A celebrity dermatologist’s nasty break-up is injecting some late-summer intrigue into the Hamptons social scene, it seems.
After Page Six published an explosive report on the divorce of Dr. Howard Sobel, the “King of Lipo” has been thrust under the East End microscope. And our spies breathlessly reported that he was already “chatting up women” at the Northwell Health Katz Institute for Women’s Health event in Water Mill this weekend.
“He’s the hot new bachelor on the Hamptons scene,” one witness said of Sobel — who is accused of being an “abusive and controlling husband” in incendiary court papers filed by ex-Brittney. (Dr. Sobel has denied the claims). “I saw him get a woman’s phone number.”
But Sobel — whose bold (and taut) faced clients have included Katie Couric, Luann de Lesseps, and Ramona Singer — denies he was flirting with anyone, telling us, “I’m not in the mood to be chatting up women right now.” He says that the woman in question actually just needed advice from the doctor.
“I handed my card to someone who wanted to come into the office,” Sobel, who is worth $30 million according to the court docs, says.
The derm tells us he attended the event with a male friend and came home early.
“I got up from my chair once,” he tells us. “I was home at 9:30pm. That’s not exactly a guy looking to meet women. Everyone was talking to everyone. I talked to a woman I knew and one I didn’t know.”
But despite his low-key behavior, it seems he couldn’t avoid being the source of chatter at the event.
Sobel, the source notes, was “all dressed up,” during the fete that included a performance by Paula Abdul and drew well-heeled guests like Rosanna Scotto, Norman and Mia Rowe, Fern Mallis, Eric Moran, Lieba Nesis.
He “looked great” according to our spy, despite, they noted, being 72-years-old.
Page Six exclusively reported last week that Sobel and Brittney had filed for divorce in May after six years of marriage.
The case has been drawn out with allegations that the doctor is attempting to delay child support payments of $25,000 per month for their daughter, who apparently faces “gross motor skill delays” and “hypersensitivity,” according to court papers.
The court papers say his alleged foot-dragging is “not about injustice or affordability.” “It is about an abusive and controlling husband refusing to accept a court requiring him to support his child in a manner consistent with the child’s lifestyle and inconsistent with his desire to punish Ms. Sobel,” they say.
The filing also alleges Sobel has attempted to have his estranged wife “arrested twice” on “false allegations of purported harassment” and allegedly planted surveillance cameras in their home.
Sobel has refuted the claims, saying he is “unable” to pay child support and that his daughter has “no special needs” and is actually “intellectually advanced for her age.”
He has also claimed his ex has “attempted to extort” more than $9.5 million more than she was “entitled.”
A decision has yet to be made on Brittney’s request for the child support order. The papers show Dr. Sobel has been paying Brittney $12,500 per month, per their prenup.
A rep for the couple told Page Six in a statement last week, “[They] are working together to try to resolve the issues of their marriage amicably. They politely ask for privacy for their family at this time.”
Sobel tells us, “I’d just like to get the divorce over with as amicably as possible. A battle in the court doesn’t suit either spouse or the kids.”
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