Suzanne Somers Is Supportive Of Dick Van Dyke’s 46-Year Age Gap With His Wife

Suzanne Somers is all in favour of Dick Van Dyke and Arlene Silver’s marriage.

Somers, 74, and Alan Hamel, 85, dished on their marriage, as well as that of Van Dyke, during a radio appearance Tuesday.

“Actually, I met Suzanne, and we had been together since 1968 or ’69,” Hamel told “Daily Blast Live”. “We married in 1977 because she wouldn’t marry before that. I tried constantly and she wouldn’t marry me.”

“He had marriage phobia!” Somers retorted. “Know why (he decided to get married)? Because I started making money.”

Hamel conceded that Somers’ paycheques had a role to play in their marriage.

“You know it was interesting,” the actor said. “We were living off my money and everything was fine, paying our bills and having a good time. And then she got a job and when she got her first cheque, I said ‘OK, that’ll go into our double bank account. And she said ‘What, my money is going into our bank account?’ And that’s kind of the way it’s been for the last few years.”

Somers also shared her thoughts on her friend Van Dyke, 95, a friend of Somers, marrying Silver, 49.

“I was friends with his late wife. And then he lived down the street from us, so we were driving by and said, ‘How are you doing, Dick?’ because his wife hadn’t been gone too long, less than a year. And he said, ‘I’m doing fine. I’m betrothed.’ ‘Betrothed?!’ And he said, ‘Yes and she’s 39 years old.’ and I said ‘Oh, oh.’ We drove away and Alan said to me, ‘His wife isn’t hardly cold yet.’

“I said, ‘You know what? When you’re pushing 90 you don’t have a lot of time for a long courtship. Anyway, this woman is so great for him. They’ve been together now, eight or nine years. He loves her, she loves him. She’s responsible for Dick Van Dyke Day in Ohio or wherever he is from. There are street signs with Dick Van Dyke doing a Mary Poppins pose, and she was responsible for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Day in Disneyland, and surrounds him with young people.

“When we were with him Sunday, he said the following — and I agree with him 100 per cent — he said, ‘I’m 95 and you know what I know now? I don’t feel better than anybody. I don’t hate anything or anybody. I think good thoughts. I have love in my life. I love my work. I can’t believe I get paid to do what I love to do. All I want is more.’ And I said, ‘You’ll have it.'”