It's ridiculous that people are being rude, selfish, and ignorant in response to a photo of a family.To everyone who posted negative comments, do you have 8 kids? No? Then you don't the right to judge. No one does. You can speculate all you want and say, "I'd do this and that...and I wouldn't dare act like she does...and I can't believe he does that...", but in the end, you have NO idea how their life is, down to every last little detail.Why can't people just realize that a mother and father decided to share their lives with the rest of the world in hopes of inspiring and helping other families? It's simple. Don't make it into an issue that doesn't exist, except in your own self-centered mind.

MaddysRevenge, If you re-read the post, you will see the blogger says Jon IS NOT ridiculously fertile. Read all the way to the end.And what's wrong with nitpicking about a word? I think it's important to make sure we understand the words we are using, and not just throw them around.

it's only simple if you're simple-minded. thanks for demonstrating the human capacity for under-use of thought.

Don't you think the family photo would be better if they weren't all dressed alike? I think if the show was to be cancelled, you would see KON back at the fertility clinic. Just think how much money they could make if it were Jon and Kate plus 16? Do you think her tummy tuck would allow her uterus to expand to fit 8 at one time? She is just so greedy that I think that she would give it a try.

Oh my hell! Why don't you all just get a frickin life? You don't think that they work? Are you insane? To not even mention the amazing stamina that it must take to raise their little brood... they are HIRED (which, by defintion is employment) by a network. How would YOU like to have every little mistake magnified by a gazillion. Or to have cameras and staff in your home for hours and hours each day on end? Yes, they chose this. However I don't hear them complaining about it. It is NO different than any celebrity who chooses to live that lifestyle! Why don't all the jealous people who are attacking these families, focus on your own family. That, after all, is what your responsibility is. If you don't enjoy watching these kids grow and change...simply change your channel to something that does satisfy your viewing pleasure...easy. Done. I promise...your bitterness and hatred is affecting you more than them. THANK HEAVENS! Noone deserves the kinds of verbal attacks that they do. What happened to the old addage from kindergarten...if you can't say something nice...DO NOT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL! The terrorists don't have to attack us to destroy us, we are doing it from the inside out! Please get a clue. LIGHTEN UP!

What is Kate's nationality, and why doesnt she talk about it,Jon is proud of his, is she shamed of it, if so SHAME ON HER........you should never be ashamed of your nationality, I am a Irish-American and proud of it..........

Good thing you added that side note, otherwise the crazy Internet anti-fans would've raked you over the coals. Then again, logic has never stopped them--hope you're prepared!Seriously, as a fellow Hyphenated-American of Asian goodness, I think it's interesting that this is one of the consistently happy points people make about this family/show. Personally, I wouldn't want people to EXPECT me to date an Asian guy just 'cuz of my genetics--or to make a big deal when the guy is otherwise. Indeed, I've never dated an A-dude, in part because I always feel I'm somehow related to him :-D (that's what happens when you grow up in an area where there are so few Asians, or specific Asian ethnicities, that the only ones you saw were family).But hey, as long as people don't ask Cara, Mady, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah, and Joel "their nationality," I'll be happy.

Good thing you added that side note, otherwise the crazy Internet anti-fans would've raked you over the coals. Then again, logic has never stopped them--hope you're prepared!Seriously, as a fellow Hyphenated-American of Asian goodness, I think it's interesting that this is one of the consistently happy points people make about this family/show. Personally, I wouldn't want people to EXPECT me to date an Asian guy just 'cuz of my genetics--or to make a big deal when the guy is otherwise. Indeed, I've never dated an A-dude, in part because I always feel I'm somehow related to him :-D (that's what happens when you grow up in an area where there are so few Asians, or specific Asian ethnicities, that the only ones you saw were family).But hey, as long as people don't ask Cara, Mady, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah, and Joel "their nationality," I'll be happy.

If you do not think this cover is adorable, I believe you have no heart.Even though I think it's great that they put a multicultural family on the cover and it is nice to see some AA faces, I see that family not as adorable, but as needlessly sucking up more energy, resources, and tax breaks - all of which could go to me (and in this case I really don't have a heart).I just don't see the need to have that many kids anymore (it's not like they need to be working in the fields) especially when they had a chance to lower the count - and it's always been funny to me that instead of letting "God's Will" decide the number of kids they were going to have they went to a doctor but yet at the same time they had no problem using "God's Will" as an excuse to not lower the count.To me they're an example of an irresponsible family who's gotten rewarded because of making too many babies, and as a person who doesn't have kids and doesn't get any tax breaks because of not having kids (and I think I should get one), this family just gets to me.At the same time I should say if it seems like I'm not pro-kids or pro-family, that's not the case (and I have friends that have kids - and yes, I know how that sounds), but eight kids in today's society I think is just too damn many and I think there are other options available - like if you want eight kids why not at least check into a foster program for four of them?Either way - thanks for posting this because apparently I needed to vent about J&K...

hear hear, Slanty!I could not agree more. That cover is a snapshot of extreme selfishness, social irresponsibility, and moral hypocrisy. It's about as cute as a Lehman Bros CEO.

