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8 Untold Secrets Of Joy Behar's Younger Years: From Brooklyn Teacher To Comedy Firebrand

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Joy Behar, the famously outspoken co-host of The View, has been a fixture on daytime television for nearly three decades, yet the story of her younger years remains largely untold to many fans. Born Josephine Victoria Occhiuto in the heart of Brooklyn, New York, her path to becoming one of the most recognizable and polarizing figures in American media was anything but conventional, beginning not on a stage, but in a classroom. As of December 20, 2025, Behar, now in her 80s, continues to dominate headlines, making it the perfect time to look back at the pivotal moments, personal struggles, and forgotten early career roles that forged the comedian and political commentator we know today.

Her sharp wit and signature comedic delivery were honed through a series of dramatic life changes, including a near-death experience and a divorce that pushed her to abandon a stable teaching career. This deep dive into her life before the iconic round table reveals the true depth of her transformation—a journey from a high school English teacher to a stand-up comedy firebrand who would eventually become a household name.

Josephine Victoria Occhiuto: The Early Life and Biography of Joy Behar

Joy Behar's biography is a testament to the idea that a true calling can arrive at any age. The journey from Josephine Occhiuto to the celebrated Joy Behar involved major educational, professional, and personal shifts that defined her formative years.

  • Full Name: Josephine Victoria Occhiuto (later Josephine Behar)
  • Born: October 7, 1942
  • Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
  • Education: Queens College (B.A., 1964), Stony Brook University (M.A. in English Education, 1966)
  • First Career: High School English Teacher (late 1960s to late 1970s)
  • First Husband: Joseph Behar (a college professor and author)
  • First Marriage: Married 1965, Divorced 1981
  • Daughter: Eve Behar Scotti (born 1970)
  • Current Husband: Steve Janowitz (married 2010, after decades of dating)
  • Career Transition: Began stand-up comedy in the early 1980s.
  • Breakthrough: Became an original co-host of The View in 1997.

The name "Behar" comes from her first marriage to Joseph Behar, a union that lasted 16 years. While she is now famously married to Steve Janowitz, the foundation of her adult life—and the inspiration for her comedy—was laid during her time as a young wife and mother in New York.

The Shocking Event That Sparked a Career Change

The biggest, most dramatic shift in Joy Behar’s life came in 1979, a moment that she has often cited as her "wake-up call." At the time, she was still a high school English teacher, living a quiet, conventional life.

Behar suffered a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, a condition where a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus. She has described the experience as nearly fatal, a moment of profound clarity that forced her to re-evaluate her entire existence. This brush with death was the catalyst. She realized that if she was going to die, she didn't want it to happen while she was teaching English.

This single, near-fatal event prompted her to quit her teaching job and pursue her true passion: stand-up comedy. It was a courageous, late-in-life pivot that saw her trade the stability of a school classroom for the unpredictable, often brutal world of New York's comedy circuit. This transition, which happened in her late 30s, is a powerful reminder of her resilience and the deep-seated desire to find her voice as a comedian and opinion-maker.

Joy Behar’s Forgotten Pre-View Television and Film Roles

Before she became an original co-host on The View in 1997, Joy Behar spent over a decade working her way through the entertainment industry, often in roles that are now largely forgotten. Her early career showcases her versatility as a writer, host, and character actress, proving she was a working comedian long before she sat next to Barbara Walters.

1. The Off-Broadway Inspiration: My First Ex-Husband

One of the most personal projects of her younger career was her off-Broadway play, My First Ex-Husband. The play was directly inspired by her own divorce from Joseph Behar in 1981, allowing her to channel a painful life experience into comedy. This work established her ability to use personal trauma as material, a trait that would later define her commentary style on The View.

2. Early Hosting Gigs: Way Off Broadway (1987)

In 1987, Behar landed a significant early hosting role on Lifetime Television with the talk show Way Off Broadway. This show, along with her work on Live from Queens, gave her crucial experience in front of the camera and allowed her to develop her interviewing and improvisational skills outside of the stand-up clubs.

3. Sitcom Role: Baby Boom (1988–1989)

Many fans are unaware that Behar was a regular on the NBC sitcom Baby Boom, a television adaptation of the popular film. She played the character "Helga," a role that demonstrated her acting chops and ability to deliver scripted comedy. This role placed her alongside other established TV actors and was a key stepping stone in her transition from club comic to television personality.

4. The Writer’s Room: It's Garry Shandling's Show (1986)

Adding another layer of complexity to her younger career, Behar also worked as a writer for the critically acclaimed Fox/Showtime series It's Garry Shandling's Show. Working alongside the legendary Garry Shandling, this position proved her comedic talent extended beyond performance and into the craft of joke-writing and script development.

5. Early Film Appearances (1987–1993)

Behar secured several minor film roles in her younger years, often playing characters that leveraged her New York accent and quick wit. These include:

  • Hiding Out (1987): Where she played the character "Gertrude."
  • Cookie (1989): A small role in the Peter Falk film.
  • This Is My Life (1992): Directed by Nora Ephron, a significant early credit.
  • Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993): Appearing in the Woody Allen film.

These early roles, spanning television and film, show that Joy Behar was a dedicated, working performer in the 1980s and 1990s, constantly evolving her craft. Her decade-long grind in the comedy world, from HBO specials to small acting parts, ultimately prepared her for the high-pressure, unscripted environment of The View, cementing her status as a true veteran of the entertainment industry.

joy behar younger
joy behar younger

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