If you can believe it, it has been more than 10 years since the last episode of TLC ‘s Jon & Kate Plus Eight aired.
Since then, Jon and Kate have still been ironing out the details of their chaotic divorce and custody battle. But we haven’t heard much else about Jon outside of his legal struggles.
Here are a few random things about Jon Gosselin that fans didn’t know!
1. He is only in contact with two of his eight children.
He was given full custody of two of his eight children that he shares with Kate Gosselin, Collin, and Hannah.
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He apparently has had very little to no contact with his other children .
2. His *very* messy divorce and custody battle are the reason he hasn’t been able to see his other children.
“I wish that all my kids would just be together, hang out together, go to the mall. Just hang out together. Kate and I don’t live that far away from each other but I feel like there is an invisible wall,” he told Entertainment Tonight .
“They should be able to just get together. I have no qualms about it,” he added.
“If they want to go meet each other, go ahead. I feel like it’s more on the other side .”
3. He comes from a wealthy family.
According to sources close to Kate, she was apparently looking to marry a wealthy man, which is what led her to marry Jon.
He described their marriage as more of a “business transaction ” than anything else.
4. Christian Audigier blames him for the downfall of his clothing brand, Ed Hardy.
Amid the height of Jon’s divorce scandal, he was often seen wearing Ed Hardy clothing, which was quite popular at the time.
Unfortunately, Christian Audigier thought Jon tainted the brand .
“That Jon Gosselin thing was the nail in the coffin. That’s what tanked it. Macy’s used to have a huge window display with Ed Hardy,” Christian told the *New York Post* in 2013.
“And it filtered down and that’s why Macy’s dropped the brand .”
5. He hired a fake girlfriend to star alongside him in another reality series.
Jon was asked to appear in VH1 ‘s reality series Couples Therapy . Unfortunately, at the time he wasn’t actually a part of a couple.
But in an effort to make it work, he hired Liz Jannetta to play his girlfriend on the show.
6. He performed at a male strip club in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Back in 2017, Jon decided to dabble in the art of exotic dancing.
He took part in a “classy, Magic Mike-style show,” that required weeks of working out to prepare for.
7. Since his split from Kate and the subsequent demise of *Jon & Kate Plus Eight*, he has struggled financially.
Between the downfall of their show and the costly legal battle between then, Jon and Kate have both found themselves in hot water financially.
Jon went from reportedly making $22,500 per episode of Jon & Kate Plus Eight , to now having an estimated net worth of only $10,000.
Jon has been working odd jobs ever since, one of which was DJing at TGI Fridays.
It’s hard to believe that somebody can go from being a reality TV star to DJing part-time at TGI Fridays, but times have been tough for Jon!
“I only work there eight hours a week, because I like to do it. Why can’t I work at a restaurant?,” he told Entertainment Tonight .
8. He does yoga.
In an effort to curb the stress of dealing with his financial struggles and an 11-year-long divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife, Jon has taken up yoga .
He finds it to not only be very effective but admits he has never been in better shape because of it.
9. He went off the grid in 2013.
Following his split from Kate and the end of Jon & Kate Plus Eight , Jon moved into a wood cabin in a forest on the outskirts of Pennsylvania where he had no TV or Internet.
“I’ve hit rock bottom like 20 times and then I just bounce back and go somewhere else,” he told ABC .
10. He wants to write a book.
Jon dropped a hint last May that he wants to write a tell-all book , revealing his side of his messy marriage, divorce, custody battle, financial troubles, and reality TV experience.
There is a lot to be said!
11. He has a new girlfriend since his split from Kate.
Well, “new” if you haven’t been keeping up! They’ve actually known each other most of their lives , and started dating in 2014.
Since his infamous divorce from his former-wife and reality TV co-star, Kate Gosselin, Jon has found love again with his now-girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, whom he lives with alongside his two children, Hannah and Collin, as well as her children from a previous marriage.
12. Colleen set up a GoFundMe to help Jon amid his legal battle against his ex-wife, Kate.
“Many people have asked Jon how they could help with his legal fight to win the same rights as other parents: time with his children. This is how. Money raised in this campaign will go to the legal battle ahead as Jon secures his rightful place in the lives of his family,” he page read .