Wives with Knives (2012–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Beefcake and the Beauty Queen - full transcript
JAMIE SILVERSTRONE
IS A NEW JERSEY BEAUTY QUEEN WHO
ALWAYS GETS WHAT SHE WANTS.
I ALWAYS ATTRACTED ATTENTION.
PEOPLE THINK IT'S SO EASY BEING
ME.
WHEN SHE MARRIES
CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI, THE TROPHY
COUPLE ARE THE ENVY OF ALL THEIR
FRIENDS.
INSEPARABLE.
WE WERE TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.
BUT THE HOT YOUNG
LOVEBIRDS HAVE NO CLUE THEY'RE
ABOUT TO SELF-DESTRUCT.
THIS COUPLE IS NARCISSISTIC
TO THE CORE.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
THIS MARRIAGE IS A
POWDER KEG...
YOU'RE MY WIFE!
...READY TO
EXPLODE.
NOT ALL FAIRYTALES HAVE HAPPY
ENDINGS.
NO!
WHEN LOVE GOES
WRONG, A WOMAN CAN DO THE
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
22-YEAR-OLD JAMIE SILVERSTRONE
IS BEAUTIFUL, BLONDE, AND
BEWITCHING.
SHE TURNS HEADS WHEREVER SHE
GOES.
WHOO! YES!
PEOPLE THINK IT'S SO EASY
BEING ME.
THEY LOOK AT ME NOW.
THEY'RE LIKE, "OH, PFFT.
YOU HAVE THE WORLD AT YOUR
FEET."
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT DON'T LIKE YOU BY THE WAY
YOU LOOK.
EVEN BACK IN HIGH
SCHOOL, JAMIE TOOK CENTER STAGE.
MY FIRST BOYFRIEND WAS THE
CAPTAIN OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM,
AND I WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE
CHEERLEADING TEAM.
HER LOOKS PROPELLED
HER TO WIN THE MISS TEEN
NEW JERSEY CONTEST.
ALL THE ATTENTION FEEDS HER
AMBITIONS OF FAME AND GLORY.
DR. CASEY JORDAN STUDIES
CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
JAMIE'S PSYCHOLOGY IS VERY
MUCH A PRODUCT OF HER VERY REAL,
UNDENIABLE PHYSICAL
ATTRACTIVENESS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT CREATED A
DEEP INSECURITY THAT NOBODY PAID
ATTENTION TO HER BECAUSE SHE WAS
SMART.
SO, INTRINSICALLY, JAMIE ENDS UP
NARCISSISTIC, BUT ALSO SOMEWHAT
IMMATURE.
AFTER GRADUATING,
JAMIE'S REIGN AS POMPOM PRINCESS
COMES TO AN END.
WHAT'S UP, JAMIE?
UM, I'M PREGNANT AGAIN.
SHE UNEXPECTEDLY
GETS PREGNANT TWICE.
BY AGE 20, SHE HAS TWO YOUNG
CHILDREN - TESSA AND MATTHEW.
WHEN HER KIDS' FATHER WALKS OUT,
JAMIE IS FORCED TO RAISE THEM ON
HER OWN, AND ALL HER DREAMS OF A
GLAMOROUS, EXCITING FUTURE ARE
PUT ON HOLD.
THOSE YEARS CHANGED ME
BECAUSE NOW IT WASN'T JUST
MYSELF.
I HAD TO PUT MY KIDS FIRST.
IN 2001, TO MAKE
ENDS MEET, JAMIE GETS A JOB AT A
TRENDY HEALTH CLUB.
IT DOESN'T TAKE HER LONG TO
REALIZE IT'S POTENTIAL HUSBAND
TERRITORY.
LOOK AT THAT GUY.
SO HOT.
AS SOON AS SHE LAYS
EYES ON HANDSOME AND HUNKY
CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI, SHE'S
DETERMINED TO HAVE HIM.
HEY!
OH, MY GOD.
HEY! YOU! COME HERE!
I ACTUALLY SAW HIM, AND I WAS
AT THE FRONT DESK, AND I TOLD MY
RECEPTIONIST THAT I WAS GONNA
MARRY HIM, WHICH I NEVER DO.
I HAVE A WEIRD PSYCHIC SENSE.
I WAS WORKING OUT, AND SHE
SAID SOMETHING, AND I WAS LIKE,
"WHAT?" AND SHE SAID, "COME OVER
HERE."
WHAT DO YOU DO?
WE TALKED FOR A FEW MINUTES,
AND BASICALLY I WAS LIKE, "WHY
DON'T WE GO OUT?"
...WITH ME SOMETIME?
OH, YOU WANT MY NUMBER?
YEAH.
AND SHE WAS LIKE, "ALL
RIGHT."
I WAS LIKE, "REALLY?"
ALL RIGHT, CHARLIE, GIVE ME
YOUR HAND.
AND THAT WAS IT.
AFTER JUST ONE
DATE, IT'S CLEAR THAT JAMIE AND
CHARLIE HAVE SMOLDERING
CHEMISTRY.
BEFORE LONG, THE SIZZLING YOUNG
COUPLE IS INSEPARABLE.
HOW DID I FIND YOU?
MMM.
AND WAS IT LOVE AT FIRST
SIGHT?
YES, 100%.
I WOULD STAY ON THE PHONE WITH
HIM FOR HOURS DURING THE DAY.
I WAS FULL STEAM AHEAD EVERY
DAY FROM THAT DAY FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TOGETHER ALL
THE TIME.
WE WERE YOUNG AND LIKED TO HAVE
FUN.
OKAY. THAT IS DISGUSTING.
ALL RIGHT, SIGN HERE.
26-YEAR-OLD CHARLIE
IS AN AMBITIOUS GUY.
HE'S ALREADY A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL
FURNITURE DEALER...
WHOO! LET'S GO, BABY!
...AND PART-TIME
PARTY EMCEE AND DEEJAY.
WITH HIS COMBINED JOBS, HE
EASILY PULLS IN SIX FIGURES.
CHARLIE PRIDES HIMSELF ON BEING
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY AND
LOOKING GOOD.
BUT MOST OF ALL, HE LIKED
SHOWING OFF JAMIE AND HIS BANK
ACCOUNT.
DID I SPOIL HER?
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
I SPOILED THE HELL OUT OF HER.
I WANTED TO BE WITH HIM.
I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE LIFE.
I WANTED TO HAVE IT ALL.
FOR JAMIE, CHARLIE
IS TICKING ALL THE RIGHT
BOXES - HANDSOME, RICH, EVEN
PATERNAL.
I COME FROM A GOOD FAMILY.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS WANTED A
FAMILY.
THEY'VE CHANGED THIS STUFF SINCE
I WAS A KID.
WHEN JAMIE CAME INTO MY LIFE AND
BROUGHT THESE TWO CHILDREN
ALONG, YOU KNOW, I JUST DIDN'T
FALL IN LOVE WITH JAMIE.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE
CHILDREN, YOU KNOW?
AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE CARE
OF THEM.
NO. NO.
IT SEEMED LIKE HE'D BE A GOOD
DAD TO THEM?
YES.
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT HIM THAT
HE INSTANTLY LIKED YOUR KIDS.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE 100%
CREDIT TO THAT.
I TEND TO THINK OTHERWISE.
CHARLES WANTED TO FEEL WANTED
AND NEEDED.
JAMIE AND CHARLIE
AREN'T SHY ABOUT THEIR
ATTRACTION TO EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE MADLY IN LOVE AND WANT
EVERYONE TO KNOW IT.
THEY HAVE A WAY OF COMING
TOGETHER AND CREATING THAT
BARBIE AND KEN LOOK THAT REALLY
APPEALS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,
AND THEY ARE AWARE OF IT.
THIS COUPLE IS NARCISSISTIC TO
THE CORE.
AND THEY'RE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP
FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.
YOU LIKE IT?
CHARLIE AND JAMIE'S
RELATIONSHIP IS ON THE FAST
TRACK.
THEY MOVE INTO A HOUSE WITH
JAMIE'S KIDS IN FREEHOLD, A
MIDDLE-CLASS NEW JERSEY SUBURB.
WE WERE DATING MAYBE SIX,
SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE WE MOVED IN
TOGETHER.
THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER ROOM
THAN I HAD.
I LIVED IN A ROOM WITH MY
BROTHERS.
SO, I PUT A QUEEN-SIZED BED IN
THERE AND A SET OF BUNK BEDS FOR
HER AND THE TWO CHILDREN TO COME
LIVE WITH ME.
ALL RIGHT.
THERE IS THAT MAGNETISM, THAT
FEELING THAT THEY COMPLETE EACH
OTHER, BUT WHEN THINGS MOVE THAT
QUICKLY IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT
OF TIME, WITHOUT REALLY GETTING
TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, THINGS CAN
REALLY ONLY END BADLY.
BUT LIVING TOGETHER
ISN'T ENOUGH FOR CHARLIE.
WHEN IT COMES TO JAMIE, HE'S
HOOKED, AND HE'S READY TO GO THE
DISTANCE.
WHAT ARE YOU SO HAPPY ABOUT?
LET ME SEE.
HEY, DON'T GRAB.
THAT'S RUDE.
YOU'RE BEING VERY RUDE.
OH, I'M BEING VERY RUDE?
YEAH, YOU'RE BEING VERY RUDE.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU GOT
ME.
IT'S JUST THIS.
WANT TO DO THIS?
IT WAS A SIMPLE PROPOSAL, YOU
KNOW?
I BOUGHT THE RING, AND I
COULDN'T WAIT, AND IT WOUND UP
BEING IN THE CAR IN THE MALL
PARKING LOT.
AND DO YOU, JAMIE...
ON
FEBRUARY 21, 2003, ALMOST A YEAR
AND A HALF AFTER THEIR FIRST
DATE, JAMIE AND CHARLIE GET
MARRIED.
YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE.
...TWO, THREE!
AHH!
OOH!
THEIR WEDDING IS A
LAVISH, OVER-THE-TOP AFFAIR AT A
LOCAL BANQUET HALL.
MANY OF CHARLIE AND JAMIE'S
FRIENDS WORK IN THE
ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS, SO THE
RECEPTION TURNS INTO A WILD
PARTY.
I HAD THREE DIFFERENT EMCEES
INTRODUCE ME.
MY AUNTS AND UNCLES AND STUFF
GOT MAD 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO SLOW
MUSIC.
IT WAS LIKE A BIG NIGHTCLUB.
IT WAS GREAT.
EVERYBODY'S EITHER A DANCER OR A
DEEJAY OR AN EMCEE, SO WE DIDN'T
WANT THAT NIGHT TO END.
STILL, NOT EVERYONE
IS HAPPY ABOUT JAMIE AND
CHARLIE'S MARRIAGE.
CHARLIE'S FAMILY HAS SOME
SERIOUS MISGIVINGS.
MY FAMILY HATED IT.
ME AND MY FATHER GOT INTO THE
BIGGEST FIGHT OVER IT.
FROM THE START,
CHARLIE'S PARENTS HAVE BEEN
WARNING THEIR SON ABOUT MOVING
TOO FAST.
THEY THINK JAMIE IS JUST SEEING
DOLLAR SIGNS.
ME GETTING INTO A
RELATIONSHIP WITH A WOMAN WITH
TWO CHILDREN - SHE WAS IN LOVE
WITH THE IDEA THAT SHE FOUND
SOMEBODY TO TAKE CARE OF HER.
DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW?
I JUST GOT MARRIED.
PLEASE DON'T - PLEASE DON'T DO
THIS.
CHARLIE, LOOK AT ME.
EVERYBODY CAN'T BE WRONG.
MY FATHER'S A GOOD JUDGE OF
CHARACTER, AND WHEN I THINK
ABOUT THAT NOW, EVERYBODY ALWAYS
SAID ABOUT HER WHO SHE WAS...
EVERYBODY I KNOW, EVERY ONE OF
MY FRIENDS - EVERYBODY.
AND I'D ALWAYS DEFEND HER.
"NO, NO, YOU DON'T KNOW HER.
NO, NO, PLEASE GIVE HER A
CHANCE."
EVERYBODY WAS RIGHT.
COMING UP, THE
HONEYMOON IS OVER WHEN CHARLIE
STARTS ACTING VERY UNLIKE A
MARRIED MAN.
AND THEN HE GOT UP ON A BOX,
AND HE JUST TOOK OFF HIS SHIRT,
STARTED DANCING FOR THIS GROUP
OF GIRLS.
AFTER A RED-HOT
ROMANCE, CHARLIE AND
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI GET MARRIED
AND SETTLE DOWN WITH JAMIE'S TWO
CHILDREN IN A NEW JERSEY SUBURB.
THEY LOOK LIKE THE
PICTURE-PERFECT COUPLE.
BUT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING.
IT'S JAMIE.
IS CHARLIE OVER THERE RIGHT NOW?
HIS CELLPHONE'S OFF OR
SOMETHING.
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
THE SUPPOSEDLY BLISSFUL
NEWLYWEDS TURN ON EACH OTHER.
HI, CHARLIE.
IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU'RE NOT
PICKING UP YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE...
JAMIE CLAIMS
CHARLIE WAS DECEITFUL FROM DAY
ONE.
THERE WAS A FEW THINGS THAT
STRUCK ME AS ODD.
LIKE?
HE'D SAY HE'S GOING ONE
PLACE, AND HE WENT SOMEWHERE
ELSE, AND I WOULD KNOW IT.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE, "OKAY,
YOU KNOW, IT'S NEW.
HE'S AFRAID TO TELL ME."
WHOO!
ACCORDING TO JAMIE,
CHARLIE ALSO SOMETIMES HAS
TROUBLE ACTING LIKE A MARRIED
MAN.
WE WENT TO A CLUB ONE TIME.
AND HE GOT UP ON A BOX, AND HE
JUST TOOK OFF HIS SHIRT AND
STARTED DANCING FOR THIS GROUP
OF GIRLS.
AND I'M LIKE...
THEN I PAID NO MIND 'CAUSE I'M
LIKE, "OH, HE'S A PERFORMER."
BUT HE WAS WITH YOU.
I MEAN, YOU WERE TOGETHER AT THE
TIME.
YEAH.
BUT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS,
"HE'S FLIRTING WITH OTHER
GIRLS."
WELL, I THOUGHT HE WAS, BUT
HE TOLD ME HE WASN'T.
I DON'T KNOW.
WHERE WERE YOU?
THE COUPLE BICKERS
OFTEN.
AT FIRST, THEY DON'T SEE IT AS A
DANGER SIGN.
EVERYBODY ARGUES.
LOOK AT YOU!
