Christie Brinkley's Ex Addicted to the Press

Brinkley's Ex | Madonna Beats Hubby | Oprah & Obama; Gladys Knight; Newman Tribute

Peter Cook is a press junkie, and Barbara Walters is his dealer in tonight’s edition of “20/20.”

Walters asks Cook why he wanted to do the interview. Of course, someone could ask Walters why she wants to do the interview. She’s as much to blame for it as he is. You can cross Barbara off any Hamptons guest lists this summer.

In the Cook interview, the former star Hamptons architect vividly discusses his marriage to and divorce from Brinkley. He’s so self involved that he doesn’t think his kids, who are aged 12 and 10, will see it, hear about it or be affected by it.

Brinkley, meantime, has not said a word about Cook or the divorce since the judge ruled in her favor early last summer. Even when I saw her at the opening of the Metropolitan Opera three weeks ago, Brinkley steered clear of the subject entirely.

Her lawyer, Robert Cohen, has said that Cook’s talk with Walters may violate his confidentiality agreement. If so, the judge in the case should note that Cook has not hesitated to use those kids to get publicity. During the time of the trial, he gave an interview from a sailboat while at least one of the kids watched. Nice.

In ABC’s press release, they say Cook tells Walters: “My hope is that the world will see that I'm not the scum bag pervert that I've been painted to be. The misinformation that came out during the trial is the elephant in the room. It's the elephant in the room for my kids. And I'm hoping maybe if I can correct some of the wrongs."

Let’s hope Baba Wawa responds this way: He is the scum pervert that he was painted to be. In fact, it was a self-portrait. He told the judge on the stand that he, Cook, used his son’s computer to participate in Internet sex; that he sat there at the computer naked and pleasured himself while the kids were off at various activities. He also cultivated a 17-year-old girl by giving her an office job and then had an affair with her while she was still in high school.

"I was seeking a connection I could not find in my own marriage," he tells Walters who, I think, has finally lost her bearings by giving this guy a public forum.

Cook received $2 million in his divorce and none of the properties he claimed as his own. Since the trial, one company he was associated with has gone bankrupt. He is persona non grata in the Hamptons among the cognoscenti.

His best course of action would have been to take the high road and let the whole thing blow over. But press junkies can’t do that. Peter Cook thinks he’s a celebrity and values that above all else. He may come to regret that.

Madonna May Beat Hubby at Own Game

Will Madonna beat hubby Guy Ritchie at his own game?

That seems to be the situation shaping up as Ritchie’s “RockNRolla” feature heads into theaters today.

The reviews are pretty much the same as usual for the heavy handed, one-note British director of “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” Today’s New York Times review goes so far as to say that the movie’s plot is “idiotic.” Now there’s a quote for the ads.

Warner Bros. got stuck with the Ritchie film and tried to unload it over the summer. But no one wanted it. The result is a limited release today with a scheduled wider showing on Oct. 31 or Halloween. Boo!

But now IFC comes with the news that they’re putting Madonna’s “Filth and Wisdom” into New York next Friday, Oct. 17. The 80-minute feature won raves last winter at the Berlin Film Festival. If it takes off down at the IFC Center in Manhattan, the result could be a bigger release right away.

And where would that leave our happy couple? So far Madonna did the music and Guy did the movies.

But what if Madonna’s movie gets better reviews and takes in more at the box office? Where does that leave the Dynamic Duo? Does Guy sit down and record 10 unmemorable dance tracks? Where does it all end?

Oprah & Obama; Gladys Knight; Giving Back to Paul Newman; Thanks for the Auction; New Leash on Life

It’s been a while since Oprah Winfrey was seen publicly with her presidential candidate, Barack Obama. But she’s scheduled to appear this weekend in Chicago at a two-day seminar for women’s issues along with Barack, Michelle Obama and Joe and Jill Biden. A lot of heavy-hitter female Democrats should be there, too, at the Sheraton Towers Hotel starting today. You betcha! ...

The great, immortal, spectacular Gladys Knight is the featured entertainment on Oct. 22 for Denise Rich’s annual Angel Ball. The venue is Cipriani Wall Street, one of the grandest places to hear such a show. There will be other stars, I am sure. But Gladys is worth the whole thing. You can order tickets at 646-861-2033. …

As a tribute to Paul Newman, the Livanos family of restaurateurs has a proposition: For each order of chicken avgolemono soup ordered at either Molyvos or Abboccato in New York, the Livanos family will donate $2 to Memorial Sloan-Ketting Hospital in Newman's honor.

This shouldn’t be too hard to do since these are two of midtown’s hottest spots and the food is great! So get over there. …

Bob Hope’s estate is auctioning some of his personal stuff on Oct. 18 and 19 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. You can see it this weekend. Among the items: a one page letter dated 1943 from Bette Davis to Hope; a Movado watch; various costumes; the contents of his office and a selection of golf paraphernalia including 24 karat gold-plated golf tees; and two Chrysler Classic ball markers bearing Bob’s image. …

If you’re in the New York area on Oct. 25, rock star Rob Thomas (he of Matchbox Twenty) and his beautiful wife, Marisol, are hosting the first Sidewalk Angels evening up at the Saw Mill Club in Westchester, N.Y.

The evening benefits Pets Alive, a no-kill animal shelter in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Rob is going to perform at the benefit along with Chris Daughtry. Lots of special guests are coming including Andre Agassi.

More info at www.sidewalkangelsfoundation.com, where there’s a Rob Thomas song playing, or furrytailevening@aol.com. ...