Maria Shriver Talks To Oprah About Being First Lady: "I Cried A Lot... I Still Cry"

Maria Shriver told Oprah Wednesday that she was a reluctant First Lady of California, and felt "lost" when she left her job as a journalist after her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger took charge in California.

"I thought I was supposed to do what they told," Shriver told Oprah.

The daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver, Maria had a successful career as a journalist before her husband entered politics. Shriver worked as as an anchor and reporter for CBS News and NBC News before serving as a contributing anchor on Dateline NBC from 1989 to 2004.

To avoid a conflict of interest, Shriver left NBC News when her husband took office.

"I was happy being a journalist," Shriver told Oprah. "I didn't realize losing my job, my identity went with it."

"I lost myself in the process, and I realized how much I had identified myself with Maria Shriver, newswoman," she said. "When that was gone, I had to really sit back and go, 'Well, actually, who am I today?'

She added that the emotional effects of feeling "lost" still cause her to cry some days.

Watch the exchange with Oprah:

Comments

[raker]

Poor little rich girl.

[peachfuzz]

The feeling of loss is universal regardless of exactly why the loss occurred.

If the thing you felt you were meant to do was taken away,
you'd feel the loss...and it doesn't matter how much money you
have or who you are. Many people on the lower economic scale are
forced to do work that isn't what they are meant to do.

It's a very hard transition to be removed from your purpose and
not be able to find something else to apply yourself to that means as much.

It's basically being made to feel obsolete and it results in grief,
no matter who you are.

[MyThought]

Awww.....poor little thing. If she wants to have something to cry about - how about losing your home, your job - a child killed in Iraq - you know, the really sad things.

Violins anyone?

[Theda]

One Sunday at St. Monica's church in Santa Monica, I saw Maria lurking near the lobby door as Mass was nearly over.
She was standing by herself in a black suit, looking very thin, wane and unhappy.
I thought to myself....she lives in a 10,000 square foot mansion in Brentwood and has a husband worth $400 million. Why does she look so miserable?

[slobone]

Cause people were staring at her in church?

[slobone]

She doesn't say, in this clip anyway, what Arnold said to her. Did he say "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do" or "you have to do this for me." Hmm, I think I could guess. And the rumors about him having affairs on the side are nonstop.

[oligodendroglia]

what a difficult life maria and oprah lead ....

it brings tears to my eyes ....

[happytrails]

When Arnold retires, Maria should run for Chancellor of Austria.

[kl836]

What an ignorant, no, hostile statement! Are you against immigrants becoming U.S. citizens with all the rights and responsibilities? If you don't like Schwrzenegger's politics than argue reasonably and not emotionally.

[AtTheMoon]

lighten up frances

[happytrails]

Wow, k. I just reread what I wrote, looking for the hostility and/or argument and couldn't find either. Maybe I'm just frazzled by this protracted hate-fest of a campaign. And we haven't even gotten to the bathing suit part yet.

[goodog]

I like ragging on Maria Shriver as much as anybody, but I'm sure the entire interview wasn't a pitty party. To say she has bad days and an identity crisis as first lady isn't a shocker, and it's kind of interesting to think of her wandering down hall ways all dolled up, looking for someone to give her a little direction. It's an amusing little absurdity about our society, even if you don't feel particularly compassionate about it.

You would think, though, that any self-aware celebionair might preface or append their pathetic tale with some kind of acknowledgement that their self-pitty comes packed with irony that informs them that happiness does not necessarily come from fame and fortune.

To be fair, the few times in my life I wound up with nothing meaningful to do for a while, I was miserable and felt like I didn't know who I was or where I was going, and I can imagine I might have lost my mind if I ever ended up as superfluous as any one of Americas First Ladies seem to become.

The role was designed for and probably worked out better for women of earlier generations who didn't mind being treated like a diamond resting among gold-flake leaves on a silk pillow. It may take a certain type. But I might give it a try.

[Mollye]

She should never have been interviewed by Oprah! She needs to be interviewed by Ellen..then she would be dancing and happy!

[Eenusch]

What exactly is involved in being First Lady of California?!?

If she stayed home all day would anyone notice or care?

What narcissism to think that she has such enormous responsibilities in Sacramento that would reduce her to tears.

He's the Governor and he's important.

She didn't take an oath to the people of the Golden State.

Get a grip.

Finally, I do respect Oprah, but when I see shows like this, I can understand why some people can't stand her.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

What exactly is involved in being First Lady of California?!?

She has to grade the avacados in March and trim the Vacaville sweet onions in September. In August she must trim the little sharp points off the artichoke leaves at half Moon Bay. Then she has to take off her shoes and stomp all the grapes in Napa. Finally she has to go to San Francisco and stir the tofu.

[Unrepentantliberal]

That woman looks like she could use a burger. Eat Maria, eat!

[fishsandwichesr2good]

THAT is exactly why we don't want a woman with her finger on the button.

[huffyanika]

Whoaaa....

[lauram]

No, it's MUCH better to have a dry-drunk evangelical with visions of Armageddon. Just so long as it's a man, right?

[fishsandwichesr2good]

LMAO! Thanks for the hysterical reply that I was expecting and proving my point.

[candice208]

It was said that she posted her nice profile on a celeb dating site " M a r r y M i l l i o n a i r e . C o m " to seek for rich man to date. Many guys like her very much.

[McClellanKid]

You've been saying the same brainless thing about every female subject of a HuffPo article. Give it a rest and get a life.

[IndependentMeans]

I would not have made the decision to be first lady. I would have told Arnold, you already have a career, and I am not giving up mine so you can play King of California. Besides, he is a lousy governor. Come back Jerry Brown.

[GeoLee]

I would cry to if I was a Kennedy married to a Republican...she lost her identity when she married him.

[chronic]

Amen!!