Brad Pitt got to see the kids & exchange gifts over ‘Christmas weekend’

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Just before Christmas, Brad Pitt took a big legal dump on Angelina Jolie. Brad filed a memorandum with the court, which was basically a statement about why his filings and Angelina Jolie’s filings should be kept under seal. Brad’s argument was that Angelina loves to publicize everything about their family and the divorce, she has “no self-regulating mechanism,” etc. Sources from Jolie’s side called bullsh-t to Vanity Fair, saying that Brad was just trying to smear her and that she’s already agreed to seal the records. Oh, and by the way, if Angelina really wanted to have no self-regulating mechanism, she would have already gone straight to People Magazine and told them exactly what went down on the plane (so said the sources).

So that’s where things stood before Christmas. Add to that the pity party Brad threw with Us Weekly about how he probably wasn’t going to see the kids for Christmas, and we had a recipe for months of tabloid grudges. Well, as it turns out, Brad did see the kids briefly over Christmas weekend, at least according to Us Weekly.

Brad Pitt saw his children over the Christmas weekend amid his divorce and custody drama with estranged wife Angelina Jolie, multiple sources exclusively tell Us Weekly.

“Brad did see the kids at some point for a holiday gift exchange,” an insider tells Us. The former couple share six kids: Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8. A second source tells Us that Jolie organized the holiday get-together and that the kids’ therapist — who supervises their visits with the Allied actor — was also there. “[Brad] gave them presents and it was cordial,” the insider adds.

The family reunion came shortly after Pitt, 53, accused Jolie, 41, of compromising their children’s privacy by making their divorce case documents public. In a December 21 court filing, Pitt requested to have the case sealed and slammed his wife of two years (and partner of 12 years) as having “no self-regulating mechanism.” He also claimed that Jolie is not considering their “children’s best interest [while] attempting to clear the way to put in the public eye any allegations she can, without regard to the impact on the minor children.”

A source close to the Maleficent actress later told Us that the Fury actor’s latest legal move was “just a smear tactic” and claimed the former couple already signed a private agreement to seal the divorce case. A second insider disputed that claim, noting that Pitt would not have filed additional documents if there was already a privacy agreement.

[From Us Weekly]

Raise your hand if you believe Brad totally would have filed that memorandum with the court even if they had privately agreed to seal their divorce documents. Brad and Angelina are still due in court – or their lawyers are due in court – next week to deal with all of these filings and such. I strongly suspect that most of this will be dealt with between the lawyers, away from the courthouse, but that doesn’t mean Brad and Angelina’s teams will stay silent. They’re both leaking and playing to the media. Sigh…

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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167 Responses to “Brad Pitt got to see the kids & exchange gifts over ‘Christmas weekend’”

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  1. SnazzyIsAlive says:

    It was cordial … how sad

  2. loislane says:

    The only thing i get from this is the term “cordial”. Seems like Something in his relationship with his Kids is broken. He needs to concentrate on that.

    • Ramona says:

      Perhaps but I think its also wise to ask who leaked this bit. The therapist? Because if so he needs to go asap. Brad? This makes him look exactly as you said. Bad. The kids? Come On! Her?….. We had another tidbit from a therapy session, remember we were told that Maddox stormed out of the first session and the tension is later sort of confirmed in the emails. Who gains from leaking negatively about parental visits and once you know who, how credible is the report thereafter?

      • erick says:

        fax angelina jolie

      • Ramona says:

        I tried. It was engaged. Perhaps faxing a new detail of the “cordial”, “therapist supervised meeting” Christmas meeting “she organized” to UsWeekly or maybe, she just doesnt have a fax machine seeing as its 2016.

      • LadyT says:

        Yes. Today’s media salvo clearly provided by Angie. Also include labeling as ‘just a smear tactic” Brad’s filing of a memorandum to seal files. The filing and timing were a legal requirement. “A private agreement to seal the files” isnt enough, if true.

      • KB says:

        I’m not understanding why a private agreement would in any way preclude the need to file what he did. I mean it’s the judge that makes the call, he has to file his argument.

      • Lauren says:

        probably the same person who tipped off photographers to go to a secluded beach in Kenya in 2005.

      • Scout says:

        It’s coming from Brad. US Weekly is printing anything and everything his team throws their way.

      • mistrata says:

        Would pitt leak that jolie organized the visit? I thought Jolie’s camp was putting it out there that it was the therapist’s decision when pitt sees his kids (and I believe Lainey has stated this as well), now we read it was AJ who organized this christmas visit. Finding this hard to believe….

    • Lindsey says:

      I think this was from her camp. That why the source clarified Angelina arraigned it and pointed out the therapist was there. It is a shrewd word choice, not a lie, a positive word with a negative connotation due to the way it is used. It also allows some level of privacy for each kid and the state of the current relationship with their father. A previous source said something to the effect of A and B were ecstatic, C was crying, D was hanging back, ect and was a little gross.

      Isn’t their court date January 17? Not next week?

      • BJ says:

        So I guess HE leaked the The Hollywood Life anti Angelina story about his Christmas visit with the kids that came out before US Weekly story? i guess HE leaked the anti Angelina story on cover of National Enquirer?
        It’s possible these tabloids take info and create their own narratives,spin it how they want to.

      • tracking says:

        Yes, I read this as very careful, shrewd language designed to promote Jolie’s cooperation and denigrate Pitt’s relationship with his kids.

      • Gwen says:

        If anything, Angelina’s camp would leak info to TMZ because of Wasser. Not Us magazine, a publication that has been nasty to Angelina since she started dating Brad. About three months ago their cover story was “Her plot to destroy Brad”. I do believe Brad and Angelina leak info to the media. But everything written in US or People is an attack on Angelina, so if anything they would come from Brad’s camp more than Angie’s. After reading the emails between Wasser and Spiegel, I realized Angie’s lawyer isn’t the only one capable of leaking stories. Sad for the kids.

      • Lindsey says:

        @BJ – Tabloids make up stories, not three sentences with no details. They have to sell magazines. If they were making it up out of whole cloth there would be more drama, specifics, clues as to what the kids got. They also tend to have a pro-Brad spin. They don’t have to make it up when their being fed info. Angie is good at this. She always did her own PR and knows the press loves quid pro quo, access in return for a more positive spin.

      • KB says:

        @gwen as someone pointed out upthread the inclusion of the therapist being there, Angelina arranging it, the word “cordial,” described as a gift exchange (?), etc. These are details that would only come from Angelina’s side and I’m guessing she did it because she wanted to get her side out before Brad. Brad’s side would have leaked whatever positive interaction he had with the younger ones/girls, there’d be no mention of the therapist, and it wouldn’t be described as a gift exchange.

        This isn’t a story that would have just been made up, unless People has a story that denies it. One of the two sides leaked it and it’s exceedingly obvious which side it was. They both leak things and this time it was her. But yes, it’s definitely sad for the kids.

    • Talie says:

      If you take too long to reestablish norms…it gets harder and harder. A therapist should not be monitoring him and his kids. It’s sad he’s being treated like a criminal.

      • Lingling says:

        Seriously, I’m an adult from a divorce that was handled like this. Now I don’t deal with either of my parents and they both cry that they did it all for me and my siblings.

        No, you broke us and did it in the name of hatred of your ex. Leave your therapist and ego at home a just let your kids have a relationship with each parent.

        The psychological scars that come from divorces like this never heal. Brad isn’t a criminal, 2 agencies said it wasn’t abuse. Work out visitation and seal the freaking records. I wanted to take Angelina’s side, but she’s kind of the obvious villain here and Brad isn’t coming off much better.

      • Dolphin7 says:

        I couldn’t agree more. The kids need both their parents. He’s been cleared by two agencies of abuse. For years she has proclaimed he’s the best father in the world. This is all about punishing your ex versus what’s best for your kids. But both of them have exploited those kids for pr purposes since they’ve been born. To distract other people from how their relationship started, to promote movies, to show the world how they were such an amazing family. The W magazine spread (both of them), the huge People layouts of the kids, well, now they are becoming more camp celebrities than actors.

      • almondmilk says:

        @Talie and @Lingling

        I think it behooves a lot of people who don’t like Angelina Jolie to make this into ‘War of the Roses.’

        You know, divorcing people that are at each others throats, cue the ex-wife from h*ll jokes.

        It demeans Angelina and makes her appear lesser than, if the split is about their relationship going south and she is seen as possessive and proprietary and controlling over their kids…because they are breaking up.

        It makes her look evil and vindictive and it makes Brad look the victim.

        Not unlike how the narrative on their relationship began. Remember, he was the poor dupe beguiled and trapped by the sorceress seductress home wrecker. She was the active one, destroying his marriage and hating his ex – or so went the tabloids.

        Women have been attacking Jolie, since they got together. Covertly and overtly.That’s why you’ll get post after post in these threads that *don’t even mention* what Brad did, his possible alcoholism and/or substance abuse issues- the drug testing and therapy he and his family are getting.

        Amazingly, that key piece is left out of their commentary…and you get a lot of BOTH-ism. They’re both terrible. They’re both harming their kids. Both, both, both – even as JUST ONE is whizzing in a cup a couple times a week, and his older kids are estranged. There is no desire to hold Brad accountable for anything, just like in 2005.

