Jon Gosselin
Jon Gosselin | |
---|---|
Visiting South End in 2009. | |
Born | Jonathan Keith Gosselin April 1, 1977 |
Occupation | Television personality |
Known for | Jon & Kate Plus 8 |
Spouse | Kate Gosselin (1999–2009) (divorced) |
Children | Twins: Cara, Madelyn (born 2000) Sextuplets: Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah, Joel (born 2004) |
Website | http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20331781,00.html |
Jonathan Keith "Jon" Gosselin (born April 1, 1977) is an American television personality, known for his appearances with then-wife Kate Gosselin and their eight children on the American reality TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8.
Personal life
Jonathan Keith Gosselin was born and raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania as the middle child in a family of three boys.[2] Gosselin's mother was born and raised in Hawaii as a second generation Korean American (his maternal grandparents emigrated from Korea),[3] and his father is of French, Irish, and Welsh descent.[4] He graduated from Wyomissing High School in 1995.[5]
Gosselin met Kate Gosselin at a company picnic on October 5, 1997. They married on June 12, 1999. Twin girls, Cara and Madelyn, were born on October 8, 2000. Initially, Jon was against having a third child, but he and Kate eventually decided to try and get pregnant again.[6] On May 10, 2004, Kate gave birth to sextuplets: sons Aaden, Collin, and Joel, and daughters Leah, Alexis, and Hannah. They received local media coverage until the sextuplets were 17 months old, when Discovery Health offered the couple a reality series chronicling the lives of their family. They soon switched over to TLC.[7]
It was announced on the June 22, 2009 episode of the show that the couple were separating, and that divorce proceedings had begun.[8] Gosselin then began looking for a new apartment in New York City, reportedly visiting Donald Trump-owned Trump Place in Manhattan's Upper West Side.[9]
Jon has stated that it is Kate who wanted the divorce,[10] while Kate has stated that "Jon's activities" left her with "no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect" herself and the children. Jon released a statement in response, noting that his wife was the first to make a legal move, and speaking of his continuing love for his children.[11] Speculation rose that Jon's relationship with Hailey Glassman, the daughter of Kate's plastic surgeon, was the cause for the divorce, but Glassman denied the speculation, saying that her relationship with Jon began only after Jon and Kate had been separated for months.[12]
Discovered by TLC
Gosselin and his family were first featured in a special on Discovery Health in September 2005 entitled Surviving Sextuplets and Twins. One year later they were featured in another special entitled Sextuplets and Twins: One Year Later. Both specials received high Nielsen ratings, and Discovery Health signed the couple to a series that aired beginning in April 2007. During this time, the family was filmed for three to four days per week, and received payment for appearing on the show.
On September 29, 2009 TLC announced that, as of November 3, 2009, Jon & Kate Plus 8 would undergo a name change, to simply Kate Plus 8.[13] Jon Gosselin would continue to appear on the show, just less frequently.[14] However, on October 1, 2009, it was reported by People.com that Jon Gosselin has filed a legal action against TLC to prevent the show from resuming and will consider the entry of production crews into the family home as criminal trespassing.[15][16] The final episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 aired on November 23, 2009, announced by TLC three days earlier.
In late September 2009, Jon filed paperwork seeking to stall the divorce for 90 days stating: "I regret my conduct since Kate and I separated ... I used poor judgment in publicly socializing with other women so soon."[17] Among the terms of the divorce was a child support order for $22,000 a month.[18]
On December 18, 2009, it was announced that the couple's divorce had been finalized.[19] Earlier in the month, Jon Gosselin's girlfriend, Hailey Glassman, announced that she broke up with Jon because she discovered during a deposition in the case against TLC that he has been unfaithful to her by having a relationship with Kate Major, a reporter for The Star tabloid.[20]
Other ventures
Gosselin has co-authored the book Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets, with his then wife, Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson. After its release, the book spent time on The New York Times Best Seller list.[21] Gosselin also appeared on an episode of the TLC show American Chopper, in which he traveled to the motorcycle shop to request that a custom bike be made for him. In addition, he also had an agreement with Entertainment Tonight to cover interviews involving him and Hailey Glassman as well as interviews shortly before and after the twins' birthdays. Viewers of Entertainment Tonight also witnessed the couple argue on screen. Later on, the court declared that Jon may not make television appearances based on his contract with TLC.
