The Marriage Ref

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The Couples

The Hamiltons

  • The Husband
  • The Wife

The Situation

Bored of the Rings

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Sticking with Tom's Decision? | Secrets of a Happy Marriage

Betty and Ash met in a movie chat room on the internet. Betty recognized his chat room "handle" and Ash fell for her hard. "I knew it was no fluke." Not long thereafter they were married. And in the eight years since they got married, their love for other has continued to grow. As accepting of each other's quirks as they have been, there's one issue that's grown especially difficult: Ash's obsession with Lord of the Rings. Their home is filled with memorabilia, action figures, swords and costumes.

"In the beginning these were supposed to finance our son's college. But now their value is dropping rapidly."

"It's an eternal struggle," Ash explains to her, trying to get her to understand his all-consuming passion. "It's just cool."

But Betty is disgusted. "Most guys who collect this stuff are living in their mother's basements right now."

Sarah feels that "When you're in love you have to support each other's passions. So she should support his love of Lord of the Rings."

DID THE REF MAKE THE RIGHT CALL?

Matthew is sentimental. "When one gets married you give up things you like, childhood things; this kind of goes back to Mayan times. But I used to have such a sweet feeling about those toys, that I sympathize and want him to have them."

Martin says you need to be sensitive to your wife's needs.

Tom takes a final poll. Sarah's on the side of the husband, as is Matthew and Martin.

Tom addresses the Hamiltons on the studio's big screen.


"Betty," Tom explains," A man's mind needs to be occupied at all times by something stupid. Because it keeps a guy's brain from doing something else. And whatever that something else is, you don't want him doing it. Ash you win."

The Hamiltons received a second honeymoon on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. For more information on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas or Mariner of the Seas, please visit royalcarribbean.com.

Travel journals coming soon!

Tom Papa

A seasoned stand-up comedian personally chosen by Jerry Seinfeld, read Tom's bio.