Who, What, When, Where?!: Miscellaneous Celebrity News 2.0

[Shannon L.]

This is a fun portion of an interview with Keanu Reeves.  At the 1:45 mark, they talk about a new project he's working on and a particular popular picture of his that made it's way into the project. 

 

[Crashcourse]

"Meme on Me."  LOL

I love Keanu.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, xfuse said:

She's a journalist not an entertainment reporter. They tend to ask harder questions than the fluff that entertainment reporters does.

Britney was in the entertainment business and old enough to know what she was getting into.  She could have said no. She was an adult. She wasn't under conservatorship at the time. 

Her boyfriend broke up with her. Since the reason whispered out in the world was that she cheated on him multi times was contradictory to the image that she portrayed at that time those questioned had to be expected. 

 

First I would argue that in this interview she is much closer to a entertainment reporter than journalist. I would also seriously question if a pop star possibly cheating on her boyfriend is ever deserving of hard hitting questions regardless of who is doing the interview. Setting that aside Sawyer questions weren’t hard hitting that were outright offensive in a way she would never have asked Justin if the situation was reversed. 

At one point she calls Britney’s midriff the “most valuable square inch of real estate in the entertainment universe”.  She brings up a particular magazine cover and asks “What happened to your clothes?”  That’s not being a journalist answering hard hitting questions. It is berating and dissecting a young woman’s personal life for entertainment. 

[Kel Varnsen]

4 hours ago, xfuse said:

She's a journalist not an entertainment reporter. They tend to ask harder questions than the fluff that entertainment reporters does.

Britney was in the entertainment business and old enough to know what she was getting into.  She could have said no. She was an adult. She wasn't under conservatorship at the time. 

Her boyfriend broke up with her. Since the reason whispered out in the world was that she cheated on him multi times was contradictory to the image that she portrayed at that time those questioned had to be expected. 

 

You would think that with everything going on in Britney's life and all the other issues she has been dealing with, that letting go of shit from like 20 years ago might be the healthier option.

[Crashcourse]

25 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

You would think that with everything going on in Britney's life and all the other issues she has been dealing with, that letting go of shit from like 20 years ago might be the healthier option.

Yeah, now that's she's no longer under conservatorship, it sounds like she's going on a "payback tour."  Not a good idea.   

[RealHousewife]

27 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

You would think that with everything going on in Britney's life and all the other issues she has been dealing with, that letting go of shit from like 20 years ago might be the healthier option.

I feel awful for all Britney's gone through and get she dealt with a lot of use and abuse. But I've noticed a pattern of stuff she's done in her life as a grown woman being glossed over and every little thing done to her by others or even how other celebs like Christina Aguilera speak about her being blown out of proportion. I get Britney being furious with her family, but I don't like the "payback tour" either. 

A woman in her early 20s isn't a "baby," and while some stuff is never acceptable (rape, sexual assault, etc), going after people decades later for being rude or intrusive, or not having a perfect answer in an interview themselves, not a fan. 

[Irlandesa]

5 hours ago, xfuse said:

Her boyfriend broke up with her. Since the reason whispered out in the world was that she cheated on him multi times was contradictory to the image that she portrayed at that time those questioned had to be expected. 

Gossip.  This "hard hitting" journalist was trading in on gossip.  And the direct result ended up participating in sex shaming/slut shaming a young woman. The entertainment industry tends to put young woman in one box or the other---virgin or the whore.  And they go from one to the other with very little in between. Diane was of that moment.  She, and all journalists who participated in it, aren't beyond reproach. If anything, it's more disappointing because she is capable of doing better.

They do not do this with boys to men.  And that's why I don't think it's abysmally awful that this is called out even if it is 20 years later. 

Justin still capitalizes on the innuendo and implication of Britney cheating while rumors of his infidelity have been much stronger.

[RealHousewife]

It's crazy anyone could be hateful toward Dolly Parton.

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/dolly-parton-received-worrisome-death-threats-put-tour-risk.html/

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Kel Varnsen said:

You would think that with everything going on in Britney's life and all the other issues she has been dealing with, that letting go of shit from like 20 years ago might be the healthier option.

