Valerie Bertinelli Says She Can't 'Remember Anything About the '80s' After Seeing Photo of Her Younger Self

Mar. 15, 2025

Valerie Bertinelli in 1982 and 2024.Photo:Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

If there’s one decadeValerie Bertinellican’t tell you much about, it’s the 1980s.While onThe Drew Barrymore Showon Monday, Feb. 3, theOne Day at a Timeactress, 64, admitted that despite being physically present in the ’80s, she was mentally checked out during that time.In a segment of the show called “Memory Bank,” Barrymore, 49, showed her “Drew Crew” panelist photos of her younger self.Drew Barrymore and Valerie Bertinelli on The Drew Barrymore Show, February 2025.The Drew Barrymore Show“Oh my God,” Bertinelli said as a large photo of her laying on the ground at a portrait studio was shown on a screen behind them.She wore a blue brocade top with shoulder pads, white sneakers and leg warmers. Her hair was cut with voluminous shaggy bangs and layers.“That doesn’t even look like me,” Bertinelli added as Barrymore pointed out that her guest was wearing a ring in the photo.TheKids Baking Championshipstar said the ring was from “Ed,” referring to her late, former husband, music legendEddie Van Halen.“I think we were married. Yeah, I was married to Ed there,” she said.Bertinelli and the Van Halen guitarist were married from 1981 until 2007. The former couple welcomed their only child,Wolfgang Van Halen, in 1991. On Oct. 6, 2020, the singerdied from throat cancerat age 65.Valerie Bertinelli, circa 1987.Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/GettyAccording to Barrymore, the Golden Globe-winning actress also “had Ed hair” in the photo shown during Monday’s episode.Bertinelli recalled how she and Van Halen used to share each other’s clothes and “ended up looking like twins for the longest time,” but said she couldn’t remember much else from that decade.“I look at that and I think: ‘That is a puffy face, and someone who needs to start taking care of herself,’ ” Bertinelli told Barrymore. “I mean, that was the ‘80s though. I don’t remember that. I don’t remember anything about the ‘80s.”The former Food Network star added, “For the longest time, I always felt guilty about the things I experimented with and what I tried when I was a young girl.”“That’s such an ABC after-school special term,” Barrymore said. “Were you ever in an ABC after-school special?“Though Bertinelli said she wasn’t, Barrymore was: 1989’s15 and Getting Straight.“Iwasan after-school special,” Barrymore joked. “By the way I was the ‘Just Say No’ girl with Nancy Reagan. Until I just said yes.““Listen I forgive us all of that,” Bertinelli replied. “We coped the way we knew how to cope with a really challenging, strange life. And also we have to start giving ourselves grace for just trying to learn through.“Valerie Bertinelli at the 2024 Daytime Emmys.Unique Nicole/GettyIn a February 2008 interview withTodayabout her memoir,Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time, Bertinelli opened up about the impact drug use had on her life.An excerpt from the book mentioned that she and Van Halen “each held a little vial of coke” as they filled out pre-marital questionnaires a priest had requested from them.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“It doesn’t really bode well for the marriage, I don’t think,” Bertinelli said in the interview.More recently, theValerie’s Home Cookingalumna told PEOPLE that she cut back on drinking after previously using it to “numb emotional pain.”“I would go out and have a fun time, drink, and the next day, I’d be so sad,” she said in the April 2024 interview. “Because there was so much sadness in my life, and alcohol amplified it.“If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

If there’s one decadeValerie Bertinellican’t tell you much about, it’s the 1980s.

While onThe Drew Barrymore Showon Monday, Feb. 3, theOne Day at a Timeactress, 64, admitted that despite being physically present in the ’80s, she was mentally checked out during that time.

In a segment of the show called “Memory Bank,” Barrymore, 49, showed her “Drew Crew” panelist photos of her younger self.

Drew Barrymore and Valerie Bertinelli on The Drew Barrymore Show, February 2025.The Drew Barrymore Show

The Drew Barrymore Show

“Oh my God,” Bertinelli said as a large photo of her laying on the ground at a portrait studio was shown on a screen behind them.

She wore a blue brocade top with shoulder pads, white sneakers and leg warmers. Her hair was cut with voluminous shaggy bangs and layers.

“That doesn’t even look like me,” Bertinelli added as Barrymore pointed out that her guest was wearing a ring in the photo.

TheKids Baking Championshipstar said the ring was from “Ed,” referring to her late, former husband, music legendEddie Van Halen.

“I think we were married. Yeah, I was married to Ed there,” she said.

Bertinelli and the Van Halen guitarist were married from 1981 until 2007. The former couple welcomed their only child,Wolfgang Van Halen, in 1991. On Oct. 6, 2020, the singerdied from throat cancerat age 65.

Valerie Bertinelli, circa 1987.Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty

Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty

According to Barrymore, the Golden Globe-winning actress also “had Ed hair” in the photo shown during Monday’s episode.

Bertinelli recalled how she and Van Halen used to share each other’s clothes and “ended up looking like twins for the longest time,” but said she couldn’t remember much else from that decade.

“I look at that and I think: ‘That is a puffy face, and someone who needs to start taking care of herself,’ ” Bertinelli told Barrymore. “I mean, that was the ‘80s though. I don’t remember that. I don’t remember anything about the ‘80s.”

The former Food Network star added, “For the longest time, I always felt guilty about the things I experimented with and what I tried when I was a young girl.”

“That’s such an ABC after-school special term,” Barrymore said. “Were you ever in an ABC after-school special?”

Though Bertinelli said she wasn’t, Barrymore was: 1989’s15 and Getting Straight.

“Iwasan after-school special,” Barrymore joked. “By the way I was the ‘Just Say No’ girl with Nancy Reagan. Until I just said yes.”

“Listen I forgive us all of that,” Bertinelli replied. “We coped the way we knew how to cope with a really challenging, strange life. And also we have to start giving ourselves grace for just trying to learn through.”

Valerie Bertinelli at the 2024 Daytime Emmys.Unique Nicole/Getty

Unique Nicole/Getty

In a February 2008 interview withTodayabout her memoir,Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time, Bertinelli opened up about the impact drug use had on her life.

An excerpt from the book mentioned that she and Van Halen “each held a little vial of coke” as they filled out pre-marital questionnaires a priest had requested from them.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“It doesn’t really bode well for the marriage, I don’t think,” Bertinelli said in the interview.

More recently, theValerie’s Home Cookingalumna told PEOPLE that she cut back on drinking after previously using it to “numb emotional pain.”

“I would go out and have a fun time, drink, and the next day, I’d be so sad,” she said in the April 2024 interview. “Because there was so much sadness in my life, and alcohol amplified it.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

source: people.com