        Why? Because when you do that, you absolve Angelina, you make her the adult and the responsible one helping her family, being their rock. Being the primary custodial responsible parent she is. Her rep doesn’t get dinged.

        Some women cannot have that. I’ve been around this hater-dom long enough to hear ppl wish deformities on her children, plane crashes, and her humanitarianism questioned and walked back. All manner of distracting biased hateful misogyny comment soup – that some women need to put out there just so they can feel superior, and so that Angelina – who she is, and what she’s accomplished is negated. See Chelsea Handler’s diatribes. No she’s not the youngest Jean Hersholt Oscar winner ever and admired worldwide, she’s a *fckn lunatic*

        That’s their goal. It’s not unusual. It’s what happens to powerful women of note. See the last election. We do it to ourselves.

        Back to reality.

        Having come from a background where I’ve seen a good parent beset with addiction, the parent that’s responsible for the health and welfare of the kids cannot afford to be lenient. The diligence in keeping the kids safe and making sure the parent who promised to get clean keeps his promise and does, is imperative. What this looks like to you- Angelina filing for divorce ‘for health and welfare of her family’ and the docs stating the agreed upon testing and therapy might make you feel for Brad, but it could also be a way of holding a possible addicted personality type to his word to get help.

        Otherwise, as great a person and a Dad that person may be, it will mean squat if he doesn’t get clean and wraps his car around a tree with his kids in it.

        In my family it was rollovers.

        Do your thing Angelina.

      • V4Real says:

        @Lingling & Dolphin I agree with what you both said. I think both parents are doing it the wrong way and putting their anger before the kids. Some of AJ’s hardcore fans will always say that if we say something against her than we are haters, detractors or taking Brad’s side. I’m on the side of what’s right and what’s wrong and they are both acting like bitter, angry, spoiled teenagers. It’s all about who comes out on top between these two, not the kids.

        And maybe AJ will not go public with what actually happened on that plane because perhaps her hands weren’t clean either.

      • almondmilk says:

        -1 ^

        See exhibit A

        Commenters that have been historically hostile to Angelina are now creating their own fictitious version of the plane incident in which she was ‘just as dirty,’ as Brad and a villain of the piece.

        Based on less than zero evidence.

        These bitter accusations just prove our point.

      • lucy2 says:

        I feel like if the kids want the therapist there for the meetings, then they should be there, but I kind of doubt the kids are in control here.
        Unless there is abuse or a danger to the kids, I agree that reestablishing some norms is probably the best approach. Obviously something bad happened to break up the marriage, but considering he has been cleared by everyone and is, as far as we know, passing all drug tests and meeting the courts expectations, there should be a path for the children to rebuild their relationship with him as they choose to.

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @V4real,
        I agree with you. Also, the “plane incident” has taken on mythical proportions. Whatever happened has been resolved as far as DCFS is concerned and the rest is up to the parents. It was once said that Princess Diana’s power lay in what information she had kept to herself so that she could use it as leverage with Charles and the establishment. She destroyed that leverage when she commissioned the book detailing their unhappy marriage and all else that she put out there. I kind of think that the “plane incident” is serving the same purpose for Jolie. It does provide her with leverage as all is known about it is that Brad was investigated over it. Either it will be made public removing the leverage, the judge will seal all the info removing the leverage, but, regardless, unless it is ever known there will always be those that can suppose any and all sorts of abuse despite the DCFS findings.

        @AlmondMilk,
        All of the versions of what happened on that plane are fictitious and/or speculative. The only facts known are that “something” happened. We know that Pitt and, at least, Maddox, was involved in an argument. That’s it. Speculation and hearsay extend to Pitt either being drunk or not being drunk. Speculation and hearsay also extend to any purposeful physical abuse having happened. Have I missed something legitimate that has been reported?

      • V4Real says:

        @Almondmilk

        I am writing to remind you that anything you say about any of my posts will be perceived as untruths because you forgot that you lost all credibility when you lied by stating that I comment on every Brad and AJ post. Unless you want to produce some receipts, no, I thought not. But nice try girl.

        BTW I wasn’t responding to your post before your second one because I didn’t even bother to read it. I strolled right past that novel.

      • almondmilk says:

        @tulipgarden

        It seems you “missed” the part where Brad agreed to Angelina’s primary physical custody of the children and his own therapy, plus family therapy and weekly drug testing.

        But maybe that’s not because he was the fckup.

        Maybe that’s just because he’s super nice, saintly Brad Pitt acceding to the evils lunatic’s demands and giving monster Angelina whatever she wanted because he was scared of her…and besides, he doesn’t want the non-white kids anyway. (that’s the Chelsea Handler version)

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @Almondmilk,
        I didn’t miss the part where both parents agreed to primary physical custody for Angelina for the time being. If you look at my posts, I have referred to it repeatedly. We also know that Jolie filed for sole physical custody and joint legal custody. Pitt petitioned for joint custody period. These are facts.
        Now, shall I move along into speculation with you? Okay.
        Pitt and Jolie signed because they both thought it was best for their family at the moment.
        Pitt signed only because he thought it was best for him at that moment.
        Jolie signed only because she thought it was best for her at that moment.
        There isn’t a lot of option here. What isn’t speculative is that the agreement was signed and both are adhering to it although Pitt wants it changed and Jolie doesn’t. Regardless of what you or I think, the court will decide which I think is best for the children.
        There doesn’t have to be a “villain”. There can be two people that have grown apart that may not agree on child-rearing on any other number of issues including drinking alcohol and/or to what degree. Also, not in doubt, is that there was some sort of horrible scene on that plane. Sometimes during a lead up to a divorce, poor behavior escalates. That doesn’t excuse it but this family needs to move on in peace.

      • KB says:

        @AlmondMilk You’ve got a flair for the dramatic, I’ll give you that!

      • KB says:

        Agreed. And given how much therapy these kids are now required to have…I mean if they weren’t scarred before they are now. Anyone who has gone through it can attest. There’s a middle ground between sweeping something under the rug and overreacting and it clearly isn’t being found here. The parents need to grow up and get over themselves.

      • almondmilk says:

        @tulipgarden

        I have to say, i find your posts very well thought out and almost objective (which is kind of like being a little bit pregnant, I know) if weighted a bit more on the ‘bothsides-ism’ side of the scale.

        You only seem to go off the rails a tad when encouraged by snarky longtime Angelina haters (waves to V4, who can’t see me because she never reads my posts which she just said in her response TO ME..wait..wha? Exactly. Lol)

        That said, to clarify my (and others) position which the haterdom loves to misconstrue:

        No, i don’t think Brad is a bad dad. In fact to the contrary, i think he’s a good person and good dad who let his drinking and substance abuse escalate to where he was traumatizing his children or at the very least, making his kids anxious and nervous. Not even necessarily because they were frightened of him, but maybe more frightened for him.

        We’ve heard Brad in his own words discuss how he had to stop imbibing because of possible endangerment to his kids while stoned.

        We’ve seen Brad give up his motorcycles.

        We’ve heard from others including himself that he likes to partake.

        Does this make an alcoholic? Maybe not.

        But when it comes to children – i think given other evidence like the agreement that he signed off on, to get therapy, including the testing, and therapy with his children.. and admittance of a physical altercation on the plane…

        *** You can deduce that Angelina is not just being a bitter vindictive bad mom faced with a crumbling marriage who’s lashing out because of that and making Brad’s life hell ***

        I know the above is something the hater-dom clings to.

        After wishing cancer, disabled children, plane crashes, and a pregnant Marion Cotilliard on Angelina as karma or schadenfreud, this fracture of their union is a bit anti-climactic.

        The dream of the haters, is that the last 12 years or at least a good solid chunk was not what we thought. That it was what they (haters) always had hoped for- that Brad was trapped by the breeder, and he didn’t really love Angelina – who by the way is not worthy of anything good by the very nature of her evil beauty which lures men to doom. (see the Chelsea Handler study)

        That’s why in posted comments you get a lot of women suggesting a notion that Brad and Angelina have been ‘bit in the arse’ after having gushed about each other.

        Maybe that’s true. Maybe not.

        I don’t know what they feel about each other today. I’m inclined to believe they meant what they said at the time and even that (gasp) their love was genuine. Which, if you agree THAT is a possibility- that means they had every right to act like people in love because they were in love.

        Who does that anyway? When you hear a friend of yours is divorcing after many years, do you say to them? ‘Nah nah nah, i bet you regret that big wedding you had, or that baby you had together or that time you made out on my couch in full view of everyone, eh?!’

        No one, no one says that.

        Except maybe…somebody like an ex gf who had to watch her ex bf be happy married to someone else for a decade and change, and now that they’re going through a split, are squealing in glee.

        Yea, that’s who does that and people who empathize with that person.

