Joy Behar found love again after her first marriage ended, but she took nearly three decades before walking down the aisle with her current husband, who is several years younger. In a candid podcast interview, the TV host shared the surprising topic that sparks the most arguments in their relationship.
Born on October 7, 1942, Joy Behar is celebrating her 82nd birthday! Behar is a longtime co-host of the daytime talk show, “The View,” which she joined in 1997 as one of the original panelists. However, she was briefly off the show in the past years.
The comedian was shown the door in 2013, but she returned in 2015. Behar later commented on being let go from the much beloved ABC series once, saying, “I was glad to be fired. I basically was sick of the show at that point for some reason, I don’t even remember why.”
Joy Behar on May 5, 2008, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
The television star also had no clue why the network removed her for two years, adding they, too, had no idea why they fired her at the time. “That was very stupid of them. But they learned their lesson,” the actress stated.
Since then, Behar has continued to grace the screens of the most-watched daytime show and revealed in an October 2022 interview that she has no intention of retiring from the TV show.
The New Yorker further stated that she had signed an extension of her contract and would remain a constant feature on “The View” for some time. “I have no plans to retire,” she said.
Behar admitted that, to date, she still cannot fathom the fact that the show has raked in a lot of viewership, adding, “I’m happy to be a part of it. So no, I’m not going anywhere. I’m having a good time.”
The red-haired celebrated her 81st birthday on “The View” in October 2023. However, she did not like making a big deal of her special day at the time.
During the episode, her co-host Ana Navarro said that she knows Behar does not like to talk about her birthday, while fellow host Sunny Hostin mentioned that she did not look excited. Behar chimed in, saying:
“I can’t get excited. I’m just glad I’m alive, okay? You know, you get to a point where you wake up in the morning and say, ‘I’m still here, my God.'”
Besides being a beloved media personality, Behar has been married twice and is a mother and a grandmother. She is married to a man several years her junior, whom she dated for nearly three decades before tying the knot.
Behar’s second husband, Steve Janowitz, is a retired school teacher. The duo wed in August 2011 after being together for 29 years. Behar and Janowitz donned coordinated outfits for their big day. She wore a black short-sleeved dress while he opted for a black suit paired with a bow tie and a white shirt underneath.
Steve Janowitz and Joy Behar at The Children’s Hearing Institute Gala on April 26, 2001 | Source: Getty Images
On one occasion, Behar shared a more personal side of their relationship, revealing what sparks the most arguments. During an episode of the “Behind the Table” podcast on May 8, 2024, Behar discussed how she and Janowitz, who rarely fight, always argue about one specific issue: the car.
“First of all, it’s always about the car,” she revealed, adding that Janowitz has autoimmune deficiencies, making him a notorious backseat and front-seat driver. “He’s always criticizing how I drive,” Behar said, explaining that after 40 years together, it has made her a nervous driver.
She humorously recounted an incident where she accidentally crashed into a farm stand, “I had it in drive, and I forgot to take it out of drive. I got out of the car, and it started to roll down… it went into the farm stand anyway. It was too late. It was a tomato blight. I can’t go to that farm stand now. So that happened one time,” she added.
The couple also took a ten-day trip to Italy in April 2024, which Behar jokingly admitted was “too much closeness.”
Joy Behar and Steve Janowitz on November 15, 2005, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Upon their return, the tension resurfaced during a simple lunch outing. Behar explained that she invited Janowitz to drive in her Mini Cooper, but he refused, saying, “I’m not getting in that car with you.”
Behar responded, “Listen, I’ll take my car, you take yours; I’ll meet you there,” but Janowitz didn’t like that arrangement. Eventually, he relented and got into her car. However, the tension remained, and they barely spoke during lunch except for Janowitz’s driving instructions.
Joy Behar and Steve Janowitz on May 8, 2017, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
“I said, ‘I’m sick of you infantilizing me about my driving. I’ve had enough,'” Behar recounted, adding that Janowitz couldn’t help but continue giving directions like “Make a turn here” and “Hit the brake.” She concluded, “Normally I don’t really care, but it’s too much together.”
Despite the tension, Behar confirmed that Janowitz eventually broke the silence, attempting to mend the situation.
