Valerie Bertinelli Says She Has 'Shame' from Being Married Twice: 'I'm Working on' It

Bertinelli was previously married to financial planner Tom Vitale and the late Eddie Van Halen

Valerie Bertinelli on The Drew Barrymore Show
Valerie Bertinelli on The Drew Barrymore Show. Photo:

The Drew Barrymore Show/Ash Bean

Valerie Bertinelli and Drew Barrymore are sharing their feelings on failed marriages.

On Sept. 10, the cookbook author made her debut on The Drew Barrymore Show as the newest member of the Drew Crew. Bertinelli and Barrymore started out the Drew’s News segment pondering if they’d ever get married again.  

While Barrymore has been married three times, she said it’s not the marriage part that scares her — it’s the outside judgement.  

“When you get a divorce it’s so shameful,” she said. 

The daytime talk show host then asked Bertinelli if she’d ever walk down the aisle again. Bertinelli was married to financial planner Tom Vitale from 2011 until 2022, and Van Halen frontman Eddie Van Halen from 1981 until 2007. 

“Well, I’ve been married twice and that shame thing just slapped me in the face right there because I think during anybody’s life, we’re slowly, from childhood, building and adding shame to our soul,” the Hot in Cleveland alum said.

She’s been candid about her healing journey from her 2022 divorce.

“I think the key to feeling beautiful and feeling like you’re worthy and feeling like you are enough is to release a lot of that shame,” Bertinelli told Barrymore. “There is a lot of good shame but there also is bad shame that will keep you in self loathing and that’s what I’m working on right now.” 

Valerie Bertinelli on The Drew Barrymore Show
Valerie Bertinelli on The Drew Barrymore Show.

The Drew Barrymore Show/Ash Bean

When it comes down to her thoughts on remarrying, she said, “So do what you want to do. Do what feels good, as long as you’re not hurting anyone.”

The Drew Barrymore Show set is actually the first place the former Food Network star stepped out in public with current boyfriend Mike Goodnough before filming a segment in April. That month, the couple made it internet official when Goodnough, who goes by the moniker Hoarse Whisperer, confirmed he was “Valerie Bertinelli’s boyfriend” on his Substack called Hoarse Whisperings

Since then, Bertinelli has gushed about her beau on Instagram, and they made their red carpet debut at the Daytime Emmys in June. 

In Bertinelli’s spring cover issue with PEOPLE, she opened up about the unexpected romance. 

“I’m in love,” she told PEOPLE. “It’s a seesaw of emotions because I was adamant I was never falling in love again."

"I was supposed to die with my six cats and my dog,” she said with a laugh, “and very happily live the rest of my years alone — I'm good alone.”

Bertinelli made it clear that she “found joy” in herself through her healing journey first "and then a man entered my life."

PEOPLE exclusively announced on Sept. 3 that Bertinelli would join The Drew Barrymore Show as a regular lifestyle expert. "I'm going to be a part of The Drew Barrymore Show. I'm going to be part of Drew Crew, and I'm super excited about that,” she said.

She’ll not only share her lifestyle expertise, but also her thoughts on wellness. 

“I absolutely adore [Barrymore]," Bertinelli told PEOPLE. "And all the people that work there are so flippin' cool."

Related Articles