People: Pennsylvania probing 'Jon & Kate' show for child labor violations

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12479546

By Tony Hicks and Randy McMullen
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 05/29/2009 03:24:14 PM PDT
Updated: 05/29/2009 04:16:34 PM PDT

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor is investigating whether the hit show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is complying with the state's child labor law.

TLC, the cable channel that broadcasts the increasingly controversial show, said Friday it "fully complies" with state laws and regulations ... you know, whatever that means.

The series follows Jon and Kate Gosselin as they raise eight young children. The show drew nearly 10 million viewers for its fifth-season premiere Monday — more than double the audience for its fourth-season finale several weeks ago — following reports the couple cheated on each other. They denied it, but conceded their marriage is in trouble. Maybe they should try having more kids, to see if that helps.

Officials received a complaint and is "gathering information, " department spokesman Justin Fleming said. It was not clear Friday what the complaint alleged, or who filed it. But, obviously, it was someone with good taste in television.

It's not clear how the state's child labor laws apply to reality TV. Investigators will have to decide whether the Gosselins' house in southeastern Pennsylvania is essentially a TV set or a home. Kate's brother and sister-in-law said this week the couple is exploiting their children for financial gain, as they get tens of thousands of dollars per episode, which any parent of that many screaming kids should get automatically, whether they're on TV or not.

[imdjh]

1. I thought kids were limited to a specific period of time on camera.

I have no idea where I got that belief, the source or authority for the rule or law, or even why it would make sense.

It was my understanding that the usefulness of the Ashley twins was that by having twins "playing" a single character infant, that it sped up production because infants were limited in the amount of time they could be on camera.