First, you must understand that I avoid pop culture at all cost. I don’t own a TV, I don’t have any interest in celebrities or anything having to do with Hollywood. Most of my TV watching consists of The Food Network and Jon and Kate Plus 8 (but only when I am at my parents' house).

So it was a surprise to me to see the commercial for the Jon and Kate Plus 8 season premier last weekend, which showed the two exasperated parents and a nearly destroyed marriage. Apparently people had known about this for a while…but like I said, I’m out of the loop.

When I saw the commercial, I was just sad. I had to turn off the TV and go to bed. I was so sad for the eight children who have had to witness the crumbling marriage, and I prayed for Jon and Kate.

It makes sense that their marriage would be in trouble. Becoming celebrities overnight–on top of the stress of eight children (six of whom are toddlers) would be overwhelming. But when you are overwhelmed with bills for eight children, the money for a reality show was probably seen as an answer to prayer.

But now the couple are bombarded by the paparazzi and have to keep up appearances to keep the show’s publicity going. And though many Americans are probably sad for their crumbling marriage, they eat up the gossip. They buy the tabloids and watch the season premier that exploits a dysfunctional and broken marriage. If we didn’t make their problems our entertainment, they would probably have fewer of them.

But 9.8 million viewers watched the premier (twice as many as watched last season's finale). I think I will just keep praying for them.