Kate Gosselin answered questions from the audience at the second annual Cleveland Women’s Show Friday. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Local residents visit Women’s Show to see Kate Gosselin
By Author
Insights
Published Sept. 16, 2009

Females of all ages, some wrapped in blankets and tucked in strollers while others walked with canes or walkers, came to the second annual Cleveland Women’s Show Friday to see Kate Gosselin, star of The Learning Channel’s “Jon & Kate Plus 8.”

Always diplomatic and poised, Gosselin said she would answer any and all questions as long as they were “reasonable.” She determined the reasonability of the questions, but none crossed the line.

The Gosselins’ show has become popular with many women, not only because of the family’s constant struggle to raise eight children, twin girls and sextuplets — three boys and three girls — but also because of their recent announcement of divorce.

Although one woman in the crowd asked when Kate was getting rid of her “dog” husband, Gosselin answered the question by saying she will not speak badly in public about her husband. The main reason for this, she said, is because she wants her children to hear about the divorce from her when they’re old enough and not from the media.

“I want them to come out of this as whole as they possibly can,” she said. “I want my kids to look back and say, ‘she may have failed, but she did her darned best.’”

One of the hardest things about having eight children is not feeling like she has quality time with each one, Gosselin said. Sometimes she feels “mommy guilt.”

“You only get one shot to raise your kids, and I don’t want to live with regrets,” she said.

Janet Young, an Akron resident, has eight children of her own and praised Gosselin for her tenacity. Many of the women in the audience told Gosselin she was an inspiration for them with her motherhood, marriage and career.

“I’m glad she’s here,” Young said. “I think it’s wonderful what she’s doing — reacting to what her husband’s done and not letting it affect the children.”

Also at the Women’s Show was Johnathan Kayne, an award-winning fashion designer who was a top five finalist on Season Three of Project Runway. Kayne had a booth set up where fans could talk to him and had many of his gowns on display. He also dressed several models in various shows throughout the event and premiered his spring 2010 collection.

His new show on TLC, “Gown Crazy,” shows his success since project runway and some of the charity work he participates in.

“Charity work is very important to me,” Kayne said. “I grew up with five sisters and two brothers. My mom is a breast cancer survivor. I’m also involved with a charity for childhood obesity. I was 310 lbs. my sophomore year in high school.”

In addition to celebrities, the Women’s Show, a three-day event from Sept. 11 to 13, featured a Firefighter Fashion Show to raise money for the Aluminum Cans for Burned Children’s program and cooking demonstrations with local chefs, including Chef Angel from Sushi Rock and owner John McDonnell and chef Nolan Kankoski from Tartine Bistro and Wine Bar.

There were more than 350 vendors selling items including beauty products, jewelry, tools, clothes, electronics, food/cooking products, makeup, health and fitness products and gardening products. Beauty consultants gave on-site makeovers.

There are Women’s Shows throughout the United States, said Stacy Abernathy, the show’s producer, and Kate Gosselin will speak at several other ones, including Charlotte, N.C., and Birmingham, Ala.

“This is the 11th in a series of women’s shows,” Abernathy said. “We were delighted Kate was available, especially with all that’s going on.”