When $The View$ co-host Joy Behar married retired school teacher Steve Janowitz in August 2011, it wasn't sparked by a sudden rush of young romanticism or societal pressure. Instead, after dating for nearly three decades since meeting in 1982 at a semi-nudist colony, the couple tied the knot for deeply practical, carefully considered reasons. Behar was 68 years old at the time, and her decision to finally walk down the aisle reflected a deliberate evolution in how she viewed long-term companionship, healthcare proxy rights, and the realities of aging.
While gossip columns often reduce celebrity weddings to simple milestones, Behar's choice was rooted in a quiet intersection of legal protection, personal history, and sheer pragmatism. Understanding why she waited 29 years reveals a refreshing approach to partnership that defies traditional Hollywood relationship scripts.
The Pragmatic Catalyst: Healthcare and Legal Rights
Most long-term couples marry early in a relationship to secure legal protections, but Behar and Janowitz spent nearly thirty years as "spousal equivalents." What finally shifted Behar's perspective wasn't an emotional epiphany, but a sobering legal reality regarding medical decision-making.
In interviews, including a conversation on Larry King Live, Behar pointed to the heartbreaking struggles faced by couples—particularly within the LGBTQ+ community—who lacked legal marriage status when medical emergencies struck. If a partner wasn't legally married, hospitals could bar them from entering an intensive care unit or making critical end-of-life choices.
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg noted on The View that Behar's motivation was fundamentally grounded in mutual protection: wanting to ensure that if someone needed to "pull the plug" or make medical choices during a crisis, their partner had the unquestioned legal right to do so. Legal recognition transformed from an outdated institution into a practical safety net.
The In-Law Factor and Timing
Another major reason Behar delayed marriage for decades came down to family dynamics and avoiding complex domestic friction. Behar famously joked that she waited to marry until all parents had passed away, noting that marriage often forces people to navigate difficult in-law dynamics. By waiting until they were well into their later chapters, they bypassed those traditional family friction points entirely.
Furthermore, Behar had been married previously to college professor Joe Behar from 1965 until their divorce in 1981, sharing a daughter named Eve. That first marriage gave her a clear-eyed perspective on domestic structures. Entering a second long-term commitment required an independent framework where neither person felt trapped by convention.
The Age Gap and Long-Term Logistics
Behar has frequently spoken openly about the mechanics of growing older alongside a younger partner. Steve Janowitz is seven years younger than Behar, a demographic choice she defends with characteristic humor and sharp logic.
During discussions on ABC, Behar pointed out that men statistically have shorter life expectancies than women, meaning older women often wind up caring for aging, older male partners. By pairing with a younger man, the timeline evens out. As she quipped to her co-hosts, it ensures that she won't be doing all the heavy lifting or pushing wheelchairs alone in her twilight years. It's a calculated, forward-thinking approach to geriatric logistics disguised as dry comedy.
Common Mistakes When Analyzing Long-Term Partnerships
When celebrity relationships defy traditional timelines, observers often misinterpret the motives behind them. Avoiding these analytical missteps provides a clearer picture of how mature partnerships actually function:
- Assuming marriage is always the ultimate goal of romance: For Behar and Janowitz, a 29-year pre-marriage phase proved that commitment can thrive completely independent of a marriage certificate.
- Ignoring the legal vulnerability of unmarried seniors: Many assume domestic partnership grants equal authority, ignoring how restrictive hospital visitation and estate laws can be without a marriage license.
- Overlooking logistical planning in aging: Dismissing practical considerations like healthcare proxy rights and physical caregiving underestimates what keeps long-term unions stable in later life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long did Joy Behar and Steve Janowitz date before getting married?
They began dating in 1982 and married in August 2011, making their pre-wedding courtship span approximately 29 years.
Did Joy Behar ever call off their wedding before actually tying the knot?
Yes. The couple originally planned to marry in 2009, but Behar briefly called off the engagement after getting cold feet, waiting two more years before officially walking down the aisle.
What was Joy Behar's first marriage?
Before her relationship with Janowitz, Behar was married to Joe Behar from 1965 to 1981. They share one daughter, Eve, and Behar retained her first husband's last name professionally.
Why did Joy Behar wait until her late sixties to marry?
Her decision was primarily driven by legal pragmatism regarding medical decision-making rights, a desire to avoid in-law complications, and a mature realization that legal protection becomes crucial as couples age.
