Tonight on 20/20 ` Can you be fat and healthy? I'm fat and fit. A controversial view on the obesity epidemic. Poppycock, I think, is a word we can use for it. Sugar babes looking for sugar daddies to help pay for college. But if there is sex going on, isn't that prostitution? Hollywood ` a place of fast living and even faster divorces. Divorce is never pretty. When you have celebrities doing it, it's just uglier and more expensive. You thought the Kardashian marriage was short. Well, remember Britney Spears and Jason Alexander? That marriage? A whopping 55 hours (!) Still in Hollywood, we talk to Emily VanCamp, the star of TV2's new hit show, Revenge. I can handle them, and I've no problem taking you down too if you get in my way. www.tvnz.co.nz/access-services Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2012 Kia ora. I'm Sonia Wilson. You will have heard health professionals telling you that being fat is bad for your health, gives you diabetes ` even that it could kill you. But tonight 20/20 brings you a very different way to think about fatness. And it's confronting. Fat activism is a growing movement around the world tackling fat issues, assumptions and stereotypes. At the forefront of the movement in NZ is Dr Cat Pause. We're pretty sure that tonight's story's going to get you talking. In fact, we hope it does. Here's reporter Hannah Ockelford. # One, two, three, four! # FUNKY ROCK MUSIC It's awesome. CHEERING In a fat-phobic world, this is truly an act of rebellion. You are hot. I already know how much I weigh. It's OK. So long as I don't stand on those bloody scales. It's not a number that will define you when you try Cat Pause's scales ` You are adorable. ...rather, a compliment. It says you are sexy. When did a scale at the doctor tell you you were sexy? Uh... (LAUGHS) Cat's a fat activist ` a fat woman who's fighting fat oppression. Shall we replace all the scales in the world with one of these? Shall we replace all the scales in the world with one of these? Definitely. It's awesome, right? > I've spent a lot of my life with people trying to tell me that I'm not fat, in a reassuring, 'No, you're not fat,' kind of way. Which is a ridiculous statement, because I am fat. She's 32 years old, and the last time she did weigh in, the scales tipped 135kg. Fat people aren't afforded the same dignity as non-fat people. Fat jokes are, um, quite common and quite popular. So, the activism is about, kinda, shifting those perspectives. It's about changing the national discourse on fatness. A lot of people are gonna have that image of a fat person sitting at home binge-eating. Is that you? I'm sure that it is a lot of people, both fat and not fat. Um, but no, that` that wouldn't be me. But, I think, honestly, more importantly, it shouldn't matter if that was me or not. I think I should be afforded basic human dignity either way. Which might sound crazy. (LAUGHS) FAST-PACED DANCE MUSIC The hat's pretty awesome, right? (LAUGHS) I'm in a really, uh, positive place with my body now. But that hasn't always been the case. As long as she can remember, Cat has always been fat. MELODIC GUITAR MUSIC The last time I went to war on my body was in my early 20s. I was definitely over-exercising. You know, exercising for three or four hours every day. And I was definitely not eating enough. I was doing a starvation diet, basically, so... I was being very, very, very mean to my poor little body. But I was losing weight, and that's what mattered. Cat called a ceasefire, putting an end to her destructive dieting. I remember bursting into tears in the middle of my parents' kitchen. I was so unhappy. Um... And yeah, I just decided to stop. I decided that waging war on my body, um, probably wasn't very healthy for me. Best potatoes you've ever had. A change in attitude meant a new approach to eating. There are no goods or bad kinds of food. Um, obviously there are food that has more, maybe, health and nutrition, um, than others. LAUGHTER But when we put those kinds of values ` that 'good' and 'bad' ` and, 'I had a bad food day,' and 'a good food day', it really does a disservice to ourselves and to our bodies. MELLOW DANCE MUSIC The 'fatosphere' is where Cat chose to come out as a fat woman. I changed my Facebook status to read, 'Cat Pause is proud to be a fat feminist 'who works for social change.' And I thought about that for months before I did that. (CHUCKLES) Because I knew that that was, kind of, me stepping` stepping out. ...Dr Cat Pause, a lecturer in human development... Coming out included appearances on national television... ...you are larger than the average person... ...has made her a target for fat-haters. Isn't that lovely (!) She's got messages for those people ` messages she's broadcasting. My name is Cat, and I invite you to join me on my new show, Friend of Marilyn. In the culture we live in, every act of liking ourselves is revolutionary. Get out of bed and don't hate yourself ` you're a revolutionary. Go on a walk and enjoy moving your body ` you're a revolutionary. Enjoyed your lunch without guilt ` viva la revolution. Making fatness visible is Cat's core work. The new adipositivity calendar. It's sexy ladies, so it's not something that you can hang in your office at work. CHUCKLES: Right. It's not safe for work. Cat is more than simply a fat woman trying to make us think differently. She's a fat-studies scholar. For me, the obesity epidemic is really just a bunch of scaremongering, to be honest. Do you not believe it exists? Yeah` I don't, no. It's, um ` poppycock, I think, is a word we can use for it. The evidence of an epidemic is everywhere. It's certainly a controversial thing to say in a world that swears by an epidemic. We're going to end up as a nation of, uh, cardiac cripples. Obesity rates for most of the industrial world, if not all of the industrial world, levelled off about a decade ago. And so, for me, when I hear people talking about, 'Oh, we're getting fatter, and it's gonna kill us all,' I know that that's not actually true. Because I know the scientists who are doing the work that find that it's not. Step on the scale. The laziest family in Britain. I've always been a pretty girl trapped inside a fat girl's body. There's big money in fatness. That money's only made if people believe that being fat is bad for you and, more importantly, that people can become non-fat if they only worked hard enough. FUN GUITAR MUSIC I'm involved with Weight Watchers. I'm involved with Weight Watchers. Yeah, I'm Weight Watchers as well. I'm involved with Weight Watchers. Yeah, I'm Weight Watchers as well. I ended up on Kate Morgan. And I tried the Body Trim. Hello. Come on in. All but one of these women has invested in the weight-loss industry, which makes them prime targets for Cat. What they find is that people with a BMI in the overweight category ` so a BMI of 25-30 ` actually have the best health and actually live the longest. If I went down to my BMI, I'd be skin and bone. BMI, for me, I'd need to be down another 10 or so. That's ridiculous. We don't know how to make a non-fat body into a fat one. We don't know how to make a fat body into a non-fat one. And, of course, we don't know if making a fat person into a non-fat person actually delivers any kind of health benefits, even if we knew how to do that. One thing that people often ask me about is Type II diabetes ` and its relationship to obesity. Most people with Type II diabetes are fat, but most fat people will never develop Type II diabetes. And what a lot of research is beginning to indicate and has for the last few years, is there's probably a third variable that we're not yet considering that's possibly causing or contributing to both. So, did our ladies buy Cat's message? It's about really accepting who you are ` that's how I've felt from her. Like, she's made me really accept what I am now. Hands up who's got scales here. Hands up who's got scales here. LAUGHTER And after today are you planning on keeping them? And after today are you planning on keeping them? Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. I think I` I think I will, yeah. But not using them` I'm only going to weigh in once a week. I think it's very dangerous to conflate someone's weight with someone's health. Are you healthy? Are you healthy? I eat a nutritious diet, and I exercise regularly. I get enough hours of sleep at night. I go to the doctor every year, so, you know, I guess I'm healthy. Um, if we measured it, though, the way that NZ Immigration measures it, I'm not, simply because my BMI's over 30. DANCE MUSIC So, when I fly, like, I have my own seatbelt extender. and this, um, is usually needed depending on where I end up sitting on what kind of plane. These are the tools of a fat rights champion. So, this is like a tape measure kinda thing. But instead of numbers, it says smart, confident, amazing. So if I were to, like, measure my upper arm ` let's measure my upper arm and see what we get. Unique. Unique. It is unique, right. Almost hot. Almost hot. Which is` Oh, almost hot. She asks you not to make assumptions about her. She tries to do the same. I think that for a lot of people watching, most of what I'm saying doesn't sound that crazy. And most people know a fat person. And they probably love that person and want nothing but the best for them and probably have an excellent example of fat activism in their own lives. Yet that hasn't quite translated into how they think about fatness in general. (GROANS) THE TING TINGS' 'THAT'S NOT MY NAME' Breathe in. # They call me hell. # They call me Stacey. # They call me her. # They call me Jane. # That's not my name. # That's not my name. # If I didn't exercise, I'd be twice the size I am now. And it helps pull me in. So, are you fat, or are you fit? I'm fat and fit. It'd be tough to meet a better example of someone who embodies fat activism than Janeen Nowicki. I forgave myself for not being perfect, and it's OK. What would perfect be for you? CHUCKLES: 100 kilos, probably. But I'm OK` If I don't get to 100 kilos, it's not do or die. You know, this is what I am, and I'll just deal with it. According to her BMI, at 53 years old, Janeen's morbidly obese. I just want to be obese, but I'm grossly morbidly obese. LAUGHS: That's what I am. I'm grossly morbidly obese. I used to think 'thin'. If I was thin, everything would come to you. That's how I thought. Have you been thin? Have you been thin? I did get down to very very thin and bulimic and down to about 55 kilos. And I still` Even when I was that thin, I still looked in the mirror, and I used to see a fat person. She's ditched the diets... leaving room for the odd indulgence. I'd just lay in bed and think about the cheesecake and think how nice it would taste, cut and put on a plate and melting in your mouth ` you know how it trickles down the back of your throat ` with a cup of tea. Then you feel sick in the stomach, and then I have to have my Gastro Smooth tablets. But less than perfect choices are really beside the point here, because this is a woman who has fought to accept herself. So 130/80. That's excellent, Janeen. So 130/80. That's excellent, Janeen. Yeah! (LAUGHS) Thanks, Viv. FUN GUITAR MUSIC And now, it is, in fact, her enhanced size that enhances her life. So, when a bigger lady walks in here, how do you make her feel special? I just say, 'Look, I can make you lose five kilos from here to where the camera is, 'and I'll show you how we do it.' Grab one of these. Same absolute top. And va-voom-va-vish, doesn't she look gorgeous? This is BBB Designs. The B's stand for Big, Bold and Beautiful. I always tell the girls, ruche, ruche, hide your tush, OK? I call my stomach tush cos it rhymes. We're twins, now. We're twins, now. There we are. If I had my high heels on, I'd be your height. If I had my high heels on, I'd be your height. Exactly. For 25 years Janeen's been teaching to her own unique beat. So, you, too, can look as good as this. Ready? Four, three, two, one. A plus-size instructor ` bold and beautiful. My philosophy is shoot for the moon, cos even if you miss, you'll be among the stars. Her energy's infectious. ...two, three, four. You can hear giggles throughout every class. V is for victory. Hurry up. Everybody's beautiful in my class. I love them all. I just had a Gastro Soothe, so I'll be OK to have a few drinks after. Fun, fitness and food. It's a simple formula that keeps Janeen healthy. If you love yourself, then it comes out that you're a happier person, and then it just runs off like ripples. Then other people get it. She's trying to change the stereotypes, just like Cat Pause. If I walk into a room and people, kind of, look at me and giggle, or if they're pointing and staring or whatnot, I try not to assume that it's just because they're making fun of my fat body. Maybe it's because they like what I'm wearing or they think my hair colour's cool. Is fat activism an excuse for you to be fat? Yeah, I don't think I have to justify my size, to be honest. Um, you know, I'd like to think that even if I wasn't a fat person, I would still find it important to fight for people to not be oppressed based on physical appearance. Cat's an optimist and a realist. I don't think there's going to be a time in my lifetime when there's not a need for people to be involved in fat activism. Repeat after me, other people's bodies are none of my business. So, for Cat, until people stop making assumptions about fat people, this self-labelled fat activist will keep spreading a little fat positivity. More people see what we are doing and choose to step away from the self-hate every day. It's a fattie uprising. Join us! (LAUGHS) Now, there's a lot more info out there on the web on this topic. Check out our Facebook page for some of the better links. And while you're there, let us know what you thought of that story. Uh, right, that's 20/20 NZ on Facebook. Coming up, the rising cost of university in the States is forcing students to find some new and controversial ways of raising funds. It's one of several Sugar Daddy sites, where men can hook up with potential sugar babies ` younger women who want to be supported financially, in exchange for their companionship. If you can afford to help somebody and give them a better life, and in turn, they give you a whole bunch of, uh, fun and companionship you might not achieve otherwise, that's a good return. a Welcome back. With the cost of college tuition in America reaching all-time highs, for some young women, those nagging debts have led them to websites like Seeking Arrangement.com ` a business that connects a potential sugar daddy with a sugar baby. Some are calling it prostitution, but others argue they're simply offering the girlfriend experience. # This is me swallowing my pride, standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night... It is 6 o'clock in the evening. 24-year-old Christine Morris of New York City is doing what she loves best. I dreamed about being a singer, playing in an orchestra, going to school, getting my degree. That lifelong passion earned her a spot at a prestigious school of music. But as she inched closer to graduation, reality set in. I had just taken out too many student loans. I couldn't take out any more. How much is tuition? How much is tuition? Roughly $10,000 a semester. At one point, I had three jobs. Where did that leave time for school? Where did that leave time for school? It didn't. Just one semester shy of her bachelor's degree, Christine left school. But so far, waiting tables isn't adding up to the big bucks she desperately needs. So tonight, Christine is trying something different. She's going to have dinner with a man she met here, on a website called 'Seeking Arrangement.com' It's one of several 'sugar daddy' sites, where men can hook up with potential 'sugar babies', younger women who want to be supported financially in exchange for their companionship. So, what made you decide to try this? I needed money. (CHUCKLES) And I wanted to try and save up to get myself back in school. And she's not alone. The fastest-growing population on the site today? According to the company, it's college students. And some speculate it's the direct result of skyrocketing tuition costs and student debt. In fact, Seeking Arrangement now targets college sugar babies, which in turn attracts sugar daddies, who pay as much as $2500 to sign up. Who are these men? Who are these men? Wall Street men, businessmen, lawyers. How old, in general, are these guys? How old, in general, are these guys? Um, most of them have been in their 40s. For a few decades. (CHUCKLES) For a few decades. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. (LAUGHS) Exactly. Melanie Berliet, a freelance writer based in New York City, went undercover, dating men from the site, to write an expose for Vanity Fair. The distinguishing characteristic of a sugar baby/sugar daddy relationship is that you openly discuss the financial component of the relationship. Right up front? Right up front? Right up front, and throughout. One man Berliet met said in his profile that he was willing to spend $10,000 to $20,000 a month ` no doubt attractive to college graduates, who now shoulder an average of $25,000 of debt. Seeking Arrangement gave 20/20 a list of the schools it says have the highest number of sugar babies. And some of the names might surprise you ` NYU at number one, and even Harvard makes the top 10. It's easier for me to understand why young women would be willing to do this ` they need the money. Right. Right. Why are men willing to do this? I found that it was a lot of men who were very well aware that their resources could be used by younger women, and how else would these men meet these younger women? I know you've heard the term 'arm candy'. Is that what some of these women are? Yes, in the same vein as what a trophy wife is. Richard, a Las Vegas sugar daddy in his 50s who asked not to be identified, says these arrangements are a win-win for everyone. If you can afford to help somebody, give them a better life, in turn, they give you a whole bunch of, uh, fun and companionship you might not achieve otherwise. That's a good return. But companionship can mean different things to different people. How much of it involved sex? How much of it involved sex? Most men expected some sexual relationship. How overt were they about that? How overt were they about that? I was directly asked, 'Would you have sex with me?' So pretty overt. But this certainly isn't like prostitution; it was more akin to renting a girlfriend. But if there is sex going on in exchange for money, isn't that prostitution? You could say that there's a lack of romance, but, you know, it's a necessary reality for those people involved in it. You said in your description, 'I'm looking for a mutually beneficial relationship.' What does that mean exactly? What does that mean exactly? Um, basically, trading companionship for money. I mean, a lot of these guys will just pay for pretty girls to have dinner with them. Surely you thought there may be an expectation of sex being involved. With some of them there is, but I also make it known that that's not my expectation. But you don't exactly say, 'Sex is out of the question.' But you don't exactly say, 'Sex is out of the question.' Right. Sex isn't a given; it is earned, says Pixie, a 23-year-old sugar baby from New York. Sex would have to come just like any other relationship ` step by step. But the financial transaction, she says, isn't tied to the sex. They'll just put an envelope in your purse while you're not looking. Or sometimes they'll just say, 'Honey, do you need anything besides the allowance?' Pixie now says she has plans to go to law school, so she's looking for a new arrangement. I tell them whatever amount I need ` $8000, $9000 a month. For some men, really, that's not a lot of money. Plus, a wife costs a lot more. Christine hasn't made anything close to that yet. She said she averages $100 to $500 a date. Do your parents know you're doing this? Do your parents know you're doing this? They don't. (CHUCKLES) Well, I think they might now. Well, I think they might now. They might. (LAUGHS) # ...all the time. # (PLAYS TAYLOR SWIFTS 'BACK TO DECEMBER') Right, after the break, a Hollywood marriage can be a lavish and dramatic affair, but often the divorce is where all the action is. For the celebrities at the centre of the split, the stakes are higher than ever. Topping a long list of concerns, their fortunes. Divorce is never pretty. When you have celebrities doing it, it's just uglier and more expensive. Sometimes you have people who are making hundreds of millions of dollars. Suddenly, those people are splitting. They've gotta divide that money. Tonight on 20/20 ` s Welcome back. From 'I do' to 'I don't' to 'What was I thinking?' In a town where fame can be fleeting, so too can Hollywood love and marriage. From Heidi Klum and Seal to Ashton Kutcher and Demi, high-profile Hollywood splits have dominated recent entertainment headlines. Tonight we're taking you inside the volatile world of celebrity marriage and divorce. What makes a Hollywood marriage work? And why does it get so ugly and so expensive so fast? MAN: OK. Tell me exactly what happened there. MAN: OK. Tell me exactly what happened there. WOMAN: OK. Uh, she smoked, um, uh, something. It's` And she seems to be having convulsions of some sort. It is the panicked 911 call... Right now is she awake? Right now is she awake? Yeah. It's` Well, semi-conscious. Barely. ...that has spawned a week of media mayhem,... Demi Moore had a seizure after sniffing inhalants? MAN: Demi reportedly in rehab. Frightened friends of Demi Moore desperate for help. Why is an ambulance not on its way right now? ...leaving many to wonder, 'Is Demi's recent and public divorce to blame for her health crisis?' The stress and the indignity kinda exacerbate the health issues, drug use. We hear, 'She's devastated.' 'He's sleeping with this person.' Even in a split that seems amicable, like Heidi Klum's and Seal's,... My love for her has not waned one iota. ...the road ahead can be treacherous, due to the endless daily speculation. Bradley Jacobs is a senior editor at US Weekly, where stars in marital crisis are the focus of infinite public fascination. When news breaks that a couple like Heidi and Seal are splitting, it's basically all hands on deck. 'Where are they today? Where were they yesterday?' Get the story. A lot of these instances started with that very carefully worded public announcement, and then it's gone berserko. It's Wild West time with Hollywood divorces. It really is. It's in` Anything goes. Anything goes. Yes. And if you get caught in the system, God help you. For the celebrities at the centre of the split, the stakes are high. Topping a long list of concerns ` their fortunes. Divorce is never pretty. When you have celebrities doing it, it's just uglier and more expensive. Expensive is right. Dorothy Pomerantz ranks celebrity net worth for Forbes magazine. You have people who are making hundreds of millions of dollars. Suddenly, those people are splitting. They've gotta divide that money. The numbers can be staggering. Divorce reportedly cost Kelsey Grammer $50 million; Madonna 75 million; Steven Spielberg and Tiger Woods 100 million; Michael Jordan 168 million. But it's Mel Gibson who shelled out the most. Last December, he reportedly paid almost $500 million to his ex-wife, Robyn. That's after seven children and 31 years of marriage. But Lynn Soodik, who represented Sandra Bullock and Scarlett Johansson in their divorces, says it's not always the length of the marriage that matters. Timing is key, and it's all about the prenup. Without a prenup in California, assets are split 50/50, so you can lose a boatload quickly. This is it! James Cameron, director of Titanic, the second-highest-grossing movie of all time, must have had that sinking feeling when he divorced actress Linda Hamilton. In that case, they were married for the right 17 months. She married him before he started work on the Titanic and separated after he'd made the Titanic, so she was entitled to half of his income from that project. You don't usually marry someone for 17 months and` ...walk away with 50 million? ...walk away with 50 million? Yes. > That's pretty nice. That's pretty nice. It's a good job. That's pretty nice. It's a good job. Yeah. I'd do that. BOTH LAUGH REPORTERS CLAMOUR Katy Perry, who earned $44 million this year, could be at risk to lose much of her fortune after just 14 months of marriage. Katy Perry and Russell Brand ` when they got married, they made much out of the fact that they there was no prenup. Russell Brand stands to get a lot of money. Is he going to walk away from this marriage a richer man than he came into it? Probably. Would it be honourable for him to say, 'I'm not entitled to your $20 million?' Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. What are the chances he'll say that? Absolutely. Absolutely. What are the chances he'll say that? I would say slim. Allison Weiner is a former litigator and the host of the internet show Media Mayhem. She claims not just the settlements but the legal fees in celebrity smackdowns have become astronomical. The way divorce works in Hollywood is it's really about getting paid. What could have started off if you were a regular person is $100,000 divorce. Here, you can multiply that by 10 at least. By 10? By 10? Yes. It's big, big business. Weiner says many celebrities pick from a hit list of top lawyers who charge $800 and up an hour. And Weiner says many lawyers like the cachet of working with the famous stars. Do these lawyers advertise who their celebrity clients are? Are they anxious to brag about who they've represented and won settlements for? They let TMZ or some website ` Radar Online ` know that so and so visited their office. So lawyers leak stuff to TMZ? The` Most of the lawyers in town have TMZ on speed dial. That's a huge risk for celebrities, for whom image is everything. In a town where the public intensely track stars' every mundane move, dirt in divorce is gold. There's more than money at stake. There's future earning power at stake. There's definitely future earning power at stake. For celebrities, especially in today's world, how they appear in the press is very very important to how they're going to be perceived in their roles. That perception is often challenged most when children are central to the divorce debacle. Custody is the