I didn’t really watch Jon & Kate Plus 8 during their heyday but followed the drama between the Patron Saint of Karens Kate Gosselin and “Ick, Nast” Ed Hardy Enthusiast Jon Gosselin on the blogs. In a world of exploiting regular people for profit and storyline, I am sure that what we saw – which wasn’t great! – wasn’t everything.
Last fall, Collin Gosselin spoke to Entertainment Tonight about being sent to an institution at age 12. Now, his sister Hannah, the only sibling he still has contact with, is speaking out on his behalf, sharing that poor Collin was often “separated” from the rest of the siblings during play and meal times. Hannah also doesn’t believe any effort was made to help Collin with his behavior.
Hannah Gosselin is recalling her life at home growing up when cameras weren’t rolling on her family’s hit TLC reality series, Jon & Kate Plus 8.
In a clip previewing Vice TV’s upcoming docuseries Dark Side of the 2000s, the 19-year-old daughter of Jon and Kate Gosselin says her brother Collin “would be separated” from his seven siblings as a child, adding, “He would not get to come outside and play with us. He would eat dinner at different times than us.”
“I don’t think effort was made in the home to help him learn what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is not acceptable,” she continues.
Collin — who, like Hannah, graduated from high school last month — also speaks about how he felt he was treated differently by his mother amid her divorce from Jon in 2009, explaining, “I’m not going to say I was a perfect child. But I’d say my misbehaving was no different from my siblings.”
“I know my mother was going through a lot of things. I mean, a divorce, and plenty of different things that can’t be easy to go through,” he continues. “And, you know, I want to think that she needed someone to take out her anger and frustration on, and it was just kind of me. I was in the way and I was there. So, she chose me.”
Kate’s reps did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Oh my goodness, how heartbreaking is this observation: “I want to think that she needed someone to take out her anger and frustration on, and it was just kind of me.” I cannot even imagine the trauma he had to work through to even get to the place where he can say that with such maturity and understanding. I hope he continues to have an amazing support system. I am truly rooting for him and Hannah.
Kate is a grade-A a-hole. I think all parents can relate to being frustrated. Parenting is hard. As a parent of two very different children, it’s a constant learning curve figuring out how to parent each in a way that’s best for their individual needs. I can’t imagine eight different kids. OG Karen had the money and the access to the best resources to not only help Collin in a productive way but to also help herself become a better parent and person for all of their sakes (remember when she impatiently told one of the twins to “use your words” on live TV? UGH.). Instead, she chose the “easy” way out and gave into her worst instincts by sending Collin away. I genuinely hope all of the Gosselin kids are safely working through whatever issues they may have from their childhood. It could not have been easy for any of them.
Dark Side of the 2000s premieres July 18 at 9 p.m. ET on Vice TV and I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that it’s going to make us just as angry as Shiny Happy People did.
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