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What can we learn from serial celebrity break-ups, billionaire bust-ups, misbehaving spouses, pants-on challenged politicos and the ever-shifting landscape of divorce law? Question is, "What CAN'T we learn"? With latte in hand and clicky finger at the ready, dive in for the best in divorce news, views, gossip, and buzz – assembled below for your reading pleasure.

Our current contributors are Jill Brooke, Maureen Dempsey, Naomi Dunn, and Linda Lee.

Breaking-ups cause heartaches, headaches and, yes, sometimes creative inspiration. In his new album Lucky Old Sun, which will be released tomorrow, country singer Kenny Chesney reflects on the aftereffects of the annulment of his marriage to the actress Renée Zellweger.

Zellweger, clad in a beautiful Carolina Herrera gown, married the crooner with the cowboy hat in a 15-minute ceremony on a beach in St. John in 2005. Four months later the marriage was kaput — one of the quicker break-ups even for Hollywood, although not beating Chris Kattan’s record split after two months.

Zellweger cited fraud of all things as the cause for the annulment. But who knows what that means? Perhaps he cheated her of her dreams for a lifelong marriage.

For a while, both were silent about why they parted ways. Chesney now is not talking, but he is singing.

As he told Newsweek the songs on his album were written in a burst of inspiration. “I got in a plane and went down to the Virgin Islands,” he says. “I was completely by myself. I didn't want to be around anybody. So the next thing you know, it's me and a pen and I sat down and wrote a lot of lines of this song.”

Three songs on the album seem especially intimate, Spirit of a Storm, I’m Alive, and Way Down Here, whose lyrics say he is "where no one will ask, 'cause nobody knows you're not in my life anymore/And no one can tell the saltwater from my tears."

Was he concerned that his ex would be upset by the music about the end of their relationship? “It's the truth. It's my life,” he told Newsweek. “I've been in a lot of states of mind in the last three years. In that way, it's a pretty honest record. I've let myself be more emotionally vulnerable in some of the lyrics. I think that was good therapy."

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Maureen Dempsey's picture

Celebs Pressured To Date Post-Divorce

Posted by Maureen Dempsey on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 12:18am

Is being single such a bad thing? Especially after divorce? A few celebs' friends think so. Pink's buddies are pushing the recently divorced pop singer to start dating again, says The Metro, despite her distaste for the singles scene. She admits that she "never goes on dates," and prefers less obvious hookup scenarios.

Pink better watch out, or before she knows it, matchmakers will start popping up — which happens to be the case for Tom Arnold, says contactmusic.com. Maria Shriver, of all people, is playing Arnold's cupid. (The connection? Arnold is a good friend of Shriver's husband, Arnold Schwarznegger.) In fact, Shriver has been labeled Arnold's dating coach, matching him up with friends after his third divorce earlier this year. The results? Mixed:

He explains, "When your friends set you up, you really know what they think of you — and evidently my friends think I'm old and fat."

Regardless of the outcome, why must everyone have someone? What do you think? Tell us below.

On Sunday, October 5, there’s a marathon rebroadcast of the miniseries The Starter Wife, and for any woman going through divorce, this is a delicious way to spend a Sunday morning. The two-hour premier is at 9 am on the USA channel.

The premise: a stay-at-home Hollywood wife gets dumped by her weasely movie-producer husband. Then there are four more episodes, taking you right up to 2 pm and through shock, denial, tears, anger, resignation, and oh yes, having two men fighting over you while you live in a gorgeous Malibu beach house. The actual series begins at 9 pm and midnight (East Coast) on October 10, and you can get up to speed earlier that day asso you need to get up to speed. (And there go Friday nights.)

Debra Messing plays the wife, so you can kind of understand two men fighting over her. But what is it with fictional romances that feature a woman caught between two men? I mean, how often does a divorced woman have two men to choose between? Ok, Nancy Lee seems to have all the men she wants.

But the rest of us?

We can see it on screen, from Philadelphia Story, to Pillow Talk, to Jules and Jim, to Sleepless in Seattle, to Moulin Rouge, and The Notebook. Just this year, in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, it was a woman choosing between two guys; in Mamma Mia! it was a woman choosing between three men.