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @AlmondMilk,
        I don’t really have anything much to add. I am acknowledging your post because it seems the polite thing to do.
        I stand by my posts and believe they are reasonable. I will also defend V4real’s posts as she has as much right to an opinion as anyone else does. Also, she doesn’t attack anyone.
        As for the rest, it seems like a whole lot of stuff about a whole lot of old stuff. “Haters” and all that is not something that I subscribe to. I’m sure Brad and Angelina were very happy with each other and their family at some point. Obviously, they no longer want to be together and they don’t have to be. Their children deserve the best that they both have to offer.

      • Josephina says:

        @almondmilk:

        Thank you for your wonderful post. I have been a longtime poster here at CB and other sites re Angelina and Brad.

        I have remained silent for most of the past few months because it was obvious that many women (and men ) took inordinate glee from the downfall of a union that supported six children. I cannot find any valid excuse to interfere, interrupt, chide about a pending divorce where several children are involved and will eventually have access to these blogs at some point in their lives. Don’t say you care for the children as you are also spitting anything negative about either parent. Leave it alone and save your pity.

        When grown women, stuck in their own arrested development, try to string together a story that nowhere near matches the truth and are motivated to yap constantly based on nothing more than a string of court dates…

        Listen, Angelina IS the type that will speak directly to the press if and when she wants to include the public about certain events. She has never included the press before in previous divorces and now as a mother of six, she does not have a reason to talk to the press about anything. She had one interview where she said she loved Brad but it was not enough.

        I like Brad as well: however, I will never support a Dad that drinks, does drugs, shouts and scares his children and wife with outlandish behavior. Brad has owned up to the bad behavior with the help of interference from federal authorities. He brought the public speculation on himself and there is simply nowhere to hide from that reality. When I saw the words “no self-regualting mechanism” I thought surely he was referring to his recent behaviors. Remember, he is the one that has to pee in a cup several times a month.

        Over time, I am hoping that Brad will restore the sense of security that he once provided for his children. In the meantime, each time he wants to cry foul, he can only look at himself to fix the relationships he has with his children and change the tide of exposure.

    • L says:

      LINGLING: Angelina the obvious villain?! That’s where you lose credibility with what you wrote . There’s truly no mutual disapproval of each of these parents in your post ..Posters like you here are either blaming her or him but not both so please stop pretending to do so. Same goes for the rest who agree with you. 🙄

      Truly hope the best for the JP kids.

    • Splinter says:

      English is not my first language, can someone explain what is wrong with the use of “cordial” here?

      • Biscuit says:

        It’s a very distant, remote description for a family event. Had Brad’s team been the provider of this info you can bet it would’ve been phrased highlighting the “emotion” of the meeting, how the kids loved the time they had, loved the gifts, wanted to spend more time etc etc. By keeping it simply described as cordial it suggests the meeting was just that, a meeting. No emotion, no happiness, no sadness at parting, just a fairly standard short time together to fulfil an obligation.

        You can always tell who is leaking what these days, across the board in all celebrity stories, not just Brange. The machinery has become very, very obvious these days, have to wonder how long any of it will work, especially once the older generation who only read print magazines go, anyone online can see through this PR BS easily.

      • LadyT says:

        It means cool, proper and polite. Implies the opposite of a warm, joyful, relaxed day between Dad and kids.

      • Lahdidahbaby says:

        Splinter, the word “cordial” suggests polite rather than warm — it’s a description that would fit a meeting of formerly-feuding factions or people who barely know one another. One might expect the reunion of a father and his kids who have been separated for weeks or months to be described as “emotional” or “joyful” or “affectionate”. The suggestion here is that Angelina’s side is subtly painting a picture of a distant or dysfunctional father-child relationship, and a reunion with Brad that the children themselves did not care to have.

      • Glea says:

        Well this is what ‘cordial’ means, and it doesn’t mean anything as cold as what people are trying to make it out to be. In fact, it means warm. Sweet. Here is the English Dictionary definition of cordial: cordial

        adjective: cordial

        1.
        warm and friendly.
        “the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed”

        synonyms: friendly, warm, genial, affable, amiable, pleasant, fond, affectionate, warm-hearted, good-natured, gracious, hospitable, welcoming;

    • Pat says:

      seriously you guys OVER analyze everything! Nothing wrong with the word “Cordial”. It means civil. Im a man and in a ‘man’s vocabulary’ we reach for practical words without emotional connotation. trust me. it means nothing other than “no-one fought”. thats a nice thing. but everyone is always suspicious. good for Brad and Ange for being “cordial”. next….

      • Lahdidahbaby says:

        Words are powerful, Pat, and when this entire tragic situation exists in the public mind only through press releases and planted leaks, that’s all there is. That gives every word — even “cordial” — a weight that maybe (as you say) it doesn’t deserve. Probably the truth is that we shouldn’t be making any judgments at all based on planted revelations and strategic press releases, but Brangelina lived their mythology in a very public way for a dozen years, and that gave “their” public a feeling of emotional investment. For better and worse, that’s how the whole movie-star/public-figure thing works in our culture. It’s too late now for them to change the relationship with the public that they created, so words will be parsed in a dramatic situation like this one. And the two of them will no doubt continue to play their part in this process by releasing tidbits that serve their side. The losers in it all are the kids, so…

      • Krakken says:

        Calm your hysteria ladies. Pat “the man” has put us straight.

  3. Jenni says:

    Good for him. Team Brad and the kids.

    • Maya says:

      His behaviour ruined the family and you support him?

      Then again – Angelina haters are truly pathetic. They hate her so much that they don’t care that they are supporting someone else who was in the wrong.

      • Lindsey says:

        You can understand he did something wrong and still see the subsequent actions as purely punitive and disproportionate without being pathetic. Wanting children to have a happy, healthy mother and father in their lives is not a bad thing. Feeling bad for kids being used as pawns to “win” a public divorce is also not pathetic.

      • Maya says:

        @Lindsey: the above commentator is a known Angelina hater which is why I wrote the above.

        I have been and always will support the children.

        But please read my comment further down why I explain the double standard.

      • KB says:

        Maya, they’ve got six kids together. The kids need their father. She’d never have filed for joint legal custody if his behavior had truly “ruined the family,” or put any of the kids in genuine danger. In her attorney’s own words, her end goal is to share physical and legal custody.

    • BJ says:

      Team Kids

    • Nameless says:

      Wasn’t he a drunk? I’m not clear on what actually happened but if that’s true, I’m for supervision until dude dries out, even if it’s Christmas. Alcoholism is unbelievably toxic, seriously f$ck that. And neither of them should be leaking information!

      • Lindsey says:

        He is. He is working with a top addiction specialist and being tested weekly for alcohol radomly and metabolites are detectable in urinalysis for 72+ hours.

      • KB says:

        He was drunk on the plane, there’s nothing to show he’s an alcoholic. His first and all subsequent tests for months have been clean for alcohol and drugs. He was an admitted pothead, but in the 2+ decades of his fame, I don’t recall any boozy incidents a la Johnny Depp. My guess is that as his marriage deteriorated in the last few years he started drinking more and more. He was clearly able to quit on a moment’s notice though, so I don’t think there was a true dependence on it.

      • Billy says:

        Unfortunately to what Brad himself said in interviews, who witnessed and who was at risk when he was drunk or drugged was the safety of their own children. And so he had given up drinking too much and getting high … or by all accounts he was going to France or staying away from the family to do that. This past year we did not see Brad traveling alone with his children, or even he and Angelina sharing their children while he recorded Allied and she finished her movie.
        Brad was even seen on Father’s Day and traveling alone to spend Father’s Day in France watching a race …. so why so much drama with the holidays now. If he even on Father’s Day by choice stayed away from the children …. this year he acted very strange ….. and stranger still the brother of Angelina start to always be with her and the children ….

  4. Christine says:

    They’re both at fault for the family’s issues. And they are really both at fault for playing to the press and public. Those poor kids need and deserve so much better.

    • Nancy says:

      All children of divorce suffer. In the case of these kids, at least they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from. Strange that Pitt went from hero to zero in the fan base on facts that no one is 100% sure of. People always have to pick sides.

  5. Ramona says:

    I’ve seen lawyers explain that the couple cannot seal court records by agreement. The records are sealed by motion to the court. The best they can do is agree not to dispute the motion. So given that the court date is already fixed, one of them had to file. Also, a commenter perhaps here or another site, pointed out that the holiday breaks and the statutory deadlines for filing such a motion, meant that whoever filed had to do it before the christmas break. Thats not to say that Brad didnt relish throwing in a few jabs with that filing like the “self regulating” quote but the filing itself and the timing of it, is as afar as I can tell completely expected.

    • Guest says:

      Exaclty he and his lawyer didnt need to file and do that extra smear and media attack on Angelina. All Brad had to do is take time get reconnected with the kids and allown the thrapists do their work. All this has done is shown people how shaddy Brad was trying to force his way back to the kids and falsley blame Angelina. He sure has shown he is all in it to protect his image, not his kids and Angelina.

    • Kate says:

      Exactly. This isn’t something you can just note down as agreed upon, one of them actually had to file.

