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Brinkley my dear, I don't give a damn

Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 8:15 AM by Kurt Schlosser
Filed Under:

Just when I thought my "Vacation" from the 80s might be permanently over, back came Christie Brinkley this week. The Girl in the Ferrari, as IMDb.com lists her for that 1983 movie, zoomed onto the gossip pages and cable TV with her lurid, public Long Island divorce trial. Aren't you glad?

I guess the saving grace is that the proceedings against soon-to-be-ex-husband Peter Cook ended fairly quickly thanks to a settlement between the two parties Thursday. Brinkley gets the kids and the knowledge that a certain segment of the public that paid attention now knows Cook was her fourth husband. And they know that the decision to go public with the (normally) private and (likely) devastating business of dismantling a marriage was her idea. And that same tuned-in public now knows that Cook cheated on his supermodel wife with a teenager he met at a toy store. And he spent a good deal of money every month on Internet pornography. He gets $2.1 million in the settlement.

I don't feel like I'm better off for knowing any of the information I learned from this entire public display. Marriages end in crummy ways -- knew that. People look at porn online and spend lots of money doing so -- knew that. I guess what I didn't know is that a once famous Sports Illustrated swimsuit model was in a lousy relationship with a jerk. Was it worth it for me to know that, Christie? Your kids are 10 and 13. Did their friends need to know everything? 

A court-appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Stephen Herman, testified that Brinkley needs to examine her taste in men and that Cook is a narcissist with a bottomless ego. There's your one-line takeaway from this week's "Vacation" from reality to celebrityland.

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Comments

I really feel that this did not need to be public. I think that Christie's decision to make this public was out of anger and hurt, and the need to let the public see she was in the right. Her poor children are old enough to understand what is going on, and I bet they are suffering for it, and probably will for years to come.

I wonder if Cook would have reached a settlement so quickly if it was not public? Was this apart of a plan to embarass him into settling? I just feel for these children (I am a teacher) and can imagine their hurt.

Allison, Dallas, TX (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 11:36 AM)

If I had to choose between Christy Brinkley and Diana Bianchi.... sorry Christy, your time has passed.

George Chicago (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 11:41 AM)

Having been through a divorce after 25 years of marriage for some of the same reasons, I actually appreciate that Christy did this...it makes me feel like mine is getting aired in a strange way.  It's been cathartic...sorry if that seems petty, but when you've been betrayed, sometimes, deep down, you want the world to know.

Dinana, OR (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 11:54 AM)

Maybe a little off subject, but didnt Christie get nailed cheating on Billy Joel when that freak helicopter incident happened years back? I don't reall recall all the details, or was that some other husband, because one I really couldnt care, I do feel sorry for her children though, and two, I think she just wanted sympathy, and to be in the spotlight, because honestly if I caught my husband doing the things hers was accused of, I really wouldnt want the entire world (including my children, their friends and the parents of their friends) knowing all my personal business.  This goes for all these public break-ups, from A-Rod to Hulk Hogan, and in all honesty Hulk Hogans wife can say what she wants, however traypsing around town with a teenager just makes her look stupid, considering she was accusing her husband of having an affair with someone the same age as their daughter, isnt she doing the same thing.

okay, sorry to go off on a rant!!

jersey girl (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 11:57 AM)

Dosen't anyone care about the children anymore.  Its seems not.
This is very sad on both sides the mother and father , if you want to call them that.

Shelly Arnad, Crowley, LA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:02 PM)

The news of Peter Cook's affair was made public TWO  YEARS AGO, not this week by Christie Brinkley.  Cook was the one who dismantled his family life and sullied it in the news, not Christie Brinkley.  She went to trial with him this week because HE tried to break the pre-nup agreement -- he was NOT interested in custody of their children.  It was all about getting more money out of her.   She had to fight him, fire with fire.   HE dirtied the laundry, HE made it public (two years ago), HE ruined his family life with Christie and the children.  

Amy Longins (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:03 PM)

Why slandering the man did Christie think about the married men, she slept with in the past. Oh, but that's different she's a model and suppose to be a tart. Well sugar drops, what goes around comes around. Get over yourself and your picket fence dream. You are not all a man needs, if so, he wouldn't have sought pleasure somewhere else

Gwen Houston (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:05 PM)

Christy is still a beautiful woman! I felt sad to see her standing outside the court house giving up 2.5 million dollars while Cook and his new girlfriend were rushing to get into their house. Could he not have waited to see his girlfriend? Be careful Christy, you'll find a decent man!

Holly Golightly, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:09 PM)

Very sad for the children, Christy is a very bitter woman, I sure hope she NEVER marries again
Peter is a pig, but she is almost as bad.. Her kids
and other kids do not need to know about this crap.

Michigan gal (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:10 PM)

Divorce is such a terrible thing.  

What adults do no realise is that they are not the only ones getting divorced when children are involved.  If I had it to do all over again I would have stayed with my cheating ex-husband until my children were adults.  

I am so thankful that as adults they have survived the divorce and are doing well.

Christy and Peter should be ashamed of themselves for draging their miserable marriage into the public eye.  Their children will never forget.

Janine Pendley, Wichita Falls, TX (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:10 PM)

I don't give a damn about Christie Brinkley or Peter Cook.  They are both adults,  and must deal with the consequences of their actions.  But why on Earth would you feel "the public has a right to know" what happened in your private life?  And,  by the way,  that "public" includes the most innocent victims in this whole mess:  your children.  They now see a side of their father that wasn't necessary.  Unfortunately,  they also see a side of their mother that isn't so nice,  either.  My heart goes out to those kids.

Gary J, North Brunswick, NJ (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:15 PM)

It's sad. It's pathetic. Thank God they reached a settlement so there could be an end to this public circus for the sake of their children. In every photo Brinkley is SMILING as if to say "My life's fantastic--I'm at a photo shoot again!" If that wasn't bad enough, I saw a photo of Brinkley parading in/out of court holding a diorama she helped her child make for a school project. She's got it so wrong. It's not about you, honey. It's about the children.

Lori, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:15 PM)

I'll say it again....breakups of marriages boil down to the root 3 causes,   1) money 2) children 3) sex.
For this one, I choose 3.  Sure, Cook is/was probably a jerk.  However, what led him down this path in the first place?  Was Christy not "puttin out" or was she an out and out b-yatch?  
And its the kids who usually get the worst part of it.
Now, all their friends and friends parents know all the dirt.

Lucky...

Lucky Man (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:15 PM)

I feel that what Christie did was GREAT! He embarrassed her and now the world knows that not only is he a cheater, he also is a pervert with some sick tendencies. Sorry, everyone, it lets people know not to trust this jerk around your teenage daughter. She got to keep all her stuff that SHE earned.  

Heleyne, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:16 PM)

the poor kids! how embarassing!

withheld, NJ (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:19 PM)

Most women are evil personified when it comes to divorce, and they always have the backing of family "mommy" court so why not? They know they won't lose. I love how Brinkley has justifed in her feeble mind how making this whole thing public was the right thing to do and that no, this won't be an issue for the kids because everything was already out in the open. Of course it was, because she told them everything. Are we really to believe that she only told the kids, "Daddy has fallen out of love with mommy." Please, she's doing what every other weak-minded woman does in a divorce which is use the kids for emotional support. She should have had the kids taken away from her just for that, as well as for attempting to alienate them from their dad who, by her own admission, is supposedly the greatest dad in the world. Funny how he suddenly isn't a good dad now that she feels slighted and got her little feelings hurt. These asinine family court judges are complicit in all of this as well. By the way, Bianchi is hot so good for you Cook.

Benchdogg (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:24 PM)

This thing read like an episode of Desperate Housewives. It's a shame that the children were sullied by the very public flogging Christie decided to give Peter, but if the court appointed shrink is correct in his assessment of Cook's ego, this is the only way she could get him to back off and it worked. You go, Christie!

Debbie Search (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:29 PM)

I don't get why everyone is down on Christie for making this 'public'. Her husband is the scum bag that should be standing up and taking responsibility for hurting his family and embarrassing his children!

Mom isn't always at fault (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:39 PM)

The whole thing is terrible sad.  I guess it goes to show you, to some men even a supermodel isn't enough to keep them.

Angela, Buffalo NY (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:51 PM)

Hey, she has issues, she's been married 4 times..oh my heavens

Janet, Dallas, Texas (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:53 PM)

Peter Cook paid a young girl a third of a million dollars years ago to keep quiet about how he stalked her, preyed upon her, groomed her and then entered into a sexual relationship with her. That girl immediately went public with the information after pocketing what must have been at least in part, Christie's money. Or money that should have been going to maintain family and home--instead of its use as "not-so-hush" money to his liason. It is important for all women to stand up and make public even unsavory topics. Peter Cook and the other filth like him get away with violating vulnerable, unsuspecting victims because our society demands we keep silent. Christie Brinkley made a very difficult choice in shining the very public light on this cockroach. True to form just like the cockroach, once the light shone on him, Peter Cook slithered away. "I got just what I wanted." What a sad, sad statement. This is the true violation to their kids. Not the media exposure. The fact that he has gone on record with a named sum that he deems a much more desirable priority than his children.

Linda, Seattle WA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:53 PM)

Disappointing article.  You see, divorces are not in fact private.  They are all public.  Divorces are only closed for compelling reasons.  In the real world, that means almost never.  Celebrities get this special treatment regularly because they are celebrities.  It is counter to the law.

You may walk down to your local courthouse, find the divorce court, and sit in on hearings all day if you like.  You can also look up divorce settlements in public record, just like anything else. Don't think that Peter Cook being married to someone famous makes him above the law that any other person would be subject to, including open courts!  

Jane Doe, Indianapolis (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 12:57 PM)

Christie is one of those women who seem to always play the "martyr" role...poor me...look how I've suffered. What he did was unfathanoble, but she has been married 4 times...obviously she has a history of making poor choices. She did this for pubic sympathy...people like her will drown in their own self pity. She's an idiot if she believes her children won't hear about all of this because they are in summer camp. Wait until school starts and all the other children fill them in...they need to be in therapy NOW!!!!

Ginger, Hickory, NC (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:01 PM)

First off, as reported by the media it was the decision of the JUDGE to make this a public trial and did not grant the request for a private trial.  I believe it was reported that in the state of New York all divorce trials are made public, it just so happens this case was made famous because of Christie and the circumstances (sleeping with his 18 year old secretary).  This happens a hundred times a day, and the media feeds it to us alongside "suicide bombing claims 40" and we want to criticize Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook.  Are you kidding me?  We are just softening are own blows (i.e. gas prices NO ONE DOES NOTHING ABOUT, a downward sprial of our economy, and a constant reminder that envitably we are going to war again with a bigger player).  If people took as much interest in real problems in America as they do in this junk we might actually be able to improve life for ALL OUR CHILDREN!!!

Severely Disappointed In Our Failing Society (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:02 PM)

Wow, we are have really become such a mean spirited, cynical society.  The writer does not know Christie, the true facts of this case or the reasons she was forced into this tragic trial.  Still, strangers feel quite at home disparaging her and further harming her children by consciously going out of their way to utter these erroneous and flippant remarks.  I have had the honor of knowing Christie for a very long time and I want to thank the people who truly get her but as for the others, I believe that your words speak volumes about you but nothing what so ever about Christie.

Carson (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:10 PM)

"I guess what I didn't know is that a once famous Sports Illustrated swimsuit model was in a lousy relationship with a jerk."

Given that this is her 4th divorce, maybe you should have said you didn't know that a once famous SI model, who is herself a huge jerk, was in a relationship with another jerk.

dan jones ny (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:17 PM)

He spent  lot of time and money on internet porn. As a guy, I can tell you that you don't look at porn when you have the real thing at home. Unless she has lots of 'headaches'. Were there some sexual dysfunctions on her part that prevented the intimacy of sexual relations with her husband? 4th husband. If you don't pet your dog then it won't stay under your porch.

P Rod (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:18 PM)

christie as her track record goes was probably ready to get rid of him and did not know how.  Now she is the scorned woman for the public.  I don't think she has all her buttons either.  All she wants is to be on stage even going to the courthouse.  

jane arana, eastport, new york (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:20 PM)

Why is everyone blaming Christie. I say go girlfriend! Why shouldn't she be angry and want some revenge. Peter Cook knew what he did was wrong and had the opportunity to settle before going to court but he didn't. That is HIS fault-NOT HERS! Trust me, the kids would have found out about this one way or the other down the road. Kids know everything! So, Congratulations Christie!! You got the white trash of a man you were married to to settle and in my opinion you came out looking like a rose!

