Jon Gosselin Went From Working at T.G.I. Friday’s to Crowdfunding Legal Bills

Life hasn’t been easy for Jon Gosselin in the eight years since he quit Jon & Kate Plus 8, his hit TLC docuseries with ex-wife Kate Gosselin. Where is Jon Gosselin now in 2018? Most recently, the 41-year-old father-of-eight has found himself in financial trouble in the midst of an apparently expensive custody battle with Kate, 43. In an effort to help Jon get his finances back in order, the former reality star’s girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, set up a GoFundMe page to cover the cost of his legal fees.

“The family and friends of Jon Gosselin know the loving, caring, devoted father that he is, and they understand his desire to do what is best for his children,” the fundraiser states. “Like many divorced parents, Jon works hard each day and most weekends, wanting nothing more than to spend quality time with his kids. For Jon, it’s been an eight-year battle in family court, one that pits him against media and financial forces that far exceed his own.”

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The fundraiser went on to explain that Jon’s bank account doesn’t match his celeb status, forcing him to crowdfund. “Fame and fortune do not always go together, and Jon is the perfect example of that reality. Things are not always as they are portrayed,” the site says. “John does not have a network-funded public relations machine behind to spin the facts. He works a steady job and earns extra money on the side as a disc jockey. Now he is forced into an expensive unjust battle for custody, one that drains his time, energy, and finances. It is a fight he did not seek; it is a fight he does not want. He remains focused on the welfare of his children. He wants to make sure every decision that is made on their behalf is made in their best interest… Money raised in this campaign will go to the legal battle ahead as Jon secures his rightful place in the lives of his family.”

Indeed, Jon — the father of 16-year-old twins Mady and Cara and 13-year-old sextuplets Aaden, Alexis, Collin, Hannah, Joel, and Leah — has struggled to maintain healthy relationships with his children since he and Kate divorced in December 2009 after 10 years of marriage. In June 2016, Jon told Yahoo that things between him and his family “[were] bad.”

Jon with Kate and their kids in 2007. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

He told the site that he and his ex-wife don’t speak, and lamented that he hardly spends time with his kids, even though he and Kate had a custody agreement that entitled him to weekly dinners and overnight visits every weekend. “I have no contact with them,” he said at the time. “I’m hoping they’re at school today. I just have to trust that everything is going OK.”

When it comes to his career, Jon has tried his hand at a number of different jobs. Fans were shocked last year when it was revealed that the Pennsylvania native worked in the kitchen at chain restaurant T.G.I. Friday’s. However, Jon quit after a fellow employee sold a photo of him working to the media. “Thanks a lot, man!” he told told Dallas radio station 103.7 KVIL FM at the time. “Now I gotta go through all of this stuff and now I gotta leave a job that I was passionate about.”

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Well, it certainly seems that Jon is passionate about his current gig as a DJ. “I work at Dusk Nightclub in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I’m a member of the Senate DJ group and I also help with Promotion,” he told Entertainment Tonight back in March. “I DJ at the club sometimes, but I find promotion is more rewarding both financially and emotionally. I like taking care of people and making others feel welcome.”