      Their both making idiots of themselves in the press, but the idea that Brad is being somehow sneaky or underhanded in his legal dealings is patently false. He’s just doing everything he should be doing.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      Yes, the private agreement to seal doesn’t mean anything without the courts approval. I feel the court will seal everything, thank God, on January 17th.
      Also, I think these two people, Pitt and Jolie, just don’t trust one another without everything legally filed. I know Pitt was trying for minimal extra time with the children but he was doing it through the lawyers in private. If the private agreement covering the period between the plane incident and now didn’t have to be filed (which it states that it was enforceable without that) then it is obvious that both parties feel that their best interests are only protected through the court system.
      With this kind of distrust, the only way the family can really move ahead is with court intervention, whatever it may be.

    • mee says:

      yep, nothing unusual about filing a motion to seal the records. The court will not seal the records without a party’s motion and the private agreement between the parties doesn’t matter without the court’s order to seal.

  6. Guest says:

    Still needs the therapist there, that says it all. No woneder he tried to viloate his agreement glad the S&O is still in place, the judge was right. He still needs help.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      I thought that the only matter that the judge has weighed in on was whether or not Brad’s filing for an “emergency sealing” was necessary. The judge decided that it wasn’t and set a court date of January 17 to hear the matter. There has been no court involvement outside of that and the following motions:
      1. Jolie – dissolution of marriage with sole physical and joint legal custody
      2. Pitt – petition for joint custody
      3. Jolie – Legal filing of joint child custody agreement previously agreed upon (no judgement necessary)
      4. Pitt – Filing for “emergency” sealing of documents based upon Jolie Filing #3 with therapist info included (denied)
      5. Pitt – Addendum filing for hearing on Jan. 17 further explaining why he wants the files sealed.
      Did I miss something? If I understand correctly, the plane incident led to Jolie’s filing for divorce and custody. The DCFS became involved and the Jolie-Pitts put together a co-parenting plan signed by both and approved by DCFS. FBI involved at some point but no action taken. At some point, DCFS closes their case and then the parents are left with the aforementioned agreed upon co-parenting plan. This will be in effect until either the Jolie-Pitt’s agree to change it or one or the other asks the courts to intervene.
      Have I got it?
      Maybe after the 17th, we won’t know anything else.

    • Lindsey says:

      The judge won’t decide until January 17 if it is still necessary. In the meantime he needs to stick to his commitments of supervised visits and drug testing.

  7. TheOtherMaria says:

    Meh, they’ve both slung mud, they need to quit–those kids deserve better than what they’re getting, IMO.

  8. Nemera34 says:

    In the LA Court System Brad had to file the memorandum with the court because the Court would NOT have sealed the case files if not. They don’t recognized a Private agreement as binding by the court regarding sealing documents. So even if he and Angie had a private agreement the court is not going to seal legal documents based on that alone. The memorandum and accompanying documents to support the seal must be filed as well. Which is what Brad/lawyer did. It has to be signed off by a judge. I don’t get why research is a dead art.

    I hope the story is true. More so for the kids. They need to reestablish the relationship with their father. The longer this goes the worse it will be. it would be even better if Brad/Angie actually talk to each other. What a novel idea that would be. Talking to each other and letting your children see it. That would go a long way in helping these kids.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      I agree with everything that you’ve said. If the parents cannot or will not be able to behave in a civil and adult manner, unfortunately, this may only work best through intermediaries until such time as they can tolerate one another. Of course, the children will be effected by how they choose to go forward. I would hope for mutual respect, cooperation, and whatever it takes to help the children.

      • Lady D says:

        I thought they had a weekly family therapy session?

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @Lady D,
        I believe under the agreement that Pitt and Jolie were supposed to undergo family counseling, perhaps, with the children? I don’t know if that has happened. If the agreement was made by the two of them then if they agree not to do counseling together then who is to stop that? While I believe that the DCFS signed off on the agreement, I don’t think that they have any power to enforce it particularly as it appears to have been voluntary, and in any case, the DCFS case is closed.

      • KB says:

        @Lady D I’m thinking that those sessions are with each parent individually.

  9. Maya says:

    Brad was drunk and behaved in such a way that the children needs therapy but Angelina is the villain for protecting her children.

    Brad made a deal with the media to be nice to him and he will give exclusives and yet, Angelina is the villain.

    Brad has no issues with smearing the reputation of the mother of his children and yet, Angelina is the villain.

    Brad travelled the globe for work and Angelina paused her career but no, Angelina is the villain.

    According some people here who claims to be feminists – Angelina did one thing wrong by releasing that initial statement and Brad has done several pathetic things but no, they are equally bad. This is the whole Hillary email and Trump others pathetic things. The woman does one thing wrong and the man does several and yet they are equally bad and evil.

    Women will never gain full human rights until women start supporting other women.

    • Adorable says:

      Yesss maya👏👏

    • Lol says:

      Brads fans will say as he’s been cleared of everything all is well, forget about the fact he still needs “supervised visists and therapies” but were supposed to ignore that as he was cleared. So far he’s shown disrespect to the agreement he signed, no one forced him and then when he was cleared he thought he was above the law and his sneakiness was outed in the S&O.
      Then his further attack on Angelina to smear her so UNCOOL BRAD SO UNCOOL.

    • Kate says:

      Many people only believe in women’s rights when it suits their agenda. Some Angelina fans attacked Anniston for being childless or childfree as if it was some kind of character flaw. Anniston fans lashed out at Jolie and her kids using the most sexist, transphobic and racist slurs because her husband, a MAN, had left her. Meanwhile, Brad Pitt is protected. All those people probably believe they are feminists.

      • robyn says:

        So true … people picked sides to hate, Aniston or Angie, but Pitt came out smelling like a rose. Pitt keeps mum on most things so I don’t have a sense of who he is but even the most vile of men like Trump will win out over a woman trying to do good.

      • Maya says:

        Well said – I have seen that not only here but other places as well.

        Some women conveniently claim to be feminists when it suits them.

        I am not saying that we should always support the woman but when it is clear that the man has done numerous other vile stuff and is in fact the one who is wrong – true feminists will support the woman.

        It already bad the the world and media are ruled by women and now it seems that even women are turning on other women who are strong, beautiful, intelligent and independent and most importantly, she is innocent.

      • sauvage says:

        I agree whole-heartedly regarding the double-standard in feminism. There is a huge difference between calling out shitty behaviour in women, and tearing them to frikking pieces. There’s also a huge difference between calling out shitty behaviour in women, and calling out shitty behaviour ONLY in women.

      • Lea says:

        I think you’ll find people attacked Aniston’s honesty about where she stood/stands on the issue of kids. Not her being childless in itself.

    • KatnissforKaepernick says:

      @Maya- I’m not a fan of either, in fact I think both of them suck. The way both have handled themselves during the divorce is problematic and only hard core fans of either one refuse to see this. I’ve read a lot of your posts and you are very pro Angelina, so much that you cannot see she has been trying to alienate Brad from the kids. You seem to ignore the fact Angelina often gushed about Brad and what an amazing father he was during his 12 years together. Yet you now believe he is this terrible monster who doesn’t deserve to see his kids because Angelina or her sources leaked to the media about Brad being this drunk, abusive guy who constantly picked fights with Angelina and the kids. Brad is cleared by Child Protective Services and FBI closes the case and yet it’s still Brad this & Brad that because he wants to see his kids more. My point is you are far from objective. Both are shitty people. Angelina isn’t a saint and Brad isn’t one either. Both have angles they are pursuing here and unfortunately neither one is putting their kids first. That’s a fact. Look at Gwenyeth Paltrow & Chris Martin, Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner. Parents of the year those 4. Relationship ends but all still recognize that they have to coparent and get along. This seems to be a foreign concept for Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie. 12 years together & this is how they act towards each other?

      • Tanguerita says:

        THIS!!!! slow clap, Katniss.

      • Kate says:

        I know this comment was intended for Maya, not me but I kind of jumped when I saw Garner’s name. I really don’t think allowing your partner to publicy treat you like shit and then gushing about him in the press is good parenting. And screwing your kid’s nanny isn’t either.
        As for Pitt’s behavior, I don’t see how Angelina praising his parenting in the last decade and being upset about what happened in this plane are uncompatible. He could well have been an examplary father for 12 years and then had a terrible moment. It just need to recognize his problem and then take steps to fix it. The problem is that when your defence is I did my teenage son IN THE FACE, you do not recognize the problem even exists.

      • Maya says:

        Excuse me but where did I say that Brad is evil and doesn’t deserve to see his children?

        Even his OWN people confirmed that Brad misbehaved on that plane so why are you excusing his behaviour? Even if two agencies cleared him it doesn’t mean that there weren’t a reason for them to investigate in the first place.

        I have never said that Brad is a bad parent – I just have issues with the way he is more concerned about his image that the children’s welfare. I have issues with the way people simply ignore that his behaviour was the reason for the split and yet Angelina is the bad person here.

        And please stop comparing this divorce with the other celeb parents you mentioned. No one was accused of abuse or behaved in such a way that the children refuses to speak to them. Cheating is excusable and easy to divorce from but the welfare of children is not.

