Melissa and Tammy Lynn

[Kath 153]

Tammy Lynn Michaels To Ex Melissa Etheridge: 'Sideswiped And Left Mangled'

First Posted: 05-23-10 09:15 AM

 

 

When Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels announced their breakup last month after nine years and two kids together, Melissa insisted the split was mutual. Tammy hinted otherwise on her blog, but a February post she wrote about being crippled and bleeding was subsequently deleted.

 

In a new poem on her blog, Tammy is airing her anger and hurt, uncensored.

 

no more censorship for me?

well, no censorship?

really, honey?

awesome.

 

 

things can be a long time coming

to one

and smash the hell out of

another:

hit and run

not even staying to clean up the mess

 

 

secrets, with-holding,

whispering to all but

the one whom holds the vows

and the toddlers

 

 

disappearances into the

hourglass-shaped wood with strings

never to finish a fight

never interested in clarifying,

making sense, making it right

even finishing the fight

more interested in making something rhyme

time after time after time

and later angsting that you and me, WE

it didn't work out

you evolved

you needed to be happy-

but really... you withdrew your hands

from family and intimacy

to pluck those strings more

 

i'd rather hear 10,000 fans

screaming my name in worship

than hear my wife harp on me

about my family intimacy issues too,

you know?

which one is going to get me harder?

easy answer

 

 

sideswiped and left mangled

up to my eyes in toilet training toddlers

and sounds of a guitar wailing

letting me know

you would probably leave me soon

i know those heart-ache wails by now

 

 

i even told you it was a break up album

and you laughed at me

you laughed and laughed

i heard fearless and i got sick

"that's your break up song with me"

i said to you

you got so angry with me, remember?

and stomped off

 

 

so thank you for telling an interviewer

that you WON'T censor me on my blog

(i thought i was to say nothing, my bad)

i was so unhappy thinking people dare look at me

and think that i consider

a marriage and forever to be

nine years or six years or whatever

and i gave up on everything

and just walked off

never is that me... nope, never

 

 

 

cuz i did not go anywhere, honey.

and you and i both know it

please stop telling the press it was mutual-

 

 

my birthday rolled around,

the holidays....

and me and the twins sat right there waiting...

we didn't go anywhere. we just

sat and waited and waited and waited and waited.....

 

"i saw you with your new friends....

you wear them so well...."

 

 

i think you're saying it's okay

to be more open now on this blog?

whew.

good. cuz sitting on the fence of

"speak true"

and

"say nothing"

 

fucking rides a pole so far up my ass it nearly pierces my brain, and i can't take it anymore, now that i am back home where people don't live in the smoke and mirrors.

 

oh, and don't let me forget this.

 

i still love that damn woman so much, i'm still trying to stop. i had a dream last where honey and i were fighting and going to get a divorce, and i woke up sobbing.... then i realized. oh. it's true. and then what do you do? when the horrible feeling in the dream gets to stay even after you wake up?

 

 

there. there is my truth as of today.

 

home again.

home again.

feeling true.

feeling honest.

[Hoyaheel 1,874]

Wow. Pretty powerful. Damn, Melissa......

[GovMarley 90]

Agreed. I feel like I just sat in on a therapy session.

[Hihomumio 168]

I definitely think less of Melissa Etheridge after reading this.

[tyler 408]

I definitely think less of Melissa Etheridge after reading this.

 

secrets, with-holding,

whispering to all but

the one whom holds the vows

and the toddlers

 

Wow. Just fucking WOW.

[Gracenote 259]

I definitely think less of Melissa Etheridge after reading this.

 

secrets, with-holding,

whispering to all but

the one whom holds the vows

and the toddlers

 

Wow. Just fucking WOW.

 

I'm glad she was able to speak her truth.

[ericamarie 1]

Wow, that was sad. I regret reading it. It reminds me to be grateful for my family!

[Kath 153]

Melissa Etheridge's Ex: I Was "Blindsided" by End of Partnership

 

Sunday – July 04, 2010 – 9:33am US Magazine

Tammy Lynn Michaels blogged that she was "blindsided" Friday when her ex Melissa Etheridge went to court to formally end their partnership.

 

On her blog, Michaels, 35, wrote:

 

i am wondering if it’s an art gentle waves no noise for awhile or maybe gentle voices

 

and SMACK!!!!!!!!!!!! FILE FOR DIVORCE!!!!!!

 

even though we both promised

 

agreed handshook pinkyswore

 

no filing until after tour in the fall

 

her broken promises told to me by headlines

 

i’m raising the kids doing what i can second set of yours

 

could you stop blind sighting me?

 

unless it’s another art form you’re working on?

 

have a good concert.

 

In a Petition for Dissolution of Domestic Partnership filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Etheridge, 49, sought joint custody of their 3-year-old twins, Johnnie and Miller, and asked that the court not award financial support to Michaels.

 

She cited irreconciliable difference for the reason of their split.

