Kate Gosselin says she’s not a horrible person– or mother– and she’s tired of people thinking that she is!
Kate addressed the rumors that state she’s a ‘Monster Mom’– which have followed her around for years– during an interview on Jenny McCarthy‘s radio show on Monday. She appeared on ‘The Jenny McCarthy Show’ to promote her new TLC dating show, Kate Plus Date.
During the interview, Kate also discussed the fact that some of her eight kids do not have any sort of relationship with their father, Jon Gosselin, whom Kate has been divorced from for years. Currently, two of the couple’s eight kids– Collin and Hannah– live with Jon full-time, but the other six live with Kate.
Here, The Ashley breaks down the most-interesting part of Kate’s interview.
On how she’s been able to support herself and eight kids:
Kate was actually very honest about the fact that she would have been majorly screwed financially had the wonderful world of reality TV not come knocking at her door after she spawned eight kids.
“We are very fortunate that we have like 10, 12 years of ‘Kate Plus 8’ on TLC,” Kate said. “Who knew we would still be around? Honestly, it’s the most amazing thing because I am cooking dinner and that’s my job. My kids are next to me…
“That’s the way I’ve been able to financially support us. Had we not had the show, gosh, I don’t know…”
Kate told Jenny that, despite having been on TV for over a decade, she still stresses out about having enough money.
“It’s [a] huge [stress],” Kate said. “I’ve supported eight kids essentially on my own and that is the Number 1 thing. [Money] is a huge concern for me. Again, people think ‘She makes [a lot]’—nope! You divide that by eight.”
On people saying she’s a terrible mother/person:
Although rumors have run rampant for years that she is hard to work with and cruel to her kids, Kate said in the interview that this is not the case.
“I think I’ll never clear it up, but one of the things is all of the names that I’m called in terms of being a mom, and how I’m a horrible mom,” she said. “That’s probably the most hurtful. Again, I don’t really pay attention or read any of it, but that’s a very huge misconception that’s out there.”
She did admitted that she’s hard to please, though.
“Am I a mom with high expectations? Absolutely,” Kate added. “Am I a mom who wants the absolute best for my kids at all cost? Absolutely. Do I drive a hard bargain? Sure. But, the truth is that, within that, my kids know that it’s out of love. Literally, from Day 1, wanting the best for them and I don’t apologize for it. My life is for my kids and I really want the best for them.”
(Of course, Jon would probably disagree with this comment, as he recently stated that Kate hasn’t contacted their son Collin at all since Collin came to live with Jon earlier late last year.)
Kate told Jenny that some of the guys she met on ‘Kate Plus Date’ were surprised to find she wasn’t as awful as they expected her to be.
“That’s the thing I fight against the most, because that image of me that’s out there isn’t really me,” she said. “When I meet people, that is 100 percent what they say, so for me to be out there and actually meet real, single guys, real people, it was very refreshing because they’re like, ‘Wait you’re not at all what I was thinking you would be,’ which is a good thing.”
On whether or not she makes her kids film:
Kate insisted that her kids all love being in front of the camera. (Currently, only her two oldest, 18-year-old twins Mady and Cara, are appearing on ‘Kate Plus Date.’)
“The kids are very vocal about wanting to film,” she said. “That’s our life, that’s normal to us. They love it and we do it together. What single mom gets to work and have her kids next to her, running in and out of the frame? It’s so normal to us.
“I wish we could be filming more, and so do the kids,” she later added. “We love it.”
On why some of her eight children don’t see their father, Jon:
Kate was obviously uncomfortable when Jenny asked her about Jon, and the relationships her kids have with him. However, Kate did entertain a few questions about her ex-husband.
“That’s a very complicated question that I don’t know we have time for, really we don’t,” Kate said. “Some do [see their dad], some don’t. At this point, they’re 15 and trust me, my kids have their own minds made up and their own opinions and—- have you watched Kate Plus 8? They voice them loudly. We don’t have any silent sufferers.”
In December 2018, Jon stated that the twins, as well as remaining sextuplets Alexis, Leah, Joel and Aaden— are not currently speaking to him. It is unknown if any of the kids’ relationships with Jon have improved since then.
“I don’t force them [to see their dad],” Kate said. “I can’t even force them, really, to do their homework.”
When Jenny asked for clarification that the kids make their own choices about visiting their father, Kate eventually stated that this was the case.
“It’s a long answer but, the bottom line is, yeah,” Kate said. “I think every child should be allowed to love Mom and Dad as they want to and it should not…I wouldn’t force them to visit a neighbor that they didn’t want to. Ideally, it’s up to them and I think that, across the board, is a healthy way of existing.
