Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue actually wrote the marital handbook.
The long-married couple’s book, What Makes a Marriage Last: Insider Stories, contains personal facts about their marriage. Forty Well-Known Couples Share Their Secrets with Us.
The most fascinating revelation made by Marlo is that, even though she and Phil have been married for over 40 years, she never really wanted to get married.
The famous person expressed in the book her previously negative opinion of the institution, saying that marriage is like a vacuum cleaner that sucks away all of your ambition and vitality when you stick it to your ear.
Thomas frequently shares her opinions, likening marriage to having to placate a prisoner. That is, until she met Donahue.
Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas met following the dissolution of their first marriage, and they have remained lifelong friends ever since.
The Phil Donahue Show, which was eventually renamed as simply “Donahue,” was the vehicle through which Phil Donahue first gained popular recognition. For the first time, audience members participated in the program, which ran for 29 years. One of the visitors on his show who radically changed his life’s trajectory was Marlo Thomas.
The book claims that the two met in 1977 in Chicago, when Phil was bringing four children with him. His fifth child, a daughter, lived somewhere else with her mother and ex-wife.
Marlo and Phil dated for three years before being married in 1980 in front of a small wedding party of thirty-five guests.
Not surprise, Marlo’s friends and family were taken aback by the actress’s sudden change of heart. A hilarious story of Marlo’s bridal shower, where visitors hung notes from the soon-to-be bride that disclosed her past views on marriage, is featured in the couple’s book.
The book claims that Marlo’s mother was the most shocked of all, asking Donahue, “How did you get her to do this?” throughout the nuptials of the pair.
Reportedly, among other emotions, even total strangers voiced shock at the well-known social activist’s decision to get married. While Phil was in the lavatory, a passenger on the airplane the couple took to Greece for their honeymoon expressed displeasure to Marlo, presumably disappointed that she had given up her old independent streak.
In the book, Thomas is honest enough to acknowledge that something was unclear when they spoke. After all her life condemning marriage, was she suddenly a hypocrite for getting married? Had she let those down who held her in high regard as the embodiment of self-reliance?
Even though Donahue and Thomas discuss the usual ups and downs of their long marriage in the book, they manage to make their marriage work to this day. They describe these problems as teaching moments that deepened their relationship.
The couple had been apart from the beginning of their marriage, with Phil traveling to Chicago to tape his show and Marlo traveling to pursue her acting career.
Thomas had a greater understanding of how different individuals define marriage when his aunt said that the couple’s union was void because they weren’t living together exclusively. In spite of their separation, Thomas and Donahue were able to keep their marriage together. Significantly, Marlo’s marriage resulted in her having children.
In a 2012 interview with AARP, Thomas reflected on her experience helping Phil raise his kids, stating she went into it knowing that they already had a traditional mother and that would not be her role.
Rather, Marlo claims that she began to treat Phil’s children more like friends in an effort to mimic the parenting style of her own mother. She continues by saying that she feels more connected to them today than she did at the start of their marriage.
Donahue points out that Thomas really did strive to understand the lads in the book and spent as much time as she could getting to know his sons.
Phil and Marlo believe that their long marriage is a result of her strong bond with his kids and their mutual faith in each other. “You build trust when you realize that this person always has your back,” says Marlo in clarification.
Despite being married for more than 40 years, they still have more memories to make.
Phil goes on to argue that a marriage has to be desired by both parties in order for it to last. Marlo says she would never want to be anything other than married to her lover, echoing his sentiments. She claims that Donahue has assisted her “in every manner possible.”
When two people truly commit to one another, marriage is an incredibly lovely union that is made much more beautiful.
These two have a lot to teach and inspire us all. As satisfying as their relationship is, we should all strive to be in one!
People Relate Their Most Memorable Instances of Instant Justice
Whether it’s a cheating spouse, an entitled individual, or a selfish family member, karma spares no one. These five stories showcase how it serves justice even when things seem like they’ve gone out of control.
Karma, the cosmic force of cause and effect, often works in mysterious ways. But sometimes, it strikes with immediate and undeniable impact.
In this collection, we present five stories where wrongdoers faced instant consequences, reminding us that what goes around truly does come around.
1. My Sister Threw Our Grandpa a Birthday Party but Demanded That He Pay for It When the Bill Came — Karma Retaliated
When my younger sister Ariel offered to plan Grandpa’s 90th birthday, I knew things would go awry, but I didn’t expect this. The first odd thing I noticed was the party venue.
