| Author |
Message |
Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Thursday, February 18, 2016 - 11:39 am 
Will licked Bill in one of the early episodes; that played well, so they probably taught it to Zoey! Bill only half-heartedly discouraged it.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Thursday, February 18, 2016 - 3:43 pm
LOL, it was so funny to see how excited Will was to get his golden ticket on the Polar Express.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Thursday, February 18, 2016 - 3:51 pm
And Zoe didn't scream at Santa!! Yeah!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, February 18, 2016 - 6:54 pm
Yes.. she has come far with Santa, and asked for a horse.
🐎
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Thursday, February 18, 2016 - 6:57 pm
in the Houston market, they made a pretty penny, especially where they lived!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, February 19, 2016 - 11:22 pm
I was taken aback at first hearing that Jen's parents were moving back to Florida but the more I thought about it, they see their daughter and son in law following their dreams and maybe it is time for them to retire near the ocean they love. Also they got Bill's business through the beginning stages, they were there for Jen through the adoptions and cancer, Bill through his surgery and now maybe they need to be a couple again. Remember they did divorce at one time and then got back together and I suppose now they need to be there for their marriage.
And I suspect they will be able to visit and it will give Jen a place to visit on the beach.
And I kind of think they may have other grandchildren in Florida too, who may be younger.
Maybe it will be more explained in the new book.
I'm sure they will all miss each other though.
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Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Sunday, February 21, 2016 - 6:58 am
They don't have other grandchildren in Florida, and there is NO WAY Bill and Jen can handle those kids alone, any more than they can take care of that humungous house themselves. Fortunately, as I say, they can afford to hire a lot of help! Of course, that staff is something else co-producers Bill and Jen choose to omit when they show us how capable they are. What I believe Judy and Dave are seeing are Bill and Jen going down the same path as so many TLC reality show families before them with the wealth, fame, and exploitation of children (including invading their privacy with cameras, letting them get away with murder so that filming goes smoothly, and bribing them with treats to get them to perform), and they don't like what they're seeing. But that's just my opinion. Bill sees dollar signs, and Jen is quoted as saying that she has ALWAYS wanted to be on TV. As for the new book, I think it will probably be a compilation of the inspirational talks they both get paid to give (Jen gets more than Bill - upwards of $30k per speech; that talk in NOLA at the cancer center wasn't "charitable", and the tickets were so exorbitantly expensive that I doubt many ordinary cancer patients could've afforded to be inspired by her). You can check out the details by Googling them. I, too, think it would be a shame if this lovely family ended up being corrupted by the TLC machine, but it seems to always happen.
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Sunday, February 21, 2016 - 9:15 am
most 'disease' fundraisers aren't held as an event for the person with the disease to attend but to raise money for the people with disease. that's why the cost to attend is usually pretty high. an evening like the West Jeff event can raise over $500K (net) and even more. That type of money can do a lot of good for the hospital. paying a keynote speaker $30K is a drop in the bucket. many times the speaker will donate back their honorarium to the charity.
Texas Children's host events FOR their patients several times a year, but fundraising is completely different.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, February 21, 2016 - 1:38 pm
There IS that divide. American Cancer Sociey, hospitals, etc., hold the fundraising galas that for sure are beyond the means of many of us, but bring in the money they use to benefit those who need the facilities, research, etc.
I have found my niche volunteering my time, services and heart, but it is done through organizations that run on donations.
Jen and Bill have earning power now, but he anticipates that this timeframe may be shorter for them.
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Sunday, February 21, 2016 - 2:04 pm
they have spoken many times about now maximizing their earning power now because of the potential of large medical expenses for all 4 of them but also the shorter life span for both of them and wanting to make sure the children are financially taken care of.
volunteers who devote their time and volunteers who fundraise are both vitally important to all 503C organizations.
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Marameko
Member
07-14-2002
| Sunday, February 21, 2016 - 5:34 pm
Thanks Sketcher I was wondering about "other " grandchildren on Jen's side of the family.
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 7:08 am
I have 5 unwatched shows recorded. I honestly can't get myself to watch them. I check in here to see if anything interesting is going on, but as long as the family is without drama I find it boring. Sorry!
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Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 8:01 am
"...most 'disease' fundraisers aren't held as an event for the person with the disease to attend but to raise money for the people with disease..."
I get that, but then why the canned speech about battling cancer as if she were addressing cancer patients as well as the comment about inspiring them with it? Unless it was being taped to be televised to cancer patients later or perhaps just for the sake of the show since they like to justify continued filming by stating that it's to educate and inspire others.
