chloe
01-31-2003, 2:43am
Thursday, January 30, 2003
By Roger Friedman
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77045,00.html
Christie Takes Cheap Shots at Billy Joel
Friends of rocker Billy Joel are pretty amazed by his former wife Christie
Brinkley's comments in the press yesterday. I am too. Brinkley took some cheap
shots at Joel over his weekend car accident on Long Island. She turned up at
the accident site taking pictures, then claimed she was concerned for the
safety of her daughter, Alexa.
First things first: Alexa, who is 17 and not a toddler or an infant, was not in
Joel's car when he had his accident. She has a close, loving relationship with
her dad. She is also smart enough not to get into someone's car if they're
incapable of driving. And Joel was not drunk when he swerved on the dark and
curvy Route 114 in Sag Harbor and hit a tree. Believe me, it happens. It can't
be lost on Billy that his (and my) late friend, Jeff Salaway, did the exact
same thing 18 months ago. Salaway, unfortunately, didn't live through the
experience.
Now then, isn't this the real Christie after all? That's what friends are
saying. This is the Christie Brinkley who left Billy for Ricky Taubman after
they were in a suspicious helicopter accident. When Taubman turned out not to
have the money he'd advertised, Brinkley divorced him. She took their infant
son and paid Taubman $2 million to go away.
Some theorized that Brinkley got the dough from Joel. But it was more likely
from her stepfather, TV producer Don Brinkley.
The Taubman episode was quite a saga when it unspooled back in 1996. At the
time, I spoke with several people who knew the couple in Colorado and none of
them had particularly kind things to say about Brinkley. Mostly they were
relieved that she'd left town quickly.
Christie returned to New York with Alexa and a baby, and Joel, friends recall,
nearly took her back. "He was her best friend, and extremely sympathetic," said
one. Indeed, there were rumors that the couple might hook up again, but then
Christie met architect Peter Cook and married him. Joel was more than
surprised.
Since then, Joel has continued to be Brinkley's pal — at least in public —
for Alexa's sake. "He plays at all her benefits and does anything she wants,"
said a friend. "If she had comments to make, why couldn't she have made them
privately? Why air your dirty laundry?"
So these are Christie's true colors. If I were Billy Joel I'd be feeling pretty
betrayed at this point. As for Brinkley, aside from her work-out commercials
with Chuck Norris, this is the most publicity she's gotten in years. I just
hope she doesn't come to regret it.
By Roger Friedman
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77045,00.html
Christie Takes Cheap Shots at Billy Joel
Friends of rocker Billy Joel are pretty amazed by his former wife Christie
Brinkley's comments in the press yesterday. I am too. Brinkley took some cheap
shots at Joel over his weekend car accident on Long Island. She turned up at
the accident site taking pictures, then claimed she was concerned for the
safety of her daughter, Alexa.
First things first: Alexa, who is 17 and not a toddler or an infant, was not in
Joel's car when he had his accident. She has a close, loving relationship with
her dad. She is also smart enough not to get into someone's car if they're
incapable of driving. And Joel was not drunk when he swerved on the dark and
curvy Route 114 in Sag Harbor and hit a tree. Believe me, it happens. It can't
be lost on Billy that his (and my) late friend, Jeff Salaway, did the exact
same thing 18 months ago. Salaway, unfortunately, didn't live through the
experience.
Now then, isn't this the real Christie after all? That's what friends are
saying. This is the Christie Brinkley who left Billy for Ricky Taubman after
they were in a suspicious helicopter accident. When Taubman turned out not to
have the money he'd advertised, Brinkley divorced him. She took their infant
son and paid Taubman $2 million to go away.
Some theorized that Brinkley got the dough from Joel. But it was more likely
from her stepfather, TV producer Don Brinkley.
The Taubman episode was quite a saga when it unspooled back in 1996. At the
time, I spoke with several people who knew the couple in Colorado and none of
them had particularly kind things to say about Brinkley. Mostly they were
relieved that she'd left town quickly.
Christie returned to New York with Alexa and a baby, and Joel, friends recall,
nearly took her back. "He was her best friend, and extremely sympathetic," said
one. Indeed, there were rumors that the couple might hook up again, but then
Christie met architect Peter Cook and married him. Joel was more than
surprised.
Since then, Joel has continued to be Brinkley's pal — at least in public —
for Alexa's sake. "He plays at all her benefits and does anything she wants,"
said a friend. "If she had comments to make, why couldn't she have made them
privately? Why air your dirty laundry?"
So these are Christie's true colors. If I were Billy Joel I'd be feeling pretty
betrayed at this point. As for Brinkley, aside from her work-out commercials
with Chuck Norris, this is the most publicity she's gotten in years. I just
hope she doesn't come to regret it.