Dina Dishes On "Gay American" McGreevey To Oprah

Dina Matos McGreevey appeared on Oprah today as part of the publicity tour for her book, Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage, about her marriage to former NJ governor James McGreevey. Of course, the estranged couple have exchanged angry accusations (McGreevey said his estranged wife was using their 5-year-old daughter for publicity while she fired back about portraits of naked men in his home) to the point where a judge had to tell both McGreeveys to put aside their bitter differences for the sake of their child.

The Oprah website has a lot of descriptions and excerpts of the show. From finding out that their early dates were "church picnics, senior citizen breakfasts" because of McGreevey's campaigning to how the announcement that he was a "gay American" was a shock to her (he said he had an affair, but never that he was gay), Matos McGreevey spills a lot of details.

As her husband told the world he's a "gay American," Dina stood by his side with a smile on her face. "I smiled because I didn't want to break down. But, as his world was falling apart, he was still choreographing the entire day and how everything would play out. [He] told me when to smile, what to say if I was asked a question by reporters," she says.

Dina says Jim McGreevey told her to be like Jackie Kennedy. "He was telling me what to do, and he said, 'You have to be Jackie Kennedy today,'" she says. "And I'm thinking, 'Jackie Kennedy—her husband was murdered. You lied and cheated on me, and I have to be Jackie Kennedy?'"

She also says she asked Hillary Clinton (!) for advice; plus Matos McGreevey said she and McGreevey slept in the same bed for three months after the confession. McGreevey, who appeared on Oprah last year when he was stumping for his book, The Confession, gave the Oprah producers a statement saying, "Congratulations. You're sitting on America's favorite couch. I wish you well in your journey. With the telling of this book, Dina has now had an opportunity to share her story as I did with mine. Now, hopefully, is the time to look to the future to raise our daughter in a loving, nurturing environment."

The show will rebroadcast at 1:05AM on WABC 7. And Oprah also got a comment from Golan Cipel, who stills says McGreevey assaulted him: "I deeply regret the suffering that Dina and Jacqueline have had to endure; they were in fact the main reasons why I didn't take legal action against Jim McGreevey for a long time. I did so only when I felt that my life was in danger."

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By Jen Chung in News on May 1, 2007 4:37 PM

Comments [rss]

gueer?

Gwee're here and gwee're gueer.

Questions & Answers

Sorry, but it's not that obvious when someone is gay. I never saw it in McGreevey. When I look at potential candidates come voting time, I don't ask myself, "Does he seem gay or not?" Same thing with performers such as Neil Patrick Harris or Lance Bass: I either like them or I don't based on their talent, not on guessing their sexual preferences... I liked "Doogie Howser" and I admit I liked a few of the N'Sync pop tunes. I didn't look for gay 'signs' because frankly I didn't care.

As for whether Dina knew, I can only say at this point it really doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is Jacqueline's future as well as her mental health & security. That child is innocent in all this and does not deserve to be used a a pawn in the middle of a divorce where lots of mud is being slung.

huh?

what's a gueer?

Garbage State

Everyone knows McGreevey doesn'y like bush...

I mean he's a Democrat,right?

Javier

damn she looks good!!!!!

jim's loss....

ohplease

She traded her dignity for the life of a Governor's wife. And of course she lands immediately on Oprah - the only thing Oprah fans fear more than half-black grandchildren is a gay husband.

exclaricire

Both of them are to blame???!???!!!? Hell no. Cheating is cheating is cheating is cheating. Why do so many people think it's a free pass or a get-out-of-jail-free card to cheat, if they have suddenly discovered that they are gay, or vice-versa? In all cases, people, both straight and gay, man and woman, should be an adult...suck it up, and get a divorce if they feel that the situation and circumstances of their marriage or sexuality have changed. Until then, marriage is still a commitment and a promise that you signed on for and agreed to...

Think you're gay? Then get a damn divorce and go on with your life rather than cheat. McGreevey is an S.O.B. Don't blame his wife.

Milfman

Cougar alert!

angry

She was a complacent victim. Maybe she did love him and was willing to look pass his homosexuality. But when it became public, then that all fell apart. Both of them are to blame so they shouldn't biatch too angrily and too loudly about it.

Anonymous

Can you please describe what was so offensive about my comment that you choose to block Jen? Was it slightly un-PC? It's completely ridiculous that you did that

mr skinny

"gay American" is simply his way of reassuring his public that he still is one with them, downplaying the role of Gay Governor, instead he was a Gay American, and a Governor but didn't see how the two interfered with one another.

As far as Dina's denial runs, I cannot see the end, and this perpetuating herself as the "victim" is sickening. She had plenty of time, chances, etc. to leave the scenario she feels she was trapped in and made a fool later by, but at any time it would have been the stronger woman in her to not play dumb, to not keep playing the victim and ask for America's short supply of sympathy.

whatever

I don't get McGreevey's "Gay American" assertion. What is he trying to say? That he is gay AND patriotic? As opposed to what? A non-patriotic gay person? WTF

jacko

those evil gay guys always trying to fool women into bearing their children so they can be governer....

anonymass

She also says she asked Hillary Clinton (!) for advice and that they slept in the same bed for three months after the confession.

Hilary Clinton and the ex-Mrs. McGreevey slept in the same bed for three months?

Now there's the scandal of the decade.

lam e

"I do not trust this woman at all, she is looking to cash in with her book."

okay, mcgreevey.

Mark R.

I do not trust this woman at all, she is looking to cash in with her book.

Trenton, New Jersey

I had known for probably years before McGreevey announced it that he was gay. In fact, almost everyone from Jersey that I know had a source or first hand information on the governor's sexual preference. Maybe it wasn't something they discussed, maybe she was so deep in denial that she thought it wasn't true, but there is no way this woman didn't have a clue that this man was gay.

If she is telling the truth, Dina was just about the only person in NJ that learned of her husband's homosexuality that day.