After everything she has gone through the healthy option may just be to speak her mind and get it out so that she can let it go. Often people need time to fully process what was done to them before they can let it go. Plus the world at large is just now beginning to revaluate how women like Britney have be treated by the media (and society at large) in the past so it’s not like she could have had this conversation 5 years ago, let alone 20 years ago. 

We are at a point when many women are coming to terms with internalized and systemic misogyny so having women like Britney or Brooke Shields speak out about how they were treated helps the rest of us to speak up. I feel like most woman can look at aspects of that interview with Britney and relate to moments in our own life. 

[bosawks]

If I wake up tomorrow as Ben Affleck’s publicist I’ll know I’ve died in my sleep and awoke in hell…..

Edited December 16, 2021 by bosawks

[Cobalt Stargazer]

3 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

They do not do this with boys to men.  And that's why I don't think it's abysmally awful that this is called out even if it is 20 years later.

Does Leonardo DiCaprio count? Because it's never the models he dates that get called out as far as I know, it's him. Since he's very old and it's gross, to paraphrase Buffy Summers, even though he's only forty-seven.

I think it's possible to feel terrible for Britney and be sympathetic to her, but also not think it's a terrific idea for her to wage a "Now it's your turn" campaign against people who have dissed her in the past. It's weird enough that it's supposed to be overlooked when she texts and drives, lest it be suggested that she doesn't always make great decisions. Compared to anything that might have happened with some ex-boyfriend, that's much less minor, IMO.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Does Leonardo DiCaprio count? Because it's never the models he dates that get called out as far as I know, it's him. Since he's very old and it's gross, to paraphrase Buffy Summers, even though he's only forty-seven.

I'm not seeing the comparison.  Has Leo ever been called a virgin or a slut?  No. 

Has he been the subject of an interview by a "very serious journalist" who just had to ask the "tough questions" about why the age of his girlfriends doesn't increase even though he gets older?  Not that I can recall.

In fact, the culture surrounding Leo is either non-judgmental reporting that he has a new girlfriend or outright celebration that he's still able to land these hot young models.

In other words, the mainstream culture is the Madonna/whore for women and acceptance for men to date much younger. It's changing.  Slightly. Maybe?  But men don't usually come under deep scrutiny over it.

Online is where you'll find pushback of that Madonna/whore trope with young women.  And it's online where you might find criticism of the fact that Leo's girlfriends are usually around the same age.  And that's more in a I see you kind of way.  I have no problem with age differences but there's a reason some men do this serially. 

But other than a think piece here and there, I don't think it's a mainstream criticism he faces. 

Edited December 16, 2021 by Irlandesa

[MissAlmond]

Bruce Springsteen has sold his music catalog to Sony.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bruce-springsteen-sells-publishing-catalog-sony-500-million-1253493/

https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/bruce-springsteen-sells-entire-song-catalogue-to-sony-for-500-million

 

[merylinkid]

11 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

A woman in her early 20s isn't a "baby," and while some stuff is never acceptable (rape, sexual assault, etc), going after people decades later for being rude or intrusive, or not having a perfect answer in an interview themselves, not a fan. 

Either she's a grown woman who can make her own decisions and live with the consequences thereof, or she's a "baby" who needs looking after and protecting.   She can't have it both ways.  

She could have said to Diane Sawyer, I'm not answering those questions.   Heck, she could have laid out the ground rules in advance.   And Sawyer would have agreed to them because Spears was a HUGE get.   Instead, she wants to blame everyone else.   

[Guest]

2 hours ago, merylinkid said:

Either she's a grown woman who can make her own decisions and live with the consequences thereof, or she's a "baby" who needs looking after and protecting.   She can't have it both ways.  

Pointing out the problem with the very real sexism that she faced is not remotely the same as not being able to live with the consequences of her decisions. 

[proserpina65]

15 hours ago, Dani said:

I feel like most woman can look at aspects of that interview with Britney and relate to moments in our own life. 

I don't relate to anything about it.  But that's my life, not other people's.  Personally, while I do like a few of her songs and I don't wish her ill, I don't really care about Britney Spears one way or the other.  That goes for a lot of other celebrities as well, both male and female.

