Courteney Cox and David Arquette issued a joint statement yesterday announcing that they had separated after 11 years of marriage. They said in the statement:

“We have agreed to a trial separation that dates back for some time. The reason for this separation is to better understand ourselves and the qualities we need in a partner and for our marriage. We remain best friends and responsible parents to our daughter and we still love each other deeply. As we go though this process we are determined to use kindness and understanding to get through this together. We are comfortable with the boundaries that we have established for each other during this separation and we hope that our friends, family, fans and the media also show us respect, dignity, understanding and love at this time as well.”

After over a decade together — which translates to almost 42 years in Hollywood years — what went wrong, you ask? Well, for starters, David wasn’t down with her jumping on her “Cougar Town” co-star’s jock. Men can be so particular about that sort of thing sometimes. Star Magazine says:

Courtney and her Cougar Town costar Brian Van Holt had been spotted out together four times in less than four weeks after their sitcom wrapped.

An eyewitness at Coral Beach Cantina saw Courtney and Brian drinking beer and… “holding hands at the side of their table!” Things got even more intimate when Brian gave Courteney a kiss goodbye.

And it didn’t help matters that God had dried up her baby box and left her permanently barren. Radar Online says:

Courteney and David conceived Coco, now 6, via in-vitro fertilization. [But] Courteney [had since] battled a series of miscarriages and grueling fertility treatments [in an attempt to get pregnant again].

“It doesn’t matter how powerful or successful you are in the world — infertility is an ego blow,” [says] expert family therapist, Dr. Sherri Meyers. “When you look at your partner that is part of the shame too. You don’t see the success… you see the failure.”

Well, I see failure when I look at them, too. But that’s only because I’ve seen “Cougar Town” and “Eight-Legged Freaks.” I guess it’s just a matter of perspective.