Shriver quits NBC job

New York — Maria Shriver quit NBC News on Tuesday, saying it would be too tough to juggle a journalism job with her duties as first lady of California.

Shriver, a “Dateline NBC” reporter, said she would continue to work on specials connected to her children’s books for other NBC properties.

Shriver took an extended leave from NBC News when her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ran for California governor. When he won, she returned to work, making two appearances as an anchor for “Dateline NBC.”

But she said that it became clear to her that as first lady, her journalistic integrity would constantly be scrutinized.

“After much soul searching, I have asked to be relieved of my duties at NBC News,” Shriver said in a statement.

No star treks for Patrick Stewart

London — The captain of the USS Enterprise thinks people should stay on Earth instead of boldly going where no man has gone before.

Patrick Stewart, who plays Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” said in an interview published Tuesday that he thought interplanetary travel for humans was a bad idea.

“I would like to see us get this place right first before we have the arrogance to put significantly flawed civilizations out onto other planets — even though they may be utterly uninhabited,” Stewart, 63, was quoted as saying on the British Broadcasting Corp.’s Web site.

James Brown seeks annulment

Augusta, Ga. — James Brown isn’t feeling so good about his marriage to third wife Tommie Rae Brown.

The Godfather of Soul has filed papers seeking an annulment from his 33-year-old missus, claiming she’s still legally hitched to another man, reports E!Online.

Brown made headlines last week when he was arrested on a domestic violence charge for allegedly throwing Tommie Rae Brown to the floor and threatening to kill her during a dispute at their home in Beech Island, S.C.

Brown, 70, contends that Tommie Rae Brown never got a divorce from her previous husband, Javed Ahmed, whom she wed in Houston in February 1997, according to a Texas marriage certificate.

Vandross won’t make Grammys

Los Angeles — An ailing Luther Vandross will not be able to attend Sunday’s Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where he’s nominated for five trophies, reports Billboard Online.

“It would have been a tremendous moment for Luther to attend the Grammy Awards this year,” said his business manager, Carmen Romano. “But on the advice of his doctors, I regret to say that Luther won’t be able to make this trip.”

Vandross, 52, suffered a severe stroke in April and spent several weeks in a hospital before being transferred to a rehabilitation facility in the New York City area. He is still using a wheelchair.

He’s nominated for five Grammys for his album “Dance With My Father,” which became the fastest-selling disc of his career and has sold nearly 2 million copies in the United States, according to SoundScan.