LONDON - Singer George Michael (news) has written to a British celebrity magazine to rebuke Elton John (news) for making unflattering comments about his personal life.

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In an open letter to Heat magazine, released Tuesday, Michael accused John of spreading unsubstantiated gossip picked up on the "gay grapevine."

In comments published last month, John, 57, told Heat that "George is in a strange place. There seems to be a deep-rooted unhappiness in his life and it shows on the (latest) album. All I would say to George is: you should get out more."

In the letter, Michael, whose latest album, "Patience," topped the British charts, said he had "rarely been as happy and confident as I am today, thanks to my partner Kenny (Goss) and the continued support of my fans."

Michael, 41, said he and John were not close, and that he had kept his distance because "I was always aware that Elton's circle of friends was the busiest rumor mill in town, and that respect for my privacy was not exactly guaranteed."

"Elton John knows very little about George Michael, and that's a fact. Contrary to the public's impression, we have spoken rarely in the last 10 years, and what would probably surprise most people is that we have never discussed my private life. Ever," Michael wrote.

"And to this day, most of what Elton thinks he knows about my life is pretty much limited to the gossip he hears on what you would call the `gay grapevine' which, as you can imagine, is lovely stuff indeed," Michael added. "Other than that, he knows that I don't like to tour, that I smoke too much pot, and that my albums still have a habit of going to number one.

"In other words, he knows as much as most of my fans do."

John has made headlines recently with intemperate remarks about fellow stars. In October he accused Madonna (news - web sites) of lip-synching during her recent Re-Invention tour. Last month he said "Posh Spice" Victoria Beckham was responsible for the marital problems she and soccer-star husband David Beckham had suffered.

come on now...E.J. fuckin' shit up. He didn't read the sign in the hair salon correctly:

What you do here,
What you see here,
What you say here,
What you hear here,
it STAYS here

Gaaawd, Elton has really turned into a self-righteous boob lately. And George Michael keeps impressing me more with his honesty and sense of humor about himself...Unfortunatley, both their records suck.

here's the whole letter:

Dear heat

Much as I am saddened to have to write this letter in full view of the general public, I feel I have no choice but to defend myself (and my partner Kenny, in a way) from some of the comments that Elton John made in heat magazine a couple of weeks ago.

Let me start by saying that I will always be grateful to Elton for the inspiration that he gave me as a child, and that will never change. Those songs are still dear to me 30 years on. But having said that, in order that my fans do not take Elton's "observations" about my life too seriously, or worry about the "strange place" I'm in these days, I think that it's time to set the record straight about my friendship with Sir Elton John, and how he may have come to such negative conclusions about my life.

Elton John knows very little about George Michael, and that's a fact. Contrary to the public's impression, we have spoken rarely in the last ten years, and what would probably surprise people is that we have never discussed my private life. Ever. Those really close to me, straight or gay, would tell you that I am not secretive at all in terms of my sexuality, in fact the phrase "too much information" comes to mind occasionally, but with Elton it was never like that. Sadly, I was always aware that Elton's circle of friends was the busiest rumour mill in town, and that respect for my pivacy was not exactly guaranteed.

So, we never became genuinely close, which is very sad. And to this day, most of what Elton thinks he knows about my life is pretty much limited to the gossip he hears on what you would call the "gay grapevine", which, as you can imagine, is lovely stuff indeed. Other than that, he knows that I don't like to tour, that I smoke too much pot, and that my albums still have a habit of going to Number One.

In other words, he knows as much as most of my fans do.

What he doesn't know is that I have rarely been as happy and confident as I am today, thanks to my partner Kenny and the continued support of my fans. If I stay at home too much, if anything it is because I am too contented right now. I have travelled the world many times and, at 41, I think I have earned the right to a quiet life, which I truly love, and maybe Elton just can't relate to that. After all, he tours incessantly, he is a great artist and loves to play live. We are totally different in that sense. He makes millions playing those old classics day in and day out, whereas my drive and passion is still about the future, and the songs I have yet to write for the public.

And much as I am saddened that he would feel the need to criticise my album (which is, of course, in my humble opinion, a classic!, I am far more surprised that Elton seems to have forgotten me calling him a few months back to tell him that my American royalties from Patience would be donated entirely to the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Yours sincerely,

George Michael

now, that's some class. bitchy, sure...but bitchy with class.

Telephone, telegraph, tell-a-queen. Nothing like a good cat fight between two whores!

Elton John is one of those bitchy,queeny,gossipy types who spends all his time talking shit about everyone else.In a way,it's kinda amusing to see who he's gonna diss next (lol).

well, he isn't wrong. George really ought to get up off his ass more than once every 8 years.



btw, here's something about the original comments:

Elton: "George Michael is disappointing"
Wednesday, December 1 2004

Elton has taken a sneaky swipe at singer pal George Michael, dubbing his recent career "disappointing".

Elton admits he liked Michael's most recent album, Patience, but claims the former Wham! star spent too much time making it and should perform live again.

He says, "George is in a strange place. I thought Patience was good, but considering it's been so long in the making it was a bit disappointing. It upsets me because he won't perform live. He's quite happy just being at home all the time and I think that's a waste of talent. There seems to be a deep-rooted unhappiness in his life and it shows on the album."

"He's one of the most talented people I've ever met and certainly one of the best singer I've ever heard. I love him as a friend, so I have to be careful what I say. So all I would say to George is: you should get out more."

Elton may be right,but I think he spends a little too much time worrying about what other artists are doing.He should be more focused on his own fading career

GrayKing said:

If he loves him as a friend so much, then why didn't he get in contact with him and say what he had to say instead of talking to the media about it. If one of my friends was dating someone that i knew something bad about, i'm not going to the damn press about it....and i've been trying to call this bitch and tell her that Ray-Ray ain't no good for her, but the bitch won't pay her phone bill cuz she steadily buyin him shit RAYQUANDRALIQUA, GURL IF YOU READIN DIS, YOU NEED TO GET RID OF HIZ TRYFULLEN AZZ FO REAL!! CUZ I CAN TELL YOU SOME SHIT GURL..

glamslamkid said:

glamslamkid said:

I couldn't agree more.

Anxiety said:

i agree...WHAT ABOUT THE CHURREN???

Queens LOL... gotta love them but I'd like to See George live once in my life... after seeing Madonna live i have to live goals left to achieve

Touching MJ's nose
and Seeing George Michael

glamslamkid said:

i agree to some extent, but what he said wasn't really that scathing or damning. and i'm sure the context was that the interviewer asked him about George Michael, and rather than be a dullard about it, as Elton likes to give a good interview, he tossed off some pretty standard remarks. i doubt it was something he was obssessing over and went in to that interview that day saying "damn, i'm really going to lay into George Michael today."

Is Elton John perhaps in the early stages of a clinical Dementia, or is he just a bitchy queen?

ELTON WILL KICK HIS ASS! OR KISS HIS ASS?

Do you guys ever get the feeling that both these guys would fit in perfectly on the Org?

Thunderbird said:

i would love to lock a thread by elton john! or at the very least, do one of these numbers:

Anxiety said: