KATE GOSSELIN: HOW SHE FOOLED THE WORLD - THE RISE AND FALL OF A REALITY TV QUEEN (36 page)

Charlie
also emailed Cheryl Young that same night at 10:23 PM about Kate’s statement and included the
People
link (http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20286839,00.html.) He said, “I thought the statement was coming from you. That wasn’t very vague.”

It became apparent that Discovery was controlling the situation and standing by Kate.
Charlie told Cheryl that it was interesting that the network had changed Kate’s statement based on the fact that Jon was going to make a statement. He also said that Kate’s statement was stronger than he was told it was going to be.

Cheryl replied to Charlie on
June 22, 2009, at 10:25 PM, saying, “I thought so, too”. She explained that the network changed Kate’s statement because of Jon’s statement. She told Charlie she would discuss it with him the next day.

That same evening, at 10:27 PM, Charlie’s associate, Kimberly Kress, sent out an email to Charlie, Jon and some others involved with the case to keep them abreast of the changing situation. Kimberly said she thought it was good that they had put out the official statement from Jon first. She also said that even though this was Jon’s official statement, she didn’t think anyone (meaning TLC) should be issuing it to other press outlets on his behalf. Kimberly predicted that the TLC public relation’s phone would be “ringing off the hook tomorrow with press requests.”

As if things weren’t convoluted enough, another attorney for Jon, Richard Hofstetter of the firm Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC, joined the party. He said he was unhappy that TLC was not keeping them informed about major decisions such as the show’s hiatus. He said he spoke to Edward Sabin and told him very clearly that it was unacceptable and disrespectful that they learned about the show’s hiatus from a general press release instead of being told in advance by TLC. Sabin blamed it on a last-minute “broadcast pattern situation”.

Discovery was clearly the big player in this game, and they were dictating everything, including having the right to “approve” or not, Jon’s statements to the press.

Here is an excerpt from the
People
magazine article:

Kate Gosselin on Divorce: 'Jon Left Me No Choice'

Update Tuesday June 23, 2009 09:20 AM EDT

"
Over the course of this weekend, Jon's activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children," Kate said in a statement Monday night. "While there are reasons why it was appropriate and necessary for me to initiate this proceeding,
I do not wish to discuss those reasons at this time, in the hope that all issues will be resolved amicably between Jon and myself. As always, my first priority remains our children."

So, to recap, in reality, the divorce was going to be a mutual decision made by Jon and Kate, with both of them deciding together, as a formality, that Jon would be the one to file the papers. When Discovery got wind of that plan they immediately put a stop to it because, of course, it wouldn’t portray Kate in a light that would allow TLC’s biggest star to move forward and into their next money-making venture –
Kate Plus Ei8ht
.

So Discovery did an end-around and released their spin through
People
magazine, who always seemed to be the one to break the big Kate Gosselin news and to “set the record straight,” according to Kate and Discovery. Discovery also forced Jon to sit by as Kate announced the big lie to the
Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht
viewing audience. Discovery gave Kate her prepared statement and she memorized it, worked on it with her “media trainer” and, in less than four takes on the interview couch, delivered the big lie.

If any further proof is needed to support the claim that Jon was originally supposed to be the one filing for divorce from Kate, the Divorce petition confirms it. Here is the original Divorce petition, with some private information redacted.

ELLIOTT GREENLEAF & SIEDZIKOWSKI, P.e.

By:
CHARLES J. MEYER, ESQUIRE

Identification No. 58484

925 Harvest Drive, Suite 300

Blue Bell, P A 19422

Telephone: (215) 977-1041

Telecopy: (215) 977-1099

JONATHAN GOSSELIN

298 Heffner Road

Wernersville, PA 19565

Plaintiff
,

vs.

KATE GOSSELIN

298 Heffner Road

Wernersville, PA 19565

Defendant
.

Attorneys for Plaintiff

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

PENNSYLVANIA

NO.

IN DIVORCE

COMPLAINT IN DIVORCE

Jonathan Gosselin, by his attorneys, Charles J. Meyer, Esquire, and Elliott

Greenleaf
& Siedzikowski, P.C., respectfully represents:

1. Plaintiff is Jonathan Gosselin, who currently resides at
298 Heffner Road

in Wernersville, County of Berks, Pennsylvania.

2. Defendant is Kate, who currently resides at
298 Heffner Road
in

Wernersville, County of Berks, Pennsylvania.

3. Plaintiff and Defendant are sui juris and both have been bona fide

residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a period of more than six (6) months

immediately preceding the filing of this Complaint.

4.
The parties were married on _____ , In _____ _

5. Neither Plaintiff nor Defendant is in the military or naval service of the United States or its allies within the provisions of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of the Congress of 1940 and its amendments.

6. There has been no prior action for divorce or annulment instituted by

either of the parties in this or any other jurisdiction.