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @Maya,
        I doubt that there was one reason or incident for the split. It has probably been coming for awhile as with most people. I do think that Brad has avoided Angelina (and maybe the other way around as well) for quite some time. Sadly, in doing so, he also avoided his children. I also think that Brad has possibly had problems with alcohol and/or drug use but, according to DCFS he has passed those drug tests so, maybe, it was something he did but can and has now controlled. I also think “anger issues” aren’t unusual in a couple heading for divorce. That’s not to say that Brad didn’t get out of control. He has certainly been scrutinized by the appropriate agencies for whatever happened and has been cleared. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t need to clear up his side of the aisle, he obviously does. I hope that he is dong that.
        Whatever issues Brad and Angelina had/have, I’m sure affected the children. They witnessed plenty, I’m sure. Also, Brad, as the more absent parent, may seem to be the “bad guy” in the marriage to he children. I’m sure his aggression and anger on the plane has compounded that problem for which he has only himself to blame.
        The thing is that Brad and Angelina’s relationship is a separate entity from that that they share with their children. Even if they no longer want to be in one another’s lives romantically, that doesn’t mean that the children shouldn’t have both of them in their lives. I fear that for both Brad and Angelina a standard custody agreement is going to limit the way that they are used to living their lives. They will have a legal requirement to agree on things like travel, visitation, and the like with each other. That is where I see the problem coming in. Both of these people are multi-tasking, very driven, a-type overachievers, it will be hard for them to place limits on themselves or accept limits dictated by being co-parents. It was probably a problem in their relationship too.
        Ideally, they will learn that beyond severing their personal relationship, their children can benefit from their separation. If they work together, they can even give each other the time and space they both require to work on whatever they wish (movies, humanitarian work, writing, directing). It is possible for them to make lemons out of lemonade here but they both need to be willing to try. I hope that they realize this and prosper as a working unit.

      • almondmilk says:

        @Katniss

        Gee, why is it that you seem like you think Angelina sucks just a tad more than Brad though? Way to be a feminist.

        All divorces are not created equal. Neither are the ways in which they are “handled” so bringing up the consciously uncoupling couple and the Nanny-screwing couple isn’t relevant to a couple where one spouse may be beset with addiction/alcohol and substance abuse.

        Unless you’ve grown up with a passive scared mom who splits from a raging alcoholic, you will never know the levels of anxiety for a child when it’s time for you, a 13yo to visit the alcoholic/addicted custodial parent. When climbing in car with them gives you the equivalent of PTSD. When spotting cops on the road becomes your part time job. When roll overs and ditch diving on back roads have happend 2x too many.

        How you are equating poss substance/alcohol abuse around children (Pitt) with a Dad that secretly takes the nanny to Vegas (Affleck) or a Dad that diplomatically ‘uncouples’ and dates J-Law(Martin), is beyond me.

        Neither of those Dads will traumatize and/or inadvertently get his kids injured or worse.

      • V4Real says:

        Standing ovation for Katniss. I completely agree. They both suck. They both are concerned with their image. They both leaked things to the media. But she has die-hard fans that will not be objective and AJ hands are completely clean in this. Some of the same fans were praising Brad and I bet if Brad and AJ reconciled they would be back to praising him again.

        Now some people are throwing out the word fake feminism because not every woman is on AJ’s side. What a load of crap. Just because there are women who may not like AJ or don’t buy her bullshit doesn’t mean that they are not feminist.

        it’s great that AJ has took some time off to be with her kids but don’t crucify Brad because he went out to promote a movie that just happened to be coming out while he and AJ are going through a divorce. RIght now she has custody of the kids. What is he supposed to do, sit at home knitting and watching The Kardashians. He still has a job to do. And didn’t he miss a lot of press for that film?

        And this comment.
        “And please stop comparing this divorce with the other celeb parents you mentioned. No one was accused of abuse or behaved in such a way that the children refuses to speak to them. Cheating is excusable and easy to divorce from but the welfare of children is not. ”

        It doesn’t matter if no one was accused of abuse, it still doesn’t mean that you have to handle your divorce in a public nasty way like Pitt/Jolie are doing. They could learn a thing or two from the other celebs that were mentioned. I think AJ and Halle Berry would get along just fine. And maybe Gabe and Brad could chat.

      • Dana says:

        @V4Real Frankly I’m team kids. But I’m seeing the same pattern on every comment board. The hardcore AJ fans that think all is Brad’s fault and Angie isn’t the blame for anything. We have people that think neither are innocent in this situation, yet in their comments they come down on Angelina harder than Brad every time. We don’t know the details but this situation isn’t black and white. Both are at fault, but it always comes back to people taking either Brad’s side or Angie’s side. Neither are getting any sympathy from me. The kids are but that’s all.

      • L says:

        @Dana: you said it better than me. 👍🏼

      • V4Real says:

        @Dana I can agree with that. But in my opinion I think some of us who say both are at fault may seem to come down harder on AJ because her hardcore fans seems to believe that AJ is innocent in all this and share none of the blame. This site seems to be pro AJ, even the editor who write the stories seems to be bias in favor of AJ. And you’re absolutely right, we should all be for the kids. They will be the ones to suffer.

      • V4Real says:

        Double post

      • Lea says:

        V4Real, 95% of other sides are pro-Brad, and you cry foul at the one site that is pro-Angelina? What is it you want, 100% sites against Angelina? Why can’t one site be pro-Angelina without you or anyone else whingeing about it? It is like pro-Bradsters cannot be happy pro-Bradsters have the rest of the net. Its like they won’t be happy until any and all pro-Angelina sites are changed or stop supporting Angelina. Just one site being pro-Angelina, when I think you will find that some Angelina fans see you as anti-Angelina and non-objective yourself, so they react to you. Maybe you need to think about how your own posts stir the opposite reaction to even things out and people react to you because if you posted even just once in her defense I think it would make a difference.

      • Tanguerita says:

        @Lea so what you are saying is that i am not welcome on this site if i don’t share your view of St. Angie? Because I don’t and celebitchy happens to be one of two gossip sites I read?

      • Lea says:

        No Tanguerita, I said nothing at all of the sort and you know it, so stop trying to be smart. My my post was to V4Real not you. And what is WITH this ‘St. Angie’??? It seems only people who hate her call her that. Seriously, grow up.

    • rosalee says:

      No all mothers serve in the best interests of their children. I am not picking sides but the children appear to used by both parents as pawns. The separation and the filing of the divorce papers didn’t just happen from one incident – their marriage was falling apart for sometime. But the Brange lovers couldn’t see it happening so blinded by the shiny perfect love presented on a glossy magazine cover. Both Jolie and Pitt are master manipulators of the media..they only show what they want to show to the world. Right now Jolie is playing mama bear protecting her children from their potential violent father. Pitt is playing the role of the man who was blindsided by his cruel cold calculating wife. Both sides previously sold a narrative of a passionate loving family..so close they had to get a larger bed so the kids could join them. They were perfect loving parents..each said so in interviews..I feel sorry for the kids they are the ones who are going to live for years with the fallout..both Jolie and Pitt will eventually remarry..and the kids will be bumped from home to home until one parent loses interest..and the other is too busy or too engaged in their career/calling to be there..

      • Tulip Garden says:

        Completely agree that Jolie and Pitt manipulate the media. Most stars do and I don’t blame them. I would only put out there what I wanted others to know and/or believe too. My only complaint about them is that they made their children an integral part of their image. Perhaps, they could have been a little more reticent in discussing their family life. They could still have sold themselves as “the greatest love story” without so many details about their children and the photo spreads. Also, if as I suspect, their relationship has been troubled for awhile, it might have been wise to stop promoting it so heavily which they both did as recently as By The Sea. You are right that their narrative has come back to bite them in the behind.
        I can’t get onboard with either of their narratives now which are just as you described. SheBearProtector versus BlindsidedHusband, while both may have some basis in fact, it does their children nor themselves any favors to continue like this. I don’t think that they will stop until they are stopped.
        I do hope that you are wrong about either parent losing interest. That would be unforgivable.

      • Sixer says:

        I agree both are playing roles. The thing is, though, each probably believes the role they are playing is actually the truth. That seems to be how it goes in divorce. Both participants become so invested in being the one in the right, they lose touch with reality. In this case, all exacerbated by being a celebrity who manages media and the outside world as part of a job description.

        It’s clear to me that what’s going on is detrimental to the children. So, being a fan of neither particularly, nor a detractor of either particularly, I’m blaming them both.

    • L says:

      Spot on Maya & Almondmilk. 👏🏼

    • Scout says:

      PREACH!

    • The Original Mia says:

      Well said, Maya!

  10. Fa says:

    This is what happened when people protect men more than women, it is classic in our society these days, the man did something wrong but the women who follow the rules are the one people attack more, and it remind me Clinton vs Trump
    Their case is in the hand of their lawyers so lay of the blame, they are getting advice from their lawyers, no one knows what going on

  11. Lol says:

    Brad needs protection ya’all he needs protection. Someone protect him from evil Angelina.

  12. Talie says:

    Angelina’s sources have already said what went down on the plane to TMZ. No one is innocent here.

    • Maya says:

      Sorry but what really happend on that train has not been leaked.

      In my opinion, Brad must have said some horrible things to his wife and children like most people do when they are under influence.