Ariel chose a sushi restaurant for the party knowing well that Grandpa didn’t like sushi. To make matters worse, the guests were mostly her loud university friends. Grandpa’s friends and relatives? She didn’t even invite them.
When I confronted her during the party, she brushed off my concerns saying Grandpa was “happy to hang out with the youth” when he was clearly feeling out of place.
It seemed like Ariel had thrown a party for her friends while Grandpa just sat in a corner. I felt so terrible for him.
Then, just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, Ariel handed the bill to Grandpa.
“Here you go, Gramps! Happy birthday! Time to pay up!” she laughed, oblivious to the disaster.
I couldn’t stay quiet.
“Ariel, what are you doing? Gramps shouldn’t pay for his own birthday!”
I snatched the bill, but Gramps, always the peacekeeper, offered to pay.
“It’s alright, Jocelyn. I can handle it,” he said.
I wasn’t letting that happen.
“Let me take care of this, Gramps,” I smiled. “You’ve done enough for all of us.”
Then, as Ariel went back to her friends, I asked the bartender for the aux cable. I pretended I wanted to play a special song for Grandpa.
Instead, I plugged the cable into my phone and played Ariel’s voice messages where she was ranting about her friends. The same friends who were sitting right there.
“I can’t stand my roommate!” her voice echoed across the room. “She’s always in my space, and her boyfriend is the worst. He’s such a slob, and she’s just as bad!”
I watched in silence as Ariel’s jaw dropped open and her friends looked at her with wide eyes. Soon, all of her friends left, and she just sat there in silence.
Ariel knew why I’d played the audio, and didn’t have the guts to confront me.
That’s when Gramps, ever wise, looked at Ariel and said, “Ariel, you need to take responsibility for your actions. This isn’t how we treat family or friends.”
“I’m sorry, Grandpa,” Ariel apologized.
Grandpa and I didn’t have to say a lot to make her realize how wrong it was to invite her friends to Grandpa’s birthday party, and then ask him to pay the bill. Karma had done its job, and I was sure Ariel wouldn’t dare do such an immature thing again.
2. Man in Walmart Demanded That I Give up My Wheelchair for His Tired Wife – Karma Got Him before I Could
I was rolling through Walmart in my wheelchair when Mr. Entitled blocked my path.
“My wife’s tired. Give her your wheelchair,” he demanded, gesturing to the woman behind him.
I blinked, thinking it was some weird joke. “Uh, sorry, what?”
“You heard me,” he snapped. “She’s been on her feet all day. You’re young, you can walk.”
“I can’t walk,” I explained. “That’s why I need this chair.”
But he wasn’t buying it.
“You’re faking it!” he barked, his face growing red.
Things escalated quickly as a Walmart employee, Miguel, intervened.
“Sir, we can’t ask someone to give up a mobility aid,” Miguel said calmly.
But Mr. Entitled kept yelling, demanding a manager and ranting about my supposed “fraud.” Just as he stepped back, karma struck. LITERALLY.
He stumbled into a display of canned vegetables, crashing to the floor as cans rolled everywhere.
His wife rushed over, while Mr. Entitled tried to get up, only to slip on another can and fall again.
The whole store was watching at that point, and I couldn’t suppress a laugh. Miguel tried his best to help him, but Mr. Entitled ranted about suing the store before his wife hurried him out.
I still wonder what would’ve happened next if she wasn’t there.
3. I Came Home to See My Furniture Put up for Grabs — My Ex-husband’s Petty Revenge Backfired Spectacularly
After about four years of marriage, Brendan and I decided to split. I won’t go into the details behind it, but all I knew was he had become so much bitter after this decision. It was getting too unbearable to stay with him in the same house.
As a result, I went to my parents’ house to clear my mind one weekend. But when I returned, I found all my furniture scattered across the lawn.
A large, hand-painted sign that read “Free Stuff!” stood proudly in front of the chaos, inviting anyone passing by to help themselves to my belongings.
Furious, I kicked the sign over and immediately called Brendan.
“Why is my furniture on the lawn?” I demanded.
“You were going to sue for all my money anyway,” he said. “I heard you on the phone with someone. I know that you wanted everything. Or at least half of everything! So, you might as well know how it feels to lose what’s yours.”
Sure, I had thought about taking him for a ride and having my share of his money, but the weekend away with my parents taught me to just let it go.
“You’re absolutely unbelievable,” I yelled. “You think this is going to solve anything? You’re just making things worse for yourself.”
“Whatever. It’s your problem now,” he replied. “Maybe you should charge people for your things instead of letting them take it for free.”
