Jonathan phoned me tonight and among other things said that Josh has his own fan website.
I have not been able to find it yet (I will place it here when I do), but I have found these rather touching comments from his mum(?) in reply to "what do his parents think of it all?" on
http://www.vh1.com/interact/boards/main ... =0&index=3
"Josh has ALWAYS been his own person even when he was small so in a way I am used to other children making fun of him and so is he. He has never wanted to deny who he is just to be accepted. Children can be very cruel but it is only when they mature that they realise that it is OK and even good to be an individual. That is why so many teenagers adopt very exagerated styles of clothes (take Goths for example). No, I have never felt like punching the manager (Rodney). You just have to put it down to a lack of understanding on his part. It is strange to know that Josh is on TV but you have to remember it hasn't aired here yet so the parents have only seen the first 2 episodes (at a private viewing). I don't know what it will be like when it goes out here in a couple of weeks time. Kiss were never very big here in the UK so I didn't really know who Gene Simmons was. He could have been anybody. I don't know Gene Simmons well enough to say whether I like him or not. I have to say though, when he came to our house he was extremely pleasant. (I dont know if that has been included in the programme though)."
and
"I was extremely proud of Josh when he sang "Wild Thing" as I had never heard him sing like that. Yes he does have friends here at home but most of his friends are at C.H. with him. I know very little about anyone else in the cast.
Josh cant write to you on these message boards because he is back at school now and is unable to access any message boards on the school computer network.
Josh is very happy about himself on a reality TV show. With Josh, what you see is what you get. There is no pretence with him. And yes, he is a great son and I am VERY proud of him. You take care also
"
and
" I think Josh and all the rest of the cast were sad when the show ended, but also relieved that they had acheived their objective. By the end of it all they were all pretty tired as well."
As the headmaster and "Deputy Ireland" (in Gene Simmons parlance) said, the experience has almost vertainly, and on balance, been a positive one for the children. My 12 yr old Oliver would have given his eye teeth to have had that opportunity!
