If You Like Dogs, Come on In!” Says Denise Denise Richards Lets Loose
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in RD y Ba y E antl R By B By ReA lity t Denise Richards If you like dogs, come on in!” says Denise lets loose Richards, opening the door to her comfortablec house in the Los Angeles suburbs, where four excitable dogs fill the air on her with kisses and yips of joy. Elsewhere in the airy, shabby- tabloid chic house are more dogs, cats and the newest member of troubles, the family, a six-week-old potbellied piglet named Stella, who was born with deformed front legs. (“She can’t walk her new E! right, so I wanted to give her a good home,” Richards says.) show and The actress’ father, Irv, who moved in after his wife the possi- (Richards’ mother) died from cancer last November, cor- rals the menagerie on this bright day. Soon Dad and the bility of canines head to the kitchen to join Richards’ two gor- remarriage geous daughters, Sam, 4, and Lola, 3, from her famously failed marriage to ex-husband Charlie Sheen, for lunch. “I love having a loud, chaotic house with kids and dogs and dads!” the actress, clad in a long white sundress and flip-flops, says with a laugh. It’s the week after the 37-year- old former Bond girl’s reality show, Denise Richards: It’s Complicated, has premiered as one of the top series debuts in the E! channel’s history. Upstairs in her office, an appealing room with green floral wallpaper and a crystal chandelier, Richards munches on a turkey salad, her legs crossed yoga-style. It’s time for a little pow-wow about her series and so much more. “That’s why I named the show It’s Complicated,” laughs Richards. “’Cause every journalist I talk to says, ‘I don’t know where to begin with you!’” Photograph by andrew Eccles TK CREDIT GUTTER 22 JUNE 23, 2008 A quick tutorial: Despite his reputa- than he did. I did movies [“Wild Things,” tion as a hooker-loving Hollywood bad “The World Is Not Enough”] and then took boy, Richards married Sheen in 2002, had time off when I had kids. I love being a their first child, Sam, in 2004, and Lola in mom, and I’m very hands-on. 2005. The following year, she filed an But Charlie opposed you in court for put- eye-popping restraining order that alleged, ting the girls on your show. Charlie is so among other hair-raising vices, Sheen’s pre- adamant about saying my girls are being dilections for gambling, porn and violence. exploited, but…well, he had Sam on his Public sympathy was firmly on Richards’ show when she was 8 months old, so side until she began dating rocker Richie his reasons aren’t consistent for how that Sambora, who was still married to Denise’s all went down. And he has a little boy on pal Heather Locklear. Overnight, Richards his show, so is he telling Angus [T. Jones’] was branded—as the intro for It’s Compli- As Bond girl mother, “You’re exploiting your kid, being cated reiterates—a “Gold digger. Husband Christmas Jones on our show”? stealer. Bitch.” The tabloids seemed to Good point. OK, so after all this, would gleefully fuel this perception of Richards The press made it you ever marry again? Oh, yeah! I’m not on a weekly basis, with a steady stream of seem that she and I bitter from this. I know I’ll find the right put-downs and brutal name-calling, while one. Dammit. But when I do I will never the actress remained mostly mum. were having dinner on get divorced. I’m done. [Laughs] Everyone Until now. “The gloves are off,” says asks, “How could you have married Char- Richards. “When I keep my mouth shut, Friday and I was screw- lie [knowing about] his past?” But, truly, [Charlie] continues to fuel [the feud] any- ing her husband on that is not the man I met—and we [ended way, so I’m not gonna sit back anymore.” up] being so different, there was no way Not that she has much choice in the mat- Sunday, and that’s not in hell it would have worked. But I love ter: On the press tour the week before the the case. Heather knows men. I’ve never ended badly with some- series’ debut, she’d seemingly been blind- one except my ex-husband. sided live on both Larry King Live and the that I did not ‘steal’ Describe your dream guy. Someone who Today show with a new, humiliating, suspi- Richie. She knows it” loves kids and animals, someone who loves ciously delivered e-mail—which Richards to have fun, someone who’s honest and swears is doctored—alleging that she’d who’s got a lot of integrity. requested her ex’s sperm for another child. Explain the animal thing—you’re like the As Richards sits calmly, surrounded by Angelina Jolie of animal adoption! [Laughs] silver-framed pictures of her daughters, her Animal Listen, I’m from Illinois. I grew up around house: thick mass of blond hair pulled back chicly Richards in farms and ever since I was little, I just had with a headband, this seems as good as any her yard a thing for animals. I brought home strays place to, well, begin. when I was in school and volunteered at an My, my—what a crazy press tour you’ve wedding! Come on. His ego is so big that know—a nanny comes and gets the girls. animal shelter. My mom was the same just had! I’ve been through the wringer with he thinks E! would honestly be, like [con- But, of course, they love their dad. I imag- way—she wanted to open a kennel. the press—perhaps you’ve heard about it? spiratorially], “Yeah, let’s premiere the ine as they get older this is gonna be very I’m so sorry about her death. Thank you…. [Laughs] Like, I’m on Larry King and I hear show right around his wedding”? Please. difficult for them, though. I mean, parents [Pause] It’s very hard. Nothing prepares you Richards and Sheen in happier times (above, through Larry’s earpiece that Charlie’s pub- Did your kids go to the nuptials? They that don’t communicate? I want my girls to left), and with Sambora post-split. The actress for that. My mom was only 54. And she licist called, telling the producers to get did—they were told they were going to be see that, even though Mommy and Daddy and daughters Sam and Lola (left), at the went fast, but it was a very painful death. Larry to ask me about that e-mail. I’m like, flower girls. But then Charlie changed his are divorced, I can still talk to their dad. A Time for Heroes benefit carnival on June 8 I’m just starting to feel like myself again. “Damn, are [Charlie and his people] in the mind. Actually, Charlie and Brooke got And I wanted to go to a mediator, but [he So what do you ultimately hope to achieve building?!” It’s like, I’m here to promote a the girls little necklaces for the wedding, declined]. I don’t know why he can’t push divorce, and then Richie and I got together was screwing her husband on Sunday, and with It’s Complicated? Whether people reality show, but it’s turned into the Denise- but when they came home I was told by this s--- aside and focus on the kids. after that. I was vulnerable, sad and con- that’s not the case. Heather knows that I like it or not, I’m being very open on the and-Charlie media circus all over again. the nanny they had to give them back. Which reminds me: One of the things on fused. And, especially when you’re a did not “steal” Richie. She knows it. show. So I hope people will appreciate And then he sends a text message saying, I said, “But aren’t they a gift?” The nanny your show that upsets some folks is that celebrity and going through something You’ve also been branded a gold digger, and my honesty. Even if they have a percep- “Quit talking about me on your inter- said, “They are, but they can only wear you curse like a sailor. But I absolutely do publicly, you trust very few people. I trusted just recently there was an item that said you tion of me that’s negative, I hope they’ll views.” OK, then, quit releasing statements them at his house.” I said, “Have him call not swear in front of my kids ever, ever, Richie. And my kids and parents adored were just about to collect a $40 million appreciate how blunt and candid I am. on live TV, Charlie. In all those TV inter- his lawyer then, ’cause I’m not gonna tell ever. I know it’s not classy, but…well, I him, and he truly brought a lot of love and divorce settlement from Charlie. There is And I also want them to see that I have views I’d sat down and said, “I am not here a 3- and a 4-year-old, ‘You have to give don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs. happiness to my house. So it happened no settlement. I do not have $40 million— two healthy, gorgeous girls and an amaz- to bash Charlie,” but at a certain point I back the necklaces Daddy gave you and [Laughs] I just swear.