4 hours ago, MissAlmond said:

Bruce Springsteen has sold his music catalog to Sony.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bruce-springsteen-sells-publishing-catalog-sony-500-million-1253493/

https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/bruce-springsteen-sells-entire-song-catalogue-to-sony-for-500-million

 

That's one hell of a lot of money!

[Bliss]

15 hours ago, bosawks said:

If I wake up tomorrow as Ben Affleck’s publicist I’ll know I’ve died in my sleep and awoke in hell…..

LOL... my aunt - who was going in for surgery on a Saturday - told me on the Monday beforehand, that if after surgery, she woke up wearing an apron, in a kitchen, she'd know she'd died and gone to hell (she hated cooking). The sad ending: she died during surgery. I remember joking with my uncle at her funeral that at least she didn't have to cook anymore... and we both had a bittersweet laugh together.

I heard Ben's stoooopid remark about being trapped (and immediately sent some love to Jennifer Garner and their kids), and actually thought that his description is how I feel when I watch him act in some movies (there's the odd good moment)... except my theatre doesn't sell alcohol, so I can't escape him by drinking!

eta: this whole media blitz smells funny - I don't think Ben is "bad" in the way the headlines want peeps to respond. He's human.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Bliss

[JustHereForFood]

Lynda Carter seems to be the real life Wonder Woman:

 

[RealHousewife]

10 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

Lynda Carter seems to be the real life Wonder Woman:

 

She has to be one of the most beautiful people ever, and she seems like a great lady too. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

His feelings are hurt?

This is me, zipping it. 

ben-affleck-says-negative-reaction-to-stern-interview-hurts-my-feelings

[Shannon L.]

3 hours ago, Bliss said:

eta: this whole media blitz smells funny - I don't think Ben is "bad" in the way the headlines want peeps to respond. He's human.

This is an article about it that come out on the 14th:

Ben Affleck Explains How Being "Trapped” in Marriage to Jennifer Garner Led Him to Drinking

That's a total click bait headline and if people only responded to that and didn't read the article, of course they'd be pissed.  A few comments jump out at me:

Quote

"Part of why I started drinking was because I was trapped."

Ben said that his and Jennifer's 2017 divorce was a long time coming, but they stayed together as long as they did for the sake of their children.

"I was like, ‘I can't leave because of my kids, but I'm not happy, what do I do?' And what I did was drank a bottle of scotch and fell asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution," he explained, adding that they eventually realized they didn't want their relationship to "be the model that our kids see of marriage."

 

 

But it was his children's view of him that he was most concerned about, sharing that he knew it was time to seek help for his addiction "when I felt as if it impacted them."

"The cure for addiction is suffering, you suffer enough that something inside you goes, ‘I'm done,'" he said of the decision. "I'm lucky because I hit that point before I lost the things that were most important. Not my career or money—it was my relationship with my kids."

It was an amicable divorce, they still get along very well and are co-parenting the best they can as he works on sobriety.  He, J-Lo, Jennifer and all of their kids seem to get along well.   It looks to me like things are working out for everyone.

 

ETA:  I have no idea how I screwed up the formatting.  Sorry. If you click on the arrow, it will show you the rest and the italic part at the very end about the amicable divorce comes from me.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Shannon L.

[DearEvette]

1 hour ago, Shannon L. said:

"Part of why I started drinking was because I was trapped."

It isn't so much the clickbait headline for me, cuz I read the whole article and still came away feeling like he sounded like a baby-man.  It is this sentence right here:  "I was trapped" --  it is a passive-voice statement.  It means 'something happened to me.'  That voice implies you had no agency in what happened.  Also the word 'trapped' itself has strong negative connotations  -- the literal definition of it is 'you are caught against your will' and 'you are prevented from escaping.'  And he strongly associates it with his marriage.  Even later in the interview he says "if I was still with Jennifer (Garner) I would still be drinking."  I mean... come on.  By naming her specifically he conflates his drinking with her.  And when he talks about the loss of important relationships he only talks about his kids.  She doesn't even rate a mention. 