battleground, uh, where you use every piece of dirt you have to get better custody. Yikes. Yikes. And that's a real trump card. Case in point ` Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards' 2006 divorce. Denise Richards said, 'He looks at porn; younger girls.' I mean, you can't even imagine the things. And then there's Alec Baldwin's 2007 custody battle, in which a voicemail he left his daughter was leaked and went viral. ALEC BALDWIN: I don't give a damn that you're 12 years old or 11 years old or that you're a child or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass. If one of these things gets leaked, the celebrity can expect to be explaining it for the rest of their career; maybe the rest of their lives. That's why spin is so important. ABC News consultant and reputation.com's Howard Bragman has steered his celebrity clients through divorce. Celebrities are putting their information out there on a daily, some even on, seemingly, an hourly basis. And you've gotta be really cautious. Because often, it is the celebrities themselves that fuel the fire, churning out veiled tweets about their dissolving relationships. Others have the advantage of taking total control of the spin game. Kim Kardashian's reality show began airing right after her 72-day marriage fell apart. For what? For what? Do your boobs need to be so out? I didn't know they were that out. Relax. She has control over the ending of that show. You know, she's got a whole season's worth of reality show to show what a jerk Kris Humphries is` To spin her story. To spin her story. Absolutely. To spin her story. Baby, by the time you have kids, no one will care about you. 'That is a huge amount of power.' But I in the end, for a celebrity going through a divorce, maybe it's best to remember that silence can be golden. All press is certainly not good press. Sometimes it's best just to shut up. Any celebrity who's about to go through a split ` they kinda have to batten down the hatches. REPORTERS CLAMOUR Next, part two of that story. The average Hollywood marriage lasts just eight years. Kim Kardashian's marriage lasted 72 days. But Britney Spears ` well, hers was just 55 hours. I was in love with her. I feel like she` she felt the same way. So, to the Little White Wedding Chapel and those famous tabloid photos. The baseball hat, the bare midriff ` it all seemed so promising. Was there a honeymoon period for you guys in that 55 hours? Maybe. We were in Vegas, you know. I mean, we had a suite. (SNIGGERS) Plus, they're the only nappy clinically proven to help prevent GENTLE LULLING MUSIC It's nice when someone's there to lend a helping hand. That's why Huggies Newborn Nappies have a wetness indicator that makes it easier to see when it may be change time and a waistband pocket to help protect against leaks at the back. Plus, they're the only nappy clinically proven to help prevent nappy rash. a Welcome back. Quick to the altar and quick to the divorce court. That seems to be the Hollywood way. After a massive, globally reported wedding, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' marriage lasted just 72 days. In part two of our story 'Hollywed', we have a look at the Hollywood quickie divorce. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC For most Americans, marriage means 'till death do us part'. RECORD SCRATCHES In Hollywood, it means 'till maybe next Tuesday.' Check out this man. The average American divorce comes after eight years of marriage. Not forever, but that's 24 times longer than Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney lasted; 40 times longer than Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries; 324 times longer than Dennis Rodman... (LAUGHS) It was great. It was great. ...and Carmen Electra. It just was a disaster. It was a complete disaster. # Somehow I made it through. # And that's nothing. The average marriage lasts a mathematically mind-bending 1274 times longer than this ` the infamous match between Britney Spears and her childhood friend Jason Alexander. That marriage a whopping 55 hours. 55 hours! You'll remember the headlines, the hysteria, but how could it happen? We went to Los Angeles to talk to the man behind the mania ` perhaps the world's foremost expert on nanosecond nuptials. It began and ended for Jason Alexander on New Year's 2004, Las Vegas. Spears flew him there in a private jet. When she invited you to go to Vegas, what did you think you were going for? To have a good time. Just to, like, go partying. You say you thought you were going to party. The kids call it a booty call. Is that what it was? Nah. I didn't think of it like that. It wasn't really a booty call. It was just a friend asking a friend to come on a trip. Friends, although until that point, Jason says, they'd been friends with benefits. They grew up together in Kentwood, Louisiana. Check out this picture of Britney and Jason holding hands in front of the school bus. # Oh, baby, baby. # She became a star; he a college football player. And by the time she was famously dating Justin Timberlake... There was an incidence when we were hanging out, and he'd call, and I was hanging` kicking it with her, so, kinda like the guy behind the scenes... no one knew about. That 'behind the scenes' thing ended in a hurry with that trip to Vegas, when, amidst the partying, he had a life-altering moment. Las Vegas is fun. