Paul Simon: Short-lived marriage to Carrie Fisher was ‘exhausting’

They were equally exhausting.

Team Carrie. I have always heard he is an ass.

Artie Garfunkel was their unicorn.

But was it EXHAUSTING exhausting?

Carrie, girl! Would you really marry someone who wrote a song about “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”? Obviously, he put a lot of thought into it.

Carrie Fisher was a drug addict with severe mental health issues. Of course it wasn't easy being married to her.

Paul Simon was jealous of other people’s success.

Carrie was tiresome. Drug addicts always are.

Who can say who was at fault but I note there have been domestic violence incidents requiring police intervention between Simon and Edie Brickell.

She looks very pretty in that wedding pic.

Cluster B midget.

He is a terrible person. No one should have married him.

This is not an argument that Simon was in any way a good deal, but --she was bipolar. They are by definition exhausting. They exhaust themselves. They more often suicide in the manic state than the depressive state, you know.

And yeah, they often prefer self-medication to the stuff their doctors prefer for them: never with great results. They rarely marry sensibly.

Poor Carrie. She had a narcissistic mother, a father who plunged her young life into a whirl of scandal, and a horrible mental illness, all before drugs even entered the picture. In some ways Star Wars was the last nail in the coffin, because it gave her the money to do whatever she wanted; and it meant that, at least in the period those first three films were being made and marketed, she had success such as Debbie had never known, right at the point where Debbie was ageing out. She was never coming back from that in their personal relationship. Added to all of this, she was extremely bright and sceptical. In Hollywood! She was her generation's Dorothy Parker, crossed with Clara Bow.

I really like the song Heart and Bones about their marriage. I went through a heavy Paul Simon phase when I lived in NYC and drove around a lot. Went to a few of his Back at the Ranch concerts when I stayed in Montauk. Miss those days of driving around between NYC, Montauk and Hamptons.

I can’t listen to “American Tune” anymore because it reminds me too much of 9/11.

I don't know a soul who's not been battered

I don't have a friend who feels at ease

I don't know a dream that's not been shattered

Or driven to its knees

Oh, but it's alright, it's alright

For we lived so well so long

Still, when I think of the road we're traveling on

I wonder what's gone wrong

I can't help it, I wonder what's gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying

I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly

And looking back down at me

Smiled reassuringly

And I dreamed I was flying

And high up above my eyes could clearly see

The Statue of Liberty

Sailing away to sea

And I dreamed I was flying

——

The Statue of Liberty was visible from at least one side of WTC. And people may have seen it when they were trying to breathe out the windows and when they were trying to crawl down the sides of the building. And when they fell or jumped. They were flying…it was like a dream. But a bad dream.

She was a force of nature and that type of person rarely makes for good marriage material.

Carrie was hilarious on Catastrophe.

They were both midgets

I have no doubt they were both assholes IRL. However, I enjoyed all of her books and many of his songs. This is something I've learned as I've grown older, to appreciate the creative output without putting the creators on a pedestal, because they are often assholes.

It’s a shame that Carly’s brother was such an ass to the girl who was an heiress to the Fisher-Price fortune. He was a conflugan knocker!!!!

R13 thanks so much for sharing your deep insights and vast knowledge around Bipolar Disorder. So appreciate your nuanced view and refusal to generalize about the disorder. Really.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall that half of Paul Simon's album Graceland was about his breakup with Carrie.

She was not only bipolar but also quite a bit younger than he and, according to her last book, carrying a boner for Harrison Ford. He did the whole “fuck her once to let off steam” thing and she promptly thought it was a torrid love match. Ever since reading that sad and addled last book of hers I’ve wondered if she didn’t marry Simon in part to make Ford jealous. At the time Simon was way more famous and far wealthier. Kinda feels like two sad and unstable people getting together for all the wrong reasons.

It was a far cry from being with Julio down by the school yard.

[quote]Carrie was hilarious on Catastrophe.

She was also very funny in the small guest role on the Sex and the City episode when they're in Los Angeles and she plays herself coming home to find Carrie (who she mistakes for a prostitute) in bed with her assistant (played by Vince Vaughn) who lied to Carrie about being her agent. I haven't seen her in very much, but she was so good in that scene.

[quote] I can’t listen to “American Tune” anymore because it reminds me too much of 9/11.

That is a really good song.

Between the two, I'd say Paul Simon seems more like an asshole. Carrie was probably very difficult due to the bipolar disorder and the drugs.

[quote] They more often suicide in the manic state than the depressive state, you know.

Link.

[QUOTE]Ever since reading that sad and addled last book of hers I’ve wondered if she didn’t marry Simon in part to make Ford jealous.

I have a very, very super-hard time imagining a universe where Harrison Ford would envy Paul Simon's acquisition. He probably chuckled and sighed with relief.

That whole book (the last one?) seemed to be about Harrison Ford (main topic). It was so obvious that the relationship meant way more to her than it did to him. She was just on-set, young (teenaged?) pussy during Star Wars. He was also married at the time.

