Celebrity Break Ups: A Closer Look

Lately it seems like celebrities are doing more break ups than make-ups. And for a while, I thought I was the only one noticing this disturbing trend. But after reading a recent article in USA Today, I realized I wasn’t alone. After reading their feature, take the time to answer the Fly Question of the Day.

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Guest Feature
Written By: Arienne Thompson

Celebrity splits are nothing new in Hollywood. With the end of Amy Winehouse’s two-year marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil, who called living with her “intolerable,” the pair join other stars who have navigated rocky relationships. USA TODAY takes a look at some recent breakups and the he-said, she-said back-and-forth behind them.

Nas and Kelis

The break-up: The rap star and Milkshake singer were married in 2005 but called it quits April 30 when she filed for divorce, just ahead of the birth of their son, who is due this month. Kelis cited irreconcilable differences and is asking for $80,000 a month for spousal and child support.

He said: Nas disputed Kelis’ claims that he pulled in $11 million for a 2006 record deal, citing in legal papers that he received only about $4 million. He also revealed that his monthly income is about $148,000 and that more than $71,000 of that is for personal expenses.

She said: She let loose June 4 on Twitter in a rant about infidelity. “All the scum bag coward husbands . . . You can all go down in flames together! Hooray!” she wrote.

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Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo

The break-up: The singer and the Dallas Cowboys quarterback were in sync during an appearance at a golf tournament July 1. But now Romo is on Simpson’s roster of famous exes after People magazine reported Monday that he dumped her on the eve of her 29th birthday July 10.

They said: Neither has released a statement about the split. They weren’t shy, however, about publicly sharing their two-year romance. “We’re two people who care about each other, and it’s not hard to make it work when both of you want to see the other one,” he told People on July 1. She praised him in June’s Vanity Fair: “Dating the Cowboys quarterback comes with hype, the fans, the bloggers, but I’ve never dated a guy that was more simple. I’m always there for him after a game.”

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Usher and Tameka Foster Raymond

The break-up: The singer filed for divorce from his stylist wife on June 12. The pair were married in August 2007 and have two sons, Usher Raymond V, 1½, and Naviyd, 7 months. In the petition, Raymond said that they had been separated since July 2008 and that “the marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken.”

He said: “If there’s any turmoil, I think it’s managing all of it,” the singer told Entertainment Tonight days after the filing. “But having an incredible team that helps me do that makes it very easy, or easier than it would normally be.”

She said: Through lawyers, she said June 30 that the divorce surprised her, because she “had every reason to believe her marriage was intact.”
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Fly Question of the Day:

In your opinion, is it harder to be in a healthy relationship as a celebrity? Would you be discouraged from entering into a serious relationship with a celeb?