Also, he was an alcoholic way before his relationship with Jennifer G. and by all previous accounts she has been incredibly supportive of him.  He has given interviews before and has spoken about his lifelong struggle with it and very intelligently about his troubles without once casting blame on anything.  Per a previous interview in US Weekly:

 

Quote

"It's part of my life. It's something that I deal with. It doesn't have to sort of subsume my whole identity and be everything, but it is something that you know you have to work at. I feel like I had a problem and I really want to address it, and I take some pride in that … it's about yourself, your life, your family, and you know people — we encounter these kinds of hurdles and we have to deal with them,”

 

So the "optics" of the Howard Stern interview is just bad PR and immediately invites comparisons because it comes right on the heels of his renewed relationship with Jennifer Lopez that everyone seems so thrilled about and has been greeted in the press with such breathless fanfare.

Edited December 16, 2021 by DearEvette

[Irlandesa]

7 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

It isn't so much the clickbait headline for me, cuz I read the whole article and still came away feeling like he sounded like a baby-man.

But it wasn't an article; it was a very long Stern interview.  So reading the article isn't getting the whole context in his opinion. 

Now, I'm not going to listen to the whole interview because I don't care enough about Ben or Stern to do so but I have seen many instances of things being pulled from celeb interviews or podcasts (that I have listened to) and turned into short news stories that are removed from the full context and it leading to a less than charitable interpretation than what was clearly meant.  And while the words might technically be transcribed correctly, I felt the whole context AND intent was not in those cases. 

Again, I haven't listened to Ben's interview but a friend of mine did and didn't feel like he was blaming Garner but rather the situation he was in with Garner.  And that still might not be the healthiest attitude for someone in recovery but it's far from him intentionally throwing his ex-wife, who did a lot for him, under the bus. My friend didn't feel like that was the case.

Maybe I'd disagree but for all his many many faults, from afar, I actually do think he wants to have a good co-parenting relationship with her. 

 

[Kel Varnsen]

1 hour ago, DearEvette said:

It isn't so much the clickbait headline for me, cuz I read the whole article and still came away feeling like he sounded like a baby-man.  It is this sentence right here:  "I was trapped" --  it is a passive-voice statement.  It means 'something happened to me.'  That voice implies you had no agency in what happened.  Also the word 'trapped' itself has strong negative connotations  -- the literal definition of it is 'you are caught against your will' and 'you are prevented from escaping.'  And he strongly associates it with his marriage.  Even later in the interview he says "if I was still with Jennifer (Garner) I would still be drinking."  I mean... come on.  By naming her specifically he conflates his drinking with her.  And when he talks about the loss of important relationships he only talks about his kids.  She doesn't even rate a mention. 

The different articles I read sounded like a lot of excuses. And now pretty much everything I know about alcoholism and AA comes from TV (so it could be wrong) but isn't the basic idea that you are supposed to take responsibility for your actions and your drinking. If you are blaming it on being trapped in your marriage and your kids is that really taking responsibility?

[kathyk24]

8 hours ago, Dani said:

Pointing out the problem with the very real sexism that she faced is not remotely the same as not being able to live with the consequences of her decisions. 

Britney hasn't been allowed to speak about anything due to the conservatorship. Let her tell her story now.

[Blergh]

Go ahead and boo me but I hope Miss Lopez is TRULY looking at what Mr. Affleck said about how 'trapped' he felt in his previous union- and use that to carefully consider whether his qualities are truly worth having in her own and her offspring's lives ! Miss Garner will have to somehow deal with him via being a co-parent to her offspring the rest of her offspring's childhoods but Miss Lopez   does NOT and can tell him adios while showing him the door.  

[DearEvette]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

But it wasn't an article; it was a very long Stern interview.  So reading the article isn't getting the whole context in his opinion. 

Now, I'm not going to listen to the whole interview because I don't care enough about Ben or Stern to do so but I have seen many instances of things being pulled from celeb interviews or podcasts (that I have listened to) and turned into short news stories that are removed from the full context and it leading to a less than charitable interpretation than what was clearly meant.  And while the words might technically be transcribed correctly, I felt the whole context AND intent was not in those cases...

