Today's Evil Beet Gossip

Melissa Etheridge Still Has A Crazy Ex

A photo of Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels

Ok, so the last time we talked about Melissa Etheridge and her former wife, Tammy Lynn Michaels, was back in 2010, so yeah, it’s been a while. If you weren’t around then or don’t remember, here’s a real quick rundown: Melissa and Tammy broke up, and they had a really, really ugly divorce. Melissa seemed to be pretty collected about everything, but Tammy Lynn wrote a series of bizarre poems on her blog ranting about what an awful person Melissa is. We only covered one of those here, but I read tons more, and a quick peek at her blog shows that she hasn’t slowed down.

Are we all up to date now? Good, let’s check out the details of Tammy’s latest crazy fit, courtesy of TMZ:

Melissa Etheridge’s ex-GF Tammy Lynn Michaels claims she’s barely scraping by on the $23,000 a month Melissa currently pays her in partner and child support — and now, she wants a massive raise … this according to new court docs obtained by TMZ.

Tammy just filed the papers in the couple’s infamously bitter separation claiming Melissa makes roughly $177,882.00 PER MONTH … and got Tammy accustomed to an extravagant lifestyle while they were together … so the $23k is incredibly unfair.

Tammy — a former actress — also claims she has “virtually no savings” and would need “extensive retraining” if she were to rejoin the workforce.

Tammy claims Melissa is also brainwashing the kids — training them to be emotionally distant and rude to Tammy … and now they won’t even give her a hug.

Tammy also accuses Melissa of cursing around the children — including one instance … when she told Tammy to “get the f**k off my back” in front of the kids. According to Tammy, Melissa also refuses to let the kids get vaccinated.

As for the reason behind the mudslinging — Tammy and Melissa are headed into a settlement conference in May to determine support and custody issues … so it’s important for Tammy to demonstrate she’s the better mom.

On top of increased support, Tammy also wants Melissa to pay her $120,000 legal bill. Calls to Melissa were not returned.

Now, of course it’s awful if Melissa is talking negatively about Tammy to their children, and if she’s talking to her like that in front of the kids, then that’s not ok either. I think we can all agree on that, so I don’t want to discuss that part. I want to discuss the money part.

This woman can’t live on $23,000 a month, seriously? I’m sure that the cost of living here in Tennessee is much less than it is wherever Tammy lives (probably L.A.), but I could do so incredibly well on $23,000 a year. I could provide wonderfully for my boyfriend and our four pets, we could afford an adorable, roomy house easily, and there would be absolutely zero financial stress. I’m not trying to make this into a “poor me” issue at all, but listen, Tammy, shut up.

This is one of my least favorite things, when a celebrity gets with a less famous or not famous person, they break up, and then the celebrity has to pay exorbitant amounts of money because their ex got “accustomed to an extravagant lifestyle.” You can get unaccustomed real quick if you have to. No one needs the amount of extravagance that is in most celebrity’s lives, right? You can survive without manicures and tons of designer clothing and unnecessarily huge homes and flashy cars. You don’t need it. Take care of your kids, and if you want all those fancy things, then get you a job and work.

Does anyone actually understand that “extravagant lifestyle” argument, or am I right here?

16 CommentsLeave a comment

  • yes, it’s absurd that she cannot live on $23K/month. that said, i think your assertion that 2 people could live extremely well entirely free of financial stress and buy a house on $23K/year is also way off.

  • I agree there’s no way you could live comfortably for two on $23,000 no matter where you live in the U.S. Maybe if all you paid was rent, no bills.

  • I swear, you guys, I did the math, and we could do rent, electric, internet, food, my student loans, and gas and car insurance with money left over.

    • If that’s the case, then you are extremely lucky. I make twice that and it’s hard to live on that for myself. And I don’t live extravagantly. I also live in NY. Not the City, but upstate near Albany.

      But I do agree w/ part of what you’re saying. Unfortunately, ex-spouse’s are supposed to be “taken care of” in accordance to how they were taken care of during the marriage. I don’t always agree with it because stupid shit like this happens – people become over-entitled, obnoxious twits. They feel like they don’t need to work ever again…pretty sure whatever this lady did prior to her marriage to a celebrity…she could do it again. She should have more of a sense of pride – not keep extending for hand-outs.

  • I believe that you could do it, Emily. My husband and I live in a place where the cost of living is much higher than where you are (Boulder, CO), and we make more than $23,000 a year, but not a whole lot more, and we live quite comfortably! If you don’t have car payments (other than insurance) or credit card bills, it makes things easier. But I think it would be different if you – or we – had kids!

      • I’m a grad student, and he works in a kitchen, so yes, unfortunately it’s combined (although I’d say it’s more than “just over” $23,000). =( But he’s getting promoted, and I’ll be done in a couple of years, so hopefully we’ll be making more $ soon! But again, we actually live quite comfortably, mostly because neither of us feels the need for extras like new clothes, vacations, etc….

  • You basically have to live in a ridiculously cheap area to make that happen. Also, YES!! Thank you gays for fueling the legal market!

  • Are you all missing that this is 23,000 a MONTH? Not a year, a MONTH.

    I could live quite comfortably on $276,000 a year.

  • I agree with Emily. I live in Tennessee and you could totally live off of that amount per year. Mind you, it wouldn’t be the Ritz, it would be a cute house with a small yard. I do enjoy the cost of living in Tennessee.

  • The flip side of gay marriage! Welcome to the world we men (and some women) have enjoyed for so long (i.e. paying alimony and child support after divorce). Divorce is a nasty process, even if you can remain somewhat civil with each other.

  • Who are you? “Evil Beet Gossip” ?? This woman took a VOW, to love, cherish and support her wife. Then her wife had their 2- children. Twins no less. She gave up everything in her own life to be the “wife” and “mother”…. while Melissa goes on tour, “catting around”. Do not be fooled all by the “musical genious” of Melissa Etheridge. Se SUCKS a a wife/partner/mother. Before Tammy there was her first “wife”, and their 2- children. I used to worship Mellisa. Now I just think she is scum. And for the record, no one cares that you support your entire family on $23,000.00 a year in freakin Tennesse. Really? Divorce LAWS apply to everyone! 50/50. Period. If you don’t like it, DON’T HAVE KID’S MELLISA!!!