Can't Believe some of these Settlements that came from these Divorces !!
10. Shaquille And Shaunie
So far, the two sides haven't fired salvoes through the media. So to stir things, some reporters hearkened back to Kobe Bryant's sexual assault beef and Bryant's allegations of Shaq's extramarital activity.
"I've talked to Shaq a couple of times," Riley said. "I really wasn't aware that this was going to happen. But he will work it out; they will work it out, as most people do." Given O'Neal's nine-digit net worth — and the fact the couple have had four children together — Shaunie should be headed toward a healthy settlement.
9. Chris Evert and Andy Mill
To free herself for Norman, Evert pulled the plug on her 18-year marriage to former skiing champion Andy Mill. She agreed to pay her ex-hubby $7 million in cash and securities while gaining custody of their three children.
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This was still a tough dealfor Mill, who previously considered Norman one of his good friends. "These two people have really meant a lot to me for a long time," he told People. "At this point I just wish them great happiness.
8. David Justice and Halle Berry
Justice was a slugger for the Braves. Berry was an emerging actress, years away from her breakout performances. Their marriage started well enough, but their cross-country relationship eventually strained.
David claimed Halle was overly jealous and prone to tantrums. Halle responded in kind, claiming she feared for her safety. Both made lots of money, so both sides demanded alimony.
Later, Berry claimed the divorce plunged her into depression and left her contemplating suicide. "After David asked me for a divorce, things got very bad for me," she told Ebony. "I did not want my marriage to end. When David asked me to leave, I felt like my world was coming apart. I said, `What do you mean leave?' I was begging and pleading with him (to reconsider) because I always thought my marriage would be for life. I said, 'Can't we get some counseling?' But David didn't want to hear counseling. He wanted a divorce."
7. Mike Tyson and Robin Givens
They lasted a bit longer than DiMaggio and Monroe, which was amazing. Iron Mike didn't leave his rage in the boxing ring; he reportedly bragged about slapping around Givens, at the time an up-and-coming actress.
"She flew backward, hitting every (bleeping) wall in the apartment," he said.
This attitude didn't help Tyson when the lawyers got busy in 1989. During a famous interview on "20/20," Robin blasted Mike while the champ sat by her side with glazed eyes. The marriage, she said, was "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could imagine." Media estimates of her settlement ranged from $3 million to $14 million, but Givens later denied getting big money out this brief marriage. She did pile on Tyson, though, with a tell-all book later in her life — detailing, among other things, an ugly assault that occurred during their marriage.
6. Jason and Joumana Kidd
Talk about a bad ending ... Jason and Joumana held nothing back as their divorce proceedings got under way.
Jason, who made $18 million last year playing point guard in New Jersey, accused his estranged wife of "extreme cruelty" along with various forms of mental and physical abuse. "The defendant's extreme and unwarranted jealousy and rage has left the plaintiff concerned about her emotional stability," his petition read.
Here is a gem from one news account: "According to the complaint, Joumana Kidd used the couple's 8-year-old son on Dec. 27 to sneak into the Nets locker room and rummage through Jason Kidd's locker to find his cell phone. After looking up the names and numbers on it, the complaint said she left her son behind as she went upstairs to take a front-row seat, where she shouted insults at Kidd throughout the game."
Joumana countered by claiming that "numerous liaisons and perpetual physical and emotional abuse" led to the breakup of their 10-year marriage. Back in 2001, he pled guilty to spousal abuse after a domestic incident. Eventually, the Kidds worked toward an amicable settlement. "It is unfortunate things didn't happen in a more gracious manner, but I have no grudges in any way," Joumana told the New York Post. "My goal is for my kids to always focus on the positives in their father."
5. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
The brief union of these cultural icons captured the imagination of Americans long before the invention of the E! network. When they honeymooned in Japan, 100,000 American troops greeted them. This led to their famous exchange:
Monroe: "You never heard such cheering."
DiMaggio: "Yes, I have."
