Tuesday, January 01, 2013

There is a lot of talk today about...

Hugh Hefner's marriage to Crystal Harris.  Most of that revolving around the fact that he is 86 years old and that she's 60 years old.  Things like the fact that when he was 17, Casablanca was the Best Picture and when she was 17, Chicago was the Best Picture.  That FDR was president when Hef was 17 and Bush Jr, when Crystal was 17.

What I'm curious about is why all the fuss?  Older woman, younger man or older man, younger woman, is there really a difference?  If two people find commonalities that send them to the wedding altar, it's nobody's business but theirs; unless fraud is going on.  If family members have a problem, and if they were invited, when whoever is officiating at the nuptials says "if anyone objects to this union, let them speak now or forever hold their peace", that's their great opportunity.  Otherwise, shut up and let them be happy.

I recall a lot of eyebrows being raised when Anna Nicole Smith married J. Howard Marshall, and he was 4 years older than Hefner while Smith was 26, just like Harris.  I just don't remember all of these "when he was XX years old this was going on, and when she was XX years old, this much newer thing had replaced it" comparisons.  They're amusing and make for good talk radio but in the end, unless someone's committing fraud, two people getting married is no one else's business.

Remember Martha Raye?  She was 75 in 1991 when she married a 42 year old man she'd known for less than a month.  She disinherited her only living child and left everything to her husband.  That's her business.  That he blew all the money over the next 14 years after her death is his business.

Doris Duke was a wealthy woman who wanted so badly to marry a diplomat from the Dominican Republic that she paid his then-wife $1 million to agree to an uncontested divorce.  I know people who are still angry with Julia Roberts for breaking up the marriage of her present husband.  Who still hold a grudge against Angelina Jolie for "stealing" Brad Pitt.  No one's business but theirs.

Good luck to Hugh and his new wife and I hope they have many happy years together.