Lawsuit
On October 15, 2009 it was announced that TLC had filed suit against Jon for allegedly violating their contract with paid and unpaid television appearances he had recently made on several media outlets. The network claims it lost more than $30,000 as a result of his alleged breach of their contract. Gosselin's attorney responded that the contract was null and void once TLC renamed the show Kate Plus 8, and that in any event the contract is unenforceable because it was signed while Gosselin had no legal representation.
TLC aired the last episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 on November 23, 2009.[22] Future shows will be considered after the lawsuit is resolved.[23]
Burglary
On December 26, 2009, upon returning to his New York apartment from visiting his children for Christmas, Gosselin discovered that his apartment had been broken into. The damage was estimated at $100,000 USD. A note signed by Hailey Glassman, his ex-girlfriend, was found speared in Gosselin's dresser with a knife, but law enforcement officials have questioned the authenticity of both the message and the signature that preceded.[24][25] The police approached Glassman about the crime, but have not filed any charges against her. Glassman has admitted that she took her old television set out of his apartment on the same day the burglary occurred.[26]
References
- ^ Thomson, Katherine (2009-07- 17). "The Alexandria: Jon Gosselin's New York Bachelor Apartment". The Huffington Post.
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(help) - ^ Jon's background, Discovery Health Videos
- ^ [1]
- ^ Karas, Kristen (2009-02-09). "Father of eight discusses reality". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
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(help) - ^ Original documentation from high school yearbook
- ^ Celizic, Mike (June 12, 2008). "Dad of twins, sextuplets counts his blessings". MSNBC.com.
- ^ "Gosselin Sextuplets to Turn 1". WGAL.com. May 7, 2005.
- ^ "Houses & Big Changes". Jon and Kate Plus 8. June 22, 2009.
- ^ Egan, Nicole Weisensee (June 19, 2009). "Jon Gosselin Goes Apartment Hunting in New York". People.
- ^ "Kate: Jon's The One Who Wanted Out". CBSNews.com. Associated Press.
- ^ "Kate Gosselin on Divorce: "Jon Left Me No Choice"". People. June 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ^ Chi, Paul (August 16, 2009). "Hailey Glassman on Jon Gosselin: He's My 'First Love'". People Magazine. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
- ^ Silverman, Stephen M. Silverman (2009-09-29). "Jon Dropped from Show".
- ^ Adam Bryant (29 September 2009). "TLC Introduces Kate Plus Eight". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
- ^ Quirk, Mary Beth (2009-10-01). "Jon Gosselin Bans Filming of Kate Plus 8 in the Family Home". OK Magazine.
- ^ Park, Michael Y. Jon Gosselin Tries to End Kate Plus 8, People.com
- ^ "Divorce".
- ^ "Jon Gosselin Child Support Plan - New Rich Girlfriend, Selling BMW?". National Ledger. Apr 26, 2010. Retrieved Apr 28, 2010.
- ^ Silverman, Stephen (December 18, 2009). "Jon & Kate Gosselin Divorced!". People. Time Inc. Retrieved December 18, 2009.
- ^ "Hailey Glassman: Jon Gosselin Is "a Monster"". US Weekly. December 8, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
- ^ "N.Y. Times Best-Sellers". Albany Times-Union. November 9, 2008.
- ^ "Series finale for Jon and Kate Plus 8 set to air on Nov. 23 on TLC". Retrieved 2009-11-20.
- ^ "TLC sues Jon Gosselin for breach of contract". CNN. October 16, 2009.
- ^ "Jon Gosselin's NYC Apartment Vandalized". US Weekly. December 26, 2009.
- ^ "Jon Gosselin's NYC Pad 'Ransacked' Over Weekend". Fox News. December 27, 2009.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Lawyer Admits Jon Gosselin's Ex Took TV, Denies Burglary". Raider Online. December 28, 2009.
External links
- Jon & Kate Plus 8 website
- Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.
- 1977 births
- Living people
- American people of French-Canadian descent
- American people of Korean descent
- American people of Irish descent
- American people of Welsh descent
- American television personalities
- Participants in American reality television series
- People from Berks County, Pennsylvania
- People from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania