Larry King Joins Nastiest Celebrity Divorces
King and Southwick join Gosselins, Charlie Sheen, Madonna and others.
April 15, 2010 — -- Divorce is never a walk in the park, but when fame and fortune play major roles, both parties usually end up battered and broken.
The latest case is Larry King, 76, and seventh wife Shawn Southwick, 50, who filed for divorce Wednesday. Already the split is shaping up to be a nasty one.
Sources told celebrity news Web site TMZ that Southwick believed King had been having an affair -- with her younger sister Shannon Engemann -- for five years. The Web site said Southwick discovered the affair when she checked King's credit card statement and saw a $160,000 car and a diamond necklace from Cartier. Southwick reportedly told a friend, "He never gave me a diamond necklace."
Engemann, 45, told TMZ Wednesday that King had indeed given her gifts for Christmas and her birthday, but she denied that they'd been having an affair.
"This is so ludicrous. She's singling me out, but Larry has been nothing but generous to our entire family, including me," Engemann said. "I'm tired for taking the rap for things. I did not have an affair with Larry. He's been like a father to me."
"I have a date tonight, and I'm not going to worry about it," Engemann added. "I love my sister. What's happening is not my fault."
King's rep did not respond immediately to ABCNews.com's request for comment. Asked about the affair on his way into the Palm restaurant in Hollywood last night, King told a TMZ cameraman, "I don't know what you're talking about."
According to reports, there's been discord in the King-Southwick household for some time. Rumors of trouble between King and Southwick swirled in 2008, when she reportedly checked into rehab. At the time, King's spokesman, Howard Rubenstein, denied reports that their marriage was on the rocks.
In February, King joked in front of TMZ cameras that the couple was "hanging by a thread."
Surprisingly, the couple did not sign a prenuptual agreement prior to their wedding. King's attorney confirmed to Access Hollywood on Thursday that although the couple did not have a prenup, there was another agreement in place. He declined to discuss the details of the agreement.
King, who is divorcing for the eighth time, is no stranger marital breakups. And he has plenty of company. Below, check out 10 other noteworthy divorces and the salvos that make them infamous.
1. Jon Gosselin vs. 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, Jon accused Kate last week of putting her dancing ambitions before their eight children and said he's going to court to ask for primary physical custody.
His lawyer Anthony F. List called Kate "an absentee mom" and cited "Dancing With the Stars" as evidence that she's not spending "quality time with the eight kids."
Gosselin's lawyer, Mark Momijan, shot back at the pair last Wednesday, directly questioning Jon's motives. "He's never questioned her ability to provide for their children," said Momijan of her ex, according to TMZ. "He's out of the limelight, while 23 million people are watching Kate on 'Dancing with the Stars.'"
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