Cher - 70 Years Of Secrets & Scandals

#1 Cher Is 70 Years Old

She worked several jobs before turning to music. "Poverty and dyslexia taught me what it's like to have shame for something beyond your control, and I think that's what makes me never forget where I came from," admits megastar Cher. But she just turned 70 years old, and she's far from poverty.

#2 A Shining Star On Stage

She just set another milestone as she turned 70-years-old, with a career that spanned the 1960's through 2015. She has had #1 records in four different decades has reigned as one of Hollywood's brightest stars. She starred in several movies, including the Oscar-winning performance she gave in "Moonstruck". On stage, she shines brightly, but off stage, she's left a legacy of secrets and scandals.

#3 She Used Sonny

She met future husband Sonny Bono on Hollywood Blvd. in 1962. He was 27 and she was 18 years old. She didn't like him at all, but Cher had aspirations to make it in show business, and Sonny was a record promoter. "I didn't even like him that much," she said. "I just thought, 'This is the weirdest-looking man I've ever seen.' I mean he was ugly," she later said about Sonny. Her mother didn't want her to hook up with Sonny so she faked a Tijuana marriage. They didn't legally marry until 1969, when Cher was 23 and pregnant with their daughter Chastity. The pair were so successful that they were given a TV variety series in 1971 that lasted until they divorced.

#4 Claims She Was Cursed

After she divorced Sonny, he struggled with his career and she thrived as a solo artist. He later got into government, becoming a mayor, while she was at the top of the charts with hits like "Dark Lady" and "Walking In Memphis". However, after her split from what was the 1960s and early 70s biggest duo on radio and TV, she became obsessed with Egyptian artifacts. In 1983 that the star believes she was an Egyptian in a previous life. That ended weird when she sued a Beverly Hills construction worker for putting an Egyptian curse on her home. She believed that her dispute with the man over pricing caused him to curse her house and sued for 6 million.

#5 Her Movie Comeback Failed Because Of Botox

By 1991 Cher was ready to pack it up and retire for good, though she has retired at least 5 times over the years and come back. Even though the star was only 45 years old, vanity had Cher ready to pass on age-appropriate roles. She was set to star in the 1996 film "Faithful" but that went haywire for the star as well when she went in for botox surgery just before filming began. The movie comeback was shelved and an insider reported that "It was one of the first times that an actress had done that to get ready for a role, and it was a disaster. She looked like an actress in a Cher mask."

#6 1991 Was A Bad Year For Cher

Acting wasn't the only thing Cher gave up in 1991, though. In a shocking exclusive interview, Cher also revealed that she's put her love life on hold and confided she hasn't had sex for 10 months. She went into a deep depression after her affair with guitarist Richie Sambora had ended in heartache. Friends were worried because they knew Cher was never happy unless she had a man in her bed.

#7 Her Concert Tour Was Cut Short

When the movie comeback didn't work, Cher relied on her concert tour to bring in some cash. But when the Sands Hotel & Casino gave an ad promoting Cher's six-night appearance to The Press, an Atlantic City newspaper, it ended in disaster. The picture accompanying the ad was Cher from the backside, sporting a bare bum with just a tattoo, a thong and fishnet stockings. The headline read, "Cher's Back." The paper's publisher said the original ad was "inappropriate" for publication in a newspaper. The ad was banned, and her concert at the resort was cut from her tour.

#8 Experts Said Plastic Surgery Was Disfiguring Her

According to experts, Cher still didn't learn a lesson from the Botox disaster of filming "Faithful." The star denied having plastic surgery. Some photos of the superstar in 2007, however, had renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Tony Youn fearing the actress had gone too far with her surgery and botox injections. A concerned friend also spoke to reporters. "Too much of a good thing is never good," said the pal. "Sometimes the results are a nightmare." Photos that appeared in gossip magazines showed that Cher had begun to resemble a wax figure of her previous self. She appeared disfigured and her lips were twice the normal size.

#9 She Dated A Lot Of Younger Men

And there were lots of men coming in and out of her turbulent life as well. Cher had a famous romance with Rob "Bagel Boy" Camilletti (pictured) in the '80s, but her romance with the younger deli worker did not last very long before she was on to bad boy biker Tim Medvetz. However, Medvetz said Cher was difficult and left her by the side of the road as he sped off on his Harley. She was also linked to Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Hells Angel member Josh Donen, who she was prepared to marry at age 66 when he was just 24.

#10 She Reveals That Sonny Was Her Only Love

Despite all of the men, Cher revealed to reporters that her one true love was indeed Sonny Bono. She said that she felt she was looking for another Sonny in the men she dated, but had no luck. In 1998, she broke down completely when an interview with Oprah, that was not supposed to air because of her breakdown during filming, was aired at Sonny's funeral. "She had no idea Oprah was going to run it," revealed an insider. "It was very emotional for Cher to be transported back to that time. She was totally caught off guard." A regretful Oprah finally sent a representative to state that "The footage was part of a tribute to Cher's legacy and was never intended to upset her."

#11 The Ghost Of Sonny Haunts Her

After that, Cher claimed that she often spoke to Sonny from the grave. She claimed that his spirit was around her and urging her to never give up her career, always making her retirements short. Psychic James Van Praagh helped her keep in touch with Sonny's spirit. Shattered by Sonny's death in a tragic skiing accident in January 1998, Cher felt much better after speaking with her ex-hubby just a few months later. "I know it sounds kooky, but it's true," Cher claimed.

#12 Her Two Children Don't Speak To Her

In her later years, Cher has become a recluse. She rarely leaves her mansion and is struggling with her health and family issues, as well as a past that still haunts her. A recent cancellation of a major tour has left her severely depressed and she is struggling with the closeness of her two children, estranged son Elijah, and transgendered son Chaz, who was born as Chastity. Elijah told reporters that he felt neglected as a kid, which made Cher furious and removed him from her will. She still hasn't gotten over Chastity's sex change.

#13 She Has Become A Recluse

When her major tour got canceled last year, lawsuits were filed by her dancers, venues, and Cher got sick. She began having meltdowns about her boyfriends, Elijah, Chaz, and no one was happy. Her tour cancellation set her back almost $2 million in fees to cover expenses. She now stays in her mansion, mostly using social media to rant about politics and social issues of the day. "Her management even went to Cher telling her that she has to tone it down," said an insider, "because she's coming across as angry. She told them to f**k off!" Her closest friends, Kathy Griffin and Rosie O'Donnell, say that she rarely accepts their phone calls.

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