A Queer Start for an Icon
Just when you think you know everything about a legend, she opens up a whole new chapter. Cher, a titan of music and an undisputed icon for the LGBTQ+ community, recently sat down for a candid chat on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, revealing fascinating details about the queer people who shaped her early life and career.
Long before she became a global superstar, a 16-year-old Cher left home and moved in with a roommate hand-picked by her mother for supervision. As Cher tells it, this roommate was a queer woman. “When my parents left, we smoked a cigarette in every room,” she laughed, recalling the moment of newfound freedom.
Things got complicated when a young Sonny Bono entered the picture. In a twist worthy of a Hollywood script, Sonny wasn't initially interested in Cher. “He likes my girlfriend,” Cher explained, “And my girlfriend is gay.” The situation, which podcast host Dax Shepard aptly called “a mess,” formed the unlikely backdrop for the beginning of the legendary duo Sonny and Cher.
The Mogul and the Goddess
Years later, after her tumultuous marriage and professional partnership with Sonny began to crumble, another pivotal figure entered her life: music producer David Geffen. The two dated for two years in the mid-1970s, a high-profile romance at the time. Geffen, who would go on to become one of the most powerful moguls in entertainment, was not yet publicly out as gay.
Cher described their unique bond, noting that Geffen had never truly been in love before their relationship. “So I was the first person that he had real feelings for,” she shared. “We had a special arrangement.” This relationship offers a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of love, intimacy, and identity in an era when being openly gay in Hollywood was nearly impossible.
More Than a Lover, An Ally
Geffen's impact on Cher's life went far beyond their romance. He was the one who finally opened her eyes to the shocking financial reality of her partnership with Sonny Bono.
As Cher recounted, Geffen reviewed her contracts and delivered the bombshell: “Do you realize 100 percent of this money goes to a company called Cher Inc., that is owned 95 percent by Sonny and 5 percent of by his lawyer?”
Cher admitted she was naive, signing stacks of contracts right before going on stage without understanding them. Geffen’s advice was simple and direct: “get out of this.” Armed with this knowledge, Cher confronted Bono, offering to stay only if they became equal partners. When he refused, she found the strength to leave, a move she says she couldn't have made without Geffen's support. “I couldn’t have done it without David,” she stated plainly.
Geffen officially came out as gay at a charity event in 1992, and he and Cher have remained lifelong friends. Her stories are a powerful reminder that her connection to the LGBTQ+ community isn't just as a performer, but is woven into the very fabric of her personal history and journey to independence.