 

Etheridge and Michaels became domestic partners in August 2005. They announced their split in April.

[Gracenote 259]

Melissa Etheridge's Ex: I Was "Blindsided" by End of Partnership

 

Sunday – July 04, 2010 – 9:33am US Magazine

Tammy Lynn Michaels blogged that she was "blindsided" Friday when her ex Melissa Etheridge went to court to formally end their partnership.

 

On her blog, Michaels, 35, wrote:

 

i am wondering if it’s an art gentle waves no noise for awhile or maybe gentle voices

 

and SMACK!!!!!!!!!!!! FILE FOR DIVORCE!!!!!!

 

even though we both promised

 

agreed handshook pinkyswore

 

no filing until after tour in the fall

 

her broken promises told to me by headlines

 

i’m raising the kids doing what i can second set of yours

 

could you stop blind sighting me?

 

unless it’s another art form you’re working on?

 

have a good concert.

 

In a Petition for Dissolution of Domestic Partnership filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Etheridge, 49, sought joint custody of their 3-year-old twins, Johnnie and Miller, and asked that the court not award financial support to Michaels.

 

She cited irreconciliable difference for the reason of their split.

 

Etheridge and Michaels became domestic partners in August 2005. They announced their split in April.

Asked that the court not award financial support to Michael's? That's ugly.

[Hoyaheel 1,874]

Asked that the court not award financial support to Michael's? That's ugly.

I think that's pretty standard in most high $ divorces though. Doesn't mean it's gonna happen, but I think most of the breadwinners ask that at the beginning of divorce proceedings

[iluvgossip 1]

(Gracenote @ Jul 5 2010, 09:10 PM)

Asked that the court not award financial support to Michael's? That's ugly.

I think that's pretty standard in most high $ divorces though. Doesn't mean it's gonna happen, but I think most of the breadwinners ask that at the beginning of divorce proceedings

Yeah I'm sure it's standard, but it's so disappointing -Tammy is the mother of your children, so why let it get to that- give her the damn money!!! I've been a big fan of Melissa for a very long time and she gave the impression of being a completely caring and loving soul who would never fall prey to this petty nonsense. Plus it appears that Melissa was cheating and if Melissa f*ed up she should own up to it and do the right thing, especially knowing that it will get to the press and your fans will be watching. Melissa cheating suprised me, but only a little because that's show biz, right?!?! Fame seems to get to EVERYONE'S head, why should she be any different

It's just a sad story to me, I guess because I expected more from Melissa.

[Hoyaheel 1,874]

I agree - I've been Melissa Etheridge fan for years and years now. A couple weeks ago, I got an email from the local performing arts center to buy early tickets to her upcoming concert, and as much as I love her music, I didn't want to buy tickets. It made me sad all over...

 

(I think one reason the $ earner makes the request for no spousal support is they know they're going to have to pay a ton of child support - which really is enough to support the entire family in many of these divorces...) I'm often torn, because one part of me thinks =- that person is healthy and able-bodied and can get a job - why should s/he get spousal support after a divorce? Yet another part of me says - many of these spouses gave up their own careers and devoted hours & energy to raising a family & supporting the spouse to achieve the goals that earned all the $$ - so why shouldn't they be entitled to some of that? I go through this internal battle every time I read about a high profile divorce....

[Kath 153]

From Celebitchy:

Now Michaels has blogged that she’s sick and needs expensive medical care that she can’t afford. She also is facing eviction from her rented home in 45 days. How is that the case if Etheridge is paying the rent as she claims? Here’s Michaels’ now-deleted blog entry, which explains her side of the story but frankly doesn’t do much for her case.

 

ulcers to gallbladder to pancreas to liver and then…?

a dillar

a dollar

a trick or treat

hollar

need some help

need some honesty

need some real

call ‘er

no answer

 

gallbladder

pancreas

liver

ulcers

MRIs

ultrasounds

gotta get it done

on pennies now?

somethings going on

 

gotta get a job

with barf bag in hand?

and leave my twins with who?

and with what babysitting money?

 

a dillar

a dollar

a trick or treat

hollar

 

this too shall pass

cuz i believe in miracles

and

miracles look like rainbows.

 

oh. and we have to be out of our rental in 45 days.

man, i love a challenge.

 

[From Tammy Lynn Michaels' blog via Huffington Post]

Edited July 15, 2010 by Kath

[annabeast 24]

I don't follow Melissa Etheridge at all, but from the little I do know about her, this seems inconsistent with her behavior and reputation. Maybe there is more to the story.

[Kath 153]

Apparantly, Melissa only gives TL $2K/month in child support. And so... more poetry:

 

"pays all the bills"

not entirely true

 

"pays all the bills she chooses to pay"

"pays all the bills her people thinks

are important enough to pay"

is more accurate

 

when i went to get cash

just last week

for the three of us to eat

nothing

 

today i was shopping for birthday decor

4th next sunday!

little cash for lunch?

nope- not enough funds

no food

 

what the fuck is marriage all about anyway? i thought i did everything i was supposed to do. support support support. love family, be there, love, right? all for naught or have i still everything to learn about love? and that was nothing? or the letting go of this is THEE LESSON of loving. argh.

