Popsquire

This was the Week Of The Dog in the world of pop culture/law collisions!

Early this week, the Orange County D.A.’s office threw Shante Broadus – Snoop Dogg’s wife – a bone when it decided not to move forward with a June DUI case against her. The D.A.’s office now says it doesn’t have enough evidence “to prove her driving was impaired” by marijuana. Apparently, the D.A. had never met Snoop Dogg!

Next, Michael Vick, who is currently serving a 23-month jail sentence for animal abuse, filed for bankruptcy this week. According to the court documents, he is $10-$50 million in debt. In short, he is now both morally and financially bankrupt!

And, finally, Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook reached a settlement this week in their widely publicized divorce trial. Peter, the now infamous dog, will get $2.1 million, while Christie gets custody of the kids and her boat, “Sweet Freedom.” Um…isn’t that what Peter thought he had during their marriage?!?

To find out more about this week in pop culture, check out “What A Week It’s Bean” on SpunkyBean.com.  Have a good weekend everyone!

Technorati Tags: christie brinkley, divorce, dog abuse, michael vick, peter cook, settlement, shante broadus, snoop dogg, sweet freedom

Watch Popsquire’s pop culture legal expert, Russell Wetanson, duke it out with family law attorney, Demetria Graves, on yesterday’s episode of TV Guide’s “Hollywood 411.”  Enjoy!

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After negotiating all night (until 6am today!), Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook have reached a settlement, according to the NY Post.  Here are the reported terms:

1. Brinkley will have sole custody and final decision-making power over the children.
2. Cook will have visitation rights and will be “consulted regarding decisions about the children.”
3. Brinkley retained ownership of all real estate holdings and her boat Sweet Freedom.
4. Brinkley agreed to pay Cook a flat amount of $2.1 million, mainly to cover his legal costs.
5. The rest of the terms remain confidential.

Popsquire hates to brag, but this was all part of my initial prediction.  Brinkley’s strategy worked. She dragged Cook through the mud pressuring him to give her custody, and he did!

Say what you will about Brinkley’s strategy, but remember — She didn’t start the fire!

Technorati Tags: billy joel, christie brinkley, diana bianchi, divorce, family law, Marriage, open divorce, peter cook, pop culture law, settlement

Another Popsquire prediction may come true!

Because you are a faithful follower, you likely know that Popsquire initially predicted that Christie Brinkley opted for an open divorce, in part, to pressure Peter Cook into a settlement. Today, according to the NY Post, they “are in closed-door conversations to end the ongoing cutsody dispute in Central Islip Supreme Court.”

Popsquire’s perspective…

Although this legal battle has been fun, it’s time to end it.  Details about Cook’s infidelity likely will not result in stripping him of custody or visitation entirely.  Brinkley got her story out, so it’s time to move forward and re-build her family.

If you are new to the Brinkley/Cook divorce battle, you must have been living under a rock.  Don’t fret, though, because you can catch up here.

Technorati Tags: christie brinkley, diana bianchi, divorce, internet porn addiction, peter cook, pop culture law, settlement

For today’s Christie Brinkley divorce half-time report, Popsquire presents the following quotes from this morning’s testimony by Dr. Stephan Herman, a mental health expert:

1. Peter Cook “needs constant reassurance that he is a terrific guy, handsome, accomplished.”
2. “It’s not all that unusual for men to view Internet porn” but it was “outside the Bell Curve” to “engage in sexual behavior on camera and on the Internet.”
3. Cook’s narcissism and unrealistic expectations could “cause great harm to the children.”

Popsquire’s perspective…

Expert testimony can carry great weight inside the courtroom, especially if Cook does not have an expert to rebut today’s testimony. Having said that, family law judges have seen it all, so they often are not phased by cheating or porn-viewing parents, regardless of expert testimony.

Although this round goes to Brinkley, Popsquire is still waiting for evidence that shows she should be awarded full custody of the kids. So far, the evidence mainly shows that Cook cheated on her and was a bad husband, but not a bad father. These are separate issues!