This must be the ultimate female fantasy, a wealth in choice of mates, like superheroes are for men.

Debra Messing as Molly has to choose between a wealthy powerful studio head, and a penniless (but hunky and soulful) beach bum. And this is before she and her husband have even negotiated the terms of the divorce!

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Here's plain and simple advice from Diane English, the director and screenwriter of The Women, the remake of the vintage divorce movie opening this weekend: "Men come and go," she says, "Get yourself some girlfriends."

The power of girlfriends is the theme of the original, a 1939 George Cukor film based on Clare Boothe Luce's 1936 stage play, and it’s the theme here.

And, like its predecessor, this film talks a lot about men but they are never seen.

There is, however, one major difference. The 1939 film was Luce's poison pen letter to the high society women she scorned; English considers her film a valentine to girlfriends, an exploration on how they help you navigate through all stages of life.

Of course, we are all well aware of the support girlfriends can provide, whether they're sitting across the coffee table or sipping coffee half-way across the country. That's why we created the First Wives Social Network.

In English's film, Meg Ryan's character, Mary Hanes, finds out that her husband is cheating on her. Her friends — played by Annette Bening, Bette Midler, and Carrie Fisher — rally to her side and show her the possibilities that can exist for her, even though her life has changed.

Diane English also brought back Candice Bergen, who starred in Murphy Brown, a series English wrote. Bergen plays Mary Hanes’s mother in the film.

Friends are the theme, but divorce is the subject of The Women. So of course it’s debated and dissected.

"It should be harder to get married and easier to get divorced," English told me. "Marriage is too easy to do and then if it is a mistake, divorce is so painful and long."

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Maureen Dempsey's picture

Sweet Revenge: The Cake

Posted by Maureen Dempsey on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 11:48am

Suzanne Maxwell built her Lovin' Oven bakery in Lancaster, TX, by specializing in wedding cakes. Then a customer came into her bakery at 181 Historic Town Square (972 227 4425) and asked for a cake to celebrate her divorce. Since then, Maxwell has done dozens of cakes (only one for a man). Sometimes the groom appears at the top, head down. Sometimes the ex-wives ask for special messages. The cakes, needless to say, are shared with friends. The video on local station WOAI in San Antonio, TX, is here.

If you were making a divorce cake, what would it look like? What would it say? And how would you serve it? Comment with your ideas.

Maureen Dempsey's picture

Heather Plans Lavish Divorce Party

Posted by Maureen Dempsey on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 11:04am

Heather Mills is planning a seven-day divorce party for her and 25 of her closest friends. The cost? $500,000. Mills plans to fly the group to Necker Island, a private Caribbean spot, to the tune of $49,000 a night.

The interesting bit about this is the fact that Mills was extremely concerned with her public image during the divorce proceedings with ex Paul McCartney. She made a point of rebutting comments that she was only in it for the money, vehemently denying she was a "gold-digger," and emphasizing that she needed proper support to care for their daughter, Beatrice.

But the extravagance of this party seems to speak otherwise.

Don't get me wrong. It's her money now, fair and square. She entitled to do with it what she pleases. Not sure if it's sending the right message, which seems to be a little "in your face, Paul," doesn't it?

Click here for more.

Maureen Dempsey's picture

Stars Turn Out for "Hot Flashes" Reading

Posted by Maureen Dempsey on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 11:17am

First Wives World productions brought "Hot Flashes," the FWW-exclusive fictional blog by television-alum Mimi Schmir (Grey's Anatomy, Shark, Felicity) to the people on Thursday — and the people raved. A-listers from both coasts mingled at NYC hot-spot Ultra, gathering to listen to film, television, and theater's finest actresses read excerpts of Schmir's take on the rollercoaster that is menopausal life through the eyes of her heroine, Esme. "As we had hoped, Thursday night became a true convergence of emotions, connections, and industries," says FWW partner Jonas Neilson.

Amy Brenneman (Private Practice, Judging Amy), Kim Raver (Lipstick Jungle), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent), and Jessica Hecht (Friends) brought Esme to life as they read episodes of the first-person blog. Neilson explained that the second official reading underscored what Business Week described as "Broadway to Broadband" (and now potentially "Broadcast") as never before.

