Years ago, I remember watching an authorized documentary about David Geffen (I think it was his American Masters doc) and thinking that he actually seemed like a lot of fun. Like, he’s actually friends with many celebrities, and he seems like a really supportive bestie to many of the most famous women in music. He has/had a savant-like gift within the music industry, and he made excellent business decisions over the course of his lengthy career. He’s 82 years old and mostly retired from the business, and he’s sitting on a fortune of $8.7 billion. Well, a few years ago, he quietly married a fifty-years-younger man named David Andrew Armstrong, who also goes by Donovan Michaels. Geffen filed for divorce from Donovan a few weeks ago, and guess what? It’s already getting contentious.
David Geffen may be in for a battle, because his estranged husband has just filed legal docs strongly suggesting his estranged hubby wants a chunk of David’s fortune.
David Andrew Armstrong (aka Donovan Michaels) filed a response to Geffen’s divorce petition. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Armstrong’s lawyer, Samantha Spector, checked a box that asks the judge to “Determine rights to community and quasi-community assets and debts.”
That’s significant, because TMZ has previously reported, Geffen, an 82-year-old whose wealth is estimated at $8.7 BILLION, has been retired for 15 years. Our understanding is he has no income other than investments, including property sales and dividends from stocks and equities. Those assets are all separate property.
Apparently, 32-year-old Armstrong is not convinced. He is also asking for spousal support, which Geffen agreed to pay when his lawyer, disso queen Laura Wasser, filed divorce docs.
The 2 have been married for just under 2 years, and under Cali law, Armstrong would only be entitled to 1 year of spousal support.
I understand the technicalities of Geffen’s position, which is: my investment income is not community property, how dare my young husband try to get that money. But in the bigger picture, it’s bizarre that Geffen hasn’t dealt with this quietly and swiftly by just paying Donovan and getting him to sign an NDA. Like, this isn’t hard – I’m sure a young guy like Donovan will go away very quietly with a nice-sized check, and there’s no need for drama. I have no idea what Geffen was even thinking by marrying a much-younger man without a prenup and with no plan for what would happen if the marriage went t-ts up.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Getty.
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- Los Angeles, CA – Billionaire, David Geffen is very casual as he arrives with his partner Donovan Michaels at the Lakers game at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Pictured: David Geffen, Donovan Michaels BACKGRID USA 24 APRIL 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BLW Clips / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Los Angeles, CA – David Geffen arriving to Lakers Playoff Game at the Lakers game at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Pictured: David Geffen BACKGRID USA 24 APRIL 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Los Angeles, CA – David Geffen arriving to Lakers Playoff Game at the Lakers game at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Pictured: David Geffen BACKGRID USA 24 APRIL 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Of course he is. What other reason would there be? *giggle*
I flashed on Jennifer Coolidge’s character in Best in Show, talking about her ancient millionaire husband – “We have so much in common. We both love soup…”
She was so funny in that movie. One of those perfect movies actually.
According to The Daily Mail, his ex-GIRLFRIEND is talking. So he’s either bisexual or gay for male billionaires.
I haven’t forgiven him for the renaming of Avery Fisher Hall to David Geffen Hall. I wish this divorce included renaming it to Armstrong-Geffen Hall.
My guess, it’s less about spousal support but big bucks settlement to sign an NDA. So he does not write a tell all. They had no prenup when they got married. Which I am gob smacked if true. That his team did not move to have at the least a postnup signed.
A little off topic: I wondered why Geffen started living on his yacht (The Rising Sun) 365 days a year. It started ages ago, well before his marriage. Maybe he just likes the sea air.
My vote is something financial/tax related.
Rich people always want MORE money and the poors just have to deal with less for public services.
What she said!
So surprised the guy wants money! I hope he got a hell of a lot out of it for no prenup. It was most likely the only way the guy would stay with him or marry him. Or maybe Geffen was out of his mind when he married him. (UTI or something like that could cause mental issues in the elderly.)
I’m sure he could give him $20-30 million to walk away. It’d be peanuts to someone with his net worth unless the guy did something absolutely egregious and Geffen wants to fight this.
I’ve always loved Joni Mitchell’s song about Geffen, Free Man in Paris. Great song.