Wow, the comments on this topic are meant in sarcasm, right? If not, ya'll are almost bitterly harsh.

Hey, this just got really interesting.I can see where Erin and Slanty are coming from. But at the same time, fertility drugs are kind of a crapshoot. You could get none, or you could get an entire litter. From the picture above, it looks like they had the twins first and then the octuplets. It could have been "Woo hoo, two kids!" and then "Holy crap, eight more!"There's the argument that they could have adopted when they found out that there were fertility issues. But anecdotally I've noticed that the desire or willingness to adopt is a very randomized; some people are all for it, some absolutely refuse to consider it. I have friends that still look at me funny when I say I plan on adopting instead of carrying a kid. Evolutionary biologists call having kids the most selfish thing humans do (from nature's standpoint) because it's the belief that your genes are so fantastic that you just have to get a copy of them out into the world. On the flip side, criticizing people for having too many kids is a bit like infringing on reproductive territory. I'm all about choice, even if I don't agree with ladies in Arkansas having 17 kids and giving them all names that start with J.So just to mix this conservation up, how much does the cover image change if the kiddies above were adopted by the Gosselins and not the results of fertility drugs?

actually, "multicultural" isn't the word you're looking for.they're a "multiracial" family, not a "multicultural" family. they could be "multicultural" as well, but nothing you've reported above indicates whether they are or not.if you don't know the difference, it's time to look it up.

My bad. I meant "multiracial." It has been amended in the post.

Claire, are you serious? You just read that entire (well written) post, and all you got out of it was nitpicking at a one word mistake? You people are ridiculous. Slanty, no one feels sorry for you. You couldn't actually be more selfish if you tried. I'm sorry your eggs dried up before you found a man that would actually settle for you - but it's not Jon and Kate's fault that you don't get a tax break. You also don't have 8 children to support.Kate is raising 8 well rounded children who will be a huge asset to our society today. Hopefully, they can spread some of their GOOD MORALS to those of us who are lacking in that department.

um, Slanty's a guy. it's interesting to me, though, how misogynistic attacks are unfailingly ad hominem. when people can't out-argue or out-logic, they decide to *attack the woman's body* instead: "fat," "ugly," "eggs dried out." it's the rhetorical equivalent of losing a debate and ending the exchange by smashing the woman in the face. is it a hurtful move? yes, often. does it prove that the world should be filled with more people like Sam, and fewer smart feminists (old, young, or otherwise)? hardly.

Wow, the comments on this topic are meant in sarcasm, right? If not, ya'll are almost bitterly harshEven though I say it with a smile, I am actually that harsh on this family - I can't help it.Sylvie: It definitely changes for me - not just the cover, but the whole family - if at least 1/2 the kids were adopted, because while I don't think we should have laws about how many kids you should have, I do think we have to think about population control and they did have chances to not have all of their kids in the second round of fertility treatments. I just think eight is too many in today's society here in the U.S.actually, "multicultural" isn't the word you're looking for.I think 95% of the time (if not 100%) if you're a multiracial family you're also a multicultural family as well, especially if you subscribe to the idea that being of another race in America also defines a sense of cultural identity (apparently though J & K cook Korean food for their kids teaching them about Korean culture).Sam: Erin already took you to task for one aspect of your comment (and I am a guy) so no need to add on there (even though it is funny that I think you would assume, man or woman that deciding not to have children means somehow I can't have children or don't have options to have children - or help out in the process) - but just because these kids are here on this earth and because they come from a God fearing family, doesn't mean they're going to be good for society.

I don't blindly support people because of their race. As a parent of a mixed race child of the same "halves" as Jon, I suppose it is nice seeing Asian images but that's where my support ends. I will leave it at that to avoid internet debate.

Who knew that a magazine cover with cute kids could touch off such a heated debate?Here's my contribution:-It should be remembered that Kate did not consciously choose to have 8 babies. It happened as a result of her own health problems and the fertility drugs. After having the first two kids, Kate wanted a third, but since she suffered from some type cancer affecting her reproductive organs, she needed to take the fertility drugs. As a result, she ended up giving birth to the sextuplets.-On the issue of adoption being an act of selflessness. As I understand it, adoption is an industry just like any other. And to be an adoptive parent, one needs to be wealthy enough to have the capability for adopting in the first place.It's not a coincidence that the majority of adoptive families in the USA are middle class or higher, and often White.Why don't you see, say, a poor minority family living in the ghetto, barrio, or Asian ethnic enclave adopting a White, middle-class child?To a significant degree, it's because the latter lack the resources to do so.This doesn't even bring up the issue of global transracial adoption, where babies from Asia (and other foreign nations) have become almost a fashion accessory for not only American celebrities (see Angela Jolie, Brad Pitt, Madonna) but White middle-class families in general.In other words, adoption is all about race and class priviledge/power. Who has this power. And who does not....

