Kate Gosselin -- yes, that Kate from 'Jon & Kate Plus 8,' who, like most pop culture flavors of the month, had somewhat disappeared from the country's radar -- visited the 'TODAY' show with her 13-year-old twins Cara and Mady in tow. Things didn't go very well.

Much is being made about how the twins behaved but they actually acted like normal, headstrong teenagers who were nervous and got stiff once the cameras started rolling.

But since they were on breakfast TV (Jan. 16) and because their mother has often been criticized for how she handled reality TV fame, it's being dubbed awkward and generating a lot of publicity.

When asked what they would tell the world about their family, Mady was totally tongue-tied and tilting her head, to which Kate said, "Mady? Your words? Spit it out." Ouch! Cara was equally silent.

"This is their chance to talk. This is the most wordless I've heard them all morning," their mother said about their attitudes. Kate tried valiantly to save the interview, but the girls were just not very chatty. At all.

Mama Kate was super irritated with them for not being being talkative. Mady eventually went on to say that the show and the spotlight did not damage them. Notice that they are the spitting image of their dad, who acrimoniously split from Kate.

Speaking of Kate, she will probably take the heat for putting her oldest kids on the spot on national TV. Kate's argument that the girls are okay despite their early level of fame is sorta disputed by how they acted on TV. Questions about how Kate mothers her kids are bound to come up based on this interview and that's slightly unfair.

But then again, they are teenagers. They acted how defiant teens act. They just had a camera in their faces.

Kate later commented on their behavior, blaming it on a "case of stage fright."

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