RETURN TO AMISH Kate Stoltz says Chapel Peace cancer remission was fake, ‘reality TV ruins peoples lives and futures’
TLC’s popular reality series Return To Amish (formerly Breaking Amish) returns this Sunday, and at least one cast member is not thrilled about it. Model and fashion designer Kate Stoltz took to Twitter yesterday to express her frustration at ever having agreed to appear on the show, apparently due to the creative liberties taken by producers with editing.
“Doing a reality show was one of the worst decisions I made in my life,” Kate tweeted. “Everything on the show is so edited and out of context.”
That comment kicked off this series of tweets and responses from Kate over the next three hours:
KATE: tip to anyone that wants a good life: go to school, work hard and stay is control of ur life. Reality tv ruins peoples lives and futures
TWEETER: If so, why did/do you go back for more seasons? no judgement just a question
KATE: contracts.
KATE: Being on a reality show is like overhearing people talk about you, and they have their information all wrong… And you can’t do anything
KATE: It upsets me that people see someone like @KimKardashian and think that reality TV gives people this automatic success. SHE created her life
TWEETER: to this day I don’t understand why that whole family is famous. Because of a sex tape or something?
KATE: mostly because they are super smart about licensing and promoting themselves. It’s easy to hate but I admire their approach
[Editor’s note: We agree with Kate completely about Kim Kardashian! Check out our supportive comments after Kim’s essay essay on s|ut shaming as well as our “Why Is Kim Kardashian So Famous? Does She Deserve It?” post.]
KATE: I don’t want people to feel sorry that I’m on a show.. I just wish people would know the truth
So: why is Kate so upset at TLC? Although we don’t know the answer for certain, I assume it is in reaction to the new Return To Amish preview trailer released yesterday. In one part of the trailer, Kate proudly announces “I have an internship with Cynthia Rowley.” The trailer then quickly cuts to a crying Kate who says, “They’re the ones that are rude and disrespectful.” It does seem like a bit of awkward editing made to look like Kate was saying the people at Cynthia Rowley are rude and disrespectful, which I doubt was the case. Kate’s smart enough not to say something so broadly negative about a well-respected fashion design brand. [Update – We were correct – scroll down to the bottom for more.]
Later in the trailer, Kate can be seen sitting with Sabrina (I assume) and Sabrina asks her, “Is it true that you’re dating a plastic surgeon?”
The clip then cuts to an exasperated Kate (above) doing a voice over in which she exclaims: “Every single time I’m on camera I’m being asked about it! Like, I don’t want to talk about it!” This seems like another example of creative editing, in that we’re not certain Kate is referring to the plastic surgeon dating rumor or not. But I believe the real issue is the dating rumor itself.
We first heard that Kate and the plastic surgeon who did her rhinoplasty procedure, Dr. Robert Morin, might be involved late last year, after The Examiner published an article titled “Breaking Amish: Return To Amish Cast News: Does Kate Have A Boyfriend? Possible Secret Relationship Exposed [EXCLUSIVE].” The article features the subhead: “We examined the evidence and it appears she may be secretly involved with her plastic surgeon.”
The Examiner‘s post uses a series of social media posts by Kate and Dr. Morin to arrive at its conclusion, although there is no hard evidence proving the two have anything other than a professional relationship. And they DO have a professional relationship.
After her rhinoplasty, Kate accompanied Dr. Morin to Guatemala as part of his organization’s Developing Faces, which provides “high quality surgical care to babies and children with facial abnormalities in developing countries around the world.” On Kate’s LinkedIn profile, she reveals she has served as a Developing Faces administrator since September of 2014, and on their website she is listed is administrator/spokesperson.
Here is a photo of Kate and Dr. Morin together at a Developing Faces fundraising event in October, 2015:
And here are some of the photos Kate shared from her trip to Guatamala with Developing Faces — an experience that obviously had a huge impact on her, and an even larger impact on the 28 children who received treatment:
Kate can also be seen in the Developing Faces promotional video:
It seems logical to assume that it’s Return To Amish‘s focus on Kate’s “rumored” relationship with Dr. Morin and its inclusion in the trailer that really set Kate off on Twitter. I’m guessing the rumor is false, and I cannot imagine how frustrating that must be for Kate because of the effect it is sure to have on Dr. Morin.
We’ve been huge fans of Kate Stoltz for a long time now, and have expressed our sincere admiration for her hard work and hustle on several occasions. (Unlike her co-star Jeremiah Raber, who attributes her success in part to The Illuminati.) She not only found success in one of the most difficult industries in the world (modeling), she is also setting herself up for a more sustainable career in fashion design.
In addition to designing and creating her own clothing line, Kate is also enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology. And, of course, Kate isn’t just enrolled — she’s excelling. “Just received a letter saying that I am on the Dean’s List at Fashion Institute of Technology,” Kate proudly announced on Facebook in June. “Hard work pays off!” she added, along with the hashtags #proudmoment and #firstgenerationcollegestudent.
I’m hoping Kate’s frustration over the show will abate soon and we will see her back to being her positive, productive self. 🙂
On a random side note: while checking out Kate’s LinkedIn, I noticed that she includes being a “translator” for Hot Snakes Media, the production company that makes Return To Amish. Kate lists her job description as “Translating and transcribing media for major television shows aired on The Learning Channel, Discovery, and Lifetime.” Well, I guess we know how they found Kate for the original Breaking Amish show!