EITHER IT'S OVER THE KIDS OR
WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT OR WHAT YOU
WANT TO WATCH OR WHATEVER IT IS.
I WANT THE TRUTH!
CHARLES AND I FOUGHT, AND WE
ARGUED.
BABY, BABY, COME HERE.
I DIDN'T DEEM IT TO BE OUT OF
THE ORDINARY BECAUSE NORMAL
COUPLES - THEY FIGHT, THEY
ARGUE, THEY CRY, THEY LAUGH.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDED NOT JUST
LIKE HE WAS PERFECT, BUT THAT
YOUR LIFE WAS PERFECT.
I MEAN, EVERYONE THINKS YOU'RE
THE PERFECT COUPLE, BARBIE AND
KEN.
MM-HMM.
THEY DON'T WORK THROUGH THEIR
PROBLEMS.
THEY'RE SO BUSY WITH THEIR
OUTWARD PERFORMANCE THAT THEY
NEVER JUST BARE THEIR SOULS AND
BE HONEST WITH ONE ANOTHER.
SO, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THE
CONFLICT KEEPS FESTERING AND
GROWING.
THE ARGUMENTS GET MORE AND MORE
HEATED.
DESPITE THE
FIGHTING, JAMIE AND CHARLIE
AREN'T ABOUT TO GIVE UP ON THEIR
MARRIAGE.
IT DOESN'T HURT THAT CHARLIE'S
BUSINESSES ARE TAKING OFF IN A
BIG WAY.
TWO YEARS AFTER THE WEDDING, HIS
INCOME DOUBLES.
THE FAMILY MOVES INTO A SPACIOUS
HOME IN THE UPSCALE TOWNSHIP OF
JACKSON, NEW JERSEY.
HEY.
I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO WAKE YOU UP.
YOU BEEN AT THE GYM THIS
LONG?
YEP.
CHARLIE PUSHES
JAMIE TO QUIT HER JOB.
WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING IN
$20,000 A MONTH, IT'S OKAY.
WHY SHOULD YOU WORK?
YOU CAN STILL DO EVERYTHING
AND BE A MOM.
HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO WORK.
YOU HAD WORKED SO HARD SINCE
YOUR KIDS WERE BORN.
WAS IT NICE TO BE ABLE TO BE A
STAY-AT-HOME MOM FOR A CHANGE?
YEAH, BUT ONCE YOU'RE A
CERTAIN WAY, IT'S LIKE GOING ON
VACATION.
HOW LONG CAN YOU BE ON VACATION
BEFORE YOU'RE BORED?
WITH SO MUCH CASH
FLOWING IN, CHARLIE'S ABLE TO
BUY JAMIE AND HER TWO KIDS
ANYTHING THEY WANT.
IT WAS TWO YEARS OF HARD-CORE
LIKE, JUST, YOU KNOW, US HAVING
FUN ALL THE TIME, LIVING THE
FAST LIFE - FAST CARS, FAST
TIMES, YOU KNOW, VACATIONS, JUST
PARTYING, WHATEVER YOU WANTED.
$100 JEANS? NO PROBLEM.
YOU WANT - DON'T BUY ONE.
BUY THREE.
DUDE, I'M JUST LIVING LIFE, MAN.
I'M ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD
RIGHT NOW.
YOU NEVER THINK IT'S GONNA END.
YOU KNOW?
SO, ALL RIGHT, SO, YOU SPEND
$1,000 TODAY.
BUT YOU'RE MAKING $3,000
TOMORROW.
IT WAS A CRAZY LIFE.
BUT LIVING THE HIGH
LIFE COMES AT A PRICE.
CHARLIE IS AWAY WORKING ALL THE
TIME, AND JAMIE FEELS NEGLECTED.
SHE'S NO LONGER THE CENTER OF
ATTENTION.
CHARLES WAS A GOOD FRIEND,
NOT A GOOD HUSBAND.
A GOOD PROVIDER, BUT NOT A -
NOT A HUSBAND.
JAMIE AND CHARLIE
DO THEIR BEST TO HIDE THEIR
MARITAL PROBLEMS FROM FRIENDS
AND FAMILY.
THEY EVEN DECIDE TO OPEN A NEW
BUSINESS TOGETHER.
WHEN I HAD TOLD HIM THAT I
WANTED TO WORK, HE'S LIKE,
"LET'S JUST OPEN A TANNING
SALON," 'CAUSE HE ALWAYS WANTED
ONE.
AND I JUST WENT ALONG WITH IT
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO
TAN.
SHE KEPT SAYING TO ME, "I
WANT TO OPEN UP A TANNING SALON.
I WANT TO OPEN UP A TANNING
SALON."
I SAID, "YOU REALLY WANT A
TANNING SALON, JAMIE?"
SHE SAYS, "YEAH."
THAT'S HOW THE TANNING SALON
CAME ABOUT.
SHE WANTED IT, AND I WANTED TO
MAKE HER HAPPY, SO I DID.
I FIGURED OUT A WAY TO DO IT.
WHAT'S GOING ON NOW?
THIS - THESE SCREWS.
THEY'RE GETTING STRIPPED.
THE CZERNIAWSKIS
HIRE AMY GAUSLIN TO WORK
RECEPTION.
I SAW YOU HAD A "WANTED" SIGN
OUT THERE.
OH, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A JOB?
YEAH.
PRETTY SOON, AMY
STARTS BABYSITTING FOR THEM,
TOO.
WHEN I FIRST MET THEM, I
THOUGHT THEY WERE THE HAPPIEST
COUPLE, NOTHING COULD GO WRONG.
YOU KNOW, CHARLIE WORKED VERY
LONG DAYS.
JAMIE WAS AT THE TANNING SALON
IN THE MORNING.
HEY!
HI. YOU'RE BACK EARLY.
I WATCHED THE KIDS, AND THAT'S
HOW I BECAME MORE INVOLVED WITH
THE FAMILY.
BUT I DIDN'T THINK THAT AT ANY
POINT THEY WERE FIGHTING,
ARGUING.
BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE
LONG FOR AMY TO REALIZE THAT THE
PERFECT FAMILY IS NOT SO PERFECT
AFTER ALL.
CHARLIE?
YEAH?
I DIDN'T KNOW NOBODY WAS
GONNA BE HERE.
ONE NIGHT I HAD GONE BACK TO THE
TANNING SALON TO GET THE KEY.
CHARLIE WAS SLEEPING ON THE
COUCH BECAUSE THEY GOT INTO A
FIGHT AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO
HOME.
I DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP
FIGHTING IN FRONT OF THE KIDS,
SO I DECIDED TO COME OVER HERE.
OH, MAN. SORRY, CHARLIE.
DIDN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED.
I JUST SAID, "OKAY, YOU KNOW,
I'LL BE HERE IN THE MORNING,"
BECAUSE JAMIE DIDN'T WANT TO GO
TO THE SALON.
YOU DO THIS EVERY TIME!
JAMIE SAYS THAT
THREE YEARS INTO THE MARRIAGE,
CHARLIE STARTS HAVING A HARD
TIME CONTROLLING HIS ANGER.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
THEIR FIGHTS ARE NO
LONGER CONFINED TO BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS.
THEY SPILL OUT INTO THE PUBLIC
EYE, EVEN AT THEIR KIDS' SCHOOL
EVENTS.
JUST WALK AWAY!
HE'S YELLED. HE'S SCREAMED.
NOT EVERYONE THINKS
CHARLIE IS THE PROBLEM.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY CHARLIE
NEVER ROSE HIS VOICE TO JAMIE.
HE HAD TO BECAUSE SHE WAS ALWAYS
YELLING AT HIM.
SO FOR HIM TO GET HIS WORD OVER,
HE'D HAVE TO YELL BACK.
DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME!
JAMIE!
THE FIGHTS AT HOME
ARE ALSO GETTING WORSE.
YOU'RE MY WIFE!
YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!
YOU'RE MY WIFE!
YOU'RE MINE! YOU BELONG TO ME!
OPEN THE DOOR, JAMIE.
OPEN THE DOOR, JAMIE.
HE LOVES JAMIE AND THE KIDS
DEEPLY.
SO, FOR HER, PUTTING HIM DOWN
AND CALLING HIM IDIOT AND
YELLING AT HIM AND HIM GETTING
UP EARLY, 5:00, 6:00 IN THE
MORNING, DRAINING HIM MORE THAN
HE ALREADY IS DRAINED FROM
WORKING SO MUCH, IT REALLY MADE
ME HURT FOR CHARLIE.
THE NOW NEARLY
DAILY BATTLES BEGIN TO DOUSE THE
FLAMES ON THEIR ONCE-SIZZLING
HOT ROMANCE.
YOU KNOW, ONCE IN A WHILE, I
HEARD "I LOVE YOU" COME OUT.
NEVER DID SHE EVER REALLY, LIKE,
KISS - LIKE, THAT I SAW, KISS
OR HUG.
IT WAS JUST A LOT OF PUTTING HIM
DOWN.
YO, WE SHOULD BE ON THAT
SHOW.
PBHT.
YEAH. I'M NOT JOKING.
NO, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ON
THIS "WIFE SWAP."
I THINK WE'RE PERFECT FOR IT.
BUT CHARLIE HAS AN
IDEA THAT MIGHT REKINDLE THE
SPARK AND CAPITALIZE ON THEIR
LOVE OF THE LIMELIGHT.
...ON THE TV FOR THE
"WIFE SWAP" THING.
WHEN CHARLIE SEES A
CASTING CALL FOR THE HIT REALITY
SERIES "WIFE SWAP," HE JUMPS AT
THE CHANCE TO REVIVE THEIR
MARRIAGE.
...TO A FARM OR BY THE
SNOW...
AT THE SAME TIME,
HE SEEMS A LITTLE TOO EAGER TO
EMBARRASS HIS WIFE ON NATIONAL
TELEVISION.
SHE ALWAYS WORE HIGH HEELS.
JAMIE WORE HIGH HEELS IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE SNOW.
YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T MATTER.
SHE ALWAYS WORE HEELS, ALWAYS.
AND I SAID, "I HOPE THEY SEND
YOU TO A FARM WHERE YOU GOT TO
SHOVEL CRAP."
ALL RIGHT, MY NAME'S CHARLIE.
MY WIFE - SHE'S BEAUTIFUL.
SHE'D LOOK GREAT ON TV.
HER NAME'S JAMIE.
CHARLIE HAS NO IDEA
THAT HE'S JUST LIT THE FUSE ON
THEIR FLOUNDERING MARRIAGE.
AND OUR FATE WAS SEALED.
COMING UP, THE
COUPLE'S FIGHTS TURN PHYSICAL AS
THEIR LUST FOR ATTENTION
BACKFIRES.
THE COPS CAME IN.
WE WERE ARGUING, WE WERE
SCREAMING, AND SOMEBODY HAD TO
GO.
AFTER THREE YEARS
OF MARRIAGE AND FINANCIAL
SUCCESS, JEALOUSY AND ANGER ARE
SLOWLY TEARING CHARLIE AND
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI APART.
I THINK THAT WE'D BE GOOD
CANDIDATES FOR THAT SHOW.
OH, MY GOD.
CHARLIE CONTACTS
THE CASTING PRODUCERS OF THE
REALITY SHOW "WIFE SWAP," A
TOP-RATED SERIES WHERE TWO
DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT COUPLES
SWAP HOMES AND SPOUSES.
HE FANTASIZES IT WILL MAKE
THINGS BETTER.
OH!
HEY, YEAH, I'M...
HELLO?
YEAH, THIS IS HIM.
THE NEXT DAY, THE PRODUCER CALLS
ME AND SAYS, "CHARLIE, WE LOVED
YOUR MESSAGE."
YEAH?
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH, YOU CAN COME HERE.
"WE'RE GONNA SEND A CAMERA CREW
OUT TO DO A TEST SHOOT."
ALL RIGHT! I AM EXCITED.
YOU BOTH WERE GUNG HO ABOUT
IT, YEAH?
I DON'T WANT TO SAY I WAS
GUNG HO.
I ALWAYS HAVE THAT ATTITUDE
ANYWAY, LIKE, "WHATEVER."
WHOO!
WE'RE GONNA BE MONEY, BABY!
ANY COUPLE THAT EVEN MUTUALLY
AGREES TO BE ON A REALITY SHOW
LIKE "WIFE SWAP" HAS TO GO INTO
IT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
THEY ARE ABOUT TO AIR THEIR
DIRTY LAUNDRY IN PUBLIC AND THAT
IN THE END, THERE ARE GOING TO
BE VERY REAL CONSEQUENCES FROM
DOING SO.
THE CZERNIAWSKIS
SPEND THE NEXT MONTH FILMING THE
EPISODE.
THIS IS GREAT.
YEAH!
THAT'S NOT EVEN HOW THAT
WENT.
HEY, THE CAMERA CAN ONLY
CAPTURE WHAT IT SEES.
NO.
BUT WHEN THE SHOW
PREMIERES, JAMIE IS HORRIFIED AT
THE WAY SHE'S BEEN PORTRAYED.
THAT'S NOT EVEN WHAT
HAPPENED.
OHH-WHEE.
THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.
SHE REALLY CAME DOWN ON ME HARD
ON THAT.
SHE WAS LIKE, "HOW COULD YOU
ALLOW THEM TO MAKE EVERYBODY
BELIEVE THAT I SLEEP TILL NOON,
THAT YOU DO ALL THE WORK AROUND
THE HOUSE?"
I'M LIKE, "PRETTY MUCH THAT'S
WHAT'S TRUE.
ALL RIGHT, MAYBE YOU DON'T SLEEP
TO NOON, BUT 10:30."
THIS IS GOOD TV.
I'M NOT GONNA WATCH THIS.
I'M NOT GONNA WA-
NO. WHERE YOU GOING?
I CAN'T WATCH THIS ANYMORE.
AGAIN, I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY
PERCEIVE ME AS.
THERE'S MORE SUBSTANCE TO THAT,
AND INITIALLY THAT'S HOW I WAS
APPROACHED, THAT THAT'S THE
ROUTE THEY WERE GONNA GO.
AND THEY DIDN'T.
THEY PRESENTED YOU AS BEING
COMPLETELY -
A BIMBO.
YOU MUST BE DOING IT WRONG,
MAN.
I DON'T KNOW.
YOU GOT TO THINK LIKE A
WOMAN.
WHILE JAMIE
CONTINUES TO FUME, CHARLIE IS
THRILLED WITH HIS NEW CELEBRITY
STATUS.
WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO ON
THAT SHOW?
I DON'T KNOW.
