The Spectacular Fall of Jon Gosselin
<p>The rise and fall in the public eye of Jon Gosselin, star of "Jon and Kate Plus 8."</p>
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The Beginning Of Jon and Kate
Jon & Kate Plus 8 began airing on Discover Health in April 2007, and moved to TLC (pictured) in 2008. The premise of the show was simple: Jon and Kate Gosselin would allow camera crews into their lives as parents of a pair of twins and set of sextuplets, chronicling the highs and lows of mass parenting as a new reality TV show. What could go wrong? Photograph by Thos Robinson/Stringer.
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Kate Takes Center Stage, But Not Our Hearts
As the show gained popularity, it seemed that public support was not to be divided evenly between the show's two title characters. Kate came off as demanding and shrewish, keeping a controlling eye on how Jon spent his money and time. Photograph by Amy Sussman/Getty Images.
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Feeling Bad for Jon, Temporarily
Even after news broke of Jon's affair with a younger woman, he remained the "victim" of his marriage for a time. This Us Weekly edition from May chronicles the abuses Jon suffered at his wife's hand.
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The Anti-Jon Cascade
As the summer progressed, though, the tide of public opinion took a decidedly anti-Jon turn. New details were announced (he didn't just cheat on Kate, but cheated on her on her birthday), and Jon's story went from victim to playboy. In the case of Us Weekly, the reversal of allegiances took only a week.
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From Jon's Prison to Kate's Hell
With Jon's sympathy eroded, a new narrative took over—Kate was an idealist who had let her controlling side get in the way. Although she had sworn never to divorce, Jon's continued brazen behavior left her with no other choice.
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With the show and their relationship in turmoil, it's hard to tell where Jon and Kate (not to mention their 8) will end up. One thing is for sure, though—we'll know about it. This publicity might amount to further tidal changes in public opinion, or simply more chances for tell-all books, talk show visits, and product endorsements like Jon's "Crazy Eight Shake" introduced on Saturday at an L.A. store. Photograph by Angela Weiss/Getty Images.
