Kelly Clarkson’s divorce from Brandon Blackstock was — and continues to be — a long series of court cases. Just because she’s single now, it doesn’t mean she’s enjoying life back in the dating world. For her, it’s kind of uncomfortable.
The 42-year-old talk show host got real about her dating life on Friday’s episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show with guest Tiffany Haddish. The comedian, who is also single, tried to give Clarkson a sweet pep talk after she admitted to being “nervous” and “awkward” in her post-divorce dating life. Clarkson continued, “It’s not that I don’t think I’m a prize, I just find it awkward, and it’s the same things — ‘Where did you grow up?’” She’s not wrong about that, those first few dates can be cringeworthy — and it must be extra hard when you’re famous!
“I don’t think I’ve dated a lot. I think that’s the thing,” Clarkson added. “Maybe I just haven’t done it enough.” The ‘Since U Been Gone” singer also blamed her busy work schedule for not allowing time for dating. If she’s not with her two kids, River, 9, and Remington, 8, she’s focusing on her career. “I love adventure, but I’m gonna be real with you — there’s not a lot of time for adventure, ‘cause I’m a single mom, so there’s not a lot of time,” she continued “I’m at work. And then when I get home, I’m just me, doing all the homework and the things. I have a nanny, but only for when I’m not there. I’m not one of those people who has a nanny at your house when you’re there.”
This isn’t the first time Clarkson has been honest about her dating life. She revealed to People in January that, in general, “dating sucks.” She told Hoda Kotb during a segment of her talk show in March that she doesn’t think about going out on a date “at all.” She joked, “I am really loving not having a man in my life. It’s just too hard, it’s too much.” We love that Clarkson is honoring where she’s at in her post-divorce recovery because sometimes self-care is the best recipe for healing.
Clarkson and Blackstock met in 2006 and married in 2012. The couple announced their divorce in 2020 and have spent the last four years also untangling their professional partnership with his father’s management company, Starstruck Entertainment. The former couple have an ongoing legal battle with the California Labor Commissioner and a court case that is scheduled to begin in August.
Before you go, click here to learn more about celebrities who’ve opened up about dating after divorce.