By MOLLY DAVIS
Just when we we thought it was a Gosselin-free month, Kate opens that mouth of hers…
To Babs Walters.
I’m not shocked that Kate is running her mouth again.
What surprises me is that she was chosen as one of the elite “The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.”
Fascinating?
If you think watching a train wreck is fascinating.
In the interview, Kate tells Babs that the lack of camera crews has been a terribly emotional adjustment for her children.
The brood are devastated by the fact that their family reality TV series, “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ has been put on hiatus thanks to their parent’s messy divorce.
“They cried in the van on the way home from school the other day,” Gosselin told Walters during the interview. “I finally admitted to them, they kept asking, ‘Where’s the camera crew? Where’s the camera crew? We miss them.’ And I said, ‘Our show is over.’ …Eight sobbing kids driving home from school.”
How strange she doesn’t worry about the effect banning her brother and sister-in-law and the grandparents from her children, but she worries about the effect of not having the camera crew around has on them.
Kate has previously explained how her parents and family are not involved in her children’s lives because she chose for them not to be — because their opinions were not the same as hers.
She must have believed since she could make other family members disappear out of her life quietly when she grew tired of them, Jon would quietly follow suit.
Kate must have been shocked when he went out fighting.
I’m still on Team Jon, no matter how much of an idiot he continues to be.
So the show on TLC is finito.
Poor Kate.
Now she may actually have to take care of her kids.
Instead of going to a spa, shopping, doing talk shows, or publicity for her many brands.
December 10, 2009
KATE’S PATHETIC SOB STORY
TIGER WILL GET OUT OF THE ROUGH
By MOLLY DAVIS
I hope Tiger Woods is staying in shape.
Because his signing arm is going to get quite a workout.
Between the supposed “hush” money being paid out to the ever-growing throng of women coming forward, and the staggering amount of money he’ll be paying out to his wife, Elin – whether she stays or goes – it’s going to be strenuous exercise putting his John Hancock on all those checks.
It’s only going to get worse.
Now there are rumors of alcohol and prescription drugs being the cause of the now-infamous car crash on Tiger’s Florida street.
His mother-in-law was rushed to the hospital this week for stomach pains.
And people are eating it up.
As long as people want to read, hear and talk about it, the mess will remain in the headlines.
Which will be a long time.
Will Tiger make the inevitable trip to rehab?
That seems to be the go-to for celebs who are in hot water with their fans.
It shows some sort of remorse and that they’re trying to get their life together.
I shudder to think if there’s a love child.
Or a sex tape.
E-mail exchanges between Rachel and Tiger.
Details of their sex lives.
Elin called Rachel.
Rachel is still denying everything and is bewlidered by all these “insider sources.”
His brand is under fire
But Tiger Inc. will survive.
If his wife leaves him, maybe people will back off a bit, thinking some sort of “justice” was served.
Will his legions be satisfied then?
Probably not.
Nothing Tiger can do at this point will help his severely tarnished reputation.
I shudder to think if there’s a love child.
Or a sex tape.
Media outlets are reporting they have email exchanges between Tiger and mistress-number-one Rachel Uchitel.
The correspondence, provided by “insider sources,” includes details of their sex lives, including what happened their first night together (sex nine times with a gym break for Tiger).
Rachel is still denying everything and is bewildered by all these “insider sources.”
Even if more tawdry chicks come forward, I think Tiger Inc. will survive.
It will be difficult – but the only think people love more than a scandal?
A comeback.
BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VICK, A.I.
By ERIC FISHER
Two homecomings. Two different reactions – at least from me.
Allen Iverson and Michael Vick made their respective homecomings this week, with Iverson returning to Philadelphia, where he spent the bulk of his NBA career, and Vick returning to Atlanta, where he became a star quarterback for the Falcons.
The return of Iverson brought a smile to my face. Vick’s return to Atlanta left me snarly.
Last week’s column made it clear that I wasn’t in favor of the 76ers bringing back Iverson. From a basketball standpoint, it makes no sense. It takes playing time away from young players and, in a “best-case” scenario, may even cause the Sixers to get a worse draft pick.
Given my objection to re-signing Iverson, you might be surprised that I enjoyed his return. From his tearful news conference to his kissing of the Sixers logo at midcourt after he was introduced Monday, Iverson’s return was outstanding entertainment. Even seeing his mother, Ann, holding up a sign stating “My Son is The Answer” during Wednesday’s game against Detroit made me laugh.
Iverson made a lot of mistakes during his career with the Sixers. Hey, he missed a flight coming to Philly last week for his news conference and didn’t show up until 5:55 p.m. for Monday’s 7 p.m. game against Denver.
Still, Iverson is so genuine that you can’t help but feel good for him. He feels like he’s home. He feels like he’s wanted. Watching him spill his guts during his emotional news conference and bounce around the court like the “little kid” Larry Brown calls him instead of a 34-year-old veteran were heartwarming moments. Regardless of his past mistakes, you couldn’t help but feel happy for Iverson.
The same can’t be said for Vick. Unlike Iverson’s return, which has included two straight losses, Vick returned to Atlanta with an emphatic victory. Not only did the Eagles flatten the Falcons, 34-7, but Vick ran for one touchdown and passed for another.
Vick led the Eagles out to the field, receiving a mixed reaction from the Atlanta crowd. Midway through the game, the reaction had changed to mostly cheers. By the latter stages of the game, the fans were actually chanting “We want Vick!”
Sitting at home, however, I didn’t share that sentiment. I didn’t rejoice with the crowd and Vick’s teammates when he scored his touchdown.
The Vick touchdown didn’t warm my heart. I didn’t view it as a wonderful moment of redemption. Contrary to how I felt about Iverson, I wasn’t even happy for Vick. I wanted to vomit.
Please understand that I’m not saying Vick shouldn’t have received a second chance. He served his prison time. He has the right to earn a living. He has a right to play in the NFL.
But I have the right not to be happy about it. I have the right to wish Vick was making his return in a uniform other than the midnight green of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The difference between Iverson and Vick is the nature of their transgressions. Iverson didn’t practice. Vick sponsored unspeakable cruelty to dogs.
Iverson showed up late. He blew off fan appreciation night. He stabbed coaches in the back. He didn’t always conduct himself professionally away from the court.
Vick ordered the murder of dogs.
I simply can’t get past the heinous nature of Vick’s crimes. Maybe that’s because I still haven’t heard Vick take responsibility for what he’s done. Yes, he says he’s sorry for what happened. He always says that. But he always seems to deflect the responsibility.
He’s sorry he was influenced by that culture. He’s sorry he allowed himself to be sucked into dog fighting. He’s sorry he allowed himself to be led astray. What we never hear, however, is Vick taking full responsibility for his actions.
Vick wasn’t an innocent bystander. He bankrolled the dog-fighting business. And he wasn’t an absentee owner. He visited his property that was home to his dog-fighting venture. He even ordered an under-performing dog to be electrocuted.
Even if he took full responsibility, I don’t know that I could ever fully embrace Vick. I question the character of a human being who could order a dog electrocuted or beaten to death.
Maybe I should get over it. But I can’t. Having seen the images from Vick’s dog-fighting operation and read the accounts of incidents of cruelty in which he was personally involved, I won’t ever be able to root for Vick.
I don’t care if the Eagles are in the Super Bowl and Donovan McNabb is injured. I wouldn’t feel good about Michael Vick leading the Eagles to a coveted Super Bowl triumph.
On the other hand, I find myself rooting for Iverson. The chances of Iverson leading the Sixers to an NBA championship are virtually nil. Right now I’d be happy to see Iverson lead them to a victory. Just one. Eleven losses in a row force you to adjust your goals.
But I find myself rooting for Allen Iverson. I can’t – and won’t – root for Michael Vick.
OUR VIEW: BOGUS PLAN
The supposed health-care compromise before the Senate is nothing more than a disguised government option. President Obama and liberals pushing for some type of health-care reform may say this new plan is not the same as a government-run health-care plan, but there is little difference. This compromise plan should be rejected by conservative Democratic senators, whose support is necessary to pass a health-care bill, because it likely would dramatically increase the deficit and the role that the government plays in making every day health-care decisions.
Under the supposed compromise, Medicare would be expanded to cover people between the ages of 55 and 64. Medicare already covers people age 65 and older, and the people covered under the new expansion plan would pay higher premiums than the people currently on Medicare. Additionally, nationwide private plans would be created and would be under the oversight of a government agency.
Despite the label of compromise, this plan is a bunch of gimmickry and word games trying to obscure the fact that if this bill passes, it would mean a large expansion of government’s role in health care and increased government involvement in people’s health-care decisions.
By expanding Medicare, which essentially is a government run health insurance plan, the government would be funding an enlarged public option, although it would be one for workers in the upper tier of middle age. Despite the age limit, this expansion of the health-care system could be a large fiscal expenditure. At a time when the deficit is out of control and threatens to harm the economy, taking on such a large increase in spending does not make sense, particularly if sustainable job growth is the goal.
The creation of new private plans under government oversight also is problematic. If the plans must adhere to government dictates, they do not seem like private plans to begin with. Additionally, government oversight could lead to increased government decision making in people’s health-care decisions. It cannot be denied that if government has the power to make insurance companies follow their directives, then government will have power over the treatment that people receive.
The increased cost and additional federal control that people feared in a government run health-care plan have not gone away with this compromise being considered in the Senate. These concerns have remained, but the federal health plan has been repackaged and renamed. People who want Congress to exercise fiscal discipline and who do not want government making health-care decisions should oppose this compromise. Conservative Democratic senators should oppose it as well, if they want to maintain credibility as fiscal conservatives.
