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by Kelley Jarvis
October 22, 2009

A Matthew McConaughey film, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" has a tag line that could apply to the love life of Victor Newman, "You can't always run from your past." While Victor has often behaved like the fictional Connor Mead, dumping his wives when they are very much in love with him, he would be better served to be haunted by ghosts of wives past. Mumbles had better hope for a very long night because seven ghosts will visit him, unlike the three spirits in the film. Let's begin our stroll down his matrimonial memory lane.

Julia was the first Mrs. Victor Newman and the poor woman probably regretted marrying the former Christian Miller. Ever the loving hubby, Victor kept his new bride in the cellar of the Ponderosa, which he bought from Katherine Chancellor.

At some point Julia was able to leave the cellar and get a job as a model, but she became pregnant by Newman. He didn't believe the child was his since she'd hooked up with photographer Michael Scott. Victor then decided to put Scott in the basement as his prisoner and Julia miscarried the baby. Shortly after that, she and Scott left town.

The next Mrs. Newman was found in a strip club, of course I am referring to Nikki Reed. Victor took over as "Henry Higgins" to her clothes-stripping version of "Eliza Doolittle" and made her into the perfect bride. Unfortunately, Vic has always had a wondering eye and in no time at all, he was quite taken with Ashley Abbott.

During this time, Nikki feigned terminal illness by brushing brown powder onto her cheeks to make it appear that she was wasting away. Victor stayed with her because he felt sorry for her, but he wasn't ready to give up Ms Abbott.

While he was in between wives, a period of a few minutes, Jack Abbott and Victor hired tabloid journalist and quasi-barking mad woman Leanna "Love" Randolph to write the biography of the great man, Ruthless: The Victor Newman Story. Randolph exposes Vic's dalliance with Ashley and an enraged Victor promptly divorces Nikki, blaming her for the leak of information, and marries Leanna. Surprise, surprise, they also divorce and Newman's picture is tossed into boiling water by his none-too-thrilled ex-wife, Leanna.

Next came Diane Jenkins, whose main attraction to Victor was that she was the girlfriend of arch rival Jack Abbott. He stole Jenkins from "Smilin' Jack" and married her. Once again, Nikki popped into the picture when someone shot her. He divorced Jenkins when Nikki was supposed to be dying and remarried his second wife on her deathbed. Before anyone gets misty eyed, the cold-blooded bastard had conveniently promised Diane that he would remarry her once Nikki kicked the bucket. Isn't Mumbles the most romantic man you're ever seen? Yeah, right!

After Newman blames himself for the death of Nikki's and Jack's prematurely born son, he decides to hit the road, winding up in Kansas. He didn't find Dorothy, Aunt Em or Toto. Instead, he met too-good-to-be-true Hope, who was blind and hired the former business mogul to work as a handyman. Romance and marriage ensued, producing Victor Newman Jr. True to form, Victor eventually winds up divorced from Hope and remarries Nikki, declaring that their love will last for eternity. Anyone who believes that would probably be interested in buying a certain bridge in Brooklyn for a reduced price!

Time passed and Victor became interested in daughter Victoria's friend, Sabrina Costelano. Nick and Victoria disliked their step-mommy dearest. She died in a car crash with David Chow.

Finally, Victor decided to marry his darling Ashley, but that marriage is on the rocks thanks to Newman bringing the batty Mary Jane and her beloved cat to town. After Colleen Carlton died and Ashley learned how Paul Williams' sister found her way to Genoa City, she ran out of love for her hubby.

If TPTB want Victor to die of an illness that would require him being placed on life support, there may be a few very much alive ghosts of wives past who will fight over who gets to pull the plug. I would advise the man to run, but sometimes it's impossible to outrun the inevitable, especially when Newman's portrayer, Eric Braeden, has been reported to be "at the end of the line" in his 30-year career with Bell Productions.

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