Kate on Access Hollywood

'Real Housewives' airs marriage counseling of reality star who committed suicide in August

Despite the pleas of Russell Armstrong's family, Bravo has been including him extensively in the past few episodes of 'Beverly Hills'


Footage that Bravo wouldn't keep confidential, even despite the requests of the Armstrongs, includes 5-year-old Kennedy Armstrong's last birthday party with her father, and Russell and Taylor's attempts to save their marriage in therapy.

Ronald Richards, the family's attorney, said last August that “everyone on Russell’s side wants Bravo to edit him out and any characters affiliated with him this season.  It would be bad taste for all three of Russell’s children to air scenes of their father who is dead."

Austin Kelsoe, Russell's nephew, also said, "I think, in my opinion, Russell should be edited out, in respect to Taylor and the family. In my personal opinion, Bravo should take the high road and do what they think is the right thing to do."

As for Bravo's response, in September they implied that insider reports that the counseling sessions would not be cut out were wrong. A rep told Radaronline: “The producers and Bravo are in the process of re-editing the entire series.  As a result, any report regarding the content of upcoming episodes is mere speculation.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey of the year again goes to Kate, especially for the way she's relentlessly trashed Jon almost every chance she got this year. 

Diana Mercer, who has been practicing divorce law as both an attorney and mediator since 1988 (she has handled an astounding 4,000 divorces), wrote an excellent article published last year explaining why Jon and Kate need to call a truce. What she had to say a year ago stil rings true today: 

The best predictor of how kids do post-divorce is the amount of conflict between the parents. It takes two to tango. Kate's finger-pointing is a bigger problem than whatever Jon is up to. If he can't be father of the year, then it's up to her to figure out how to work with that -- and vice versa. She picked him to be the dad of those 8 kids, and now she's got to deal with her decision, and insulting Jon and refusing to resolve the ongoing conflict is no solution. For Kate to deny her role in their poor ongoing relationship is naïve and immature....And for her to speak publicly about her disappointment with Jon is damaging to the kids. While they're still little, they know they're ½ Mommy and ½ Daddy. By hearing that "Daddy is bad" they hear that they're bad, too. When they're old enough, they'll see what Mom said about Dad and form their own opinions. Kate's strategy of "I'm good; he's bad" will likely backfire on her in the long run. And what is she teaching them about how adults should handle relationships? What it means to be married, and to be parents?

http://www.realitytvkids.com/2010/12/divorce-expert-kate-and-jon-havent-read.html

Kate's first blog at Couponcabin.com

"The money I save means my kids get more gifts and more gifts for them means I get more smiles and hugs on Christmas morning. And that, in itself, is the perfect gift for me!"


Kate's new job blogging officially begins today with her first post about Black Friday shopping.

http://www.couponcabin.com/blog/post/kates-black-friday-tips/

Child molester and kidnapper helped cast children in 'Super 8' and other films starring kids

Paramount Pictures admits they did not background check Jason James Murphy. He was a registered sex offender once featured on America's Most Wanted, but used an alias while working with child actors in California.

Super 8 (2011) was cast by a child molester

"It's shocking and it's devastating, not just as a filmmaker but as a father and someone who is entrusted to make sure that everyone I work with, especially children, are safe." ~ J.J. Abrams, director and producer, Super 8.

• Murphy also helped to cast children in The Three Stooges, Bad News Bears, The School of Rock and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. He sent an email to Abrams Artists Agency on Wednesday  "looking for 12-year-olds for a USC student film."
• In 1996, he molested and then abducted an 8-year-old boy from his elementary school and flew with him to New York City. A prosecutor described Murphy in court papers as "obsessed" with the boy and cited a police interview in which a female friend said Murphy "was in love with" the child and had talked openly of taking him to live in London or Australia. Murphy pleaded guilty to child molestation and kidnapping charges and was given the maximum prison sentence of five years under state law by a judge who called him "a sick young man." Later after he was caught trying to contact the victim, he was given an additional five months. 
• He registered as a sex offender in California, but never registered his alias "Jason James."
• California law prohibits sex offenders whose victims were younger than 16 from "working directly and in an unaccompanied setting with minor children on more than an incidental and occasional basis or have supervision or disciplinary power over minor children." 
• Paramount Pictures said it would change its screening process. "Moving forward, we … will also conduct background checks on all freelance employees, full time and part time, who work with minors on our productions."