I WAS JUST MYSELF.
THEY JUST FOLLOWED US AROUND
WITH CAMERAS, AND, YOU KNOW, I
JUST DID WHAT I NORMALLY DO.
I HAD THE GUYS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD SAYING, YOU KNOW,
"WE HATE YOU.
MY WIFE KEEPS SAYING, 'WHY
AREN'T YOU MORE LIKE HIM?'"
PEOPLE RECOGNIZE US SOMETIMES.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST REALITY TV.
WELL, AT LEAST YOU LOOKED
GOOD ON IT.
IN THE END, THE
COUPLE'S VAULT INTO THE
SPOTLIGHT DIDN'T JUMP-START
THEIR MARRIAGE.
IT DOES JUST THE OPPOSITE.
I'M A PERFECT GENTLEMAN.
I AM, YOU KNOW...
HEY, BABY. HOW YOU DOING?
YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL, BY THE
WAY.
WHO WAS THAT?
JAMIE IS IRRITATED
BY HER HUSBAND'S DELIGHT IN HIS
15 MINUTES OF FAME.
SHE WAS SOME GIRL THAT I WAS
JUST TALKING TO.
SO, YOU'RE JUST GOING INTO
BARS THESE DAYS AND PICKING UP
FANS?
NOW THE MARRIAGE'S
DOWNWARD SPIRAL STARTS PICKING
UP STEAM.
I TOLD YOU, SHE RECOGNIZED ME
FROM - DON'T DO THIS.
JAMIE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS
CHEATING ON HER.
DO NOT TALK TO OTHER GIRLS,
OKAY?
DO NOT TALK TO ME LIKE I'M A
CHILD.
DO NOT TALK TO ME LIKE I'M A
CHILD.
THERE WAS NOT ONE THING THAT
EVER CAME OUT THAT SAID I WAS
CHEATING ON HER.
JAMIE IS A LIAR.
HE WAS ALWAYS LYING.
HE WAS LYING SO MUCH THAT I
QUESTIONED THINGS THAT I
BELIEVED AND I WAS QUESTIONING
MYSELF.
THE LOVE AFFAIR
BETWEEN THE HANDSOME HUNK AND
THE BEAUTY QUEEN IS TURNING INTO
SOMETHING UGLY, AND THERE'S NO
GOING BACK.
THEY SIMPLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
USE THEIR WORDS TO COMMUNICATE
THEIR UNHAPPINESS WITH EACH
OTHER AND THEIR UNHAPPINESS WITH
THE STATE OF THEIR LIVES.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU STILL
WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT THIS.
WHY IS IT EVERY TIME WE GO OUT,
THIS HAS TO HAPPEN?
CONVERSATION IS
REPLACED BY BACK TALK AND
BICKERING.
BECAUSE OF YOU!
WHAT HAVE I DONE?!
IT'S A RAZOR'S EDGE
THAT'S ABOUT TO GET EVEN
SHARPER.
AMY GAUSLIN IS BABYSITTING WHEN
SHE HEARS THE COUPLE RETURN
HOME.
I WAS WATCHING THE KIDS,
HEARD JAMIE AND CHARLIE PULL UP,
SAW THE LIGHTS REALLY LATE - I
WANT TO SAY 2:00, 3:00 IN THE
MORNING - HEARD THEM ARGUING
OUTSIDE FOR A WHILE.
I HEARD THE CAR DOOR SHUT.
I ACTUALLY WENT OVER AND PEEKED
OUT THE WINDOW.
THEY WERE, I GUESS, ARGUING
BEHIND THE TRUCK 'CAUSE I
COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING.
...DIFFERENT, JAMIE!
YOU'VE CHANGED!
TO AMY, IT'S NOT
CLEAR WHO STARTED THE FIGHT OR
WHAT THEY'RE FIGHTING ABOUT.
SHE CLAIMS THAT HE PUSHED HER
UP AGAINST THE TRAILER AND
SMACKED HER IN THE HEAD, BUT I
DIDN'T SEE IT, SO I CAN'T SAY
THAT IT HAPPENED.
JAMIE!
JAMIE!
THEN THEY WENT UP TO THE
BEDROOM, STILL ARGUING.
OH, SUCH A BIG MAN NOW,
CHARLIE, AREN'T YOU?
OH, EVER SINCE THE SHOW, EVER -
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU -
OOPS.
I HEARD A CRASH UPSTAIRS, AND
THERE WAS A DRAWER BROKEN OFF.
CHARLIE WAS LEAVING THE BEDROOM.
I AM CALLING THE POLICE.
YOU ARE OUT OF CONTROL.
WE'RE CALLING THE POLICE.
GET IN HERE.
JAMIE WAS TELLING ME TO CALL
THE COPS, CALL THE COPS.
IT WAS JUST A LOT OF YELLING,
AND JAMIE HAD PUT HERSELF
AGAINST THE DOOR, HOLDING IT SO
HE COULDN'T GET IN, YOU KNOW, TO
TALK TO HER.
STOP POUNDING ON THE DOOR!
YOU KNOW, AND SHE'S SCREAMING
AT ME TO CALL THE COPS.
COME ON IN.
WE GOT CALL ABOUT...
ME AND HER WERE ARGUING.
AND THE COPS CAME IN.
WE WERE ARGUING, WE WERE
SCREAMING, AND SOMEBODY HAD TO
GO.
HE HURT ME!
HE IS PHYSICALLY ABUSING ME!
OH, DON'T EVEN -
I AM THE VICTIM, CHARLIE!
HEY! HEY! HEY! CALM DOWN!
YOU LYING...
YOU **** TAKE HIM AWAY!
TAKE HIM AWAY!
AND THEY WOUND UP TAKING ME.
AND THERE WASN'T A MARK ON HER.
THE KIDS NOW WERE UP AT THIS
POINT, AND SO I WENT IN THERE.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, "EVERYTHING'S
OKAY.
MOM AND DAD JUST GOT INTO A
FIGHT.
YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO SLEEP."
BUT, OF COURSE, THEY COULDN'T
SLEEP WITH THE YELLING AND THE
ARGUING.
THEY TOOK PICTURES OF JAMIE TO
FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, IF THOSE
MARKS WERE HANDS.
CAN YOU POINT TO WHERE IT
WAS?
I THINK IT WAS LIKE RIGHT
HERE.
TAKE YOUR HAND OFF FOR ME,
MA'AM.
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
JAMIE FILES A
TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER
AGAINST CHARLIE THAT NIGHT.
HELLO?
IS EVERYTHING OKAY?
YEAH. EVERYTHING'S FINE.
I'LL BE BACK LATER.
THE NEXT DAY WHEN I CAME TO
BABYSIT, IT WAS LIKE NOTHING
HAPPENED.
JAMIE AND CHARLIE'S
BURYING OF PROBLEMS IS JUST
ANOTHER POISON EATING AWAY AT
THEIR MARRIAGE.
THE CHARGES EVENTUALLY GET
DROPPED, BUT UNLIKE OTHER
PEOPLE WHO SIT DOWN AND WORK
THROUGH IT AND MAYBE EVEN SEEK
OUT MARRIAGE COUNSELING OR
OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL HELP TO
FIGURE OUT "HOW DO WE STOP THIS
CYCLE?", JAMIE AND CHARLIE JUST
ACTED LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED, AS
THEY SEEMED TO ALWAYS DO WITH
ANYTHING UNPLEASANT IN THEIR
LIVES.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?
YOU GONNA HIT ME WITH A BAT WITH
EVERYBODY WATCHING?
YEAH!
SURE ENOUGH,
IGNORING THEIR PROBLEMS DOESN'T
MAKE THEM GO AWAY.
ACCORDING TO CHARLIE, JAMIE
BECOMES INCREASINGLY ERRATIC AND
VIOLENT.
JAMIE GOT PISSED OFF, CAME AT
ME WITH A BASEBALL BAT.
SHE HAS A VERY, VERY BAD TEMPER,
A VERY, VERY BAD TEMPER, AND
SHE'S THE TYPE THAT FELT LIKE,
YOU KNOW, "I'M THE GIRL.
I CAN HIT YOU."
COMING UP, IS THE
WORST YET TO COME?
JUST HOW FAR IS AN
EX-CHEERLEADER WILLING TO GO?
EVERY TIME WE GO OUT, THIS
HAS TO HAPPEN.
NEW JERSEY COUPLE
JAMIE AND CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI'S
FIVE-YEAR MARRIAGE IS ON A
COLLISION COURSE.
SINCE THEY WERE ON THE REALITY
SHOW "WIFE SWAP," THEIR FIGHTS
HAVE BECOME EVEN MORE FREQUENT
AND INTENSE.
GOOD THING THEY STILL HAVE
PLENTY OF MONEY TO EASE THE
PAIN...
UNTIL THE 2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS
THREATENS TO FINISH THEM OFF.
THEN THE ECONOMY HIT.
YOU NEED $12,000 A MONTH TO PAY
YOUR BILLS, JUST TO PAY YOUR
BILLS, AND THAT'S THAT'S JUST
TO GET BY.
AND YOU CAN ONLY SURVIVE SO LONG
TRYING TO MANAGE THE TANNING
SALON, ON THE WEEKENDS, BE AN
ENTERTAINER, AND THEN ON
SUNDAYS, YOU'RE TRYING TO GO TO
THE FLEA MARKET AND HUSTLE
MATTRESSES, AND THEN ON TOP OF
IT ALL, BE A HUSBAND AND BE A
FATHER.
YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU'RE
ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL, AND
THAT'S WHEN THINGS COME
CRUMBLING DOWN.
DO YOU NOT REALIZE WHERE WE
LIVE AND HOW MANY KIDS WE HAVE?
CHARLIE CAN NO
LONGER SUPPLY JAMIE WITH THE
LIFE OF LUXURY SHE'S USED TO.
IN THE SAME WEEK, CHARLIE LOSES
HIS FURNITURE BUSINESS, AND THE
COUPLE IS FORCED TO CLOSE THEIR
TANNING SALON.
IN DESPERATION, THEY PUT THEIR
UPSCALE HOUSE ON THE MARKET.
WHY YOU ACTING SO QUIET?
WELL, WE'RE MOVING OUT OF OUR
HOUSE, RIGHT?
IT'S NOT A TIME TO BE SUPER
EXCITED OR ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING -
SHE SAID, "WHATEVER YOU DO, JUST
DON'T LOSE THE HOUSE."
BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING THE
MONEY AND YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE
HOUSE ANYMORE, YOUR CAR'S
GETTING REPOED IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT...
...ALWAYS ALL MY F-
NO ONE HAS EVER MADE ME THE
WAY THAT YOU MAKE ME!
HE'S PUNCHED HOLES IN WALLS.
HE'S YELLED. HE'S SCREAMED.
HE'S HURT ME.
I'M SORRY.
I'M SORRY.
THE DISCORD BETWEEN CHARLIE
AND JAMIE HAS BEEN FESTERING
SINCE THE "WIFE SWAP" EPISODE,
AND THEN WHEN THEY SUFFER
FINANCIAL RUIN, WELL, THIS
CAUSES A POWDER KEG OF PENT-UP
EMOTIONS THAT REALLY HAS NO
OPTION EXCEPT TO EXPLODE.
AT THIS POINT,
THERE'S NO DOUBT THE CZERNIAWSKI
MARRIAGE IS BEYOND REPAIR.
AND AS IF THINGS AREN'T BAD
ENOUGH, CHARLIE STARTS TO
SUSPECT THAT JAMIE'S KEEPING
SECRETS FROM HIM.
I'M EXHAUSTED.
WHEN YOU WALK IN AND SHE'S ON
THE COMPUTER AND YOU SEE HER ON
THE COMPUTER AND AS YOU WALK
OVER, SHE'S CLICKS OUT OF IT.
"WHAT WAS THAT?"
LOCKED.
EVERYTHING HAS A PASSWORD ON IT.
YO, JAMIE, IT'S ASKING ME FOR A
PASSWOR-
WHAT'S YOUR PASSWORD?
YOUR PHONE IS LOCKED, TOO.
WHAT IS WITH IS THIS,
EVERYTHING'S LOCKED UP?
IT'S LIKE I'M IN SING SING.
IT'S, UH - IT'S -
I CAN'T GET IN 'CAUSE IT HAS
A LOCK ON IT.
THEN YOU QUESTION IT - "WHY IS
THERE A LOCK ON YOUR PHONE?"
"OH, IT'S SO - I DON'T WANT THE
KIDS GOING THROUGH MY PHONE."
WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO ON YOUR
PHONE, MAKE LONG-DISTANCE PHONE
CALLS?
WHEN YOU HAVE TWO SEPARATE
FACEBOOKS AND TWO SEPARATE
MySpaces AND YOU PUT LOCKS ON
YOUR PHONES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE
THE MARRIED LIFE, THE FAMILY
WITH ALL - AND THEN YOU HAVE
YOUR SINGLE LIFE.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE BRINGING ME A
DRINK!
AT THIS POINT, JAMIE IS
PROBABLY DONE WITH THE MARRIAGE,
AND SHE SIMPLY IS UNPREPARED TO
DEAL WITH A NEW LIFE AND NEW
WORLD, ESPECIALLY WITH TWO
CHILDREN, BUT WITH NO HUSBAND.
SO, INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING THE
CHIPS DOWN AND SAYING, "CHARLIE,
LET'S TALK ABOUT DIVORCE," SHE
JUST GOES AND STARTS BUILDING A
SEPARATE LIFE, A LEVEL OF
SECRECY THAT CAN ONLY DRIVE A
WEDGE FURTHER INTO THE
DISINTEGRATING MARRIAGE.
MAY 28, 2009, WOULD
BECOME A FATEFUL DAY.
JAMIE HAS PLANS FOR A GIRLS
NIGHT OUT AT A JERSEY SHORE TIKI
BAR.
IT'S JUST LIKE A GIRLS THING.
I DON'T KNOW.
SHE WANTED TO GO OUT, AND I
KNEW SHE WAS CHEATING AT THAT
POINT IN MY MIND.
I ALREADY KNEW IT.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW?
MAYBE I'LL - MAYBE I'LL COME
WITH YOU.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU WANT TO COME?
CHARLIE SEES IT AS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH JAMIE
RED-HANDED.
THEY PICK UP THEIR FRIEND
STEPHANIE AND HEAD FOR THE
SHORE.
SO, I'M LIKE, "ALL RIGHT, WHO
ELSE WE GETTING?"
"OH, NO, NO, THAT'S IT, JUST
STEPHANIE."
"WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE
GIRLS?"
