Latest news with #familysecret
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Strahan's Parents Cooked and Ate His Childhood Pet Pig, and He Didn't Find Out Until He Was an Adult
Michael Strahan didn't know until he was an adult that his parents cooked and ate his childhood pet pig The Good Morning America star's co-host Sara Haines found out about the family secret and teased Strahan about it She accidentally spilled the beans on the pet pig and shared the story of telling Strahan about the animal's fate on The Weekend View on Saturday, May 24Michael Strahan's family kept a pretty big secret from him about their childhood pet pig. The former NFL star and Good Morning America co-anchor was one of five kids, who split his time growing up between Houston, Texas, and Germany. His parents Gene Strahan and Louise Strahan opened up to Michael's former GMA co-anchor Sara Haines, in a special interview segment before Gene's death in 2020, about one particularly memorable incident from his childhood. 'I went to shoot with his parents before his father died because I wanted ...to give him time with his parents, as one of five children where they just talked about him,' Haines explained during The Weekend View on Saturday, May 24. However, during that special segment, Haines said she learned that the family had a pet pig, adding, 'They shared with me that they ate the pig.' To make matters worse, Michael had no idea what had happened to the animal. 'I come back and I'm giving Michael a hard time, as one would, and I joked about the pig,' Haines explained. 'And he's like, 'What are you talking about?' He didn't know. He didn't know 'cause they were all young.' Haines added that Michael then confronted his mother about the story, leading her to feel even worse about the accidental reveal. 'He was like, 'I had no idea.' And he called his mom,' she shared. 'And I was like, 'I didn't mean to betray the family trust! I just thought you told him!' ' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While they might have kept some things from him, Michael's parents always believed in their son. "I never knew I could accomplish so much, but my parents never act surprised," he told PEOPLE in 2016. "They look at me as if there's no limit. That helped me feel like there's no limit." These days the Strahan family sticks to dogs and Michael is dad to pups Enzo and Zuma, introducing Zuma in 2023. 'Everyone meet Zuma Strahan 💕' Michael captioned a video of the sweet dog on Instagram. 'New puppy so Enzo has a sister!! Welcome home!' Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Daily Mail
I pressured my mother to confess a scandalous family secret on her deathbed - now I'm worried I ruined her final moments
A woman has described their torment after pressuring their mother to confess a family secret while on her deathbed. Posting on the thread r/AmITheA**hole, the user, believed to be based in the US, revealed how they found out at a young age that her baby brother's biological father was not the man who had brought him up. Allen, the poster's younger brother whose name has been changed for privacy, lived the majority of his life believing that George, the man who raised him from a baby, was his biological father - even after he had died. In 2023, Allen and his wife began discussing the fact that he didn't look much like George, and even began to wonder if he was his real father. The Reddit user recalled their distress when they realised their mother 'didn't have much time left' but was the 'only one who had the answer'. As I result, they 'pressured her, got loud with her' and finally got her to admit the truth to Allen, giving enough information for them to eventually track down his real father. However, the Reddit user revealed they felt guilty for forcing out the information, writing: 'AITA for pressing my mom in her final weeks? I felt like it caused Allen to be stand offish and he rarely came by to check on her after that.' They added: 'The reason I think I might be the a**hole is one for pressing her while she's on her deathbed and causing her discomfort but also the fact that my brother kind of abandoned her at that point and yelling came to visit her one time after that and at that point she was incoherent basically in a coma and I feel like maybe I robbed her of her final moments with her family.' But taking to the comments, most agreed that they'd done the right thing - and felt sorry for Allen, having been kept in the dark for so long. One commenter wrote: 'Why on earth was she still lying about it? Did the guy turn out to be scary or something?' The sister of Allen responded and confirmed that this was not the case at all. She wrote: 'No. He actually turned out to be a really good guy. Feel like she was embarrassed and wasn't really thinking about how it is going to affect him not knowing.' Other readers of the story questioned why the poster's mother and aunty were discussing the topic so openly at the dinner table when