I can bet that that was his intent.  By all account the divorce and co-parenting has been pretty amicable.  So you'd think he wouldn't be consciously trying to bad mouth her.

And that is why I say it is bad optics and bad PR.  Regardless of his intent, the things he did say still come off as,  at the very least, insensitive.  And, like you, I have no intention of listening to the whole interview, but I think what is interesting is that various outlets have transcribed various parts of the interview and even the ones that give more details, he doesn't ever seem to flat out compliment Jennifer.  His 'If I was still with her I'd still be drinking" is pretty damning and nothing I have seen so far in any other reports about the interview have any quotes that, imo, softens that sentiment. 

[Shannon L.]

Well, no one ever accused Ben as being eloquent.  Trapped was a strong word that he should have though twice before using, but I read it as him not knowing what to do because he wasn't happy in his marriage, but he didn't want to do that to the kids.  You hear that all the time--people want to make it work for the kids' sake- and it rarely works out.  In fact, when it comes to that, most people, including the kids are happier, after the separation/divorce.  I do appreciate that he has a good relationship with Jennifer and is working on co-parenting, as well as his alcoholism.

[RealHousewife]

1 minute ago, DearEvette said:

I can bet that that was his intent.  By all account the divorce and co-parenting has been pretty amicable.  So you'd think he wouldn't be consciously trying to bad mouth her.

And that is why I say it is bad optics and bad PR.  Regardless of his intent, the things he did say still come off as,  at the very least, insensitive.  And, like you, I have no intention of listening to the whole interview, but I think what is interesting is that various outlets have transcribed various parts of the interview and even the ones that give more details, he doesn't ever seem to flat out compliment Jennifer.  His 'If I was still with her I'd still be drinking" is pretty damning and nothing I have seen so far in any other reports about the interview have any quotes that, imo, softens that sentiment. 

Agree. I used to have the biggest crush on Ben. All his handsome cannot make up for stuff like this. I'm not saying he's an awful person all around, but he sounds like he's crappy to women. The mother of his kids deserves much more respect than that. 

[Irlandesa]

3 hours ago, Blergh said:

Go ahead and boo me but I hope Miss Lopez is TRULY looking at what Mr. Affleck said about how 'trapped' he felt in his previous union- and use that to carefully consider whether his qualities are truly worth having in her own and her offspring's lives !

First, she probably has a much better perspective of his relationship with his ex-wife than a bunch of people online who admittedly (myself included) didn't listen to the interview. 

Second, why would J-Lo carefully consider anything?  She has the worst taste in men and I don't think she's ever going to get better at picking.  So she may as well just enjoy her life full of ill-fated romances and take the happiness, even if it's fleeting, that it affords her. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Irlandesa

[Crs97]

Regarding Ben Affleck, I saw the headline and was prepared to be annoyed, but then read the article and was surprised I wasn’t.  I got what he meant to say, even though he didn’t say it well, but knew others would take the opportunity to accuse him of bashing Jennifer Garner.  It’s been a big non-story to me.

[truthaboutluv]

4 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Now, I'm not going to listen to the whole interview because I don't care enough about Ben or Stern to do so but I have seen many instances of things being pulled from celeb interviews or podcasts (that I have listened to) and turned into short news stories that are removed from the full context and it leading to a less than charitable interpretation than what was clearly meant.  And while the words might technically be transcribed correctly, I felt the whole context AND intent was not in those cases. 

I had the same feeling you did about knowing very well how much the media can twist things, particularly as we now live in the age of 24-hr media cycle where clickbait is the name of the game. So while I didn't listen to the whole thing, someone was kind enough to pull the specific segments of the interview and I listened to that. 

And as others have noted, I didn't come away feeling like he was blaming Jennifer Garner for his alcoholism but more so that the marriage wasn't working out, they both knew it but his not wanting to walk away because of the kids made him feel like was trapped.

And as someone who has followed Ben since Good Will Hunting because once upon a time, I too was a fan, I do know how much he's talked about his parents' divorce negatively impacting him and not wanting to raise children in a broken home. So all of that I could understand in terms of the marriage wasn't working but feeling like he didn't want to break up his children's home. 

