Melissa Etheridge: My Songs 'Aren't Gay Enough' for 'Glee'

By Nicki Gostin Posted May 17th 2010 01:34PM

Melissa Etheridge's eleventh studio album, 'Fearless Love,' is dropping at the same time as she's rebuilding her love life from the ground up. The 48-year-old songstress recently broke up with Tammy Lynn Michaels after nine years and having twins together in 2006. Etheridge spoke extremely candidly to PopEater about the painful timing of the split, the "sexphobia" behind the 'Glee'/Newsweek debacle and the absurdities of being called "too gay" or "not gay enough."

Did you separate from Tammy before writing this album?
It was written before we actually physically separated, but you know, breakups just don't happen overnight.

It must suck having the album and the separation emerge at the same time. Do you wish the timing was different?
[Laughs] Absolutely! When I saw these things were about to collide for a while there I thought, I don't want this to come up on top of the album, and then I started doing interviews and they're like, "You're such a family girl, your marriage is great, what's the key to a great marriage?" and I was like, "Oh, I can't sit here and lie." But I would have definitely made the timing different.

So is the song 'Miss California' about Tammy?
That's a political song. It's about California passing Proposition 8.

Watch the Video for 'Fearless Love' >>

Have you been following the Newsweek controversy?
No I haven't. Give me the scoop!

A Newsweek writer said Sean Hayes was too gay to be in 'Promises Promises.' Kristin Chenoweth wrote a letter in his defense and Ryan Murphy from 'Glee' called for a boycott of the magazine.
Oh, the gays are getting miffed! Don't tell us we're too gay or not or whatever. Oh lord, what is gay, anyway? Find me the line -- find me the defining line between gay and straight. Find me the defining line between male and female. There is no line. You cannot draw this line in the sand. Yes, there are plenty of people way over there who will never partake in anything straight and there are people way over there who will never partake in anything gay, but there's a whole lot of gray in the middle. Where's the line? Behind all of it is sexual insecurity. It's sexphobia.

Have you been accused of not being gay enough?
Oh sure. I've had the gay community say, "Why don't you write a song saying 'her'? Your lyrics are non-gender." They're never happy. And the straight folks, they just assume the lyrics are about a woman, and they assume that if they go to a concert it's going to be all gay people. There are stereotypes we all have. But there's no us and them. Good God, we're all the same.

Have you ever been approached to have your songs on 'Glee?'
No, I don't think they're gay enough. [Laughs]

You're a greenie.
Yup, no plastic bottles in my house. My car runs on bio-diesel, which is reclaimed vegetable oil from restaurants.

Do you compost?
I did for a while, but I was horrible at it. I had rats.

I reckon someone could start a business in LA tending compost heaps.
I can see it! Compost-For-You. Let's do it! I'll invest.

Do you like touring?
Touring is the payoff after all the days of being alone in my room writing these songs. I get to see people singing them. It's wonderful.

You must have tons of groupies.
Well, this will be the first time I'm touring and I'm single. But I am not interested in groupies. I don't need that in my life right now. I have my oldest kids with me on tour -- they're 13 and 11.

How do you embarrass them?
It's funny because they've drawn a line between what I do for a living, getting up there and singing for people. They allow that because they know that's my work, but if I'm standing around at school and I hum or sing something, they're like, "Oh mom, don't!"

I think you are quite the sex symbol.
Aww, you're sweet, and you're helping this gal. Thank you so much.

Aren't you best pals with Brad Pitt?
Not for a while. He's a family man. I haven't spoken to him in a while.

How's your health?
My health is great. I've been six years free of cancer. I figured out health is about balance. It's what you eat, what you feel, how much you sleep. It's really common things that western society doesn't teach us how to do. You've got to take responsibility; you've got to say, "You know what? I don't need to work that hard. I don't have to buy this." It's not what it's all about.

Tags: Melissa Etheridge

Comments

(314)

Tuesday 18 May

By taratara

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Bonobo monkies have gay and lesbian sex and they live in nature. who are you to say what is natural? there are all different types. just because you don't understand another's sexuality doesn't make it wrong.