"OH, WE'RE GONNA MEET
EVERYBODY THERE."
BUT WHEN THEY GET
TO THE TIKI BAR, THERE'S JUST
ONE PERSON WAITING FOR THEM, AND
HE'S NOT A GIRL.
I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO
MY FRIEND VINCE.
THIS IS STEPHANIE.
HOW ARE YOU?
AND, UH, THIS IS CHARLIE, MY
HUSBAND.
HEY, VINCE.
AND WHEN SHE SAID "HUSBAND,"
HIS FACE WAS LIKE...
IT'S, UH, NICE TO MEET YOU.
I DIDN'T SAY NOTHING, DIDN'T
SAY A WORD.
CHARLIE CLAIMS
JAMIE SPENDS THE REST OF THE
NIGHT GETTING DRUNK AND FLIRTING
WITH HER FRIEND VINCE AND OTHER
MEN IN THE BAR.
JAMIE'S ALL OVER THE PLACE,
DRINKING, SHOTS OVER HERE, DOING
THIS OVER THERE WITH THESE
PEOPLE.
A FEW HOURS LATER,
THE CZERNIAWSKIS LEAVE.
THEY DROP STEPHANIE OFF ON THEIR
WAY HOME.
BYE.
SEE YOU LATER.
SCREW YOU, CHARLIE.
SERIOUSLY, I'M DONE.
WHAT HAPPENED?
IS EVERYTHING OKAY?
YEAH, IT'S FINE.
SHE JUST - SHE JUST DRANK TOO
MUCH.
AFTER THE
BABYSITTER LEAVES, CHARLIE HEADS
UPSTAIRS TO BED.
I GO IN THE BATHROOM.
I CHANGE.
LIKE 10 MINUTES GOES BY.
AND SHE'S STILL NOT UPSTAIRS.
SO I DECIDED TO GO DOWNSTAIRS.
YOU COULD SEE THE LIGHT ON IN
THE BATHROOM.
AS I'M WALKING TO THE BATHROOM,
YOU CAN HEAR WHISPERING, BUT
ARGUING.
SO NOW I JUST HAVE THE MOST
UNEASY FEELING IN MY STOMACH.
SO, I'M PACING IN FRONT OF THE
DOOR - PACING.
"WHAT SHOULD I DO?"
I EVEN PUT MY EAR UP TO THE
DOOR.
ACCORDING TO
JAMIE...
...CHARLIE GOES BALLISTIC.
WHO YOU TALKING TO?
NOBODY.
WHO YOU TALKING TO?!
STEPHANIE.
GIVE ME YOUR PHONE.
GIVE ME YOUR PHONE, OR I WILL
PUT YOU IN THE **** ROSE
GARDEN.
NO!
HE STARTED GRABBING ME, TRYING
TO GRAB MY PHONE.
HE SAID, "GIVE ME YOUR PHONE."
HE STARTED WITH, HE WAS GONNA
KILL ME.
LOOKS LIKE VINCE.
LET'S CALL VINCE!
HE DRAGGED ME OUT OF THE
BATHROOM.
HELLO?
HELLO?!
HE SOUNDS LIKE A REAL BOY SCOUT.
HELLO?!
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HE WAS
SAYING, I JUST REMEMBER HIM -
"I'LL KILL YOU.
IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU, NO ONE
CAN."
AAH!
I FINALLY BROKE FREE.
WHERE YOU GOING?
WHERE YOU GONNA GO?
WHERE YOU GONNA GO?
NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM NOW,
JAMIE.
THEN HE CAUGHT ME AGAIN, AND
HE STARTED CHOKING ME THERE.
HE WAS CHOKING ME SO HARD THAT
HE LIFTED ME OFF THE GROUND.
IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU, NO ONE
WILL!
JAMIE FRANTICALLY
REACHES BEHIND HER AND FINDS A
WEAPON.
I'LL KILL YOU!
GET OFF.
I KNEW WHERE THE KNIFE BLOCK
WAS.
I GRABBED IT, HOPING IT WAS
GONNA SCARE HIM, AND IT DID
SCARE HIM FOR A MINUTE.
STAY BACK.
SCREW YOU, CHARLIE...
JAMIE AND
CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI ARE BACK
HOME AFTER A NIGHT OF BOOZING ON
THE JERSEY SHORE.
JAMIE CLAIMS CHARLIE GOES CRAZY
WITH JEALOUSY AFTER OVERHEARING
HER TALKING ON THE PHONE WITH
HER FRIEND VINCE.
SHE SAYS HE WAS THE AGGRESSOR
AND SHE HAD TO DEFEND HERSELF.
STAY AWAY.
WHOA.
GET OFF.
A GIRL WHO LIKES TO PLAY WITH
KNIVES.
I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL KILL
YOU.
OH, YEAH, COME ON.
OH, I BELIEVE IT, BABY.
LET'S GO.
OH, YOU WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER?
YOU WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER?
COME ON, BABY!
LET'S GO! LET'S DO THIS TONIGHT!
AAH!
I HAD IT IN MY RIGHT HAND, AND
HE WAS ON TOP OF ME.
I COULDN'T SEE, BUT I COULD
HEAR, AND THEN I COULDN'T HEAR,
BUT I COULD SEE.
AAH!
I JUST REMEMBER TURNING MY
HEAD AND... AND RIGHT IN HIS, UM,
LEFT BICEP.
AAH!
JAMIE PLUNGES THE
KNIFE INTO HER HUSBAND'S ARM.
THE KNIFE HITS AN ARTERY, AND
CHARLIE'S BLOOD STARTS SPRAYING
EVERYWHERE.
AT LEAST, THAT'S THE WAY SHE SAW
IT.
CHARLIE TELLS THE ENTIRE STORY A
LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
I GRABBED THE DOOR.
IT'S NOT EVEN LOCKED.
OPEN UP THE DOOR, AND SHE'S
STANDING IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR.
SHE'S JUST - YOU KNOW THAT
DEER-IN-HEADLIGHTS LOOK?
THAT'S THE LOOK SHE GIVES ME.
AND I LOOK AT HER, AND I'M LIKE,
"WHO ARE YOU ON THE PHONE WITH,
JAMIE?"
THIS IS WHY I HATE YOU.
I WANT A DIVORCE.
WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?!
I SAID, "YOU'RE CHEATING ON
ME."
I SAID, "YOU'RE CHEATING."
I SAID, "WHO YOU ON THE PHONE
WITH, JAMIE?
YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME."
NO!
GIVE IT TO ME.
NO!
GIVE IT -
UNH!
"VINCE."
HELLO?
HELLO?!
SO, I JUST TAKE OFF.
I JUST LEAVE THE BATHROOM AND
LEAVE HER IN THE BATHROOM.
CHARLIE!
AND I'M TRYING TO CALL HIM
BACK.
I'M LIKE, "HELLO? HELLO? HELLO?"
AND HE KEEPS HANGING UP.
"HELLO? HELLO?"
HE KEEPS HANGING UP.
"HELLO?" HE KEEPS HANGING UP.
I'M LOOKING THROUGH THE
MESSAGES.
SHE COMES FROM BEHIND AND WAS
ABLE LIKE - JUMPED, LIKE, ON MY
BACK AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE
PHONE OUT OF MY HAND.
AAH!
GIVE ME THE PHONE!
STOP FIGHTING!
AAH!
SHE TAKES THE KNIFE AND THEN
STABS ME THIS WAY AND SAYS, "GET
OFF MY PHONE," AND THEN COMES
BACK AND STABS ME THIS WAY,
RIGHT HERE.
AAH!
UNH!
I GO, "OH, MY GOD.
OH, MY GOD."
I'M LIKE, "YOU GOT TO CALL 911."
SHE'S JUST LIKE, "'F' YOU. DIE.
I HOPE YOU DIE. 'F' YOU.
'F' YOU. DIE."
I NEED TO GET TO A HOSPITAL!
I HOPE YOU DIE.
I NEED TO GET TO A HOSPITAL!
SO, I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD."
SO, I SEE THE KEYS TO THE TRUCK.
SO NOW I GRAB THE KEYS, AND I
RUN OUT THE DOOR.
SCREW YOU, CHARLIE!
YOU DESERVE IT!
STAY AWAY FROM MY CAR.
NO. HEY! HEY!
HEY!
PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE
PASSENGER DOOR OPENS UP ON THE
TRUCK, AND SHE'S COMING IN.
AND I'M LIKE, MAYBE SHE'S COMING
TO HELP ME, OR MAYBE SHE'S
COMING TO STAB ME AGAIN.
I'M REALLY NOT SURE.
THEN, ACCORDING TO
CHARLIE, JAMIE DOES SOMETHING
UNTHINKABLE.
SHE REMOVES HIS KEYS FROM THE
IGNITION, RUNS BACK INTO THE
HOUSE, AND LOCKS THE FRONT DOOR.
NOW I'M LIKE, "WHAT THE -"
LIKE, "DID SHE REALLY DO THAT?"
OPEN THE DOOR.
I'M BANGING ON THE DOOR,
PLEADING FOR HER TO LET ME IN.
GET AWAY FROM ME!
AT THIS POINT, I'M STARTING
TO FEEL SICK.
I'M A LITTLE WHEEZY.
SO, I TAKE MY SHIRT OFF TO TRY
TO STOP THE BLEEDING.
AND I'M BANGING ON THE DOOR,
BEGGING HER, "PLEASE, PLEASE,
I'M GONNA DIE OUT HERE.
I'M GONNA DIE OUT HERE."
AND SHE'S STANDING BEHIND THE
DOOR, AND SHE'S LIKE, "'F' YOU.
I HOPE YOU DIE. 'F' YOU."
OPEN THE DOOR!
GO TO HELL!
AND THEN, WHAT FELT LIKE A
LIFETIME, FOR WHATEVER REASON,
SHE DECIDES TO OPEN UP THE DOOR.
YOU TAKE YOUR OWN DAMN CAR.
OKAY.
YOU TAKE YOUR OWN DAMN CAR.
AS FOR JAMIE, SHE
SAYS SHE HAD A VERY GOOD REASON
FOR LOCKING HER BLEEDING HUSBAND
OUT OF THE HOUSE.
HE CAME BACK INSIDE, AND
EVERY TIME HE WOULD COME, I
THOUGHT HE WAS COMING, LIKE, FOR
ME.
YOU THOUGHT HE WAS COMING
BACK AT YOU?
YES, 100%.
BY NOW, CHARLIE'S
LOST A LOT OF BLOOD.
I GRAB THE KEYS TO MY TRUCK,
WHICH WAS A '96 FORD RANGER
MANUAL-STEERING STICK, AND I
DRIVE MYSELF TO THE HOSPITAL.
SOMEHOW HE MAKES IT
TO THE HOSPITAL BEFORE GOING
INTO SHOCK.
I LOST FOUR AND A HALF PINTS
OF BLOOD.
OHH.
YOUR BODY HOLDS SEVEN.
I BASICALLY DIED. I BLED OUT.
SO, YOU STAYED IN THE HOUSE?
MY CHILDREN WERE IN THERE.
I HAD TO.
I'M NOT LEAVING MY KIDS.
WAS THERE BLOOD?
A LITTLE BIT.
A LITTLE BIT.
JUST A LITTLE.
HELLO?
MA'AM?
A NEIGHBOR HEARS
THE FIGHTING AND CALLS POLICE.
WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVE,
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI IS MOPPING UP
CHARLIE'S BLOOD.
SHE TELLS THEM HER HUSBAND CUT
HIMSELF WHILE WORKING ON HIS
TRUCK.
I LIED TO THEM AT FIRST.
WHY?
I WASN'T THINKING STRAIGHT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GET HIM IN
TROUBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY SAY
I WAS PROTECTING HIM.
I WAS PROTECTING MY FAMILY.
THEN POLICE GET A
CALL THAT A NEARBY HOSPITAL HAS
JUST ADMITTED SOMEONE WITH
LIFE-THREATENING STAB WOUNDS.
IT'S CHARLIE.
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI IS ARRESTED
FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A
DEADLY WEAPON.
WHEN QUESTIONED BY POLICE DOWN
AT THE STATION, JAMIE CHANGES
HER STORY.
NOW SHE SAYS SHE STABBED HER
HUSBAND IN SELF-DEFENSE.
ACCORDING TO THE POLICE AND
CHARLIE AND MEDICAL RECORDS,
JAMIE IS LYING.
WHEN A PERSON STABS ANOTHER
PERSON, EVEN IF IT'S IN
SELF-DEFENSE - ESPECIALLY IF
IT'S IN SELF-DEFENSE - THE
FIRST THING THAT IS ON YOUR MIND
IS TO CALL 911, TO GET POLICE
THERE TO PROTECT YOU SO THAT
THERE IS PROOF THAT YOU HAD TO
USE THAT LEVEL OF FORCE IN
SELF-DEFENSE.
BUT ACCORDING TO CHARLIE, JAMIE
WOULDN'T EVEN DRIVE HIM TO THE
HOSPITAL.
SHE WOULDN'T CALL 911.
THIS IS NOT TYPICAL VARIABLES
THAT WE WOULD SEE IN A TRUE
SITUATION OF SELF-DEFENSE.
CHARLIE'S LEFT WITH
PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE IN HIS
ARM.
I HAVE NO USE OF MY HAND
ANYMORE, YOU KNOW?
I HAVE NO FEELING FROM HERE UP,
ALL THE WAY.
IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE,
UNBELIEVABLE THAT SOMEBODY COULD
DO THAT TO SOMEBODY.
I'LL NEVER FORGIVE HER. NEVER.
CHARLIE STILL LIVES
IN NEW JERSEY.
HE HAS A NEW GIRLFRIEND AND HAS
MOVED ON WITH HIS LIFE.
NO CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE BROUGHT
AGAINST JAMIE.
TODAY SHE LIVES IN
NEW YORK CITY.
SHE HAS PUT THE PAST BEHIND HER
AND NOW LEADS A HAPPY AND
HEALTHY LIFE.
IN THE END, THE FORMER
CHEERLEADER AND BEAUTY QUEEN GOT
HER TIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT, BUT
PROBABLY NOT THE KIND SHE
DREAMED OF.
IF JAMIE AND CHARLIE MADE A
BIG MISTAKE, IT WAS THAT THEY
PLAYED AT MARRIAGE LIKE OTHER
PEOPLE PLAY HOUSE.
THEY NEVER REALLY GOT IT
TOGETHER IN A DEEP, TRUSTING,
LOVING RELATIONSHIP.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT HOW OTHERS
PERCEIVED THEM.
AND THAT WAS REALLY DESTINED FOR
FAILURE FROM THE FIRST DAY.
