Is it over for 'Jon and Kate Plus 8?'

Brought to fame by a mere natural occurrence of the body, Jon and Kate Gosselin's infertility and multiple births due to treatments have been anything from joy. Although the couple's reality television show on TLC is rated as the highest on the network, bringing in just under 10 million views for the first episode of the fifth season, a recent report shows speculation about it's continuation. The reason? A looming divorce due to allegations that Jon strayed from the marriage. According to the Vancouver Sun:

As the Gosselin's struggle to stay together, TLC has reportedly posted an ad on classifieds website Craiglist looking for the next Jon and Kate.

Before the ad was removed, it ran with the headline, "Are you expecting multiples and want to share this extraordinary event with TLC???"

The ad was later removed, with TLC commenting that it was for a daytime reality bit and not for a replacement family. In April, while the mother of the eight children was on the road promoting her book entitled Eight Little Faces, a book about her experiences as a multiples family, her beau was enjoying some attention from a "friend," Deanna Hummel. The so-called couple was photographed after exiting through the back door of a Philly lounge, where witnesses say he was obviously intoxicated and that he panicked when he noticed they were being photographed, yelling to the woman he referred to as "babe"...."Get in the car." There are also reports that the 23-year-old elementary school teacher and married man and father of the eight have been involved in the affair for about three months. Hummel's own brother, with whom she lives, even came out and confirmed that Jon and Deanna would hole up at their home and acted like teens in a relationship, even stating that he could hear them have sex during his interview with US Weekly:

"The walls are thin. Let’s just say that. I mean, no one wants to hear his sister having sex, let alone with a married dude who’s, like, almost twice her age and who has eight kids and a maybe-crazy wife. Ick. Nast.”

There were others who came forward, stating they saw the woman who fit Deanna's description kissing Jon at the bar on the night the images were shot, even calling the kiss "romantic" in nature. And the pictures captured the married man not wearing his symbolic band of marital commitment. Hummel denies the allegations of the affair, diverting the gossip world towards her brother's shady past, which she told People Magazine was criminal in nature, with a drug distribution conviction for which he is on probation. She also stated that her job as a third grade teacher is in jeopardy due to the potential for harassment caused by, what she states, are false rumors. In an interview with Kate, People Magazine printed her as questioning that her and Jon are even in the "same place anymore" but that she "will never give up hope that every member of our family can be absolutely happy again." A strong statement for a strong woman. In fact, the mother of the eight young children was photographed have a wonderful time at a beach in North Carolina without "daddy." Despite the stresses in her life, it was said by local onlookers that she was joking, happy and was even acting like a "mom." While she was enjoying the respite from her married life and filming some of the show, Jon was said to be back at home, even caught on camera riding his ATV. But apparently, he enjoys being "alone" and away from his family, even on Kate's birthday, where he spent the celebration away from Kate and on the slopes in Utah. There are also reports of experts in the field of child psychiatry stepping up against the show, explaining the serious negative impact that this type of exploitation can have, with Dr. Michael Brody, an psychiatrist and chair of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry stating:

“Here you have a situation where there is no privacy. The worst parts of their lives are probably picked up for the TV show because that makes good drama. [The kids will] learn how to deal with each of the parents in a certain way that is scripted and false and then they develop a false sense of themselves. They will not have real relationships with either parent."

Other critics have called into question child labour laws, essentially forcing the children to work on camera for set hours. The two episodes so far this season have given the image that the couple is doing the "separate thing" when it comes to each other. However, they have both been filmed spending time with their children Under attack by Nadia Suleman, who has publicly criticized Kate's comments on the octomom's situation, it will be interesting to see where the show goes and who will be in the running for its possible replacement. The couple have the rest of season five remaining and TLC already has two other shows on multiples that they follow including Table for 12, a reality show about a family with ten children as well as the 18 Kids and Counting which is self explanatory. With that many babies abound on TLC, maybe a replacement isn't necessarily in order.