And he did make it clear that it wasn't simply his unhappiness but that both he and Jennifer Garner were no longer happy and stressed how much they did try to make it work and also did mention her being an amazing mother, an amazing person that he loves and cares for but that they're just not supposed to be together. 

Again, all of that was fine. MY red flag from the interview and it's entirely possible that was just a slight misspeaking on his part, was it almost sounded like he was suggesting that his drinking began only when his marriage was falling apart. And it's like, yeah...NO.

Again, as someone who has known of, at times even been a fan, of Ben's since Good Will Hunting, it's no secret that he has had issues with alcohol practically since his teens. It obviously got worse and a lot darker the older and more famous and successful he became. It's also a known fact that it's practically a genetic problem with the men in his family because his father is an alcoholic as well and it's one of, if not the main reason his parents got divorced.

His brother Casey has publicly discussed the fact that alcohol has been an issue for practically all of them at some point, as he's had his own struggles, though not as severe as Ben. So for Ben to suggest that his drinking only started after his marriage to Garner was falling apart, well that's just a damn lie. And that is definitely troubling for an addict because it suggests he's NOT being honest with himself about his issues.

 

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

Go ahead and boo me but I hope Miss Lopez is TRULY looking at what Mr. Affleck said about how 'trapped' he felt in his previous union- and use that to carefully consider whether his qualities are truly worth having in her own and her offspring's lives !

Miss Lopez knows very well who Ben is because this is not her first rodeo with him. And it's why if one goes back some pages to read my post when the media first started reporting they were back together, I said exactly why this was a bad idea on her part. 

Ben did J Lo DIRTY. And I think part of why many are even less patient or willing to give him the benefit of the doubt with his Howard Stern comments is because they're probably remembering how he, through his people at least, totally threw J Lo under the bus when their relationship imploded. 

Suddenly the media attention that they both willingly courted was all her and too much for him because he's just a simple, private guy who wanted a normal, low key woman and low key life. And many bought into that narrative and façade when he and Garner were seemingly the picture of nice, normal, suburban family. 

Only for it to come out years later that things were bad long before the official split because Ben was for a long time a functioning alcoholic. In other words he was able to pull it together for his work and the PR friendly appearances that showed the "happy family" but he was already spiraling. 

But back to J Lo - not only did he call off the wedding the weekend of, he went to drown his "sorrows" in strippers and gambling on what should have been their wedding weekend. She still took him back and he left again. And then for years we heard how his career was derailed because of her.

So if, or who are we kidding, when this blows up again, whatever happens, she can't say she didn't already know who he was. Because fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

 

2 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

Well, no one ever accused Ben as being eloquent. 

Actually many people have. For all his flaws, the one thing many have touted about Ben is his intelligence and charm. It's one of the reasons despite his being such a messy, flawed person, he still gets never-ending chances.

Edited December 17, 2021 by truthaboutluv

[Vermicious Knid]

Fathom Events is offering Betty White: 100 Years Young – a Birthday Celebration on January 17.

Quote

Betty White invites you to her 100th birthday celebration event. The party for America’s sweetheart includes her star-studded cast of friends including Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel- Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick, and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

 

[Shannon L.]

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

Actually many people have. For all his flaws, the one thing many have touted about Ben is his intelligence and charm. It's one of the reasons despite his being such a messy, flawed person, he still gets never-ending chances.

I stand corrected. I don't read too many articles about celebrities or watch too many interviews and was just going on the fact that he seems to be pissing a lot of people off lately because of things he's said.  So, if he's known for intelligence and charm, then I'm standing by him choosing the wrong word to convey his point. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

His brother Casey has publicly discussed the fact that alcohol has been an issue for practically all of them at some point, as he's had his own struggles, though not as severe as Ben. So for Ben to suggest that his drinking only started after his marriage to Garner was falling apart, well that's just a damn lie. And that is definitely troubling for an addict because it suggests he's NOT being honest with himself about his issues.

This is also my problem with the interview. I understand what he was trying to say and that he wasn’t blaming Garner but the way he presented it is an outright lie and extremely unfair to her. His first stint in rehab was well before he married her. His last was three years after they divorced and a result of her staging an intervention and driving him there. 