IS A NEW JERSEY BEAUTY QUEEN WHO
ALWAYS GETS WHAT SHE WANTS.
I ALWAYS ATTRACTED ATTENTION.
PEOPLE THINK IT'S SO EASY BEING
ME.
WHEN SHE MARRIES
CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI, THE TROPHY
COUPLE ARE THE ENVY OF ALL THEIR
FRIENDS.
INSEPARABLE.
WE WERE TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.
BUT THE HOT YOUNG
LOVEBIRDS HAVE NO CLUE THEY'RE
ABOUT TO SELF-DESTRUCT.
THIS COUPLE IS NARCISSISTIC
TO THE CORE.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
THIS MARRIAGE IS A
POWDER KEG...
YOU'RE MY WIFE!
...READY TO
EXPLODE.
NOT ALL FAIRYTALES HAVE HAPPY
ENDINGS.
NO!
WHEN LOVE GOES
WRONG, A WOMAN CAN DO THE
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
22-YEAR-OLD JAMIE SILVERSTRONE
IS BEAUTIFUL, BLONDE, AND
BEWITCHING.
SHE TURNS HEADS WHEREVER SHE
GOES.
WHOO! YES!
PEOPLE THINK IT'S SO EASY
BEING ME.
THEY LOOK AT ME NOW.
THEY'RE LIKE, "OH, PFFT.
YOU HAVE THE WORLD AT YOUR
FEET."
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT DON'T LIKE YOU BY THE WAY
YOU LOOK.
EVEN BACK IN HIGH
SCHOOL, JAMIE TOOK CENTER STAGE.
MY FIRST BOYFRIEND WAS THE
CAPTAIN OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM,
AND I WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE
CHEERLEADING TEAM.
HER LOOKS PROPELLED
HER TO WIN THE MISS TEEN
NEW JERSEY CONTEST.
ALL THE ATTENTION FEEDS HER
AMBITIONS OF FAME AND GLORY.
DR. CASEY JORDAN STUDIES
CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
JAMIE'S PSYCHOLOGY IS VERY
MUCH A PRODUCT OF HER VERY REAL,
UNDENIABLE PHYSICAL
ATTRACTIVENESS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT CREATED A
DEEP INSECURITY THAT NOBODY PAID
ATTENTION TO HER BECAUSE SHE WAS
SMART.
SO, INTRINSICALLY, JAMIE ENDS UP
NARCISSISTIC, BUT ALSO SOMEWHAT
IMMATURE.
AFTER GRADUATING,
JAMIE'S REIGN AS POMPOM PRINCESS
COMES TO AN END.
WHAT'S UP, JAMIE?
UM, I'M PREGNANT AGAIN.
SHE UNEXPECTEDLY
GETS PREGNANT TWICE.
BY AGE 20, SHE HAS TWO YOUNG
CHILDREN - TESSA AND MATTHEW.
WHEN HER KIDS' FATHER WALKS OUT,
JAMIE IS FORCED TO RAISE THEM ON
HER OWN, AND ALL HER DREAMS OF A
GLAMOROUS, EXCITING FUTURE ARE
PUT ON HOLD.
THOSE YEARS CHANGED ME
BECAUSE NOW IT WASN'T JUST
MYSELF.
I HAD TO PUT MY KIDS FIRST.
IN 2001, TO MAKE
ENDS MEET, JAMIE GETS A JOB AT A
TRENDY HEALTH CLUB.
IT DOESN'T TAKE HER LONG TO
REALIZE IT'S POTENTIAL HUSBAND
TERRITORY.
LOOK AT THAT GUY.
SO HOT.
AS SOON AS SHE LAYS
EYES ON HANDSOME AND HUNKY
CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI, SHE'S
DETERMINED TO HAVE HIM.
HEY!
OH, MY GOD.
HEY! YOU! COME HERE!
I ACTUALLY SAW HIM, AND I WAS
AT THE FRONT DESK, AND I TOLD MY
RECEPTIONIST THAT I WAS GONNA
MARRY HIM, WHICH I NEVER DO.
I HAVE A WEIRD PSYCHIC SENSE.
I WAS WORKING OUT, AND SHE
SAID SOMETHING, AND I WAS LIKE,
"WHAT?" AND SHE SAID, "COME OVER
HERE."
WHAT DO YOU DO?
WE TALKED FOR A FEW MINUTES,
AND BASICALLY I WAS LIKE, "WHY
DON'T WE GO OUT?"
...WITH ME SOMETIME?
OH, YOU WANT MY NUMBER?
YEAH.
AND SHE WAS LIKE, "ALL
RIGHT."
I WAS LIKE, "REALLY?"
ALL RIGHT, CHARLIE, GIVE ME
YOUR HAND.
AND THAT WAS IT.
AFTER JUST ONE
DATE, IT'S CLEAR THAT JAMIE AND
CHARLIE HAVE SMOLDERING
CHEMISTRY.
BEFORE LONG, THE SIZZLING YOUNG
COUPLE IS INSEPARABLE.
HOW DID I FIND YOU?
MMM.
AND WAS IT LOVE AT FIRST
SIGHT?
YES, 100%.
I WOULD STAY ON THE PHONE WITH
HIM FOR HOURS DURING THE DAY.
I WAS FULL STEAM AHEAD EVERY
DAY FROM THAT DAY FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TOGETHER ALL
THE TIME.
WE WERE YOUNG AND LIKED TO HAVE
FUN.
OKAY. THAT IS DISGUSTING.
ALL RIGHT, SIGN HERE.
26-YEAR-OLD CHARLIE
IS AN AMBITIOUS GUY.
HE'S ALREADY A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL
FURNITURE DEALER...
WHOO! LET'S GO, BABY!
...AND PART-TIME
PARTY EMCEE AND DEEJAY.
WITH HIS COMBINED JOBS, HE
EASILY PULLS IN SIX FIGURES.
CHARLIE PRIDES HIMSELF ON BEING
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY AND
LOOKING GOOD.
BUT MOST OF ALL, HE LIKED
SHOWING OFF JAMIE AND HIS BANK
ACCOUNT.
DID I SPOIL HER?
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
I SPOILED THE HELL OUT OF HER.
I WANTED TO BE WITH HIM.
I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE LIFE.
I WANTED TO HAVE IT ALL.
FOR JAMIE, CHARLIE
IS TICKING ALL THE RIGHT
BOXES - HANDSOME, RICH, EVEN
PATERNAL.
I COME FROM A GOOD FAMILY.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS WANTED A
FAMILY.
THEY'VE CHANGED THIS STUFF SINCE
I WAS A KID.
WHEN JAMIE CAME INTO MY LIFE AND
BROUGHT THESE TWO CHILDREN
ALONG, YOU KNOW, I JUST DIDN'T
FALL IN LOVE WITH JAMIE.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE
CHILDREN, YOU KNOW?
AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE CARE
OF THEM.
NO. NO.
IT SEEMED LIKE HE'D BE A GOOD
DAD TO THEM?
YES.
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT HIM THAT
HE INSTANTLY LIKED YOUR KIDS.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE 100%
CREDIT TO THAT.
I TEND TO THINK OTHERWISE.
CHARLES WANTED TO FEEL WANTED
AND NEEDED.
JAMIE AND CHARLIE
AREN'T SHY ABOUT THEIR
ATTRACTION TO EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE MADLY IN LOVE AND WANT
EVERYONE TO KNOW IT.
THEY HAVE A WAY OF COMING
TOGETHER AND CREATING THAT
BARBIE AND KEN LOOK THAT REALLY
APPEALS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,
AND THEY ARE AWARE OF IT.
THIS COUPLE IS NARCISSISTIC TO
THE CORE.
AND THEY'RE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP
FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.
YOU LIKE IT?
CHARLIE AND JAMIE'S
RELATIONSHIP IS ON THE FAST
TRACK.
THEY MOVE INTO A HOUSE WITH
JAMIE'S KIDS IN FREEHOLD, A
MIDDLE-CLASS NEW JERSEY SUBURB.
WE WERE DATING MAYBE SIX,
SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE WE MOVED IN
TOGETHER.
THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER ROOM
THAN I HAD.
I LIVED IN A ROOM WITH MY
BROTHERS.
SO, I PUT A QUEEN-SIZED BED IN
THERE AND A SET OF BUNK BEDS FOR
HER AND THE TWO CHILDREN TO COME
LIVE WITH ME.
ALL RIGHT.
THERE IS THAT MAGNETISM, THAT
FEELING THAT THEY COMPLETE EACH
OTHER, BUT WHEN THINGS MOVE THAT
QUICKLY IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT
OF TIME, WITHOUT REALLY GETTING
TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, THINGS CAN
REALLY ONLY END BADLY.
BUT LIVING TOGETHER
ISN'T ENOUGH FOR CHARLIE.
WHEN IT COMES TO JAMIE, HE'S
HOOKED, AND HE'S READY TO GO THE
DISTANCE.
WHAT ARE YOU SO HAPPY ABOUT?
LET ME SEE.
HEY, DON'T GRAB.
THAT'S RUDE.
YOU'RE BEING VERY RUDE.
OH, I'M BEING VERY RUDE?
YEAH, YOU'RE BEING VERY RUDE.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU GOT
ME.
IT'S JUST THIS.
WANT TO DO THIS?
IT WAS A SIMPLE PROPOSAL, YOU
KNOW?
I BOUGHT THE RING, AND I
COULDN'T WAIT, AND IT WOUND UP
BEING IN THE CAR IN THE MALL
PARKING LOT.
AND DO YOU, JAMIE...
ON
FEBRUARY 21, 2003, ALMOST A YEAR
AND A HALF AFTER THEIR FIRST
DATE, JAMIE AND CHARLIE GET
MARRIED.
YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE.
...TWO, THREE!
AHH!
OOH!
THEIR WEDDING IS A
LAVISH, OVER-THE-TOP AFFAIR AT A
LOCAL BANQUET HALL.
MANY OF CHARLIE AND JAMIE'S
FRIENDS WORK IN THE
ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS, SO THE
RECEPTION TURNS INTO A WILD
PARTY.
I HAD THREE DIFFERENT EMCEES
INTRODUCE ME.
MY AUNTS AND UNCLES AND STUFF
GOT MAD 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO SLOW
MUSIC.
IT WAS LIKE A BIG NIGHTCLUB.
IT WAS GREAT.
EVERYBODY'S EITHER A DANCER OR A
DEEJAY OR AN EMCEE, SO WE DIDN'T
WANT THAT NIGHT TO END.
STILL, NOT EVERYONE
IS HAPPY ABOUT JAMIE AND
CHARLIE'S MARRIAGE.
CHARLIE'S FAMILY HAS SOME
SERIOUS MISGIVINGS.
MY FAMILY HATED IT.
ME AND MY FATHER GOT INTO THE
BIGGEST FIGHT OVER IT.
FROM THE START,
CHARLIE'S PARENTS HAVE BEEN
WARNING THEIR SON ABOUT MOVING
TOO FAST.
THEY THINK JAMIE IS JUST SEEING
DOLLAR SIGNS.
ME GETTING INTO A
RELATIONSHIP WITH A WOMAN WITH
TWO CHILDREN - SHE WAS IN LOVE
WITH THE IDEA THAT SHE FOUND
SOMEBODY TO TAKE CARE OF HER.
DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW?
I JUST GOT MARRIED.
PLEASE DON'T - PLEASE DON'T DO
THIS.
CHARLIE, LOOK AT ME.
EVERYBODY CAN'T BE WRONG.
MY FATHER'S A GOOD JUDGE OF
CHARACTER, AND WHEN I THINK
ABOUT THAT NOW, EVERYBODY ALWAYS
SAID ABOUT HER WHO SHE WAS...
EVERYBODY I KNOW, EVERY ONE OF
MY FRIENDS - EVERYBODY.
AND I'D ALWAYS DEFEND HER.
"NO, NO, YOU DON'T KNOW HER.
NO, NO, PLEASE GIVE HER A
CHANCE."
EVERYBODY WAS RIGHT.
COMING UP, THE
HONEYMOON IS OVER WHEN CHARLIE
STARTS ACTING VERY UNLIKE A
MARRIED MAN.
AND THEN HE GOT UP ON A BOX,
AND HE JUST TOOK OFF HIS SHIRT,
STARTED DANCING FOR THIS GROUP
OF GIRLS.
AFTER A RED-HOT
ROMANCE, CHARLIE AND
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI GET MARRIED
AND SETTLE DOWN WITH JAMIE'S TWO
CHILDREN IN A NEW JERSEY SUBURB.
THEY LOOK LIKE THE
PICTURE-PERFECT COUPLE.
BUT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING.
IT'S JAMIE.
IS CHARLIE OVER THERE RIGHT NOW?
HIS CELLPHONE'S OFF OR
SOMETHING.
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
THE SUPPOSEDLY BLISSFUL
NEWLYWEDS TURN ON EACH OTHER.
HI, CHARLIE.
IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU'RE NOT
PICKING UP YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE...
JAMIE CLAIMS
CHARLIE WAS DECEITFUL FROM DAY
ONE.
THERE WAS A FEW THINGS THAT
STRUCK ME AS ODD.
LIKE?
HE'D SAY HE'S GOING ONE
PLACE, AND HE WENT SOMEWHERE
ELSE, AND I WOULD KNOW IT.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE, "OKAY,
YOU KNOW, IT'S NEW.
HE'S AFRAID TO TELL ME."
WHOO!
ACCORDING TO JAMIE,
CHARLIE ALSO SOMETIMES HAS
TROUBLE ACTING LIKE A MARRIED
MAN.
WE WENT TO A CLUB ONE TIME.
AND HE GOT UP ON A BOX, AND HE
JUST TOOK OFF HIS SHIRT AND
STARTED DANCING FOR THIS GROUP
OF GIRLS.
AND I'M LIKE...
THEN I PAID NO MIND 'CAUSE I'M
LIKE, "OH, HE'S A PERFORMER."
BUT HE WAS WITH YOU.
I MEAN, YOU WERE TOGETHER AT THE
TIME.
YEAH.
BUT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS,
"HE'S FLIRTING WITH OTHER
GIRLS."
WELL, I THOUGHT HE WAS, BUT
HE TOLD ME HE WASN'T.
I DON'T KNOW.
WHERE WERE YOU?
THE COUPLE BICKERS
OFTEN.
AT FIRST, THEY DON'T SEE IT AS A
DANGER SIGN.
EVERYBODY ARGUES.
LOOK AT YOU!
EITHER IT'S OVER THE KIDS OR
WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT OR WHAT YOU
WANT TO WATCH OR WHATEVER IT IS.
