Joy Behar’s first husband: What the comedian shared about her marriage to Joe Behar
Joy Behar’s first husband, Joe Behar, was a college professor and author. The couple married in 1965, welcomed a daughter named Eve Behar Scotti, and later divorced in 1981. Joy has since shared that her early marriage shaped her views on relationships and independence.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Joy Behar and her first husband, Joe Behar, were married from 1965 to 1981 and had a daughter, Eve Behar.
- Joe Behar has cited geographical differences and personal growth in different directions as reasons for the split.
- After their divorce, Joy began a long relationship with Steve Janowitz, whom she later married in 2011.
- Joy Behar has often referred to her first marriage in her comedy, including her 2025 Off-Broadway show, My First Ex-Husband.
Joe Behar’s profile summary
Full name | Joseph Behar |
Place of birth | United States |
Nationality | American |
Religion | Jewish |
Sexuality | Straight |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Brown |
Children | Eve Behar |
Education | Queens College, State University of New York (SUNY) |
Profession | College professor, author |
Who is Joseph Behar? Exploring details about Joy Behar’s first husband
Joseph “Joe” Behar, a Sephardic Jew, came into the spotlight as the first husband of comedian Joy Behar. He attended Queens College and later earned his PhD from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook.
Joe was a professor of sociology at Dowling College, a private college formerly located in Oakdale, Long Island, which closed in 2016. As documented by Goodreads, his work included editing Mapping Cyberspace: Social Research on the Electronic Frontier and co-editing a special issue of the Journal for Developing Societies focused on transnationalism.
He also authored Mapping Cyberspace and co-authored Visions of the 21st Century.
Source: Original
Inside Joseph Band and Joy Behar’s relationship
Joy Behar married Joseph Behar in 1965, early in her adult life, long before she became a nationally known TV personality, and Joe was a college professor at the time. The former couple had one child together, a daughter named Eve Behar Scotti, born on 26 November 1970. Eve is currently a professional ceramic artist residing in the Hamptons, as per her website.
Joseph Behar and Joy Behar’s marriage lasted about 16 years, and they divorced in 1981. After the divorce, Joy received custody of their daughter. Despite their divorce, Joy and Joe eventually maintained a cordial relationship.
Source: UGC
What Joy Behar said about her marriage and split from Joe Behar
Over the years, Behar has shared several candid and humorous details about their marriage and divorce. In a 2025 episode of The View, per TV Insider, Joy noted that she was very young when they married, just 22 years old, stating:
I got married the first time so young that I was a size 10
Talking about divorce, she said:
No breakup is fun. You can’t really avoid the pathos in a divorce, because they’re all pretty ugly. Even when you want to get divorced, which is what I did, it still feels horrible.
Source: Getty Images
Joy also revealed that their marriage ended because they grew apart and had very different lifestyles and tastes. She also noted that she would not be where she is today if she had stayed married to her first husband.
I don’t think that I’d be sitting here if I had stayed married. We had many things that we didn’t. He wanted to live at the beach; I hate the beach. You have geographical differences; you have taste differences. You’re growing in this way, and he’s growing in that way.
The television host later made it clear that leaving her ex-husband was the best decision she made for her career, stating:
In my own case, I wouldn’t have a comedy career. I don’t think I would’ve had a career in the same way if I had stayed married because I was accompanying him in his life.
In late 2024 and 2025, Joy wrote and starred in a play titled My First Ex-Husband, which was inspired by her experiences with divorce and her relationship with Joseph.
Is Joy Behar married? Her current relationship
Source: Getty Images
The popular comedian is currently married to her second husband, Steve Janowitz. The couple dated for 29 years before marrying on 11 August 2011, in a private ceremony in New York City. On a 2024 episode of The View, Behar humorously noted she waited nearly three decades to ensure they were a good match and because she wanted to wait until gay marriage was legalised in New York.
It did influence me. It brought to my consciousness why gays needed to get married. And I thought it was a good reason for me to get married ... So did Steve, so we did it,
Frequently asked questions
What does Steve Janowitz do for a living?
Joy Behar’s spouse is a retired middle school maths teacher.
Source: Getty Images
What is the age difference between Joy Behar and her husband?
Joy Behar’s husband, Steve Janowitz, is seven years younger than the television host. On an episode of The View, as documented by Closer Weekly, she disclosed:
I always have a younger guy. My husband is seven years younger than me. He drives at night, and he does the heavy lifting. He’s sharp as a tack. If I get old, depressed and decrepit, which I am already almost, he’ll wheel me around instead of I’m wheeling him around.
Where does Joe Behar live now?
The American television host resides in the Hamptons with her husband and their dog, Bernie.
Conclusion
Joy Behar’s first husband, Joe Behar, was a college sociology professor and author. The couple were married from 1965 until their divorce in 1981 and had a daughter together. Joy has shared that their marriage ended because they grew apart and had different lifestyles, but the relationship played an important role in shaping her early life and experiences. She has been married to Steve Janowitz since 2011.
READ MORE: Who is Jimmy Failla’s wife? 5 key facts about Jenny Failla
Briefly.co.za published an engaging article about Jenny Failla, a licensed mental health professional and the wife of comedian and Fox News host Jimmy Failla. The couple met at a comedy club in Cleveland in December 2003 and married on 18 August 2006.
Frequently appearing on her husband’s programs, Jenny balances a clinical career with occasional media roles, often providing a humorous or analytical perspective on relationship trends.
Source: Briefly News