Alas, Marilyn loved the Hollywood lifestyle. Joe became consumed with jealousy. The marriage ended badly; Marilyn filed for divorce after just 274 days, citing emotional cruelty. Joe remained protective of Marilyn, though, and tried to guide her out of her subsequent emotional tailspin. After her death, he handled the funeral arrangement, barred Hollywood types from the ceremony and continued sending roses to her gravesite for 20 years.
4. Jeff and Brooke Gordon
For the better part of eight years, they were the squeaky-clean couple NASCAR fans loved to hate. But then Brooke filed for divorce, citing marital misconduct. The ensuing struggle caused him much grief but earned him some street cred with the public.
He estimated his fortune at $48 million. Jeff argued that he deserved the lion's share of that, since he risked his life racing. Brooke, a former "Miss Winston," countered by claiming credit for his significant marketing success — and by arguing that his worth was actually much higher.
With a master stroke, her lawyers subpoenaed race team owners during the 2003 Speed Weeks, seeking information about the hush-hush financial arrangements between top drivers and the top teams.
"It's just not fair," racing giant Ray Evernham complained. "They're turning our Super Bowl into a circus for private gain. It's pure selfishness, and it's a shame." That uproar helped spur a favorable settlement. She got $15.3 million from the sale of two properties, plus additional assets and considerations.
3. Michael and Jean Strahan
This was the perfect storm of sports divorces. Michael, an all-pro defensive end for the New York Giants, saw his split covered in exhaustive detail by the New York City tabloids.
Both sides hired powerful attorneys. Both sides went public with ugly allegations, feeding gossip mongers. After the end of the two-year struggle, Jean got the $15.3 million her prenuptial agreement called for. She also got $200,000 in child support and up to 90 percent of their kids' tuition covered.
Among the lowlights: Michael accused Jean of stealing money from him. Jean accused Michael of assaulting her before they were married and running off with mistresses (including one known as "Cupcake") after their marriage.
Then there was this, as recounted by the New York Post: "Most famously, Jean was accused of 'outing' her husband after he testified that he couldn't tell if a love letter he had written was addressed to 'Jean; or to 'John.' Jean was asked about the testimony outside of court, and said that her husband moved in with a male friend after their split, adding, 'You could say an alternative lifestyle sprouted.'" Yikes! In the aftermath of the divorce, Michael suffered additional humiliation when Jean sold off many of the possessions gained in the settlement. She presented his personal life to the public in the form of a garage sale.
<H4>2. Michael and Juanita Jordan
Michael was just getting into big money when he married Juanita, then a bank officer, in 1989. He earned in the range of $350 million during the 17 years they were together, which put her in line for at least $150 million. Juanita originally filed for divorce back in 2002, but withdrew the petition so they could attempt reconciliation. That failed and the couple divorced last year.
The split came after Michael's former lover, Karla Knafel, sued him for failing to deliver $5 million as promised for not filing a paternity suit and going public about their affair. She claimed their affair began just three months after the Jordans married (ouch) and that the marriage was a "business arrangement" (ouch again) suggested by his agent.
With these allegations already in play, Juanita was able to stay on the high road to her settlement.
AND THE # 1 ......................................................
1. Greg and Laura Norman
This divorce ranks first for two reasons: The sheer size of the settlement and the fact that another celebrity (tennis legend Chris Evert) was cast in the role of home-wrecker.
As a golfer, personality, course designer and entrepreneur, Norman amassed a fortune of $300-500 million during his marriage — depending on which media estimate you believe. Various media reports estimated Laura's settlement at between $100 million and $200 million.
Once the Norman-Evert romance became media fodder, especially in Norman's native Australia, the proceedings got chippy. At one point, Laura, a former flight attendant, discarded some of Greg's golf mementos. Norman agreed to settle rather than endure questions about his relationship with Evert. "There were some things said during this process that weren't true," Norman told reporters. "I never cut off her credit cards. Some damage was done with sensational headlines. I got questions from people. There's always two sides to a story."
