The latest episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8, “Houses and Big Changes,” was one of its biggest and boldest to date. The producers of the hit TLC series sit down to talk with us about Jon & Kate’s decision to announce their separation with help from a series of horrible, horrible metaphors.

Jon & Kate producers experiment with pentagonal framing—what can it mean?

National Lampoon: Evidenced by the title of Monday’s episode—“Houses and Big Changes,”—you decided to use houses as a metaphor for divorce, an apt but numbingly obvious choice that countless artists before have used in their own thematic explorations of suburban dysfunction. Can you tell us a little bit more about your decision to use this insultingly overt literary device?

Jon & Kate Producers: The decision was indeed a difficult one, considering that both Jon and Kate (but especially Jon, given his talent for expression), gave us a goldmine of similes and metaphors of their own to work with. For example, during an especially vulnerable moment, Jon explains that “It’s life, it’s a roller coaster, and sometimes we just go off the tracks.” So we had originally planned to use this as the show’s central embedded product and overarching theme. As you can imagine, however, it was going to be difficult to drive all eight kids to Six Flags, get them on Superman, and then restructure the coaster rails so that they all fly off the tracks to eminent injury or death—despite Kate’s enthusiastic encouragement.

Kate Gosselin channels her inner Tony Montana

Jon takes a hint in choppin’ trees from FernGully’s Hexxus

NL: So basically what you’re saying is, the metaphor of the roller coaster was too profound for television—so much, in fact, that it would inevitably fail to register with viewers, like in Face/Off where doves are flying through the air and Nicolas Cage spreads his arms out and looks to the sky, and he is also framed by a big-ass cross, and viewers are like “where have I seen that before?”

JKP: Exactly. I love that movie. This compelled us to introduce the metaphor of the “crooked houses,” and then sprinkle a bunch of subtle imagery in there, too. For example, one of our PA’s had the brilliant idea that by interviewing Jon and Kate separately, we could stress to the audience that they were in fact “separated” in real life as well. In addition—this is one my faves—Kate explains that “Ninety percent of the summer days we eat outside. Why? You spread out the blanket, you make the crumbs, you go ‘flop flop,’ and cleanup is over.” So when Kate is cleaning up the picnic so quickly and heedlessly, what she’s really doing is recklessly disposing of all the crumbs and crusts that make up memories.

The Ghost of Divorces Past

NL: But with so many metaphors all up in people’s faces, weren’t you worried that you would run out of time to explore other subjects?

JKP: Certainly, that was a concern. For instance, when the truck shows up to bring the building materials, we  knew that the audience would be very interested in the technical difficulties involved with getting the pieces of particalboard out of the truck, so we ended up editing in about five, six more minutes of that. We also knew that the show’s female viewers would be keen to know Kate’s in-depth thoughts on why picnics are fun—from the scrupulous planning involved, to the physical location of the picnic, to the likely exposure to sunlight, to the flexibility of picnicking, to the social aspect of picnicking itself.

Kate’s opinion on picnics really ties the episode together

NL: So it seems that the episode’s shrouded imagery, allusions and tiny hints create a wonderful subtext for the story. But do they say anything about the future of the show?

JKP: Good question—we certainly wanted to leave the viewers wanting more. For example, we took the opportunity of the “crooked houses” to phase in a new father figure—Joe, the head builder of Create Crooked, Inc. He almost became a surrogate father for the boys, taking time to bond with them over imaginary bear sightings. We also used Kate’s talent for editorializing to its full potential. When she says “I wanted the kids to be able to play in their crooked houses whenever they wanted to,” she really means that she wants her kids to relish in their now broken home. And when we added that montage scene near the end, what we were really trying to tell the viewers is that the next three of episodes of the show will probably be dedicated to montages made from Season 1 footage. I think the future is looking really great.

Random noises, throwing rocks at Jack Black and Michael Cera, talking National Lampoon with Harold Ramis, Religion, make-up, and overall absurdity is what transpires in these interviews with the cast of Year One. National Lampoon’s The Zaz Report breaks ground yet again with discovering David Cross’ favorite sandwich. We also discover the true nature of the after life. I brought the interviewing thunder. Watch it like lightning.

As I entered Kim Jong-il’s house the very first thing I noticed it that it was super tacky. The walls were covered in carpet, velvet art, and Thomas Kincaide paintings. Several hills of potpourri could do nothing to hide the smell of sweat and semen. I moved onward.

I have interviewed both Spencer Pratt and Generalissimo Francisco Franco, but nothing prepared me for when I entered Jong Il’s private quarters.

