When the show first started, Kate made a wishlist of things that she wanted, and that became the theme of each episode–the carpet, twin’s room, bunk beds, cow, hairplugs, teeth whitening, trips, etc. EVERYTHING that you see them do or buy is completely paid for out of the budget for the show or traded for free advertising. Kate went on and on about saving up for special days, you saw her paying for things, she talked about budgeting, etc. It is all for the appearance that they are a struggling family with 8 children. They needed to be relatable. They didn’t pay for any of it.

The episodes are also staged. Here’s how it works…there is a staff of people reading these blogs and they base the shows around what people are talking about. I haven’t watched many episodes, but I do know some of the behind the scenes events.

The Christmas episode from 2007. Producers told Kate that the viewers wanted to see her show appreciation to their helpers. They told her what the episode was going to be. I think they baked cookies and then went caroling (of course this was probably one of their many ‘traditions”–those are all fake too). Kate threw a fit. She didn’t want to do it, but she did…because they were trying to pacify the viewers.

Another example is the ‘Games Gosselins Play’ (I think that might have been the same episode as their ‘mission statement’). I actually did watch this one. This was around the time that I started reading discussion boards and finding out that there were many people opposed to the show. It was so obvious that the mission statement was addressing all of the concerns that I had been reading online. The game time was just ridiculous. After the episode, I called Jodi and said, ‘what was that?.’ She hadn’t watched it, so I explained that it came across so fake (at least to me). Jodi was with Kate when she got “the call” about the theme for that episode. Kate said something like, ‘so now I have to pretend that I play with my kids.’ They also wanted her to pay special attention to the boys.

Don’t believe everything you see. The children are also being prompted to say or do certain things. They signed their lives away to TLC and they will continue to spin the show to keep the viewer’s interest. I don’t believe this show will go away until the viewers decide that they don’t want to be played anymore.

Of course, you’ve all figured out that they are showing Kate cook/bake to promote her upcoming cookbook. The show has now turned into a show about a family with a reality show–move to a mansion, cross-over shows, book tour, talk shows…

I’ve only watch a handful of episodes. I haven’t even seen all of the episodes that Jodi has been in. I made a personal decision long ago to do what I can to give those children the privacy and respect that they deserve. I refuse to watch and participate in something that I feel so strongly against.