Hollywood is full of great men that are sometimes only famous for who they’re married to. Among other things, however, Tom Vitale deserves recognition for his own lucrative career as well. Here are some interesting facts about him and a glimpse into his life, career, and more.
Who Is Tom Vitale?
Born Thomas P. Vitale in 1963, Tom Vitale is somewhat of a jack of all trades. In his years-long career, he has established himself as a financial planner, entrepreneur, TV producer, and internet personality.
His career goes back all the way to the 1980s. After getting his degree from the prestigious Williams College, he started working for Viacom as a research analyst and marketing strategist.
Even back then, he showed that he possessed a useful set of traits that would quickly make him one of the most prosperous people in the US. He is known for his determination and diligence – all of which helped him skyrocket his career in a short amount of time.
Worth about $5 million, Tom has a career that spans four decades and has worked in executive television roles for various famous companies, including Syfy and Chiller.
Furthermore, he was the President of Fieri Manhattan and NYS Vice President of Fieri National. For about seven years, he also served as CEO for Veebow, an eCommerce company that he co-founded.
14 Facts You Didn’t Know About Tom Vitale
#1. He Doesn’t Talk Much About His Parents.
There isn’t much information about Tom Vitale’s parents online, save for a few photos. However, he has a sibling, a brother named David Vitale.
#2. He Attended Williams College.
Williams College isn’t as prestigious as some Ivy League universities, but it’s still a famous private liberal arts college. After his graduation, Tom was involved in the school’s activities, most notably as a board member of Williams Club. Even today, he is an active college alumnus.
#3. He Doesn’t Come From a Poor Background.
Though he established a name for himself throughout the years, this isn’t a rags-to-riches story. Tom hails from a well-to-do family.
#4. He Started His Career in Finance.
He has worked in television since the 1980s. However, he first wanted to pursue a career in finance and focused on that until television finally became a crucial part of his life.
#5. He Is a Fire Sign.
Tom Vitale is a Leo as he was born on August 15.
#6. He Is Married to a Famous Actress.
His first wife was Sharon Vitale, and he shares four children with her. His second wife is actress Valerie Bertinelli. Arguably her most famous role was Barbara Cooper Royer on the famous TV show One Day at a Time.
#7. Indirectly, He Is a Part of US Rock History.
His wife Valerie’s first husband was the legendary Eddie Van Halen, who co-founded the rock band Van Halen. Since Valerie and Eddie had a son Wolfgang in 1991, he is also a stepfather. Wolfgang is a musician too and even served as a bassist for Van Halen at one point.
#8. He Has a Bit of a Shady Past.
There’s hardly any information about his ex-wife Sharon online. However, stories about his domestic abuse were made public by a gossip blog (Perez Hilton). This may have been one of the reasons for their split, though what happened between the two is still mostly a mystery.
Due to his anger issues, Tom has had to complete 12 weeks of anger management classes. This was largely requested after he allegedly expressed his anger on his own child.
According to Perez Hilton, this wasn’t the end of it all, as Tom has had a few similar anger-related incidents later on. Still, his wife Valerie maintains he has always been a perfect gentleman toward her.
#9. He Has Been With Valerie Bertinelli for 15 Years Now.
After his first divorce at the beginning of the 2000s, Tom started dating again and met Valerie way back in 2004. According to some sources, the pair met at a party that year. Valerie’s brother, Patrick, may have introduced them.
#10. But They Didn’t Rush Into Marriage.
Tom’s marriage to Valerie wasn’t a quick decision by any means. The two took a while to hear wedding bells, as they dated for a whopping six years beforehand. Finally, they became engaged in 2010 and were married on January 1, 2011. Valerie’s ex-husband attended the wedding, as the two remained friends.
#11. His Children Aren’t So Keen to Be in the Spotlight.
Tom’s four children aren’t so much in the limelight as he and his second wife are. However, some of them (Angela and Andie) have appeared in Valerie’s TV series, Valerie’s Home Cooking.
#12. He Seems to Enjoy Social Media.
Tom doesn’t have many followers on Instagram or Twitter, but he is still fairly active on social media. He often shares glimpses of his life with Valerie, as well as photos of his children and granddaughter. Judging by his Instagram, Tom Vitale is a doting father, grandfather, and cat lover.
He also frequently posts about his gardening adventures, especially about his grapevines, sometimes even sharing some tips on how he takes care of his plants. On Twitter, however, he’s more politically active. It’s evident that he supports Democrats, or he at least doesn’t have many nice things to say about former President Donald Trump.
#13. He Has Appeared in TV Series and Documentaries.
Similar to his kids, Tom has also appeared in his wife’s series Valerie’s Home Cooking. He also has a few other credits under his name, such as Who Do You Think You Are?, The Apprentice, Hot in Cleveland (in which Valerie starred), E! True Hollywood Story, and 20/20.
#14. Tom and Valerie Are Still Madly in Love.
Tom Vitale and his wife Valerie have an almost perfect marriage. They’ve been together for more than a decade now and still seem like they’re very much in love.
It helps that they work through problems by communicating with each other, and they also have various shared interests. Valerie may have a cooking show, but she has said Tom is also a fantastic chef!
