Joy Behar has been a staple on daytime television for decades. Over the years, Behar has earned a reputation for her sharp wit, candid opinions, and bold presence as a co-host on the ABC talk show The View. While millions watch her debate hot topics and spar with guests on the show, there’s much more to Behar than meets the eye.
Beyond her television persona lies a multifaceted career that showcases her versatility. From her unexpected career beginnings to her surprising connections in the comedy world, Joy Behar’s journey to stardom is anything but conventional. Whether a longtime fan or casual admirer of her work, here are 7 things you probably didn’t know about The View co-host Joy Behar.
1. Her Name Isn’t Joy Behar
This is one fact that surprises many longtime fans of The View, who only know Joy Behar through the show. The talk show co-host was born Josephine Victoria Occhiuto on October 7, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Her biological first name was named after her paternal grandmother. The name “Joy” that Behar uses as her first name is a nickname she was called as a child. According to the talk show host, it was given to her by her maternal grandfather.
However, it holds a more sentimental value as it is derived from the Italian name “La Gioia,” meaning “The Joy.” Her last name, Behar, came from her marriage to college professor Joseph Behar. The couple married on January 1, 1965, but divorced after 16 years on March 19, 1981. The marriage produced a child, Joy Behar’s only child, daughter Eve Behar. Behar chose to keep her ex-husband’s last name because she felt it was shorter and easier to pronounce than her biological last name, Occhiuto. Joy Behar is currently married to Steve Janowitz, whom she has been married to since August 11, 2011.
2. Joy Behar is of Italian Descent
Although she admits her biological last name is sometimes confused for being Japanese, Joy Behar is of Italian descent. She was born and raised into a Roman Catholic family as an only child. Both of her parents were Italian Americans and originally from Sant’Eufemia d’Aspromonte, Calabria. Her father, Louis Ferdinand “Gino” Occhiuto, worked for Coca-Cola as a driver, while her mother, Rosa Diane “Rose” (née Carbone), worked as a seamstress. Although she doesn’t flaunt her Italian heritage, Behar is proud of her Italian ancestry and never hesitates to discuss it.
3. Joy Behar Once Taught English at a New York City High School
Having been born and raised in New York City, Joy Behar continued her life in the city as a young adult. She attended and graduated from Queens College with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1964. However, when it came to earning her Masters, she earned her MA in 1966, graduating from Stony Brook University. Unknown to many, Joy Behar taught English at Lindenhurst Senior High School, Long Island, New York.
She began working as a teacher in the late 1960s and remained at the school for a few years until the early 1970s. After she left her teaching job, Behar worked as a secretary on ABC’s morning television program Good Morning America. Eventually, Joy Behar worked her way to become a producer on the show.
4. Joy Behar is One of the Original Panelists on The View
Joy Behar is one of the original panelists on The View, having joined the show at its inception in 1997. Created by the late broadcast legend Barbara Walters, the daytime talk show was designed to feature a diverse group of women discussing topics, from politics, pop culture, family, and relationships. Although she initially started as a fill-in for Walters on certain days, her chemistry with the rest of the panel made her an indispensable part of the show.
Joy Behar quickly stood out among the cast for her comedic timing, no-nonsense attitude, and unapologetically liberal views. Over the years, Joy Behar became a staple of The View, often leading heated debates and injecting much-needed humor into serious discussions. While she briefly left the show in 2013, her absence was short-lived. Behar returned in 2015, making her the longest-serving co-host in the show’s history.
5. She’s an Emmy Award Winner
Joy Behar’s long-standing role as one of The View and her controversial take on subject matters sometimes overshadow the fact that she’s an Emmy Award winner. Behar, alongside other The View co-hosts, has been nominated conservatively every year since 1998. However, in 2009, Behar won Outstanding Talk Show Host at the Daytime Emmy Awards alongside her co-hosts. With her decades-long career on television, winning an Emmy was a crowning moment for Behar.
6. Joy Behar Has Hosted Several Talk Shows in Her Career
Although famous as a co-host on The View, Joy Behar’s career as a talk show host extends far beyond the iconic daytime panel. Behar briefly appeared as a guest host on Larry King Live in 2007 before launching her first news/talk program in 2009. The primetime talk show, The Joy Behar Show, was launched on CNN’s HLN network. Although she never left The View, she continued to host both shows until it was canceled in 2011.
The following year, in 2012, Behar began hosting another show, Joy Behar: Say Anything! The news program and talk show was launched on Current TV. The show lasted for a season and ended after Al Jazeera acquired Current TV and rebranded it into Al Jazeera America. Behar’s next project was the short-lived Late Night Joy, a weekly late-night talk show launched on TLC. However, the show was canceled after airing only five episodes.
7. Joy Behar is Also an Actress and Published Author
The multifaceted and talented Joy Behar is much more than just a talk show host. Before gaining national fame on daytime television, Behar honed her performance skills in theater and stand-up comedy. These experiences eventually led her to land roles in film and television. Behar made her film debut in the 1987 Jon Cryer-led romantic thriller comedy-drama Hiding Out. Since then, she has appeared in notable movies, including Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), Madea Goes to Jail (as herself), Hall Pass (2011), and voiced Eunice in the 2009 sequel Ice Age: Continental Drift. Since then, Behar has made guest appearances in several TV shows.
Equally impressive is Joy Behar’s success as a published author. The talk show host has written humorous essays and children’s books, which points to her versatility as a storyteller. She made her writing debut with Joy Shtick: Or What Is the Existential Vacuum and Does It Come with Attachments (1999). The book, which combines autobiography with humor, offers readers a deeper insight into her life. Her last book, The Great Gasbag: An A–Z Study Guide to Surviving Trump World, was published in 2017, which blended political satire with personal reflection. Besides her talk show and stand-up comedy, Joy Behar’s writing career highlights her ability to connect with audiences.
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