Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: ‘It broke my heart’

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

As I read through the harrowing account of Cher and Sonny Bono’s tumultuous relationship, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of empathy for the legendary pop icon, Cher. It’s heart-wrenching to witness such a talented and vibrant individual endure such emotional torment in her personal life while maintaining a public image of happiness and success.


In her latest memoir, Cher claims that her former spouse, Sonny Bono, was unfaithful to her with his secretary during a period when she experienced a miscarriage.

During contemplation about her 11-year union with Bono, the renowned figure, now aged 78, disclosed that she discovered his infidelity only after experiencing a miscarriage for the third time.

In “Cher: The Memoir, Part One,” the songwriter behind “Believe” recounted an incident from approximately 1967. At a time when her and Bono’s careers were facing difficulties, she mentioned that he employed a typist to transcribe the script for a movie titled “Chastity” that he was penning.

The Grammy winner recalled her then-husband’s secretary as ‘young and blond.’

One night, after heading downstairs to get water, Cher revealed she saw ‘two figures’ in the den. 

Initially ignoring the incident, the mother of two grew suspicious upon noticing noises like ‘rustling and whispering’ within her room. Her suspicions heightened when she spotted Sonny assisting his new helper exit through the front door, leading her to believe ‘something was amiss.’

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

‘It was such a f**king cliché. It broke my heart, but you’ve got to give him an A for effort,’ Cher wrote. 

When Sonny attempted to discuss with her what he had seen, Cher chose not to entertain the topic.

Overwhelmed by my emotions, I found myself gathering my treasured possessions and heading towards my mother’s abode, unable to discuss or reason any longer.

According to People, despite longing for reassurance from her mom, Cher stated that her mother had been listening to tales resembling those about Bono for some time.

The singer said his infidelity ‘overloaded’ her with sadness and she never forgave him for it. 

At the time, she was 21, and had already experienced three miscarriages. 

Previously, she recalled suffering her first at age 18. 

She pointed out that Bono frequently attempted to reconcile with her, employing his charisma and persuasive abilities in an effort to win her over again.

When that didn’t work, he blamed her for not having sex with him often enough. 

According to Cher, Bono said to her: “If my sexual needs were being met within our marriage, I wouldn’t have felt the need to seek satisfaction elsewhere.

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

The star, who was younger than Bono by 11 years, acknowledged that what he heard earlier seemed completely untrue, yet as he continued speaking, I found myself offering an apology instead.

In her memoir, Cher detailed how controlling her ex-husband was during their marriage. 

She asserted that Bono went as far as manipulating her to such an extent that she was barred from visiting her friends, was allowed outside solely for grocery shopping, and was prohibited from wearing perfume since the former musician found it unpleasant.

In her book, Cher mused that there existed an enigma within him that always eluded her comprehension, a quality that transformed him from a delightful, humorous individual into someone who would strip me bare.

For quite some time now, I’ve been puzzling over the means by which he accomplished his actions, and I remain deeply shocked and bewildered by it until today.

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

In my own account, I, the 78-year-old once known as Cheryl Sarkisian, delve deeply into the intricacies of my unique bond with Bono, a journey that holds a significant place in my memoir’s first chapter.

In 1962, they encountered each other at a coffee house in Los Angeles. That’s where she first got acquainted with the gentleman known as ‘Salvatore Philip Bono.’

As a devoted observer, I can attest that he was among the most captivating individuals I’ve come across. His hands, with their long, slender fingers, were nothing short of beautiful to me.

They spent time together and became friends. When Cher mentioned she needed to find a new place to live because she was asked to vacate her apartment, Bono offered that she could live with him on the condition that she would take care of the cooking and cleaning duties at his place.

He assured her, “There are two separate beds for us.” However, it’s important to note that his feelings towards her might not run deep in terms of attraction.

Cher described how she was both ‘insulted and relieved’ to hear that.

Despite a gap of eleven years between them and Bono being in the middle of a divorce, it made no difference to her. In fact, she found him incredibly cool – the most captivating individual she had ever encountered.

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

During that period, Cher was attending acting workshops, but later chose to forego them in favor of spending her days socializing at the renowned Gold Star Studios, where Bono served as an assistant to the iconic producer Phil Spector.

As stated by Cher, her bond with the person was akin to a father-daughter dynamic. However, it wasn’t long before she acknowledged that she had developed romantic feelings for them.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I find it intriguing to reflect on the early days of Bono’s career, as his control-oriented nature was evident even then. Legendary icon Cher has shared that he exhibited a ‘possessive’ side, restricting our nights out dancing, despite being aware of my passion for the dance floor.

She asserts that Bono was gradually becoming a dominant presence in her life, although it may not have been immediately apparent to her. Over time, she grew to dislike any situation where she was participating but Bono wasn’t included.

In the same way dance took precedence, he caused her to abandon other pastimes like softball games with relatives and pals. This situation left her feeling heartbroken. His reasoning behind this was that she had no spare moments for trivial pursuits.

