Jon Gosselin is about to go into battle against his ex-wife, Kate Gosselin, and he needs his fans’ help—and their money!
The former Jon and Kate Plus 8 star has started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help raise money he will use to fight his ex-wife for custody of their twins and sextuplets. Jon no longer stars on his family’s TLC reality show, Kate Plus 8, so he does not have the income that his ex-wife has to pay the legal fees associated with a custody battle.
“Jon does not have a network-funded public relations machine behind him to spin the facts,” his GoFundMe page states. “He works a steady job and earns extra money on the side as a disc jockey.”
(He also raised some cash– most likely a lot of dollar bills– working as a male dancer in Atlantic City earlier this year.)
So far, Jon has raised just $2,398 of his $30,000 goal.
This fight isn’t surprising, considering news broke last month that Kate and Jon got into an all-out brawl at the dentist office with one of their kids. The police were called after one of the sextuplets wanted to go home with her dad after the dentist appointment but Kate didn’t want her to. Kate allegedly tried to pull the girl out of the car to keep her away from Jon.
Now, Jon is fighting to get more time with his children.
The GoFundMe page was started by Jon’s girlfriend Colleen Conrad, and explains that fans have been asking Jon for a long time how they can help him get more custody of his kids.
“Money raised in this campaign will go to the legal battle ahead as Jon secures his rightful place in the lives of his family,” the page, which is entitled “A Dad’s Chance to Fight,” states.
“For Jon, it’s been an eight-year battle in family court, one that pits him against media and financial forces that far exceed his own.”
The GoFundMe also makes sure to throw Kate (and her TLC income) under the bus for good measure.
“Fame and fortune do not always go together, and Jon is the perfect example of that reality. Things are not always as they are portrayed in the tabloids or on television,” the GoFundMe states. “Now he is forced into an expensive unjust battle for custody, one that drains his time, energy and finances. It is a fight he did not seek; it is a fight he does not want. He remains focused on the welfare of his children. He wants to make sure every decision that is made on their behalf is made in their best interest.”
Jon and Kate divorced in December 2009. They settled their custody agreement for their eight kids sometime after that, but Jon has stated in the press numerous times that he is not always kept informed about his children’s lives and whereabouts.
Over the years, Kate has been accused of being abusive to her children by numerous people. She has denied those claims.
Jon’s Twitter feed, which boasts a picture of him looking forlornly off into the distance, makes no mention of the GoFundMe.
(Photo: Facebook)
17 Responses
Didn’t he used to work in IT? Can’t he go back to do that? Even find freelance clients if he can’t find anyone willing to employ him full time?
Mady and Cara, who are gonna be 17 next month, have both said he’s useless. I don’t know, Kate was awful to him on tv, but what he did to his family when he had his midlife crisis… I don’t think I’d be quick to forgive him.
best of luck to him!
he doesn’t have TLC money anymore, but at least he’s free to live his life without Kate’s dictatorship.
The sad thing is, back before they got their show, he had a great IT just at the capital in Harrisburg. Then once the kids were born and the show was pulling in the ratings, he didn’t need to work. He was able to stay at home and help raise his kids, while getting paid for it. I don’t know why he doesn’t go back to the IT field. He has worked as a waiter and restaurant manager in recent years, and I don’t get it (I live in the same town).
I think Jon wants to step in now that Kate has almost got the kids to be adults. Of course the kids see him as being a better parent he’s not there day in and day out. No one is perfect. I’m just tired of the people who don’t raise their children come in and all of a sudden they seem so perfect to the children. Jon was so happy not to pay child support and everything else that goes along with raising children.
Please, Jon GAVE up custodial rights so he wouldn’t have to pay child support!! What father says do what you want as long as I don’t have to feed, clothe, care for my child?!?! And now after years of only visitation rights, that YOU requested you want OTHER people to help you get custody of children you have already told the court you can’t afford?!?!
This guy is a mess. Say what you want about Kate but she loves and takes care of her kids. We have yet to see her on welfare or social media asking people to give her money.
You mean Kate and Jon arrived at an out of court settlement. A judge would not have ordered no child support for a non-custodial parent.
They’re both total messes. I do think Jon’s plan is to get custody of the kids and have Kate pay a boatload in child support. That way he doesn’t have to get a real job. But, from what we saw, he did a much better job of handling the kids in an appropriate manner.
Kate seems utterly toxic. Yes, she provides food, clothing and shelter for the kids, but at what cost? Every dime she has was earned at the expense of her kids. The kids were the main attraction, not her. No one wants to see her, they want to see the kids, so she keeps them in the spotlight even though it’s had an obvious detrimental effect on their psyche. She has driven away just about every friend and family member she has. The older girls have let it slip that they think Kate is selfish and makes everything about her. It has become pretty obvious that things were not ok beneath the surface. There have been some really unsettling reports, especially about Colin.
I don’t know who is the better parent, but they both need serious counseling.
I don’t like Kate, but you have a valid point.
that being said, she did extort her children and their privacy to make money. which is fine, but then she gets a bunch of plastic surgery, fake teeth, and a 2 seater sports car.
I was going to say the same! He literally agreed to give up custody so he wouldn’t have to pay support. She may be a hard ass but he’s basically useless. I may not agree with or even particularly like Kate very much but you’d have to be stern alone with that many kids. You can tell they’re not actually afraid of her…they sure mouth off like any other kids lol.
I read the unauthorized Kate Gosselin biopic (please don’t judge me?–it was so so so poorly written) and even though the author clearly loathed Kate, if even a fraction of what was written is accurate, she’s a pretty shitty person. I think they both need to grow up, put their differences aside, and co-parent those poor kids. No kid deserves to be raised in that amount of animosity and hatred. So sad.
Maybe get a job?If this loser ever got custody he could never provide for them.Stripping isn’t a reliable gig for a man with 8 kids.Plus he isn’t exactly stripper material.
These two just make me sad for those kids. I’m honestly not sure which parent is worse.
The one who doesn’t parent and who squandered all his reality tv money on himself is worse. Jon has been on plenty of shows since the TLC gig. Where’s that money?
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I think for the Gosselin kids, John is the lesser of two evils.
Agree. It’s sad that a mother would pull her child from a car to keep her/him from the father. I don’t know the circumstances, but if the child wanted to go that badly it worries me a bit.