      It is up to him to repair the relationships instead of making sure his public image is intact.

      • Fa says:

        The irony is his team said he was drunk during the altercation but her team said he was not drunk during the altercation but get drunk after the altercation

    • Scout says:

      LoL at equating Brad being a drunk a-hole in front of his kids, berating their mother and having a physical altercation with one of his kids (that was toes okay because he didn’t hit him in the face), this being the EXACT thing he has admitted to, being not as bad as this info leaking to TMZ. This could have all been avoided if Brad, I don’t know, acted like a responsible adult and thought about his children before he started knocking them back.

  13. Kate says:

    Brad Pitt is really your typical woke progressive guy. He will say all the right things on race and gender and then use sexism against the mother of his children or his first ex-wife to protect his reputation.
    But then why should I expect better from a man who used to date a teenage girl when he 27 years old ?

    • Kit says:

      THIS. Faux-gressive men can often times be more sinister than openly sexist jerkwads.

      • MC2 says:

        Faux-gressive men- never heard that before but it’s in my back pocket now! I know a man who gets his livelihood from working for successful gay men while secretly supporting Trump. I think he believes he should pass us all at my work but meanwhile he is the dumbest bulb on the tree. And why they chose to give him their crumbs is beyond me but I did it too- fool me once mofo, but not again. God my blood boils when I think of the twit.

    • MC2 says:

      This comment!!! The smartest thing that Brad Pitt did (does) for his image is being around smart & talented women who raise him up in the public eye. Then he proceeds to take a big dump all over them.

  14. Angel says:

    I feel for those kids. It’s all a hot mess being uncovered in the public eye. 🙁

  15. Britta says:

    This whole Angelina is evil thing is something I don’t understand. I honestly wanna know how should she be handling this whole thing.

    Reading those emails all I got was Brad trying to bully her into changing protective measures put in place to protect the kids. If I was in her shoes and lived with him know his issues between him and the kids, why would I let him have his way and let things continue as they were, because cut corners is not the best way to deal with kids emotions.

    Those emails also shows who’s angry and ready to fight and who just wants things to be fixed,

    His fans screaming she’s leaking details !!! There’s been more attacks on her than him in the media so…,

    His fans; There’s no need for her to file the S&O with the court??
    I love that this is the only attacks on Angelina.
    His fans should focus on why his 2 oldest sons is not talking or cooperate with him for kids their age to feel that way about their father and having the courage to take a stand is a BIG issue. Tells you this was not a one off situation.
    I’m glad she chose her kids . Many women don’t . All I see is a woman trying to navigate a bad situation between her husband and her kids.

    Also how come no one mentions on her divorce papers she marked she wanted joint custody, ,this fight is between her wanting Brad to get his shit together and Brad ignoring and wants the process to be done as quick as possible , admitting that would show Brad has a problem and the media will take another narrative that would t be kind to him.

    • Kate says:

      People prefer women who chose their husband and their reputation over their kids. They prefer woman who gushes about their estranged husband being such great father because they put on a goddamn costume for a birthday party after fucking the nanny. They prefer women who blames the other woman rather than their own husband. They prefer woman who call the mistress “evil” and a “cunt” and act as if the cheating husband has been kidnapped.

      • Fa says:

        Angelina always say in her interviews her kids come first whatever the situation she’s facing, don’t expect her to play victim

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @Kate,
        I have seen none of this monolith of people that you are referring to that want women to choose their husbands over their children. I am seeing the opposite of that. The comments I see, and make, are all about what is best for the children.
        I’m not sure but you seem to disapprove of women (men?) that don’t quit their marriages based on infidelity. If these husbands and wives want to make a go of it, I don’t understand why that HAS to be seen as a bad thing. It seems to have worked for David and Victoria Beckham, Josh Dumemal (sp?) and Fergie, perhaps Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner and probably countless others that we don’t know about, famous and non-famous. I don’t think that I could go that route but more power to them. Women aren’t required to react or behave in one specific way to please others. These women have personal agency over their decisions. As do any men that find themselves in the same position. Also, “the other woman/man”, babysitter or not, also has personal responsibility for their actions and the consequences. That may not mean much if they are single people. It could mean that they get a new spouse, family, via an affair or it could mean they are seen as lacking good judgement and inserting themselves into a situation that they would be better off to avoid (like Kirsten Stewart). I don’t feel sorry for either the cheating spouse or his or her partner but I particularly do not like the idea that the cheated on spouse is required by society to do anything other than what he or she decides to do.

        I don’t think cheating is an issue in the Jolie-Pitt divorce. Although, time may correct me on that. Anyway, I think most of us sympathize with the Jolie-Pitts are far as their divorce. The sympathy ends when it comes to the children. Perhaps, they are both doing what they feel is the right thing. I don’t know but it sure has gone sideways. The acrimony is sad to witness.

      • V4Real says:

        @Tulip Garden. Please be quiet. Don’t you know you are too rational to be on a Brad/AJ thread.

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @V4real,
        Sorry, what was I thinking!
        Okay, I’ll do better. Tell me which “look” I should go for:

        #Team Angie – Angie is protecting her kids. Brad, who was fantastic, has turned into a child abusing, drug addicted, self-centered misogynist . Angie has no choice but to keep her kids safe from untrustworthy, irredeemable Brad. Only non-feminists would refuse Angie Support.

        #Team Brad – Poor Brad was driven to drink by Angie and her cold-heartedness. He really only ever wanted all of the family to stay together constantly and Angie neglected him. Brad couldn’t possibly control his own behavior, now or ever because it is all Angie’s fault.

        Better? Which one should I opt for? I don’t want to be teamless 🙂

    • Maya says:

      Clap clap clap totally agree but some people don’t care about the obvious thing.

      Brad was in the fault and yet Angelina is being punished for his mistakes.

    • LadyT says:

      She did NOT file for joint physical custody. She filed for sole physical custody and joint legal custody.

    • Lindsey says:

      No one mentions it because it didn’t happen. She filed for primary physical custody.

    • Kate says:

      Power to the women who are able to forgive. I know I probably couldn’t but it is frankly pathetic the way some will bend over backwards to blame another woman rather than their own cheating husband. And the way Angelina Jolie has been treated since 2005 for her involvment with Pitt is pathetic, especially compared with the way Pitt has been treated.
      What I was trying to say earlier was in response to the praise Garner is getting. It’s one thing to forgive but don’t try to tell me that praising the man who wrecked havoc on your family by screwing your nanny just because he showed up at your son’s birthday party is good parenting. Sending this kind of message to your children is not good parenting.
      And a society that blames the other woman and let the cheating man off the hook is sexist and participates in rape culture by reinforcing the idea that men are not in charge of their sexuality, that women are temptresses.

  16. Kate says:

    Pleaaaaase someone protect poor, innocent Brad Pitt of the evil Angelina. Pleeaaase.
    Seriously, he should get with La Diabla Blanca next because their abality to play the victim are breathtaking.

  17. Greata says:

    At this point, I think Pitt and Jolie are trolling the public. Their behaviour towards one another is so discordant from that of the last 12 years, that it is unbelievable. Something else is going on here. I think that these two people are still together, fighting a common enemy and that the marriage is not over. Just my opinion.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      That would truly be the most cruel thing that they could do to their children. I don’t believe that of either of them.

    • Lindsey says:

      The would be truly bizarre. They have done more damage to their reputations and put up with way more hassle and red tape than any outside enemy could have possibly done. Divorce can turn nice people really nasty.

  18. Sigh says:

    Oh these two rascals. Jan 17th, when the case is hopefully sealed, can’t come soon enough.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      I agree. There will still be non-stop speculation though, thanks to the way that this has been handled from the outset. I hope that the judge gag orders both of them.

      • Sigh says:

        But if the judge issues a gag order and there are no more posts, HOW will I know how to be a feminist!? Lol

      • V4Real says:

        LOL……

      • Tulip Garden says:

        @Sigh,
        OMG, I hadn’t thought of that, how shortsighted of me! By all means, don’t gag the Jolie-Pitts!
        Wait a minute, perhaps, we are being too hasty. Even if the Jolie and the Pitt are gagged maybe some helpful soul on here will tells us how to be or if we are doing feminist correctly.
        Whew, you had me worried there 🙂

      • KB says:

        I’m hoping for a gag order as well. Would one of them have to accuse the other of leaking information to tabloids in order to get this? Because both of their hands are dirty and they both seem to be incapable of staying quiet. It’s been tit for tat for several months now.

  19. Kate says:

    If 2016 has proven one thing is that women truly are the worst enemy of women. No wonder WW finally gave the election to Minute Maid Mussolini.

  20. minx says:

    So sorry that this couple crashed and burned. Hoping for the best for the kids.

  21. Fa says:

    US weekly always lies I am sure Brad saw his kids during the holiday but the therapist presence is bullshit, they’re shading both Brad and Angie

  22. bogos says:

    It seems most human relationships are colored by mortality. If one tries to end a relationship, the other may very well see it as akin to homicide. Any member of the same sex can be seen as a threat to one’s own existence. But these are two creative, successful,wealthy and independent individuals. I don’t think the dynamic between these two is of the common sort or can be so easily understood. As always, popular opinion seems based on everybody else’s experience of dependency, health and mortality plus sexual attraction.

