Why Maury Povich And Connie Chung Almost Never Got Married

Although they've logged 39 years of marriage, Maury Povich and Connie Chung nearly never made it to the altar. Speaking of their marriage, it started with a small, intimate wedding ceremony with a few dozen of their loved ones, according to People. "It was nice," Chung said of their 1984 wedding. "Though I didn't convert to Judaism at the time, we got married before a rabbi. We both said to each other afterward, 'Were you listening to what the rabbi was saying?' And we both said, 'No, but did you see that dog right across the street?' We both were mesmerized by this dog in the building across the street who was looking down at the traffic and going from window to window barking."

During an interview with Access Hollywood, Povich and Chung revealed that, prior to marrying, they dated non-exclusively for seven years. But they didn't mind. "It was great," they said together during the interview. "Seven years of total freedom, but being able to see each other," added Chung. Povich also revealed that Chung was in L.A. while he was in Philadelphia. "You were such a bad, bad boy. You couldn't even remember the first names, let alone the last names of the women you slept with," Chung said to Povich, who then admitted he was "jealous of the stars" she was entertaining. Everything shifted once they tied the knot, but let's not forget that their walk down the aisle was almost a no-go — and it all had to do with timing.

Maury Povich and Connie Chung never wanted marriage at the same time. The couple dished to People about their conflicting marital schedule, holding up their eventual union. "We ping-ponged," Povich revealed. "When one wanted to get serious, the other one didn't. At one point I proposed to her, and she said, 'No, I'm not ready,' and then she asked me if I wanted to get married, and I said, 'No, I'm not ready.'" Povich proposed one last time during a vacation to Italy, but Chung still wasn't ready, though she eventually changed her tune. "She called me and said, 'We can get married.' I said, 'Really?' She said, 'Yes, because I found a dress,'" said Povich. Chung agreed, later calling the stipulation "embarrassing." 

A few months into their marriage, Povich and Chung spoke with The Washington Post about their bi-coastal living setup, missing Valentine's Day, and their shared love of cooking. "We can't possibly be together," shared Chung. "It's very sad, but you can bet we'll make up for it over the weekend." Their love-filled weekend revolved around creating one of their favorite meals of home-cooked steak and french fries. "We get the good stuff — center-cut tenderloin — and cut it into long slices," Povich added. "Connie in her inimitable ways will only eat Wonder Bread. Wide slices, at that."

Aside from the fact that Maury Povich and Connie Chung just seem absolutely enamored with each other, there are a few big reasons their marriage has worked. They're just a little bit unorthodox. In 2016, Povich and Chung appeared on the "Maury Show" and shared their three best relationship rules. "Don't put porn on your phone," Povich said dryly as he sat next to Chung. "Okay, check. I didn't do that," said Chung. "Don't take calls in the bathroom," Povich added. The last rule was, "Don't ever go to bed with your wife while in the middle of an argument." However, Chung had trouble with that one. "Oh, I always do that. I hold a grudge until the next morning, maybe next week."

Their third tip was quite similar to a quote Povich offered to People in 2020. "I have one answer. Connie has another," revealed Povich about their conflict resolution. "Whatever discussions or arguments go on during the day, once the head hits the pillow, it's over and not to be continued the next morning. It is not on my mind." Chung added: "That is truly admirable, but I hold grudges, and I need to continue to argue it out, whatever it is."