By kitten

If there happy then let them be happy who are you to say it's wrong?

Wednesday 19 May

By peter

Oh Larry...Stupidity which is far more often "promoted" in this country is much more immoral than homosexuality...and you are a prime example of it...

By janilee

Larry if it isn't natural, then why does it exist?? IF there is a God, then why did he or she create same sex love to begin with? How do you account for bisexuality, (sexual attraction to both sexes, which many Psychologists say is the biological NORM) which exists also? Good luck answering these questions because with your limited intelligence and Neandrathal like view of the world, you need all of the help that you can get. Intelligent people see the world how it is;, not how they wish that it would be! Also, people who are secure in their own sexuality don't have problems with other people's sexuality, and that is a FACT. My advice is to GROW UP.

Saturday 22 May

By Stef

And who are YOU to judge whats' right or wrong?...

By Tim

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All I know is even two women together couldn't stay together . . . so how the heck are we men supposed to stay with one when they don't want to be with each other themselves?! LOL!

By kevin

Tim--Sounds like a personal problem to me.

By Ali P

Wow, you really should consider going back to school and learn the diffence between "There" and "Their". There is a huge diffence and this sort of ignorance does not entice anyone to have an interest in your opinions. Sorry, but true.

I suggest you study the english language.

By RobbieK

I agree. If someone is a homo, they need to leave it under wraps because no one wants to know, or cares.

By Davinxy

"All same sex-sex is not natural also morally and Spiritually wrong !."

I agree - Sex just to have sex is morally and spiritually wrong, but having sex with the person you love regardless of their gender is moral and spiritual. If you feel that same sex relationships are wrong, then there is something wrong with your spirituality.

By rebekah

I agree with Larry. It's sick and disgusting. Yuck!

By Wendy L. Shone

true honest love is never wrong.

By YoFrankeee

Just wondering when God annointed Larry as His messenger here on Earth. I must have missed a memo.

By Linda

I agree. What is normal about homosexuality? God did not make them that way. That's like saying God made Eve eat the fruit. We choose and we suffer the consequences. Homosexuals are not brave. If they were they would fearlessly stand up and say what I am doing is wrong and I want help out of this lifestyle. God help them.

By David

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Mind your own business Larry if you dont want to have gay sex then don't .., and the rest of you sopewing the bible. That thing was written by mortal men and contradicts itselt throughout ! There is NO proof there is a god ! And if there is they are more wonderful than any of you give him or her credit for being !

By AMack118

Larry says it because larry obviously reads the Bible.

Its utterly amazing how many people spend their time verbally whacking at folks who try to allow their spirituality to guide them in their moral decisions. With that being said, choosing to be gay is just that.No such thing as gay genes; scientists have spent the last 100 years looking. And the next time any of you spot a gay animal, take some video and post it...why? because even animals have enough sense to figure out what goes where.

Since half of you asre already calling me a Bible Thumper, lemme give you some reference material: Romans 1:24-27, 1 Timothy 1:9-11, Leviticus 20:13, Jude 7, Genesis 19: 4, 5, 24, 25, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11, Ephesians 4: 17-24

Monday 17 May

By Tami

oh shut up

By Bill

Tami? You made Tim's case for him. You seem to have a vicious, miserable personality. Am I close?

By Angiebaby

This is one of the things I find interesting about the GLBT dialogue in our country. Melissa Etheridge says we cannot draw a line in a sand making one side gay and one side straight, and that there are no distinctions about what is gay, or too gay, etc. She then turns around and says her music isn't gay enough for "Glee".

I am straight, but if I say her music isn't gay enough for "Glee," I am accused of being homophobic and prejudiced when really I have listened to her music. When she says it, however, it makes sense and is kind of funny. Why is it that when we both know she is a rock & roll chick and both of us say her music isn't gay enough, without hateful intent, it is right for her to say it and a social crime if I say it?

By pufferfish13

I'm pretty sure she was being facetious.

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