Oct 9, 2008 6:33 am US/Eastern
Christie Brinkley's Ex Explains Why He Cheated
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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Model Christie Brinkley and then-husband Peter Cook in 2002. (File Image)
Matthew Peyton/Getty Images
It's been three months since Christie Brinkley and her ex-husband Peter Cook aired their dirty laundry in divorce court. Cook is now sharing his side of the story, with an explanation for why he cheated on Brinkley with an 18-year-old employee.
In a broadcast interview he said, "I was seeking a connection I could not find in my own marriage. I wanted a little acknowledgement, a little attention, a little thank-you every now and then for my efforts."
Long Island, N.Y., resident Betty Ganz is not impressed, according to a report by WCBS-TV in New York. "I think that's a very lame excuse. If he wasn't happy at home he should've discussed it with his wife and gone for counseling."
Her husband Mel Ganz added, "I'm not going to disagree with her, then I'll need counseling."
"That's the 99 percent answer, I did it because I didn't receive what I wanted to get at home, no reciprocation, that's standard. There's always going to be cheating. If there's no communication the marriage is destined to fail," said Harlem resident R.T. Finch.
Psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Susan Bartell agrees. "When people have relationships and then they cheat on their partner and they use an excuse like that, it's really inexcusable. It's not a real reason
to cheat on somebody."
Bartell said Cook should be trying to heal the family by taking responsibility for cheating. She said the most destructive part of this blame game is how it affects the couple's two young children. "Parents need to act in all times in their children's best interest, and he's not doing that, he's acting in his own best interest."
"I can't imagine that she's the type of person who wasn't showing any affection at all. That's a conversation you have. You don't cheat because she's not showing enough affection," said New York resident Brian Sanders.
In the divorce, Christie Brinkley won custody of their two children and agreed to pay Peter Cook more than $2 million, but Brinkley's lawyer says Cook has breached the confidentiality agreement so everything's now up in the air.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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