Yup. It’s official. In an ironic twist of fate to those who have watched Jon drop the ball with his family, Jon Gosselin’s name has now been dropped from the show that he began with his wife and children just a few short years ago. According to this CNN.com article, the new show will start on November 2, and will be called “Kate Plus 8″. Oddly enough, TLC and Mr. Gosselin will maintain their “exclusive relationship”, for whatever that’s worth.
I’ve followed this story on my blog for a while, for two main reasons:
First, it was one of the top shows in my DVR stable, only subordinate to LOST. We had never missed an episode, and I had a genuine rooting interest in their family, just from watching them grow from the comfort of our living room.
Second, I myself have gone through and continue to go through some of the same emotions and actions (including infidelity and divorce) that Jon is in the midst of at this time. We both were deeply wrapped up in Christian communities where divorce is a sin of the highest order, and marriage is forever, is forever, is forever. Happiness is at least secondary to commitment, if it is even in the top ten virtues of that sub-culture. In this way, I felt much closer to Jon because of our kinship in seeking freedom from what seemed to be an oppressive situation: ie marriage.
Kate Gosselin is a strong woman. This much is clear. She has handled the situation with a good measure of class and composure, even admitting to some moments of despondence during this ordeal. She has always been open about her flaws, even being willing to show her post-pregnancy belly on national TV before she was anything close to famous.
Jon, it seems has taken a different turn. While the news of the demise of their marriage was fresh, many men (and women) wondered why it hadn’t happened sooner. For all of her good qualities, Kate had a knack of putting Jon down, questioning his parenting skills, and generally treating him like a child. And all of this on national television and (perhaps more painfully) in front of their children. You could hardly contain Jon’s smile in the moments of freedom that he experienced on the show. He seemed to begrudge his commitment to Kate and the effect it was having on his own personal freedom.
But, since their story has become a top headline around the gossip columns and the water coolers, he is much less “devoted dad” and much more “deluded douche-bag”. Having several girlfriends at once is not admirable, in my opinion, and sleeping with anyone who will have you (including the babysitter and the nanny) sounds more like bondage than emancipation to me.
The truth is, anything can become a ball and chain in our lives, not just the lovely woman that you got on your knee and promised the world to.
I honestly hope for the best for Jon and Kate, and that does not necessarily mean reconciliation. I was (and continue to be) fortunate enough to have a woman love so deeply and so truly, that my redemption and forgiveness is at hand, even now. According to the state, we are divorced. But to those who know and love us, they see what we have been working towards over the last few months. A reacquisition of the love we had feared lost, and a bright future where dragons are slay-able and mountains are conquerable.
Thank God for my lovely partner and the power in all of us to change our mind.
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