Did Neil Diamond have an affair while married to Marcia Murphy?

Answer 1

Oh honey, Neil Diamond's love life is more complicated than a soap Opera. He did have an affair while married to Marcia Murphy, which eventually led to their divorce in 1969. So, yes, he strayed while he was hitched to Marcia.

Answer 2

Allegedly, yes, though it should be noted that no one has ever publicly discussed the relationship(s) he has had; for all we know, he was in an open relationship and there was no "cheating" or "affair" involved.

In the early 1990s, tabloids reported that he was having an affair with a woman named Lynn "Jonnie" Jonckowski who was well known on the rodeo circuit in the late 80s and early 90s, and appeared on a few episodes of "American Gladiators." She recently stated in an interview with Yellowstone Valley Woman that she lived with Diamond for a while and that her relationship with him was "tabloid fodder". Many of Diamond's fans say he just pretended to have an affair with her to hide the fact that she is a lesbian, but there is nothing to indicate that's true. It's possible they weren't just trying to save the reputation of their hero but heard the rumor from within the rodeo circuit. (Gossip completists might be interested to note that author Sara Bird who researched women's rodeos has said that accusations of lesbianism are common in the rodeo circuit.)

Chicago DJ Connie Szerszen is rumored to have slept with Diamond in the very early 1970s. The story varies, however, and Szerszen's official version in her recent book Top Rock Girly Jock is that Diamond propositioned her but she turned him down because she was a "nice Catholic girl".