This Sunday I’m going to be conducting an intimate conversation with Jon Gosselin at the West Side Jewish Center in Manhattan.
America has to start having serious conversations about fame.
Celebrity is undermining our culture; not only because so many
people who attain it find that their lives have been severely
disrupted, but more importantly the obsession with celebrity is pulling
us away from our own lives as we focus so much more on our movie stars
and television stars than even on our own marriages and our own
children.
In the case of John Gosselin my reading of him from many
conversations with him and many counseling sessions is that he’s a man
with a good heart who sincerely wants to correct many of the mistakes
he’s made having gotten carried away with fame.
I believe it when he tells me that he wants to be a moral example to
his 8 children and that he admits that he has made serious errors and
that he requires the guidance to find his way out of the celebrity
labyrinth. And lets face it, so many people are hit with fame
especially when it comes overnight and they do things of which they’re
not proud.
Our job is not to dismiss them and ridicule them, but for those who
really want to find a moral path our job is to get them to consecrate
their fame and celebrity to a higher cause, to a higher purpose.
The fact is that becoming famous is a bit like winning the lottery.
It could be a great blessing and one can do great things with fame–you
can highlight causes of poverty, you can work hard to promote charities
or you can make it about self absorption and all about you.
i have tried very hard to impress on John that fame is a phenomenal
responsibility. That there are serious moral and ethical implications
to a celebrity status and trying to be an important role model. And it
is my hope that this conversation will highlight those issues and have
all of us in America have a healthier relationship with celebrity.
Join us on Noveber 1st for this intimate discussion on whether fame
is a blessing or a curse, and how to turn one’s fame into a higher
calling.
posted October 28, 2009 at 11:38 am
I dont understand it…I hear the Rabbi is a good reputable man. Why is he being dragged into another vehicle for Jon to slam Kate. That is all Jon is about…Jon is about being right…Funny…All he has done is lie to the media from the get go…
posted October 28, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Debra, what has happened in your life to bring you to such a pessimistic outlook on others? Anyone willing to do the work, to look at themselves honestly in the mirror and ask for help when they don’t like what they see, deserves the benefit of the doubt. We do not have the right to judge; that belongs to a much higher power than ours. The Rabbi does appear to be a good, reputable man; one who helps to build up rather than comment negatively to tear down.
posted October 28, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Jon is a media whorring idiot. He left his wife and 8 children for a 22 year old child that he can play with. He spends money and time with everyone but his own children, has publicly criticized and humiliated his wife of 10 years. Anyone with any morals would refuse to associate with him in any way based on his deplorable actions.
posted October 28, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I completely agree with everything DH said. I could not have said it better than DH did. I commend Jon for taking this approach to the whole situation and I would like to thank the Rabbi for the help and direction he is giving to Jon.
posted October 28, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Jon did not leave his wife for anyone. She ended the marriage first. Kelly, you should take a look at all of the pictures of Jon and his children on the net. Not only are there many, but they clearly show how much his children love him.
posted October 28, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Please convince Jon to either drop Heller, or demand Heller stop trash talking about the mother of his children. The ability for this couple to communicate in a civil manner will depend partly on being respectful. And Heller’s comments have not been respectful.
posted October 28, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Brig,
I also agree with you and DH. Jon took the higher road and admitted his mistakes, while Kate will never admit to anything. Remember she had NO part in this divorce according to her. Kate wants the world to beleive she is perfect, no one is perfect.
posted October 28, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Jon Gosselin will do ANYTHING to spin his pathetic story publicly. Witness this announcement. I guess he didn’t like Dr. Phil’s advice which, by the way, was to MAN UP. Pay attention to your kids, Jon, spend more time with them and more money on them than you do partying with Hailey. Stay out of the news! Maybe then you will have some actual creditbility when you get on a soap box. We’re sick of your act.
posted October 28, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Jon is a schmo…people want to criticize Kate for being the publicity hound but it is Jon that has put all this negative attention on the family. It doesn’t matter if Kate wanted the divorce (which I can’t blame her) or not, the way Jon has behaved this past year is horrendous. He did not have to go out and party like a rock star with young chics in bars, he did not have to glam it up and try to be Mr. Hollywood. Kate has done nothing but try to keep a low profile, only doing interviews and commenting as a reaction to Jon’s behavior. If she wanted to she could put Jon thru the reamer but she hasn’t, if she said what she really thought and felt about Jon he would want to crawl under a rock and never come out. I don’t believe for 1 second that he is being sincere in wanting advice…he wants to be the good guy, the poor misunderstood, abused Jon. If he wasn’t doing this for PR then he could have very easily asked Rabbi Schmuley to keep this private, confidential and just between them, and I am sure the Rabbi would have been happy to oblige him.
posted October 29, 2009 at 7:02 pm
“Your Name” – how did this become a discussion about Kate? Rabbi Shmuley is talking to JON, his discussion relates to counseling JON, and he is committed to helping JON become a better person. None of us have any control over anyone but ourselves. We will all meet people who will try our patience, who we will find difficult to deal with – but it is only within ourselves that we can deal with these issues. I have no control over what you choose to comment on, and nothing I say either for or against your opinion has any effect on you. I can only alter my own reaction, my own perception in reference to your comments. What Kate does or doesn’t do, has done in the past or not done, or even how she reacts to Jon or any efforts he may make to improve himself – Jon can’t do a d@mn thing about that. He can only work on JON. And that’s the discussion. Not Kate.
posted October 29, 2009 at 7:04 pm
PS – the comment above should not have posted with “your name” in there as my name! LOL – The comment was directed TO your name, from ME – DH. Sorry for the confusiion!!!
posted November 2, 2009 at 12:59 am
Good effort on your part but Jon has lied so much. He is only asking for help from you because he is in TROUBLE with TLC. He wants you help to blame TLC. Jon breached his contract. It is JON’S fault. It is not Kate’s or TLC’s fault. Jon has complained about having his last six kids were years. He only wanted 2.
posted November 2, 2009 at 12:30 pm
“Debra, what has happened in your life to bring you to such a pessimistic outlook on others?”
She has been “Jon and Kate Plus Eight” and the media coverage of Jon and Kate Gosselin over the past several months. Her’s is a normal and justified reation.
Rabbi Schmuley is late getting in on the Jon and Kate story but has just as much right to make money and increase his fame off Jon as anyone else. Someone might think hypocritical to rail against celebrity status seeking while seeking attention from all media outlets for interviewing the latest celeb-turned-victim. Again there is money to be made and Rabbi Schmuley might as well make it. Better than Dr. Fraud.