Why Whoopi Goldberg Made An Anti-Wedding Exception For View Co-Star Joy Behar
Whoopi Goldberg famously isn't a fan of the whole marriage idea. In a segment on "The View," she and her co-hosts got to talking about the most special and simultaneously expensive day of some women's lives: her wedding. Despite wedding season coming around every year, Goldberg admitted that she doesn't go to weddings (via Entertainment Weekly). But in the case of longtime friend Joy Behar, she was able to make a special exception.
Goldberg revealed that she attended her co-hosts' second wedding to Steve Janowitz in 2011. Not because of the love factor, rather for a more practical reason. "Because I loved the reason you got married, not just because you were in love," Goldberg said to Behar on "The View," adding, "But because you guys wanted to make sure that you have somebody in case somebody had to pull the plug... And I thought, you know, love is great, but practicality is everything."
Even though she has been married three times, Goldberg has been open about her doubts surrounding marriage. When asked about whether or not she was looking for a longtime partner, the "Ghost" actor hilariously told The New York Times: "I don't want somebody in my house."
Whoopi got married due to societal expectations
Whoopi Goldberg has had her fair share of relationship experience, having tied the knot three times. Goldberg's first husband was Alvin Martin, her former drug counselor, whom she married in 1973. She and Martin welcomed their daughter Alex in 1973 and split in 1979. Goldberg's next two marriages were short-lived. She and cinematographer David Claessen were together from 1986 to 1988, and she married actor and businessman Lyle Trachtenberg for just one short year in 1994, per Hello!.
Goldberg admitted that she only got married to fit into society's expectations when it came to partnership. "I wanted to feel normal. And it seemed to me that if I was married, I'd have a much more normal life. But clearly, that's not the case," she said on "Piers Morgan Tonight" (via CNN). "You have to actually want a life with someone through ups and downs. And I just discovered that wasn't for me."
The "If Someone Says You Complete Me, Run!" author explained that she values her freedom too much to meet the expectations of a traditional relationship. However, it took her a long time to realize that the institution of marriage just wasn't for her. Now, she pursues dating more casually but still maintains high standards for the men she decides to spend her time with.
After her divorces, Whoopi has maintained strict dating standards
After three divorces, Whoopi Goldberg realized that long-term commitment was never in the cards for her. Like many women, she has decided that dating casually is the right move for her love life. "I'm much happier on my own. I can spend as much time with somebody as I want to spend, but I'm not looking to be with somebody forever or live with someone," she told The New York Times.
As such, she has strict standards for whoever she decides to spend her time with. One of these rules is that she no longer dates younger men, and for good reason. On "The View," Goldberg opened up about pursuing younger guys, which she generally avoids depending on her mood. Her co-host Joy Behar shared that she was happy to be married to Steve Janowitz, who is 7 years her junior.
But Goldberg explained that in her experience with younger lovers, there is a constant need to be a teacher. "So you have to know when you're going younger, there's a lot of information that you have to impart," she said. "And sometimes it's tiring." In a specific instance, one guy Goldberg went out with didn't know who the Beatles were. It was then that she put a ban on men younger than her — no matter how good they looked.