While divorce is a horrible experience that anyone can undergo in their own lives or the lives of our near and dear ones, it seems to be a matter of great interest when celebrities are involved. Analysing the reasons why celebrity divorces invoke great interest, I arrived at two factors. In the first place, much is attributed to the media publicity that these celebrities enjoy. In the second place, the amount of money that gets involved in alimony draws even greater attention. In this article, we shall take a sneak preview into two interesting celebrity divorces.
Michael Vs Juanita Jordan: A Different Ball Game
People in the vicinity of the Lake County Circuit Court knew very well that the game of basketball was never played in the court premises. However, when they saw basketball legend Michael Jordan appear at the county court, they knew it had to be for a reason different from basketball. While the end of 2006 marked the end of a 17-year marriage, the world was much more interested in the outcome than the emotions that were involved in the breakup. Basketball legend Michael Jordan and his wife Juanita called it quits for the second time in their seventeen-year relationship.
In a statement that was issued by their attorneys, the couple announced that they had decided to go in for a mutual and amicable end to their relationship. A judgment to this effect had been passed and that there would be no further statements from the couple themselves. The statement further read out that the couple had decided to settle the agreement amicably through a mutual dialogue. However, the money involved in the deal was never disclosed.
Prior to this, Juanita had filed for divorce way back in Jan 2002 on grounds of irreconcilable differences. However, the petition was withdrawn weeks later citing the grounds that the couple were attempting for a reconciliation. When Juanita had earlier filed for divorce in 2002, following the news of Michael having an affair with an actress, she claimed for half of the marital assets, or an equivalent of $400 million. She also sought the ownership of the eight-acre estate in Lake Forest and custody of all their three children.
Surprisingly, as if to add another twist to the story, in July, a judge rejected a lawsuit filed by Michael’s former lover, Karla Knafel. She claimed in public that Jordan had promised her $5 million for her to remain silent and for not filing a paternity suit when she had become pregnant in 1991. However, Michael denied of making any such promises.
Juanita and Michael were married on the 2nd of September 1989 in Las Vegas. They had three children out of this marriage: Jeffrey, Marcus and Jasmine.
Neil Diamond Vs Marcia Murphey: The $150 Million Relationship
Born in January 1941, Neil Leslie Diamond is a famous American singer and lyricist. He topped the world of pop music and reigned between the 1960s and 1980s. Till this date, Neil has a very large following for the rare gems and the big hits that he produced during the period.
In 1963, he married a schoolteacher, Jaye Posner. They had two children, Marjorie and Elyn, out of that marriage. However, things did not go too long for this pair and the marriage came to an end in 1969. Three weeks later, he married TV producer Marcia Murphey in the same year. They too had two children out of the marriage: Jesse and Micah.
Twenty-five years passed by without a single incident when disaster struck in the form of rumours of extramarital affairs on Neil’s part in 1994. Following these rumours, Marcia filed for divorce citing the popular reason of irreconcilable differences between the couple. Neil Diamond had to settle in for a divorce settlement of $150 million that was worth half his assets. He was quoted as stating that he was ready to part with that money without regrets and that Marcia deserved every penny of it. Michael should have been a little more careful the second time around, shouldn’t he?
Celebrity Divorces: The Last Word
While reading about celebrity divorces, I feel fascinated by the amount of money that is involved in the proceedings. To be honest, I am jealous at times. I just have a word of request to all reading this article. Let us not hype up another celebrity divorce. After all, they too are humans and they too have emotions. Let us not play with them, at least, at their time of distress. And remember after their divorce they will be seeking to form new relationships.
