The Montana ranch drama between Kelly Clarkson and ex-husband Brandon Blackstock may finally be coming to an end, with the June 1, 2022 deadline for the music manager to move out quickly approaching. However, the property is remaining a point of contention until the bitter end. In the weeks before Blackstock was ordered to be off the property, the former couple was back in court after he made one last demand.
Kelly Clarkson was deemed the sole owner of the ranch in Montana during the couple’s long and nasty divorce. However, the fight continued when the former coach of The Voice said she wanted to sell the property, and Brandon Blackstock wanted to continue living there. Ultimately a settlement was reached that gave Reba McEntire’s stepson until June 1 to find another place to live. In the weeks leading up to that deadline, however, Blackstock had his ex-wife back in court, according to legal documents, ordering that she turn off the security cameras while he was still living there:
Petitioner, KELLY BLACKSTOCK ('Petitioner') shall forthwith turn off all web-cams, trail cams, and any other security cameras at [address], which are now approximately 13 in total, pending the further hearing … Petitioner’s counsel shall forthwith send verification to Respondent, BRANDON BLACKSTOCK’s ('Respondent') counsel that all web-cams, trail cams, and any other security cameras at the Ranch have been turned off. Petitioner’s counsel shall further advise and specify how that was accomplished.
The court documents (via The Blast) reportedly did not specify any events that led to the request or if Brandon Blackstock had reason to believe Kelly Clarkson was accessing the security footage. The Blast’s sources say it was simply about privacy, with Blackstock wanting to live his own life without Clarkson being able to watch him. All cameras were allegedly pointed at the home’s exterior, with none showing the inside of the residence.
Around the time of this court order, the daytime talk show host shared a bewildering photo of a black hole that appeared in the ground of her Montana ranch. While Kelly Clarkson joked about it being an Outer Range situation, many fans warned her to keep her distance — be it for practical reasons like a possible sinkhole, or for theories a little more sci-fi in nature.
I’m not sure what a black hole like that does to property values, but regardless, if Kelly Clarkson still wants to sell the ranch, she will presumably be able to do that and whatever she wants — including with the security cameras — in the coming days.
As part of the divorce settlement, it was ruled the former American Idol winner would pay her ex-husband 5.12% of the property value (approximately $908,000), and he would have until June 1 to find another place to live. In that time he was required to pay around $12,000 a month and cover all the utilities. Brandon Blackstock would also receive a one-time, tax-free payment in the amount of $1,326,161 from his ex, as well as $115,000 per month in spousal support.
That ranch has been a big part of Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s divorce, and nobody could blame her for wanting to move forward. Only time will tell if the drama is truly over. Meanwhile, Clarkson is moving forward in other aspects of her life. She changed her legal last name from Blackstock to Brianne, though she will continue to use Clarkson professionally, and she’s preparing a full revamp of The Kelly Clarkson Show as she takes over the time slot vacated by The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Check your local listings to see when it plays in your area.
