Boycotting Jon & Kate

In my house, Jon & Kate have been frequent guests. It’s not hard to catch an episode, what with TLC devoting three quarters of their airtime to the show. We watch, we know which kid is which, and we’ve always recognized that Kate is just a bitch.

The last year or two, we’ve started talking a bit about what life must be like for those youngsters. When the show started, they were such tiny infants, they would have neither known, nor cared, that cameras were on them all the time. But then they grew. And the cameras were still there, all the time, recording every moment of their lives, good or bad. Even potty training wasn’t off limits for Kate and her producers.

Suddenly, they’re mommy and daddy’s breadwinners. The entire family’s fortunes rested on their tiny shoulders. Jon left his reported IT job to “work at home”, whatever that means. The show shifted from showing how a family of multiples faces daily responsibilites and challenges, to showing how a family of multiples travels to Disney, and Hawaii, and wherever the hell else they went all the time. It showed how a family of multiples can succeed if they sell out their children to buy a million dollar home.

Even with all the greed and money grubbing evident, the kids were still darned cute. We still watched, still enjoyed the shock value of what Kate would say to Jon this week. We were still fans and loyal viewers. The kids seemed happy enough, with the exception of Maddie, of course. Despite all the bickering, you came away with the feeling that the kids were important to them, and they would do their best for them.

And then we caught the repeat of the season opener last night. And for the first time yet, I felt so incredibly sad for those children. Children know, and sense, so much more than we ever think. The tension between their parent’s is palpable. It would appear that Jon is likely not living at home. Paparazzi is following them, hounding their every move. What child deserves to have paparazzi scouting their birthday party? It struck me that this outdoor, accessible party was designed with paparazzi in mind.

It’s sickening to see both Jon & Kate Gosselin seemingly oblivious to the damage this show is doing to the children. How the parent’s exploit the children, I can’t control. But TLC exploiting them, playing up the parent’s marital woes for ratings? Well, that’s something I can help control, albeit in a miniscule way. I can stop watching. And I can urge others to stop watching.

This show has long since stopped being about these children. It’s past the point were you can claim no harm is done to these children. Yes, raising eight children is quite a financial responsibility, but let’s be honest – their parent’s are capable of working, and providing for their family. This show is no longer in the best interests of the Gosselin children. I hope you all join me in boycotting Jon & Kate Plus 8.

Keeping it Real, Vol. 2

After the little kerfluffle involving one of my oh-so-favourite bloggers, I was doing a little reading online. I came across an interesting link and when I checked it out, I recalled a post Chick had written last year. Remember her “Gift Guides of the Loaded and Mean“?

Chick had her panties all in a bunch over Dooce’s  holiday gift guide. Insulted, apparently, at the very idea of “a fucking teapot for $165!” It was her suggestion that perhaps you could find a very nice teapot at Pier One for way less. And I’m sure you could. I’m pretty sure they must carry coffee pots there, too, but I’m not so sure Chick is as interested in cheap coffee pots.

It would seem as if Chick’s idea of a great gift might run a little higher than a teapot for $165.00. Take the coffee pot she registered for at Macy’s for her wedding. This little number ca-chings in for a sweet $304.00, catch it on sale for $165.00.  Geez whiz, with that kind of savings, you could almost afford to get the $150 sugar bowl she likes, or the $129.00 creamer. If you got a few extra bucks to throw in, perhaps you’d like the serving platter for $314.00.

Too rich for your blood? Mine, too. Maybe I could swing the $50.00 mug she was looking for, but those $80.00 soup bowls are sooo out of my league.  Who knows, maybe Chick was hoping Ree Drummond would send a gift.  Cause, you know, like you gotta be Ree Drummond and her $14,000 floors to afford even a $165.00 teapot.

Big Brother’s Watching You…

He’s reading your blog, he’s scruntinizing your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Big Brother’s lovin’ those video’s you posted from spring break. He’s positively salivating over the accounts of your recent romp with that sexy dude you met at the bar. He’s scorning the hell out of all those nonsensical tweets you made about your boobs, though he doesn’t mind checking out the bikini shots you posted on your blog.

I know, I know. Big Brother’s not real. He’s a cautionary tale, just like the big bad wolf. Well, I am here to tell you, Big Brother’s definitely alive and well, and he’s checking you out daily. Don’t laugh at me, that’s just plain rude. He’s there, I promise you.

OK, still a skeptic. Want to know more about this Big Brother? Actually, you’ve probably already met. See, Big Brother is everywhere. He’s your neighbour, he’s your ex, he’s definitely your employer, and you can bet that little Jr’s BFF’s mom is playing Big Brother. Today’s modern Big Brother is everywhere, he’s everyone you ever met. And ever will meet. He’s there, he’s checking you out. And he’s sneaky. Sneakiness is the secret to Big Brother’s success. You see, with Big Brother,  you may never even know that he was sniffing around your privates. You can be sure he was there. You just can’t ever be sure of how he judged you. 

Still a skeptic? How about if the NY Times reported on it? Will you believe Clark Howard? Lifehack certainly believes your Facebook might just prevent you from being hired, or could indeed lead to your firing. Ask Dan Leone about his awesome Facebook update that led to his unemployed status.

Even if you’re in no danger of being fired, and you’re not worried about impressing prospective employers, this still affects you. It affects anyone with a blog, or a public profile online. Your neighbour? The one you’re sure hates you? She doesn’t actually hate you, you see, but she’s read your blog. She’s a little wigged out by the raunchy story about you and hubby visiting the sex shop, and the delightful time you had with your purchases. Not to mention how put off she is by your constant drinking references. Cause, really, not everyone has to have bourbon, or a lemondrop, to get through the day.

But, hey, why worry about her, when it’s your kid’s teacher that’s really an issue. She reads your blog, too. And she’s none to impressed with your take on her teaching abilities. But hey, she won’t take her frustrations out on your kid, though, will she? Surely she’s a hell of a lot more mature than you are. You hope.

Today’s social networking obsessed society is laying it all out there in way’s unthinkable to previous generations. The free-wheeling, let it all hang out, blogging, twittering mom of today is raising children who will have little respect for the personal boundaries of past generations. Today’s youth are already seeing the potential for social media backlash. What hope do we have for the kids of today, being raised in an environment where anything is bloggable, and very little is sacrosanct? Big Brother will watch over this generation, too. With luck, perhaps this generation of  kid’s will be a little more circumspect than their parent’s. They’ll need it.