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Summary
- Jon Gosselin warns Alec Baldwin to avoid reality TV drama, citing his own tumultuous experience.
- Jon advised Alec to prioritize privacy and family over fame, given his current public scrutiny.
- Gosselin's caution stems from his personal hardships with handling fame and family conflicts.
Fans of reality TV were excited when TLC announced that actor Alec Baldwin was getting his very own show — but reality television pioneer Jon Gosselin was not among those well-wishers.
Way back at the dawn of the reality genre, Jon Gosselin came to worldwide fame – alongside now ex-wife Kate Gosselin – on one of the first major reality shows, Jon & Kate Plus 8.
Jon & Kate Plus 8 took television by storm when it first aired in 2007, following the lives of Jon, Kate, their twins, and their sextuplets.
In the show's first few seasons, to say it dominated in terms of ratings would be an understatement — the TLC upstart bested networks like NBC, CBS, and Fox in its time slot at its peak.
Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin are among the most notable early reality television personalities to endure very public, very messy ups-and-downs.
While the show drew in millions of viewers, it also trained a harsh spotlight on the Gosselin family.
Jon has since weighed in on the Baldwins' upcoming reality show, unsurprisingly, with words of warning for Baldwin and his family.
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What Happened With Jon & Kate Plus 8?
Jon & Kate Plus 8 began airing in April 2007, and the show was an instant hit.
The Gosselins were bona fide stars, and the show had massive viewership — but that fame and fortune came at a steep cost to the family.
By June 2009, Jon and Kate's marriage had deteriorated significantly, and the pair announced that they were separating, placing the future of the blockbuster show in jeopardy.
On top of that, the Gosselins' split was both high-profile and high-drama, with tabloids and celebrity gossip sites uncovering every lurid detail of their marital breakdown.
In February, InTouch Weekly took a look back at their contentious relationship, citing long-circulating rumors about Jon's purported infidelity at the time:
"After 10 years of marriage and renewing their vows only a year earlier, the couple split in May [2009]. Before the separation, rumors were swirling that Jon was having an affair for three months before Kate found out."
The final episode aired on November 23rd of that year, and their divorce was finalized in December 2009 — but the former couple continued trading barbs through the media.
After Kate appeared on Dancing With The Stars, Jon openly called her an "absentee mom."
For their part, TLC quickly changed course, hastily renaming the show to "Kate Plus 8," and leaving Jon Gosselin in the dust.
Kate Plus 8 continued for several years, concluding in July 2017.
The 'Jon And Kate' Fallout Still Isn't Over
Jon and Kate's dramatic divorce and its aftermath might seem like old news, as they called it quits nearly 15 years ago.
Kate "moved on" to her very own show, and the couple seemingly went their separate ways.
But even today, both Gosselins only tend to make headlines for reasons related to family conflicts.
In May 2022, Jon accused Kate of "alienating" him from their children, and acting selfishly after the divorce:
"I feel [it was] a really poor decision on Kate’s part, because she alienated me from those kids ... I think it was a poor parenting decision.
"It would’ve been much better if she would have been more open with them and explained things better … I have been alienated from those children."
As recently as 2023, reports swirled about Jon Gosselin's reported estrangement from several of his children — and at the same time, claims that Kate was also on bad terms with some of their kids emerged.
In other words, the entire Gosselin clan – Jon, Kate, and their eight children – still seem to be grappling with the negative effects of reality TV stardom on their family.
Jon And Kate Gosselin's 8 Children Hate Each Other After The Reality Show Sparked The Bitter Divorce That Drove Their Family Apart
Jon and Kate's sextuplets and twins are not all on speaking terms following their horrendous divorce.
Jon Gosselin Warns Alec Baldwin: 'Run!'
Unlike Jon Gosselin, Alec Baldwin is no stranger to the perils of fame and being in the limelight.
Baldwin has been the subject of unrelenting criticism in the press and in public in recent years, facing manslaughter charges after the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust.
On June 4th, the Baldwins took to Instagram to announce their new TLC reality show via reel, adding it was slated to air in 2025:
Frankly, Alec could use a PR win right now, and the news broke up a seemingly never-ending stream of stories about Baldwin's ongoing legal woes.
On June 18th – two weeks after the Baldwins' announcement – Jon Gosselin spoke to Fox News Digital, and offered some unvarnished advice to Alec: "Run."
According to the outlet, Gosselin said Baldwin's decision "made no sense," starting with advice before listing off his concerns:
My advice to Alec is to run the other way ... Enjoy your career and your family. And, enjoy your life with your kids. We're all not getting any younger.
Jon acknowledged that Alec wasn't a newcomer to fame — and said that's all the more reason for Baldwin to reconsider his TLC show.
It was clear that Gosselin saw himself, his large family, and years of strife when considering the Baldwins' reality TV future, and he continued:
"Why would you invite drama into your household when all you've been trying to do is live, you know, a private life, and then you're a paid actor[?] I don't think it's a good idea to put your family on television, especially your children.
"You're a successful actor. You're already scrutinized for certain things, and now you're going to put seven children into the public eye."
Given Alec Baldwin's fraught position in the public eye right now, it seems unlikely he'll heed Jon Gosselin's warning — but Gosselin urged Baldwin to "remember [that] you can't quit being famous."
