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I've managed to ignore talking about TLC's champion debacle, Jon & Kate Plus 8, that had recently claimed the media spotlight just before Gov. Stanford's jaw-dropping stunt, then Michael Jackson's fake death, took over.

Today, Today announced that Jon has reemerged on the media radar which is apparently centered on the French Riviera, where he was spotted with his (not) new girlfriend, holding hands, sipping champagne, and suggesting he is considering starting a fashion line. Images of these activities were juxtaposed with photos of Kate, still wearing a wedding band, shopping at the grocery and taking their eight children on a picnic.

Originally, I was pretty satisfied when I heard TLC had put the show on hiatus, personally hoping it would turn into a permanent decision. My opinion as a largely disinterested observer was that the attention was driving the family to its breaking point (for whatever reason) and that dissolving the fame would allow them to heal. I was unhappy to hear that the network expects to resume the series this Fall.

Since when did family friendly documentary-style shows cater so eagerly to the gossip hungry media?

I was furious to see this asshole Jon trying to regain his media attention through infidelity and arrogance above all things, including the family he conceived, once loved, and has consistently insulted. Or maybe he's not trying and the media is seeking it out, which is the more likely scenerio. Either way, it appears Jon has chosen to betray his wife and family, and pursue "sins of the flesh" as it were.

Why do I care? I guess because it's in my face and it disgusts me, like a fly. I watch more TV than I need as it's cheap entertainment or, at least, background noise to whatever I'm doing around the house. And because we only have 20 channels or less, I find myself watching The Today Show every morning and TLC most evenings. When "J&K+8" morphed from a mild-mannered show about raising babies into a media circus centered around a breaking marriage, I got annoyed that all the attention seemed to inflame this sad story. I guess the point is the show was stressed for material and may have been destined to crack into the shit-show it became.

But I, like many others before me, just want this show off the air. Kate will rise above in some other way and the children will seek out some sort of normal that they haven't yet had. Jon will probably continue to pursue terrible things, trying to live out the second decade of his life that he feels was robbed from him.

Meanwhile, this will hopefully be my last written word on the subject; that is, unless this thing flares up like unwanted jock-itch after wearing one's padded spandex cycling shorts for too long...