“Kids know more, and they know what they want and they know how they feel and I support my kids in that.”
‘Kate Plus Date’ is currently airing on TLC.
Watch the video below to see Kate’s full interview on ‘The Jenny McCarthy Show!’
(Photos: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images; Amanda Edwards/Getty Images; TLC)
54 Responses
I’m sure all this tv has effected her kids negetively,Now the dating show this lady is just about fame and money….there will be a day when her kids compleatly turn on her the reconing.
The captions…are…the…best! Captured perfectly. When you look up whether a malignant narcissist is capable of loving their kids, the answer is “no.”
We watched Jon and Kate plus 8. She continually demeaned and emasculated Jon every chance she got. She was so rigid as a Mom it’s a wonder they’re not all in therapy. Her own family dislikes her. Does she have friends?
I find it interesting that she lost Hannah, because if I remember correctly Hannah was always the favored child of the younger ones.
Kate is a control freak that tries to act like she’s perfect. She had to get plastic surgery and botox to try to make herself look good. She threw Colin away like he was trash and left him out of every vacation they took for the past 3 years. Hannah was smart. She got away from her. I hope she and her brother have an amazing life with their father. When her kids grow up and move away, she’s going to be a lonely person because no man wants her either.
8 children with a father not interested in fathering.
She’s bitchy, controlling, and highly entitled. I can’t wait till the kids all write tell all books. I’m not a huge fan of Jon, but Kate seems like a nagging nightmare!
I still have no idea how people can judge a single mother of 8 kids, for being an A Type, when at one point in time she was taking care of 6 infants, and a set of 3 year old twins. Then had her “husband” go off blowing his money on hoes, yachts, and constantly looked like an ed hardy store threw up on him. Dunno what’s going on with Colin and Hannah, but it seems like she’s abiding by their wishes and letting them stay with their dad.
Thank you someone with common sense responding. John and Kate were a mismatch from the jump. Kate was very type A while John was a man boy who liked to be told what to do as we can see from his current girlfriend. Is Kate the nicest or easiest person? No but that woman has held it together for those kids for 18 yrs.
Its sad that we live in such a male identified world that even women can side with an adulterer, deadbeat father loser like John. How can anyone fix their mouth to say that he is a good parent when he cheated on his wife with their doctor’s much younger daughter, blew all his money on Ed Hardy and partying and even was at one point going to write a tell all book about his ex-wife/children’s mother. In addition, because he didnt want to pay child support he gave up all his parental rights. That really sounds like a man that wanted to be an involved parent (sarcasm intended). Maddie and Cara were no babies throughout all this turmoil so they know exactly what was going on in the family. John didn’t want to parent until it was convenient for him. Let’s not forget his stint on Marriage Boot camp with his current gf. Of course he wants to parent now since the kids are older but during the tough years where was he???. So now he gets to swoop in and be super dad to Hannah and Colin. No one truly knows what the Colin situation was but I seriously doubt that Kate “got rid” of him because of embarrassment. If living with John is what Hannah and Colin need to do well that’s great for them. The other sextupets are old enough to decide if they want a relationship with him and they have chosen not to so people should stop with the narrative that Kate is preventing them from doing so.
John wants to put in minimal effort but reap maximum rewards regarding being a father. Its not up to Kate to fix his relationship with the other children, its up to him. He abandoned those kids at one point in their lives so he could do what he wanted to do and that it is not easily forgotten or forgiven as evidenced by his kids’ lack of relationship with him. The first thing he should do to try and mend his relationship with them is to apologize for abandoning them when he left the marriage because he did.
She’s not judged for “being Type A.” She’s judged because she has exploited her children, forced them into the public eye (that interview with Mady and Cara 4 years ago was cringe-worthy), and has displayed a pretty horrible temper and attitude towards almost everyone in her life.
And I’m not excusing Jon at all. He’s done some awful things as well, but let’s not pretend like Kate’s just Type A and people are being mean to her.
No offense at all…but can you raise 8 small kids by yourself on an RNs salary for at least 18 years? And have the advantages this family has had? …if anyone can do that, then they can have an opinion on how bitchy/“mean” a single mom of 8 should be.