I WANT THE TRUTH!
CHARLES AND I FOUGHT, AND WE
ARGUED.
BABY, BABY, COME HERE.
I DIDN'T DEEM IT TO BE OUT OF
THE ORDINARY BECAUSE NORMAL
COUPLES - THEY FIGHT, THEY
ARGUE, THEY CRY, THEY LAUGH.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDED NOT JUST
LIKE HE WAS PERFECT, BUT THAT
YOUR LIFE WAS PERFECT.
I MEAN, EVERYONE THINKS YOU'RE
THE PERFECT COUPLE, BARBIE AND
KEN.
MM-HMM.
THEY DON'T WORK THROUGH THEIR
PROBLEMS.
THEY'RE SO BUSY WITH THEIR
OUTWARD PERFORMANCE THAT THEY
NEVER JUST BARE THEIR SOULS AND
BE HONEST WITH ONE ANOTHER.
SO, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THE
CONFLICT KEEPS FESTERING AND
GROWING.
THE ARGUMENTS GET MORE AND MORE
HEATED.
DESPITE THE
FIGHTING, JAMIE AND CHARLIE
AREN'T ABOUT TO GIVE UP ON THEIR
MARRIAGE.
IT DOESN'T HURT THAT CHARLIE'S
BUSINESSES ARE TAKING OFF IN A
BIG WAY.
TWO YEARS AFTER THE WEDDING, HIS
INCOME DOUBLES.
THE FAMILY MOVES INTO A SPACIOUS
HOME IN THE UPSCALE TOWNSHIP OF
JACKSON, NEW JERSEY.
HEY.
I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO WAKE YOU UP.
YOU BEEN AT THE GYM THIS
LONG?
YEP.
CHARLIE PUSHES
JAMIE TO QUIT HER JOB.
WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING IN
$20,000 A MONTH, IT'S OKAY.
WHY SHOULD YOU WORK?
YOU CAN STILL DO EVERYTHING
AND BE A MOM.
HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO WORK.
YOU HAD WORKED SO HARD SINCE
YOUR KIDS WERE BORN.
WAS IT NICE TO BE ABLE TO BE A
STAY-AT-HOME MOM FOR A CHANGE?
YEAH, BUT ONCE YOU'RE A
CERTAIN WAY, IT'S LIKE GOING ON
VACATION.
HOW LONG CAN YOU BE ON VACATION
BEFORE YOU'RE BORED?
WITH SO MUCH CASH
FLOWING IN, CHARLIE'S ABLE TO
BUY JAMIE AND HER TWO KIDS
ANYTHING THEY WANT.
IT WAS TWO YEARS OF HARD-CORE
LIKE, JUST, YOU KNOW, US HAVING
FUN ALL THE TIME, LIVING THE
FAST LIFE - FAST CARS, FAST
TIMES, YOU KNOW, VACATIONS, JUST
PARTYING, WHATEVER YOU WANTED.
$100 JEANS? NO PROBLEM.
YOU WANT - DON'T BUY ONE.
BUY THREE.
DUDE, I'M JUST LIVING LIFE, MAN.
I'M ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD
RIGHT NOW.
YOU NEVER THINK IT'S GONNA END.
YOU KNOW?
SO, ALL RIGHT, SO, YOU SPEND
$1,000 TODAY.
BUT YOU'RE MAKING $3,000
TOMORROW.
IT WAS A CRAZY LIFE.
BUT LIVING THE HIGH
LIFE COMES AT A PRICE.
CHARLIE IS AWAY WORKING ALL THE
TIME, AND JAMIE FEELS NEGLECTED.
SHE'S NO LONGER THE CENTER OF
ATTENTION.
CHARLES WAS A GOOD FRIEND,
NOT A GOOD HUSBAND.
A GOOD PROVIDER, BUT NOT A -
NOT A HUSBAND.
JAMIE AND CHARLIE
DO THEIR BEST TO HIDE THEIR
MARITAL PROBLEMS FROM FRIENDS
AND FAMILY.
THEY EVEN DECIDE TO OPEN A NEW
BUSINESS TOGETHER.
WHEN I HAD TOLD HIM THAT I
WANTED TO WORK, HE'S LIKE,
"LET'S JUST OPEN A TANNING
SALON," 'CAUSE HE ALWAYS WANTED
ONE.
AND I JUST WENT ALONG WITH IT
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO
TAN.
SHE KEPT SAYING TO ME, "I
WANT TO OPEN UP A TANNING SALON.
I WANT TO OPEN UP A TANNING
SALON."
I SAID, "YOU REALLY WANT A
TANNING SALON, JAMIE?"
SHE SAYS, "YEAH."
THAT'S HOW THE TANNING SALON
CAME ABOUT.
SHE WANTED IT, AND I WANTED TO
MAKE HER HAPPY, SO I DID.
I FIGURED OUT A WAY TO DO IT.
WHAT'S GOING ON NOW?
THIS - THESE SCREWS.
THEY'RE GETTING STRIPPED.
THE CZERNIAWSKIS
HIRE AMY GAUSLIN TO WORK
RECEPTION.
I SAW YOU HAD A "WANTED" SIGN
OUT THERE.
OH, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A JOB?
YEAH.
PRETTY SOON, AMY
STARTS BABYSITTING FOR THEM,
TOO.
WHEN I FIRST MET THEM, I
THOUGHT THEY WERE THE HAPPIEST
COUPLE, NOTHING COULD GO WRONG.
YOU KNOW, CHARLIE WORKED VERY
LONG DAYS.
JAMIE WAS AT THE TANNING SALON
IN THE MORNING.
HEY!
HI. YOU'RE BACK EARLY.
I WATCHED THE KIDS, AND THAT'S
HOW I BECAME MORE INVOLVED WITH
THE FAMILY.
BUT I DIDN'T THINK THAT AT ANY
POINT THEY WERE FIGHTING,
ARGUING.
BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE
LONG FOR AMY TO REALIZE THAT THE
PERFECT FAMILY IS NOT SO PERFECT
AFTER ALL.
CHARLIE?
YEAH?
I DIDN'T KNOW NOBODY WAS
GONNA BE HERE.
ONE NIGHT I HAD GONE BACK TO THE
TANNING SALON TO GET THE KEY.
CHARLIE WAS SLEEPING ON THE
COUCH BECAUSE THEY GOT INTO A
FIGHT AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO
HOME.
I DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP
FIGHTING IN FRONT OF THE KIDS,
SO I DECIDED TO COME OVER HERE.
OH, MAN. SORRY, CHARLIE.
DIDN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED.
I JUST SAID, "OKAY, YOU KNOW,
I'LL BE HERE IN THE MORNING,"
BECAUSE JAMIE DIDN'T WANT TO GO
TO THE SALON.
YOU DO THIS EVERY TIME!
JAMIE SAYS THAT
THREE YEARS INTO THE MARRIAGE,
CHARLIE STARTS HAVING A HARD
TIME CONTROLLING HIS ANGER.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
THEIR FIGHTS ARE NO
LONGER CONFINED TO BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS.
THEY SPILL OUT INTO THE PUBLIC
EYE, EVEN AT THEIR KIDS' SCHOOL
EVENTS.
JUST WALK AWAY!
HE'S YELLED. HE'S SCREAMED.
NOT EVERYONE THINKS
CHARLIE IS THE PROBLEM.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY CHARLIE
NEVER ROSE HIS VOICE TO JAMIE.
HE HAD TO BECAUSE SHE WAS ALWAYS
YELLING AT HIM.
SO FOR HIM TO GET HIS WORD OVER,
HE'D HAVE TO YELL BACK.
DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME!
JAMIE!
THE FIGHTS AT HOME
ARE ALSO GETTING WORSE.
YOU'RE MY WIFE!
YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!
YOU'RE MY WIFE!
YOU'RE MINE! YOU BELONG TO ME!
OPEN THE DOOR, JAMIE.
OPEN THE DOOR, JAMIE.
HE LOVES JAMIE AND THE KIDS
DEEPLY.
SO, FOR HER, PUTTING HIM DOWN
AND CALLING HIM IDIOT AND
YELLING AT HIM AND HIM GETTING
UP EARLY, 5:00, 6:00 IN THE
MORNING, DRAINING HIM MORE THAN
HE ALREADY IS DRAINED FROM
WORKING SO MUCH, IT REALLY MADE
ME HURT FOR CHARLIE.
THE NOW NEARLY
DAILY BATTLES BEGIN TO DOUSE THE
FLAMES ON THEIR ONCE-SIZZLING
HOT ROMANCE.
YOU KNOW, ONCE IN A WHILE, I
HEARD "I LOVE YOU" COME OUT.
NEVER DID SHE EVER REALLY, LIKE,
KISS - LIKE, THAT I SAW, KISS
OR HUG.
IT WAS JUST A LOT OF PUTTING HIM
DOWN.
YO, WE SHOULD BE ON THAT
SHOW.
PBHT.
YEAH. I'M NOT JOKING.
NO, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ON
THIS "WIFE SWAP."
I THINK WE'RE PERFECT FOR IT.
BUT CHARLIE HAS AN
IDEA THAT MIGHT REKINDLE THE
SPARK AND CAPITALIZE ON THEIR
LOVE OF THE LIMELIGHT.
...ON THE TV FOR THE
"WIFE SWAP" THING.
WHEN CHARLIE SEES A
CASTING CALL FOR THE HIT REALITY
SERIES "WIFE SWAP," HE JUMPS AT
THE CHANCE TO REVIVE THEIR
MARRIAGE.
...TO A FARM OR BY THE
SNOW...
AT THE SAME TIME,
HE SEEMS A LITTLE TOO EAGER TO
EMBARRASS HIS WIFE ON NATIONAL
TELEVISION.
SHE ALWAYS WORE HIGH HEELS.
JAMIE WORE HIGH HEELS IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE SNOW.
YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T MATTER.
SHE ALWAYS WORE HEELS, ALWAYS.
AND I SAID, "I HOPE THEY SEND
YOU TO A FARM WHERE YOU GOT TO
SHOVEL CRAP."
ALL RIGHT, MY NAME'S CHARLIE.
MY WIFE - SHE'S BEAUTIFUL.
SHE'D LOOK GREAT ON TV.
HER NAME'S JAMIE.
CHARLIE HAS NO IDEA
THAT HE'S JUST LIT THE FUSE ON
THEIR FLOUNDERING MARRIAGE.
AND OUR FATE WAS SEALED.
COMING UP, THE
COUPLE'S FIGHTS TURN PHYSICAL AS
THEIR LUST FOR ATTENTION
BACKFIRES.
THE COPS CAME IN.
WE WERE ARGUING, WE WERE
SCREAMING, AND SOMEBODY HAD TO
GO.
AFTER THREE YEARS
OF MARRIAGE AND FINANCIAL
SUCCESS, JEALOUSY AND ANGER ARE
SLOWLY TEARING CHARLIE AND
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI APART.
I THINK THAT WE'D BE GOOD
CANDIDATES FOR THAT SHOW.
OH, MY GOD.
CHARLIE CONTACTS
THE CASTING PRODUCERS OF THE
REALITY SHOW "WIFE SWAP," A
TOP-RATED SERIES WHERE TWO
DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT COUPLES
SWAP HOMES AND SPOUSES.
HE FANTASIZES IT WILL MAKE
THINGS BETTER.
OH!
HEY, YEAH, I'M...
HELLO?
YEAH, THIS IS HIM.
THE NEXT DAY, THE PRODUCER CALLS
ME AND SAYS, "CHARLIE, WE LOVED
YOUR MESSAGE."
YEAH?
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH, YOU CAN COME HERE.
"WE'RE GONNA SEND A CAMERA CREW
OUT TO DO A TEST SHOOT."
ALL RIGHT! I AM EXCITED.
YOU BOTH WERE GUNG HO ABOUT
IT, YEAH?
I DON'T WANT TO SAY I WAS
GUNG HO.
I ALWAYS HAVE THAT ATTITUDE
ANYWAY, LIKE, "WHATEVER."
WHOO!
WE'RE GONNA BE MONEY, BABY!
ANY COUPLE THAT EVEN MUTUALLY
AGREES TO BE ON A REALITY SHOW
LIKE "WIFE SWAP" HAS TO GO INTO
IT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
THEY ARE ABOUT TO AIR THEIR
DIRTY LAUNDRY IN PUBLIC AND THAT
IN THE END, THERE ARE GOING TO
BE VERY REAL CONSEQUENCES FROM
DOING SO.
THE CZERNIAWSKIS
SPEND THE NEXT MONTH FILMING THE
EPISODE.
THIS IS GREAT.
YEAH!
THAT'S NOT EVEN HOW THAT
WENT.
HEY, THE CAMERA CAN ONLY
CAPTURE WHAT IT SEES.
NO.
BUT WHEN THE SHOW
PREMIERES, JAMIE IS HORRIFIED AT
THE WAY SHE'S BEEN PORTRAYED.
THAT'S NOT EVEN WHAT
HAPPENED.
OHH-WHEE.
THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.
SHE REALLY CAME DOWN ON ME HARD
ON THAT.
SHE WAS LIKE, "HOW COULD YOU
ALLOW THEM TO MAKE EVERYBODY
BELIEVE THAT I SLEEP TILL NOON,
THAT YOU DO ALL THE WORK AROUND
THE HOUSE?"
I'M LIKE, "PRETTY MUCH THAT'S
WHAT'S TRUE.
ALL RIGHT, MAYBE YOU DON'T SLEEP
TO NOON, BUT 10:30."
THIS IS GOOD TV.
I'M NOT GONNA WATCH THIS.
I'M NOT GONNA WA-
NO. WHERE YOU GOING?
I CAN'T WATCH THIS ANYMORE.
AGAIN, I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY
PERCEIVE ME AS.
THERE'S MORE SUBSTANCE TO THAT,
AND INITIALLY THAT'S HOW I WAS
APPROACHED, THAT THAT'S THE
ROUTE THEY WERE GONNA GO.
AND THEY DIDN'T.
THEY PRESENTED YOU AS BEING
COMPLETELY -
A BIMBO.
YOU MUST BE DOING IT WRONG,
MAN.
I DON'T KNOW.
YOU GOT TO THINK LIKE A
WOMAN.
WHILE JAMIE
CONTINUES TO FUME, CHARLIE IS
THRILLED WITH HIS NEW CELEBRITY
STATUS.
WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO ON
THAT SHOW?
I DON'T KNOW.
I WAS JUST MYSELF.