[Blergh]

Well, just because Miss Lopez (or any other adult) has made bad choices in the past, this doesn't obligate them to forever keep making bad choices. One CAN opt to use the data that's known for the purpose of making  more positive choices for oneself and offspring - even if one had previously made poor choices . Hence, I don't think we should write off Miss Lopez as being unable to grow much less learn from her previous poorer choices and mistakes. 

[Kel Varnsen]

20 hours ago, DearEvette said:

I can bet that that was his intent.  By all account the divorce and co-parenting has been pretty amicable.  So you'd think he wouldn't be consciously trying to bad mouth her.

And that is why I say it is bad optics and bad PR.  Regardless of his intent, the things he did say still come off as,  at the very least, insensitive.  And, like you, I have no intention of listening to the whole interview, but I think what is interesting is that various outlets have transcribed various parts of the interview and even the ones that give more details, he doesn't ever seem to flat out compliment Jennifer.  His 'If I was still with her I'd still be drinking" is pretty damning and nothing I have seen so far in any other reports about the interview have any quotes that, imo, softens that sentiment. 

It also seems pretty shitty to his kids. I looked it up and their oldest is 16. So way to old too where you can shield th from bad press about parents. So even if he didn't mean anything, saying something that a kid might interpret as "I drank because I was trapped in a marriage because of my kids" seems pretty shitty.

Also if being trapped in the marriage led to his drinking, was it also what led to his affair with the babysitter. Did the interview mention that at all?

Edited December 17, 2021 by Kel Varnsen

[SuprSuprElevated]

17 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

It also seems pretty shitty to his kids. I looked it up and their oldest is 16. So way to old to where you can shield then from bad press about parents. So even if he didn't mean anything, saying something that a kid might interpret as "I drank because I was trapped in a marriage because of my kids" seems pretty shitty.

Also if being trapped in the marriage led to his drinking, was it also what led to his affair with the babysitter. Did the interview mention that at all?

A publicist can only put lipstick on that pig.  He's a loathsome d*ck.

[JustHereForFood]

10 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Fathom Events is offering Betty White: 100 Years Young – a Birthday Celebration on January 17.

 

Wow, what an age! I hope it works and she is able to celebrate with everyone she wishes, with all appropriate precautions of course. 

13 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

You hear that all the time--people want to make it work for the kids' sake- and it rarely works out.  In fact, when it comes to that, most people, including the kids are happier, after the separation/divorce.

This, so much. Every unhappy relationship that I've ever observed seemed to impact the children negatively by staying together and positively by finally separating.

[Nicmar]

1 hour ago, JustHereForFood said:

Wow, what an age! I hope it works and she is able to celebrate with everyone she wishes, with all appropriate precautions of course. 

This, so much. Every unhappy relationship that I've ever observed seemed to impact the children negatively by staying together and positively by finally separating.

I love Betty White!! 100 years She does even look like it!

[WritinMan]

21 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

His feelings are hurt?

This is me, zipping it. 

ben-affleck-says-negative-reaction-to-stern-interview-hurts-my-feelings

Hey Ben, then maybe you should keep your pie hole shut rather than insult a woman that, despite you being a raging pain in the ass, still tried very hard to help you get your shit together.

[ifionlyknew]

I'm inclined to believe this was Ben's fucked up way of telling the world that while yes he was married to Jen G and had kids it wasn't the right thing for him and he is so much happier being with Jen L again.  Now of course he can't say it exactly like that so he says it the way he did say it to Howard Stern.  

[peachmangosteen]

2 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

I'm inclined to believe this was Ben's fucked up way of telling the world that while yes he was married to Jen G and had kids it wasn't the right thing for him and he is so much happier being with Jen L again.  

Saying that would've come off better than what he did say lol.

[Mabinogia]

22 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Second, why would J-Lo carefully consider anything?  She has the worst taste in men and I don't think she's ever going to get better at picking.  So she may as well just enjoy her life full of ill-fated romances and take the happiness, even if it's fleeting, that it affords her. 