 

someone told me that chemotherapy just messes with a brain chemistry, changes the brain, the person, and makes them just in general different. they might b meaner, or illogical, often imbalanced, or whatever. but they just don't come out the same. hardly ever, i am told. and they can't help it. it just is.

 

and i think about that alot too.

 

And..

someone asked about getting a job. okay. well.let's talkaboutthisheregirlfriend...... i have "help" until 2 pm a lot. i can't tell my bosses that i can work each day until between the hours of 830 and 145. tv hours aren't like that, waitressing ours aren't like that sadly.... strippers hours aren't like that, whores' hours aren't like that, secretary hours' aren't like that, starbucks' jobs aren't like that... crossed my mind this morning to get a paper route, though. that's a quick job, but i bet a lot has changed since i was 11. but thank goodness i was able to go home that day and eat- not like in haiti where you eat dirt cookies. while i drove, i spit brown stomach bile into my cup, and rinsed with water. then when i got home i simply ate a bagel. it's not really great for my stomach to sit empty right now. like being pregnant, but no baby inside. :-) but then my friend and i laughed... cuz once i am able to get my twins so set and solid and older, THEN there's jobs for me, and i'll be open.

[Hoyaheel 1,874]

I feel for her, BUT, you CAN get a part time job 8:30-1:45.

 

Why is Melissa only paying $2000/month? That seems really low for child support - others from CA on the board have told us there's an algorithm in California that should figure out the amount based on earnings, so....

 

And as for chemo changing Melissa's brain chemistry, she left her last partern at just under 10 years, with small children. Not as acrimonious in the press that I remember, but Julie Cypher wasn't blogging about the breakup either.....

[WillyWonka 0]

Melissa should be paying way more than $2k/month considering her income and that Tammy was a SAHM when they were together. But Tammy needs to spend less time whining about it all and more time hiring a decent lawyer and finding childcare so she can get a job.

[Hoyaheel 1,874]

Someone on another board posted that Tammy isn't the custodial parent right now (which would mean her child support should be low/nonexistent) but I don't know if that's true - I hadn't heard that.

[Kath 153]

This is a really juicy piece of gossip when you take it in context. Melissa Etheridge is now dating her ex wife Tammy Lynn Michael’s former best friend, who served as the “best woman” at their commitment ceremony in 2003. (Tammy Lynn and Melissa never legally married when it was possible before Prop 8 passed, but they did have a traditional-type wedding.) We heard all sorts of drama about Melissa and her ex when they broke up last year. Michaels complained on her blog that Etheridge wasn’t providing enough support for her to feed and house their now four year-old twins, and Etheridge’s lawyer countered that his client was providing $2,000 a month and paying all the bills. When you consider how wealthy Melissa is, that really isn’t that much. Last year, Tammy’s lawyer told In Touch that Tammy suspected Melissa was cheating. He said, “There were all the usual signs. Strange comings and goings and lots of days and nights absent.” Now we may know who the other woman is.

 

[Melissa Etheridge] is “hot and heavy” with Hollywood producer/writer Linda Wallem, the creative force behind the hit cable TV series “Nurse Jackie,” according to an insider.

 

“Linda has been talking constantly on the set about how she and Melissa are in love and how they’re in a committed relationship,” the insider said.

 

- From Celebitchy

 

Melissa and Linda - who are both 49 and were born on the same day, May 29, 1961 - have known each other for years. Linda was the best friend of the singer’s ex partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, according to one of Tammy’s friends.

 

When Tammy and Melissa exchanged wedding vows in 2003 in a lavish ceremony at Dick Clark’s Malibu estate, Linda was in the wedding party.

 

“In lesbian terms, Linda was the ‘best lady,’” the friend said. “Now she’s taken Tammy’s place.”

 

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, January 24, 2011]

 

So did Melissa wait until she ended things with Tammy before taking up with their mutual friend? From the way Tammy explained Melissa’s behavior before their split, it’s doubtful.

 

Meanwhile Melissa’s new girlfriend might create a sitcom in which Melissa will star:

 

Linda is planning to write a sitcom for Melissa, described as a reverse “Will & Grace,” where the singer would portray a gay teacher living with a straight man.

 

And the pair want to collaborate on a musical play that Linda is developing.

 

[From The National Enquirer, print edition]

 

We haven’t heard much lately about Melissa and Tammy’s court battle for custody and support. It looks like Melissa has moved on while she’s left the mother of her children high and dry.

Edited January 15, 2011 by Kath

[annabeast 24]

$2,000 a month for twins? That's REAL low, even if the bills are being paid.