she was present as a child. One person wrote: 'What kind of sick family discusses this at the dining table in front of the other kids? Either they thought it was no biggie or they did it on purpose so someone would overhear and they wouldn't be to blame that it all came out. Either way, they suck and I'm sorry for the original poster and their brother.' Many people supported the poster's decision to pressure their mother into telling the truth. Another person wrote: 'You not only helped Allen find his bio-dad but also helped preserve a modicum of decency for your mother right before her death, even though she doesn't have much decency to begin with.' A second said: 'Your brother should have been told a LONG time ago. He had every right to know who his birth father was so he could decide whether to have a relationship then or not. It was wrong for your mother to keep that from him. You did the right thing.' Posting on the thread r/AmITheA**hole , they revealed how they found out at a young age that her baby brother's biological father was not the man who had brought him up Others were not as supportive of the decision and argued that the daughter had 'ruined' her brother's final chance to make 'fond memories.' They wrote: 'The last time with your mom should have been where you could make some fond memories or have nice talks together. You ruined that for your brother, so congratulations.' Explaining how the poster came to to learn the information, they wrote: 'When I was young I discovered the secret while at the dining table when my aunt and grandmother were having a conversation. 'My aunt spilled the beans that my stepdad was not my youngest brother's real father.' However, some time after the initial reveal worlds nearly collided, the poster wrote: 'Years later me and my mother were out having a few drinks just enjoying each other's company and she said oh my God that's Allen's real dad. 'We didn't speak to him and I wasn't exactly sure which guy she was talking about.' Despite George taking the secret to his grave Allen had discussed with his wife how he felt that he 'looked nothing like' who he thought his father was and had question if he was 'his real dad.' When Allen opened up to his older sister about how he was feeling she 'told him he'd have to talk to Mom,' and that she did not know much about the situation. However, timing was not on the daughter's side as their mother 'didn't have much time left but was the only one that had the answer.' The poster admitted that due to their mother's ill health she 'felt bad springing it' on her but thought that her brother deserved answers. She wrote: 'Everybody else who was privy to it was dead by this point and my brother wanted to find who is real dad was so he can know his family history, family medical history, if he has other siblings out there you know that kind of stuff.' However, when the siblings approached the topic with their mother she 'tried to deny it,' triggering the daughter to get 'loud with her.' Recalling the altercation and her own behaviour in particular she wrote: 'I'm not proud of it.' Although it was a challenge the truth finally came out. The daughter wrote: 'But she finally admitted to Allen, and what little information she could remember, or was willing to release, was just enough that with a little searching we were able to find him.'
Fox News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Sarah Silverman uncovers family secret about infant brother's tragic death
Sarah Silverman revealed a shocking family secret that her late father, Donald Silverman, once shared with her about her baby brother Jeffrey's tragic death. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the 54-year-old comedian recalled the moment that Donald told her about how he believed Jeffrey, who passed away at three-months-old, really died. "I'm going to tell you a big bomb," Silverman said. Silverman recalled that for most of her life, she was always told one version of the circumstances behind Jeffrey's death. The "Saturday Night Live" alum explained that at the time of Jeffrey's death, her paternal grandparents, Max and Rose, were caring for the infant while Donald and her late mother Beth Ann O'Hara were on vacation. "The story was that something happened with the crib, and Jeffrey's little body slid and he got suffocated," Silverman said. "But if you look back, there was never a lawsuit with the crib company or anything." However, Silverman told the outlet that Donald shared a very different story in 2022 when he attended a production of her musical "The Bedwetter" at the Atlantic Theatre Company's Linda Gross Theatre in New York City. "The Bedwetter" is an adaptation of Silverman's 2010 memoir of the same name. The show included a scene in which a younger version of Silverman made a joke about Jeffrey's death. Silverman recalled that Donald visited her afterward and made a shocking revelation about how he believed his allegedly "violent" late father Max was involved in Jeffrey's passing. "My dad says, 'I always felt that he was crying or something, and my dad shook him,'" Silverman told Rolling Stone. "'He shook him in a rage and killed him.'" Silverman said that Donald's story immediately made sense to her because her father had endured a "heartbreaking childhood," during which "his dad beat the s--- out of him every day, just mercilessly." "As soon as he said it, it was like, 'Of course, that's what happened,'" Silverman said. "His mother always stood by her husband. She watched him beat the s--- out of her son. I couldn't ask my mom, because she was dead." "That was my dad," Silverman said. "We were playing poker once, and he just dropped in that one of the priests at his school fondled him. I was like, 'Dad!'" "He was always dropping bombs," she added. A representative for Silverman did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Silverman's parents divorced when the comedian was six, and they both later remarried. Beth died of pancreatic cancer in August 2015 at the age of 73. Donald passed away in May 2023, shortly after the death of his longtime wife Janice. After Donald's death, Silverman shared a tribute to her late father on Instagram. "My best pal, Schleppy – my dad, died last night," she wrote in the caption of the post, which featured photos of herself with Donald. "All the sisters, and grandkids surrounded him with love and singing and very dark f–ked up jokes this final week." She continued, "But ultimately, he wanted to be with his love, Janice, who we lost last Monday. No shiva- of [sic] you wanna do something please donate to @2ndnurture." "He always said he was the richest man in the world because of his family, and he was," Silverman added.
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Mariska Hargitay reveals shocking family secret about her biological father
Mariska Hargitay has been keeping a family secret for more than 30 years. At the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, the "Law & Order: SVU" star revealed at the premiere of her documentary, "My Mom Jayne," that her biological father is former Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli. She was raised by late actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay. The actress admitted to Vanity Fair that she struggled with the idea of "knowing I'm living a lie my entire life." But the answer eventually became clear to her. "I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me," she said. "I'm Mickey Hargitay's daughter. That is not a lie. This documentary is kind of a love letter to him, because there's no one that I was closer to on this planet." "He was my everything, my idol," shared the 61-year-old about the patriarch, who died in 2006 at age 80. "He loved me so much, and I knew it. I also knew something else; I just didn't know what I knew." Growing up, Hargitay always felt she was different from her siblings, the outlet shared. It wouldn't be until her 20s that she learned why. In 1963, Hargitay's mother, Jayne Mansfield, filed for divorce from Mickey. She then embarked on a high-profile romance with Sardelli. The actress went on to reconcile with Mickey several months before Hargitay's birth in 1964. When Hargitay was in her 20s, someone showed her a photo of the Italian entertainer. According to the outlet, Hargitay "immediately knew in her bones" that Sardelli was her biological father. "It was like the floor fell out from under me," she said in "My Mom Jayne." Mansfield died in 1967 from injuries she sustained in a car crash. She was 34. Hargitay was 3 years old and asleep in the back seat of the car when it rammed into a truck. After suspecting that Sardelli was her biological father, she confronted Mickey. He denied it. According to the outlet, the encounter was "so shattering" that she never mentioned Sardelli to Mickey again. At age 30, Hargitay went to see Sardelli perform in Atlantic City. When she introduced herself, he burst into tears, telling her, "I've been waiting 30 years for this moment." Hargitay suddenly became fiercely protective of her father, the man who raised her and her siblings after her mother's death. "I went full Olivia Benson on him," she told Vanity Fair about her first meeting with Sardelli. "I was like, 'I don't want anything. I don't need anything from you … I have a dad.' There was something about loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey." Hargitay eventually forged a bond with Sardelli, 90, and his daughters. But when it came time to tell her story, she said "many people" were hesitant about the film coming out. But in time, both families gave Hargitay their blessing. The documentary features interviews with Hargitay's siblings: Jayne Marie, Zoltan and Mickey Jr. The Sardelli sisters "wept and wept" when they saw a private screening of the documentary in Las Vegas, the outlet revealed. "These two women that I love so much – I made them secrets!" said Hargitay. "It's so heartbreaking to