Top 10 Nastiest Celebrity Divorce Dramas

The Gosselins join Charlie Sheen, Denise Richards, Madonna & more in the ring.

ByABC News
October 6, 2009, 4:17 PM

Oct. 8, 2009 — -- Divorce is never a walk in the park, but when fame and fortune play major roles, both parties usually end up battered and broken.

Such is the case with Jon and Kate Gosselin. Just when it seemed the couple made famous (then infamous) by TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8" couldn't spiral downward any further, Kate accused her estranged husband of draining their joint bank account.

"He took $230,000 of the $231,000 we had," the reality TV mom said on NBC's "Today" Monday. "I have a stack of bills. The last thing I wanted was to do this show and end up not being able to pay our bills."

"If I have to work at McDonald's, I will do what I have to for my kids," Kate told ABC's "The View" the same day.

Jon shot down Kate's story, claiming on "The Insider" that he withdrew only $22,000 and Kate should barely feel the hit since "she's hiding money." Come on -- at this point, their eight kids are probably more well-equipped to handle the family's finances than their bickering-through-the-press parents.

Of course, the Gosselin's aren't alone in their divorce woes. Being in the public eye can make a breakup burn like nothing else. Below, check out nine other noteworthy divorces and the salvos that made them infamous.

1. Charlie Sheen vs. Denise Richards

Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards' years-long back-and-forth made their divorce the subject of countless tabloid headlines, but the faux pas that took the cake came in June 2008, when Richards released a three-year-old, expletive-laced voice message from Sheen. The highlight: a curse-filled rant from Sheen calling his ex-wife -- and the mother of their two daughters Sam, 5, and Lola, 4 -- a "f***ing c**t" and a "f***ing n****r." Sheen, star of "Two and a Half Men," followed up by releasing an apology for what he called his "choice of words."

2. Christie Brinkley vs. Peter Cook

It's bad enough finding out about a husband's affair. Having to hear all the gory details divulged in court -- that can be nauseating, especially in the case of Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook. Their July 2008 divorce proceedings featured a torrent of torrid tales, including Cook's tearful admission that he enjoyed oral sex with his then-18-year-old assistant Diana Bianchi and his fondness for masturbating via webcam. No wonder Brinkley told Ladies' Home Journal "I would never get married again" in July 2009. "With what I know, I don't see why anyone would get married," she added.

After closing the books on their divorce last year, Brinkley and Cook recently decided to re-open that can of worms. Wednesday, they convened in a New York court, slinging charges and counter charges of violating the terms of their settlement and attempting to convince a judge that the other belongs in jail. A new trial is scheduled to start Tuesday.