Jon & Kate...fake?

I'll admit it...I watch Jon & Kate Plus 8. I've skimmed through their website. I own the Kate calendar (Em Tanner Designs rocks!). I guess you could say that I'm hooked on their show. I'm a curious person by nature (aren't we all?) and I'm not ashamed to admit that I do enjoy the voyeuristic look into their day-to-day lives. However, now that the show has been on for a few seasons, the kids are older and the family has sky rocketed into quasi-rockstar status, I'm just not so sure about it all anymore.

I don't remember what made me Google the Gosselins. Oh, wait. I do. It was a link from their book's page over at Amazon.com that piqued my interest:
http://www.amazon.com/Multiple-Blessings-Surviving-Thriving-Sextuplets/dp/0310289025

If you scroll down to the customer discussion section there is a forum-like area where, I guess, people can discuss the book, the television show, etc. From there, I came across some information about a few blogs that are out in cyberspace and I checked out a few:

• http://kateisashrew.blogspot.com/
• http://truthbreedshatred.blogspot.com/
• http://gosselinswithoutpity.blogspot.com/

There are numerous articles out there, too, and I found this one to be most interesting:
Jon & Kate Plus 8 Vs. Aunt Jody - a Family Member Finally Speaks Up

I don't know what to think now. Well, I do. But, I don't at the same time. The television show is like a train wreck -- you just keep watching...over and over again. Heck, my DVR records the show (first-runs only...ha ha ha) every Monday night at 9pm. Part of the reason I like watching it is because, like it or not, the TV show does portray certain traits that I feel that most all families can relate to...the house isn't always clean, there is chaos, siblings fight, mom & dad bicker, husband & wife disagreements, inconsistencies between parenting styles, discipline issues, etc. And, while I think that Kate can be overbearing and quite neurotic at times, I do see some of myself in her because -- scary to think -- perhaps she and I share some similar personality traits. Of course, I do see some of my husband in Jon, too. I guess what I'm saying is that I can understand and relate to certain aspects of the show and that's why I like to watch. It makes me feel as if I'm not alone in how I feel as a wife & mother -- when in all actuality, I know I'm not.

But, on the flip side, I'll admit -- I'm always catching myself thinking:

"Wow, it must be really nice to outfit all eight children in nothing but Gap or Gymboree clothing."
or
"Hmm, if THEY can go to and afford Disney then we can, too."
or
"Holy moly, they just spent HOW MUCH on certified organic meat?"
or
"Gee...tummy tuck, hair plugs, ski trip, vow renewal in Hawaii, Oprah, magazine covers, NYC trips, Disney, OBX vacay......."

A twinge of jealousy? Perhaps. I think it's human nature to be even slightly jealous. However, I also know that there's no way in hell they would STILL be doing a show for TLC if they weren't getting paid! That's right, $$$. We're talking benjamins, grips, G's -- cold, hard cash. Must be nice. All good things come to an end, though, or at least that's how the saying goes. So, when is the end? When will it all be enough? As much as I love the show, it's getting to be, in my opinion, too much.

Last night, I caught up on the last few episodes. I don't know if it's because my opinon has been swayed slightly from reading the other blogs online, but it's like I don't give a damn anymore. It's not about being jealous, it's not about envy (because like Jack Johnson sings, "we've got everything we need right here and everything we need is enough.")...I just think that enough is enough already. While I don't find the family to truly be "fake", I do think that it's time to let the kids grow up be "normal" kids. The six little ones don't even know what it's like to live day to day without a camera in their face...am I wrong or am I right? It's time to stop exploiting their young lives to fulfill a lifestyle that many of us can only dream about. The show isn't about parenting or the journey from two kids to eight kids anymore. It's about greed, wealth and lifestyle changes...changes that aren't necessarily all for the good.