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, you and I get along good. Yeah. Yeah, you and I get along good. Oh, let's get married. LAUGHTER No, it didn't go down quite like Saturday Night Live. Or maybe a little. Who pops the question? Who pops the question? Uh, she` she asked me. She just came out and asked me. She was, like, 'Let's get married.' I was, like, 'Sure,' you know, 'let's do this.' Now, let's pause for a moment, because there should have been a few things to give them pause. It doesn't sound like they were exactly sober. You were drinking. You were drinking. Yeah. Yeah, we had, uh, party favours. What kind of party favours? What kind of party favours? A to Z. But you're talking drugs? But you're talking drugs? (CHUCKLES) Huh? You're talking drugs or`? You're talking drugs or`? Alcohol's a drug. Coffee's a drug. Cigarette's a drug. Yeah, we were doing drugs. Yeah, we were doing drugs. < So you're having a good time. Yeah, we were doing drugs. < So you're having a good time. Yeah. The other warning sign, according to Carmen Electra ` geography. It's too easy in Vegas to get married. It's too convenient. It's just` You can get married in a drive-through. But that didn't occur to Jason Alexander at that moment. There must have been a billion things in your mind. I went with my feelings. I was in love with her. I felt like she felt the same way. So to the little white wedding chapel and those famous tabloid photos ` the baseball hat, the bare midriff ` it all seemed so promising. Was there a honeymoon period for you guys in that 55 hours? Maybe. We were in Vegas, you know. I mean, we had a suite. (CHUCKLES) Now, if you think these microsecond marriages are a modern phenomenon, think again. They're as old as Hollywood. The Actor's Oscar goes to Ernest Borgnine. Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine and legendary songstress Ethel Merman... # There's no business like showbiz. # ...barely made it past their honeymoon ` just 32 days. Merman's autobiography has a chapter on her marriage to Borgnine, as he reveals in this 2009 interview. It just said, 'Ernest Borgnine'. Blank page. I said, 'Oh, that's interesting, isn't it?' (LAUGHS) Ouch. So why does this seem to happen to celebrities? Well, for performers who get paid a mint to sing and dance and pretend to be people who usually don't even exist, perhaps they have a different sense of the real world. They mistake that as love a lot of times and think, 'I'm in love! I might as well get married! 'And I'll get a lot of press out of it in the meantime.' They're not looking at marriage the way you and I do, which is a lifetime commitment. Well, as Jennifer Lopez noted in this 2002 interview... I've been married twice, but haven't had a marriage. And that was before number three ` Marc Anthony ` now also over, by the way. Jason says, with his marriage, what ended it was business. Hours in, they told Britney's mother and business managers, who swooped in. So everyone went crazy cos there was no prenup. I'm sure it went through their heads as, 'Oh, crap. What are we gonna do? 'Our biggest star ` suddenly she married Jason Alexander? Who?' Sounds like she turned pretty quickly. Sounds like she turned pretty quickly. Real fast. Whoa, it was crazy. It was like they went in there and they went, 'Uh, uh, uh,' and she came back. That's really wild. Spears has since been married and divorced to Kevin Federline... # Oops, I did it again. # I played with your heart. Got it lost in the game. # ...and is now engaged to her former agent. This is what she said about her first time at the altar with Jason a few months after. That was one of those things that were really... silly and just, kind of, uncalled for. It's said Britney 'lacked understanding of her actions 'to the extent that she was incapable of agreeing to the marriage.' Do you think she lacked understanding of her actions? Do you think she lacked understanding of her actions? Bull...<BLEEP>. But he signed the annulment papers because he said he was being a nice guy, and he held out hope for getting back together. Did it hurt? Oh yeah. That was probably the hardest part. Obviously I had my feelings involved. And what did he get in return? I didn't get paid. He walked away from a 55-hour marriage with nothing but a plane ticket. Jason Alexander, who arrived in Las Vegas in a private jet, flew home to Louisiana in coach. Jason is now trying to catch on as a fighter in mixed martial arts. And his hard-earned advice on celebrity romance? Don't be a nice guy. Don't` Just don't be a nice guy, cos nice guys finish last. Look out for yourself. If you're gonna get involved into a relationship with a celebrity and you're just an average Joe, make sure you're thinking business. Ah, romance, Hollywood style. Phew. Well, coming up on 20/20, we're still in Hollywood, and we're talking to Emily VanCamp, who stars in TV2's hip new show Revenge. # If I talk real slow... Sex, money, power` Yes. Yes. ...it's gotta be the makings of a great plot. (LAUGHS) Absolutely. And lots of it. Um, especially, you know, taking place in The Hamptons. It's` It's the perfect setting for revenge, I think. To chance meetings. To chance meetings. To an unforgettable summer. a Welcome back. Motivated by money; inspired by greed; punctuated by sex. Get ready to embark on Revenge. It's the new show on TV2 starring Emily VanCamp, the small-town Canadian actress who's hit the big time for the first time. Reporter Hannah Ockelford caught up with Emily in Los Angeles. DRAMATIC MUSIC GUNSHOT This is a show much darker than the sandy white shores of its setting. APPLAUSE And though we've only known her for a few short months, Emily already feels like the piece of the family puzzle we never even knew was missing. ALL: Ohh. Where the hell is my son? In Hollywood's version of revenge, two wrongs make a right. Or do they? 