6.23.2009

get real people.

As most of you may know, when I am otherwise unoccupied with obligations, requirements and other mindless tasks (i.e., no school, no work, no husband, no cleaning, etc. etc. etc.), I love watching TV.

I know, I wrote about this like 2 posts ago, but I have to say this now. And I also want to add the disclaimer that I don't normally delve into political type arenas because it's just not my thing, but I wanted to say something about the recent "scandal."

Moving forward.

I like to peruse all channels, including TNT, HGTV, AMC, FOX, and Style.

Lately, however, I have lost my heart to TLC.

Its numerous reality TV shows have sunken my life to new depths I never thought I could experience, and yet, it has happened.

Between Say Yes to the Dress, A Baby Story and What Not to Wear, my life is consumed by this all powerful television station. It is on while I work, play, craft, clean, cook. Everything.

But there has been one show lately that has caught my attention that I had never watched before this last month (I'm sure you know where I'm going with this), and it has been entertaining to watch say the least.

Jon & Kate Plus 8.

Do I love watching adorable little children in their antics to perform acts that will cause their parents' hair to fall out? Yes.

Do I love watching playful gestures between parents, which might -- in some deep, dark part of space -- be construed as love? Yes.

Do I love watching parents who love their kids with every blood cell in their body? Yes.

Do I love watching parents bicker with each other and degrade each other and just be downright rude to each other?

Not so much.

And unfortunately, it was only as of late that the show started to take a turn (albeit very dramatized for television, I know) for the worse. I loved it before that! And as we all know, with their grand announcement on Monday, I was waiting in anticipation for what the world of reality/child star/parental guidance TV world would hold for me.

And I was failed by my beloved television.

Jon and Kate (minus 8) would be getting a divorce.

You suck, TV. You do.

Honestly, here's the straightforward truth of what I think about this whole thing (not that you care much, but if you make it to the end of this post, there might be cake).

Do they bicker? Yes. Does Jon not stand up for himself? Yes. Is Kate very demanding? Yes. Does their life suck, according to the way it appears on TV? Yes. Does that matter in the slightest???? NO.

Heavens-to-Betsie, people. You have children. Which means you are stuck together for all freaking time and eternity until you figure this one out. When they went to make their "announcement," my honest pink fluffy heart thought that they were announcing that this would be their last season and that they were going to take time to work on their marriage.

Again, I say, I was failed.

My mother-in-law told me when we got married (at 20 years old, mind you -- young and still "wild"), that if we were to go through with this, there wasn't any turning back. You're committed. I don't think that people will stay stagnant with the way they love each other from the moment they marry because people change, but you have to be willing to change along the way. I honestly believe that without the cameras and glam and lights, they would have been able to make it work (possibly with counseling and such, but who cares? If it works, it works.).

They've got their kids to think about and that's the part that concerns me the most. It was cute to have them on TV when they were little and didn't know about the world of media and what it can do to a child, but not any more. They know now. And that scares me.

Whew. Well I'm going to get off my soapbox and stop blabbering about people that I'll never meet and are probably completely different in real life. This whole thing might have just been made up to play off the emotions of little stay-at-home wives like me.

Maybe I should stop watching TV too, while I'm at it.

Nah. Won't happen.

(Yay! You made it to the end! And sorry, no cake. But I can make dang good brownies, if you want to venture to the frozen north to get them!)

*And as if this post wasn't long enough, I want to put out one more disclaimer: I am not trying to bag on families that have children where the marriage didn't work out. If you figured out a way to make it work for you, I'm very happy for you. I am just expressing my opinions as interpreted from the mind of a naive 22 year old. My opinions might change in the future, but for now, this is it.*

6 comments:

Ryan & Amanda said...

I totally agree! I think the whole situation is so sad and I feel bad for everyone caught in the middle of it, most especially the children! I just think it is so sad what happens to make shows more interesting or perhaps just because of the stress of it all. I wish they would have maybe stopped doing the show, at least for a little bit, to see if they could work it out. OBVIOUSLY, I do not know the whole story or really even a small part, but for the most part anything that happens in a marriage can (and I think should) be worked out! There you have it, sorry this is so long. It happens to be something I get on my soapbox about!

Connie said...

I'm mad at Jon. He has checked out of his marriage and the kids are going to be the one's that suffer. I just hope he doesn't further complicate things and get someone else pregnant.

Jennie said...

Kara-- I love you! you make me laugh and I can hear you say all of it in my head. Yea-- I was totally hoping for a timeout too.

PS-- I love Stacy and Clinton tooooooooo!

Tenika Dennis said...

I am so glad to see that I am not the only one who was insanely disappointed that they are getting a divorce! I recognize that it must be super hard to live life when there are tons of cameras and hundreds of people watching your life story unfold but...that's no reason to give up on your family!!! I agree that they should stop the show and work on their marriage. ESPECIALLY because there are kids involved and this has made national news. Those poor kids!

The Holmgrens said...

I was so wanting to post about this, but wasn't sure if anyone would even care! I feel so sad about Jon and Kate and you said everything I was thinking about the commitment of marriage! Way to go... and I love HGTV. and the Foot Network. It way bugs Corey cuz he wants to watch the History, Discovery, or Science channels. Boring!! :)

Anonymous said...

I recently got addicted to Jon and Kate plus 8 too, and I was so hoping that their announcement would be the end of the show to work on their marriage-such a disappointment. I'm glad you said everything that was on my mind, just knowing that I am not alone in my crazy obsession with TLC is comforting.

Little People, Big Pregnancy is on, gotta go.

P.S. I HATE A Baby Story. Just had to throw that one out there.