Cher is shedding light on the troubled moments of her marriage to the late Sonny Bono in her new memoir, “Cher: The Memoir (Part One).” The iconic singer opens up about the emotional strain in their relationship, including a chilling revelation that Sonny had “seriously thought” about k!lling her toward the end of their union.
In the memoir, Cher recounts a particularly dark period during their stay at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas in October 1972. She confesses that her unhappiness reached such depths that she considered taking her own life by jumping from a hotel balcony. Cher had revealed to Sonny that she was considering an affair with their guitarist, Bill, in an effort to make Sonny understand the seriousness of her desire to break up. While Cher admits she didn’t genuinely mean her words, it was a way to get Sonny’s attention.
Eventually, after months of emotional turmoil and their successful show “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour,” the couple agreed to separate. However, Cher continued living with Sonny in public for the sake of their image. During one morning together, Sonny shocked Cher by admitting that he had considered “throwing you off our balcony” after she confessed her intentions with Bill.
Cher recalls, “He laughed a little at that and so did I. It was crazy that he was telling me… He went on: ‘I figured I’d plead insanity like Spade Cooley and get seven years in jail before they released me. Then I’d get a book deal and my own show.'”
In a stark moment of honesty, Cher responded by saying there would have been “no need to push [her]” since she was already contemplating jumping herself. She called this exchange “the darkest moment” of their marriage, but acknowledged that while she didn’t believe Sonny would actually harm her, the thought may have crossed his mind, just as the thought of jumping had crossed hers.
Sonny and Cher’s marriage ended in 1975 after 11 years. They had one child together, Chaz Bono. Sonny Bono tragically passed away in 1998 from injuries sustained in a skiing accident.
Cher’s memoir continues to reveal the complexities of their tumultuous yet iconic relationship.