  23. Britta says:

    This whole court dilemma at the moment is because of agreement that they both signed to get rid of child services and close the case. Then he wanted to change it after his promotional of allied ended. If the agreement was unfair to him why sign it?
    He wanted child service to close the case before Allied, then bully her into changes .
    She just didn’t play dead and let him have his way. And from his lawyers language towards her you can tell Brad is ANGRY.

    With all the therapies and drug and alcohol tests child services put in place in order to close the case. Is transparent that that’s where his issues lie. Things like that can be terrible to deal with for a family. Is going to be a hard road for Brad if his not at least acknowledging, if he is it will still be a hard road and hopefully he can succeed and regain his relationship with all of his kids. Something is fractured in their family, good luck to them, I wish then the best

    • Lindsey says:

      They didn’t sign anything to get DCFS to go away. They set up what they felt was an appropriate temporary custody agreement for the duration of the investigation and until the court set a schedule because they can’t agree. He is seeking a custody arrangement that is befitting of someone cleared of child abuse by two agencies, taking and passing drug and alcohol tests while working with an addiction specialist, and going through family and individual therapy. He has jumped through all the necessary hoops and now feels the custody arrangements is punitive and not in the best interest of the family/reconciliation with his children.

      • Britta says:

        He probably feels he has done enough and jumped through all the hops, to assure his family his better within few weeks.

        From those emails her lawyer was saying why make changes so quick we just signed this agreement, and his lawyer was all change it now or we’re taking this to court { paraphrasing). And he felt the therapists was not taking his consideration into account.

        Understandable that his probably in a frustrating position as parent. But I just thought dude maybe you shouldn’t push things hard sometimes. Slow and steady.
        Teenagers can be difficult to deal with but your the father. Show them you will be here and patiently fix things, he was the head of their family so they are all suffering at the moment. I highly doubt Angelina end goal was to be a single parent of 6. Their created a family, build foundations together, talked about how her and Brad in their old age will be traveling the world visiting their grandchildren.

        Brad should be patient sometimes aggressive improvements does not occur over night also your lawyer attacking the mother of your children not a good idea. Quite disappointing actually. . I hope 2017 is a good year for them.

      • KB says:

        @Britta Experts in custody battles have said the longer his access is restricted, the more likely it is to not change. Apparently, judges typically want consistency for the kids, so the longer this temporary arrangement stays in place, the less likely it is that he’s awarded 50/50 custody. Basically, patience in this situation will only make things worse for him from a custody standpoint.

      • LadyT says:

        I agree with Lindsey above. In addition, I can see why he feels the custody arrangements feel punitive and are not conducive to reconciliation. His request for one hour more a week was shot down by Wasser who said it was up to the therapists. That seems like a -shrug- “our hands are tied” brush-off to me.

      • O.o says:

        According to the emails between their layers the agreement WAS based on DCFS recommendations – the limited accesses to children, the tests and Brad’s therapy. If he was really innocent as some claim he would have never agreed to these suggestions. He would have to be out of his mind to voluntarily go through all the testing and therapies if there were indeed no issues discovered during the investigation. What parent would agree to see his children once a week for 6 months (up to a year) if there were no reasons for that? An insane one. These rules are extremely strict, it’s not a typical procedure, Brad screwed up big time and the agreement proves it, that’s why he went so wild when Angelina filed it.

      • LadyT says:

        It was based on DCSF recommendations from three months ago. He absolutely did something terribly wrong and was agreeable to the temporary arrangement in an effort to prove himself willing and capable of setting things right. He has since been exonerated from “abuse” claims, passed his drug tests and participated in therapy as required. I would think the next logical step should have been to loosen the reigns a bit. Move forward. Reconcile. What’s the hold up?

      • O.o says:

        The problem is Brad started questioning the arrangement 3 weeks after signing it (shortly after he was cleared by DCFS and returned from promoting Alied). Almost half of the time he spent on other continents, he wasn’t participating in all the sessions so how could he have proven anything to the therapists. And it’s not like Angie’s lawyer’s response to Brad’s pleading was let’s stick with the plan for the next 6 months. They wanted to wait for the therapists’ opinion before they decide anything. Brad was more about what he wanted and thought was right.

    • GoOnGirl says:

      Britta, Almond Milk and Kate: I agree with all your comments and it never fails to amaze me is that we all (or are trying) to tend to forget is SOMETHING happened on that plane and that something involved Mr. God himself, Brad Pitt. Now we all know he walks on water. Brad happened to handle this in the wrong way. I’m sick and tired of hearing all those “oh Brad was leaving her, but he wanted her to file and he wanted her to do it quietly.” Horse Puckey. If Brad is that chicken shit that he made this happen just so she could file for divorce, shame on him. Because in the process he hurt his children and that is definitely on him and not fair to the children. And I will say it again. God does not like ugly. Sorry to say, but IMO that’s why his Allied movie bombed. He went off to promote his movie while Angie is moving around with the children. Why not let Angie and the children live in the Las Feliz house? I’ve said that over and over and over. I could go on and on, but my point is Brad is and was wrong and to blame Angie is just down right terrible. You don’t diss the mother of your children. The one you claim you love and the one you not so long ago said “oh man the best thing I ever did for my children is give them Angie as a mother”. Took something like this to make me realize how much of a wimp Brad is and he’s all smoke and mirrors. Anything to maintain his image as the “good guy”. I, for one, want to see this divorce go through. I want to see Angie live well, be even more successful, find a man who really loves her, and she and the kids move on and never look back. Angie is the one looking out for the children. Not Brad. And come to think of it, whoever said he was trying to avoid Angie most of this year? He also avoided the children too. The ones he claims to love. Shame, shame., Mr. Teflon. That’s him. . . Teflon Pitt.

    • LadyT says:

      I have no clue where you got three weeks. Absolutely not factual. The initial agreement was signed shortly after the incident in Sept. It was extended in late October while the investigation wrapped up. He was cleared in early Nov. In mid Nov. he attended premieres in London, China etc. none of which would keep him away for more than 2-3 days at a time and missing therapy dates. If he had missed or failed drug tests I am confident that it would be leaked. Then in early December his lawyer requested one hour more per week. Although this agreement was always “temporary”, no negotiations followed, rather it was filed in court just to put a nice period at the end of that sentence.

      • Fa says:

        No you wrong the agreement was signed on 26 October and shortly after that he was cleared the same day of Allies premiere, and read lawyer email

  24. Rhea says:

    At this moment, I would take any news about them with a grain of salt. As they both equally playing PR games, I would not so easily saying one as a clearly PR’s leaking moves from one side. Who knows if it’s designed to make it seems like the other side who leaked the story?🤔🤔🤔 I would rather analyze their moves based on the court papers or statements from each side.
    Sigh. It’s always depressing to see a family breaking apart.

  25. Libra girl says:

    These “therapists” stink. Aren’t they also breaking the HIPA laws??? What the heck.

    • Lindsey says:

      Not if they have the client’s consent or its ordered by the court. They went in there knowing the doctor might testify. There are concessions of disclosure for these types of situations. Plus, non-medical personnel has a legal duty under HIPPA laws. Anyone else can spread around whatever they know. If the Dr. leaked the story (which I doubt) that would be a violation of HIPPA.

  26. AnnE says:

    Hand down. Sorry but I am going to have to agree to disagree with your assessment of the Brad Angie “leaks” Divorce drama. While I think there is plenty of blame to go around I think she set the ground work from the beginning, for whatever her motivation may be. She has masterfully managed to control the media for many many years, private when she wants and access when it benefits her.

  27. Joannie says:

    I think many are making assumptions about two people’s private lives that we know very little about. It’s not fair to pick sides on a couple’s divorce. As the saying goes it takes two to tango. Hope they work it out for the children’s sake and their own.

  28. sage says:

    So , ET states the meeting was NOT arranged by Jolie.

    The 53-year-old actor saw the kids — Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8 — over the holiday weekend, a source confirms to ET. The meeting, the source says, was not arranged by Jolie.
    http://www.etonline.com/news/206039_brad_pitt_saw_his_children_over_christmas_weekend_amid_divorce_drama_with_angelina_jolie/

    • KB says:

      Ayayaye. Tit for tat, always with these two. I’ve got my fingers crossed for a gag order and sealed records. The court needs to protect the kids from their egomaniac parents.

  29. K2 says:

    I don’t think it matters, who is leaking what. There are six kids, two of them just 7 or 8 years old, three of them having already had tough bio starts in life, all right in the eye of this storm. It’s miserable as hell to know it came to this, and whoever is leaking (possibly both of them) I wish they would just shut up and focus.

  30. Kate says:

    I wonder what it would take for a woman to be believed over a man. I know that many believe A. Jolie is a master manipulator but even with other women, they refused to believe the allegations. I recently re-read the threads at the beginning of the Depp-Heard divorce and this is the exact same bullshit we have here. I don’t know what is the most infuriating : those who outright denied anything problematic could have happened or those who recognized it and downplays it as some kind of normal event.

