Mayim Bialik To Divorce

[Sister Mozz]

I don't follow her, but I know we've talked about her some here.

 

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/mayim-bialik-announces-divorce-211300654.html

[ceg045]

She was just in some sort of accident recently, too, wasn't she? I side-eye some of her views, but it sounds like she's going through quite a rough patch. I wish her the best.

[Deleted03]

I read that. I thought it was weird how she kept referring to men around her as hot. (her assistant, her hand doctor, etc). Maybe it's just me.

[Seven Severn]

Wow. Her husband converted for her. His mother converted a bit later. They were Mormon, previously.

[FaustianSlip]

Without trying to be excessively harsh, if her husband converted to Judaism "for her," then he never should have converted at all. That said, I do wonder a bit whether her move toward more Orthodox observance (and the fact that he neither had an Orthodox conversion nor appeared to be interested in one) contributed in some way.

[crazyforkate]

Wow, that's a surprise! Don't agree with her on much, but I wish her and her soon-to-be-ex and her kids the best.

[YPestis]

That's sad but it happens (more often in Hollywood, it seems). I know her as the "Blossom" girl and from "Big Bang Theory". She's a pretty smart gal, even has a PhD in neuroscience. I wish her the best.

[Deleted03]

Without trying to be excessively harsh, if her husband converted to Judaism "for her," then he never should have converted at all. That said, I do wonder a bit whether her move toward more Orthodox observance (and the fact that he neither had an Orthodox conversion nor appeared to be interested in one) contributed in some way.

I wonder the same things. I chuckled that she mentionned that AP was not a reason why she divorced. I wanted to ask if her Orthodoxy was one.

[terranova]

Without trying to be excessively harsh, if her husband converted to Judaism "for her," then he never should have converted at all. That said, I do wonder a bit whether her move toward more Orthodox observance (and the fact that he neither had an Orthodox conversion nor appeared to be interested in one) contributed in some way.

I agree. If he wasn't converting for himself, he shouldn't have converted at all.

Could they have still married if he didn't convert?

[ilovetchotchkes]

I agree. If he wasn't converting for himself, he shouldn't have converted at all.

Could they have still married if he didn't convert?

Well they could have had a civil marriage. A Jewish one it depends on the rabbi.

[Seven Severn]

I agree. If he wasn't converting for himself, he shouldn't have converted at all.

Could they have still married if he didn't convert?

On their first date (they'd been study buddies in University for a while) she told him she couldn't marry anyone unless they were Jewish.

[WonderingInWA]

I have only followed her recently just because I was intrigued by her parenting style (she is AP and very dedicated to it and wrote a book about it like it was something she invented, which she didn't). She is still nursing her 4yo son which I think would be difficult with as much as she travels. I'm sad for her and her kids, but I know my own children are happier now that my husband and I are divorced -- not so much tension in the house. So hopefully that will be the same for her.

[tropaka]

I am a cynic. Although I practice AP too, I'm thinking she mentioned that their parenting style didn't impact their decision to divorce because she didn't want to hurt sales.

APing has been around a long time; like thousands of years.

[WonderingInWA]

I am a cynic. Although I practice AP too, I'm thinking she mentioned that their parenting style didn't impact their decision to divorce because she didn't want to hurt sales.

APing has been around a long time; like thousands of years.

Yes, I too APd with my kids although I did not EBF (they both gave it up at around 13 months, which was fine with me). And I agree -- she mentioned it wasn't a factor since the timing of it would hurt her book sales for sure. But in the short time I've followed her blog, I find her a very busy gal between acting and traveling peddling her book and attending awards shows. I find her an interesting person and am surprised she takes the time to blog. And then she had a horrible injury a few months ago in a car accident.

[BravaAmica]

I wonder if he changed his stance on vaccinating the kids? :twisted:

[terranova]

On their first date (they'd been study buddies in University for a while) she told him she couldn't marry anyone unless they were Jewish.

Couldn't or wouldn't?

[Arete]

Most probably wouldn't.

[Sister_Wife]

This makes me a bit sad, I just started reading her book this week, and it seems like they are totally devoted to the kids.

But I agree with WanderinginWA, that the year before my parents divorced was hell... I was sad but relieved when my Dad moved out.

Hopefully they can put that behind them and still be wonderful parents!

[2xx1xy1JD]

I'm sorry to hear that things did not work out for her and her husband.

[i don't say that I'm sorry that people are divorcing - as a divorce lawyer, I know that some relationships need to be put out of their misery, and the arrival of the final divorce order is often eagerly anticipated. I do, however, feel sad for the people involved when the relationship fails, because it represents the loss of a dream.]

So far, the statement sounded mature. I hope that it stays that way, and doesn't descend into something messy.

