Celebrity Splits

Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson

At the time of writing, this break-up is hot off the presses. Maybe mom Goldie had it right after all, as her partnership with Kurt Russell keeps chugging along without the legal papers. Stay tuned to LTK celebrity for more breaking gossip on this failed union.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

OK, it’s been said before. Plenty of times. But the split of these two celebrities caught everyone off guard. They seemed so…together. Enter a little movie called Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Cast Brad as Mr. Smith. Cast a certain globetrotting actress by the name of Angelina Jolie as Mrs. Smith. Suddenly, a little bit of “emotional cheating” and life imitates art, as the on-screen couple decide to take their love to the real world, and the part of “Mrs. Pitt” is recast.

More surprising than this celebrity split was what followed, as Jennifer Aniston was forced to sit through…Brad and Angelina frolic on a beach/in the city/in the countryside…Brad’s adopting Angelina’s children…Brad and Angelina pay humanitarian visits to nearly crisis hotspot in the world…and just before you thought Brad and Angelina might cure cancer or single handedly eradicate Third World hunger came the big announcement - Brad and Angelina were having a baby. The baby announcement was especially touchy, after the post-divorce whispers about Jennifer Aniston delaying motherhood for her career.

Things change and life moves on. Shiloh Joile-Pitt has now been born, and Jennifer Aniston has seemingly moved on with Vince Vaughn.

Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards (and Heather Locklear and Richie Sambora)

Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards in happier times.

OK, try and stay with me. Richards splits with Sheen. Richards is consoled by best gal pal (and neighbor) Locklear. Locklear and Sambora split. Locklear turns to Richards for support. Richards responds by trotting off to Europe with Sambora. It’s like an episode of Maury Povich, only better looking. Toss in David Spade in an as yet undefined role and some strange accusations about some blaring Bon Jovi music in the neighborhood, and the whole thing gets more confusing. One thing’s for sure - women everywhere are vetting the shoulders they cry on a little more thoroughly.

Did I mention that Locklear and Sheen were co-stars on Spin City? Try not to think about it too closely...

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey

Who would have ever thought the honeymoon would end for these two? Nick seemed to find the whole “ditzy blonde” routine endearing, and Jessica seemed to be riding that ditzy blonde routine right into the bank on a regular basis. Sure, Nick went into the marriage the bigger star and was eclipsed by his new wife’s ever increasing fame, but celebs understand the fleeting nature of fame, right?

Maybe not. This photogenic couple couldn’t make it work, and they went from together to separated to divorced in record time. Rumors persisted for a long time that Nick wanted Jessica back, but it’s Nick that was first to step out on an official post-marriage date, with MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo (who calls herself the “anti-Jessica”).

What sent this relationship to the history books is still unclear, through there have been hints that maybe a certain meddling father with a liking for making inappropriate remarks about his daughter’s bust line may have had a role - and a recent interview in which Nick said he would chose to spend time with the Devil himself rather than Joe Simpson might offer a clue.

And you thought it was hard to get over those memories from your last break-up - image having the whole relationship on multiple DVD sets.

Other Celebrity Splits

The former Mr. Britney Spears

Some recent honorable mentions in the celeb relationship breakdown:

• Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney - All You Need is Love? Apparently not. This divorce is getting nasty fast, as Sir Paul goes from defending his wife from gold digger accusations to sending her legal letters about removing cleaning products from the house.

• Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook - Your loved one cheats on you with a teenager, and the whole world finds out. Time for a vacation.

• Paris Hilton and (you choose) - Paris and Paris, Paris and Stavros, Paris and Stavros again…don’t forget the Nick Carter domestic abuse incident, and, well, you know the rest.

• Britney Spears and Jason Alexander - We know that Britney and Justin splitting has a bigger celeb factor, but ill-advised Vegas wedding to a former classmate angle just makes this story more fun.

• Lauren Conrad and Jason Wahler - One for everyone who watched the last episode of The Hills and shook their heads wondering how Lauren could pass up an internship with Vogue in Paris to send the summer with…Jason. The couple is no more. As they say, love is blind…and dumb and stupid.