A “source” close to Melissa Etheridge recently confirmed a scoop by the Enquirer that Etheridge has been dating longterm family friend, Linda Wallem, who served as the best woman at her 2003 commitment ceremony with now-ex, Tammy Lynn Michaels. Michaels and Etheridge have four year old twins together, and Michaels has claimed that Etheridge left her with little money and no clear explanation for why she was leaving. Now that the news is out, People is reporting that Melissa and this Linda woman, who created the show Nurse Jackie, got together three months after Tammy and Melissa split up. Only Tammy, in her roundabout way, is disputing those claims and suggesting that Melissa cheated. She also adds that she’s known about it for a while, that one of her kids told her, and that Melissa accidentally had a box of dildos delivered to her house. Maybe it was meant as a gift. Here’s some of what she wrote on her blog, and I’ve translated some of it it. (My words are in bold.)
Melissa didn’t break up with her and just said she wanted a break
i moved out november 23rd 2009
she said it would help
i was convinced it would
too and i trusted there was
no one else
i didn’t know
there was someone moving in
as i was moving outMelissa’s assistant delivered some vibrators to Tammy by mistake
three weeks later a box of new toys
was delivered and her assistant brought
it to my rental house as a mistake
i opened it
and that’s when i felt something was upi called her
“i have your new dicks on my kitchen counter?”one thing by one thing
i slowly felt things were not
as
they were being representedone never even said one was breaking up with me
one only says things in song and stringTammy figured out Melissa broke up with her by listening to her new CD
and then i listened to the album
and i understood
oh
you don’t want to work it out
oh you already have someone in the wings
oh you already have pined for another
oh you are done hereoh i have become another one of your exes
oh i have become an album
On how she got cheated on
so. you know. people magazine tries to get things right. they try to
clean things up for the famous folk- their sources are usually the publicist
for the celebrity. i’m here to clarify. well… i want to clarify without
dealing with getting sued for SLANDER (and paying someone), which would include
me saying that the two were involved while I was living there (it is still my house, by the way).
and i haven’t gone just that far yet.since april of 09? mmm…. one of my little sweet peas told me otherwise much
earlier than that, Pooper magazine.they should have shut the bedroom door.
and once again… if we’re going to have little “leaks” and such… let’s make them truthful?
perhaps folks out there are going to start doing math. “speak true and spread the peace” of 2010
i kept this to myself last summer. maybe i shouldnt have- it would have explained another reason
why there was so much bitterness in my cray-cray crazy blogs. i couldn’t believe someone would have a
saying, and motto to ask people to buy and live by, but not oneself?spread the peace? speak true.
[From Tammy Lynn Michaels blog]
I can write more coherent e-mails on an iPod. I hope she was using a Blackberry keyboard to compose that. Ok, I get it, Tammy got royally screwed, and because she wasn’t legally married to Melissa it was worse for her. I’ll repeat what I’ve said about Tammy before – this is only making her look petty. I’ve had people bash me for saying she should keep it to herself or get an editor, and maybe my problem is her writing style. Before responding and telling me I’m wrong and she has every right to get her side of the story out – which I’m not disputing – please read her entire post on her blog. She goes on about it, and I personally find it annoying to read through all that drama and try and figure out what she means. What purpose does it serve to spill the detail that she got delivered some vibrators meant for Melissa?
The facts definitely make Tammy out to be the wronged party, though – she nursed Melissa through cancer, gave up her career to raise their children, and then got pushed aside while Melissa took up with her former best friend. I felt more sympathy for Tammy before she chimed in to say “I would have told you so,” and “Oh, Melissa’s dildos got delivered to my house.” What’s more is that Tammy has to let everyone know that she’s got a new girlfriend too. What’s next for her – a reality show? It’s not like she’s going to be able to write a book without a ghostwriter.
These photos are from 2007 (above) and 2005 (below). Credit: WENN.com
Thanks for translating CB. I tried to read this on D-listed, but just can not read the way she writes.
Is it some strange form of Haiku?
I hate how she writes too because it does make her seem crazy. I have to admit though that I liked the line about calling up Melissa and saying Your dicks are on my kitchen counter. She should really give up the blog for good, but then she would probably have nothing to do aside from taking care of her children. Part of me wants to think that ME is a dirty dog, but TLM comes off as so unhinged and it is doubtful that her break up from ME made her this way. I just hope for all these children that ME has, she will step up to the plate and be an active mother in their lives and not just a signature on a child support payment.
The writing is atrocious. I think Tammy got screwed big time and I feel for her, but someone needs to step up and be a decent parent and not trash the other parent bc one day the kids will be able to read all this garbage.
I don’t know, I feel like sometimes writing is really therapeautic and maybe she needs to get it off her chest and out there. I still feel for her, regardless of whether she talks about it or not.