I believe Jen's brother is expecting a child, but I also think they live out of state (that is, neither in Texas nor in Florida). The whole family wanted a place on the beach -- hence, Jen just happening by coincidence to run into that realtor in Galveston who just happened to be free to give her a tour of a huge beach house that just happened to be available for a showing -- that would be big enough for all, but apparently their plans have changed between then and now. Curious!
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 8:48 am
her speech about being a survivor is inspiring! she is inspiring others to donate by telling them how the treatments helped her. treatments that were made possible by people making donations to help fund research, grants, medical equipment.
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Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 8:54 am
True. And she also gets $30k, a free trip to New Orleans, and footage/material for her show... I guess that's a win-win!
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 9:51 am
i guess i don't understand why that is wrong.
sounds like a bargain compared to what these folks get paid - older article but i imagine it's higher now with inflation
$10,000-$20,000
Bill Rancic, D.L Hughley, Alan Thicke
$20,000-$40,000
Patch Adams, Erin Brockovich, Ed Asner
$30,000-$50,000
Ben Stein, Billie Jean King, Charles Dutton, Dr. Sanjay Gupta
$50,000 and up
Bill Maher, Fran Drescher, Adam Carolla, Howie Long, Jane Pauley, Jerry Rice, Jimmy Smits, Sarah Ferguson
$100,000 and up
Katie Couric, Alan Alda, Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy, Drew Carey
$200,000 and up
Jerry Seinfeld, Dr. Phil McGraw
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388084/Bill-Clinton-Tom-Hanks-Brian-Williams-paid-graduation-speeches.html#ixzz40usjRnY7
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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Kmm
Member
10-07-2005
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 10:35 am
 ...This used to be my happy thread.
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 11:21 am
here you go kmm
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCEbySdq-St/
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Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 11:34 am
I'm sorry; is this strictly a fan site?
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 11:44 am
Nope, not strictly a fan site-
I don't get the sense that Bill or Jen are motivated by money.
I'm pretty sure they don't need a "free" trip to NOLA. if they want to visit NOLA they can do so on their own.
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Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 12:02 pm
Bill has expressed a few times that they need to "make bank" while they can because, due to their issues, their working life may not be as long as most people's. And it's pretty obvious how fond Jen is of spending money! That said, I believe the fame is as much of a motive as money. They both clearly love the limelight. At any rate, it bothers me that they always seem to portray anything they do as educational, inspirational, or otherwise noble when it fact it's quite lucrative and self-aggrandizing. After all, Jen could easily go to any cancer treatment center and inspire patients for free. We don't all see them in the glowing terms that their fans do. To me, their exploiting their kids' lives on TV is no more laudable than the Duggars or Gosselins doing it. Again, just my opinion.
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Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 12:06 pm
(duplicate)
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 12:38 pm
are you against parents in general putting their kids on reality shows, sketcher? i don't disagree that it's a fine line for the parents to walk between exploitation and education.
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Sketcher
Member
02-17-2016
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 12:49 pm
I'm not going to protest in the streets about it -- in fact, I'm going to enjoy watching the shows -- but I see all families who do this as being cut from the same cloth. I'm not one who makes an exception for the Kleins and ascribes their motives to some higher calling. If anything, I think it's less excusable in their case because they DON'T need the money, whereas other families -- such as the Seven Johnsons -- are truly struggling financially. I also find that show more "educational and inspiring" in that they don't have all the hired help and gadgets/measures that money can buy as the Kleins do to get them through life. I do feel that when/if children have disabilities or delays, it's even more questionable. I certainly don't think it's "good" for any child after reading about how much filming is actually involved and how invasive that process really is.
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Tmagicsaq
Member
03-26-2004
| Monday, February 22, 2016 - 3:00 pm
When I watch this show I see two people who have had to struggle in life simply for the way they were born, I see two very smart, productive and successful adults that gave two children a life that most parents would love to give their children. I see a show that lets the rest of the world know the struggles of being short stature. It has opened my eyes to the difficulties some people have that I may not see on the outside.
I see two very happy children that most likely would not have the happiness they clearly show today. I do not see this show as exploiting the children, I see it as a positive for both the family and all the other families who think being of shorter stature is a burden. So what if they have help? so what if they make money? Do we all not want better things in life? Would none of us want to make a better life for ourselves and our children? They are planning for the future, making money now knowing they may not have as much time to do that as the average family.
I think this show (compared to some other family shows) educates, motivates and gives hope to some who think they cannot do it.
Do I think that it would be nice if other families had this opportunity (namely my own) yes for sure, but I also wish I could play basketball, play hockey, draw and sing. But I do not begrudge others who can.
That is just my view, I in no way think that everyone should have the same view. We all have different experiences in life that lead us to how we feel about things now.
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