'For the truly wronged, real satisfaction can only be found in one of two places ` 'absolute forgiveness 'or mortal vindication.' As the title suggests, this isn't a story about forgiveness. You're not a part of this. You're not a part of this. Yes, I am. Remember, I witnessed first-hand what these people did to your father. They're hardcore. I can handle them! And I have no problem taking you down too if you get in my way. # If I talk real slow... Sex, money, power ` it's gotta be the makings of a great plot. (CHUCKLES) Absolutely, and lots of it, um, especially, you know, taking place in The Hamptons. It's` It's the perfect setting for revenge, I think. To chance meetings. To chance meetings. To an unforgettable summer. Emily VanCamp plays Emily Thorn, who at first glance is a very well-mannered and very wealthy orphan residing in America's rich and powerful playground. The Hamptons are like a world away from little old NZ. Why do you think the viewers back at home are gonna be interested in watching? You know, I think The Hamptons are just so fascinating, you know. It represents, like, the, you know, American elite and everything that is exclusive and powerful. And I think, more than anything, the fact that it takes place there ` it's so fun to watch rich people who are really mean and do really bad things go down. And it's like a` It's like a` a little opening into that world. But what's even better is this` this young chick's coming in to` to destroy their lives. It's kind of` It's very sexy and juicy and appealing, you know? You'll discover very quickly that Emily's character has a lot more depth than her sweet smile suggests. She's out for revenge, and with good reason. I am not the man they say I am. And I did not do the things they say I did. I love the idea that I'm playing a character within a character, and there's, you know` and she's essentially two people, and she's` she's created this personality and this woman to be able to, um, execute this revenge. So it's endlessly interesting and so much fun. Do you think I'm a bad person? I think... people who make mistakes should own up to them. At the centre of her character's plan is Mrs Grayson, or Queen Victoria, queen of The Hamptons. I should get going, really. I have to work out some issues with my realtor. Things got a little aggressive in our bidding war today. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Will you be on the hunt for a fallback rental, or are you headed back to the city? Actually, as of this email, I've just become the official new owner of the beach house. That's great news. What's it like working alongside Madeleine Stowe? Madeleine is so incredible, just a brilliant actress. I get to learn a lot from her. Um, she has a very different way of working, coming from the film world, as well, which is always nice to see, you know, people with different methods. And, um, and we have so much fun. Our characters are just so nasty, and they` when they get together, it's just like, you could just feel the tension between them. It's so fun. But we really like each other, so it's kind of... hard to play that. I'm not interested in what she's not. I want to know who she is. Have you holidayed there yourself? I haven't. I'm not really a Hamptons girl, let's be honest. I'm a little small town girl from Canada. But, um, I've certainly done my research. This small town girl has been working in television for more than a decade now, finally being cast in a starring role. We always say it's a marathon, not a sprint, you know. And it's` I've been so lucky in the way that my career has played out, and I feel like as much as there's a, uh, very big, you know, weight on my shoulders, and dealing with that is a very new thing to me, and just wanting to make sure that I'm doing everything I can to make the show great and to be as present as possible and to just be grateful in every moment, you know, I-I do feel like, in a sense, I've been preparing for this for many years. And so I'm ready for the challenge, and` and I couldn't be in a more supportive group of people to be in this position, so I'm` I'm very lucky with that. 'In the end, the only person we can truly trust is ourself.' Happy birthday, Amanda. # ...cos Rome was made for you to be... # She looks so sweet in real life. You can check out any of tonight's stories again by going to our website: You can also email us at: Or go to our Facebook page and let us know your thoughts on tonight's show. So, keep in touch and keep those ideas coming in. It's your stories we're interested in telling. That's our show for tonight. Thanks for joining us, and we'll see you all again next week.