Arnold Schwarzenegger parlayed being a top bodybuilder into a movie career playing action characters. A successful career I might add. For reasons I’ve never understood Maria Shriver of the Kennedy family took a shine to him and they married in 1986. She was a successful journalist and born to wealth and fame. She didn’t need anything from Arnold except for him to be a good, loving and supportive husband. If anything he needed something from her – credibility as more than a meathead movie action hero. He turned out to have not been so great a husband and father, and when he took a cheap-shot at his ex during Chris Wallace’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star ceremony it boomeranged.
Arnold is and has been since shortly after coming to this country a Republican. I recall an interview where he described what led him to that. He got to the U.S. in 1968 and it was quite the year, including politically. Humphrey he felt sounded too much a socialist and he’d fled a brand of it to come here. Hearing Nixon speak he asked a friend translating ‘what Party is he?’ and when told Republican declared ‘then I’m a Republican.’ Over time he’s been called a moderate and yes he has bucked Party orthodoxy on major issues like abortion and the environment. However there’s never been much doubt about his small govt., low taxes leanings.
In any case as I said the marriage into Democratic royalty (at least then) gave him a moderate political profile, and one he would use to advantage when California recalled it’s governor the ensuing free-for-all led to him winning the Office. That NEVER would have happened without his being able to play ‘moderate’ using his affiliation with the Kennedy family. I won’t bog you down with discussion about those years except to say I recall one thing from back in the day about his saying wife Maria wasn’t allowed to wear pants! Right then and there I thought the stories about his excesses including sexual abuse from his bodybuilding days were confirmed. Oh, and again wondered how in the hell someone with Maria Shriver’s upbringing would put up with that sh*t.
The divorce proceedings brought out a lot of info that was unflattering to Arnold. Including that while Maria was pregnant with their last child their longtime maid was also pregnant with an Arnold baby. He admitted to other instances of what he called bad behavior as well. SHE honored her marriage vows. Bore four children and raised them, and lent him political credibility. HE never really got past his days of indulging in a too common belief that indulging in sexual antics with groupies and even sometimes taking more than was offered was his right.
The point is that Arnold got as much, if not more out of the marriage than Maria did. Yet in his remarks praising Chris Wallace he couldn’t resist noting he’d been married to a journalist. AND that the only difference between them was that his friend Wallace hadn’t taken half his money! An article from Atlanta Black Star News lays it all out:
“I know a lot about journalists. I’ve been interviewed, you can imagine, in my lifetime, by thousands and thousands of journalists,” the 78-year-old actor shared with the crowd about two minutes into his speech.
Adding, “But not only that, I was also married to a journalist.”
He then delivered the punchline that would soon backfire: “The only difference between Chris and Maria is that Chris has never taken half my money.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger recalls working out with Chris Wallace at Gold's Gym while honoring the broadcast journalist at his Walk of Fame ceremony: "For the first time ever, I saw him with a sweatsuit on — and not with a suit, but a sweatsuit." pic.twitter.com/o3SuDc5w2Q
— Variety (@Variety) September 18, 2025
He thought he was being oh so clever with that remark which I maintain was a really cheap shot. He’s of course implying his wife got far more out of their marriage than he did. I’ve already explained why it’s actually the other way around. That’s my opinions and I’m sticking to it. However a LOT of people noticed and Arnold is getting pummeled on social media:
The comment immediately sparked outrage from Daily Mail readers when the tabloid posted the story, with many rushing to defend Shriver and remind Schwarzenegger of his own role in their marriage’s demise.
“Maria Shriver is a Kennedy. She didn’t need his money and it served him well being married into ‘American royalty,’” one person wrote. “He was ambitious and she was just part of the plan. She raised their 4 children and stayed by his side. Why shouldn’t she get half the earnings?”
Another user was more direct: “He was banging the maid. He hurt and embarrassed his wife and family. Maria should have taken more.”
A third comment read, “With what he put her through, he GOT AWAY with.”
The linked article includes more reaction that rips Arnold a new one. It also indicates he spoke with a certain ‘arrogance’ but I think it’s deeper than that. One thing that’s become clear is the Trump era has prompted a rise in old-fashioned sexism and misogyny. A promoting of the concept that ‘red blooded men are by god MEN and should prove it’ including via sexual conquests which is bad. Worse is the ‘Women should submit to their men and STFU if they go around banging whomever they want.’ When Arnold came here and got known as a top bodybuilder he was swimming in groupies. He never lost that sense of entitlement men who attract groupies attain.
It’s no wonder, at least to me that his son with their maid is kept at arms length by his half siblings and the Kennedy family. I should note that rather than move herself and their kids back east Maria Shriver bought a home close to the estate she gave Arnold in the divorce so he could co-parent with her. I should also note it’s interesting that she put out a book not long ago describing her life’s journey. Is it me or did Arnold decide to be like Trump and sh*t on someone else he felt was stealing spotlight he believe should be only on him?
Well, I’ll leave that and other things I’ve posed for you to ponder. I just wanted you to know this happened so the next time someone laments Arnold never getting to run for President you’ll remember what a P.O.S. he’s been in so much of his personal life.
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