Alison, Port Jefferson, NY (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:25 PM)

Cook is a cad.   It doesn't matter if she asked it to be made public - it would have been anyway.  Give the woman a break.  

Jean Nelson, Oviiedo, FL (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:26 PM)

I think Christie Brinkley did the right thing... regardless of what problems were happening between her and her husband he had no right to cheat on her especially with a teenage girl (also that girl is a acting like a prostitute when you receive money from a men for sex that is prostitution) Her going public with the divorce might not have been the sophisticated thing to do but in the end everyone will know what a scum bag man Peter Cook is. What man wouldn't kill to have a gorgeous wife like Christie, i mean she's like fifty years old and looks amazing. At least now the world will know what kind of a man Peter Cook is and i hope that it was worth it for him. As for Christie I hope she takes this time to focus on what is important her children and continue to live her life to the fullest and not listen to other people.

Bella Luna Miami, Fl. (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:31 PM)

No matter how good looking a woman is some poor guy has to put up with their crap.

Ron T. OKC, Ok (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:37 PM)

Yeah, she got caught cheating on Billy Joel.  But did he go out of his way to humiliate her and put his daughter through h***?  No.  Because he has class.  She obviously has huge issues in the relationship area and isn't going to change.  I just bet she's already working toward hubby number 5.  
That said, Peter Cook is a skank and she's better off without him, as are his children.  It's just too bad that the kids are put through all of this.  
Christie said in an interview that her kids don't watch television or read newspapers, but I bet their friends and their friends parents do.  She's very naive if she thinks all of this won't get back to them.

Lizzie, Il (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:41 PM)

Peter Cook started this whole fiasco more that two years ago and Christie Brinkley did what she had to do to get rid of this moron, get custody of her kids and keep her property.  I wouldn't worry too much about her kids because she obviously loves them and felt she needed a trial to resolve the issues.  Cook was obviously looking for a big payout.  The payout he received was pretty small so she must have had a ton of evidence she could hold against him.  

People, stop worrying so much about your childrens feelings.  This is what is making them so needy and parents so neurotic about every little thing they do.

mkfh,new york, new york (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:45 PM)

I don't agree that their kids are better off without their father.  Regardless of what he did, he is still their father.

deedee (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:53 PM)

To Jersey Girl: the helicopter (skiing) incident you referred to happened during her marriage to her third husband.  That one lasted for about 4 months, I think.  Anyway, just FYI.

Marge, Oak Harbor, WA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:01 PM)

Christie Brinkley insisted on parading herself in front of cameras trying to act like an innocent victim. She is obviously starved for media attention. Sure her husband is a scum, but I just can't feel too sorry for her...this was her FOURTH HUSBAND, people.

Lily Bell, Pensacola, FL (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:09 PM)

Denise Richards gets cruxcified in the tabloids for her on-going battle with ex-husband Charlie Sheen, however initially she fought to keep her divorce proceedings private. Her reactions have been just that, reactions to dirt dug up by papporazzi slime and her own ex.  Kristie fights to have it forced out in the open.  A classless move by any account.  Her shrink is right, she picks the wrong men but after 4 divorces aren't we going to question her own integrity a little bit?

Rori Nebraska (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:12 PM)

Hey, Benchdogg - how do you know what she told her kids? Were you there? As far as "evil personified", how would you know what "most women" are like? Do you follow every divorce case? Sounds like maybe you went through an awful divorce proceeding yourself to be so bitter and blatantly sexist about the whole thing.  Personally, I applaud her for being out in the open about everything.  Would it have been better for her to hide and keep everything secret and not talk to her children, and have them find out from others through gossip and innuendo? They are at a very impressionable and vulnerable age; they're not infants or toddlers who wouldn't have a clue anyway!  

