Yesterday, news broke out that Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock are getting divorced. Though they are still grieving, they both agreed to do an interview with me to tell their side of the story, before news outlets start “reporting ridiculous made-up stuff.”
The three of us met up this morning in their ranch in Montana. I drove 19 hours to get there. You’d think they would offer me some water when I arrived. But no, they did not.
Bea: Hi you two. Thanks for agreeing to do this with me.
Kelly: Of course.
Bea: I know divorce is hard, but do you mind if I ask you to stop crying, Brandon? It’s unsettling.
Brandon: I’m not crying. I have allergies.
Bea: Well, stop them. They’re distracting.
[Silence]
Bea: So… because I know you’re both hurting, I’m gonna start this interview off with a quote.
Kelly: Okay… how thoughtful.
Bea: “The function of education is to teach intensively and to think critically intelligence plus character. That is the goal of true education.”
Kelly: [Silence]
Brandon: [Silence]
Bea: Martin Luther King said that.
[Silence]
Bea: Anyway, something to ponder on.
Kelly: What does education have to do with—
Brandon: Let’s just move on…
[Silence]
Bea: Let’s talk about what happened. Why did you come to this difficult decision?
Kelly: Well… it’s…. it’s really a combination of a lot of things.
Bea: Spill it out, Kimberley.
Kelly: Kimberley?
Bea: Kelly is short for Kimberley, is it not?
Kelly: No.
Bea: No?? It should be. Kelly is too short.
[Silence]
Bea: Anyway, please continue.
Kelly: We’d been having problems for several months… and we thought being in quarantine together would make things better… but it didn’t. It only made them worse.
Bea: Classic…
Brandon: It’s over, but we have agreed to make this transition as amicable as possible, and to remain friends.
Bea: Aren’t you also her manager, Brandon? Of course you want to stay friends. Friends keep each other employed.
Kelly: Actually, we still haven’t talked about that…
Brandon: Yes, we have. We agreed I would still be your manager.
Kelly: Let’s not do this in front of her.
Bea: I don’t mind.
Brandon: She doesn’t mind…
Kelly: Brandon….please….
Brandon: Fine.
Kelly: Fine.
Bea: I should probably go, anyway. I’m really thirsty.
You’d think one of them would take the hint and offer me some water. But no, they did not.
After my interview, I called my editor, Joan, to let her know it all went well, and that I was not coming back to LA today. “Of course you’re coming back,” she said. And that was that. I’m at my desk now.
Read more interviews by Bea:
—Prince Philip Opens Up About Being Almost 100 Years Old, Literally
—Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas Can’t Stop Touching Each Other and It’s Grossing People Out