Technorati Tags: christie brinkley, divorce, islip, peter cook, pop culture law, psychiatrist, psychologist, stephan herman

Popsquire’s pop culture legal expert, Russell Wetanson, did double duty on TV Guide’s “Hollywood 411″ yesterday. Below are two segments dedicated to the Christie Brinkley divorce and the non-stop rumors about a Madonna/Guy Ritchie split.

Enjoy!

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Popsquire knows you don’t want to wait until the end of the day for all the highlights from the Christie Brinkley/Peter Cook divorce trial, so here is a little morsel to tide you over for the next few hours…

1. Brinkley teared up again on the stand today, telling the judge that she has devoted her life to her children and has not been on a date for two years.
2. Cook’s snide attorney commented on her tears during a break: “The CoverGirl makeup is holding.”

While you anxiously await the end of day three, enjoy this Tears For Fears song, “Sowing The Seeds Of Love.”

Technorati Tags: adultery, affair, cheating, christie brinkley, divorce, family law, Marriage, open court, peter cook, pop culture law, tears for fears

The Popsquire Beat provides weekly briefs with the most entertaining pop culture/law collisions of the week!

First up, the Christie Brinkley divorce trial started this week with a bang. Actually 12 – that’s the number of times Peter Cook admitted to having sex with his 19-year-old assistant, Diana Bianchi. To show Bianchi he cared, Cook also would leave envelopes full of cash hidden around the office for her to find. Who is he…the tooth fairy?

Verne Troyer, aka Mini Me, sued TMZ for posting a snippet of his sex tape on web. A Los Angeles judge initially ordered TMZ to take the snippet down. Then, after learning that Mini Me’s girlfriend created the tape and gave TMZ permission to post the snippet, the judge approved putting the snippet back up. Is Popsquire the only one who’s uncomfortable talking about Mini Me’s snippet going up and down?

And, Lindsay Lohan, who celebrated her 22nd birthday this week, will not be getting a birthday card from Popsquire this year. There were no car crashes, DUIs, lawsuits, or stolen fur coats. Instead, Lindsay had a small, private party at the Roosevelt hotel without any incident. Who does that??!

Have a good holiday weekend. Please don’t drink and drive.

Technorati Tags: birthday, christie brinkley, cocaine, crack, divorce, drugs, drunk driving, DUI, lindsay lohan, peter cook, pop culture law, tatum o'neal

Popsquire knows what you like — highlights! So, here’s some additional info you need to know from Christie Brinkley’s testimony during today’s divorce proceedings.

1. Brinkley says she “supported this man for almost ten years, he never paid for a single thing and he lived a wonderful life… all the while he was carrying on like this behind [her] back.”
2. Cook threatened to kill himself – by crashing his car into a tree — after his affair was exposed.
3. Brinkley’s son, Jack, found Cook’s porn while doing homework.
4. Brinkley — whom everyone knows is a blonde — found a “black hair” amid rumpled sheets on a bed of one of their homes.

Popsquire’s perspective…

Again, family courts generally look at what is in the best interest of the children when deciding custody issues. Testimony about suicide threats and children finding porn can be damaging, especially if either/both occurred on more than one occasion.

Here, however, testimony about one-time incidents may not have the impact that Brinkley is expecting. Family law judges have seen it all, so this kind of testimony may not be all that shocking or impactful.

No matter how this turns out, the past two days of testimony should serve as a “Wake Up Call” to the ugly side of family law!

Technorati Tags: billy joel, christie brinkley, custody, divorce, family law, money, peter cook, pop culture law

Christie Brinkley already has begun testifying this morning about Peter Cook’s affair as part of the bitter, public divorce trial.

Popsquire, of course, will give you the best highlights later today, but here are two quotes that must be shared immediately:

1. Brinkley testified that she learned of Cook’s affair with 19-year-old Diana Bianchi at a high school graduation when Bianchi’s step father whispered in her ear: “That husband of yours just won’t knock it off. He’s having an affair with my teenage daughter and that bastard won’t knock it off and I have to come to you.”