Marge, Oak Harbor, WA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:14 PM)

This woman is a selfish person who only thinks of herself,not for her kids ,which they'll find out later in life

L.Butler TRENTON ,N.J. (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:16 PM)

To George from Chicago....sorry but if I had to choose between Christie Brinkley (who is 52 and still looks FABULOUS!) and Diana Bianchi, I'd take Christie any day of the week!!!!!!!!  Don't think you'll ever see Diana on the cover of any magazine except maybe Playboy.

Spingirl, new jersey (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:17 PM)

C'mon, folks.  Peter Cook did NOT get "what he wanted all along."  He wanted shared custody of the children, because that could be parlayed into more "support" money for him.  He just finally saw the light, which was that a continued trial was just going to make him look less and less fatherly.

L. Robertson, Atlanta GA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:21 PM)

I love it.  On one of the comments herein, someone had to stress that they are a teacher as if it gives them more credibility for feeling bad for the kids.  Anyway, this whole story is for the birds.  I am not married, thank God.  I see so many miserable married couples and I think it’s funny.  Christie is a mess and like so many desperate people will do anything to revitalize her career, even if it means embarrassing herself and her children.  And, the media is a nightmare because they sensationalize everything and support the child-like behavior of these sad adults.  Plus I think it’s funny that the average American (that’s not a compliment) feeds into this and “tunes in.”  It’s time for us to grow up, read a book and I mean an intelligent one, go back to school for your own sake, and stop eating your way to gastric bypass surgery in front of the TV watching Christie and company make fools of themselves.

Joe

Joe, Boston, MA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:22 PM)

No matter how good looking a woman is, she will still have to put up with some man's crap.

Cook...prime example of a perverted jerk
Christie...did what she had to do
Kids...will survive

Nancy, Dallas, TX (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:23 PM)

hello benchdog.
If that was your 18 year old daughter cook was messing around with you would not be mad.Unless you are a male person who thinks it's ok to sleep around with kids. Yes< Christie said he was a good father because he pretended to be. Do you think she should still say or think he was a good father after the things she found out.Your comments say much more about your morals than that of Christie whom you do not know. What would you do if you were placed in this situation, let me know. much love

janarlene (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:26 PM)

Actually, I think that Christie had some very good legal advice.  She wanted this to end in settlement the entire time.  She asked that the precedings be kept in public to cause humiliation for Peter Cook and for him and his attorneys to call a halt and settle.  Her kids have been at camp this entire time and have already heard about the affair, etc when it happened 2 years ago.  I thought the same things written about Christie here when I heard she requested the hearings remain public.  But when it came to a settlement and I found out her kids are in hiding I thought she had some damn good legal advice.

Hayley, Overland Park, KS (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:34 PM)

I think the whole thing should have been kept private but even if they'd tried that avenue, the gossip mongoring tabloids and paparazzi would have found a way to include the public. What got me was P. Cook saying how he wanted to protect his kids=he didn't seem to be too worried about that when he was messing around, etc.

Sara (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:35 PM)

I think Christie was just a woman scorned and wanted to get back at Peter.  Peter messed up.  We are human and we mess up.  Christie messed up when she committed adultery with Taubman while being married to Billy Joel.  And for the porn, seems to me she was a participant according to court testimony.  She and Peter used porn to get the mood going.  What about that?  But yet he gets trashed for his habit, while she was a participant in that same thing.  It sounds like both of them have been good parents and need to be in their children's lives.  Sounds like Peter has moved on, and usually men do move on quicker than women do.  I think all of this was unneccesary.  And I think Peter did the right thing by paying that young woman 300K.  If a lawsuit would have been filed for sexual harassment, you can bet that the lawyers would have billed much more than that over the course of a lawsuit.  I see that as a smart move under the circumstances.

Dian, Joplin, MO (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:37 PM)

Good for you, Christie!  Anyone who thinks the children didn't know what was going on doesn't have children.... I love it when these, "you can't do that to ME" types get what has probably been coming to him for a long time.  Only 2.1 million, won't even cover the porn!

YellowRose, San Bernardino (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:37 PM)

So sad that this scenario has become the norm in our society. Middle-aged men forsaking their marriages and family to seek porn...cheap, quick thrills...and their long lost youth...thank you, Viagra. Utterly pitiful. I say EXPOSE them for what they are: worthless and weak.

Karen, Florida (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 2:50 PM)



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