The "happy couple": Marilyn Manson and Seraphim Ward

In news as strange as the people involved, shock rocker Marilyn Manson filed a complaint on Tuesday with the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming that he was the target of “a months-long campaign of defamation and harassment, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The root of this story began earlier this month when Manson reached out through his lawyer demanding a public apology from Seraphim Ward (whose real name is Yolanda Tharpe) for spreading false stories about him in the press, including that they were engaged to be married.

As you may have guessed, that apology has yet to happen so Manson is following through with a defamation lawsuit against Ward, whose occupation is listed as musician and independent occult filmmaker in the complaint.

Although I myself can’t see why anyone would this side of normal would be engaged to the once controversial rocker – let alone intentionally make it up – claiming to be the Manson’s fiancé is small fry compared to her constant public claims that he is a ‘pro-Nazi’ and racist.

Manson and his representatives meanwhile have consistently denied he even knew Ward.

According to the filing, Ward did eventually retract the engagement announcement, but later made public accusations that Manson refused to marry her because he “did not want to be seen with [African-American] women” like her.

She also claimed that he was responsible for the death of her two cats and that he was stalking her – which actually does sound a bit more believable, but I’m no judge.

The rocker is reportedly seeking $50,000 relating to five cases of defamation, misappropriation of common law right of publicity, unlawful use of Manson’s name for commercial advantage, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

We’re sure this probably won’t  be the last we hear about the happy couple.