Billy Joel, 59, has been married to 27 year-old Katie Lee Joel for four and a half years. They met at a bar when Katie was out with friends in New York and she claims that she didn’t even know who he was at first. In their Oprah appearance last year, Katie did most of the talking and explained that their relationship works because she’s mature for her age and Billy “has this job that’s allowed him to be really immature for a long time – rock star.” You could tell that Katie likes to take the reins in the relationship and Joel didn’t seem to mind. They were on the show promoting Katie’s new cook book at the time, The Comfort Table.
It looks like Katie might be up to more than just whipping up stuff in the kitchen and throwing dinner parties while Joel is away on tour. She’s rumored to be having an affair with a 36 year-old Israeli designer. Billy initially thought that Katie’s friend was gay, but he’s straight and the Enquirer has pictures of Katie dancing with the guy at a club where he looks like he’s interested in more than just friendship:
Billy Joel’s young wife has started a cozy relationship with a hunky male fashion designer, the Enquirer has learned exclusively.
The superstar musician… is being advised by close pals to dump gorgeous Katie Lee, 27, when his current concert tour ends in November, say sources.
For nearly a year, Katie Lee has been spotted out with Yigal Azrouel, a a handsome 36 year-old Israeli-born designer.
“Billy is furious,” a close source told The Enquirer. “His wife’s relationship with this guy is causing a split in his marriage.
“Initially, Billy thought it was great that she met a new friend, someone to occupy her time while he trudges through a long tour schedule. But now he’s become very concerned.”…
“She’s practically going around acting like Yigal’s girlfriend. It’s almost like she’s forgotten that she’s married to Billy Joel!” another source told The Enquirer.
“Billy initially thought Yigal – being a male fashion designer – was gay. But when someone told him the guy was heterosexual and had women hanging all over him, Billy began to worry.”
[From The National Enquirer, print edition, April 20, 2009]
We heard rumors two years ago that Billy and Katie were on the outs. Joel was heavily boozing at the time and Katie was said to be fed up with it. They worked through that rough patch, though. On Oprah Katie was proudly showed off how she’d decorated their Manhattan townhouse with the help of designer Nate Berkus and Joel was more than happy with his young wife’s skill in the kitchen. Somehow they’ve made it last this long. If Katie is really cheating with this guy though we may be hearing about a divorce soon. As Joel would sing, “everyone is so untrue.”
Katie Lee Joel and Billy Joel are shown outside Howard Stern’s wedding on 10/3/08. Katie is also shown at the Vanity Fair Oscar party on 2/22/09. Credit: WENN.com
I’ve always liked Billy Joel but what can he expect when he marries someone so much younger? I hope he has a prenup.
And this is surprising to anyone why? Look at him and look at her, that is all I am saying.
Well, I hope she is having an affair. Billy Joel dumped Christy Brinkley when she turned 40 because she was too old for him. There was gossip that he was really nasty to her. When she asked what was wrong, Joel reportedly replied, “Look in the mirror.” I’m not one to shout “Karma!” at people, but he clearly deserved to be taken down a peg. It is NOT normal for a man to have a mate 30 or 40 years his junior, as socially acceptable as that appears to be. Of course she will stray with a more age-appropriate partner. She should get out of the marriage now.
j. ferber: WOW. If that’s true, Billy Joel is delusional! Brinkley STILL looks hot.
As for this story, I’m going to go ahead and say safe money is on her having an affair. I mean, come on, like she married him for true love and how devastatingly handsome he is? Please. She was 23 when she married him and he was 55. Her career needed a jumpstart and she got it, through being married to him. Now she’s making a name for herself on her own and doesn’t need him anymore. Badda-bing-badda-boom, oldest story around.
He looks like her FATHER!!! I really don’t blame her if she is cheating on him. He has a daughter her age. That’s disgusting.
I can’t believe people are saying they don’t blame her for cheating. It’s not like her forced her to marry him. Men will continue to date and marry women who are much too young for them as long as there are women who are willing to date someone their grandpa’s age. She is nothing more than a high-priced hooker who obviously married him for money and status. Now that she’s got fame, she’s dumping him for a younger man.
Katie Lee Joel hosted the first season of Top Chef, and she was so boring she ended up getting replaced at the end of the season. Don’t get me wrong, she’s beautiful, but she’s got zero personality or flair. I’m amazed that she managed to snag billy joel or the top chef gig. The book she wrote is probably the most exciting thing about her.
And if the story that J. Ferber told is true, then Billy got exactly what he deserved.
Ok McKenna, I kind of agree, but what does that make the men then?
If i was married to that gnome, I would be slutting it up too. He is foul.
I hope it isnt true, them seem to really love each other.
I just bought her cookbook..its awesome!
“If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty women your wife
Go for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
A pretty women makes her husband look small
it very often causes a system fall
As soon as he marrys her then she starts
looking for things that will break his heart
but if you make an ugly women your wife
you’ll be happy for the rest of your life
An ugly women will put peals on that
and she’ll always give you a piece of that…”
Don’t go changin’… to try and please me…I love you just the way you are.
Which wife did Billy Joel write that about again?
