I've been trying, but failing, to avoid all the annoying "news" coverage of a certain reality show couple with a plethora of children. I've been torn about blogging about it, just because saying something means I am participating in the gossipy annoyingness (technical term). I just cannot believe what is going on, though, so I am giving in and just saying my piece.
I don't care about their marital problems. I don't care if he's cheating, and I don't care if she's a control freak. I don't care if they are getting counseling. Okay, not totally true, I hope they are, because I hate seeing a marriage fail, but it's not my business.
I know that the argument is that they made it our business when they pretty much sold their lives to a television station for fame and money, and cool vacations and experiences. But to me, that argument only partly works. No one would have bought it, or continued to pay them for it, if there weren't so many voyeurs in the world wanting to get a view of their homelife. I'm not saying people are awful for wanting to watch. A family with sextuplets, plus a pair of twins is fascinating, and having an adorable three-year-old nephew, I cannot imagine multiplying his energy by six and putting them in one room. So there's the curiosity factor there. But I don't think that the afore mentioned couple was thinking about their relationship being dissected when they signed on. The focus of the show, from what little I have heard/seen is the children, and how their parents survive each day, basically.
I also don't think that the fact that they signed a contract to be put on television gives us license to renact our worst moments of adolescence. It does not automatically mean that we as a society can behave like the Mean Girls at your local junior high school. Chasing them around, taking pictures, passing them around, discussing it every day... sounds kind of like our good old teenage angsty days, doesn't it? Minus the internet component, of course, for most of us. And the pictures, because we didn't waste film like that back in the pre-digital days. But I can tell you it sounds like some of the bullying that goes on nowadays in your local junior high and high schools. So... gossiping and spreading nasty rumors is bad in Junior High School, but as adults, we should not only support it, but pay for it? Mmmkay. Way to teach the children, guys.
And another thing. What is up with their extended family? Of the little that I have watched on tv (and I've really tried hard not to get sucked in), so far the dad's brother and sister-in-law have done a full interview with some "news" show, and the brother of the alleged "other woman" (she swore they were just friends) have come out and talked to the media. Why would you do that to your family? Both of them were making things look worse with their interviews, so it wasn't the protective factor. They were basically "confirming" that the hubby is a cheating you-know-what, and that they are terrible parents, and that the kids are scarred forever. I'm sure they are saying "thanks bro" to both those charmers, and to the sister-in-law (who only did the interview "for the children." I'm sure the children will grow up feeling loved, knowing that aunty trash talked mommy and daddy on national tv).
The argument of the brother of the mom (or really his wife), is that they are tormenting these poor children by having their every tantrum and pouty face memorialized and televized. Only from what I have read, the film crew is only there a few days a week, for two hours at a time. They've had the same crew the whole time in an effort to make it a little less weird for the kids. I'm not saying I would let someone film my life like that, because I wouldn't. I already know I'm crazy sometimes. I don't need America to know that. But the way the news is spinning it, you would think they are there 24 hours a day. And really, if you have to spin it, at some point it doesn't become news, it becomes starting a rumor.
After watching the whole media hoopla fueled by family members of the primary people involved, I have something to say. Aren't you glad your family hasn't humiliated you on national tv? Count your blessings, people! Your crazies only have a local audience!
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