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-fi-ct-casting-director-20111118,0,3505723.story

Is there hope for TLC in their new show about Southwest Airlines?

After a string of outrageously exploitive reality shows, many about children, TLC ventures into a tried and true concept--Southwest Airlines.

Will this be something actually worth watching?

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-17/travel/travel_southwest-reality-series_1_tlc-air-travel-holiday-travel-rush?_s=PM:TRAVEL

A&E's similar Airline reality show, which aired six years ago, was one of the best reality shows to ever be produced. It provided an honest look into a typical day at a busy airline. And the compassion and patience employees showed passengers even in very uncomfortable situations, endeared them to viewers.

In this clip, employees calmly deal with a drunk passenger, a passenger playing the race card, and a passenger with body odor. If only all reality shows could be so sensitive to their subjects:

Kate and Steve at the Australia zoo and Brisbane airport

Hmm......

Kate at Australia Zoo for Steve Irwin Day

Terri Irwin, Bindi and Robert introduced Kate, who was dressed in khaki and fed a croc, as part of the opening ceremonies for Steve Irwin Day, today (Tuesday morning, Aussie time). Later, Kate put her hands in cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater the zoo's celeb walk.

Kate spoke briefly about her trip to Australia in January, and about Mady wanting to be a veterinarian.

Watch the live streaming: http://www.steveirwinday.org/events/live/

Kate at Steve Irwin Day Gala Dinner

Sunshinecoastdaily.com

Twitter.com

Kate took to the, um, podium today in Brisbane, Australia at the Gala Dinner and auction. No word yet on how much lunch with Kate this Monday went for.

Red Cross posts different, more modest photo of Kate

After a two day stand-off, Kate has at last complied with the Red Cross's request to choose a different photo.

Now move on now and let this organization do its good work.

General Custer's new photo:

Donate now to the Red Cross here.

Nine Red Cross celebrities minus Kate

The Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter revealed its Philly Home Fire Campaign's celebrity supporters, but just as they warned, Kate's barefoot, low-cut photo didn't make the cut. The Red Cross asked her two days ago to "choose a different photo." But so far, Kate has not publicly responded to the request or changed her photo on her web site.

Kate's "F.U." photo she refuses to take down from her web site:

The other celebs who managed to shoot an appropriate photo:

Donate now to the Red Cross here.

Kate in Chicago

Kate showed up on WGN this morning to promote her new gig on couponcabin, UMM, dot.com. Or, couponcabin.com.

Kudos to the reporters who finally asked some tough questions, including, "Do you ever think about, 20-25 years down the road where your kids are grown up and they may look at this experience from old tapes and not think of it as favorably?"

http://www.wgntv.com/videogallery/65990531/News/Kate-Gosselin-joins-Morning-News

Red Cross: We asked Kate 'to choose a different photo to post on her website and are awaiting her response'

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to email us regarding [Kate Gosselin]. I can understand your/their concern, but I would like to make a few things very clear.

First, Kate was NOT paid or compensated in any way for the photo. Kate is a supporter of the Red Cross on her own and this is her way of showing her support. It is not the choice I would have made, however, we had nothing to do with the pose or the choice she made. She is also in NO way a spokesperson for us.

We have since asked her to choose a different photo to post on her website and are awaiting her response.

Kate is one of dozens of local and national celebrities with Philadelphia area ties who have agreed to don a Red Cross blanket to show their support. Among the others are Bill Cosby and Kevin Bacon. 

All I can ask is that you and your family to continue to support the Red Cross because of the wonderful work we do and the hundreds of thousands of people we help every year recover from what is often the worst moment of their lives, not because Kate Gosselin or any other celebrity showed their support for us.  

Thanks for your time and consideration. Have a great day.

