Joy Behar Worries Fans with Her Emotional Reflections on Family History: ‘She Visits Me Every Night’.
Joy Behar’s Deep Dive into Her Family’s Past Moves Fans
On Tuesday’s episode of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr., The View co-host Joy Behar and The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli explored their shared Italian heritage, uncovering long-lost details about their ancestors.
A Painful Family History Unfolds
While Imperioli discovered his ancestor’s journey from Italy with just $12 and a brush with Prohibition-era lawbreaking, Behar’s experience took a more emotional turn.
She learned that her grandfather, Vincento Carbone, immigrated to the U.S. from Sant’Eufemia, Italy, at 23. Not long after, he lost his wife to kidney disease following the birth of Behar’s grandmother. Behar admitted she didn’t realize until she was 17 that the woman she called her grandmother wasn’t biologically related to her.
The revelations didn’t stop there. Behar also discovered that her mother spent much of her childhood in poverty in Italy before returning to the U.S.
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“She used to tell stories that made me feel just how little they had,” Behar recalled. “She’d say, ‘My father wanted me to learn piano, and we’d bring fruit to the teacher.’ It made you think, ‘Oh my God, they had nothing.’”
Her mother’s return to America after 13 years in Italy was undoubtedly difficult.
“I imagine it was traumatic. She probably didn’t speak any English when she arrived,” Behar reflected. “By the time I was a kid, she spoke perfect English. But she had no formal education, no money. The only skill she had was sewing. She was an incredible seamstress.”
The thought of her mother entering the workforce at just 14 overwhelmed Behar with emotion.
“I could cry thinking about it. At 14, she was thrown into a factory with no chance at a better life.”
Despite the sadness, Behar expressed gratitude for her family’s sacrifices, saying she stands “on the shoulders” of her mother and grandfather.
Shocking Ancestral Revelations
Gates then took Behar even further into her lineage, uncovering a tragic event in her family’s past. She learned that her fourth great-grandfather was among the thousands who perished in the devastating 1743 earthquakes that ravaged Calabria.
“It’s overwhelming to imagine. This will haunt me,” she said upon learning about the disaster’s impact.
However, not all of the discoveries were tragic. Behar was inspired by the survival story of her third great-grandfather, who endured hardship and loss but carried on the family lineage.
“My family comes from hearty stock,” she said, moved by their resilience.
A Connection Beyond Time
As Behar reflected on the deep history of her ancestors, she made a comment that left fans concerned: “She visits me every night.”
The emotional moment sparked an outpouring of reactions, with many praising Behar for her vulnerability while others worried about her mental well-being.
What do you think about Joy Behar’s discoveries? Share your thoughts in the comments!
