Valerie Bertinelli Opens Up About Being Married To A ‘Drug Addict And Alcoholic’ On The ‘Drew Barrymore Show’: ‘He Was A Good Person’ But ‘Unstable’
December 5, 2024 by Marissa Matozzo
Valerie Bertinelli is fondly recalling her late ex, Eddie Van Halen, as a kind-hearted individual, while also recognizing his battles with addiction. The 64-year-old Hot in Cleveland actress, who frequently appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, shared insights on a recent episode into her 26-year marriage to the legendary musician, which lasted from 1981 until 2007. Van Halen, who passed away at age 65 in 2020, fathered their 33-year-old son, Wolfgang.
Bertinelli sat down with host Drew Barrymore and joked that she was “married to” a “bad boy” for a while. Host Barrymore, 49, then said: “Legend! I mean, Eddie Van Halen … He had such a big life. He was so loved.” The One Day at a Time alum then explained: “He actually didn’t. He had a very small life. It’s just that people projected a lot onto him because of his talent. But he really led a very small life.”
Television personality Ross Matthews then asked the Food Network star what it was like to be in a relationship with a “rock and roll bad boy.” Bertinelli replied: “I gotta say I don’t understand what makes him a bad boy, because he wasn’t,” she admitted. “He was a drug addict and alcoholic but he wasn’t a bad boy. Does that make sense?”
Barrymore noted that she understood what Bertinelli meant. She responded: “It does [make sense]. Because people have their behaviors. But I think there’s a very big difference between really wild and reckless and someone who is a good person and stable but dabbles and has issues.”