There was a time when divorce was never spoken about on television or in pop culture. In 1962, “The Lucy Show” became the first program to prominently feature the character of a divorced woman (with the character of Lucy’s housemate, divorcée Vivian Bagley).
Today, popular dramas like “The Good Wife” and “Mad Men” feature main characters who are divorced, and any stigma that once existed has disappeared. Reality programs like “The Real Housewives” and “Divorce Court” allow the masses to ogle the “private” lives of those seeking fame but settling for 15 minutes of uncomfortable notoriety.
Now comes a new twist on the portrayal of divorce on television: “Untying the Knot,” which premieres on the Bravo network on June 4th at 10:00 p.m., starring New Jersey matrimonial attorney Vikki Ziegler, along with “appraisal experts” Mark and Michael Millea.
Each episode will feature a different divorcing couple, utilizing the show’s resources to advise, mediate and divide their marital assets, covering everything from diamonds to pets. As the show’s website says, “Why let a judge decide your fate when this ‘Divorce Diva’ can cut through all the drama to determine who will get what?”
Ziegler, of Ziegler and Zemsky, LLC in Livingston, New Jersey, is the author of “The Premarital Planner: A Complete Legal Guide to a Perfect Marriage,” and an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School in New York City. She also runs the popular after-divorce dating website divorcedating.com. She has previously worked with the Milleas to adjudicate Michael Strahan’s high-profile and drama-filled divorce.
There is little doubt that this series will not reflect the gritty reality of divorce, including the emotional and financial toll, the often-extended timeframe for legal closure, the inherent messiness of the process and its inability to make anyone completely whole in the end. But I can already tell that the underlying message of the program will be a positive and important one: if you can come together and resolve your case outside of court, whether through arbitration, mediation or a settlement conference, you should strongly consider doing so to avoid multiplying the headaches associated with concluding your marriage.
The matrimonial attorneys at Livesay & Myers, P.C. strive to expedite your divorce if possible, and seek to utilize the tools of settlement when appropriate. We have seen the pain of protracted divorce litigation, and understand that there is a better way. Contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced and compassionate attorneys today.