7. The parties have agreed to submit to the jurisdiction and venue of this matter in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

8. Plaintiff has been advised of the availability of counseling and of the right to request that the Court require the parties to participate in counseling.

COUNT I

REQUEST FOR A NO-FAULT DIVORCE

UNDER SECTION 3301(c) OF THE DIVORCE CODE

9. The prior paragraphs of this Complaint are incorporated herein by

reference as though set forth in full.

10. The marriage of the parties is irretrievably broken.

WHEREFORE, if both parties file affidavits consenting to a divorce after ninety (90) days have elapsed from the date of the filing of this Complaint, Plaintiff respectfully requests that the Court enter a decree of divorce pursuant to Section 3301 (c) of the Divorce Code, 23 Pa.C.S.A.

COUNT II

REQUEST FOR A NO-FAULT DIVORCE

UNDER SECTION 3301(d) OF THE DIVORCE CODE

11. The prior paragraphs of this Complaint are incorporated herein by

reference as though set forth in full.

12. The marriage of the parties is irretrievably broken.

13.
At the time of the hearing, Plaintiff will submit an affidavit alleging that

the parties have lived separate and apart for at least two (2) years.

WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that the Court enter a decree of

divorce pursuant to Section 3301(d) of the Divorce Code, 23 Pa.C.S.A.

COUNT III

REQUEST FOR EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF

MARITAL PROPERTY UNDER

SECTION 3502 OF THE DIVORCE CODE

14. The prior paragraphs of this Complaint are incorporated herein by

reference as though set forth in full.

15. Plaintiff and Defendant have acquired marital property as defined by the Divorce Code, which is subject to equitable distribution pursuant to Section 3502 of the Divorce Code.

16. Plaintiff and Defendant have been unable to agree as to the equitable

division of said property, as of the date of the filing of this Complaint.

17. Plaintiff requests that the Court equitably divide, distribute or assign the

marital property between the parties.

WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that the Court enter an order of

equitable distribution of marital property pursuant to Section 3502 of the Divorce Code, 23 Pa.C.S.A.

-3-

COUNT IV

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF ANY SETTLEMENT

AGREEMENT AND INCORPORATION THEREOF IN

DIVORCE DECREE UNDER SECTIONS 3104(a)(I) and (3),

AND 3323(b) OF THE DIVORCE CODE AND FOR OTHER RELIEF

18. The prior paragraphs of this Complaint are incorporated herein by

reference as though set forth in full.

19. While no settlement has been reached as of the date of the filing of this

Complaint, Plaintiff is and has always been willing to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement of all matters with Defendant.

20. Although no written settlement agreement has been entered into between

the parties as of the date of the filing of this Complaint, in the event that a written settlement agreement is entered prior to the final disposition of this action, Plaintiff desires that such written settlement agreement be approved by the Court and incorporated in any divorce decree which may be entered dissolving the marriage between the parties.

WHEREFORE, if a written settlement agreement is reached between the parties

prior to the final disposition of this action, Plaintiff respectfully requests that, pursuant to Section 3104(a)(1) and (3), and 3323(b) of the Divorce Code, 23 Pa.C.S.A., the Court approve and incorporate such agreement in the final divorce decree and grant such additional relief or remedy as equity and/or justice require.

Charles
J. Meyer, Esquire

Attorney for Plaintiff

-4-

VERIFICATION

I, Jonathan Gosselin, verify that the statements made in the foregoing pleading are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief. I understand that the statements made therein are made subject to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S.A. §4904 relating to unsworn falsification to authorities.

Jonathan Gosselin

Dated: _____ _

On June 26, 2009, Laurie Goldberg of Discovery sent an email to Julie May, with a copy to Eileen O’Neil, passing along the official “agreed upon” statement that Jon and Kate would be releasing regarding their divorce. That’s right. The network wrote Jon and Kate’s official statement for them. You would think that something so personal, especially your divorce, would be handled by, you know, the people it’s about. Laurie Goldberg asked Julie May to alert her when the statement had been posted onto Jon and Kate’s website, and they would then post it on TLC’s website. Laurie said they “would love to move as quickly as possible on this”.

Here is the statement about the divorce:

"During this very difficult time we will be working to focus solely on the

needs of our family. This includes no longer commenting publicly or

reacting to media stories and speculation. Our goal is to do the very best

for our children and that will be done as privately as possible. We

appreciate the understanding, support and well wishes from so many. Thank

you".

Once the media circus surrounding their divorce was in full swing, Kate went from interview to interview, telling the same big lie and drumming up more support for herself, while continuing to make Jon look like the bad guy. This must have been particularly painful to Jon since it was Kate who ended the marriage in the first place, at least a full year before it became public fodder. Using every available opportunity and resource in their campaign to discredit Jon, Discovery continued to use
People
magazine as a mouthpiece to spout their lies about the divorce.