Well, what did that old fool expect after marrying someone so inappropriate for him? He wanted a young wife; she wanted a sugar daddy. Surely neither of them thought it would actually last forever.
Not that I’m condoning cheating in any way, shape or form. Cheating definitely makes her the villian here. It would have been much better if she had just gone to BJ and told him honestly that she just couldn’t stay married to him any longer and that she was moving on with her life. There is never a valid excuse for cheating on your spouse, period.
I’ve got zero problems with either of them for not dating someone their own age but I’ve got major issues with both for having such utterly revolting taste in music. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Billy Joel’s music is garbage for sentimental suburban meatheads. The fact that he writes it without shame and she listens to it without shame says it all about these two.
Katie Lee would make a good mate for Chris Klein; Billy Joel would make a good match with Jennifer Aniston.
Billy Joel ex wife Brinkley dump him because he wasn’t around and Billy never cheated. Christy Brinkley got married to her third husband Richard Taubman. Christy was married to her third husband at the age of 40. She was pregnant with her son Jack with her husband Richard Taubman. Her fourth husband adopted her son Jack. She dump her ex Peter Cook because he was with a younger woman and had porn problem. It was stated in a interview. Maybe you should get your facts right!
Come on, age does not matter. Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac for a woman. Who of us has not felt it. I fell hard for an older, successful, charming man when he began courting me. I was WEAK in my knees. I felt so sexy and desirable when I felt he wanted ME. Men might fall for looks, but I do think it is less important for many women.
I saw her on Oprah too and she was a very strong, type A girl. She seemed like she had the gold digging down to an art.
Can we blame her? Joel looks like the son of the devil and he’s the ultimate douche. But, of course, he’s rich, and this is the only reason a young and hot woman would ever give him a second look. Even his music sucks, man!
I’m so sick of society being extremely nice to those silly sugar daddies. It’s fine if Rupert Murdoch marries a bimbo 38 years younger than him. It’s OK if Donald Trump has a model wife. It’s cool if decrepit Michael Douglas (seriously, his dad Kirk looks younger than him) marries Catharine Zeta Jones.
Then, Madonna shows up with a 22 year old guy and she’s a “cougar”, a wh*re”. Not that I like Madonna, but this double standard pisses me off. I think that Madonna has much better material to get a hot date than Billy, for instance.
I believe people can fall in love and feel attraction for much older people, because when you really love someone, age is not an issue. Other things, like affection, honesty and respect are more important.
But it’s so obvious that Billy Joel has nothing else than money to offer…Christie Brinkley is much better without him…
Billy Joel did not dump Christie Brinkley. She cheated on him with Ricky Taubman – or at least fell in love with that freak during her helicopter accident (she admitted that much). She later married and had that guy’s baby, and then dumped his ass too. Billy took fault in the marriage disintegration, saying he was too selfish – but there was no evidence he cheated or was cruel to her ever.
I read the same thing about Christie – he said ( I think in People magazine) that she was no spring chicken, so he likes them young. No wonder she was looking elsewhere. Wouldn’t be surprised if the booze made him verbally abusive. Christie Brinkley hasn’t been lucky with her men but she looks good and she might deserve better. He will find another young girl to make him feel young.Maybe he should have married someone not trying to be famous. Here’s a tip, if they want to be on Oprah and weren’t famous before meeting you, maybe that’s not the best chick for you, Billy.
I feel bad for the guy. He is really talented and smart, but he keeps making the same mistakes again and again.
He married one professional gold digger who uses rich men to collect houses and maintain her lavish lifestyle (Christy Brinkley).
He was younger then, and I assumed he didn’t have enough life experience to understand what kind of a woman Christy Brinkley is.
Brinkley cheated on him and moved on to a dozen more rich men, and collected even more houses and a fortune.
Now that he is older I assumed he would be wiser.
If you marry a 27 years old, most chances are that as much as she might pretend, she is after your money.
Boy, his 27 years old wife, reminds me so much of Katie Holmes.
They both seem to have the smae style and that fake- “I’m so sweet and naive good girl” smile.
Tom and Billy both deluded themselves to believe those girls are “in love” with them.
With their money, status, fame and career opportunities- yes.
With the actual respective people they are- not really.
In Tom’s case, Katie is his fist gold digger, so he is more susceptible to be fooled.
In Billy’s case- this is at least the second time he is fooled by a gold- digger, and should have been less naive and more capable to discern when a woman is just playing you and trying to exploit you.
Well, just FYi y’all, he is an offender himself, he cheated on her with a friend of mine when he was playing a concert in Canada. Maybe they have an arrangement?
NONE OF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.. But YOU – fanTa – have just committed a felony. What you posted is an act of slander. You have just presented yourself as a witness to infidelity. We will be doing our best to track you down and serve you accordingly – and then you will find it’s very expensive to make those kinds of accusations. See you in court.
and the plot thickens….
What a weird couple,
I looks like Billy is dating with his daughter’s classmate.
He is too old for her, right?
Ferber, your comment is a total lie. Christie was the one cheating on Billy. She was cheating with the guy who got in the helicopter crash with her. She went off on vacation with him. Get your facts straight.
I am 35 and I think Billy Joel is one of the hottest guys alive.