THEY JUST FOLLOWED US AROUND
WITH CAMERAS, AND, YOU KNOW, I
JUST DID WHAT I NORMALLY DO.
I HAD THE GUYS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD SAYING, YOU KNOW,
"WE HATE YOU.
MY WIFE KEEPS SAYING, 'WHY
AREN'T YOU MORE LIKE HIM?'"
PEOPLE RECOGNIZE US SOMETIMES.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST REALITY TV.
WELL, AT LEAST YOU LOOKED
GOOD ON IT.
IN THE END, THE
COUPLE'S VAULT INTO THE
SPOTLIGHT DIDN'T JUMP-START
THEIR MARRIAGE.
IT DOES JUST THE OPPOSITE.
I'M A PERFECT GENTLEMAN.
I AM, YOU KNOW...
HEY, BABY. HOW YOU DOING?
YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL, BY THE
WAY.
WHO WAS THAT?
JAMIE IS IRRITATED
BY HER HUSBAND'S DELIGHT IN HIS
15 MINUTES OF FAME.
SHE WAS SOME GIRL THAT I WAS
JUST TALKING TO.
SO, YOU'RE JUST GOING INTO
BARS THESE DAYS AND PICKING UP
FANS?
NOW THE MARRIAGE'S
DOWNWARD SPIRAL STARTS PICKING
UP STEAM.
I TOLD YOU, SHE RECOGNIZED ME
FROM - DON'T DO THIS.
JAMIE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS
CHEATING ON HER.
DO NOT TALK TO OTHER GIRLS,
OKAY?
DO NOT TALK TO ME LIKE I'M A
CHILD.
DO NOT TALK TO ME LIKE I'M A
CHILD.
THERE WAS NOT ONE THING THAT
EVER CAME OUT THAT SAID I WAS
CHEATING ON HER.
JAMIE IS A LIAR.
HE WAS ALWAYS LYING.
HE WAS LYING SO MUCH THAT I
QUESTIONED THINGS THAT I
BELIEVED AND I WAS QUESTIONING
MYSELF.
THE LOVE AFFAIR
BETWEEN THE HANDSOME HUNK AND
THE BEAUTY QUEEN IS TURNING INTO
SOMETHING UGLY, AND THERE'S NO
GOING BACK.
THEY SIMPLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
USE THEIR WORDS TO COMMUNICATE
THEIR UNHAPPINESS WITH EACH
OTHER AND THEIR UNHAPPINESS WITH
THE STATE OF THEIR LIVES.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU STILL
WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT THIS.
WHY IS IT EVERY TIME WE GO OUT,
THIS HAS TO HAPPEN?
CONVERSATION IS
REPLACED BY BACK TALK AND
BICKERING.
BECAUSE OF YOU!
WHAT HAVE I DONE?!
IT'S A RAZOR'S EDGE
THAT'S ABOUT TO GET EVEN
SHARPER.
AMY GAUSLIN IS BABYSITTING WHEN
SHE HEARS THE COUPLE RETURN
HOME.
I WAS WATCHING THE KIDS,
HEARD JAMIE AND CHARLIE PULL UP,
SAW THE LIGHTS REALLY LATE - I
WANT TO SAY 2:00, 3:00 IN THE
MORNING - HEARD THEM ARGUING
OUTSIDE FOR A WHILE.
I HEARD THE CAR DOOR SHUT.
I ACTUALLY WENT OVER AND PEEKED
OUT THE WINDOW.
THEY WERE, I GUESS, ARGUING
BEHIND THE TRUCK 'CAUSE I
COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING.
...DIFFERENT, JAMIE!
YOU'VE CHANGED!
TO AMY, IT'S NOT
CLEAR WHO STARTED THE FIGHT OR
WHAT THEY'RE FIGHTING ABOUT.
SHE CLAIMS THAT HE PUSHED HER
UP AGAINST THE TRAILER AND
SMACKED HER IN THE HEAD, BUT I
DIDN'T SEE IT, SO I CAN'T SAY
THAT IT HAPPENED.
JAMIE!
JAMIE!
THEN THEY WENT UP TO THE
BEDROOM, STILL ARGUING.
OH, SUCH A BIG MAN NOW,
CHARLIE, AREN'T YOU?
OH, EVER SINCE THE SHOW, EVER -
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU -
OOPS.
I HEARD A CRASH UPSTAIRS, AND
THERE WAS A DRAWER BROKEN OFF.
CHARLIE WAS LEAVING THE BEDROOM.
I AM CALLING THE POLICE.
YOU ARE OUT OF CONTROL.
WE'RE CALLING THE POLICE.
GET IN HERE.
JAMIE WAS TELLING ME TO CALL
THE COPS, CALL THE COPS.
IT WAS JUST A LOT OF YELLING,
AND JAMIE HAD PUT HERSELF
AGAINST THE DOOR, HOLDING IT SO
HE COULDN'T GET IN, YOU KNOW, TO
TALK TO HER.
STOP POUNDING ON THE DOOR!
YOU KNOW, AND SHE'S SCREAMING
AT ME TO CALL THE COPS.
COME ON IN.
WE GOT CALL ABOUT...
ME AND HER WERE ARGUING.
AND THE COPS CAME IN.
WE WERE ARGUING, WE WERE
SCREAMING, AND SOMEBODY HAD TO
GO.
HE HURT ME!
HE IS PHYSICALLY ABUSING ME!
OH, DON'T EVEN -
I AM THE VICTIM, CHARLIE!
HEY! HEY! HEY! CALM DOWN!
YOU LYING...
YOU **** TAKE HIM AWAY!
TAKE HIM AWAY!
AND THEY WOUND UP TAKING ME.
AND THERE WASN'T A MARK ON HER.
THE KIDS NOW WERE UP AT THIS
POINT, AND SO I WENT IN THERE.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, "EVERYTHING'S
OKAY.
MOM AND DAD JUST GOT INTO A
FIGHT.
YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO SLEEP."
BUT, OF COURSE, THEY COULDN'T
SLEEP WITH THE YELLING AND THE
ARGUING.
THEY TOOK PICTURES OF JAMIE TO
FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, IF THOSE
MARKS WERE HANDS.
CAN YOU POINT TO WHERE IT
WAS?
I THINK IT WAS LIKE RIGHT
HERE.
TAKE YOUR HAND OFF FOR ME,
MA'AM.
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
JAMIE FILES A
TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER
AGAINST CHARLIE THAT NIGHT.
HELLO?
IS EVERYTHING OKAY?
YEAH. EVERYTHING'S FINE.
I'LL BE BACK LATER.
THE NEXT DAY WHEN I CAME TO
BABYSIT, IT WAS LIKE NOTHING
HAPPENED.
JAMIE AND CHARLIE'S
BURYING OF PROBLEMS IS JUST
ANOTHER POISON EATING AWAY AT
THEIR MARRIAGE.
THE CHARGES EVENTUALLY GET
DROPPED, BUT UNLIKE OTHER
PEOPLE WHO SIT DOWN AND WORK
THROUGH IT AND MAYBE EVEN SEEK
OUT MARRIAGE COUNSELING OR
OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL HELP TO
FIGURE OUT "HOW DO WE STOP THIS
CYCLE?", JAMIE AND CHARLIE JUST
ACTED LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED, AS
THEY SEEMED TO ALWAYS DO WITH
ANYTHING UNPLEASANT IN THEIR
LIVES.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?
YOU GONNA HIT ME WITH A BAT WITH
EVERYBODY WATCHING?
YEAH!
SURE ENOUGH,
IGNORING THEIR PROBLEMS DOESN'T
MAKE THEM GO AWAY.
ACCORDING TO CHARLIE, JAMIE
BECOMES INCREASINGLY ERRATIC AND
VIOLENT.
JAMIE GOT PISSED OFF, CAME AT
ME WITH A BASEBALL BAT.
SHE HAS A VERY, VERY BAD TEMPER,
A VERY, VERY BAD TEMPER, AND
SHE'S THE TYPE THAT FELT LIKE,
YOU KNOW, "I'M THE GIRL.
I CAN HIT YOU."
COMING UP, IS THE
WORST YET TO COME?
JUST HOW FAR IS AN
EX-CHEERLEADER WILLING TO GO?
EVERY TIME WE GO OUT, THIS
HAS TO HAPPEN.
NEW JERSEY COUPLE
JAMIE AND CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI'S
FIVE-YEAR MARRIAGE IS ON A
COLLISION COURSE.
SINCE THEY WERE ON THE REALITY
SHOW "WIFE SWAP," THEIR FIGHTS
HAVE BECOME EVEN MORE FREQUENT
AND INTENSE.
GOOD THING THEY STILL HAVE
PLENTY OF MONEY TO EASE THE
PAIN...
UNTIL THE 2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS
THREATENS TO FINISH THEM OFF.
THEN THE ECONOMY HIT.
YOU NEED $12,000 A MONTH TO PAY
YOUR BILLS, JUST TO PAY YOUR
BILLS, AND THAT'S THAT'S JUST
TO GET BY.
AND YOU CAN ONLY SURVIVE SO LONG
TRYING TO MANAGE THE TANNING
SALON, ON THE WEEKENDS, BE AN
ENTERTAINER, AND THEN ON
SUNDAYS, YOU'RE TRYING TO GO TO
THE FLEA MARKET AND HUSTLE
MATTRESSES, AND THEN ON TOP OF
IT ALL, BE A HUSBAND AND BE A
FATHER.
YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU'RE
ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL, AND
THAT'S WHEN THINGS COME
CRUMBLING DOWN.
DO YOU NOT REALIZE WHERE WE
LIVE AND HOW MANY KIDS WE HAVE?
CHARLIE CAN NO
LONGER SUPPLY JAMIE WITH THE
LIFE OF LUXURY SHE'S USED TO.
IN THE SAME WEEK, CHARLIE LOSES
HIS FURNITURE BUSINESS, AND THE
COUPLE IS FORCED TO CLOSE THEIR
TANNING SALON.
IN DESPERATION, THEY PUT THEIR
UPSCALE HOUSE ON THE MARKET.
WHY YOU ACTING SO QUIET?
WELL, WE'RE MOVING OUT OF OUR
HOUSE, RIGHT?
IT'S NOT A TIME TO BE SUPER
EXCITED OR ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING -
SHE SAID, "WHATEVER YOU DO, JUST
DON'T LOSE THE HOUSE."
BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING THE
MONEY AND YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE
HOUSE ANYMORE, YOUR CAR'S
GETTING REPOED IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT...
...ALWAYS ALL MY F-
NO ONE HAS EVER MADE ME THE
WAY THAT YOU MAKE ME!
HE'S PUNCHED HOLES IN WALLS.
HE'S YELLED. HE'S SCREAMED.
HE'S HURT ME.
I'M SORRY.
I'M SORRY.
THE DISCORD BETWEEN CHARLIE
AND JAMIE HAS BEEN FESTERING
SINCE THE "WIFE SWAP" EPISODE,
AND THEN WHEN THEY SUFFER
FINANCIAL RUIN, WELL, THIS
CAUSES A POWDER KEG OF PENT-UP
EMOTIONS THAT REALLY HAS NO
OPTION EXCEPT TO EXPLODE.
AT THIS POINT,
THERE'S NO DOUBT THE CZERNIAWSKI
MARRIAGE IS BEYOND REPAIR.
AND AS IF THINGS AREN'T BAD
ENOUGH, CHARLIE STARTS TO
SUSPECT THAT JAMIE'S KEEPING
SECRETS FROM HIM.
I'M EXHAUSTED.
WHEN YOU WALK IN AND SHE'S ON
THE COMPUTER AND YOU SEE HER ON
THE COMPUTER AND AS YOU WALK
OVER, SHE'S CLICKS OUT OF IT.
"WHAT WAS THAT?"
LOCKED.
EVERYTHING HAS A PASSWORD ON IT.
YO, JAMIE, IT'S ASKING ME FOR A
PASSWOR-
WHAT'S YOUR PASSWORD?
YOUR PHONE IS LOCKED, TOO.
WHAT IS WITH IS THIS,
EVERYTHING'S LOCKED UP?
IT'S LIKE I'M IN SING SING.
IT'S, UH - IT'S -
I CAN'T GET IN 'CAUSE IT HAS
A LOCK ON IT.
THEN YOU QUESTION IT - "WHY IS
THERE A LOCK ON YOUR PHONE?"
"OH, IT'S SO - I DON'T WANT THE
KIDS GOING THROUGH MY PHONE."
WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO ON YOUR
PHONE, MAKE LONG-DISTANCE PHONE
CALLS?
WHEN YOU HAVE TWO SEPARATE
FACEBOOKS AND TWO SEPARATE
MySpaces AND YOU PUT LOCKS ON
YOUR PHONES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE
THE MARRIED LIFE, THE FAMILY
WITH ALL - AND THEN YOU HAVE
YOUR SINGLE LIFE.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE BRINGING ME A
DRINK!
AT THIS POINT, JAMIE IS
PROBABLY DONE WITH THE MARRIAGE,
AND SHE SIMPLY IS UNPREPARED TO
DEAL WITH A NEW LIFE AND NEW
WORLD, ESPECIALLY WITH TWO
CHILDREN, BUT WITH NO HUSBAND.
SO, INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING THE
CHIPS DOWN AND SAYING, "CHARLIE,
LET'S TALK ABOUT DIVORCE," SHE
JUST GOES AND STARTS BUILDING A
SEPARATE LIFE, A LEVEL OF
SECRECY THAT CAN ONLY DRIVE A
WEDGE FURTHER INTO THE
DISINTEGRATING MARRIAGE.
MAY 28, 2009, WOULD
BECOME A FATEFUL DAY.
JAMIE HAS PLANS FOR A GIRLS
NIGHT OUT AT A JERSEY SHORE TIKI
BAR.
IT'S JUST LIKE A GIRLS THING.
I DON'T KNOW.
SHE WANTED TO GO OUT, AND I
KNEW SHE WAS CHEATING AT THAT
POINT IN MY MIND.
I ALREADY KNEW IT.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW?
MAYBE I'LL - MAYBE I'LL COME
WITH YOU.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU WANT TO COME?
CHARLIE SEES IT AS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH JAMIE
RED-HANDED.
THEY PICK UP THEIR FRIEND
STEPHANIE AND HEAD FOR THE
SHORE.
SO, I'M LIKE, "ALL RIGHT, WHO
ELSE WE GETTING?"
"OH, NO, NO, THAT'S IT, JUST
STEPHANIE."
"WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE
GIRLS?"
"OH, WE'RE GONNA MEET
EVERYBODY THERE."
