KATE GOSSELIN: HOW SHE FOOLED THE WORLD - THE RISE AND FALL OF A REALITY TV QUEEN (59 page)

In considering the whole Hawaii situation, some nagging questions arise: If Jon had a feeling – even if unwarranted – that Kate was having an affair with Steve Neild (as Jon has said many times in interviews), and if the marriage vow renewal was in fact real and not faked just for filming, then how could Kate disrespect Jon so much by allowing Steve Neild to accompany them on the 2-week trip to San Diego and Hawaii? Knowing of Jon’s concerns, how could Kate possibly justify letting Steve stand near her and Jon while they renewed their marriage vows? If Kate truly loved Jon at that time (as she has said over and over on the interview trail), how could she be so inconsiderate of his feelings as to allow Steve to accompany them? If Kate and Steve
were
having an affair, how could she be so crass as to bring Steve along and rub Jon’s nose in it? None of it makes any sense.

But hold on, you say. There’s no evidence that Steve was there, you say. You watched the four Hawaiian trip episodes, and the only person on the trip besides the film crew was Jenny the babysitter, you say. Well I watched those episodes, too, and initially I thought the very same thing. It turns out you and I were wrong.

At the very end of the “Leis & Luaus” episode, when they’re on the catamaran watching sea turtles and coral, we see Jon laying on his stomach getting some sun. For a split-second, to Jon’s right, down the ladder and to the right, leaning backwards and trying to hide from the cameras, you can clearly see none other than Steve Neild and his wife, Gina, in their bathing suits. Having the luxury of watching them on DVD using slow motion and pause makes all the difference in the world when doing investigative research. Oh, and I also have all of Kate’s personal photos from the trip, so that made the investigation a little easier.

In reality, this trip wasn’t what it appeared to be to the viewing audience. It wasn’t a trip planned by Jon and Kate to renew their marriage vows and to look forward to another “90 years” as Kate told Jon
during the episode. This was nothing more than a business trip or working vacation, with family friends. Steve and Gina Neild were there along with their own kids, no doubt having the time of their lives.

Another interesting thing I discovered was that there was another TLC reality show couple in Hawaii at the same time as Jon and Kate. It turns out that Matt and Amy Roloff, the married couple from the TLC show “Little People, Big World” were also there.

Was it just a coincidence that they got together for a photo op with Jon and Kate? I’d say no if asked. It sure looks like a TLC-sponsored outing was going on in Hawaii that week. So was this a genuine renewal of marriage vows or a business trip?

Further proof that the vows were a sham can be found throughout the final Hawaii episode just by watching Kate’s and Jon’s body language. They never really held hands or looked even remotely romantic at all. I know Jon’s body language, and he was going through the motions for those episodes, fulfilling his contract like a good soldier.

At the reception, while dancing for the cameras and looking about as passionate as I would look if I were dancing with my mother, Jon and Kate shared a very brief, uncomfortable kiss; it was just a lips-closed peck for the cameras. And even that kiss wasn’t genuine. Upon further review using my rewind button, just before the kiss, and knowing the cameras were rolling, Kate can be seen telling Jon to “Kiss me.” Kate then said “Thank you for that” to Jon right after the kiss. It was hardly a tender, genuine display of affection.

I’ve been married twice, to two completely different-minded women. One thing they had in common, however, was the planning of our wedding. A wedding is something women dream about and love, no matter the size. Renewing your vows in front of your children in Hawaii would be just as important.

So why didn’t Kate do any of the planning or scheduling herself? After all, according to her, she’s an organized, scheduling mastermind. She loves to plan and schedule. For such a self-proclaimed organizer and control freak, it is extremely telling that Kate just didn’t care enough to get involved. The vow renewal was nothing more than another episode of the show, and Kate Gosselin couldn’t be bothered with it.

The ceremony was organized by Kate’s manager, Julie May, along with Jen Stocks from the filming crew. Kate was merely cc’d on emails and sent a schedule and itinerary to follow. She, of course, had the option of making changes, but she did nothing to plan or organize the event in any way.

For the record, if anyone has any doubts about the legitimacy of my information, I have the vow renewal planning emails as well as the trip’s itinerary and schedule with Kate’s scribbled notes in the margins. I’ll be happy to make all that evidence available if asked.

