I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm sort of feeling sorry for Jon Gosselin. Last night the finale of season four of TLC's popular "Jon & Kate Plus 8" aired, and it brings to light the sad side of reality TV.
All week long TLC pumped the final episode by hinting to viewers that there would be a juicy ending that might indicate trouble in the Gosselins' marriage, which, if you follow the rag mags, is not a surprise. Jon's been photographed hanging out with college girls and other shenanigans for awhile now, but it's never been addressed on the show.
In the final five minutes last night, the parents of the now-famous twins and sextuplets talked about whether or not they'll be back for a fifth season. And in some ways, that five minutes seemed more real than all the hours and hours of shows that came before it.
Jon said very clearly that he's struggling with the fact that he is not Jon Gosselin. He is "Jon & Kate Plus 8." And he isn't sure he wants to keep that going.
Kate, for her part, said she loves their life right now and wants the show to keep going into the fifth season.
She also made the point -- a valid one -- that the family has been living in the public eye for so long now that it doesn't matter if Jon wants it all to go away. It's too late. With or without a fifth season, the trials and tribulations of the Gosselins and their children will be followed in the media, at least for awhile.
And if something scandalous happens, it will still be in the tabloids. In other words, good luck telling the roller coaster that it should stop in the middle of the hill. Celebrity doesn't work that way.
The time to think about what it means to make your family into prime-time TV is before you actually sign on the dotted line. I'm sure Jon and Kate did have those conversations, but could they ever have imagined that their show would become what it is?
And how do you attempt to walk away from what your decision has done for you? By standard measures of success, the Gosselins have it all -- a huge new house, cute-as-a-button kids dressed straight out of a GapKids ad, vacations many of us can only dream about and so much more. Kate's had plastic surgery courtesy of her connection to the show, and Jon got free hair plugs.
Reality, this ain't.
And even so, I walked away from the TV last night feeling a little sorry for Jon. His face, his manner and his words all said that he's regretting this deal with the devil -- a deal he and his wife made not just for themselves, but for their eight children who will, like him, move through life as the kids from "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
They'll benefit from that in many ways, I'm sure. They already have.
The unfortunate flip side is that they never had the chance to say they didn't want to do it.