I was speechless. I knew arguing with him was pointless, so I hung up.
I looked around at the furniture, thinking if I could ask a friend to store these things until I found a new place. That’s when my gaze landed on the bedside table, and I remembered what was there inside the drawer.
It was Brendan’s father’s prized watch.
It was a family heirloom that Brendan cherished, but now I had it hostage.
A few hours later, I was at a friend’s place who had helped me store the furniture in her garage and offered me a place to stay. We were having pizza when Brendan called, realizing he’d left the watch in the drawer.
“Please, Gina, I need the watch back,” he pleaded.
“The neighbors took the bedside tables,” I lied. “You might have to buy it back from them.”
After making him sweat, he eventually offered $500 to “buy it back.”
The next morning, he handed me an envelope, while I handed over the watch. I can never forget the defeated look on his face!
4. My Parents Spent All My College Fund Inheritance from Grandpa, but Karma Struck Back
After my grandfather passed, he left his entire inheritance to me for college, but the money was kept in my parents’ account until I turned 18.
When I checked at 19, the account was empty.
Furious, I confronted my parents and learned the truth: they had drained the funds to bail out my brother, who had squandered his finances on a luxury car and debts. Worse, they used the remaining money for a lavish house.
“How could you sacrifice my future for his mistakes?” I demanded, devastated by their betrayal.
My parents offered weak excuses, prioritizing my brother over my dreams. I can’t explain how abandoned and betrayed I felt.
As a result, I cut off contact with them and worked toward my career. I got a job, found a grant, and enrolled in another university. As years passed, I became financially stable and even started paying for my own house.
Then, karma struck.
I was in my office when I received a call from my brother.
“Can we meet?” he asked. “Please don’t say no.”
I hesitated, but curiosity got the better of me. When we finally met, he was unexpectedly warm, still, I remained skeptical. It wasn’t long before he asked me for money to help our parents.
It turned out that my parents’ house investment had collapsed, leaving them in debt. I knew this was karma doing its job, but I didn’t feel good. I felt bad because they were my parents, and I still loved them.
So, I decided to visit them. I still remember how they broke down in tears and begged for forgiveness. They had realized what they had done, so I forgave them.
5. My Husband Cheated on Me With Secretary, Then Karma Crushed Him Back
My husband Brody and I met at work, and we continued with the same jobs after our wedding. I always thought working with him in the same office was so cool until I caught him cheating with his secretary, Lila.
I still remember how I couldn’t even move when I caught him caressing her legs in front of everyone at the office. My heart sank as I realized how publicly he was flaunting his affair.
“Brody, what’s going on here?” I confronted him.
He didn’t even flinch.
“We’re discussing work,” he said, with Lila smirking beside him.
“By putting your hands up her skirt?” I asked, looking straight into his eyes. “In front of everyone?”
“Don’t make a scene, Shirley,” he snapped. “You should be grateful I’m still coming home. But I’m done. I’m filing for divorce, and I’ll take the house. You deserve nothing.”
I was too shocked to react. I just quietly watched him walk away with Lila.
That night, I didn’t have the guts to go home. Instead, I sat in a cheap hotel room, crying and questioning everything.
Was this really my life? I thought. How did I let it get this bad?
The next morning, I dragged myself to work, dreading the looks I knew I’d get from my coworkers. Sure enough, their gazes were filled with pity.
I wanted to disappear, to resign and leave it all behind. But I couldn’t.
The thought of not finding another job scared me. I had bills to pay, and starting over wasn’t something I could afford. Little did I know that fate would soon turn my life in a better direction.
A few days later, the company hired a new boss, Mr. Anderson. Word spread fast that he was sharp, no-nonsense, and talented. As a result, everyone kept their head down and focused on work.
Then came the bombshell. Brody was fired.
It turned out he had been skimming money from the company for months, manipulating the finances in ways he thought no one would ever notice. But Mr. Anderson spotted the discrepancies almost immediately.
Brody’s arrogance had finally caught up with him, and the man who flaunted his affair so proudly was now out of a job.
I won’t lie, I felt a small sense of satisfaction. Karma had done its job, and I hadn’t even lifted a finger. But the story doesn’t end here.
Brody showed up at my door a few weeks after that. He mumbled something about making mistakes and how he missed me. He wanted back into my life, but I stood firm.
“No, Brody,” I said sternly. “You made your choices, and now you have to live with them. I’m done.”
And with that, I closed the door in his face, feeling stronger than I had in years.
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