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10. Shaquille And Shaunie
So far, the two sides haven't fired salvoes through the media. So to stir things, some reporters hearkened back to Kobe Bryant's sexual assault beef and Bryant's allegations of Shaq's extramarital activity.
"I've talked to Shaq a couple of times," Riley said. "I really wasn't aware that this was going to happen. But he will work it out; they will work it out, as most people do." Given O'Neal's nine-digit net worth — and the fact the couple have had four children together — Shaunie should be headed toward a healthy settlement.
9. Chris Evert and Andy Mill
To free herself for Norman, Evert pulled the plug on her 18-year marriage to former skiing champion Andy Mill. She agreed to pay her ex-hubby $7 million in cash and securities while gaining custody of their three children.
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This was still a tough dealfor Mill, who previously considered Norman one of his good friends. "These two people have really meant a lot to me for a long time," he told People. "At this point I just wish them great happiness.
8. David Justice and Halle Berry
Justice was a slugger for the Braves. Berry was an emerging actress, years away from her breakout performances. Their marriage started well enough, but their cross-country relationship eventually strained.
David claimed Halle was overly jealous and prone to tantrums. Halle responded in kind, claiming she feared for her safety. Both made lots of money, so both sides demanded alimony.
Later, Berry claimed the divorce plunged her into depression and left her contemplating suicide. "After David asked me for a divorce, things got very bad for me," she told Ebony. "I did not want my marriage to end. When David asked me to leave, I felt like my world was coming apart. I said, `What do you mean leave?' I was begging and pleading with him (to reconsider) because I always thought my marriage would be for life. I said, 'Can't we get some counseling?' But David didn't want to hear counseling. He wanted a divorce."
7. Mike Tyson and Robin Givens
They lasted a bit longer than DiMaggio and Monroe, which was amazing. Iron Mike didn't leave his rage in the boxing ring; he reportedly bragged about slapping around Givens, at the time an up-and-coming actress.
"She flew backward, hitting every (bleeping) wall in the apartment," he said.
This attitude didn't help Tyson when the lawyers got busy in 1989. During a famous interview on "20/20," Robin blasted Mike while the champ sat by her side with glazed eyes. The marriage, she said, was "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could imagine." Media estimates of her settlement ranged from $3 million to $14 million, but Givens later denied getting big money out this brief marriage. She did pile on Tyson, though, with a tell-all book later in her life — detailing, among other things, an ugly assault that occurred during their marriage.
6. Jason and Joumana Kidd
Talk about a bad ending ... Jason and Joumana held nothing back as their divorce proceedings got under way.
Jason, who made $18 million last year playing point guard in New Jersey, accused his estranged wife of "extreme cruelty" along with various forms of mental and physical abuse. "The defendant's extreme and unwarranted jealousy and rage has left the plaintiff concerned about her emotional stability," his petition read.
Here is a gem from one news account: "According to the complaint, Joumana Kidd used the couple's 8-year-old son on Dec. 27 to sneak into the Nets locker room and rummage through Jason Kidd's locker to find his cell phone. After looking up the names and numbers on it, the complaint said she left her son behind as she went upstairs to take a front-row seat, where she shouted insults at Kidd throughout the game."
Joumana countered by claiming that "numerous liaisons and perpetual physical and emotional abuse" led to the breakup of their 10-year marriage. Back in 2001, he pled guilty to spousal abuse after a domestic incident. Eventually, the Kidds worked toward an amicable settlement. "It is unfortunate things didn't happen in a more gracious manner, but I have no grudges in any way," Joumana told the New York Post. "My goal is for my kids to always focus on the positives in their father."
5. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
The brief union of these cultural icons captured the imagination of Americans long before the invention of the E! network. When they honeymooned in Japan, 100,000 American troops greeted them. This led to their famous exchange:
Monroe: "You never heard such cheering."
DiMaggio: "Yes, I have."
