‘I’m The Only Father In The World That Does Not Encourage Their Kids To Work,’ Says 74-Year-Old Singer John Mellencamp

Hard work built his career. John Mellencamp does not want his children to feel pressure to clock in.

“I’m the only father in the world that does not encourage their kids to work. It’s like, what do you want to go to work for?” the 74-year-old “Jack and Diane” singer said last month on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast.

A Different View On Work

Mellencamp told host Joe Rogan that when his children talk about jobs, his response is simple: “Do what you want to do.”

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He pointed to his son Hud as an example. “My son graduated from Duke and it’s just like, ‘F**k that work stuff,'” Mellencamp said. “You’re 31 years old. You’re handsome. You could beat anybody up in the room.”

Hud wants to get a job, he said, but he does not pressure him to pursue one. The 31-year-old lives in a separate house on Mellencamp’s property, an arrangement the singer said he values. “I don’t want him to leave because he still lives on my property,” he told Rogan. “And it’s nice. I love having him there. I love having Hud live with me.”

Other celebrities have taken similar approaches to parenting. Actress Melissa Joan Hart draws boundaries without pushing her kids into the spotlight. The “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” star recently told People magazine that she does not push her three sons toward acting unless they want it.

“If they ever showed any interest, it was for the wrong reasons,” she said. “It was for money and fame. It wasn’t because they love the craft.” Her eldest is a pilot and another is considering a trade.

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Fatherhood First

Mellencamp became a father at 19. He welcomed his first daughter, Michelle, in 1970, with first wife Priscilla Esterline.

He later had daughters Teddi, 44, and Justice, 40, with second wife Victoria Granucci, and sons Hud, 31, and Speck, 30, with third wife Elaine Irwin. He is also a grandfather.

“I’m telling you, having kids was one of the best things I ever did,” Mellencamp told Rogan. “I really enjoy my kids.”

Rogan reflected on his experience as a parent, saying, “It has made me a much nicer person.”

“Yeah, me too,” Mellencamp said.

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