Maria Menounos Husband: Get to Know Keven Undergaro
Despite the obstacles they’ve faced, Menounos and Undergaro continue to support each other and look forward to the future.
Maria Menounos, the multi-talented American personality, has been in a long-term relationship with Keven Undergaro, a television writer and producer. The couple met in the late 1990s while working on the set of a small film in Boston. At the time, Menounos was a local college student, but Undergaro knew he had found the love of his life. Their connection was instant, and despite the initial disapproval of Menounos’ father, the couple began dating and eventually moved in together.
They faced their fair share of family dramas, which only served to bring them closer. “We definitely clung to each other and became closer,” Menounos explained. “I think we realized very quickly we had each other’s backs.” After nearly two decades of dating, Undergaro proposed to Menounos on the Howard Stern Show in March 2016. The couple tied the knot on New Year’s Eve in 2017, live on TV moments before the ball dropped in Times Square. Menounos’ parents were in attendance for the special ceremony, and the couple later had a second marriage ceremony in Greece, which her father helped plan, in October 2018.
Keven Undergaro’s Background and Career
Before making it in Hollywood, Undergaro worked summers as a carnival worker to make ends meet. The physically demanding job involved long hours and tremendous labor, but it allowed him to afford the winter months he spent in Los Angeles as a TV writer for MTV’s Singled Out, where he worked alongside celebrities such as Chris Hardwick, Jenny McCarthy, and Carmen Electra. Undergaro’s professional accomplishments include his role as an executive producer for television and film.
He is best known for creating the online broadcast juggernaut, AfterBuzz TV, which produces TV after-shows featuring expert recaps, discussions, and interviews with cast and crew. Shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Real Housewives, and Game of Thrones have been part of the network’s extensive roster. Undergaro’s journey to success has been marked by hard work, determination, and a willingness to take on challenging tasks, even if it meant enduring the rigors of carnival work during the summer months.
Fertility Struggles and Surrogacy
Throughout their relationship, Menounos has been candid about her fertility struggles. In February 2023, Menounos revealed she and her husband are expecting their first child via surrogate. “A decade of trying everything, and we are so grateful to the beautiful family helping us conceive our baby,” Menounos shared with PEOPLE in February 2023. “Keven, my dad, and I are all beyond excited for this soul to come into our lives. What a blessing.”
The couple’s fertility journey had been a long and challenging one, with Menounos undergoing IVF treatments since 2012. However, their perseverance paid off, and in July 2023, Menounos and Undergaro welcomed their daughter, Athena, via surrogate. The joy of welcoming their first child together was tempered by the news that Menounos had been diagnosed with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer just weeks after Athena’s birth. Undergaro has been by her side throughout her health challenges, even though he tends to remain behind the scenes.
Menounos’ Health Challenges
Just weeks after the birth of their daughter, Menounos was diagnosed with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery to remove a 3.9-cm. tumor. Undergaro has been by her side throughout her health challenges, even though he tends to remain behind the scenes. “Keven has not been in the public eye ever. He’s never walked red carpets with me. He doesn’t go to events. People think he’s a ghost in this town,” Menounos told Parade of Undergaro in 2014. “It’s been really hard for him because he loves his anonymity … But you can’t tell the story of our family without Keven.”
Despite the fears they faced, Menounos leaned on her practice of meditation and all she’d gleaned from her work with Heal Squad to find the light. After her surgery in February and healing these past few months, she’s added a new practice. “I talk to my pancreas every day, I talk to all of my body organs and say ‘I really love you. Thank you for handling everything.'”
Looking Ahead to the Future
As Menounos and Undergaro navigate the challenges of parenthood and Menounos’ health journey, they remain committed to each other and their family. The couple’s love story, spanning over two decades, is a testament to their resilience and dedication to one another. “We’re usually really good in crisis,” says Menounos of her and Undergaro. “This one,” she says regarding her recent pancreatic cancer diagnosis, “this one freaked him out. He was really scared.” Despite the obstacles they’ve faced, Menounos and Undergaro continue to support each other and look forward to the future.
As they embark on this new chapter of parenthood, they are excited to welcome their daughter into their lives and create more memories together as a family. The couple’s unwavering love and commitment to one another have been the foundation that has carried them through the highs and lows of their relationship, and they are determined to face whatever challenges lie ahead with the same strength and determination that has defined their journey thus far.
