Hollywood Expert Advice: Children and Reality Shows Mix Well
It was just a matter of time when fellow celebrities chime in and offer their thoughts about the Gosselins. And some of the advice may make you scratch your head. But then we know that Hollywood is somewhat different from the rest of the world, so this was somewhat expected. Just like a lawsuit that was filed today against Jon Gosselin.
What got me thinking was a comment from Gretchen Bonaduce, who was married to Danny Bonaduce from 1990 to 2007. Walking down the Red Carpet of the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards 2009, Bonaduce was asked for her opinion on the Gosselin drama. And in her opinion in is really the media who is at fault here and not the impact of the Reality TV Show.
“It’s not the show that ruins relationships, it’s cheating and all the other things. It has nothing to with the camera. Blaming it on the show is not right,” Bonaduce said. “This is going to sound mean, but if the media is so concerned about the kids, then stop covering them. Then the kids won’t read it and nobody will know about it.”
Ummm. Gretchen has a point, but of course she might be a bit biased here. Bonaduce has her own reality show – Reinventing Bonaduce – and of course it would be somewhat unexpected to say that children in front of the TV camera is a bad thing. Reinventing Bonaduce is expected to cease production, however, as the Fox Reality Channel will be shut down by News Corp. by March 31 next year.
Fellow celebrities were not so kind to Jon and Kate Gosselin. Some of the quotes and statements from Reality Show stars can be found here. Tina Fey also chimed in and mentioned in an Access Hollywood interview that she that “I tried to buy a Kate Gosselin wig for Halloween and it was sold out?” she said. “I am Team Kate. I was always very Team Kate from way back.”
This may have sounded cynical, but she in fact took sides for Kate Gosselin stating: “You know why she’s gotta come down on him? Because he’s an idiot!”
Meanwhile, Kate plus 8 is reported to stop airing due to a lack of material. The quoted reason is Jon Gosselin, who banned cameras from entering his property and filming his kids because, as he told Larry King earlier this month, the filming could be “detrimental” to them. Jon’s motivation to ban TLC seems somewhat strange as he reportedly has a contract to ET, in which TV access is granted to him as well as the children. So, not surprisingly, TLC this morning filed suit against Jon Gosselin for breach of contract. The suit alleges that he violated his agreement with TLC by accepting paid and non-paid appearances on other television shows without permission, including TV and “The Insider” while still under exclusive contract with TLC.
According to the suit, Gosselin has to return the money he has made from his paying gigs. In September, TLC said it would cut down Jon’s role and changed the name of the show to “Kate Plus 8″.