I don’t know what it is that makes Barbara Walters feel compelled to ask questions that make people cry, but it is probably safe to say that she has done it more often than any other correspondent in the history of journalism.

Her latest attempt was with the biggest superstar in the world, Tom Cruise, star of the powerful new movie “Valkrie” on Friday’s, January 9th, show of “The View.”

While the extended interview with the handsome smiling Cruise was moving along nicely with discussions about his career with awe-inspired co-hosts Woopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd, Walters paused and said she had to ask a very sensitive question about the loss of John Travolta’s son Jett of a seizure.  “What are your thoughts?”  Walters said.

The pleasant smile disappeared from Cruise’s face; there was a pregnant and uncomfortable pause.  And noticeably on the verge of tears, Cruise said,  It’s “horrific.”

There were further breaks in the conversation as Cruise composed himself and tried to address the question of the Travolta’s loss.  Cruise and his wife, actress Katie Holmes, are very close friends of the Travolta’s.

Cruise again, with pauses, said “It’s horrific; . . . they are doting parents, wonderful people.  John just adored him . . . both of  his children.”

Then with the attack dog style of the lispy-speaking Walters, she asked, is it true that Scientology doesn’t believe in medication, a form of religion both the Travolta’s and Cruise practice?

He said, “It is not true.”  Cruise emphasized, “that Scientology encourages physicals and to take your medication.”

The awkwardness of this segment of the interview brought on by Walters was apparent and Shepherd attempted a segue, by saying “We’re all parents Tom, we understand.”

The co-hosts then moved on to segments of Tom’s career highlighting the role Cruise plays of Claus von Strauffenberg in Valkrie, a Nazi soldier during World War II involved in a plot to kill Hitler.

Although Walters failed on this occasion to bring a tear to Tom’s eyes, she came close.

What compels her to get satisfaction out of bringing tears to the eyes of the rich, famous and unfortunate is beyond comprehension.

Only a week before, she succeeded in doing so in a rare interview, on a Barbara Walters’s special, with Patrick Swayze, 56, of “Dirty Dancing” fame and his wife Lisa Niemi, an actress and dancer, while discussing Swayze’s battle with stage four pancreatic cancer.  In this case she asked Lisa, “What would it be like living without Patrick.”  The couple has been married for 32 years, a rarity in Hollywood circles.

Walters has interviewed more statesmen and stars than any other journalist.  She has been with ABC since 1976 serving in anchor roles and on the show 20/20 before creating her own chick-talk show The View.  But her greatest claim to fame is bringing tears to the eyes of those she interviews by always asking the sensitive question.

Perhaps she should consider a sequel to The View, “Weeping With Walters.”  The only problem with this name is . . . it’s her victims that do the weeping, not she.