Must bleach eyeballs now.
Melissa LeAnn Etheridge is a pathetic excuse for a woman….make that human. Hopefully, Tammy did a bit of electrical hijinx (vis-a-vis=exposed wires) before forwarding Melissa’s toys.
Well if Tammy’s writing is like her personality, maybe Melissa got tired of being a Mommy to someone so juvenile.
Tammy screwed herself before getting pregnant by not drawing up a legal contract stipulating a settlement, child support, monthly maintenance, etc, terms in the event they broke up.
Who are those people?
Does she not have a “shift” key? And is she legitimately asking questions in every other sentence? Her writing/sentence structure make my head hurt.
@ CB – No, she definitely needs to shut up about all her personal crap. Or hire a more articulate spokesperson/friend to clearly state what she’s trying to say.
We get it: you’re the woman wronged; you gave up everything for this person; you were cheated on, etc…Now, like every other wife this happens to, put on your big-girl panties and deal with it!
her writing is very odd. no one deserves to be treated poorly, but i don’t get who she’s writing to, the public? melissa?
it’s really diffused and odd. not poetry, just weird.
what’s with the one, one, one business?
Remember when Rosie O’Donnell would write strange, haiku-like messages on her blog?
A box of vibrators? How many do you need, exactly?
Her writing sucks. Bitches about what happened – wants ME to buck up and talk truth – yet she writes in riddles ugh. It’s like she’s trying to have a backbone and write her feelings but prefers to hide in the obscurity of ‘I didn’t mean it that way’ if perhaps confronted with her statements. It’s very immature.
Tammy’s replacement is hideous looking, so at least Tammy has that consolation.
I was sitting w/my face frowned up, her writing makes me crazy BUT I get the gist of things..
She should write a book using a ghost writer and make a lil money–and get therapy..
wow to the dildos and to the kids seeing some unexpected action w/someone else in their home.
I wish the best for her…smdh
This definitely has the bones for a great country song.
The more the time goes by, the more Tammy sounds like trash.
Lovely and who gets caught in the middle? The kids. They are both messed up idiots!
Go back and read her earlier writings.. I think she is creative and thoughtful.. interesting too.. Total team Tammy… glad she has updated her blog I for one like to read it.. whether it’s about ME or just her life on her own.
this chick needs to stop blogging, get a life and move on already.
I feel for Tammy in this, but her writing hurts my brain.
i don’t get it if they are lesbians why would she have dicks delivered to her house? and since when is masturbating with dicks/ dildos cheating? or that means something is up?
LAME
I haven’t followed this too close but it seems this couple is the perfect example of why society needs to get this gay marriage thing worked out.
If I’m correct that they weren’t married and as I understand the law, unless some documents were signed, the children belong solely to the birth mother and Melissa is not legally obligated to support them or Tammy, and Tammy is under no obligation to allow Melissa visitation.
Does Ca. cohabitation laws enter into this mess? What pisses me off most is that Melissa has more money than Nevada has sage brush and yet these two can’t reach an amicable settlement.
Tammy, now’s the time to be quiet. Really. Your childish writing makes you look worse.
@Rita, LOL and thank you!
The rest of you, that is Tammy’s blog, which she’s had for some years now – it isn’t new and wasn’t created for her to sound off about ME. Notice she’s very rarely done so! I’m used to it as I’ve been reading it for a year or more. The free-form writing isn’t to my taste either but it isn’t crazy, for pete’s sake – it’s stream-of-conciousness. It is HER blog after all, not yours or mine.
She’s quite a gifted writer when she writes more readable/accessible posts, such as those about her childhood, her step-fathers death, etc. I love to read those posts, they’re very well written, evocative, and touching. I do honestly hope that she’ll write a book, not a tell-all but an autobiography. And I hope she gets a great part in a quality TV show or movie as she’s also a talented actress. If you’ve seen ‘Popular,’ for example the ‘Christmas Carol’ episode, you’ll see what I mean. She and Sara Rue made that show rise far above what it otherwise would have been.
Good grief. Sigh. aka pakka, they use those sex toys together, and Melissa bought new ones for her new lover.
Also, are you twelve?
@Rawks
I see your point. When heterosexuals stray they take off their wedding rings for the night but when lesbians stray they use seperate toys. It means their conscientous. Glad there’s a protocol That’s nice (lol).
Although her writing is a bit dismembered, she isn’t bashing Etheridge. She is simply “prosing” (new word, maybe) her way through a difficult time.
More than likely, this is what she will tell her children when the time comes.
And, speaking from personl experience,when someone is cheating on you, and yet, you have no proof, it does make you feel like you’re going crazy.
I just read where they were married so it’s my bad. Is a committment ceremony the same as a marriage? God this is so confusing I’m going to loose interest.
