Did I know this was coming? Not really. What I expected from Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz’s divorce proceedings was maybe a fight over money, considering they didn’t have any kind of prenup. But I did not expect a fight over their son, Bronx. But it looks like a custody battle is a’brewin’. Please, please, please, let’s not go all Oksana and Mel on this one:
Pete Wentz does NOT want his soon-to-be-ex wife Ashlee Simpson to get primary physical custody of their 2-year-old son Bronx — as she’s requested — and now he’s taking her on in court … TMZ has learned.
Wentz just filed legal papers in response to Ashlee’s divorce petition … asking the judge for JOINT physical and legal custody of their son. In her divorce petition, Ashlee checked the box that indicated she wanted primary physical custody.
According to the docs, filed in L.A. County Superior Court and obtained by TMZ, Wentz also wants each party to pay their own legal fees … even though Ashlee asked the court to make Pete foot the bill for both sides.
And while Ashlee didn’t specify the official break-up date in her papers — Pete says the two called it quits on Feb. 9 … just days after Pete came home from a wife-less trip to Dallas for the Super Bowl.
[From TMZ]
A source close to Pete tells People Magazine, “There’s no fire. It’s a very straightforward response asking for joint custody and fair distribution of attorney’s fees. He’s not gearing up for a custody war.” Meanwhile, tabloidy sources have Ashlee as quite aggrieved over everything – Star Magazine still has Ashlee allegedly hooking up with Travis Barker, and a source tells Star: “This is her ‘f*** you’ to Pete. Ashlee thinks it was all Pete’s fault that their marriage failed. She’d never take any blame, and she wants to hurt him.” As if boning random skater boyz at dawn isn’t hurtful enough!
Photos courtesy of Fame.
Great parents they are, I don’t think either should have custody til they grow up.
This is just sad. They need to stop treating the kid like a doll and be mature enough to co-parent. Just gross.
The best possible reason for waiting before you have babies together is to make sure that your chosen partner isn’t the sort of person to have the malice or selfishness to drag their child into a custody battle, just to get back at their ex.
I’m not saying this is definitely what’s happening here – I’m sure many parents have very good reasons for wanting to limit custody – but people need to be very, very careful about who they choose to bring a child into this world with.
Not a good move, the child is the only one to suffer here. Honestly I thought they mutally agreed on custody during the split (guess I was wrong)
I wonder how much input Mr. Joe Simpson has on this – it reaks of his stench.
His hair looks like it smells. He’s let himself go.
Just a few years ago Pete was talking about the fact that he fantasized about kissing guys..next thing you know..boom baby.
Ashley knew it..and went forward with the pregnancy.
This is not a surprise. btw..I hate his hair.
They both seem very immature. Our culture celebrates immaturity. I feel sorry for the son that they burdened with that crazy name.
“Ashlee thinks it was all Pete’s fault that their marriage failed. She’d never take any blame”
If only someone had taken custody of his daughters away from Papa Joe, they might have an inkling of the concept of “personal responsibility” and their respective love lives wouldn’t have been so deliciously car crash!
I guess I’m with Pete on this one. If they live close by and are both unemployed at the moment it would be better for the sprog to have both parents – and an amicable agreement might make up for having one of the stupidest names in Hollywood.
Cubalibre, ITA.
Quirky and cool my ass- they’re both a couple of immature, once was, doofus’s. (doofi?) I say daily drug/alcohol tests for both of them and zero association with creepy Papa Joe Simpson. Christ, the need for quality nanny care in L.A. must be off the charts!
I too agree with Cubalibre.
I still tend to see Pete as the stable one. Ashlee always has had a huge immature vibe about her.
And I suspect her Mother is doing the majority of the care giving to the son.
Nor do I believe that women make a better single parent. Ashlee has made it clear she wants to go and shag random dudes and party. So let her. More power to her.
But if Pete is wanting to parent his child. And not dump him on someone else to raise him… then he should be able to raise his son.
And I hope he gets primary custody. It is great to see a man wanting to be that day to day parent after a divorce.
She wants primary custody?
What a selfish bitch!
That child’s hair is GORGEOUS! Omg…it’s just gorgeous. Haha.
I realize that we can always know the whole story just from pictures, but I’ve seen about 5 times as many pictures of Pete with their son than Ashlee. She appears to never be around, while he seems to have been doing the majority of the parenting. So I really can’t figure out why a) people are accusing him of being so immature – he seems to have led a mature, stable, child-focused life since he son was born and b) Ashlee thinks she deserves sole custody. I smell Papa Joe’s influence on that one. He probably wants Ashlee to get sole custody so he and his wife can raise the child (whild Ashlee’s off acting like a drunk college girl) and then Papa Joe can have another child to exploit/turn into a star.
Ditto Hautie, Pete definitely seems like the more hands-on parent. Pictures obviously don’t tell the whole story, but this is what I am inferring from all of the ones that we’ve seen of them with their son.
Asslee has always seemed very immature & irresponsible. I think that she grew up a little when the baby came along, but it seems like she has been reverting to her old ways for some time now.
I think she is going for sole custody so she can get spousal support as well. I mean she has to know she has no talent, right? Not even with Pete producing her album could save supposed career.
# 12, yes, yes and I agree that with Ashlee, it is a spousal support issue. Joint custody is always the best, if the child’s father wants to be involved in the child’s life let him (hello, Halle).
I don’t see this as a big deal. Neither one of them is asking for sole physical custody. She asked for primary custody, which is common for women (I picture that means the Dad gets every other weekend or something like that) and he is asking for joint physical custody, which sounds like 50/50. I’m not saying negotiations won’t break down – they might – but it doesn’t sound like either one is trying to totally cut the other parent out of this kid’s life, and that’s a good start.
Gradstudent…
That kid does have beautiful hair. Little kids have great hair, and long thick lashes, and fat creases on their chubby little arms that look adorable. Not adults, for example my hair color is brought to you by Garnier, my lashes by L’Oreal, and my blobby arms by Totinos Pizza Rolls and Chubby Hubby ice cream, and none of it is adorable. It just ain’t fair.
@Stacy: I also have hair like Pete Wentz. My hair does not smell and I suspect his does not either.
@bluhare: Thank you!!! Because, naturally curly or kinky hair has to smell, right?? The thinly-veiled racist remarks about Pete’s hair just make me sick. Just come right out and say anything but the straight, white ideal is icky and be done with it.
@TaylorB:Bhahahahahahaha! That made my day.:).
Unless he can prove she is on drugs or abuses her child she will get primary custody – mothers always do.
I have to be honest – ever since Pete Wentz lost the flat-ironed hair and “guy-liner,” I’ve started to think that maybe he’s more grounded than he used to seem. It’s a very superficial judgement, I know, but there it is. 😉
To state the very obvious: a child is a person, not a pawn or possession. Put Bronx first and see what a positive impact this will have on their image and reputation and career. It might even have a positive impact on themselves as people and as parents.