Hawaii was on Kate’s radar since day one of her “reality” show. In
an email dated September 9, 2007, Kirk Streb, writer/director/editor at Figure 8 Films, summarized a “business meeting” that he had with Jon and Kate to discuss big ideas for them a few days prior to the trip. This was first mentioned in the “I DREAMED A DREAM” chapter. One of those ideas was:

-
Helping the family go to Hawaii for a family reunion with Jon’s relatives that live there
.

Here are some of Kate’s remarks during the “Hawaii Here We Come” episode:

“This was the trip. It appeared. The Grand Wailea invited us to be their guests, um, at their resort in Maui and you don’t have to ask us twice. We were there!”

So Kate would have us believe that she was just sitting around going about her life when The Grand Wailea decided, out of the blue, to invite her family to be their guests at their resort in Maui.

Here’s Kate lying to the “little kids” at home before leaving for Hawaii:

“And you’re there this time, which we’re gonna tell you, that means we’re staying together forever.
Forever. No matter what.”

Then, on the interview couch, Kate shares these thoughts:

“Once upon a time, like, I thought old people renewed their vows and that was just, like, an old stuffily thing to do, and it was kind of boring and annoying. That’s how I used to think about it. But, now, um, that we have eight kids that are, um, with us and, as a part of our family, it made us realize that renewing our vows in front of them was an important thing cause not all moms and dads stay together and we’ve told them a million times, but it was nice to be able to show them that we’ll always be together.
”

At this point, Kate’s eyebrows are raised, which, in addition to her mouth moving, is a tell-tale sign that she’s lying.

“I WAS BY MYSELF”

Kate has been quoted many times telling the same old story. She says often that she was taking care of eight little kids, with very little help. She says that she was by herself all day, every day, though the occasional friend would stop by to play with the kids and sometimes her sister would come over and watch them while Kate ran to the grocery store. She says that Nana Janet came by every week but for the most part she was by herself and exhausted.

Kate was actually only “by herself” from 4 to 6 pm, which was the time after all of her helpers went home, to the time when Jon returned home from work. I’m not disputing that two hours with eight kids in a small house would be nerve-racking, I’m just disputing Kate’s statement that she was by herself “all day, every day.” I’ve spoken to many people who were Kate’s “helpers” at the time, and they obviously tell a different story. I’ve been told by people who volunteered their time to help take care of Kate’s kids that she pretty much just lounged around all day while she complained of some kind of physical ailment, oversaw the operation and barked orders. That’s not too hard to believe.

IF KATE CAN DO IT WITH EIGHT KIDS,

I CAN DO IT WITH TWO

Kate shares this story
in her book
I Just Want You To Know:

When she would do speaking engagements, she felt the support and love from the crowd. People would always come to her with tears in their eyes telling her their stories in return. They would say Kate, you’re such an inspiration. If you can do it with eight kids, I can do it with two.

Thousands of emails came pouring in, telling Kate how glad they where that she and Jon were so real on TV. Kate says that she has no choice but to be real, and by the way, she’s too busy to learn lines or rehearse.

Then and there Kate realized that all moms are the same. They all want the best for their families. She says she’s a mom first, like every other mom out there and she still identifies with the unshowered stay-at-home mom wearing a dirty T-shirt and sweatpants with hair that sticks up.

Kate realized that being a mom can be very monotonous and moms need tons of encouragement, but it is the most fulfilling job you can ever have.

So while Kate was being an inspiration to mothers the world over for her tireless efforts in raising eight children by herself while working at the same time – she actually barely saw or spent any quality
time with her children at all. Unlike most normal mothers who have to juggle work and multiple responsibilities, Kate has a staff of nannies, babysitters, cleaning people, ironers, laundry folders, personal chefs, bodyguards, handymen, gardeners, pool boys, etc. I’m sure I forgot to mention someone in there, but you get the picture.

Kate masterminds the lists, and her staff carries out the orders. Period.

THE ZONDERVAN BOOK LIES

“We are looking for a Christian publisher for our upcoming book.

If you have any helpful information, please email Kate Gosselin.

Many, many, many people want to read our story.

We would like to put it in print for you!!!
”

– Kate Gosselin

Scott Bolinder, executive vice president and publisher at Zondervan,
said this about the Gosselin family:

“The Gosselins’ story is not only unique by nature but also offers an unparalleled set of life experiences that are emotional, inspirational and encouraging.”

“Kate and Jon are walking a road that few others have taken, and they consistently show tremendous grace, patience and courage in their daily lives as they seek to provide for their eight children and raise them to honor God in a world where compromise and escape have become all too common.”