Family Talk: To Christie Brinkley & Peter Cook

Dear Christie Brinkley & Peter Cook,

I couldn't help shaking my head at the TV this morning as I watched you, Mr. Cook, flash before me on Good Morning America.

ABC was airing a special in which you air out the dirty laundry of your divorce from Christie Brinkley.

It seems the two of you are still battling, post-divorce, and your ex-wife is also "publicly castrating" you, which is what you told the Daily News. I don't doubt—and have read—that you are both engaged in a war of words via various personal statements, and ones made through PR intermediaries.

While this may make for , it is horrid behavior. All the more so terrible that so many TV fans will undoubtedly be tuning in to hear all of the gory details of your post-split drama.

I ask you, didn't you two used to be in love, and also vow to spend the rest of your lives together?

Please no platitudes for the naive about how not every love story has a happy ending. I get that.

But I don't get why you can't overcome your unhappiness for the moments when a microphone or reporter's notebook is before you. Can you not come to terms with your divorce with some dignity and respect?

I ask because the desire to herald all the terrible wrong doings of an ex-spouse is a natural instinct, I'm sure—but not a great one to act upon when you've got kids. Not to remind you of what you already know, but you've got children who are also going through a stressful family situation.

I'm sure you've considered that the divorce will be hard on everyone.

I am all for when it comes to speaking with my own kids, but that does not mean that they need to know every single detail, or thought that runs through my head at any given moment.

On screen and print, both of you are coming off unfavorably. When two adults cannot control their emotions long enough to think of the well-being of their children first, then disdain has quite obviously taken over good judgement.

I know that navigating celebrity is difficult, and what normal folks might unload on family and friends, without stopping to distinguish.

From one parent to another, I implore you, Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook, to
stop, consider that an audience is different than an inner circle, and put the dignity of your family first.

Signed,

Liliana De Jesus, Non-celebrity Family Columnist