@Rita
Yeah, exactly! heheh
Or as Michael.K at Dlisted put it, actually you’d better read for yourself what Michael.K said or I’ll get banned! But it’s hilarious!
TEAM TAMMY ALL THE WAY! Keep writing, honey. Trash Melissa full bore. YOU are BEAUTIFUL and SHE has shown her true ugly colors. Take the kids, cut Melissa OUT of their lives, score a reality show, and move on to a gorgeous new heartful lover and step-mom for your family. Never look back on that cold b**ch.
Team Tammy from a financial standpoint, but seriously, she needs to stop spilling all the details and writing crazy diatribes.
I love how she writes, it’s stream-of-consciousness-prose/poetry. She’s always written like that. It doesn’t bother me.
Melissa is a piece of work.
I’m Team Tammy, all the way.
Team Tammy
I enjoy reading Tammy’s blog, too. I totally get why she’s doing this. No relationship is perfect, but what Melissa did is beyond low. I’m sure both had their faults, but the difference is Tammy is honest about hers, while Melissa wants the world to think she can do no wrong. Bitch, please. She may be a decent musician, but she sucks as a human being.
Hmmm. This whole story sounds strangely familiar…
I figued she had someone waiting in the wings long time ago. Remember when she was on the View and the ladies were giving her their “condolences” on the end of her relationship and she was so cold and non-chalant. She was shrugging for god’s sake and at some point she was actually getting irritated as if to say “Really ladies, enough, I’m more than totally cool with it, as a matter of fact it’s an annoyance talking about this – I really want to play my guitar now. Now!”
She’s a real piece of work.
I always assumed she had an affair. But Tammy needs to move on and talk to her therapist and lawyer. She needs to move on with her life.
I always assumed she had an affair. But Tammy needs to move on and talk to her therapist and lawyer. She needs to move on with her life.
I feel for her.
“Accidentally” delivered a box of dildos to her? I think not. Melissa just didn’t want to have that uncomfortable conversation. Instead of saying it with roses, she said it with d***s!
her writing is awful, I wish she would move past this situation… 2009? Tammy, move on for your own sake. Being bitter and angry isn’t going to help anyone.
Melissa is a womanizing dog (dog in the way we refer to men who do this, not in the ‘ugly woman’ sense.
Tammy needs to stop blogging and get a job.
When I had been flat out framed and deceived, by a man I aboslutely, earth-shakingly fell in love with, it took me a good year to let it go, too. (dec 08 to early 2010). And I vented in the form of a lot of strange, rabid and rancid essays and poems… I wasnt writing to anyone either. Because he never read them; I was speaking into space and I knew it- yelling and shaking my fist at the sky.
Honestly that just compacts matters– the issue itself might not be so bad or even common but when you arent heard or validated after the fact, it takes *much* longer for the sores to stop oozing. Becuase it just doesnt make any sense. After all they made you believe about how they care, (the ‘motto’ thing) how can they just disappear or pick someone else? The contradiction is brain-bending.
And honeslty again, it still doesnt make any sense to me and I still therefor think abotu it, just because I will never have/make/get/decide on “an answer”.
I have something else to share on this subject matter: It really bugs me the women on here who keep saying things like “shut up Tammy” and “get over it.” CHEATING ON YOUR SPOUSE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! PERIOD! If you’re not happy, LEAVE and file divorce. Theirs was not some little fling. This was a TEN YEAR “marriage,” two children, Tammy supported her through cancer, and them Melissa skanks off and takes up with the BEST FRIEND!??!!! OMFG. AS IF Tammy should just be hunky-dory by now. That kind of betrayal is DEEPLY scarring in the heart and SOUL, so horrific, shocking, and shattering, it may take her YEARS to move on from it. All the while Melissa, that PIG, is off boning someone else and blowing her cash like it’s all good. IT’S NOT – and the world should KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT HER – so people can choose to NEVER support her music again (which I won’t). The fact that Tammy is now opening up to talk about it, in the format she feels comfortable with, is a GREAT step to take on the healing journey. And YES, ANGER is part of that, and Melissa deserves to be SHAMED PUBLICLY – since she SHAMED TAMMY PUBLICLY – as in, she is famous and she KNOWS that OF COURSE the WHOLE WORLD is going to find out how she did Tammy wrong. Just, Wow. SICK! Bad enough she turned out to be a cheating whore, but to leave Tammy and the kids high and dry, even though she has a multi-million dollar fortune? There is NO excuse for this. It has shown the world her true character – disgusting. I hope Tammy cuts Melissa off from those kids and finds a new love and step mom for them. Melissa does NOT deserve them, and the kids will be better of without her. If I were in Tammy’s shoes, it would be a COLD DAY IN HELL before I let MY children lay eyes on such a skank. TEAM TAMMY – TEAM SISTERHOOD! Let it out, honey, let it out. Love to Tammy, you sweet country girl. Eff that ho, you deserve WAY better. And on the bright side – you’ve not lost ANOTHER ten years of life to a lie.
this is the problem with the internet, 10 or 20 years ago she would have written in her diary and nobody would know. now it’s all public and and she’ll be embarrassed about stuff like this later. that said i’m still team tammy. she got royally screwed.
