purely my opinion, no one knows the status of their relationship but them). However, if they are really doing this for their kids, which has clearly left their minds a long time ago, they would bow out of this season and keep their personal fight behind closed doors – for real.