Elizabeth Weber, Billy Joel’s first wife, does not communicate with the Piano Man on a regular basis.
She exclusively told Page Six Wednesday night at the Tribeca Festival screening of the documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” that “[we’re] friendly but not close.”
We got divorced for a purpose, after all. I’ve also been married a few of times, you know. And I wouldn’t be here tonight if I were close to all of my ex-partners!
Christie Brinkley (1985–1994), Katie Lee (2004–2009), and his current wife, Alexis Roderick, whom he said “I do” to in 2015, are the pianist’s third marriage.
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Joel recently disclosed that he has been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a rare brain illness, which is why he was conspicuously absent at the dazzling premiere.
Through his bandmate Jon Small, the 76-year-old Grammy winner got to know Weber. According to People, Weber and Small were married at the time, and Joel was residing in their house.
In the candid documentary, Joel recounted living with the couple and becoming “in love” with Weber, who had a son with Small.
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The singer of “The Stranger” recalled being devastated by guilt once the affair was revealed and making two attempts to take his own life.
Joel later got back in touch with Weber, though, and the two were wed from 1973 to 1982. She was his manager as well.
Weber dismissed the negative publicity she has endured over the years while walking the red carpet for the new documentary.In the candid documentary, Joel recounted living with the couple and becoming “in love” with Weber, who had a son with Small.
The singer of “The Stranger” recalled being devastated by guilt once the affair was revealed and making two attempts to take his own life.
Joel later got back in touch with Weber, though, and the two were wed from 1973 to 1982. She was his manager as well.
Weber dismissed the negative publicity she has endured over the years while walking the red carpet for the new documentary.
“Well, you know, the music industry has historically not been good to women, and rock ‘n’ roll isn’t really good to women,” she said. “But I can’t really worry about [anything else] because I have my life and I do what I do.”
Joel penned the well-known song “Just the Way You Are” for Weber in 1977, but he hardly ever sang it following their divorce.
After the divorce, he later disclosed that his drummer, Liberty DeVitto, would humorously mock the song’s lyrics in the chorus, saying things such, “She got the house, she got the car.”
However, Weber told Page Six that Joel’s admission doesn’t bother her.
“The spotlight is not where I reside. Joel composed that song for her as “a birthday gift,” she added, adding, “I know what it’s like to kind of chum the waters and say things.”
It’s a lovely song that has been covered by a lot of folks. The fact that it turned into the monster [hit] that it is shocked me just as much as anybody else. However, I take pride in it. I’m content.
Later this summer, HBO Max will stream Billy Joel: And So It Goes.
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