What Christie Brinkley's Plight Means For the Rest of Us

If Christie Brinkley can't find a good man, the New York Daily News poses, what does that mean for the average American women over age 19?

Does the plight of one of the world's most gorgeous people mean that the rest of the population is even more doomed? Or is this the story of the summer for the opposite reason -- because it bodes well for the rest of womankind?

Yes to both.

Normal-looking women will never have the pool of guys to choose from that Christie had, and probably still will, once she officially discards Peter Cook. And yes, the average woman is luckier for it. For many men, marrying a swimsuit model is a universal goal, up there with reeling in a 20-pound bass. It's a way of proving one's masculinity.

Does the man care if the fish is smart or funny? No. All he cares about is whether he can be seen with it. Then, when that gets old, he can dump her for a cuter, younger fish (Diani Bianchi) who wants to sing and has no idea there's anything wrong with sleeping with married men two and a half times her age to jump-start her career.

The point? The guys who actually go out and pursue models are generally not thinking of these women as individuals. Maybe Brinkley was doomed from the start. Those people who aren't as glamorous, however, know that when a man is interested, it's because of who they are as people. And that means they stand a better chance of being allowed to get older without being cast aside.

In Christie's case, she's not 19 anymore. She's 52. Anyone who finds that to be a detriment (and who actually thinks that Samantha Cole is a better catch, in spite of the fact that she's 23 years younger) is the kind of guy it's best to avoid anyway.