Sincerely, Dave [Schrader]

Director of Communications 

American Red Cross Southeastern PA Chapter

The Red Cross didn't approve this one!

The Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter said they had nothing to do with Kate's recent, insensitive photo on her web site, in which she is barefoot and wearing a low cut top that blends in with a Red Cross blanket given to victims of disasters. The organization, which leans very conservative, has been getting a lot of complaints.

kateplusmy8.com

Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, a conservative Republican who once worked on Elizabeth Dole's campaign for president, is the current chairman of the American Red Cross.  Thanks to Gather's Sue Buddy for giving the local chapter a call. 

Donate to the Southeastern PA's chapter here. They have lots of options, from local disaster relief, to aid to Africa. 

Knocked up for reality T.V.

The Duggars announced this morning mom Michelle, 45, is pregnant with baby number twenty. But after their last child Josie was born premature with severe health problems (and the perfect opportunity to craft several episodes around the drama), is this new life and the high risk pregnancy that comes with it something they sincerely want, or is it really to keep interest alive in their show?

20 kids and counting! Michelle Duggar announces she's pregnant again

Halloween as a social skill building activity

Kate deprived her children of more than just treats when she chose to skip Halloween this year

Kate admitted in a recent blog post that the sextuplets missed out on Halloween due to "schedule" conflicts (Kate was having the time of her life on The View's Halloween special that morning) and a snowstorm (that occurred a full two days before the holiday and had all melted away by then). At least the twins were able to go trick-or-treating with some friends. Kate thinks she made up for Halloween the next day by hiding discounted candy around the basement and having the children find it. But is this enough?


Not by a long shot, according to Dr. Polly Blake Dunn, Ph.D., a Licensed Psychologist specializing in child psychology. Halloween is a great time to build a child's social skills. Here are some of her tips:

• Encourage your kids to make eye contact with people handing out candy and friends and neighbors that they might see on Halloween night.  The earlier our children get the hang of this important social skill, the better.
• Remind your children not to run off to the next house, but say thank you as they leave. Who doesn’t want to say thank you to someone who has just handed them a piece of candy? Unfortunately, it’s easy to forget this step when there is more candy waiting for you right next door. This might take several reminders, but learning how and when to express gratitude is important.
• It’s important to teach our children that they aren’t always going to get what they want.  Make sure they know that they should still say thank you, even if they don’t like what they were given.  
• Teach patience. One of the hardest parts of Halloween for kids is waiting!  First, they have to wait until the last day of the tenth month for Halloween to finally arrive. Then, they have to wait until nighttime for the fun to really begin.  Once the trick-or-treating is underway, they have to wait behind other children who might have gotten to their neighbor’s door first.  And finally, they have to wait until they get home to really get a good look at their loot (not to mention eating all of those yummy treats)!  Remind your children ahead of time that they will probably have to be patient.

And one from Realitytvkids.com:

• Encourage fun and silliness! It's important for kids to know there is a time and a place to just let loose, dress up as something scary or funny and not be embarrassed, hang out with friends and have a great time while still being safe. Work hard, but play hard, too.

Kate speaks at Penn State Fayette campus

Kate is scheduled to speak at a satellite campus of Penn State today at noon. The free event in Uniontown will be about "resilience, determination, tenacity, strength!" according to Kate.

The sextuplets were born at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center.

http://www.fe.psu.edu/32433.htm

Jon: I'm 'freaked out by this'

Jon is looking into legal action over show editor arrested for child pornography


Jon says he met Bill Blankinship, arrested October 21, several times. Jon, who has already consulted a lawyer, is trying to find out what footage the ex-employee may have possessed of the children's, and expressed concern about the revealing footage Blankinship had access to. "The cameraman definitely shot the kids getting ready for bed, being showered and being changed,” Jon said.

Figure 8 headquarters

Figure 8 Films, based in North Carolina where the Blankinship arrest took place and where Jon and Kate have vacationed several times and even looked for properties once, is a small company that lists only fifteen employees currently. Its offices are located in Carrboro.

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/11/jon-gosselin-jon-kate-plus-8-editor-arrested-sexual-exploit-minor