He sat before me, the leader of North Korea, with his buzzed hair and sunglasses on. I am told I have only a brief time to interview him. We are left alone. Luckily, I speak fluent Korean, and needed no interpreter.

Economou: Mr. Jong-il, thank you for having me.

Jong-il: It is my pleasure.

Economou: To begin, what the hell man?

Jong-il: You mean with the missiles and stuff?

Economou: Yeah, with the missiles and stuff, you big jerk.

Jong-il: I want to destroy America, because it is evil.

Economou: But your missiles don’t reach that far.

Jong-il: I can hit a little bit of Alaska. And South Korea, and Japan, and China – who are our allies, so that does me no good.

Economou: The U.S.S. John McCain is set to intercept a North Korean flagged ship suspected of proliferating nuclear weapons.

Jong-il: What’s your question?

Economou: Don’t have one. Just wanted to point out how back you suck.

Jong-il: Stop it!

A single tear rolled down Mr. Jong-il’s face from behind his sunglasses.

Economou: Sources say North Korea is planning to fire its most advanced ballistic missile in the direction of the United States on the 4^th of July. Why?

Jong-il: Fireworks?

I slapped Kim Jong-il across the face. He began to openly weep.

Economou: Why do it Kim Jong-il? Why?

Jong-il: I can’t tell you!

Economou: Dammit! Yes you can!

He stood, and turned, facing a window. Tears ran down his face.

Jong-il: My therapist says I am too envious of Barack Obama. He intimidates me.

Economou: With his rhetoric? With his foreign policy maneuvering?

Jong-il: No. No. My therapist says I suffer from penis envy.

Economou: But how can that…

I trailed off. I stood and walked up behind Jong-il.

Economou: It’s okay. You can tell me. No one will ever hear this conversation.

Jong-il: You know what I am?

Economou: I know who you are. Yes. I knew from your choice of sunglasses. From your general appearance. From your obsession with big rockets which are actually named Taepo Dong missiles. You are a woman.

Kimberly turned around and faced me.

Jong-il: I figured if I shot off a rocket on the 4^th of July he would notice me.

Economou: We will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight. We’re going to live on. We’re going to survive. Today, we celebrate our Independence Day.

Jong-il: My independence day.

Economou: Our independence day.

I stood facing Jong-il. I looked at her beautiful face. Behind her eyes, full of such experience, and yet such longing. I touched Kimberly’s cheek. I took off her glasses. She pulled me in closer. We kissed. Tenderly at first, but then more aggressively.

She then threw me onto the sofa. She ripped open my shirt (which was surprising, because it wasn’t even a button down). She lied on top of me, caressing my hairy chest.

Economou: Stop. One moment Kim. Just stop.

Jong-il: What is it, Thane? Anything, and I’ll do it.

Economou: Don’t attack America. Don’t do it, and I’ll make love to you.

She looked down at me, tenderly.

Jong-il: Yes. Oh God Yes!

But then Jong-il’s assistant busted in, said my time was up, and escorted me from the room.

So if we get attacked, don’t blame me. I tried my best.

I has a chance talk to Ayiiia, from The Real World: Cancun yesterday. Ayiiia is the internet winner for this upcoming season, and was super sweet and great to talk to. I’ve only seen the first episode (that premieres next week) and let me just tell you that it is NOTHING like Brooklyn–let’s just say there is LOTS of sex going on–yes it’s that kind of season.

The premiere of The Real World: Cancun is this Wednesday, June 24, at 10pm ET/PT on MTV.

Here’s the interview:

Here’s the interview:

Watch a sneak peek after the jump

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I had the chance to talk to Jay Louis, the creator of Hot Chicks With Douchebags yesterday! He has a new show on MTV called Is She Really Going Out With Him? starting this Monday at 5:30PM ET/PT!

Here’s the interview:

Murder= My childhood crush on Zach Morris and my early 20’s crush on Jimmy Fallon. Suicide= Both Gosselaar and Fallon’s careers.

Jimmy Fallon had Mark-Paul Gosselaar on as “Zach Morris”, the character he played on the hit 90’s TV show “Saved By The Bell”. The only parallel I can muster up to describe this atrocity, is the sadness and hope I feel for our US economy. As with the economy, I’m just so sad that both Jimmy and Mark-Paul have fallen to such depths, and I truly hope, with the whole of my heart, that they have the capacity to recover from such a dark, empty place.

Fallon is elaborately planning to reunite the entire cast of “Saved By The Bell”, hoping to drudge up ratings from former teen fans. Unfortunately, if this reunion actually happens, I’m almost certain God will strike down the NBC studio killing everyone, even the already punished studio audience.