Joy Behar Brings ‘My First Ex-Husband’ Back to NYC, Talks Sag Harbor Love and Going Bonkers at Bay Street

The View co-host talks divorce monologues, Sag Harbor favorites, and her next play heading to Bay Street Theater.

Almost a year ago, in February, Joy Behar stood on the stage at the MMAC (Manhattan Movement & Arts Center) Theater on West 60th Street and introduced audiences to her new Off-Broadway play, My First Ex-Husband—a series of monologues based on real women explaining why their marriages ended in divorce.

Behar is best known as a longtime co-host of The View—and the only original cast member still on the panel—but at the time, she wasn’t sure how the play would be received. Though she had been writing plays and scenes for years, with some staged readings and productions, including Bay Street theater in Sag Harbor, this was different.

“This was a real Off-Broadway run,” she said at the time.

Turns out, divorce has legs. The audience stood at the end and cheered. And Behar’s writing career has taken off.

Eleven months after My First Ex-Husband debuted in Manhattan—and toured cities across the country—Behar is returning to the theater where it all began for a limited five-show run, Jan. 8–11, at the MMAC. Joining her onstage will be Judy Gold and Veanne Cox. Behar doesn’t always perform in the show, making this appearance—five performances—a special treat for audiences.

When we recently spoke with Behar about the January NYC dates, the upcoming tour of My First Ex-Husband, and her next creative project (hint: a new play coming to Bay Street Theater this summer), she seemed energized by the journey.

On Writing Divorce—and Why It Resonates

What has the experience been like, whether performing in My First Ex-Husband or watching from the audience?

Joy Behar: I think the title—My First Ex-Husband—is one of the reasons people are interested. Everybody likes to hear about people’s miserable divorces. My husband—my second, and my last husband—came up with the title. I can’t go through that again.

From Workshop to Off-Broadway

How did the show evolve?

JB: I’m not sure how it went from a small workshop to an Off-Broadway show. I remember reading one monologue at a salon and someone saying, “That’s really good.”

It started as a lark with one of my girlfriends from college—we were going through our divorces at the same time. I said, “Let me put you on tape.” She told me her story, and she was naturally funny. When I transcribed it, it was funny—good material. And I always look for good material.

I kept interviewing more people. I took a playwriting class at the Writer’s Voice at the YMCA. We did readings at salons in the Hamptons, at your house, at The Southampton Inn. Meanwhile, the instructor at the Writer’s Voice, Charlie Schulman, introduced me to Rose Caiola, a theater producer. She liked the material. We did a week at Bay Street Theater and Rose and Cyrena Esposito produced it at Rose’s MMAC Theater.

Basically, the stories are true. Each piece is honed and edited, and I added a lot of comedy.

Why Audiences Connect

What do you think the show’s takeaway is?

JB: It’s relatable—the tsuris, the aggravation in these marriages. It’s nice to see that other people have gotten through divorce with a laugh. When something is relatable, it sticks with you longer.

One woman came up to me after a show and said she’d always had very negative feelings about divorce, but now she was “reframing it.” I like that.

From Stand-Up to Writing

You’ve really embraced writing. No more stand-up?

JB: Writing is such a different experience. Stand-up is stressful, as you know. Comedians like Judy Gold or maybe Mario Cantone can’t wait to get onstage. I was never like that until I was in the middle of it—I always got a stomachache.

I finally said, “I don’t want to do this anymore.” I switched my creativity to writing.

(Read Joy Behar’s ‘Hamptons Diary’ for SPARK, here.)

What’s Next: Bonkers at Bay Street Theater

What’s your next project?

JB: I’ve written another play that will have a one-week run at Bay Street Theater at the end of August 2026. It’s called Bonkers in the Boroughs—five short comedy plays, each set in a different borough.

Someone asked, “So if each play is in a different borough, do I have to go to each borough to see it? I said, no, one theater, five boroughs.” (laughs)

I also write essays. I’ve had three published in Air Mail, Graydon Carter’s outlet. Writing is lonely, but when you do a play, there’s a community—rehearsals, parties, collaboration.

Why Sag Harbor Feels Like Home

You’re part of the Sag Harbor writing community. Why do you love it there?

Sag Harbor feels like a town with urban qualities. It has smart people, great restaurants, theaters, art shows—but it’s still a small town. It has a different vibe than New York City.

Let’s Play ‘Sag Harbor: Joy Behar’s Favs & Ravs’

Top five favorites?

JB: Okay, here we go:

1. The American Hotel
It feels like it’s from the Revolutionary era, right in the center of town. The food is good, it’s always buzzing—it’s the heartbeat of Main Street.

2. Favorite restaurants
Tutto Il Giorno, Dopo La Spiaggia, and Page. Great places to meet friends.

3. The Church
Excellent programming and very artsy.

4. Julie Keyes Gallery
Right in the middle of Main Street, next to the American Hotel.

5. Sag Harbor Cinema
I was going to see the Timothée Chalamet movie, but it was too cold. I think I have the potential to be a shut-in.

I also love that you can walk everywhere if you live in the village. And I understand why older people hate winter—I don’t want to go outside either.

On Florida, Politics, and Her Long Run at The View

Would you ever move to Florida?

JB: Not as long as DeSantis is in charge. I don’t like places that ban books when I’m a writer. Parts of Florida are beautiful, though. I’ll visit.

How long have you been a co-host on The View?

JB: Almost 30 years. We started in 1997—“the 1900s,” as we say. (Laughs.) They fired me for two years, and I was on the lam. Then I came back. We still don’t know why they fired me.

The View Has Has Become More Political Over the Years.

JB: That’s because of Trump. You can’t avoid it. There’s so much misinformation. Our audience knows ABC vets everything—we’re giving them the emmis—truth. I realize I know a lot of Yiddish words.

Where ‘My First Ex-Husband’ Is Headed Next

JB: We’re returning to New Brunswick, New Jersey, then Boston in March—where we killed. In June, we’ll be in London. California is in the works, maybe Palm Springs, and Stamford Connecticut.

I’m curious how London will interpret it. It’s a very New York show—Italian, Jewish, regular New Yorkers—but every audience connects in its own way, whether they laugh or not,.

A New Year’s Wish

Do you have a New Year’s resolution?

JB: Resolutions never work. All I want is to get up and down out of a chair.

What I really want is for people to come see my play ‘My First Ex-Husband’ in January.

My First Ex-Husband, starring Joy Behar, Judy Gold, and Veanne Cox, runs Jan. 8–11 at the MMAC Theater, Manhattan.

• Thurs., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
• Fri., Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.
• Sat., Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Sun., Jan. 11 at 3 p.m.

Tickets start at $70.
For information, visit myfirstexhusband.com.

Angela LaGreca

Editor, Co-Founder/Publisher

Angela LaGreca, Editor-in-chief and co-Founder/Publisher of Spark Hamptons, is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, writer and comedian/host. Her TV credits include NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “The View,” and, most recently, the primetime cable news program “Cuomo” on NewsNation. On the East End, she was the Creative Director at LTV, VP Features/Events/Photo Editor at Dan’s Papers, and has performed at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater and the WHBPAC. Her publishing career began at Modern Photography, where she was managing editor. LaGreca lives in Manhattan and East Hampton and can be reached at angelatvmedia@gmail.com and angela@sparkhamptons.com .