LeAnn Rimes has admitted that she ‘knows why’ she cheated on her former husband with Eddie Cibrian. The 28-year-old country singer reveals that having an extramarital affair while being married to Dean Sheremet was wrong but excuses herself by claiming that she didn’t have the tools to deal with their problems the right way.
Speaking to the Great American Country channel, Rimes said: ‘I didn’t have the tools to know how to do it the right way, how to let go the right way. I’d never been taught that,’ she said.
Nobody ever taught Rimes that when you are married you don’t have sex with other people? Was she raised by wolves? ‘I think I felt really abandoned – I think abandoned is a really good word – because of our divorce. Not only that, our divorce became so much bigger because it was so publicised.’
It has now been over two years since the Northern Lights co-stars’ affair was revealed and LeAnn says she has learned from her mistakes. ‘I have the strength [now] but I didn’t at the time… So, it got really messy, but I have learned a lot from that. ‘And I’m not glad it happened, but I know why it did.’
She went on to vent her anger about the ‘double standard’ within the country music business, saying that it seems to be more acceptable for men to cheat. ‘[Country music] has such a double standard. You know, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and all these guys. ‘God knows what they did back in the day? And if a woman did it, you never were accepted or forgiven. ‘But if it was a guy, it was just their life… . It’s quite interesting to have to navigate those waters as a woman in this business.’
What exactly is Rimes complaining about – that woman can’t cheat with impunity?
LeAnn’s affair surfaced in 2009, leading Cibrian and his then wife Brandi Glanville, with whom he has two children, to seek divorce.
Rimes also divorced her former husband Sheremet in 2009 after falling in love with her Northern Lights co-star, whom she is now engaged to.
The singer spoke out about the affair scandal last year too, saying she understood why people were disappointed in her. She told Shape Magazine: ‘I’m sure some people are thinking that I was totally selfish, but the truth is, there are times in your life when you have to be selfish in order to find out what truly makes you happy.’ Sounds like a page from Charlie Sheen.
She then said of her marriage with Sheremet: ‘My relationship with Dean was great, but ultimately it wasn’t a fulfilling marriage for either of us.” ‘We got married so young. I was 19 and he was 21, so as we got older, we grew apart.’
Meanwhile, Eddi had been married to Brandi for seven years and the former couple have two sons together, Mason, seven, and four-year-old Jake. The full interview with LeAnn Rimes will air on the Great American Country channel on April 24 in the US.
Image credit to WENN