Arnold Schwarzenegger Jokes About Maria Shriver Divorce Settlement During Hollywood Speech

Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t shying away from humor when it comes to his highly publicized divorce from Maria Shriver — and he’s once again using the spotlight to deliver a sharp but playful punchline.

On September 18th, while honoring veteran journalist Chris Wallace with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Schwarzenegger took a moment to reflect on the world of journalism — and added a cheeky jab at his own past marriage.

“He’s an extraordinary journalist. He’s worked for Fox, CBS — two wholly owned subsidiaries of the White House,” Arnold joked to a laughing crowd. But the real moment came when he added,

“I know a lot about journalists. I’ve been interviewed thousands of times. But not only that — I was also married to a journalist. The only difference between Chris and Maria is that Chris never took half of my money.”

The line quickly drew laughs — but also headlines.

Schwarzenegger and Shriver, a respected former CBS Morning News anchor and member of the Kennedy family, were married for 25 years before separating in 2011. Their divorce, finalized in 2021, followed revelations that Arnold had fathered a child with the family’s longtime housekeeper. The revelation reportedly led Maria to suffer an emotional breakdown, something she has since spoken about publicly.

While their split was one of the most talked-about celebrity breakups of the decade, time seems to have healed old wounds. The former couple recently reunited at their son Patrick Schwarzenegger’s wedding to model Abby Champion, showing that despite the divorce — and the jokes — they’ve maintained a cordial relationship for the sake of their family.

This isn’t the first time Arnold has taken a lighthearted jab at his alimony obligations. At an Amazon event earlier this year, he joked about his 1996 Christmas film, saying:

“Jingle All the Way was the greatest Christmas movie of all time. They play it the whole month of December. I know because my ex-wife calls me about the residuals.”

Though the jabs may sting, they reflect Schwarzenegger’s long-standing approach: using humor to navigate personal challenges while staying firmly in the public eye.