Today
Sections
More
Features
What's up with ...
The decline of "Jon & Kate Plus 8"
I wanted to write an update about "Jon & Kate Plus 8." I generally leave the modern television criticism to my colleague Tim Goodman, and focus instead on local advertisements from the early 1980s. But we got a strong response after writing about it more than a year ago, and my feelings about the program have changed almost as much as the show itself.
arabamericannews.com
"Jon & Kate," for those who haven't seen one of the marathons that has run on the TLC network (pre-empting the channel's other two shows: the one about the guy with the giant tumor on his face and the one about the creepy people with 17 kids and counting), follows the lives of Pennsylvania parents Jon and Kate Gosselin and their children -- a set of older twin girls and a younger group of sextuplets. I wrote positively about "Jon & Kate" last year, in particular defending Type A parent Kate, whose take-charge manner has been criticized by a lot of viewers since the first episode in 2007.
Man, has this show gone downhill fast.
For the first two and a half seasons (Jon & Kate" just finished Season Four, with record ratings), the show focused on how the two parents and their network of friends balanced taking care of the kids, work and a tiny social life. As a parent of two, it was fascinating, cathartic and even a little instructive to see how Jon and Kate took care of eight -- feeding them, dealing with illnesses and making sure each kid got some individual time as well. When the family went on a small vacation or Jon and Kate went clothes shopping, they would talk about how hard they worked to set the money aside. A trip to the grocery store was a lesson in economics. Then "Jon & Kate" got really, really successful, the family became a brand, and I now find the show pretty much unwatchable.
A few thoughts about the current state of "Jon & Kate Plus 8." Yours in the comments ... Read More 'The decline of "Jon & Kate Plus 8"' »
| March 31 2009 at 10:30 AM
What's your biggest anxiety dream?
In the dream, I have maybe nine tables, and none of them even have water yet. I realize on my way to the kitchen to check on the status of table seven's food that somehow I never even put in the order. People are starting to wave their hands at me irately, and whenever I try and go over to see them, the restaurant gets longer and somehow I can't run. I'm pretty sure the owner is part of the large party at table five, but I can't even find their ticket, I'm gonna get hell for that. I spill a tray of drinks at the bar and the bartender starts yelling. I'm sweating buckets. I'm constantly in motion, but nothing is getting done, and each moment I realize I've forgotten something else.
associatedcontent.com
Let me guess. You don't know the combination either ...
Okay, so I haven't been a waitress for more than 10 years, but every so often I still have a nightmare about restaurant work. I can honestly say it's the only job that shows up in my anxiety dreams. It has become part of my vocabulary of stress, like high school. And incidentally, I have dreams about those golden years too, very standard ones where I can't find my locker or my classes and sometimes I'm not wearing any pants.
I'm sure all of you have anxiety dreams, unless you are the kind of self-empowered person who somehow takes charge even in your sleep and find a spare pair of jeans in your locker because you still remember the combination, and you just say heartily, "Phew! That was a close call. Thank god I'm so capable." If so, you should just go far, far away. The rest of us are still cowed by the thought of trying to run or punch but finding that somehow your legs and arms don't work any more. (I also love how all this seems totally normal in dreams, so even while I'm panicking I might also be carrying a rooster and turn into my dad at odd intervals, none of which fazes me at all.)
Read More 'What's your biggest anxiety dream?' »| January 21 2009 at 09:11 AM
What's up with ... "Supernanny" and Jo Frost
Believe me, I'm not above watching reality show crap on TV. Remember when I admitted to enjoying "Jon and Kate Plus 8"? That's intellectual viewing in our house. I can sit through a "Trading Spaces" marathon, multiple installments of "Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee" and, if the mood is right, an entire episode of "Keeping up with the Kardashians." If they invented a reality show that was nothing except a camera following around Paula Deen as she bought her groceries, my wife and I would probably watch it.
impawards.com
Making me crazy one episode at a time ...
But I absolutely can't stand "Supernanny," and its host Jo Frost. I do watch that ABC network show sometimes, but it's mostly to reaffirm how much I hate it. I put Frost somewhere between Dr. Phil and Nancy Grace on my list of useless people who are posing as experts and slowly destroying the universe.
I'm not going to argue with her specific methods. Some of them are probably correct. Because her producers tend to pick the Worst Parents Ever for their shows, sothere's really no debating that the children need discipline. (Of course that boy needs the Naughty Step -- he just punched his mom in the face and tried to set the dog on fire.)
What I intensely dislike is the way that she always picks these super weak-willed families, and then enters what seems like an emotionally abusive relationship with them -- belittling them one minute and doling out faint patronizing praise the next. By the end, they're so screwed up that they're thanking Frost profusely, even though she's the driving force behind their humiliation on national television.
A few more thoughts about "Supernanny" are below. Please add your own points or defense of the show in the comments ... Read More 'What's up with ... "Supernanny" and Jo Frost' »
| June 03 2008 at 08:38 AM
What's up with ... "Jon and Kate Plus 8"
In a cost-cutting move, we recently ditched our TiVo in favor of the DVR that comes with our Comcast cable. This is good, because it can record more than one show at the same time, and my two favorite things to watch right now -- "Jon and Kate Plus 8" and World Extreme Cagefighting -- were both on at 10 p.m. last night.
sixgosselins.com
Eight is enough ...
I had never heard of "Jon and Kate Plus 8" until last year, when I interviewed parent of quadruplets and 2007 Santa Tantrum Awards winner Gen McNulty -- who said she watches "Jon and Kate" to keep her busy life in perspective. When the TLC channel was added to our HD service a couple of months ago, we started watching the show a lot as a family.
I'll start by saying that even though it's my default to bag on things, I really like this program. Unlike so much reality fare, it never feels scripted. While other shows such as "Little People Big World" have narrative arcs and the subjects seem to force themselves into unnecessary strife, the Gosselins' daily grind is drama enough. I like "Jon and Kate" and "Intervention" for the same reason: The programs are voyeuristic, the conflict is all wrapped up at the end of the hour and they put my problems in perspective.
A few thoughts about "Jon and Kate Plus 8." Please add yours to the comments ... Read More 'What's up with ... "Jon and Kate Plus 8"' »
| May 27 2008 at 08:32 AM
What's up with ... Bob the Builder
One of our regulars recently commented on the abnormally high accident rate in Sodor, the town where Thomas the Tank Engine lives. My wife and I frequently engage in similar deconstructions about the inhabitants of the cartoon worlds that we watch over and over with our nearly 3-year-old son. Right now "Kipper" is our favorite topic of discussion. What's with the dogs in these shows, and their care-free lifestyle? Are they trust fund babies? Independently wealthy? And where are the humans? We're they all killed, in a canine version of "Children of the Corn"?
amazon.com.uk
Check him for a wire ...
We can talk more about that some other time, because our first subject in this new and perhaps semi-regular "What's up with ..." series is "Bob the Builder." I actually kind of like this show -- it's certainly better than most of the other On Demand options in our cable package. But after repeated viewings, we have many more questions than answers.
A few thoughts about "Bob the Builder" ...
1. Is a corruption probe looming for Bob?: Have you ever noticed that there's never any competitive bidding when Bob is on the job? And he only uses non-union labor? I suspect a wiretapping case is in Bob's future, and I'm guessing that Muck is the one who's going to flip for the feds. And for every anthropomorphic crane or bulldozer you see in those cartoons, you can bet there's one really pissed-off Teamster who is plotting revenge. Whether he ends up in jail, or just disappears, things aren't looking good for Bob. Read More 'What's up with ... Bob the Builder' »
| March 19 2008 at 09:07 AM
more