Like Kate said, she lucked out…had it not been for the show, she and her family would be out here looking just as crazy and stressed out as Octomom and the octokids…and she would probably be more unhinged because the kids are approaching college years…at least Kate can send them to college if that’s what they want. Kate is not perfect…NO MOTHER IS!!!! And she may not be “nice” all the time, but if she were “nice” all the time, those kids would be running all over her. It’s 8 against 1…She’s doing the best she can with her circumstances. She’s never been a mother of 8 teens before, and at least she’s not bringing multiple strangers around her kids. People on here are quick to call Kate awful. At least Kate never brought rando men to play step daddy to the 8, like John has done with his how many girlfriends? Compared to majority of the mothers spoken about on this side, Kate isn’t bad at all. She’s strict. Big deal. If her kids wanted no parts of the show, clearly they can go live with John.
Kate didn’t raise 8 small kids on an RN’s salary either. She may be an RN (is she? I honestly don’t remember anymore), but those kids were raised with reality TV money. So when we talk about “oh poor single mother”, Kate shouldn’t be the first person that comes to mind. The single mother that works 12 hours a day on an RN’s salary and comes home and takes care of her kids all by herself is the one we shouldn’t pick on. When she put herself on reality TV, Kate opened the door for people to judge her.
However, that’s not why I judge her. You can’t blame her for hustling to support her family. Yeah, she’s a shrill judgmental shrew, but she was married to a man child and it’s probably hard not to become awful when you put up with that crap. I judge her because she couldn’t even be bothered showing up to court about custody for Collin. Remember that – did not show up to court for one of those kids that she claims to love more than life itself. She showed up for the other one, but just couldn’t be bothered to show up for Collin.
Jon is certainly no prize – but he showed up at court for his kid.
Your argument is that her behavior shouldn’t be criticized because raising 8 kids is hard. And who cares if her methods resulted in her children being exploited, because money. Sorry, but that’s ridiculous. And poor single mom Kate relied heavily on friends and family for years, to do laundry, babysit, etc. she has almost never been doing this alone. And yet, she has pushed almost every one of those people away because of her attitude. She publicly declared her son was special needs. She’s forced her kids into the spotlight, even when they obviously didn’t want to be there. But yeah, sure, next to the Jenelles of the world, she’s “not bad at all.” Lol what a standard.
THANK YOU!
Correct me if I am wrong but didnt she put Collin in that special facility because he did something very bad to a member of his family. Wasn’t she following doctor’s orders that it would be best for him to stay in the facility and not be released back into her home. I remember reading something on blindgossip and another site.
All I’ve ever read is that he had severe anger issues…
why did she lose Hannah? WHy was Collin in that “facility” when his dad says he doesnt have any special needs, and he certainly appears fine and happy now. If she never addresses these things, how can anyone really believe her.
I don’t think it’s healthy or appropriate for a 15 year old boy’s mother to reveal his medical diagnosis to the whole world just to prove she’s a good mom and that she made the right choice. Hopefully Colin is thriving where he is and that’s all that should matter
Completely agree!!! But again, this comes from the same woman whose had her children on television practically since birth, regardless of how they feel. The woman knows no bounds and could care less about their privacy!
So because they have been on tv all their life we should be privy to their private medical information? (make it make sense). Imagine if Kate were to provide a reason for why Colin was in the facility, everyone would accuse her of exploiting him. Basically she can’t win either way (smh)
And yet, Kate announced to the world that Colon has “fluid special needs” that haven’t been diagnosed. So actually, yeah she provide a reason that was totally unfair and unnecessary.
Kate is a cunt. It’s her responsibility to encourage a relationship with their father and vice versus
She takes child exploitation to a whole new level!!!!
And anyone whose ever seen any of these episodes knows the truth, these kids are miserable and she acts more like a drill sergeant than a mother. She’s a complete fake!
Call me insane but that top pic, she looks bangable, am I right here or what?
Nibsy, will we see you as a potential suitor on Kate Plus Date? If not, maybe you can try to get on Season 2.
Nibs and Kate would be amazing! Follow your dreams Sir!
She is a bad mother if she thinks it is not her resoonsubility to co parent with her ex. A judge should cime in and remive the other 4. She more interested in what is best for her not the kids. Anybody can be nice for a few hours in front of a camera.
They choose not to see him because their shithead selfish mother poisoned them against him. And no Kate you did not support them “all by yourself basically” had Jon not been supportive of you having a million kids and a tv show (which would be an insane amount of stress for having ONE kid, let alone EIGHT), you wouldn’t have any of that money and you’d be working like the rest of us who weren’t lucky enough (or selfish enough) to have a million kids to snatch up a reality show. Jon is halfway responsible for you having any money whatsoever. She screwed Jon completely from the moment she had 6 babies growing inside her.
