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Top 5: Unsuccessful Celebrity Spouses
Published: Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Top 5: Unsuccessful Celebrity Spouses
These are the top 5 "unsuccessful" celebrity spouses, as opposed to "worst" celebrity spouses, because none of us really knows what's going on in anyone's marriage. That is, sometimes good people have bad marriages. The point of this list isn't just to entertain. Maybe we can learn something from a few celebrity mistakes. The following list is based on the amount of failed marriages a celebrity has. There may be worse partners, i.e. people who are not necessarily married, but as far as married people are concerned, I think I've nailed the top 5.




Jennifer Lopez
J. Lo is no ho (sorry, I love to rhyme): when she finds a man she likes, she ties the knot almost immediately. Of course, rushing into things can be a problem, and it proved to be one for Lopez.

The singer's marriages to Ojani Noa (1997-1998) and Cristan Lee Judd (2001-2003), combined with an engagement to Ben Affleck makes it seem like J-Lo's love life is a bit erratic. Unfortunately, it might be the drive that makes J-Lo a superstar that makes her relationships eventually fizzle. Perhaps it was her way or the highway.

In a recent interview, Lopez explains the her past mistakes in matrimony:

"I think I was very focused on what I was doing in my life at the time. No one tells you that you have to work so hard at it. There's a certain notion of the fairy tale that you talk about in your head, like, 'If this is not working, then it's not working, we're not meant to be together.' But you don't find Prince Charming where everything is perfect--like you're never gonna fight, you're never gonna disagree, you're never gonna have opposing points of view. That's ridiculous, and it doesn't exist. You get to a point where you say, 'I need to work on myself,'and if I love this person, I'm gonna work on myself, and if he loves me, he's gonna work on himself."

It seems like great relationships don't just happen; they are made with much effort and determination.





Bill Clinton
We all know about Bill Clinton and his presidential transgressions. He makes the list for this reason: he was unfaithful on the biggest stage in the world and got impeached because of it. I suppose the lesson is that having such a high profile life makes marital issues into federal issues. If you can help it, keep your marriage issues in the marriage. The hopes of reconciliations after infidelity are dismal when THE WHOLE WORLD knows about it.

Of course, you can simply not cheat. That would be best.

Tiger Woods
This hackneyed story reminds us that you never really know what's going on in anyone's life. It's not that Tiger Woods cheated; it's that Tiger Woods CHEATED! Several women over the span of years. Why did this happen?
Well, we are being led to believe that Tiger has an addiction to sex, and I believe it. Having so many women when the one you married is a gorgeous professional model means that you do not have the ability to stop. Lesson: some people need serious help before they can even have the ability to be a good spouse.

Elizabeth Taylor
She has been married and divorced eight times. Eight times.
She's been married to Nicky Hilton, Michael Wilding, Mike Todd, Eddie Fisher, Richard Burton (twice), John Warner Jr., and Larry Fortensky. What was it about these guys that made them fall short of Liz Taylor worthiness?

Well, Nicky Hilton (Paris Hilton's great uncle), was an alleged batterer.
Mike Todd died in a plane crash, Eddie Fisher cheated on his wife with Taylor and then Taylor cheated on him with Richard Burton, who she divorced, remarried and divorced. The rest just didn't work out. Now, I want to reiterate that I'm not judging anyone. In fact, I think Taylor's main reason for her chronic nuptials was that she was a star at such a young age. Her first marriage to Nicky Hilton happened when she was 18 and already a star. Hollywood stardom plus youth often equals bad spouse. A good marriage demands maturity and a bit of calm. Taylor never seemed to have both these things at once.


John F. Kennedy
Kennedy makes our final selection because his affair--although alleged--was quite public and with the uber-famous Marilyn Monroe. I was around at the time, but based on the available information, many people knew of this affair and shrugged it off because the couple went so well together. Kennedy stands out because, although this is a most "unsuccessful spouse" list, Kennedy was quite successfully maintaining a marriage while publicly having an affair. Wow! Of course, at the time, women had fewer options and divorcing the President of the United States would have tainted his wife, Jacqueline, for a long time (nobody saw Kennedy's death or the counter-cultural rise of feminism coming in the near future).

Lesson: marriages need the support of everyone. If people see problems in the marriage and actually cheer them on, it might hinder improvement.


Again, there is no judgment, here. It is painful to have a relationship end, especially marriages. I can empathize with many of them and their spouses, but at least they can teach us something about marriage--before, during and after.


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by Ken Braun
I really don't buy into the Love conquers all motif. I think it's something you have to be practical about, especially when you get into relationships. Nobody's really saying that, so I'm here to add a new and fresh perspective (even if people don't want to hear it). Bleh!
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