    • LadyT says:

      I’ll bite. I recognize that something problematic happened on that plane. A nasty fight in a broken marriage in front of and involving kids. Terribly unfortunate, handled poorly. Brad was clearly an a$$. That said- yep- normal. Happens all the time.
      What has happened since is not normal though. Totally blown up to more than it ever needed to be.
      If Brad has beaten those children, belittled or abused those children, I promise to eat my words.

  31. Britta says:

    “I think AJ and Halle Berry would get along just fine. And maybe Gabe and Brad could chat.”

    V4Real ; This has to be the funniest thing I read , from what I can remember poor Gabriel was the victim. Beaten for wanting his daughter in his life.

    Brad on the other hand LOL is anything but a victim. His mid life crisis ruined his family.
    Should have kept his cool on that plane and asked for divorce like a man if he was unhappy. I’m he wasn’t being held hostage in
    that marriage, if he was FBI would have worked on his emancipation while agents were interviewing his children & wife.

    Angelina and Halle have nothing in common same as Brad and Gabriel.

  32. Loca says:

    If Brad wanted to smear her name he would air out her dirty laundry too. I believe he file that because there was nothing officially set up. Either way his name has been put out there about being abusive to Maddox. I have yet to see a video where this is proved. They weren’t in love with each other anymore. Brad just dragged his feet and Angelina pulled the plug. I feel sorry for the kids. Neither one of them is an angel. Usually there is always someone pointing the finger without admitting their wrongs always raises a red flag to me.

  33. Billy says:

    Read a little ….. in the emails Brad and Angelina’s attorneys had a meeting with Dr Ian, who is responsible for assessing the progress of therapy and Brad’s tests. On the 9th of november it was these meeting and “look who coincidence” well the day the news came out that the investigation was closed and Brad was free to the same day to promote Allied.
    The result of a DCFS investigation is one of two things: Indicated or Unfounded.

    Brad’s investigation was Unfounded (most of the time that’s the result)

    But if Brad agreed to a Safety Plan, even if the investigation closed …. DCFS can continue to monitor it, even more if that was the option DCFS gave him.

    Alternatively, the family may be placed in an “Intact Family Services Program” provided by an organization that has a contract with DCFS.

    Intact Family Services
    Who is Eligible?
    Families who have been referred to One Hope United from the Department of Children and Family Services intact administrator.Indicated and unfounded cases are eligible for service.
    Cost: There are no cost to DCFS-referred families ..

    Despite the expectation that safety plans are to be short-term measures (lasting 7-10 days) and
    reviewed every 5 days to make them the least restrictive on the family as possible, parents report:
    # .Regular five day reviews of safety plans rarely occur in practice.
    #Safety plans are rarely ended after 7 or 10 days without being replaced by other
    (often more restrictive) safety plans; many safety plans last through an entire 60-day investigation and sometimeseven longer
    than that.
    # Attempts by parents to contact DCFS to modify or end the plan often do not receive
    a response.

    – Parents are routinely led to believe that if they do not “agree” to a safety plan, they will have their children
    taken away from them involuntarily and that the parents will have no influence over where their children go;
    some are told they will not see their children if this occurs.

    Sometimes this threat is implicit, and sometimes this threat is in writing.

    Most parents will do anything in their power to keep DCFS from taking their children and putting
    them with strangers, including putting the children with a person they do not want to care for
    their children. Sometimes demands to move children to more agreeable caregivers are not taken
    seriously or responded to in a timely way.

    Most parents facing safety plan demands rarely know what evidence DCFS possesses to support
    the demands being made, so it can be very challenging for parents to assess whether the demands ar
    e based on evidence or bluff. They also don’t know what the specific threat is that DCFS may have found.

    When parents question whether alternative arrangements can be made, their requests are rebuffed with further assertions
    that the children will be taken away. .
    For these reasons, many parents will “agree” to many unreasonable and unwanted
    restrictions on their family in circumstances in which their “agreement” is not, in fact,
    “voluntary.”

    Although law and DCFS policy provide that parents have the right to terminate
    safety plans at any time, in practice, requests to terminate safety plans are rarely granted.

    In addition, parents who wish to modify safety plans are often told that they cannot do so, or they do not receive
    a response to their requests to modify the plan.

    Many parents are fearful of “rocking the boat”once a safety plan has been established, even when they
    disagree with the terms and the bases for the safety plan.

    In situations where families are receiving intact services from private agencies at the same time safety plans are in place, parents
    have reported being confused (and having the sense that both DCFS and the private agencies are also confused) about who is in
    charge of overseeing the safety plan, including who has authority to modify, terminate, or address questions or concerns about safety plans.

    However, you should beware of the potential consequence of refusal if the services you are receiving are considered essential to the safety of the child. While you have the right to refuse services, DCFS intact services workers have the right
    to seek a court order requiring that you comply with services.
    If you have been cooperative with services and the monitoring visits to your home have proceeded smoothly, you may be at low risk of having a petition filed against you should you politely decline to continue services. But securing legal advice about the risk you may be running if you terminate services is recommended. Most cases in intact services do close, however, after 6 months without any court action being filed.

    ——

    6 months is what Angelina’s lawyer says they would probably have to operate on this system, not because of Angelina but because of DCFS …… Brad and the lawyer no matter how they try to put Angelina’s guilt in Everything … it is clear that who they want to fight is with DCFS …. they are the ones that have the control …

    • KB says:

      I started reading the emails, but when I got to the name of the childrens’ therapist, I peaced out. It just felt icky knowing that kind of personal information about the children and their treatment.

    • Lindsey says:

      Nope. So much of this is wrong. DCFS isn’t filing anything with the court so on Jan 17th the judge can make his own determinations by looking at therapist reports, drug test results, testimony, and any other relevant facts. DCFS plans are legally unenforceable. They remove child from the home less than 5% of the time and anything longer than 72 hours has to be signed off on by a judge. The majority of cases where children are removed is due to neglect not abuse. People do way worse and still maintain their parental rights and joint custody. If what he did was deemed not to be abuse, he is making a good faith effort in therapy, and has passed all his drug tests there is no reason to assume the courts won’t award joint custody. The family courts goal is joint custody as long as its reasonable safe, and healthy.

  34. Darien says:

    “His … request is a thinly veiled attempt to shield himself, rather than the minor children, from public view.”

    That was Jolie’s response to Pitt’s 12/7 request for seal, filed with the court – in dissent – that same day.

    Divorce litigants in California must request seal; it isn’t automatically granted or assumed, and when one party balks, judges tend to err on the side of transparency and delay or deny a motion to seal.

    One party to the divorce suffering embarrassment, since divorce proceedings are public record and open to scrutiny, is not a legally justifiable reason to grant a motion to seal.

    Jolie arguing in court that Pitt is more worried about his own personal embarrassment than for the kids’ privacy was clearly invoking this rule in her attempt to get the judge to rule against Pitt. And it already worked once.

    These are not the actions of a mother intent on cooperating, even in the short term, for the sake of her children’s privacy.

    If there were an already agreed-upon arrangement between them to seal pertinent records to protect the kids, there would have been no reason for Pitt to now re-file what’s called a “narrowly tailored” request for seal.

    And indeed, were that the case, there’s a very good chance the judge would smack Pitt’s attorneys for filing such a motion in total disregard of the “private agreement” they supposedly already reached.

    Jolie’s own court filings – which are, ironically, out there for anyone to see – directly contradict what her “side” is saying. She needs to get some minions who are better liars.

    • Billy says:

      In the emails it becomes clear what the real intensity of Brad and his lawyer is. Brad’s attorney is not talking about children’s privacy at any time.
      In the emails, there are only threats from Brad’s lawyer to coerce Angelina into going against the therapists because those same therapists Brad tried to talk and make demands, but the therapists were not willing to follow Brad’s demands. The other option is to seal the documents so that if Brad tried to fight in the DCFS and either have the peddle denied and maybe the therapists would put the reason in the moment Brad has to follow the DCFS recommendations that he and the lawyer agreed. Because the first time that Brad’s lawyer filed this emergency request to seal the documents, in the justification he had a lot of gossip site materials and ALL the news only spoke badly of Angelina, she was the most attacked and had The testimony of a psychiatrist who spoke of how such malicious news and speculation could harm children …. but he made it clear that he had no contact with his family, Brad, Angelina or the children. That was an opinion based on studies …. but he was unaware of the case.

      And now Brad’s lawyer attacks the mother of the children and doubts her intentions, it being Brad who does not want to reveal the true intent of fighting at court because they think he has more chances than trying to talk to The DCFS professionals. But it is a huge risk to go against the recommendations, which is why they say that before signing any document during a DCFS investigation, the person should look for a lawyer expert in these cases and know of the risks in not complying with the requirements ….

      This Supplemental Memorandum that Brad’s attorney filed in Brad’s name, in that document Brad did not sign, unlike the first one of emergency. I think this is one more attack between lawyers. Because the argument alone does not guarantee that the documents are sealed. Brad’s lawyer has to specify which documents he wants to be sealed.

  35. Lindsey says:

    He is no longer under investigation. DCFS has no say in custody matter once they close the case.