Hollywood mogul David Geffen, 82, won’t have to part with much of his $9 billion fortune in his divorce in California from David Armstrong, a handsome 32-year-old former go-go dancer. The two were married for just under two years.
Top divorce attorney Martha Cohen Stine, who’s represented Laurence Fishburne and Andrew Cuomo, told me, “People are startled that there was no prenup. But in this case, not having a prenuptial agreement was strategically in billionaire Geffen’s best interests.”
California law, like the law of most states, protects a person’s separate property and limits the duration of spousal support in short marriages. In California the guideline is one year of support for every two years of marriage. So Geffen will pay Armstrong one year of spousal support. Stine said, “No community property to divide because Geffen has been retired for 15 years and no marital property was accumulated.”
Stine’s West Coast equivalent, Laura Wasser, represents Geffen. Cohen concluded, “Laura has an easy case. Geffen was smart to eschew the prenuptial agreement route.”
****
Barry Diller and Anderson Cooper attend a talk at the 92nd Street Y on May 20. (Photo by Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)
Anderson Cooper interviewed Barry Diller before hundreds of fans at the 92nd Street Y about his revealing new memoir, “Who Knew.”
It seems Diller didn’t know he was capable of loving a woman until he met Diane von Furstenberg for the second time.
Diller was funny and endearing for the 45-minute talk about his book, especially when he revealed how surprised his butler was one morning to find Von Furstenberg in the kitchen.
When asked what was the most coked-up movie set when he was at Paramount, Diller said “Popeye,” starring Robin Williams.
“Coke was being shipped in the dailies film containers,” Diller said. “Everyone in our made-up village — and I mean everyone! — was completely coked out.”
The media mogul also made fun of Elon Musk. “Getting rid of waste is great, but don’t bring a fake chainsaw on stage — looks weird.”
****
Jenny Mollen and Jason Biggs. (Getty)
Jenny Mollen might love her husband, “American Pie” star Jason Biggs, but she adores her dogs.
“When my dog Mr. Teets died, my world stopped. I was in the anger stage of grief, and I fired all my agents because they didn’t send me condolences,” Mollen told Social Life editor-in-chief and socialite Devorah Rose.
“I was broken, completely shattered. I’m still not over it.”
Mollen admits that her grief rituals extend into her daily life: “I just bought a piece of jewelry, and some people will put their jewelry in a bowl of salt under the moonlight. Well, I have to put it in a bowl of Mr. Teets’ ashes.”
The author of “Live Fast Die Hot” and “I Like You Just the Way I Am” met Biggs while filming “My Best Friend’s Girl” in 2008.
The couple married that year and live in New York and the Hamptons with their two children.
Asked how she manages to juggle her acting, writing and parenting, she confessed, “I don’t balance it all. When I’m thriving in one area of my life, the other area is falling apart … I don’t think anyone can have it all at the exact same moment. It’s just an illusion.”
****
Norah Jones and Kevin Hart. (Getty)
How many celebrities does it take to change a lightbulb? This summer in Montauk it’s two — Kevin Hart and Norah Jones.
They’re performing at two fundraisers for the Montauk Historical Society — the folks who help keep the lighthouse aglow. It costs close to $2 million a year to run the place.
In the past, John Mulaney, Jimmy Fallon and Rufus Wainwright have shown up for the “bright” cause. This year Hart yuks it up on July 12 and Jones does a follow up concert on Aug. 2.
“Kevin is incredibly busy this summer so we are beyond thrilled he worked this event into his schedule,” says promoter Brian Kelly. His Murmrr Presents company is behind the booking coups.
Tickets are available at murmrr.com. Let there be light!
****
Bella Hadid launches her fragrance ‘Orabella’ in the UK with a party in London on May 16.(Getty)
Bella Hadid turned heads at the London launch of her fragrance Orabella when she wore the same sexy metallic dress Milla Jovovich wore in 1997 for the Cannes Film Festival premiere “The Fifth Element,” which co-starred Bruce Willis and Gary Oldman.
Earlier in the week at Cannes herself, Bella stayed at the Hotel Le Martinez alongside her father, Mohamed Hadid, and his longtime girlfriend, model Keni Silva, who attended the Children’s Oncology Support Fund benefit there.
The couple are passionate supporters of the charity founded by film producer Thomas Pierce, which helps children battling cancer.
Also at the benefit were William Abadie, who co-stars with Lily Collins in “Emily in Paris,” “Selling Sunset” star Emma Hernan and Hunter Doohan, who co-stars in “Wednesday” with Jenna Ortega.
****
Liev Schreiber. (Getty)
Liev Schreiber, who stars opposite Nicole Kidman in Netflix’s murder mystery “The Perfect Couple,” will serve as the honorary chair of Andy Sabin’s South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center (SOFO) Gala on July 12 in Bridgehampton.
Schreiber takes his three children to the Center and on nature walks led by Sabin to find turtles and salamanders in the woods.
The “Ray Donovan” star, an active environmentalist, says “Whether it’s eating healthier or using less fuel, these choices can make a real impact.”
Billionaire Sabin, who founded SOFO in 1988, said this year’s benefit will be hosted by Susan and David Rockefeller, Kim and Greg Lippmann and Jean Shafiroff.
Honorees include the host of Disney’s “Going Wild with Jeff Corwin.”
****
Historian John Monsky. (Getty)
John Monsky was at Yale thinking of majoring in history when his father said, “You’ll starve.”
“So I went to law school,” Monsky said. He didn’t starve.
Now with Oak Hill Capital, he is still a historian — the creator, writer, and narrator of the American History Unbound series.
His show “Independency: The American Flag at 250 Years” is at Southampton Arts Center until July 19, featuring scores of flags, including a 1775 George Washington kerchief, a flag for presidential candidate “Abram” Lincoln and flags from the Apollo lunar missions.
“The story of America is in these flags. It’s an emotional experience,” Monsky told me. “We were bold enough to go to Europe and save democracy.”
Monsky started collecting flags as a boy. Word got out. “I got a call one day from Carnegie Hall.” They agreed to fly his flags. “I thought it was a one-time deal, but they asked me back.”
Soon, an orchestra was backing him up as he told the stories of Ernest Hemingway, J.D. Salinger and Robert Capa.
Capa, the only civilian photographer landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day, took the photos that inspired the movie, “Saving Private Ryan.” But what about Betsy Ross, who is credited with inventing the Stars and Stripes? “It’s a bit of a myth,” Monsky said. “Most historians don’t think she did the first flag.”
****
Out & About: “Eros Unbound” is the steamy theme at The Red Pavilion in Bushwick on June 25 when Gina Gershon and Griffin Dunne take the stage at this Asian nightclub’s Pride Month night of erotic storytelling … Food Network star and best-selling cookbook author Katie Lee will host Dan’s Rosé Soirée on May 25 at the Southampton Arts Center. Lee, once married to Billy Joel, will debut her new organic rosé wine … Ja Rule will guest bartend at Calissa in Watermill on June 13 to celebrate the Hamptons launch of his Amber & Opal whiskey … Iron Chef Morimoto will celebrate his 70th birthday on May 3 at the soon-to-be opened MM by Morimoto in Montclair, NJ.