Jon & Kate Plus… Jon’s Date?

Everyone is talking about the picture of Jon Gosselin with his “female friend” which is featured on the cover of this week’s Us magazine.  Since it’s already out there, I’d like to weigh in on the situation but, first, these are the details.

In case you don’t know who Jon Gosselin is, he’s the father on the hit reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8.  The show follows the lives of Jon, his wife Kate, and their eight children (a set of twins and sextuplets).

Jon was spotted leaving a bar at 2am with a mystery woman and he wasn’t wearing his wedding band.  I’ve heard other rumors about his flirtatious behavior recently so I wasn’t surprised.  There weren’t any shots of him actually touching or kissing anyone but there is a picture of him and this woman in the care together with him trying to look invisible.  The reports say that he referred to the lady friend, however, as “baby” and was so drunk that he “could barely walk.”  Kate was on the other side of the country promoting her book.

Now, after this hailstorm of bad press, Jon is saying: “Like most people, I have male and female friends, and I’m not going to end my friendships just because I’m on TV. However, being out with them late at night showed poor judgment on my part.  What makes me sick is that my careless behavior has put my family in this uncomfortable position.  My family is the most important thing in my life and it kills me that these allegations have hurt them.”

So, here’s where my opinion comes in.  First of all, let me make it clear that I do not condone cheating under ANY circumstances.  There is always another way to improve upon or end a relationship without hurting someone else.  I can, however, understand bad behavior in certain situations.

If you’ve ever watched Jon & Kate Plus 8, then you probably really dislike his wife.  She puts him down, corrects his grammar, has berated him for breathing too loudly and is a general nightmare.  I don’t know if I could stand being in the same room with that woman for more than 10 minutes.  To make matters worse, in the most recent seasons, Kate’s turned into a total fame whore when it’s clear that Jon would prefer to live a more laid-back lifestyle.  If your marriage is the topic of a hit TV show (and you’ve just gotten a $1.3 million house) and you’ve got eight children, it’s got to be hard to know how to even get out of a marriage like that one.  It’s tricky and, if he’s cheating, I’ll be disappointed but some part of me will understand.

image: Newscom