UPDATE – Kate has returned to Twitter to clarify some of what upset her, including the trailer being edited to suggest she had negative things to say about Cynthia Rowley. In addition, she confirmed that co-star Chapel Peace’s cancer was not in remission, and she was not receiving chemotherapy as it was portrayed on the show! I’ll let Kate speak for herself. There’s also a new preview clip, with just Kate, followed by Kate’s Facebook post letting her fans know she was answering questions on Twitter:
Follow me on twitter @kate__stoltz to get the REAL scoop of what goes on. I’m so disgusted at the way reality tv producers don’t have to take responsibility for the lives they ruin by editing things in a way that is untruthful, demeaning and unethical. Fans have the right to know the truth.
Just to clear things up: when I said that I am glad I cut ties with friends, I was talking about friends that are still Amish 🙂
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@l_dubois613 Correction to your article: Sabrina is 'NOW' clean, not 'not' clean.
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@l_dubois613 correction 2: be careful how you interpret editing. I wasn't calling anyone from CR disrespectful. it was someone unrelated
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@l_dubois613 correction 3, i wasn't upset about my privacy being invaded by anyone. There is no privacy on a reality show.
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@l_dubois613 I was upset because the producers keep us in a room for hours and ask the same questions over and over, they're relentless
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@l_dubois613 if we don't give them the answer they want, they keep us in there until we cry or give them the answer they want.
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@l_dubois613 you have the responsibility as a writer to get your facts straight, not put your own spin on things.
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
to get the REAL story of what happened on this season's #returntoamish , tweet your questions to me. fans have the right to know the truth
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
everyone is constantly changing and growing based on their experiences and careers. changing friends is part of an natural adaption to that
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
writers have an ethical responsibility to get their facts straight when they write.. yes, we have freedom of speech, but don't abuse that
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@knittyup @l_dubois613 no, but writers have an ethical responsibly when they write. Abusing freedom of speech is not cool
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@knittyup @l_dubois613 or try to get readers by presenting material no one has, even if it's not fact based
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@MalinBelle ah but that would be too boring according to some
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
I'm not going to give away anything that is going to happen on #returntoamish, but I WILL speak up when facts are wrong or edited badly
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@BruceClifford No. I want to completely focus on fashion design. That's when I am the happiest
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@NickiBialeschki Andrew is still in jail but should be coming out soon.. I don't know how Chapel is doing, last I heard, she was arrested
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@quireMissG I haven't heard from her since I found out her cancer wasn't back like she said it was. i don't know what she is up to
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@MalinBelle @BruceClifford They had me fooled. I'm upset that I was tricked into thinking that her cancer was back and she was doing chemo
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
For example, Chapel was NOT doing chemo when the show was filmed. She was in remission and had us all fooled into thinking she was very sick
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@hobbyath I'm not downplaying the horrible reality of cancer, treatment or after effects. she used it to cover up a heroin addiction.
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@BAugust2010 yes 🙂 Kayla and Malika are adorable
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@DJ_Chopstix the producers told me I was too boring and threatened to kick me off the show, so I did things to make them stop pressuring
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@DJ_Chopstix not the smartest move
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@hpritchard13 should be on the show. I don't know near everything that happens on the show- I'm a full time student and was in school a lot
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@hpritchard13 no, it's people I grew up with. they all married and have children.. it was just easier for my friends and I to move on
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
@hpritchard13 they are all in the Amish church, so it wouldn't make sense for them to remain best friends with someone that lives in nyc
— Kate Stoltz (@kate__stoltz) July 9, 2016
I don’t want to be an unethical journalist and speculate, but I am guessing this upcoming season of Return To Amish will be Kate’s last. As a fan of the show, I’m saddened to hear that, but, as a fan of Kate, I suppose that’s a really good thing. 🙂
UPDATE – Kate continues to vent! Click here for more, including Kate’s positive and appreciative comments about her time working for Cynthia Rowley as well as more accusations about scripting and manipulation by the show’s producers.
Finally: After the premiere aired, we received a HUGE amount of traffic on lots of our Breaking Amish / Return To Amish posts, but Google doesn’t seem to do a great job at turning up the most recent or most relevant posts. So, here is a list of Return To Amish posts that I think will be of the most interest to fans of the show — especially those who have been out of the loop for the past year or so:
Return To Amish preview clips and spoilers, Sabrina reacts and calls out Abe and Rebecca
Sabrina is pregnant with her 2nd child!
Jeremiah Raber engaged, wedding is April 16 in Vancouver
Jeremiah Raber marries Carmela Raber
Sabrina regains custody of daughter Oakley
PHOTOS Breaking Amish sisters Katie Ann and Esther Schmucker in car crash
Jeremiah Raber movie The Plain People canceled after sexual advancements on actress by cast member
Sabrina answers fan questions, addresses Jeremiah Raber movie shut down
Chapel Peace arrested with sister over drug free urine sample
Chapel Peace arrested for heroin, Valium possession
Chapel Peace sentenced for heroin arrest
REPORT Is Breaking Amish’s Rebecca Schmucker cheating on Abe with his best friend?
Sabrina is sober, has moved in with her parents
Is Mama Mary’s bed and breakfast open?
Jeremiah Raber arrested for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct
Rebecca reveals she had tubes tied after multiple C-sections