Happy Birthday Aidan: John Corbett turns 50, talks love with Bo Derek

We interrupt this Monday to say Happy Birthday to one of our favorite men who exhibits great style.

Aidan from "Sex and the City" turns 50 today.

Yes, the granola eating furniture maker who romanced Carrie Bradshaw and then lost a ton of weight, popped the question, got dumped, got a haircut and then took her out for an almost cheating dinner in the second movie is the big five-oh.

Of course, actor John Corbett isn't alone on his big day. For years, he has dated gorgeous mid-lifer Bo Derek.

Why has it worked?

"You know, I think you date in your 20s," says the soft-spoken Corbett who is one of the nicest guys in show business.  "You run around and play around. Then you get a little bit older, and you want to be more settled.

"I did my fair share of running around when I was younger," says the native of West Virginia in his light drawl. "You get to Hollywood in your early 20s and you think you own it. It's a seven-mile radius town.

"I lived off Hollywood Boulevard," he says. "I was at the clubs. I had the stamina to do a hangover and stay out until dawn.

He sighs. Clearly, those days seem silly to him now.

"I see all these kids in Hollywood. The Jessicas. The Ryans," he says. "They're all babies learning about life and love. Of course, show business makes it tough. If you're an actor you're going to be kissing a lot of different women for money on camera.

"Normal people kiss the person they're in a loving relationship with. The business plays with your emotions," he says. "You're up; you're down; you're kissing this little starlet. You're confusing the feelings.

"But then if you're really fortunate, you get into this amazing relationship and realize, 'This is how Tom Hanks does it. This is what life is all about. It's you. It's her. It's about love.'"

A GREAT LIFE

Corbett and Derek don't exactly call Beverly Hills home. In fact, they live on a ranch about two hours outside of the city limits.

"I live in a sleepy community way outside of LA," he says. "I'm sleepy by 9 p.m. there and I love just hanging out away from it all."

He says age has brought some life changes.

"I can't do fast-paced," he says. "I was recently in New York for three days and I was ready for a big old nap."

Corbett, also known for his role on "Northern Exposure" and "The United States of Tara," says he does take care of himself by hanging out in the gym. "I didn't lose that much weight," he muses. "People ask about weight loss and I say, 'I cut my hair.'"

Yes, men hate all that prep time, too.

A FEW MANLY TIPS

 "I spent so much time in my bathroom when I had the long hair. I was getting ready for dinner and it was like Kenny G time in my bathroom," he says. "I'm spraying and doing leave in conditioner."

Corbett, who did a small turn on "Parenthood" this season, says he's not so much a beauty guy.

"Gimme some soap and a hot shower," he says with a laugh. "I do go out and ride horses and walk around our property. I try to eat right. That's all you can do. You just keep an eye on it."

As for his mental fix, he says age means he's not as stressed. "I've learned with age to just relax and take a few breaths. Don't take things so seriously. What seems important in the moment probably isn't the next day," he says. "Looking back, I realize that I created a lot of my own anxiety.

"I know now life is a marathon race and you gotta pace yourself," he says.

AN AIDAN FIX

What was his favorite episode of "Sex and the City?"

"I love the episode where Big and Aidan fight at my country home," he says with a laugh. "Aidan is like, 'My gal cheated on me with this man and he's gonna pay.' He equates it to when Batman fought the Green Hornet. It was so great."

Another favorite was when Carrie confessed she was cheating with Big. Aidan gets tears in his eyes and insists he has to move on.

"I was crying and sobbing and breaking down in that scene," he says. "I don't get asked to do that stuff very often. It was such a touching scene because Sarah Jessica Parker was crying, too. She didn't want me to leave."

A SEX AND THE CITY 2 QUESTION

In "Sex and the City 2," the characters Aidan and Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) turned it into "Ex and the City." On vacation in the Middle East, the two meet up again and the marrieds (to other people) have a very flirty dinner complete with an accidental good night kiss.

It begs the question: Should you ever go out to dinner with an ex?

"I say you can go out for dinner as long as you're upfront and tell the person in your life now that it's happening before it happens," he says. "Of course, if you were in a great relationship with that ex then maybe you should skip that dinner.

"Red flags will go up for everyone," he says.

"Personally, I think Carrie and Aidan were playing with fire. Some people were disappointed that their dinner just ended in a kiss," he says. "But adultery is such a whole other subject and they couldn't do the dirty deed.

"I don't think Aidan is a cheater," he says. "Of course, I did grab Carrie's head and jumped inside her mouth while Mr. Big was home in America sleeping and farting.

"I was making out like it was 1999," he says with a laugh. 

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