I would like to challenge Melissa to a dildo duel to the death.
I like her writing when she’s not writing about Melissa. Tammy is interesting and thought provoking.
@Lemuria AMEN!!!! I also find it appalling when someone is so deeply betrayed and then told to deal with it privately. Was Melissa’s affair private? Was her dumping her family private? Was her support for them private? No. So why should Tammy grieve privately? Losing a loved one in such a way is like a death. When I was cheated on I took to journaling and then I created my blog not too long ago. Not only has it helped me work through the pain it also has helped other people who have or had experienced it themselves to know that they are not alone. The feelings they feel or felt are normal. That in itself was why I chose to share my story. If someone is going through the same heartache as Tammy, maybe they will appreciate her sharing her story. Writing is definitely an artform, it doesn’t have to make much sense to the reader, only in her mind.
What purpose does it serve to cry/whine/bitch/say anything in public….same purpose it has served since the dawn of time…..truth/pain need to come out of the body. There are many ways to do it…..and women tend to use their words.
I feel very sorry for Tammy Lynn. It doesn’t matter if your married, straight, single, rich or poor — getting played like that hurts. She doesn’t write songs, she blogs.
I’m down with her pain. I can listen to it and be sympathetic.
“i have your new dicks on my kitchen counter?”
Best. Quote. Ever.
I do feel bad for her though. I have no moral tolerance for cheaters, though this story makes it sound a little iffy (as to whether they were still together at the time.) But God, having one of your young children be the one to really tell you about it…*shudder* I can only hope they haven’t gotten big enough to reach the kitchen counter. >.>
The way the interview was written out made it look like song lyrics. xD
Should lesbians be allowed to use dildos? I mean they made their choice already
Lol, just kidding, The “box of dicks ” made me think of that hahahahahah
I think Mellisa should have some more respect for Tammy, at least take care of her financially, they were not legally married but that was still her wife!
‘box of dicks’ lmao
Sounds like something you order at a drive thru.
JO said: Go back and read her earlier writings.. I think she is creative and thoughtful.. interesting too.. Total team Tammy… glad she has updated her blog I for one like to read it.. whether it’s about ME or just her life on her own.
I also really like her writing, she has a way of saying things that gets the point across with a bit of dry, sardonic slightly bitter humour..
TEAM TAMMY
‘get a life and move on?’ How many of you have been left for your best friend by the one you married and had children with, given next to nothing after giving up your career and, to make matters worse, have to watch said person have the audacity to try and make themselves look innocent to the rest of the world by lying about it all. And she does what? Uses her blog to vent. And she doesn’t even give the dirty details, as seen here, so wtf? Not like she owes Melissa anything anyway.
Bitch is scorned, and furious, and rightfully so. Get a life? Get a heart.
THANK YOU for actually telling this story! I think you and Grrlplanet are the only sites that actually talked about Tammy’s blog, and another perspective on what really happened.
Yes, Tammy can’t write…but, I think she’s likely the one telling the truth.I think this affair has been going on for a long time. If you read Tammy’s blog, it was clear she has been unhappy for a while.
Melissa is really slimy.
Can somebody please explain something to me? Some gay women go all out to look, act, talk like a man. The women they are attracted to, and who hook up with them, like the male look. They use dildos on the pretty women. Why, then, if the pretty ones prefer manliness and like dong, don’t they just hook up with men? Why do they hook up with women who are practically the same as men, including the way they have sex? I understand the masculine woman who likes feminine women, but why do the feminine women go for the masculine women instead of the real deal?
@Amelia (#57)- I have to admit, this is something I’ve always wondered about, myself. I’ve had many friends who were ‘bisexual’, but not outright lesbian, who I could ask.
I’ve wondered if it’s just easier to develop an emotionally deep connection with another woman… even if things you find physically attractive are more masculine. But that’s just a guess on my part.
How far will Tammy go to try to destroy Melissa. I have done so much reading on this, and Tammy just keeps trashing Melissa, and the only thing Melissa has said is that Tammy is a wonderful person. So it didn’t work out, don’t make it ugly Tammy. Get over it and let Melissa live her life, she is extremely talanted and down to earth and awesome. Keep creating awesome music Melissa, I for one will buy every album you release. I all of them so far.