I don't think it's possible to speculate on the cause of the split. I'm not going to automatically assume that AP had anything to do with it - if anything, they sound like they were the opposite of the fundie "screw the kids and be a servant to your husband" mindset. I do wonder, though, if the changes in going from relatively anonymous student (yes, she had been a child star, but she went off the radar when she went to university) with a very low-key style, to being extremely hands-on parents to 2 kids, to suddenly getting a makeover and becoming a TV star again and being on the red carpet and writing/promoting a book may have contributed to the marital strain.

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

I'm sorry to hear that things did not work out for her and her husband.

[i don't say that I'm sorry that people are divorcing - as a divorce lawyer, I know that some relationships need to be put out of their misery, and the arrival of the final divorce order is often eagerly anticipated. I do, however, feel sad for the people involved when the relationship fails, because it represents the loss of a dream.]

So far, the statement sounded mature. I hope that it stays that way, and doesn't descend into something messy.

I don't think it's possible to speculate on the cause of the split. I'm not going to automatically assume that AP had anything to do with it - if anything, they sound like they were the opposite of the fundie "screw the kids and be a servant to your husband" mindset. I do wonder, though, if the changes in going from relatively anonymous student (yes, she had been a child star, but she went off the radar when she went to university) with a very low-key style, to being extremely hands-on parents to 2 kids, to suddenly getting a makeover and becoming a TV star again and being on the red carpet and writing/promoting a book may have contributed to the marital strain.

This. I also can't imagine the stress and strain on any marriage of being a working actor, APing two kids, and maintaining Orthodox observance. It's enough to make anyone crack, I should think.

[longskirts]

Mayim Bialik is not Orthodox (although maybe she wants to go in that direction). I think she may have described herself has conservadox. She does some things, like working and filming on holidays, that Orthodox Jews and some conservative Jews believe completely unacceptable.

[Deleted03]

This. I also can't imagine the stress and strain on any marriage of being a working actor, APing two kids, and maintaining Orthodox observance. It's enough to make anyone crack, I should think.

I think her husband must be homeschooling the kids, because she obviously can't do that herself.

[2xx1xy1JD]

I think he was a SAHDad.

I was just looking up articles on it and realized that I actually know people who are part of her homeschooling network - ironically, through a friend in LA whose daughter's Bat Mitzvah I'm missing this weekend. SOTDRT it is not. I remember being at a conference 3 years ago and hearing them talk about this homeschooling network. They made it sound wonderful - time at the park and walks on the beach and nature hikes and lots of meeting up with the other homeschoolers, plus the kids were all doing wonderful and brilliant things. [Reality hit me a few minutes later, as I realized that I don't live in southern California and that just being home with the kids for an occasional snow day drives us batty.] From what I remember, the parents were all educated and eclectic, and the kids were probably doing brilliant and creative things because the parents were brilliant and creative.

[lilwriter85]

I'm sorry to hear that things did not work out for her and her husband.

[i don't say that I'm sorry that people are divorcing - as a divorce lawyer, I know that some relationships need to be put out of their misery, and the arrival of the final divorce order is often eagerly anticipated. I do, however, feel sad for the people involved when the relationship fails, because it represents the loss of a dream.]

So far, the statement sounded mature. I hope that it stays that way, and doesn't descend into something messy.

I don't think it's possible to speculate on the cause of the split. I'm not going to automatically assume that AP had anything to do with it - if anything, they sound like they were the opposite of the fundie "screw the kids and be a servant to your husband" mindset. I do wonder, though, if the changes in going from relatively anonymous student (yes, she had been a child star, but she went off the radar when she went to university) with a very low-key style, to being extremely hands-on parents to 2 kids, to suddenly getting a makeover and becoming a TV star again and being on the red carpet and writing/promoting a book may have contributed to the marital strain.

I wonder about those things too. I remember back in late 90s and early 00s, a lot of people in Hollywood were predicting that Mayim wouldn't return to acting. VH1 did an Where Are They Now? segment on Mayim. She talked about becoming heavily involved with Jewish centers in L.A. and she was filmed playing the piano and singing with Jewish seniors.

[WonderingInWA]

I wonder about those things too. I remember back in late 90s and early 00s, a lot of people in Hollywood were predicting that Mayim wouldn't return to acting. VH1 did an Where Are They Now? segment on Mayim. She talked about becoming heavily involved with Jewish centers in L.A. and she was filmed playing the piano and singing with Jewish seniors.

I wonder about those things, too. I do wonder what the discussion was like between her and her beloved about who would work and who would be the at-home parent. I think I would have had a hard time being an AP mother and practicing extended breastfeeding while simultaneously having a Hollywood career and pushing a book and honoring religious holidays. I know she has been said to be an overachiever, but at some point something has to give and unfortunately, it sounds like that was her marriage. Sad.