John and Kate Plus 8

So another of my guilty pleasure shows has been John and Kate + 8. I watched their original special way back in the day, and have seen most of the episodes in their series. Throughout the show I've always thought that John was a bit of a door mat and that Kate was a sometimes a bully, taking many opportunities to critiscize and yell that she didn't need to take (my boyfriend thinks she's a total bitch, I thought she was just overbearing). I still liked both of them however and their bickering seemed to be at levels that still allowed for caring and support.

They have, however, gone totally insane this year.

Maybe they went insane a couple years ago but it is finally showing. Kate has become more and more and more shouty and self-righteous. John keeps going on trips and to parties/bars with various young women. They spent their anniversary apart and there are photos of Kate spanking one of their kids, where previously time outs had always been used for discipline. She is also very tanned and styled all the time now. Even the kids look different - the little girls have these fancy hairstyles now, which to me screams "nanny" since what parent has the time to elaborately style their 5 daughters' hair? Now they've got a "big announcement" to make, which I would lay bets is that they're divorcing. And it's so sad because it seems like if John had stood up for himself more and Kate had been willing to compromise, maybe taking a year off the show, they could have worked it out. They have 8 kids! On the other hand, watching their mother abuse their father all the time (if a man treated a woman that way on tv it would sooo not be tolerated) and watching him just take it can't be healthy for the kids either. And it's not fun to watch anymore because it just feels so staged. Before it was cameras filming their lives, and the challenges of raising 8 kids, now their lives ARE the show. They constantly have "events" and celebrity visitors and trips and stuff.

So though I have watched this show for years I really hope it goes away and the next we hear from them is a few years down the line when they are all in a healthier place. If they have to sell their big fancy house and downsize a little, I think that's worth it for a happier home and some privacy for their kids.