Falling in love is an intimate experience—unless you're a celebrity.
Getting jilted is one thing. Being kicked to the curb in the flashbulb glare of the tabloid paparazzi is every woman's worst nightmare. Here's what we mere mortals can learn from celebrity relationships, both good and bad:
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt...
The Good: It's inevitable that
sparks will fly in the workplace. That's how
Angelina Jolie and
Brad Pitt met in the first place, right?
But after all the drama, the true test of coupledom is what happens in the long term.
And the most obvious obstacle course is a job takes one of out of the other's orbit. In the case of Brangelina, those times are few and far between. Even on location, they make time for each other—and for their growing family.
The Bad: A two-career family can wear and tear down any relationship. And when there are kids involved (not to mention lots of them),
if both partners aren't into parenting, then things can fall out—pretty fast, and pretty ugly.
The Reality Check: A great relationship is a support system: It's always got to be the two
of you, in sync. And sometimes it's even the two of you against the
world. In that regard, the give-and-take of the Jolie/Pitt union has
made even the naysayers take notice—and in some cases, applause.
...as opposed to Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson.
The Good: Mutual attraction is always a given in a relationship. Great sex makes things all the sweeter. And (as with
Kate Hudson and
Owen Wilson) if he has a quirky sense of humor that complements your own, then it's a match made in heaven....
The Bad: ...Or, is it? The things that may attract you initially—like that deliciously dark wit, or that fact that he's a high profile partner—may repel you over time. Particularly if it evidences a lack of emotional balance. The bottom line:
he'll never be able to commit.
The Reality Check: With children come adult responsibilities. It's one thing to be a mom to your son. It's another to have to play mom to your boyfriend. Smart women look for supportive, mature men.
They also seek to avoid making the same mistakes, over and over again. That said, is Kate's newest beau,
Lance Armstrong, in it for the long haul, or the celebrity notoriety?
Only time will tell. But if it turns out their coupling fizzles instead of sizzles, Kate needs to reconsider her priorities, too. Is she looking for a paparrazzi-worthy date, or does she want to follow in mom
Goldie Hawn's footsteps, and find a committed mate?
Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee . . .
The Good: It's always great when soul mates find each other. And of course, love and lust are always a wonderful combination..
The Bad: ...unless
one partner is prone to flirting (like
Pamela Anderson), or
can't be monogamous—and the other is always jealous (like
Tommy Lee).
The Reality Check: Tommy Lee was quoted recently in
Rolling Stone for rhapsodizing about
his
on again/off again/ on again and again relationship with his
(twice) ex this way:
“Pamela and the kids have moved in with me. It’s awesome, man. It’s
definitely working. You can tell on the kids’ faces — they’re happy
when we’re together... We’ve only given it a try 800 times—801, here we go.”
We'll
keep our fingers crossed for you, Tommy. And pray that the sparks
between Pamela and Las Vegas magician Criss Angel lose some of their
heat. But our gut tells us that, eventually, you'll just have to face up to the fact that it's never going to work, no matter how much electricity flows between you. Why? Because lasting love takes commitment, both physical and emotional—from
both of you.
...as opposed to Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins.
The Good: Intellect, and a commitment to big issues are two traits that
Susan Sarandon and
Tim Robbins find attractive in each other—besides the obvious physical attraction. (The film
Bull Durham is proof that their chemistry translates well onscreen, too...)
The Bad: Sometimes
a big age difference can test a relationship. The fact the there is a twelve-year age spread between Sarandon and Robbins, and that they are both in a high-profile industry, could easily have been the one-two punch to bring down this union.
The Reality Check: Sarandon and Robbins' relationship has been tried and true through twenty years and two children. It just goes to show that maturity isn't a matter of age. It's a matter of action.
More SMW Relationship Advice
Keith Ablow on "Carbon Copy Men"
Matchmakers Do the Math—But Does It Add Up for You?
How to Survive a Break Up with Your Best Friend
© 2008 SingleMindedWomen.com All rights reserved. Permission to reprint this article must be obtained from SingleMindedWomen.com.
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