Valerie Bertinelli on Bingo Blitz, One Day at a Time, and Van Halen Memories: “It Was a Little Scary… But So Much Fun”
Valerie Bertinelli is back on your TV screen, and this time she’s bringing her wit, warmth, and lightning-fast reflexes to Game Show Network’s Bingo Blitz — a show that combines…
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Valerie Bertinelli attends the 51st annual Daytime Emmys Awards at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Los Angeles on June 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
Valerie Bertinelli is back on your TV screen, and this time she’s bringing her wit, warmth, and lightning-fast reflexes to Game Show Network’s Bingo Blitz — a show that combines trivia, tension, and just enough chaos to make you shout at your television.
When I caught up with Valerie, we dove into her experience hosting the show, the challenge of keeping pace in real-time gameplay, and even took a nostalgic detour into One Day at a Time, Eddie Van Halen road stories, and — yes — the curious case of Schneider’s apartment key.
“Hi Valerie, how are you?”
“I’m good, how you doing, Jim?”
From the start, it was easy to see why Bingo Blitz is a hit — Valerie’s got that instant-likeability energy that makes you feel like you’ve known her for years. And that made our chat feel more like a coffee conversation than a celebrity interview.
Valerie Bertinelli and Bingo Blitz
“I love Bingo Blitz, but I get really anxious in the final round,” I admitted to her. “I can feel you speeding up with the clues, but you still have to stay calm and clear — that’s gotta be a juggling act.”
“You’re kidding? Me too — and I had to go through it!” she laughed. “It was scary. There’s a little too much responsibility, honestly. I didn’t want to mess up because if I did, it hurt the players. It was challenging, but I just wanted them to win.”
Valerie explained that filming took place in Georgia, after a few rehearsals in Los Angeles. And while the gameplay is intense, she said the format clicked quickly thanks to a clear structure and sharp writing — particularly in the trivia department.
“My favorite part really is the trivia questions,” she said. “I love the way the writers put together four answers that make you think it’s going one way, and then it twists. I like the brain teaser aspect of it.”
To test her, I threw in one of my own:
“Turn the Page, Run to the Hills, Life in the Fast Lane, Free Bird — which classic rock song opens with ‘On a long and lonesome highway east of Omaha’?”
Valerie paused, thinking. “Not Free Bird. I don’t think it’s Life in the Fast Lane… I don’t know the other two…”
“It’s Turn the Page,” I said. “Bob Seger — you’ve heard it. Metallica did it too!”
“Oh! I love that. You’ve got my brain working early in the morning,” she laughed.
A Little Nostalgia, a Lot of Heart
That led us into classic TV territory, and I couldn’t resist asking about One Day at a Time — specifically, Schneider.
“My wife said I had to ask you this: what was up with Schneider having a key to your apartment? He just walked in and out like he owned the place.”
Valerie laughed. “He was our protector! He was the superintendent, always fixing things — though yeah, we did joke about him wearing that tool belt 24/7.”
She also shared that she kept a few memorable items from the set, including a pair of Elton John-style boots from a musical number and bound copies of every script.
“I’ve got them all in my library,” she said with pride.
Life on the Road with Eddie
Naturally, our conversation steered toward Eddie Van Halen — Valerie’s late ex-husband and father of Wolfgang — and what it was like to be part of the Van Halen universe in the 1980s.
John Lamparski, Ethan Miller/Getty Images“I had to bring up the MTV ‘Lost Weekend’ contest in Detroit,” I told her. “Eddie and the band were here, and the kid they picked wasn’t even 21 yet — they sang him Happy Birthday on stage at Cobo to cover their tracks.”
Valerie’s reaction? “Oh my god! I wasn’t allowed on that trip. No wives were.”
She explained that for major press events or rowdy road promotions, wives were often told to stay home. “It wasn’t glamorous. It was a lot of trekking from city to city. But when I was out with Ed, I liked it. He could use the company.”
She also lit up talking about Wolfgang and his band, Mammoth WVH.
“That boy… the vibe he gives off on stage? He’s brilliant. I get lost watching him. I’m incredibly proud.”
Coming Full Circle — Right Back to Michigan
As we wrapped up, I reminded everyone that Bingo Blitz airs weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on Game Show Network, and right after Tic-Tac-Dough, making for a strong hour of retro-flavored fun.
Valerie beamed when I mentioned Michigan.
"I learned how to ski at Pine Knob,” she said. “I have a soft spot for the area. And I’ve heard the food scene’s blown up!”
“It really has,” I said. “Come back sometime — we’ll make Bingo Blitz a real-life party game.”
“I love that idea,” she said, laughing. Deal.
