Cher felt trapped in controlling marriage to Sonny
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Cher’s new memoir reveals a dark chapter in her life during her marriage to Sonny Bono, detailing how she contemplated suicide due to his controlling behavior and their exhausting work schedule.
The legendary performer describes the intense loneliness she experienced in 1972 while starring in “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.” In her book “Cher: The Memoir, Part One,” she writes, “I was dizzy with loneliness. I saw how easy it would be to step over the edge and simply disappear.”
๐๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ง๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ซ
According to CNN, Cher details in her new memoir about a complex relationship with her late husband Sonny Bono. The book "Cher: The Memoir โ Part One" explores her childhood andโฆ pic.twitter.com/VbAuot6fsJ— PopBuzzRecap (@PopBuzzRecap) November 19, 2024
The star’s life was tightly controlled by Sonny, who restricted everything from her perfume use to social gatherings. Despite her tremendous success, she lacked financial independence and wasn’t permitted to maintain her own bank account.
Their grueling schedule reached a breaking point in October 1972. After recording multiple TV episodes, they immediately flew to Las Vegas for double performances at the Sahara Hotel. Cher’s health deteriorated, with her weight dropping to 98 pounds.
The situation worsened when she discovered Sonny had committed them to additional Vegas performances. When she suggested a European vacation during a business meeting, Sonny dismissed her, saying, “Why? You can’t make any money in Europe.”
His response to her vacation request was equally dismissive: “Cher, c’mon.”
Overwhelmed by despair, Cher found herself contemplating jumping from their hotel balcony multiple times. She writes that she’d “step barefoot on the balcony of our suite and stared down…”
However, thoughts of her child Chas, mother, sister, and her influence on fans always pulled her back. Eventually, she realized suicide wasn’t the only escape – she could simply leave the marriage.
The Biggest Revelations From Cherโs New Memoir: Calls Marriage To Sonny Bono โLoveless,โ Struggled With Suicidal Thoughtshttps://t.co/cEFc0wxfEe pic.twitter.com/DeNU1uB1ob
— Forbes (@Forbes) November 19, 2024
Their subsequent arrangement allowed her weekend freedom at their Malibu beach house, though Sonny maintained control through a modest monthly allowance. “I didn’t care about any of that. I was free and had a bedroom of my own,” Cher writes.
The marriage officially ended in 1975, followed by Cher’s brief union with Gregg Allman, which concluded four years later due to his substance abuse issues.