"It was a wonderful event showing what 'Hot Flashes' represents, and it was interpreted wonderfully by the great performances of our actresses," notes First Wives World's Antonio Martinez. "They gave it a new life that just exploded from the page."

Adds Neilson: "It's one thing to set out to build a social network for women to connect with women; it's another to have them connect emotionally with a fictional character and narrative in such a new, innovative way. Seeing the crowd laugh, emote, and join in Esme's journey was a quite a moment for all of us."

Curious? Check out "Hot Flashes" here.

(Photo: Frank Siciliano)

Maureen Dempsey's picture

Celebs Sign On for "Hot Flashes"

Posted by Maureen Dempsey on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 10:23am

Back by popular demand, "Hot Flashes" is hitting Manhattan!

First Wives World productions is preparing to bring "Esme" to a live audience tonight in a second reading of "Hot Flashes," the FWW-exclusive fictional blog by television-alum Mimi Schmir (Grey's Anatomy, Shark, Felicity). Hollywood's hottest will gather over champagne and hors d'ouevres to read excerpts of Schmir's take on the rollercoaster that is menopausal life through the eyes of her heroine, Esme.

Broadwayworld.com aptly summarized the unique opportunity within "Hot Flashes," explaining that the blog is "venturing into a subject area that has yet to be explored on television: Menopause as mid-life reinvention."

FWW's premiere reading took place in Los Angeles in February, with actresses Amy Brenneman (Private Practice, Judging Amy), Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives), Kathyrn Morris (Cold Case), and Natasha Henstridge (Commander-in-Chief) reading portions of the true-to-life blog to an intimate gathering of television and film professionals.

Amy Brenneman will resume the role of Esme tonight; Kim Raver (Lipstick Jungle), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent), and Jessica Hecht (Friends) will join her in bringing FWW's favorite heroine to life.

The reading will take place today, Thursday, April 24th, in Manhattan. Check back tomorrow for full FWW coverage!

Maureen Dempsey's picture

Trend Watch: Divorce Parties

Posted by Maureen Dempsey on Sat, 03/15/2008 - 2:09pm

A recent CNN article highlighted divorce parties — and made a strong argument for the growing trend. Much like a wedding ceremony, a divorce party celebrates a pivotal transition in life. In fact, L.A.-based Christine Gallagher runs The Divorce Party Planner, a company devoted solely to planning such events.

Gallagher says divorce is a part of life, yet it's the only major milestone for which there is no ritual.

One divorcee that was interviewed agrees, adding that something as simple as a toaster, a common registry gift, means much more after a split than on the wedding day and recently set up a divorce registry for a friend. (Especially after hefty legal bills.)

Another ceremoniously reclaimed her maiden name. Former beauty queen Shanna Moakler held a Vegas bash, complete with a knife-wielding-bride cake topper. The groom? Dead. (The miniature one, of course. The real groom, Travis Barker, is alive and well.)

We're pro-divorce party. What better way to usher in a new perspective on life than with your closest friends and family.... Out with the old, in with the new, right?

Click here for more.

Faith Eggers's picture

Wedding Ring Burial Contest

$1K Up for Grabs!

Posted by Faith Eggers on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 6:00pm

We've written before about wedding ring coffins, a tiny coffin, perfect for giving your ring a proper send off and perhaps for giving some closure to your divorce.

Did you purchase a wedding ring coffin? Do you know someone who's having a divorce party? Are you planning a ring burial? Well, if you do/are, be sure to bring your video camera.

The people at weddingringcoffin.com are now giving you the chance to win $1,000 by demonstrating what the wedding ring coffin is all about.

Here's what you do:

Make a video — less than two minutes — that includes the wedding ring coffin and what it means to you. You can be funny, serious, overjoyed, depressed — whatever, it's all up to you. Then upload your video to YouTube and send it in. For more information and to register click here.

The best part is, you don't actually even have to purchase a wedding ring coffin to participate as the company has made images available on their media page for just that purpose.

So, have an idea to send that ring packing? Could you use an extra $1,000 to boot? Give it a try, you might just get lucky!