Alas, Marilyn loved the Hollywood lifestyle. Joe became consumed with jealousy. The marriage ended badly; Marilyn filed for divorce after just 274 days, citing emotional cruelty. Joe remained protective of Marilyn, though, and tried to guide her out of her subsequent emotional tailspin. After her death, he handled the funeral arrangement, barred Hollywood types from the ceremony and continued sending roses to her gravesite for 20 years.
4. Jeff and Brooke Gordon
For the better part of eight years, they were the squeaky-clean couple NASCAR fans loved to hate. But then Brooke filed for divorce, citing marital misconduct. The ensuing struggle caused him much grief but earned him some street cred with the public.
He estimated his fortune at $48 million. Jeff argued that he deserved the lion's share of that, since he risked his life racing. Brooke, a former "Miss Winston," countered by claiming credit for his significant marketing success — and by arguing that his worth was actually much higher.
With a master stroke, her lawyers subpoenaed race team owners during the 2003 Speed Weeks, seeking information about the hush-hush financial arrangements between top drivers and the top teams.
"It's just not fair," racing giant Ray Evernham complained. "They're turning our Super Bowl into a circus for private gain. It's pure selfishness, and it's a shame." That uproar helped spur a favorable settlement. She got $15.3 million from the sale of two properties, plus additional assets and considerations.
3. Michael and Jean Strahan
This was the perfect storm of sports divorces. Michael, an all-pro defensive end for the New York Giants, saw his split covered in exhaustive detail by the New York City tabloids.
Both sides hired powerful attorneys. Both sides went public with ugly allegations, feeding gossip mongers. After the end of the two-year struggle, Jean got the $15.3 million her prenuptial agreement called for. She also got $200,000 in child support and up to 90 percent of their kids' tuition covered.
Among the lowlights: Michael accused Jean of stealing money from him. Jean accused Michael of assaulting her before they were married and running off with mistresses (including one known as "Cupcake") after their marriage.
Then there was this, as recounted by the New York Post: "Most famously, Jean was accused of 'outing' her husband after he testified that he couldn't tell if a love letter he had written was addressed to 'Jean; or to 'John.' Jean was asked about the testimony outside of court, and said that her husband moved in with a male friend after their split, adding, 'You could say an alternative lifestyle sprouted.'" Yikes! In the aftermath of the divorce, Michael suffered additional humiliation when Jean sold off many of the possessions gained in the settlement. She presented his personal life to the public in the form of a garage sale.
<H4>2. Michael and Juanita Jordan
Michael was just getting into big money when he married Juanita, then a bank officer, in 1989. He earned in the range of $350 million during the 17 years they were together, which put her in line for at least $150 million. Juanita originally filed for divorce back in 2002, but withdrew the petition so they could attempt reconciliation. That failed and the couple divorced last year.
The split came after Michael's former lover, Karla Knafel, sued him for failing to deliver $5 million as promised for not filing a paternity suit and going public about their affair. She claimed their affair began just three months after the Jordans married (ouch) and that the marriage was a "business arrangement" (ouch again) suggested by his agent.
With these allegations already in play, Juanita was able to stay on the high road to her settlement.
AND THE # 1 ......................................................
1. Greg and Laura Norman
This divorce ranks first for two reasons: The sheer size of the settlement and the fact that another celebrity (tennis legend Chris Evert) was cast in the role of home-wrecker.
As a golfer, personality, course designer and entrepreneur, Norman amassed a fortune of $300-500 million during his marriage — depending on which media estimate you believe. Various media reports estimated Laura's settlement at between $100 million and $200 million.
Once the Norman-Evert romance became media fodder, especially in Norman's native Australia, the proceedings got chippy. At one point, Laura, a former flight attendant, discarded some of Greg's golf mementos. Norman agreed to settle rather than endure questions about his relationship with Evert. "There were some things said during this process that weren't true," Norman told reporters. "I never cut off her credit cards. Some damage was done with sensational headlines. I got questions from people. There's always two sides to a story."
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