CBS News Anchor Jane Pauley Has Been Married For Decades: Her Relationship In Photos

CBS news anchor Jane Pauley has had a long career, and despite her controversial departure from the "Today" show, she has become one of the hosts who immediately comes to mind when people think of the "faces" of TV journalism. Behind the camera, however, Pauley has had somewhat of a quiet personal life, including a long and successful marriage to Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Garry Trudeau. 

The pair were first introduced to each other by Pauley's fellow "Today" show host Tom Brokaw at a dinner party in 1975. The couple would marry in 1980 and go on to have three kids. Pauley gave birth to twins Rachel and Richard in 1983, and had their third child, Thomas, in 1986.

One of the few times the couple ever publicly talked about their relationship was for a 2018 CBS News profile of Trudeau at the reveal of his Yale University "Doonesbury" archive. Pauley shared a cute anecdote about how their honeymoon was slightly delayed by his comic deadlines and tendency to work at the airport. Pauley then joked that despite assumptions that she could do better, she was always "holding out for a cartoonist."

Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau stepped out for HBO's Comic Relief IV in 1990. This photo is in black and white, which feels like a time capsule, just like the event itself (when was the last time there was a major network charity telethon?). Pauley and Trudeau are also both wearing iconic '90s suit jackets, almost like his-and-hers pieces. Hers has a cute spikey dot pattern, and his is more understated with a lined pattern in gray.

Speaking of time capsules, this photo of Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau at the official Broadway premiere of "Rent" is kind of surreal. Before the movie and numerous productions, there was the original opening night in April 1996. You can once again get the sense of the '90s with Pauley and Trudeau both wearing suit jackets and some kind of pattern. The real highlight of this photo, however, is the positioning that gives the vibe of Trudeau looking at his wife with hearts in his eyes.

Time never stops, and by 2002, it's time for Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau to attend NBC's 75th Anniversary Special. They both opted out of their '90s-era jackets for the occasion and instead coordinated in black and white, with Pauley wearing a patterned halter dress and Trudeau in a traditional tuxedo. Admittedly, the change in fashion is probably because the event called for a stricter dress code. Nevertheless, the couple is holding hands for their photo op, and they have a bit more of serious tone compared to their '90s photos.

The Museum of Television and Radio's annual gala in 2004 honored Tom Brokaw, so it was no surprise that Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau were in attendance. Pauley and Brokaw hosted NBC's "Today" show from 1976 to 1981. In a Television Academy interview, Pauley joked that while she didn't name her son directly after Brokaw, she would not have named him Thomas at all if they didn't have such a good friendship. She also described Brokaw as being like an older brother. And since it was Brokaw who introduced and set her up with Trudeau, it's no wonder that the couple was all smiles at the event honoring their good friend.

Jane Pauley and husband Garry Trudeau have shown their support for the Michael J. Fox Foundation by attending some of the foundation's annual New York galas. This photo is from the 2017 comedy fundraiser "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's," where Trudeau put his arm around Pauley as she leaned in. This is a change of pace for most of their other photos, where they seem to be a lot more reserved in showing affection for each other.

Though neither has ever made the official Time 100 list, Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau have a lot of ties to the magazine. Those ties include a cover feature for Trudeau in 1976 and a feature on Pauley's famous departure from the "Today" show, as well as Pauley being a guest writer. No surprise then that the couple attended the 2012 gala, once again wearing mainly black. A highlight of Pauley's outfit, though, is her black gemstone cluster necklace. Trudeau kept it simple with another classic tuxedo.

Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau have not let age slow them down and still put in appearances at public events related to their long media careers. In 2018, the couple attended the Writers Guild Awards together (Trudeau maintains his status as a fi-core member of the Writers Guild of America East). At this point, black can probably be considered their signature color, though this time Pauley did opt for a sheer pattern on the sleeves and neck area. Trudeau also looks ever the silver fox in his simple black suit and tie, earning Pauley a spot among TV hosts with really gorgeous husbands.