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Robin Thicke and Paula Patton separate after nine years of marriage: 'Blurred Lines' singer loses sexism excuse

The singer confirms that he has parted ways with his wife, who he claims the controversial track was written about

Tuesday 25 February 2014 10:44 GMT

Singer Robin Thicke and actress Paula Patton at the Grammys (Getty Images)

Robin Thicke has lost his sole excuse for the questionable lyrical content of "Blurred Lines".

The singer – who was named ‘Sexist of the Year 2013’ in a revealing poll in December – had previously claimed that the song had been written about his wife, Paula Patton, and therefore couldn’t possibly be promoting an unhealthy attitude towards sex and consent.

Robin Thicke: 'Brits Don't Get Blurred Lines'

"She's my good girl," he said in January. "And I know she wants it because we've been together for 20 years."

But it seems he’s fresh out of spurious justifications, as the couple have announced their plans to separate after nine years of marriage.

"We will always love each other and be best friends, however, we have mutually decided to separate at this time," they said in a joint statement to People magazine yesterday.

The most controversial internet crazes

Show all 7

1/7The most controversial internet crazes

The most controversial internet crazes

Gun Selfies

Where it actually came from remains a mystery, but the 'Selfie' remains a popular feature on the internet - it was even named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries in 2013. However, a number of gangs in America have taken it a step further, posting 'gun selfies' of themselves. Last year, two men were charged for 142 counts of possession of a firearm and were bailed by police after posting numerous photos. The craze has led to several calls for photos to be taken down, with parents fearing that children could try and create their own poses.

Instagram

The most controversial internet crazes

Planking

Originating in Australia in 2008, the trend of 'planking' swept Britain a year later. The craze, in which people form a straight figure with hands down by their sides, had thousands of participants uploading their efforts on to Facebook. While most were harmless enough, the more daring have been known to plank across railway tracks and between buildings, causing major health concerns. In 2011, a 20-year-old man died after 'planking' on a seven-story building in Australia.

Twitter

The most controversial internet crazes

Twerking

Twerking, a mixture of twisting and jerking, has been around since the late 1990s, but its popularity dramatically increased after Miley Cyrus 'twerked' at the 2013 MTV VMA awards with Robin Thicke, prompting fans to upload their own versions on Youtube - we've even had twerking stormtroopers. It's since been accused of corrupting the minds of young people and, last year, 33 students were suspended after making a video of themselves 'twerking' using school equipment.

Machinima

The most controversial internet crazes

Happy Slap

It's been almost a decade since the Happy Slap craze broke out in the UK, but what started out in as a small joke between friends in Lewisham in 2004 eventually became a nationwide phenomenon. Happy Slapping involved a victim being filmed on a camera phone getting slapped. As the craze spread, incidents became more and more vicious and it was linked to a rise in bullying in school playgrounds. In 2008, a teenage girl was sentenced to two years' detention after filming the fatal beating of a man.

nydailynews.com

The most controversial internet crazes

Tombstoning

'Tombstoning' emerged in 2012 as a much more dangerous fad. It involved finding the highest rock to leap from, giving jumpers sufficient time to change their body position to resemble a tomb falling into the sea. It was invented initially as a way to keep cool during sizzling temperatures, but as the challenges became more daunting, some experienced horrific injuries as a result of jumping into shallow or rocky waters.

Twitter

The most controversial internet crazes

McDiving

While not as dangerous as other internet fascinations, McDonald's staff are now finding themselves on the receiving end of another internet craze. 'McDiving' started last year and normally comes at the end of an alcohol-fuelled night out, where it is then customary for a 'McDiver' to go to the nearest McDonald's and launch themselves over the counter. McDonald's franchises have even started hiring bouncers at peak times of the day to deal with any mischief makers.

YouTube

The most controversial internet crazes

Gallon Smashing

Given that glossy floors are prominent in supermarkets, it would be deemed acceptable to see the occasional person slip over. But this is no accident. Gallon smashing started to appear on Youtube last year and has becoming increasingly popular in the US. It sees agile teenagers throw gallons of milk in the air as well as hurtling themselves on to the ground. However, with the mess, cost and inconvenience that is caused, the 'gallon smashing' craze has seen security stepped up in supermarkets.

YouTube

The news will come as no surprise to many – their relationship has long been the subject of split rumours, ever since Thicke released his NSFW accompanying video to "Blurred Lines", which featured topless models bouncing about in front of balloons that spelled out the phrase ‘Robin Thicke has a big d**k’.

Then there was the performance that can’t be unseen with Miley Cyrus at the MTV VMA awards, where he dressed up like Beetlejuice to undergo several minutes of twerking and sex simulation with the young star.

And that’s before a female member of his entourage claimed she’d been groped by the singer, and that he had asked her for sex – an allegation categorically denied by Thicke, who responded to the reports by saying this about Patton to Prestige magazine:

"I don’t know if I would still be alive in some ways if it wasn’t for Paula. She’s been my rock, my muse, my inspiration and I love her. The whole way."

But it seems months of media scrutiny have taken its toll on the romance.

Thicke and Patton met when they were teenagers and began dating at the tender age of 16. They were married in 2005, and welcomed their first son, Julian, in 2010.

"I knew she was special the night I met her. I was only 14, but she was already the most special girl," Thicke told Star Magazine a few months ago.

"As a relationship progresses, you fall in love again in so many deeper ways. You realize that you need each other and you can’t live without each other."

Thicke has since postponed his scheduled concert appearance at a casino in North Carolina "due to unforeseen circumstances", TMZ reports. He also cancelled shows last Friday and Saturday, purportedly for vocal problems.

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