THE flood of e-mails, snail mail and telephone calls protesting my comments last Sunday about the Michael Jordan divorce saga has me wondering if readers understood what I wrote.
Let me set the record straight. I am not a great supporter of divorce, unless it is absolutely necessary. I see it as a last resort, not the first option. Remember, I come from a family steeped in the tradition that marriage is forever.
Speaking from experience, no divorce is without trauma, even when both partners agree that ending the marriage is necessary. This is especially true when children are involved. And the drama can get even worse if one or both parents has the least bit of celebrity.
Imagine how painful it is for a child, who has been sheltered from the cold, cruel world by their parents, to go to school and hear their playmates rehash what they – and their parents – have seen on tabloid TV and in the gossip columns.
In my own case, my divorce was granted at 9:30 a.m. and was on the news at noon – before my children returned from school and before I was able to tell them about it myself.
“How do you feel?” people asked. How was I supposed to feel? My marriage, and my life as I had known it, was over and buried. No matter that it was my choice, no matter how necessary my divorce was, there’s a box of memories, keepsakes and children to serve as constant daily reminders that we are not perfect.
Last week, I urged Jordan’s wife, Juanita, to think about wanting to salvage a celebrity marriage that clearly has some major problems. I urged her to be brave enough to go it alone if there was a chance of a repeat of her current problems some time down the road. Some readers praised my support of “bachelorettehood” while other applauded my own courage to re-enter the singles’ circle. But some misread my advice.
Believe me, my divorce had nothing to do with a desire to be footloose and fancy-free. It was a decision made out of necessity and growth. Not my needs, mind you, but my children’s. Their welfare and well-being is first and foremost to me. Had there been any way to repair my marriage, I would have done so, for the sake of the children.
I just hope Juanita Jordan is motivated by the same issues, not the celebrity and bank account of her husband. There, I’ve stated my case for the record . . . and I stand by it.
BOB Mackie, who has dressed Hollywood’s elite and who is rumored to be designing a bridal gown for Liza Minnelli’s upcoming nuptials, launched his latest couture line in an “Ode to Broadway” under the white tent at Bryant Park last week.
I was there in the front row. Acknowledging the effects of 9/11 on the Big Apple, this master designer, known for his flamboyant yet elegant costumes and gowns, told me he chose a Broadway theme to give a boost to the Great White Way.
“I wanted to do something of a feel-good nature for New York and New Yorkers,” he said. Mackie’s romp through Fashion Week certainly succeeded in meeting that goal. There were beads, sequins and feathers (including a lion’s-mane headdress), diaphanous fabrics, big hair and flowing trains.
Sitting near me was “Sopranos” star Lorraine Bracco, who shared my opinion of Mackie’s offering. “He knows how to dress a woman,” she said.
Gorgeous soap diva Susan Lucci, also sitting nearby, called Mackie “a gifted wonder” while reigning Miss Universe Denise Quiñones said, “The fashions are fun, spectacular, very showbiz.”
Broadway tune after Broadway tune accompanied the models as they danced down the catwalk. My favorite was “Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)” that accompanied Mackie’s flapper-style evening wear, including a must-have elegant chocolate-brown gown and matching mink-trimmed wrap. Pair this with some strappy Manolos and look out!
VICTORIA’S SECRETS: Talk about filling a room with super-strength estrogen! Ageless beauty Jacqueline Bisset, Marisa Berenson and Patricia Duff were seen chatting up a table at Elaine’s last week while patrons rubbernecked to catch a glimpse of the three femme fatales. And they, in turn, did their own fair share of people-watching.
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