BUT WHEN THEY GET
TO THE TIKI BAR, THERE'S JUST
ONE PERSON WAITING FOR THEM, AND
HE'S NOT A GIRL.
I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO
MY FRIEND VINCE.
THIS IS STEPHANIE.
HOW ARE YOU?
AND, UH, THIS IS CHARLIE, MY
HUSBAND.
HEY, VINCE.
AND WHEN SHE SAID "HUSBAND,"
HIS FACE WAS LIKE...
IT'S, UH, NICE TO MEET YOU.
I DIDN'T SAY NOTHING, DIDN'T
SAY A WORD.
CHARLIE CLAIMS
JAMIE SPENDS THE REST OF THE
NIGHT GETTING DRUNK AND FLIRTING
WITH HER FRIEND VINCE AND OTHER
MEN IN THE BAR.
JAMIE'S ALL OVER THE PLACE,
DRINKING, SHOTS OVER HERE, DOING
THIS OVER THERE WITH THESE
PEOPLE.
A FEW HOURS LATER,
THE CZERNIAWSKIS LEAVE.
THEY DROP STEPHANIE OFF ON THEIR
WAY HOME.
BYE.
SEE YOU LATER.
SCREW YOU, CHARLIE.
SERIOUSLY, I'M DONE.
WHAT HAPPENED?
IS EVERYTHING OKAY?
YEAH, IT'S FINE.
SHE JUST - SHE JUST DRANK TOO
MUCH.
AFTER THE
BABYSITTER LEAVES, CHARLIE HEADS
UPSTAIRS TO BED.
I GO IN THE BATHROOM.
I CHANGE.
LIKE 10 MINUTES GOES BY.
AND SHE'S STILL NOT UPSTAIRS.
SO I DECIDED TO GO DOWNSTAIRS.
YOU COULD SEE THE LIGHT ON IN
THE BATHROOM.
AS I'M WALKING TO THE BATHROOM,
YOU CAN HEAR WHISPERING, BUT
ARGUING.
SO NOW I JUST HAVE THE MOST
UNEASY FEELING IN MY STOMACH.
SO, I'M PACING IN FRONT OF THE
DOOR - PACING.
"WHAT SHOULD I DO?"
I EVEN PUT MY EAR UP TO THE
DOOR.
ACCORDING TO
JAMIE...
...CHARLIE GOES BALLISTIC.
WHO YOU TALKING TO?
NOBODY.
WHO YOU TALKING TO?!
STEPHANIE.
GIVE ME YOUR PHONE.
GIVE ME YOUR PHONE, OR I WILL
PUT YOU IN THE **** ROSE
GARDEN.
NO!
HE STARTED GRABBING ME, TRYING
TO GRAB MY PHONE.
HE SAID, "GIVE ME YOUR PHONE."
HE STARTED WITH, HE WAS GONNA
KILL ME.
LOOKS LIKE VINCE.
LET'S CALL VINCE!
HE DRAGGED ME OUT OF THE
BATHROOM.
HELLO?
HELLO?!
HE SOUNDS LIKE A REAL BOY SCOUT.
HELLO?!
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HE WAS
SAYING, I JUST REMEMBER HIM -
"I'LL KILL YOU.
IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU, NO ONE
CAN."
AAH!
I FINALLY BROKE FREE.
WHERE YOU GOING?
WHERE YOU GONNA GO?
WHERE YOU GONNA GO?
NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM NOW,
JAMIE.
THEN HE CAUGHT ME AGAIN, AND
HE STARTED CHOKING ME THERE.
HE WAS CHOKING ME SO HARD THAT
HE LIFTED ME OFF THE GROUND.
IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU, NO ONE
WILL!
JAMIE FRANTICALLY
REACHES BEHIND HER AND FINDS A
WEAPON.
I'LL KILL YOU!
GET OFF.
I KNEW WHERE THE KNIFE BLOCK
WAS.
I GRABBED IT, HOPING IT WAS
GONNA SCARE HIM, AND IT DID
SCARE HIM FOR A MINUTE.
STAY BACK.
SCREW YOU, CHARLIE...
JAMIE AND
CHARLIE CZERNIAWSKI ARE BACK
HOME AFTER A NIGHT OF BOOZING ON
THE JERSEY SHORE.
JAMIE CLAIMS CHARLIE GOES CRAZY
WITH JEALOUSY AFTER OVERHEARING
HER TALKING ON THE PHONE WITH
HER FRIEND VINCE.
SHE SAYS HE WAS THE AGGRESSOR
AND SHE HAD TO DEFEND HERSELF.
STAY AWAY.
WHOA.
GET OFF.
A GIRL WHO LIKES TO PLAY WITH
KNIVES.
I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL KILL
YOU.
OH, YEAH, COME ON.
OH, I BELIEVE IT, BABY.
LET'S GO.
OH, YOU WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER?
YOU WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER?
COME ON, BABY!
LET'S GO! LET'S DO THIS TONIGHT!
AAH!
I HAD IT IN MY RIGHT HAND, AND
HE WAS ON TOP OF ME.
I COULDN'T SEE, BUT I COULD
HEAR, AND THEN I COULDN'T HEAR,
BUT I COULD SEE.
AAH!
I JUST REMEMBER TURNING MY
HEAD AND... AND RIGHT IN HIS, UM,
LEFT BICEP.
AAH!
JAMIE PLUNGES THE
KNIFE INTO HER HUSBAND'S ARM.
THE KNIFE HITS AN ARTERY, AND
CHARLIE'S BLOOD STARTS SPRAYING
EVERYWHERE.
AT LEAST, THAT'S THE WAY SHE SAW
IT.
CHARLIE TELLS THE ENTIRE STORY A
LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
I GRABBED THE DOOR.
IT'S NOT EVEN LOCKED.
OPEN UP THE DOOR, AND SHE'S
STANDING IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR.
SHE'S JUST - YOU KNOW THAT
DEER-IN-HEADLIGHTS LOOK?
THAT'S THE LOOK SHE GIVES ME.
AND I LOOK AT HER, AND I'M LIKE,
"WHO ARE YOU ON THE PHONE WITH,
JAMIE?"
THIS IS WHY I HATE YOU.
I WANT A DIVORCE.
WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?!
I SAID, "YOU'RE CHEATING ON
ME."
I SAID, "YOU'RE CHEATING."
I SAID, "WHO YOU ON THE PHONE
WITH, JAMIE?
YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME."
NO!
GIVE IT TO ME.
NO!
GIVE IT -
UNH!
"VINCE."
HELLO?
HELLO?!
SO, I JUST TAKE OFF.
I JUST LEAVE THE BATHROOM AND
LEAVE HER IN THE BATHROOM.
CHARLIE!
AND I'M TRYING TO CALL HIM
BACK.
I'M LIKE, "HELLO? HELLO? HELLO?"
AND HE KEEPS HANGING UP.
"HELLO? HELLO?"
HE KEEPS HANGING UP.
"HELLO?" HE KEEPS HANGING UP.
I'M LOOKING THROUGH THE
MESSAGES.
SHE COMES FROM BEHIND AND WAS
ABLE LIKE - JUMPED, LIKE, ON MY
BACK AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE
PHONE OUT OF MY HAND.
AAH!
GIVE ME THE PHONE!
STOP FIGHTING!
AAH!
SHE TAKES THE KNIFE AND THEN
STABS ME THIS WAY AND SAYS, "GET
OFF MY PHONE," AND THEN COMES
BACK AND STABS ME THIS WAY,
RIGHT HERE.
AAH!
UNH!
I GO, "OH, MY GOD.
OH, MY GOD."
I'M LIKE, "YOU GOT TO CALL 911."
SHE'S JUST LIKE, "'F' YOU. DIE.
I HOPE YOU DIE. 'F' YOU.
'F' YOU. DIE."
I NEED TO GET TO A HOSPITAL!
I HOPE YOU DIE.
I NEED TO GET TO A HOSPITAL!
SO, I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD."
SO, I SEE THE KEYS TO THE TRUCK.
SO NOW I GRAB THE KEYS, AND I
RUN OUT THE DOOR.
SCREW YOU, CHARLIE!
YOU DESERVE IT!
STAY AWAY FROM MY CAR.
NO. HEY! HEY!
HEY!
PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE
PASSENGER DOOR OPENS UP ON THE
TRUCK, AND SHE'S COMING IN.
AND I'M LIKE, MAYBE SHE'S COMING
TO HELP ME, OR MAYBE SHE'S
COMING TO STAB ME AGAIN.
I'M REALLY NOT SURE.
THEN, ACCORDING TO
CHARLIE, JAMIE DOES SOMETHING
UNTHINKABLE.
SHE REMOVES HIS KEYS FROM THE
IGNITION, RUNS BACK INTO THE
HOUSE, AND LOCKS THE FRONT DOOR.
NOW I'M LIKE, "WHAT THE -"
LIKE, "DID SHE REALLY DO THAT?"
OPEN THE DOOR.
I'M BANGING ON THE DOOR,
PLEADING FOR HER TO LET ME IN.
GET AWAY FROM ME!
AT THIS POINT, I'M STARTING
TO FEEL SICK.
I'M A LITTLE WHEEZY.
SO, I TAKE MY SHIRT OFF TO TRY
TO STOP THE BLEEDING.
AND I'M BANGING ON THE DOOR,
BEGGING HER, "PLEASE, PLEASE,
I'M GONNA DIE OUT HERE.
I'M GONNA DIE OUT HERE."
AND SHE'S STANDING BEHIND THE
DOOR, AND SHE'S LIKE, "'F' YOU.
I HOPE YOU DIE. 'F' YOU."
OPEN THE DOOR!
GO TO HELL!
AND THEN, WHAT FELT LIKE A
LIFETIME, FOR WHATEVER REASON,
SHE DECIDES TO OPEN UP THE DOOR.
YOU TAKE YOUR OWN DAMN CAR.
OKAY.
YOU TAKE YOUR OWN DAMN CAR.
AS FOR JAMIE, SHE
SAYS SHE HAD A VERY GOOD REASON
FOR LOCKING HER BLEEDING HUSBAND
OUT OF THE HOUSE.
HE CAME BACK INSIDE, AND
EVERY TIME HE WOULD COME, I
THOUGHT HE WAS COMING, LIKE, FOR
ME.
YOU THOUGHT HE WAS COMING
BACK AT YOU?
YES, 100%.
BY NOW, CHARLIE'S
LOST A LOT OF BLOOD.
I GRAB THE KEYS TO MY TRUCK,
WHICH WAS A '96 FORD RANGER
MANUAL-STEERING STICK, AND I
DRIVE MYSELF TO THE HOSPITAL.
SOMEHOW HE MAKES IT
TO THE HOSPITAL BEFORE GOING
INTO SHOCK.
I LOST FOUR AND A HALF PINTS
OF BLOOD.
OHH.
YOUR BODY HOLDS SEVEN.
I BASICALLY DIED. I BLED OUT.
SO, YOU STAYED IN THE HOUSE?
MY CHILDREN WERE IN THERE.
I HAD TO.
I'M NOT LEAVING MY KIDS.
WAS THERE BLOOD?
A LITTLE BIT.
A LITTLE BIT.
JUST A LITTLE.
HELLO?
MA'AM?
A NEIGHBOR HEARS
THE FIGHTING AND CALLS POLICE.
WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVE,
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI IS MOPPING UP
CHARLIE'S BLOOD.
SHE TELLS THEM HER HUSBAND CUT
HIMSELF WHILE WORKING ON HIS
TRUCK.
I LIED TO THEM AT FIRST.
WHY?
I WASN'T THINKING STRAIGHT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GET HIM IN
TROUBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY SAY
I WAS PROTECTING HIM.
I WAS PROTECTING MY FAMILY.
THEN POLICE GET A
CALL THAT A NEARBY HOSPITAL HAS
JUST ADMITTED SOMEONE WITH
LIFE-THREATENING STAB WOUNDS.
IT'S CHARLIE.
JAMIE CZERNIAWSKI IS ARRESTED
FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A
DEADLY WEAPON.
WHEN QUESTIONED BY POLICE DOWN
AT THE STATION, JAMIE CHANGES
HER STORY.
NOW SHE SAYS SHE STABBED HER
HUSBAND IN SELF-DEFENSE.
ACCORDING TO THE POLICE AND
CHARLIE AND MEDICAL RECORDS,
JAMIE IS LYING.
WHEN A PERSON STABS ANOTHER
PERSON, EVEN IF IT'S IN
SELF-DEFENSE - ESPECIALLY IF
IT'S IN SELF-DEFENSE - THE
FIRST THING THAT IS ON YOUR MIND
IS TO CALL 911, TO GET POLICE
THERE TO PROTECT YOU SO THAT
THERE IS PROOF THAT YOU HAD TO
USE THAT LEVEL OF FORCE IN
SELF-DEFENSE.
BUT ACCORDING TO CHARLIE, JAMIE
WOULDN'T EVEN DRIVE HIM TO THE
HOSPITAL.
SHE WOULDN'T CALL 911.
THIS IS NOT TYPICAL VARIABLES
THAT WE WOULD SEE IN A TRUE
SITUATION OF SELF-DEFENSE.
CHARLIE'S LEFT WITH
PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE IN HIS
ARM.
I HAVE NO USE OF MY HAND
ANYMORE, YOU KNOW?
I HAVE NO FEELING FROM HERE UP,
ALL THE WAY.
IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE,
UNBELIEVABLE THAT SOMEBODY COULD
DO THAT TO SOMEBODY.
I'LL NEVER FORGIVE HER. NEVER.
CHARLIE STILL LIVES
IN NEW JERSEY.
HE HAS A NEW GIRLFRIEND AND HAS
MOVED ON WITH HIS LIFE.
NO CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE BROUGHT
AGAINST JAMIE.
TODAY SHE LIVES IN
NEW YORK CITY.
SHE HAS PUT THE PAST BEHIND HER
AND NOW LEADS A HAPPY AND
HEALTHY LIFE.
IN THE END, THE FORMER
CHEERLEADER AND BEAUTY QUEEN GOT
HER TIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT, BUT
PROBABLY NOT THE KIND SHE
DREAMED OF.
IF JAMIE AND CHARLIE MADE A
BIG MISTAKE, IT WAS THAT THEY
PLAYED AT MARRIAGE LIKE OTHER
PEOPLE PLAY HOUSE.
THEY NEVER REALLY GOT IT
TOGETHER IN A DEEP, TRUSTING,
LOVING RELATIONSHIP.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT HOW OTHERS
PERCEIVED THEM.
AND THAT WAS REALLY DESTINED FOR
FAILURE FROM THE FIRST DAY.