After all those decades, she still had no perspective on it. Sad, really.

That book was horrible.

Paul Simon is an asshole and I hate his cruddy elevator music and whiny girly voice.

R27 I don’t doubt that you’re right. I think she was just another hole to him. But god damn that last book was like 90% “Harrison Ford broke my heart haha”.

I think she had a dumb teenage girl idea of what would make him jealous. It clearly wasn’t some Lilliputian folk singer with a bad haircut.

Cute couple. For 10 minutes.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

That book was strictly a cash-in for Star Wars fans. Sure she wanted him in the 1970s, but I seriously doubt she was carrying a torch during Ford’s grumpy, crusty era (which has been going on 3 decades or so now)

I love this relatable story from their marriage. Before exiting the car at Newark airport during an argument she said "I've always hated your music" and he replied "I hope your plane crashes".

They are both far, far better experienced through their artistic outputs than in person.

R34, people in my family fight like that. Then they laugh.

Ugh, now I can hear that bodyguard song of his in my head! I HATE that song.

Hearts and Bones is a wonderful though kind of depressing album, so he got that out of the marriage.

I remember trying to watch a stand-up set or comic monologue called Wishful Drinking and finding it more cynical than funny or even interesting. Also on the Comedy Roast of Roseanne Barr, Fisher was on the dais and some crude jokes were aimed at her there, she looked pretty sad simply nodding when a comic (maybe Amy Schumer?) explained a punchline with something like “because you’re a drug addict”.

I also remember her being photographed by a paparazzi driving around in a BMW allegedly attempting to score something, and being questioned by the photographer. She mumbled something odd about meeting a friend.

It looks like her last years weren’t very happy ones, but she had that last “burst” of fame appearing on a Star Wars sequel. She was a talented writer and possible a good character actor in films like Soap Dish (she played a skanky casting agent). Fisher’s and then Reynolds’ lives ended pretty sadly.

I saw Carrie in Wishful Drinking at Studio 54 and she was hilarious. No victim shit and no pity party. She was brutally honest and I really loved her after that.

[quote]Fisher’s and then Reynolds’ lives ended pretty sadly.

Why do you think Debbie’s life ended sadly? She was 84 when she died and had a solid legacy. She had a nice career bump on Will & Grace. She seemed sweet and was truly America’s sweetheart. She worked hard to preserve Hollywood memorabilia.

Her only faults seem to be she wasn’t good at picking husbands. It’s hard to tell if Carrie’s problems were because of Debbie or because of her own struggles but Debbie didn’t receive the mother/daughter wrath as heavily as Joan Crawford and Bette Davis.

Wishful Drinking was great.

Unfortunately, Carrie and Paul were not great together. I saw the two of them screaming and fighting their way - that is, with each other - from the booth they were sitting in all the way to the parking lot at Musso and Frank in Hollywood years ago when they were married. They didn't seem to give a shit that half the restaurant was watching. And listening.

[Quote]Fisher, who died after suffering a heart attack before Christmas 2016, was remembered by Simon at the time as “a special, wonderful girl.”

"But let me shit on a dead woman who had multiple issues and who can't defend herself anymore."

I would say Debbie's life ended sadly because she was devastated over the loss of her child and didn't want to go on living. Sad way to go out.

[quote]I would say Debbie's life ended sadly because she was devastated over the loss of her child and didn't want to go on living.

I wonder what her son thought of that.

R45. Todd seems well aware of the bond between Debbie and Carrie and made a lovely documentary about the two that aired on HBO shortly after their death (it was completed before they died).

Just remembered... I really liked her in Hannah and her Sisters. She was well cast and a good actress.

I love Simon and Garfunkel music, but not Paul Simon's solo work. And I do like that he was in Annie Hall.

I always wondered how her friendship with Meryl worked. Would be hard to be friends with an addict without partaking yourself, no?

Carrie, Paul, Gilda Radner, Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas at some restaurant in the 70s. Carrie is clearly fucked up on some kind of substance.

The HBO documentary was filmed not too long before Carrie and Debbie both died. Carrie was in her 50s but shuffled around like she was in her 80s. She was clearly not in good shape.

She looked so old in that Star Wars sequel.

Never liked Paul, he comes off as a conceited asshole in all his interviews.

I think Carrie liked being in Paul’s circle of friends; she felt they were erudite and more learned. It’s funny how one of Carrie’s best friends, Penny Marshal, dated Art G. for years. Supposedly, they were instrumental in getting them together for their iconic NYC early 80’s concert.

[quote]Penny Marshal, dated Art G. for years.

When did Penny Marshall ever date Art?

R28, it was her diary from that time period. You’re an obvious retard.

Paul is so annoying that his second wife beat the shit out of him

[quote] really like the song Heart and Bones about their marriage.

I thought their breakup inspired Graceland...whatever the case, he certainly got a lot of material out of that hot mess of a marriage.

I remember when his mom was on Wonderama, the old NY based kids show. They had the moms of celebrities and none of the kids knew who Simon was. Host Bob McAllister noted that there were no questions for Mrs.Simon and some kid raised her hand and asked "What was the first play your son wrote?"

[quote]Carrie, girl! Would you really marry someone who wrote a song about “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”? Obviously, he put a lot of thought into it.

Considering her penchant for substance abuse, she should've found a guy who wrote "50 Ways to Love Your Liver."

R54, I’m not the op re Penny and Art but she talks about it in her autobiography. She didn’t know how tense things were with Paul at first.

Isn't that David Geffen between Marlo and Gilda at r49?

I'm confused about the domestic violence between Brickell and Simon. Who hit who? Totally out of it about these two, though back in '87 or whenever they married, I was kind of grossed out she married gramps. Maybe I reflexively blanked them out afterwards.

[quote]Isn't that David Geffen between Marlo and Gilda at [R49]?

I think so. And David Berkowitz at the far left?

“One and one-half wandering Jews Free to wander wherever they choose Are traveling together In the Sangre de Christo The Blood of Christ Mountains of New Mexico”

What an opener.

R22, Debbie Reynolds…”sweet”? Her PR team is high-fiving one another in heaven. “Another one fell for it!”

Raging narcissist.

Today I learned how Edie Brickell had a career.

Whoops, R41, not R22.

She had one hit in the late 80s.

[quote]Today I learned how Edie Brickell had a career.

The opposite, really. She quit the music business when they got married. Like someone on DL said, he doesn't like competition.

R68, thanks for clarifying!

I fucking hated that song.

Police came to the house of Paul Simon and wife Edie Brickell in 2014. Paul was 72, Edie was 47.

House was in New Canaan, CT.

They were arguing and the police arrested both of them for disorderly conduct. Edie blamed the argument on herself.

Charges dropped against both of them and the couple claimed to be just fine, with plans to go to their son's baseball game.

No mention of alcohol or drugs.

CNN's headline is "domestic violence," which I think is inaccurate as they were both arrested for disorderly conduct.

Of course he's gotta talk shit about Carrie. His new wife was a younger model of her. She's had to have noticed.

His wife seems totally different from Carrie. Younger, yes.

They look identical.

Edie is about 10 inches taller than Carrie.

I can back up R64. In the 80s she appeared as a guest on an Australian daytime talk show (more than once in the week, if I recall). Carrie was at the height of her fame and Debbie had several zinging put-downs about it. Nose well out of joint.

I wonder who called the cops about Paul and Edie's dust-up, the neighbors or the kid/s?

80 years old and engaging in domestic disputes. No life having fucks.

Did Paul freebase with Carrie? What did they do for fun if not drugs together? I wonder if they had hot sex chemistry. Short nerdy men can be passionate.

People have personal affection for Carrie Fisher, but she really was a Grade-A cunt.

She's not here to defend herself, he should shut the fuck up.

As fun as Carrie was, I imagine "exhausting" is probably quite a tame description of what it was like to actually live with her.

[quote] They tied the knot in 1983 and divorced the following summer.

The summer following....what? What date?

Summer of 1984, probably.

The marriage was short-lived, but they got back together after the divorce. 12 years in total, off and on.

That sounds horrible. A 12-year, off-and-on relationship ... after a divorce.

12 years total: before and after the marriage.

This is neither here nor there, but Carrie had always pinged for me.

Despite his emotive, sensitive, often elegiac songs - a couple pop masterpieces among them - Paul seems like a very difficult, complex and volatile personality. Of course, he and Carrie had great rapport on the “good days” (which, according to her, were drug-fueled), but the bad days were more impacting on them both. very sad. That said, I do love the line in Wishful Drinking where she more or less says, “If you can have Paul Simon write a song about you? Do it!” The song she is referencing is “Hearts And Bones,” though there are several influenced by their relationship.

I don't understand the timeline. They didn't meet until the early 80s, but they were both hanging around SNL in the 70s?

Nevermind.

The Smoking Gun website posted the very brief police report of the domestic disturbance call between Brickell and Simon. If I recall correctly, she had been drinking and he was trying to get her to stop. Things escalated into shoving and pushing and a slap or two and he called the police. If I were married to that schmuck I'd be drinking too. And if you wonder why she's with him, the cheap psychological explanation is that she grew up fatherless and poor in a shitty Texas town and has daddy issues. I'm amazed the marriage lasted.

[quote] she really was a Grade-A cunt.

In her defense she had been molested by a co-worker

One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

Train in the Distance & Graceland are about Peggy Harper. The movie One trick pony is vaguely about her.

Simon’s an asshole, but he’s a musical genius. Brickell was a one-hit wonder who managed to attach herself to his legacy.

And raise his kids.

I used to see Paul Simon’s brother a lot in midtown. He looked a lot like him.

Garfunkel’s brother worked with my husband’s grandfather.