Jon and Kate will be divorced in 5 years. Maddy will end up in and out of jail and eventually prison for her severe psychotic anger problems, which she inhertied from mommy dearest. Some of the kids will have some severe drug problems, some may turn out okay. I give the most hope to sweet little Cara.

really interesting discussion here. and on a completely random side note (thanks lyx for mentioning this) does anyone know of any asian/asian american families that adopted kids that are not asian? i've always wondered about that...

Scott Fujita who plays for the New Orleans Saints was adopted by a Japanese American father and a Caucasian mother. He says he considers himself half-Asian.

Here's a post from 2 years ago about Fujita:http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/2006/09/scott-fujita-is-this-white-man.html

OK OK - I hear and see both sides of the story. Yes, if we ALL had 8 kids we would be a biatch too. I can see someone getting a little testy at times - and I think that TLC probably takes the most interesting pieces and airs them. I am not perfect, I have treated my husband poorly before. I am not proud of it - but I am human. But let me say....if someone filmed me treating my husband like a dog - like Kates treats Jon - it would get my attention real quick and I would change my behavior. I am flabbergasted that a lightbulb doesn't go on in Kate's head saying - hey this stuff is going go down in history...it's filmed - people record these shows. Oh i could go on and on. The bottom line is - Yes having 8 kids could get on your nevers and tear you down to the point you snap - but there is no excuse for Kate acting like a biatch when it's just her and Jon talking in "the chair". The one that really sticks in my head is when they were in "the chair" being interviewed while their kids were being watched by the hired help - and Kate berated Jon for breathing! She actually said "stop breathing so loud" not once but twice. I would like to slap her and say stop listening you biatch. I wonder how she's going to feel in 20 years when she can't live that sort of stuff down. The other thing that sticks out in my mind is one of the shows when they were in "the chair" and they were answering questions. I think it was the FAQ show (give me a break) Anyway...I thought it was distrubing the way Kate justified all of her rude behavior towards Jon. It kind of reminded me of my ex-husband and how he justified all his rude behavior (reason we are divorced) It's like she was playing a mind game with Jon. Playing on his words...the poor guy doesn't stand a chance. You know...Christmas is right around the corner...I think the best present Kate could give Jon is his balls back on a silver platter. On second thought - I only see one side of this story. Kate needs to get a glue before it's too late.

I am a woman, thank you though Erin.Slanty: Hey - I'm just saying that Kate is doing a fantastic job raising her 8 children. Could she spend more one-on-one time with each of them? Yes, I think it would be beneficial. However she is doing the best she can with what she has. Do you not have a problem with the other families on TLC who have 17 children...and counting?Yes, 8 children is a lot. But why should Kate conform to what YOU think is proper for "today's society"? Who dictates what is and isn't right for today's society? We live in a free country, where we are allowed to decide for ourselves what we'd like to contribute to society. Personally, I think Kate is doing society a favor by raising 8 well rounded children with great personal morals and values. Kids today (in general - for the most part) are rude, selfish, lazy, and just plain disrespectful. The Gosselin children are bright hope for the future.

This blog post should have been titled "The Gosselin Family: Indomitable Love or Evil Incarnate?" ;-)

Hey Trex,I think Maddy will be fine. She is adorable, intelligent and opinionated. I think she sees through all the stuff her parents are putting her through and just tells it like it is. I like that. I want all of those kids to be ok. They are adorable. The parents need to stop the public filming and bring some dignity back to their family and respect their children's childhood. It's the only one they get. I really hope the kids are ok in the long run. Peace.

Firstly, Jon isn't "ridiculously fertile", the family used drugs to reach the point where they are. More like "average male". Secondly, Jon is only half-Asian himself, making the kids a mere quarter-Asian. Thirdly, Maddy has already become the scapegoat for this entire family, this isn't going to stop unfortunately, that poor girl is wonderful (in her own unique way - as opposed to "angel Cara" the suck-up) and it's beyond sad what type of harsh damage those parents are doing to her. Maddy is the lone voice of reason and truth in that entire family (if only they would listen and appreciate what she offers them).

This is an amazing show and i love it! :)my grandma hasn't bought a magazine in like 6 years and now because Jon and Kate plus 8 are on the cover shes going to buy it. :)We watch your show every time theres a new one and your kids are adorable.We have always wondered how much you made per episodebecause it seemed like you were doing well i know itsnone of our business.WE LOVE YOU