Brinkley: All I Ever Wanted Was a Big Happy Family
Christie Brinkley was back on the stand Monday for a tearful day three in her divorce and custody case.
Resuming testimony that began Thursday, the 54-year-old Uptown Girl played up her mothering credentials to the Long Island court, portraying herself as a much better caretaker for her kids than estranged husband Peter Cook, who admitted to having an affair with an 18-year-old staffer and a $3,000-a-month online porn habit during their marriage.
“The role of family to me is the most important thing,” Brinkley told the court, while choking back sobs.
“I’m sorry I’m crying right now, but the only thing I’ve ever wanted was a big happy family.”
The Vacation star told of how horrified she was when she threw an eighth birthday party for daughter Sailor Lee, baking cakes for 40 kids and trying to put on a happy face just a week after learning of the 49-year-old architect’s infidelity.
“It was hardI was devastated,” she said. “I was in this emotional tug-of-war and discovering more every day. It was a nightmare.”
The estranged couple are facing off over who will ultimately get custody of 12-year-old Jack and Sailor, now 10.
The former Sports Illustrated swimsuit fixture recalled breaking the news to the kids, telling them “I think Daddy has fallen out of love with Mommy.”
Brinkley said she went to great lengths to shield their kids from the tabloid tumult that followed, taking them camping in Colorado without access to TV or the Web.
Brinkley said they were atop a mountain under the stars when Cook’s teenage lover, Diana Bianchi, “spilled the beans” on TV “to get her 15 minutes of fame.”
She also went over her résumé, including speaking at the United Nations about the role of a mom as a “peacemaker” and being named Mother of the Year by a New York group.
Per New York’s Newsday, Brinkley also gave a glimpse inside the home life at their $30 million spread in Bridgehampton.
The compound features a children’s library, game rooms, an art studio and music rooms, a tennis court which doubled as a skate park for Jack, and a variety of pets: a Yorkie named Pinkie, a labra-doodle dubbed Sugar, a bunny called Gracie May and an African grey Conure named Kiwi Houdini Valentine.
“He’s a bird who think he’s a cat,” quipped Brinkley.
Brinkley also announced today that because of the roller-coaster ride she’s been on with thisher fourth marriageshe wasn’t planning on dating anytime soon, particularly out of concern for the children.
“They need a lot of attention right now,” she said. “They need to be reassured how loved they are [and] how their place is strong and secure in our lives.”
Christie Brinkley Breaks Down in Court
Christie Brinkley Breaks Down in Court
With her divorce trial underway, Christie Brinkley has a long hard road ahead of her. And it sounds like things are already getting pretty tough.
During the second day of the proceedings, the supermodel reportedly broke down in tears as she explained to the court the manner in which she was informed of her husband’s infidelity.
Brinkley recalled that she was delivering a commencement address at a Hamptons-area high school back in 2006 when the step-father of her husband’s mistress’ confronted her.
“Suddenly, I heard these words … I heard, ‘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,’” said a teary Christie.
“I said, ‘What did you say?’ At this point my eyes were fading out at the edges, this tunnel vision in a way. I looked at Peter and he was just going ‘no’ and I thought it’s true — he did that.”
Brinkley’s attorney also told the court the Peter Cook (Christie’s soon-to-be ex) had run up an internet pornography bill to the tune of $3000.
Nevertheless, Cook told press that this trial “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.”
This one’s gonna get messy!
"Shattered" Brinkley Takes Stand in Divorce Trial
Dealing with the fallout of her husband’s betrayal didn’t feel like a death to just Christie Brinkley, it felt like one to her friends, too.
The erstwhile cover girl took the stand during the second day of testimony in her public divorce trial from philandering architect Peter Cook Thursday, testifying as to her confrontation with Cook and subsequent reaction after learning of his affair with an 18-year-old staffer.
“I just said to Peter, ’How could you?’ ” she said on the stand, making her testimony all the more poignant by choosing that moment to look at Cook head-on for the first time in the two-day trial.
Brinkley further testified that she learned of her husband’s affair with Diana Bianchi from the teen’s police officer stepfather, Brian Platt. He had informed Brinkley of her husband’s infidelity moments before she was to speak at a local schoolan incident she referred to as “the day my world was completely shattered.”
“I turned to look at Peter,” she said. “His face was so tense…He was saying, ’No.’ I thought, ’Oh my god. It’s true. He did it.’ I knew from his face. It explained the feelings I’d been trying not to feel.”
When she further confronted Cook with the man’s claims, Brinkley said he asked her, “You’re not going to believe that man over me, are you?”
Brinkley said the couple’s now 10-year-old son was with them at the time and that she “saw little Jack’s face looking at his dad, the man and me. I thought, I am going to pass out.”
At that point, she asked Cook to take her home so as not to break down in public. After they arrived, she quickly left again on her own.
“I was just in shock,” she said. “I just started driving away from my perfect life. I thought I had the picket fence. We were happy.”
In addition to the shock of it all, Brinkley said her initial reaction was “to get to the bottom of this. I need to know.”
Prior to Brinkley taking the stand at Central Islip Supreme Court, her close friend and Today entertainment correspondent Jill Rappaport testified to Brinkley’s depressed state following the June 25, 2006, argument that led to the disintegration of the couple’s marriage.
Rappaport said she found Brinkley pulled over on the side of a public road.
“When I got there, Christie was lying on the ground huddled over with her hands on her knees. I thought she had died,” Rappaport said. “She was sobbing…almost catatonic. I grabbed her by the shoulders, and she said, ’Can you believe this? Please tell me this is a nightmare.’ “
Later, Brinkley also addressed Cook’s witness stand confession that he spent $3,000 per month on pay Internet porn sites during their 10-year marriage.
“I found conversations of him trying to lure girls, saying he would take them shopping, saying he would pay them if he could see their face.
“I felt really stupid. Why didn’t I know? Why wasn’t I aware of this? I felt humiliated. I felt shattered. I just felt grief-stricken.”
Brinkley said she confronted Cook about her findings and “he said it was an abberation, something he was only into now because of the guys in the office.”
During a recess, Cook belittled Brinkley’s tearful testimony, “Shrek was more believable,” he quipped, per Newsday.
Roughly 30 witnesses are expected to take the stand in the case, which will run about four weeks.
The first day of testimony yesterday featured Brinkley’s daughter with Billy Joel, Alexa Ray Joel, as well as Bianchi and Cook, who did his fair share of bawling during his time on the stand.
Brinkley Feels "Really Badly" for the Other Woman
Christie Brinkley has been through a lotand she still has a lot to go throughbut she hasn’t lost her ability to empathize.
“I’d just like to say after two days of testimony that I can’t help but think about Diana Bianchi, and I want her and her family to know that I feel really badly for them,” the jilted former supermodel said after court Thursday, referring to the woman who was a teenager when she had an affair with Brinkley’s soon to be ex-husband, Peter Cook.
“I feel bad for her and I forgive her completely.”
Brinkley testified earlier today that she learned about the affair from Bianchi’s policeman stepfather.
“Today was really difficult reliving all the horrors” of that time, she told reporters outside the courthouse.
Testimony is scheduled to resume Monday.