Subsequently, things escalated physically as Bono pressed her firmly against a wall, tightening his facial muscles.

Cher warned him that if he ever acted inappropriately towards her again, she’d walk away, which later proved to be an idle warning.

They became intertwined emotionally, financially and creatively. Their singing duo had a big break in 1964 with the song ‘Baby Don’t Go’, followed by ‘I Got You Babe’ which turned the act Sonny & Cher into America’s sweethearts.

Shortly afterward, they received an invitation to join The Beach Boys on tour, which led them to fly to London. There, their popularity skyrocketed when they were turned away from the Hilton Hotel due to their unconventional attire.

After achieving success, Bono kept everyone busy with numerous performances, even extending their already hectic tour schedule, as Cher puts it.

They only took vacations following a performance, and they never dined out. As for Cher, Bono’s hold over her independence tightened as she was forbidden to wear perfume and was only allowed outside for shopping. (This version tries to simplify the sentence structure and improve readability while maintaining the original meaning.)

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'
Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

The disagreement over Bono’s infidelity intensified following their visit to watch the film “The Dirty Dozen.” However, things turned sour between them when Cher expressed her liking for the movie, which apparently annoyed Bono.

‘Do you know why you like it so much? Because you’re sexually frustrated,’ he told her.

As Cher grew agitated and scared, Bono instructed her to stop their vehicle, exited, and forcefully closed the door behind him. Without hesitation, Cher accelerated away, and upon returning home, Bono accused her of abandoning him on the roadside.

On several occasions, he would unexpectedly throw her off-balance by skillfully choosing his words and worsening their situation.

Cher reminisces about the overwhelming urge to lose her sanity amidst her domestic life, and shares that she started learning tennis as a means to discover happiness beyond her circumstances.

One time, Bono arranged for Cher to have a session with a female mentor. However, on the very next day following the lesson, the coach happened to be throwing a party, and during the event, Cher briefly greeted some of the guests. This casual exchange was later relayed to Bono by Cher’s chauffeur.

Later that night, I glanced out from my room and noticed a fire. Upon taking a closer look, I realized it was Sonny feeding the bonfire in the backyard.

Oh boy, when I stumbled upon him destroying my cherished tennis gear, a torrent of fury and despair washed over me. I simply couldn’t wrap my head around his overbearing actions. It left me feeling utterly deceived.

In 1969, the first-born child of Cher, initially named Chastity but later known as Chaz after a gender transition in 2009, was brought into the world.

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'
Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

Yet, having a child didn’t miraculously heal their deteriorating relationship; instead, it seemed to exacerbate their problems. On her first night home from the hospital, Bono chose to leave, abandoning Cher who later collapsed on the bathroom floor due to a hemorrhage.

In her book, Cher pondered, “Reflecting now, I can’t help but question where Sonny disappeared the night I arrived home with our newborn. At that moment, however, I was so exhausted and drained of energy that I couldn’t even entertain such thoughts.

At this time, people were unaware that their relationship was growing more strained, yet the Sonny & Cher duo enjoyed immense popularity due to their successful CBS television series such as The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.

But at home, Bono was ‘disconnecting’ from Cher and their situation was ‘falling apart’.

I managed to coexist with him by separating my emotions and being accustomed to filtering what I expressed and acted upon in his presence.

As your faithful companion, I’ve come to understand the guidelines of our partnership over time, ensuring my actions are always mindful and problem-free.

Previously, we were more than just business associates; we were like family. However, it seemed as though his concern for my feelings had waned, and he no longer acknowledged the existence of my emotions.

As Cher faced her circumstances more squarely, it became clear to her that at the age of 26, she found herself in a marriage devoid of love.

Cher claims she found out Sonny Bono was cheating on her after suffering third miscarriage: 'It broke my heart'

She played Bono’s games against him and rebelled by having an affair with their band’s young guitar player, Bill. But in one of the most bizarre passages of the book, Cher admits she blurted out her intentions to sleep with Bill to Bono’s face.

Incredibly, he replied: ‘How long do you think you’ll need?’

When she told him she needed two hours, he said ‘ok’ and walked off.

That evening, as Cher was drifting off to sleep, Bono approached her side of the bed and removed her wedding ring. Later on, he exclaimed angrily at her, “America will despise you for splitting us apart!

Interestingly enough, it was later discovered that Bono had slept with Bill’s girlfriend as a form of retaliation. In the midst of the tumultuous separation, one of Cher’s mutual friends confessed that during their marriage, Bono had been involved intimately with dancers, actresses, waitstaff, and even prostitutes while they were on tour.

In a shared suite with Cher, his friend mentioned that he had an additional room accessible via a side entrance for private access.

Some of the women he was intimate with reached out to Cher, claiming that he had informed them his marriage with her was permissive or non-exclusive.

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2024-11-27 02:52

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