In 1987, he produced a prime-time television feature about the Special Olympics, an organization for disabled young people and founded by his mother in 1968. This and subsequent productions have raised in excess of US$55 million[citation needed] for the Special Olympics program.
He has also produced several films, including True Lies (1994), which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger – his then brother-in-law.
In 2006, he and Bono also co-founded (RED) to bring the world's biggest companies into the fight against AIDS and generate money for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. To date, (RED) has generated over $700M and impacted over 245 million lives.
In 2005, Shriver, the commission chairman, and Clint Eastwood, the commission vice chairman, led a commission panel in its unanimous opposition to a six-lane, 16-mile (26 km) toll road that would cut through San Onofre State Beach (north of San Diego) that includes Trestles, a collection of surfing spots – one of Southern California's most-cherished. Shriver and Eastwood also supported a 2006 lawsuit to block the toll road and urged the California Coastal Commission to reject the project, which it did in February 2008.[4]
In March 2008, Shriver and Eastwood, whose terms had expired, were not reappointed.[4] The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) asked for a legislative investigation into the decision not to re-appoint Shriver and Eastwood, citing their opposition to the toll-road extension.[5]
Schwarzenegger's press release appointing Alice Huffman and Lindy DeKoven to replace Shriver and Eastwood makes no mention of a reason for the commission change.[6][7]
Santa Monica City Council
In November 2004 Shriver ran for, and was elected to, a seat on the Santa Monica City Council. He stated that he decided to run for the seat after a dispute with the city over the height of the hedges at his home.[8] He was one of thirteen candidates for four at-large council seats and received 23,260 votes, or 16.5 percent, of the vote.[9] The other three winning candidates received 16,710, 14,475, and 13,408 votes.[10]
He ran for re-election in 2008, again in a race in which thirteen candidates were running for four open seats. He again received the most votes, although he won by a smaller margin over the candidate receiving the second-most votes. Shriver received 24,298 votes, or 18.56 percent of the vote. The other three winning candidates received 20,232, 19,145, and 17,202 votes. Shriver's second term ended November 2012.[11]
On January 21, 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported that Shriver launched his campaign for Los Angeles County supervisor. Shriver was defeated by former state senator Sheila Kuehl.[14]
Personal life
Shriver was romantically linked to Princess Caroline of Monaco in the 1970s.[15] In 1989 he had an affair with married director Sondra Locke, who was 10 years his senior.[16] He was dating Lauren Bessette, older sister of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, the wife of his cousin John F. Kennedy Jr, at the time of their deaths. Lauren had joined JFK Jr. and Carolyn in his private plane to spend time with Bobby Shriver, along with other friends, on Martha's Vineyard that weekend.
He married Malissa Feruzzi on May 7, 2005.[17][18] They have one daughter, born in 2009.[19] Shriver has a stepdaughter from his wife's previous marriage.
Awards
In 2007, Shriver received [2] The Advertising Club's Silver Medal Award—also known as the Advertising Person of the Year Award—for his work with (RED). The annual award recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the advertising industry, furthering industry standards, demonstrating creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern.
In February 2008, he was honored with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS's Award of Courage for his outstanding contribution to HIV/AIDS research and awareness.