me. … I'm not good with lies. So, I also made this movie to unburden all of us." The film also helped Hargitay address the loss of her mother. "I don't remember the accident," she said. "I don't even remember being told that my mom had died. I looked at photos, and I don't really remember anything until I was 5." Mansfield, born Vera Jayne Palmer, was an aspiring actress who spoke several languages and played violin and piano. A casting director suggested she bleach her hair, wear tighter dresses and adopt a Marilyn Monroe-inspired voice. The "dumb blonde" persona stuck and Mansfield skyrocketed to fame in Hollywood. But like Monroe, Mansfield struggled to be taken seriously as an actress. WATCH: QUEEN ELIZABETH 'FELT SORRY' FOR MARILYN MONROE: AUTHOR "When I would hear that fake voice, it used to just flip me out," Hargitay recalled. "'Why is she talking like that? That's not real.' [But] my dad would always say, 'She wasn't like that at all. She was like you. She was funny and irreverent and fearless and real.'" "My Mom Jayne" premiered on May 17 at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. It will air June 27 on HBO and HBO Max.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mariska Hargitay Reveals Shocking Family Secret She's Kept for More Than 30 Years in New Documentary
Mariska Hargitay revealed with the premiere of her documentary My Mom Jayne that her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her Her biological father is a former Las Vegas entertainer named Nelson Sardelli Mariska opened up about the revelation in an interview with Vanity Fair, recounting the moment she first met and introduced herself to Sardelli, who is still alive and in his eightiesMariska Hargitay is opening up about a family secret she's kept for more than 30 years. At the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 13, the Law & Order: SVU actress, 61, revealed with the premiere of her documentary My Mom Jayne that her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her, but rather a former Las Vegas entertainer named Nelson Sardelli. As Mariska explains in the documentary — which marks her feature film directorial debut — she first learned of Sardelli when she was 25. She confronted Mariska, the only father she'd ever known, with the news, and after he insisted he was her father, the two never spoke of it again. But it left Mariska with many questions, wondering if she was Hungarian like her father and her brothers, Zoltan and Mickey Jr., or if she was really Italian like Sardelli. The actress opened up further about the revelation about her father in an interview with Vanity Fair. She told the outlet that she went to see Sardelli perform in Atlantic City, N.J., when she was 30 years old, and described his emotional reaction when she introduced herself. Moved to tears, he said, 'I've been waiting 30 years for this moment.' But Mariska said she found herself giving him a tough time and going "full Olivia Benson on him," referring to her SVU character. 'I was like, 'I don't want anything, I don't need anything from you.… I have a dad, ' ' she recalled telling him, explaining, 'There was something about loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey.' She told Vanity Fair that after the momentous meeting with Sardelli, she grappled with "knowing I'm living a lie my entire life." Sardelli, who is still alive and now in his late eighties, participates in the documentary, as do his other two daughters — Mariska's half sisters. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In the film, Mariska explains that, at 61 years old, keeping this a secret was no longer necessary. Mariska also has an older sister, Jayne Marie Mansfield, from her mother's first marriage, as well as a younger brother, Tony Cimber, from her mother's third marriage, both of whom are also featured in My Mom Jayne. The actress told Vanity Fair that once she eventually built a bond with Sardelli and his daughters, she better understood that her mother returned to Mickey because she knew he would love and provide a stable home life for Mariska. 'I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me,' she said. 'I'm Mickey Hargitay's daughter — that is not a lie.' 'This documentary is kind of a love letter to him, because there's no one that I was closer to on this planet," she noted. Mariska told Vanity Fair that she and her Sardelli sisters gathered together for a private screening of the documentary in Las Vegas, and recalled how they were overcome with emotion. 'They just wept and wept and wept,' she said. 'These two women that I love so much — I made them secrets! It's so heartbreaking to me.' For Mariska, sharing her story with the world in the documentary was a way to "unburden all of us.' Following the film's premiere screening at Cannes on Saturday, the audience gave a five-minute standing ovation. Mariska was joined at the event by her husband, Peter Hermann, and three kids. Read the original article on People
