Tammy Lynn Michaels

Yes, Tammy Lynn Michaels is demanding more money from ex Melissa Etheridge. She does not believe that $23,000 per month is sufficient spousal/child support.

But Michaels says in a new interview this is not because she's greedy. It's because the singer allegedly makes $178,000 per month and it's a question of math, fairness and gay rights.

"It's the law," Michaels tells After Ellen. "When we were together, there were a lot of things said and shared between us. And a lot of things were promised. I'm standing here saying: "You wanted to fight for gay rights; you wanted everything to be fair. You wanted to stand up for all of us? Because now I'm an 'us,' the gays that wanted to have gay rights and equality and not look like dip s--ts."

Melissa Etheridge has filed legal documents claiming that her former domestic partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, is responsible for all sorts of bad stuff.

Namely accidentally burning one of their kids with a cigarette.

In her EPIC dispute with Tammy, who is seeking a substantial bump in support from the $23,000 per month she gets now, wants the judge to order both her and Tammy to go smoke-free around their twins to prevent future burns.

Melissa also claims Tammy has accused her of having no maternal instinct and therefore is against striking a 50/50 joint custody deal for their twins.

Melissa says Tammy is adamant ... she did not give birth to the children just to give them away. Melissa calls Tammy an "angry and vindictive" person.

How angry and vindictive are we talking about here? Making matters worse, if that's even possible, Etheridge says Michaels once sent her an email saying:

"You have to support so many households because YOU BROKE SO MANY HOUSEHOLDS ... If you had decided to have one ounce of integrity/honesty as a person or partner, you would NOT be in this predicament. Think about it."

"They aren't leaving my care while you are on the road - a completely inappropriate place for 3-year-olds - not to mention you can't track them, have no child care, and they were bit by dogs in the house last time you had them."

Again, there are bad celebrity breakups, and there is this.

Looks like Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels are still at odds.

Tammy Lynn filed legal papers saying she needs more than the $23,000 per month that her ex, Melissa, is currently shelling out for spousal and child support.

Like a lot more.

She lists Melissa's monthly income at almost $178,000 and their former standard of living at over $128,000 a month. Yes, a month. On living expenses.

Etheridge "has extensive resources at her disposal and a tremendous earning capacity," while Tammy Lynn says she "has limited income and virtually no savings."

The lesbian couple of nearly nine years separated in April 2010 and have two children together, five-year-old twins, daughter Johnnie Rose and son Miller.

In January 2011, Melissa began dating Nurse Jackie creator Linda Wallem, Tammy's best friend who was even in her wedding party when she married Melissa.

Yeah. There are nasty breakups, and then there's this.

Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels are at odds over ... well, what are they NOT at odds over would be a better question. The longtime lovebirds are engaged in a full-scale legal war surrounding their former union.

The legality of which is currently in question.

According to legal papers, the Grammy-winning singer claims she's battling Tammy over child custody (the pair has two daughters), visitation, child support, spousal support, division of property and attorney's fees.

Short story: Some lawyers are billing a lot of hours!

Perhaps most significantly, Melissa (now reportedly dating Tammy's BFF Linda Wallem) says they were never actually, legally, married, and that a non-binding commitment ceremony entitles Tammy to ... well, a lot less than a marriage.

Tammy says they were married. How there's confusion about that, we have no idea, but clearly these two don't see eye to eye on many things lately.

[Photo: WENN.com]

Reliable sources have confirmed that Melissa Etheridge really is dating Linda Wallem, the creator of Nurse Jackie and former best friend of ex-wife Tammy Lynn Michaels.

That's awkward. But it's not nearly as awkward as the way in which Michales learned that Etheridge was being unfaithful, as explained in a new poem Tammy has posted on her website, titled "speak, spread walk the talk." It tells the story of a mis-labeled box of dildos.

Writes Michaels:

i moved out november 23rd 2009
she said it would help
i was convinced it would
too and i trusted there was
no one else
i didn't know
there was someone moving in
as i was moving out

indeed

three weeks later a box of new toys
was delivered and her assistant brought
it to my rental house as a mistake
i opened it
and that's when i felt something was up

i called her
"i have your new dicks on my kitchen counter?"