2. Cook told the NY Post this morning that his ongoing public airing of his sordid secrets is worth it: “This is about parenting and remaining in my children’s lives in the same presence I’ve always had. I’m not going to let her take my children the way she has with the last two fathers.”

Popsquire’s perspective…

Family court judges generally focus on what is in the best interest of the kids when deciding custody cases. Although Popsquire’s heart goes out to Christie, humiliating Cook during this trial doesn’t seem best for the kids.

Plenty of men (and women) enjoy internet porn and, many marriages end because of infidelity. This doesn’t mean, however, that Cook will get less time with his kids or is a bad father in the eyes of the court. Bad husband, yes…bad father, not necessarily.

Technorati Tags: affair, billy joel, brian platt, christie brinkley, diana bianchi, divorce, jewelry, peter cook, pop culture law, southhampton high school

The open-to-the-public Christie Brinkley/Peter Cook divorce trial started today way downtown…in the gutter!

Here are highlights (and amazing dinner conversation) from the first day:

1. Peter Cook (Brinkley’s soon-to-be ex) admitted that he hired then 19-year-old Diana Bianchi to work at his architecture firm’s office in the hopes of sleeping with her, which he did 12 times — twice at his office and five times in each of his two homes - starting in March 2005.

2. Cook further admitted that in addition to paying her $20,000 salary, showered her with gifts like a $2,000 watch from London Jewelers, lingerie from Victoria’s Secret, and envelopes full of cash that he would hide around the office for her to find.

3. Brinkley’s attorney says she learned of the affair in June of 2006 when she was giving the Southampton High School commencement speech. Bianchi’s stepfather approached Brinkley and whispered in her ear: “I just wanted to tell you that that husband of yours is having an affair with my step-daughter.”

4. Brinkley’s attorney accused Cook of spending $3,000 on internet porn and membership fees to online dating sites, and Cook admitted to masturbating in front of a web cam.

Now it’s clear why Brinkley wanted an open divorce…her husband clearly thought it was an open marriage!

Technorati Tags: adultery, affair, billy joel, christie brinkley, diana bianchi, divorce trial, internet porn, law, london jewelers, peter cook, pop culture, supermodel, uptown girl

Because you are a faithful Popsquire follower, you know that a New York court recently granted Christie Brinkley’s request to make her divorce trial open to the public. Now, Christie’s attorneys have begun serving subpoenas, starting with Diana Bianchi, the 19-year-old office assistant who had a fling with Christie’s soon-to-be ex husband, Peter Cook.

And, get this…the NY Post is reporting that Cook previously paid Bianchi $300,000 not to sue him or talk about the affair! That $300K will have been wasted as soon as she appears in court and is required to talk, talk, talk. The trial starts July 2.

Popsquire’s perspective…

In his decision to hold the trial open to the public, the judge said it best: “Open courtrooms, in general and in divorce actions, may provide a basis for societal education.” Of course, with the threat of airing all dirty laundry to the public, the possibility of settlement increases as subpoenas go out and the trial gets closer.

Popsquire will keep you posted!

Technorati Tags: christie brinkley, diana bianchi, divorce, law, Marriage, peter cook, pop culture

According to Access Hollywood, Christie Brinkley wants her ongoing divorce case to be made public because she’s “still spitting mad” at her ex, Peter Cook.

Among the things that may be revealed if the court makes the case public are allegations that Cook frequents internet porn sites, regularly logs on to swingers sites, and cheated on Brinkley with his 18-year-old assistant.

Popsquire’s perspective…

This move may be a strategic decision to force Cook into some kind of settlement, or it’s just a way to embarrass him. Either way, Brinkley better be careful. Once the information goes public, Brinkley loses control and risks the release of information that may damage her and her children.

In short, Brinkley better have engaged in nothing but model behavior in her past if she wants this to go 100% in her favor!

UPDATE: The court ruled in Brinkley’s favor!

Technorati Tags: billy joel, christie brinkley, divorce, law, new york supreme court, peter cook, pop culture, swinger