Let’s get something straight here. Paulina Porizkova is not homeless or bereft following the death of her almost ex husband, Ric Ocasek of the Cars.
The recent sale of their townhouse at 140 East 19th St. netted $10 million. Paulina was a co-owner of the house. She walked away with at least $5 million. I’m told it was more, that Paulina put up the money for the house when they first bought it years ago.
Today’s New York Post story paints Paulina as a weeping widow who faces life alone in the big city. LOL. First of all, she’s been living with boyfriend, “Bill and Ted” screenwriter Ed Solomon, for years. Ocasek actually died on Solomon’s birthday, which is pretty weird. The Post story omits Solomon altogether.
The Post story is incorrect about Paulina and Ric’s life together the last couple of years. He wrote in his will that she “abandoned” him. “I have made no provision for my wife … as we are in the process of divorcing. Even if I should die before our divorce is final … Paulina is not entitled to any elective share … because she has abandoned me,” Ocasek wrote in his surprise will.
Indeed, when Paulina “discovered” that Ric was dead, she hadn’t been at his house all night. He’d just gotten out of the hospital after a heart attack and a cancer diagnosis. It’s incredible to read now that he was left alone in his house with that news. No nurse? No aide? No family member?
Ocasek seems to have gotten the last laugh, listing $5 million in royalties in his will. He was probably worth around $100 million. He wrote all of the Cars’ hits including “Drive,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Shake it Up,” “Let’s Go” and so on. The records are perennial sellers. But more importantly, the publishing rights give Ocasek’s estate– or trusts he assigned– wheelbarrels full of money.
Paulina herself, meantime, I’m told made a boatload of money herself as a model. It’s well invested. Sources tell me her affair with Solomon was what really plagued Ocasek, and his last minute legal moves are what she’s really mourning. It’s unlikely a judge is going to undo Ocasek’s wishes. As he sang on his first album, “Bye, Bye, Love.”