The split between Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels just got a lot messier.

While the two continue to argue over financial issues, the singer's personal life has now come into focus - and it's a hurtful image for Michaels.

The National Enquirer reports that Etheridge is dating Linda Wallem, a producer on Nurse Jackie and someone who was in Tammy Lynn's wedding party when she married Melissa.

"Linda has been talking constantly on the set about how she and Melissa are in love and how they're in a committed relationship," a source tells the tabloid.

Etheridge and Michaels got married in 2003 and Wallem was right there with them, this friend says, adding:

"In lesbian terms, Linda was the 'best lady.' Now she's taken Tammy's place."

Through the use of poems, Tammy Lynn Michaels has spent the last few weeks going off on Melissa Etheridge. She claims the singer left her and the couple's children in poverty, scarcely able to afford food on a daily basis.

Asked if this allegation was true, Etheridge simply tells the latest issue of Us Weekly: "No, it's not."

Could she elaborate?

"A woman is always entitled to speak her mind, and that's the way she speaks her mind," the artist said of her ex's strange blog posts. "It's always one person's perspective, and one person's perspective through hurt and fear, and anger. You're going to get a pretty dark picture. We're working things out, how about that?"

Tammy Lynn Michaels says ex-wife Melissa Etheridge has screwed her and the couple's children out of money.

Etheridge, conversely, has seemingly proven in court that this isn't the case.

THG is not here to take sides, at least not in this important matter. But we are here to give Michaels props for the most creative way to publicly air one's grievances. Tammy Lynn has taken to her blog to post the following poem:

"pays all the bills"
not entirely true

"pays all the bills she chooses to pay"
"pays all the bills her people thinks
are important enough to pay"
is more accurate

Over the past couple weeks, Tammy Lynn Michaels has penned a couple blog entries that painted Melissa Etheridge in a very poor light.

The most recent poem claims Michaels does not have a dollar to her name, a statement that comes soon after this former actress filed for full custody of her and the singer's children.

However, newly released court documents show that Tammy might be exaggerating her situation - and asking for unrealistic demands from her partner of nine years.

In the papers, Etheridge says Michaels is using their twins as "pawns," citing a July 6 visit to Boston where the pair had agreed Melissa would spend time with the kids. Instead, she received a text message from Michaels (It stated: "My plans changed, sorry."), along with the custody filing.

As for Tammy's claim that she's broke and Etheridge refuses to support her and the kids, these documents also reframe that argument.

The singer's lawyer told a judge Monday that his client has been giving Michaels $2,000 a month and paying all of her household expenses. But this isn't enough for Tammy's lifestyle.

She wants an increase in spousal support, along with $4,300 in child support payments. For what purposes? Michaels listed her monthly expenses in court:

• $6,000 for rent.
• $1,500 for groceries.
• $800 for eating out.
• $50 for laundry and cleaning.
• $5,000 for clothes.

Yes, these are her monthly expenses. It's a bit hard to feel sympathy for someone that spends $2,300 each month on food and $5,000 each month on clothing.

Last week, a judge shot down the actress' demand for $25,000 to cover her attorney fees and another $25,000 for daily living.

First, Tammy Lynn Michaels was "blindsided" by her break-up with Melissa Etheridge.

Then, she was denied $25,000 in court this week to help her cover the legal fees of their split and upcoming custody battle.

Now, the scorned mother of two has penned a poem on her official website. It's titled ulcers to gallbladder to pancreas to liver and then...? and, well, here it is:

a dillar
a dollar
a trick or treat
hollar
need some help
need some honesty
need some real
call 'er
no answer

gallbladder
pancreas
liver
ulcers
MRIs
ultrasounds
gotta get it done
on pennies now?
somethings going on

gotta get a job
with barf bag in hand?
and leave my twins with who?
and with what babysitting money?

a dillar
a dollar
a trick or treat
hollar

this too shall pass
cuz i believe in miracles
and
miracles look like rainbows.

oh. and we have to be out of our rental in 45 days.
man, i love a challenge.

It's unclear what rhyme scheme this is in, but it's apparent Michaels is suffering. Please give her some money, Melissa. At least to save us the pain of reading more of these missives.