‘The View’ host Joy Behar was named after ‘wacky’ Italian grandmother who threatened to murder her own children

nypost.com:

“The View” co-host, 82, revealed that her birth name — Josephine Victoria “Joy” Behar — is an homage to her Italian grandmother, who once threatened to kill herself and her own children.Behar, a self-proclaimed lasagna queen, dropped the interesting family tidbit on Wednesday’s episode of the show’s “Behind the Table” podcast, telling “View” producer Brian Teta that her name stems from her “wacky” paternal grandma who lived in Turin, Italy. “I was born Josephine, named after my father’s mother, who was a little wacky, I understand,” Behar said on the podcast. “My grandfather decided to come to Brooklyn to visit his brother who was here.”The comedian shared that her grandmother made the disturbing threat after he stayed in the U.S.

longer than expected. “My grandfather didn’t go back for several months. So, my grandmother, Josephine, sent him — I don’t know, by pigeon or something — a note, saying, ‘If you don’t come back, I’m going to kill myself and the children.’ Of which, there were three,” Behar explained.

Despite the wild story, she doubled down on her moniker.“That is who I am named after,” Behar said. She noted that her maternal grandfather suggested the entire family call her Joy, saying he’d refer to her as “La Gioia” (aka “The Joy” in Italian).“The View” star holds a special place in her heart for Italy.

However, in April 2023, she revealed she had a quarrel with an Italian train attendant who wouldn’t let her use the bathroom in the first-class lounge. “The people are nice, here and there.