Gary Coleman Weds 22-year-old Shannon Price

"Whatchu' talkin bout Willis?" Words that will forever be engrained in the pop culture world seem to sum up the public's reaction to former Different Strokes actor Gary Coleman's announcement that he is married.

In an interview with USA Today, Coleman went public with his recent "secret" marriage to 22-year-old Shannon Price. According to the article, the two were wed in August on a mountain top in Nevada.

The USA Today article reports that Coleman, 40, and Price met on a 2006 comedy, Church Ball. The article goes on to say that Price indicated that she was the one who proposed to Coleman.

Nuptials such as these seem less and less out of place. It isn't uncommon for a 40-year-old man to marry a twenty something woman anymore. And it's even less uncommon for this situation to play out in the celebrity world.

But just how stable can a relationship born in the spotlight be? The need for secrecy in the Coleman's case may be an indicator. It's common place to hear of our favorite celebrities exchanging vows in one breath and signing annulment papers with the next. Just look at Britney Spears and her whirlwind marriage in Vegas.

Web Site About.com cites several short marriages and their lengths. Some of these include Jennifer Lopez and Cris Judd lasting just 8 months, or Elizabeth Taylor and Nicki Hilton also lasting a breezy 8 months.

And yet, amidst the ne'er do well whirlwind nuptials there exists relationships that have stood the test of time. For example, in an article, Supanet.com reported on some of the longest lasting celebrity marriages such as Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, 22 years, or Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, 6 years.

These instance, however, seem to be the exception to the rule and not the rule makers.

And can you blame some of them? The life of celebrity is high profile and with that comes high stress. The constant barrage of media attention often times simply seems to be more than a new couple can manage. In other, less common instances, some celebrity's only say "I do" for the publicity that comes with it. And yet, in other cases, an inebriated "till death do us part" in Las Vegas is common place.

Although I am far from celebrity status, I know a thing about high stress and the difficulties it can pose on finding the 'one'. As a college student my life has been less than stable at times. In my earlier days of college I often worked two or more jobs at one time.

Add into the equation a partner who has an equally hectic schedule and it can make finding the 'one' nearly as impossible as if you were a celebrity.

But, just like in the celebrity world, long term relationships are not only possible in high stress relationship, they can sometimes flourish. Even though my own life has calmed down considerably,(house , long term relationship and three dogs that might as well be children) I can remember a time when my hectic schedule came in between me whoever happened to be the 'one' at the time.

Sources:
USA Today/ Los Angeles (AP)
Gary Coleman Reveals he's been secretly married
USA Today

Nina Callaway
Shortest Celebrity Marriages
About.com

Supanet Gallery
Long Lasting Celebrity Couples
Supanet.com