Every week, a different tabloid is reporting on the shaky relationship of celebutante Nicole Richie and her baby’s father, Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden. Seems like every time Madden gets his picture snapped with another female – whether it’s Lindsay Lohan or Mary Kate Olsen – it means he’s cheating. This week’s sage comes to us courtesy of Star Magazine, who is claiming that Joel’s latest dalliance is with Mischa Barton.
After a bitter fight with Joel Madden, Nicole Richie packed her bags — and their daughter! — and headed to her mom’s. But things only got worse when she caught Joel with… Mischa Barton.
For months they’d been fighting over everything from marriage to moving, but Nicole and Joel’s strained relationship hit a new low when, during yet another battle, she screamed at him, “We’re through,” and fled to her mother’s home, taking their daughter, Harlow, with her, a friend tells Star. Although Nicole returned the next day, “This was her way of sending Joel a message,” says the pal. “Nicole loves him, but things need to change.”Days after their big blowup, things were no better, so Nicole once again walked out on Joel — jetting to New York City, with Harlow in tow, for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. She wasn’t alone for long. Joel followed her to the Big Apple, and the quarrelsome couple made a brief yet disastrous appearance at the Charlotte Ronson afterparty at Country Club on Sept. 6. “She was just in a miserable mood, and there was obvious tension,” an eyewitness tells Star. “I didn’t see her talk to Joel the entire night, and it seemed like he was avoiding her too. Nicole was just so angry!”
The next day, it was Joel’s turn to walk out on Nicole! He headed back to L.A., where his band, Good Charlotte, performed that night at an MTV VMAs party at the Chateau Marmont hotel. And despite his relationship with Nicole hanging by a thread, Joel partied like he didn’t have a care in the world — with Nicole pal Mischa! Days earlier, Mischa had broken up with boyfriend, Taylor Locke and that night she was front-row center at the show, dancing seductively for Joel, says a source. “He kept checking out Mischa and smiling at her.”
If Star and all the other tabloids were correct, then Nicole and Joel have broken up about 50 times by now. Remember the frenzy over the photo of Joel sitting on a couch with Lohan? Of course, the tabloids had cropped the photo so we couldn’t see her girlfriend, Samantha Ronson, sitting on the other side of him. Don’t get me wrong – Joel does strike me as a bit of a flirt, but so does Nicole. Besides, taking up with Mischa Barton would be a serious downgrade – I don’t believe it. Just picturing the former OC star “dancing seductively” makes me feel nauseous.
Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are shown leaving a deli in LA on 9/5/08. Credit: Homero Tercero/WENN
I like to think in my head that he’s more of a stand-up guy then that. I don’t know, maybe it’s the whole DCMA thing. (not forgetting where you come from)
guess Paris will be splitting up with Benji
I tend to believe the rumors – Joel always seems to be phoning it in when he’s with Nic & Harlow. I don’t think they’ll last… and maybe they shouldn’t. Nic seems like a better person now that she’s a mom, and she could do better.
Well I’m not a fan of either but this SUCKS. I wonder how much the paps and tabloids plant the seeds of doubt with all these constant inside ‘scoops’ and then it actually hastens the demise of the relationship. I though Madden and his twin came from a broken family (father left them) so this makes him hyper sensitive to repeating history. If they are truly and end up not being able to make it work they should break up. Kids pick up on everything. They can work out a way to keep him involved in her life. Poor little baby.
It seems to me that Nicole is awfully jealous, and that could be the basis for their troubles. She threw a fit when Paris went on tour with Benji, she throws fits every time Joel speaks to another woman. Being so volatile can cause someone to think “I’ve got the name, might as well have the game”. If she has a problem with the lifestyle he lives as a rock star (chokes me to call him that), then she shouldn’t have gotten involved with him. He has to tour, he has to be around other women. She has to get used to it.
Could he look like a bigger douche in that first pic? I’m hardly a Nicole fan, but even she can do better than this ass hat.
I agree Syko, that is the nature of the beast. Let’s hope he’s at least trying to keep it in his pants.
‘bird gotta fly, fish gotta swim, musician’s gotta philander…’
Her jealousy isn’t surprising, if she’s got/had an eating disorder she’s probably got serious self-esteem issues. That being said, I am sure it’s tough with a new baby and maybe she’s feeling overlooked. I know that my sister and her husband had a real rough 6-7 months after they had their baby. Nerves get frazzled.
That being said, he should not be making a beeline for the clubs because he has a spat with the wife.
I really like them together & I hope these rumors aren’t true. They seem like perfectly normal new parents to me
DCMA = Don’t Care Much Anyway?
Is this a Good Charlotte thing?
@Codzilla – she always seems to go for ugly men. Might be another symptom of low self esteem.
I dunno Bodhi, she’s looked awfully miserable in pictures with him lately.
Good point, Syko. Let’s hope she embraces therapy at some point for the sake of her daughter. My Mom sought counseling for the same reason, and while I’m hardly the most confident person on earth, overall I’m pretty happy. And I think my Mom’s efforts to help herself are a huge part of that.
Dating men other people think are ugly means you have low self-esteem? Hmmm… I can’t say I can get on board with that one. I’m inclined to believe that alot of people don’t make those decisions based solely on looks. And alot of people DON’T think Joel is ugly, anyway.
I’m with Bodhi, too, though, they don’t seem any different than alot of new, young parents trying to figure it all out. Besides, Nicole going to spend a night at her mom’s with the baby doesn’t mean she’s moved out!
A relationship that resulted in a pregnancy a few months into it isn’t working??? I am shocked.
Diva: If not the men, then I think her past eating disorder is a pretty good indication that she’s dealing with some confidence issues.
I don’t think people make those decisions based solely on looks either, Diva. But you tend to date what you are attracted to. With her money, heritage and name she could pick much more attractive men than she does. But they are always plain or odd looking, which indicates that she might feel she’s not attractive or nice enough to attract a good looking man.
I’d like for it to work out. They seem like a good couple – Joel in particular seems grounded and mature – and they have an adorable little girl. But I don’t have an enormous amount of hope.
LOL… I’m WAY hotter than my husband, lol
😆
But I don’t have money or a name.
You have a name HERE, Diva! 😀
Strike one for Joel: He’s in the band Good Charolette and is actually proud of it.
Strike two and three: Mischa. Baron. Yuck!
Good Joel, leave her her little high maintenance ass. It never really looked like Happy Families with them either. I’d almost guarantee that a 17 yr. old Jamie Spears is probably a better mother than a 27 year old Ritchie. Grow Up B*tch!
Omg nooo Joel!! Why?! wtf, how can he do this??
i’m so upset right now at Joel. But let’s get this straight. Joel is one of the most beau men alive. He is in millions of girls dreams everyday cause he’s hot. So, yeah
They seem to make a realy good couple but who can say why they broke u, the paparazzi don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.