Given her track record, I'm not 100% convinced J-Lo cares too much as "happily ever after" in a relationship. I think she is one of those people who loves falling in love, loves the rush of the beginning of a relationship. Ben seems like the perfect guy for that as I'm not sure he is a "forever" guy. If they're both on the same page about what they want in their relationship then who cares what his relationship with the other Jennifer was. 

I do feel bad for his kids since he wasn't really saying Garner had him trapped so much as he was trapped because of his kids. At least he finally realized it was better for them to have divorced parents than a drunk for a father. I can't imagine finding Daddy passed out drunk on the couch was their idea of the perfect family. 

I wish parents didn't think they have to stay together for the sake of the kids. As "the kid" in such a situation I can say it is not better to have parents who clearly don't love each other (and in some cases can't stand each other) living under the same roof than it is to have two more or less happy now that they can move on parents living under different roofs. I spent a lot of my younger years crying in my closet because my parents tried to stay together for my sake. 

[Irlandesa]

16 hours ago, Blergh said:

Well, just because Miss Lopez (or any other adult) has made bad choices in the past, this doesn't obligate them to forever keep making bad choices.

Sure, she can.  But realistically? She's not going to.  And she has shown zero indication that's her inclination.

She's that one friend who you give advice to and comfort when relationships go bad but one day you realize she's just not going to change her patterns. It's easier for everyone to just accept it and put up a boundary about how much you want to hear.

[SuprSuprElevated]

6 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

I'm inclined to believe this was Ben's fucked up way of telling the world that while yes he was married to Jen G and had kids it wasn't the right thing for him and he is so much happier being with Jen L again.  Now of course he can't say it exactly like that so he says it the way he did say it to Howard Stern.  

You've summed up most contemporary celebrities/entertainers.  The insatiable need to say stuff, despite a clear lack of PR acumen.  If they have a payroll loaded with folks whose job is to keep them out of the weeds, why then do they say stuff? It's like having a car & driver at your beck and call, then driving drunk instead.  If you're such a hot commodity that microphones are always in your face, make it your mission to either learn how to say stuff, or learn how to NOT SAY STUFF.

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by SuprSuprElevated

[RedElf]

Jay Johnston of Bob's Burgers (Jimmy Pesto Sr) has been kicked off the show for his participation in the January 6th events.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/actor-jay-johnston-banned-from-bobs-burgers-over-capitol-riot

Edited December 18, 2021 by RedElf

[aradia22]

Choosing to interpret it charitably, I can see what he "meant" but, yeah... sometimes it's difficult to believe this man is a professional writer. Even saying I "felt" trapped would have been better. Because drinking (and the rumored affair) are ways of temporarily "escaping" and avoiding your reality. I do think that context of his almost life-long alcoholism is not going to be something most people know/remember and so the implication that it was caused by Garner or the marriage was shady. But also, my biggest takeaway is... where is the media training? There is ZERO reason to be that honest with Howard Stern. Save your messy takes for therapy and then say something articulate when you're in interviews being recorded.

[Wiendish Fitch]

I think that, unless either party was egregiously at fault, it's best to simply say, "the marriage just didn't work out".

Yeah, it's vague, but it's not inaccurate, and at least you don't run the risk of shitting the bed and needlessly making someone (namely yourself) look bad. There's a time for brutal honesty, and then there's a time to say as little as possible... or to keep your yapper shut altogether.

There's no shame in reticence. 

[Blergh]

6 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

I think that, unless either party was egregiously at fault, it's best to simply say, "the marriage just didn't work out".

Yeah, it's vague, but it's not inaccurate, and at least you don't run the risk of shitting the bed and needlessly making someone (namely yourself) look bad. There's a time for brutal honesty, and then there's a time to say as little as possible... or to keep your yapper shut altogether.

There's no shame in reticence. 

Agree 100 percent- and your post's last sentence should be trumpeted on social media and bumper stickers! 

Ironically, Miss Garner would have had more of a case to wash their union's dirty laundry publicly  since  SHE did most if not all the heavy lifting and even tried to salvage Mr. Affleck's sobriety despite their union being technically done. 

Edited December 18, 2021 by Blergh