Chicago Sun-Times Blurb

[walktall2010]

As a fan who admires the man for both his music and as a human being (past failings notwithstanding), I'm hoping to God this isn't true. I really thought he'd turned the corner.

Mellencamp’s wife hurt so good

WITH BILL ZWECKER Jan 19, 2011 8:28PM

While the pending divorce between singer John Mellencamp and Elaine Irwin, his wife of 18 years, is said to be “amicable,” people who ran into Irwin at a couple of Golden Globe parties last weekend in Los Angeles tell a different story.

While Mellencamp has told folks his marriage to Irwin was over well before he started quietly dating Meg Ryan last year, a source close to Irwin claims the “face” of Almay cosmetics thinks otherwise.

“Yes, John and Elaine had been dealing with problems in their marriage for quite a while,” said the source. “But Elaine truly thought they had a shot at patching things up and getting back together. … Then along came Meg and played that good old-fashioned role she’s played before: homewrecker. Only this time, her affair ruined someone else’s marriage besides her own.”

That was a reference to Ryan’s well-publicized fling with her “Proof of Life” co-star Russell Crowe in 2000, which led to the end of her marriage to Dennis Quaid.

† Mellencamp officially filed for divorce in Brown County, Ind., last Friday, only two weeks after the musician and his third wife announced over the New Year’s weekend that they were splitting.

Indiana was “a good place to file, because this is very quiet and out of the way,” a lawyer familiar with the case told People magazine Wednesday.

While Irwin was escorted to those L.A. parties by Vivi Nevo, my source laughed off reports hinting that Irwin was romantically linked to the Israeli venture capitalist.

“Seriously, they are really just friends. Elaine is still too fragile emotionally to begin dating anyone.”

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/zwecker/3388963-452/irwin-mellencamp-elaine-film-golden.html

[Rhonda2]

Sounds like just more gossip to me. More reliable sources so far have claimed this marriage has been over for months.

Plus it's well known by now that Meg Ryan's marriage ended because her ex-husband Dennis Quaid cheated on her for several years. But I guess that doesn't make for interesting gossip for this 'journalist'.

[slm1206]

I have not said much about this so far on here, but I would say this report is totally correct. We all know John likes the ladies. I have never liked Meg Ryan. I couldn't believe that my favorite singer in the world had taken up with that woman. I had a different word for her, but I didn't want to get yelled at! I can't believe that anyone with good sense would leave the beautiful, classy, elegant Elaine Irwin for Meg Ryan. I'd rather be alone forever.
Okay, I finally said what I think. I feel better now.

[Rhonda2]

Fact is none of us know any of these people. And none of us know what happened with Elaine and John's marriage. So we don't know if John or Elaine cheated on eachother or if they left the marriage for someone else, or if they just grew apart which happens a lot. It's just guessing. And it's sad to see gossipwebsites taking advantage of it by making up stories.

EDITED. From Radaronline:

Musician John Mellencamp has filed for divorce from his wife, Elaine, after nearly 18 years of marriage claiming the union is irretrievably broken, and RadarOnline.com has exclusive new details behind the star's split.

According to court documents filed January 14 in Brown County, Indiana, John and Elaine married on September 5, 1992 and physically separated on or about September 1, 2010.
The couple has two children, age 16 and 15, and Elaine is not currently pregnant.

John, who is in possession of the couple's Prenuptial Agreement, states in court documents that the Prenup is valid and binding and will govern the distribution of the marital property.

In addition, John also requests that Elaine be restored to her maiden name of "Irwin."

The documents note that the couple intends to submit a Confidential Child and Property Settlement Agreement to the court for review and approval, requesting an entry of Summary Degree with no future hearings.

John and Elaine met in 1991 when she modeled for the cover of his album, Whenever We Wanted.