Jon & Kate +8 investigated for possible child labor violations...

17 years ago

Sounds like BS to me...

WERNERSVILLE, Pa. Â Jon, Kate and their eight children have attracted a huge TV audience, screaming tabloid headlines and, now, a state labor investigation.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor says it's looking into whether the hit reality show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is complying with child labor laws.

The TLC series follows Jon and Kate Gosselin as they raise their eight young children, including 8-year-old twins and sextuplets who just turned 5. The show drew nearly 10 million viewers for its fifth-season premiere Monday following reports of trouble in the Gosselins' marriage.

Labor Department spokesman Justin Fleming tells The Associated Press that the department is looking into a complaint against the show.

TLC says it "fully complies" with state laws and regulations.

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Comments (18)

cynic
17 years ago
I'm so annoyed with all of these types of shows, and moreso at the people who watch them since that's what keeps them on the air.
matti5
17 years ago
The View talked about this yesterday, as did some news shows. They cited rules and regulations for child actors in television, but did not know if the rules also applied to reality tv. By law, child actors can only work 6 hours per day and if I remember correctly 3 days per week. They get around that by using twins or triplets, so filming isn't interrupted. The Gosselins have admitted to filming several hours per day, every day.
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quilly
17 years ago
Paul Peterson from the Donna Reed Show was talking about child actors and calling for more stringent regulations. Since the Gosselin children are not acting they might be able to avoid some of the rules.
User
17 years ago
That show is a train wreck in more ways than not. I saw it coming five years ago when Kate was constantly whining around here about finances, lack of a big car...Be careful what you wish for. Now she has limos, hair stylists, a McMansion, sports car, all sorts of luxuries. Is she happy? Doesn't appear so.
irishdancersgram
17 years ago
Why oh why, don't these people get help...They have serious problems and need help...But as Kate has said, she's happy with her life?????Of course this could all be a publicity stunt and if it is, it's sure working....
Toni S
17 years ago
I'm not saying filming for hours is a good thing, in fact, for myself it would never happen BUT these kids aren't exactly acting and not all being taped at the same time. If they go then 'Little people' will go, of course the Duggars will go, well pretty much most of them. I don't know, I'm guessing it would be a good thing if they slowed down. Like I said in an earlier post. Once a month or 4 times a year filming might even save their marriage. Kids in the spot like seem much more likely to grow up with emotional problems. I can only name off a handful that made it through adolescence relatively normal. (then again a kid doesn't have to be in the lime lite to have their problems, just ask the kters!)
rivkadr
17 years ago
If they go then 'Little people' will go, of course the Duggars will go, well pretty much most of them.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with that.

BUT these kids aren't exactly acting

The cameramen and producers have admitted to having the kids re-say things (because it wasn't caught the first time on film) or made suggestions to them on what to say or do. At what point does that stop being "reacting" and become "acting", I wonder?
barb_from_pa
17 years ago
I'd be happy to see all that type of show pulled off the air.
trinitytx
17 years ago
I really like the show. BUT, as with many that involve kiddos, this cannot go on forever.
I really don't know if the issues are media hype or real, I just hope the kids are happy.

Trin
jillby49
17 years ago
I have never been out of my reality so I never watch a show based on reality, but is there going to be a reality show based on the kids and the shrink they're going to need when they grow up.
mariend
17 years ago
Since I have never seen the show, I cannot judge it. BUT, I personally think it should not be on every week. But this cannot be normal or easy on any of the children. Who is watching them? Nannys? Who is protecting them? and who is protecting the money they seem to be making==that is putting it in a trust so the parents cannot touch it.
User
17 years ago
The Quints in Canada in the 30's were exploited like this and they ended up scarred for life.
paula_pa
17 years ago
So this show has been on for how many seasons and just now they are concerned?
dilly_dally
17 years ago
"BUT these kids aren't exactly acting and not all being taped at the same time."

I've never seen J&K+8 but all these reality show operate the same way.

They are being filmed all at the same time. Hours and hours and hours of film is made and then later edited into shows. They have stationary camera in rooms all the rooms of the homes and autos, AND they have a camera person assigned to follow them around.

That way, if Mom goes out with two of the kids there is a camera in the car filming. Meanwhile there are cameras set around the home filming Dad and the other kids. The producers don't want to miss a beat and miss out on that "defining moment" that can be used to create a plot line.

The majority of what the reality shows film end up on "the cutting room floor" because it is so boring. Just the "good stuff" is used.

For child actors under a certain age they must use twins or triplets. Babies can only "work" a couple hours a day not six. But it has been proven that the producers of these shows often skirt this by just using one twin for the majority of filming if one is more well behaved or a better actor than the other. Suposedly with the Olsen twins one baby girl was used for most of the episodes because the other one was too fidgety and distracted, and cried all the time but of course the producers had both of them on the payroll with payment divided.
catlady15
17 years ago
I seen previews for next jon & kate show and it shows her and mattie go on a trip.Why did she pick Mattie to go alone?She is the worst behaving child ever.I can not think of the other one same age as Mattie.I like her so much better.I hate this show.Kate is the worst mother ever I think.Everone to their own thought,.Again I said it many times before Kate makes excuse for Mattie like,oh mattie is having a melt down.PLease!!!Give me a break.
irishdancersgram
17 years ago
I was just thinking, they probably all sit down, producers, Kate & Jon and try to think up things to cause controversy....Maybe they really are very happy and have a normal family...And the moon is really made of blue cheese.....
Granlan_TX
17 years ago
Cynic...ditto ditto ditto!!! Kinda sick to me...the folks who care to dwell on such TV. :(
cynic
17 years ago
dilly_dally was absolutely right. It's like when the news records the entire congressional session to get a few seconds of sound bites. Most of the "candid" shots get staged. As one example, they'll have them pull into the driveway 3 or 4 times to get different views.

Don't know who little people are, but for the Duggers to choke on their tater tots wouldn't upset me too much. All of these are pretty sick to me. Pumping out kids to make money. That's all it's about to them.

But it's like email spam, if people didn't get sucked in, it wouldn't happen. So once again, the fault lies not in the stars but in ourselves.

Jon & Kate +8 investigated for possible child labor violations...

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cynic

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