That line stuck out to me as well. She has not supported the whole family by herself. Her kids have been supporting the family. No one watches to see Kate. They watch for the kids and that’s always been the case. The kids have been working since the sextuplets were one. Kate is basically their manager, but they’ve had to live their lives on tv and in magazines to support themselves.
I think the show should end..nothing positive comes from it.
She’s not doing herself any favors with this interview.
Another pack of lies from this witch. If her lips are moving she’s lying. We’ve seen her. She came by those names horrible names honestly. Nobody made them up. She’s not important enough for anyone to campaign against her.
See the Duggars? They have a pedophile in the family and they’re still on tv. Tells you just how despised this horrible woman is. I’m glad people draw the line at her child abuse.
Anyone who tunes in to watch this clusterf*ck should be ashamed of supporting this grifter.
Because she didn’t want him back. He didn’t fit in with the TV-friendly image she has constructed their lives around. And it costs money to go to court—she spent plenty on trying to get Hannah back, she didn’t give a f— about Collin.
I just had one question, why didn’t she show up to court when it came to custody of Collin (I believe). I know it’s not my business nor am I a parent, but how can a parent not fight to see their child?!
Because she didn’t want him back. He didn’t fit in with the TV-friendly image she has constructed their lives around. And it costs money to go to court—she spent plenty on trying to get Hannah back, she didn’t give a f— about Collin.
You all have no idea why he was in that facility. I have read a doctor suggested he not be in their home. For all we know he could have pulled a Josh Duggar.
Kate said it’s because he has “fluid” special needs that haven’t been diagnosed (a claim that Jon has denied). So yeah, not sure why you’re speculating on something as horrific as molestation. That’s pretty messed up.
This woman lies like a rug. She has gaslighted her children to such an extent that they have NO idea what really happened in their past. Even TLC has swiffered past episodes of her many meltdowns; unless you have the original DVDs, you will never get a glimpse of the truth. The first few years on the show were sort of honest. After the divorce . . . uh, no.
Kate has LOST two of her eight children in the past couple of years: Hannah, via the courts, which Kate FOUGHT through several court appearances AND an appeal last year (so much for the kids making their own choices); and Collin, whom she smugly declared, on TV no less, was beyond the reach of his father since she was the ONLY person who knew where she’d put him after she committed him to an institution. Had Jon not stepped up late last year, Collin would now be going into his FOURTH year as, basically, an inmate. Both have now fortunately landed with their dad, and both seem both normal and happy (Jon has expressly denied Collin has any “special needs” issues, as Kate claimed in a People cover story in 2016). You can bet your life that she has constantly threatened those children that if they DON’T film, life as they have come to know it will be no more. In that household, if Momma ain’t happy, no one is happy. That she gets away with her fictions, over and over again, in these softball interviews is the real problem.
TLC, we see you. STOP doing business with this sociopath.
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This woman lies like a rug. She has gaslighted her children to such an extent that they have NO idea what really happened in their past. Even TLC has swiffered past episodes of her many meltdowns; unless you have the original DVDs, you will never get a glimpse of the truth. The first few years on the show were sort of honest. After the divorce . . . uh, no.
Kate has LOST two of her eight children in the past couple of years: Hannah, via the courts, which Kate FOUGHT through several court appearances AND an appeal last year (so much for the kids making their own choices); and Collin, whom she smugly declared, on TV no less, was beyond the reach of his father since she was the ONLY person who knew where she’d put him after she committed him to an institution. Had Jon not stepped up late last year, Collin would now be going into his FOURTH year as, basically, an inmate. Both have now fortunately landed with their dad, and both seem both normal and happy (Jon has expressly denied Collin has any “special needs” issues, as Kate claimed in a People cover story in 2016). You can bet your life that she has constantly threatened those children that if they DON’T film, life as they have come to know it will be no more. In that household, if Momma ain’t happy, no one is happy. That she gets away with her fictions, over and over again, in these softball interviews is the real problem.
TLC, we see you. STOP doing business with this sociopath.
Could we just take her off TV already she’s annoying and it’s really getting old seeing her on TV I don’t like, it I don’t watch it & I don’t care….
Kate is so old news. The show where our of work actors are paid to date her won’t last a month.
Word on the street is that after all of the dates she goes on, she doesn’t find a match. Guess all the men saw right through her, what EVERYONE else saw from the beginning!
Of course it’s all about her and how great she is lol everyone knows she was a horrible person from the very beginning. She has turned all the kids against him and they didn’t know any better they were children. I can’t stand to watch anything she is fake and one day her kids will all tell the real truth.