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I knew I had recently seen photos of Ben Affleck smoking, it was just a matter of finding them – back on March 7th, X17 got these shots of Ben smoking some cigarettes, just hanging out. He wasn’t working and he wasn’t with his kids. He just looked like a dude who was enjoying his cig. At the time I thought, “Huh, I guess he’s back to smoking. Just like Brad Pitt.” No matter how hard some people try, they always end up falling back into nicotine’s smoky embrace. It’s sad, but I understand how it happens. But The Enquirer says that Ben’s wife has put her foot down. Jennifer Garner is going to nag him until he quits. Which… isn’t really the most effective way you know.
Jennifer Garner is willing to put up with a little badboy behavior from hubby Ben Affleck, but she’s drawing the line at smoking cigarettes. Garner, who gave birth to son Samuel on Feb. 27, has ordered Affleck to kick the habit pronto! A former pack-and-a-half-a-day smoker, Ben quit through hypnotherapy treatment shortly before he and Jennifer welcomed their first daughter, Violet, in December 2005.
But friends say he’s had several relapses since then, including a year-long return to smoking after the birth of the couple’s second daughter, Seraphina.
Ben has also battled the bottle – doing a stint in rehab for alochol abuse in 2001 – but he’s had more trouble giving up cigarettes than booze.
“Ben always says he’s his own worst enemy,” one friend revealed. “It’s strange that it’s when he’s had the most blessed events in his life – like the births of his children – that he turns to self-destructive behavior.”
Ben tried to hide his habit from Garner, but the pal says she caught him lighting up behind their home not long after bringing home baby Samuel.
“She was furious when she saw him huddled in a corner, puffing away… she told him, ‘You’re never going to see our children graduate college or get married if you keep this up!’”
Another source says Jennifer tries to be an understanding wife to the sometimes-troubled actor. She tolerates occasional drinking and his appetite for high-stakes poker – he’s been known to lose six figures in a single evening.
“Her friends ask her why she puts up with Ben’s bad habits, and she just says she loves him and has to let him be who he is… but she won’t tolerate smoking. She hates that he’s around the kids with his clothes smelling like smoke, but her greatest fear is that he’s headed for an early grave.”
Ben has apologized and promised that he’ll seek hypnotherapy treatment again. “At this point, Ben has no choice but to quit,” added the friend. “Jennifer has demanded it.”
[From The Enquirer, print edition]
“Ben always says he’s his own worst enemy… he turns to self-destructive behavior.” I’ve always said that about him! Some people are just like that – they get too much good stuff happening in their lives, and they compulsively self-defeat. I have a streak of that too, so I recognize it in others. Personally, if I’m Jennifer Garner, I would be more worried about the gambling though. Gambling would be my biggest concern, then alcohol, then cigarettes. Does that mean I have mixed up priorities? Or does Jennifer?
Oh, and In Touch Weekly claims that following the birth of Samuel (“which put a spark back in their marriage”), the Afflecks are going to renew their vows on their seven-year wedding anniversary. A source tells In Touch, “They want to renew their vows with their kids…It’ll be great!” Sure. Why not?
Last thing: how hot does Affleck look in these most recent photos? I usually don’t like him with a beard, but something is definitely working here.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
Written by Kaiser
Posted in Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Smoking
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God he was hot back then….. whew!
Sounds like he has an addictive personality. Until he gets therapy and treatment for addictions, he will bounce from one addictions to another (smoking, drinking, gambling…)
Good luck Jennifer, he sounds like a real pain in the ass to live with.
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Totally agree on the pain in the ass part…can you imagine if he actually ended up marrying Jlo???? LOL talk about pains in the ass. But he was so hot back then *sigh…Pearl Harbor is a terrible movie and I will watch it over and over and over to stare at him.
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I don’t blame her, hope he quits.
I’m also a little concerned about the vow renewal, that didn’t help Seal & Heidi stay together!
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Yeah,and they did it every year too!lol
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Numerous Hollyweird couples break up after their vow renewal. Divorce papers in 3, 2, 1…
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She needs to stop carrying his balls in her purse; He’s a big boy and he isn’t going to stop smoking because she’s bitching at him. Like any other destructive behavior, he’ll quit when HE realizes it’s a bad thing. Nagging just sets a tone for a dysfunctional relationship.
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“At this point, Ben has no choice but to quit.”
Well, if you’re going to nag a man then he’ll certainly “quit”, but it might be your marriage, and not the cancer sticks.
Maybe the smoking is an act of rebellion? Like, “I’m still married to you – what more do you want? Well, you have no jurisdiction over my lungs!”
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He actually looks good with the salt and pepper beard look. Here’s hoping a few ciggies really is their worst problem and that he’s spending alot of time with his kids and not out drinking/gambling/carousing.
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I agree! He’s never really done it for me with the manboy appeal, but I’m thinking now d@mn! This is sexy! And really with the cigs? My hubs has tried to quit so many times, but only marginal success. He’s a good man, great dad, works hard for his family, but that’s his vice. I’m not the boss of him, he knows it’s bad and nagging never works. Some things you leave alone for the individual to work out.
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what is up with multiple-children household fatherhood and beards?
the kid in the last picture (name passes me by), is real cute and happy. pretty clothes too. warms my heart.
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Violet. I agree with you; one thing about the Garflecks, they sure have produced two gorgeous girls. Wonder if Samuel will have the dimples too.
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I’m pretty sure he gambled, smoked and was “self destructive” when she met him…stupid girls trying to change men. Don’t have his baby, marry him and then have two more if you don’t like it!!??
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Thank you! I’m so sick of these woman that think they can change a life time of behavior. This is a honeymoon period because he now has a son. Besides, who said he ever stopped his vices. He probably has a good PR team that covers for him. When Jennifer divorces him, and she will, you will hear about all the bs he’s pulled. And she knew full well going into it that he had problems.
Both of them are goofy for marrying in the first place.
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I think Gwyneth Paltrow was the one who said that Ben was self-destructive in a Diane Sawyer interview.
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Goopy would know.
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I think it’s the hair color more than the hair/beard itself. That slight grey is very attractive.
And dammit, Ben, that woman had ANOTHER baby for you just so you could get that son you wanted so bad – you probably have no idea how hard it is for her to get her body back (especially by HWood standards) and probably you have trouble ravishing her during that time anyway, so suck it up and drop your cancer sticks and embrace your family man life! Look at your blessings! Cherish them!
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I say Jen is holding out for the ten yearmark and then she takes him to the cleaners both financially and professionally
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i get the feeling she kinda mothers him like a 4th child.
of course he will keep doing what he does, to more and lesser degrees (smoking/gambling).
this is what she signed up for when she chose to marry and have kids with a guy like this.
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Dude starts smoking after the birth of a child because, while it’s a joyous event, it’s also a very stressful one. Smoking is a coping device, not necessarily a sign he’s self-destructing (though it’s obviously a dangerous habit). Seems like basic psychology 101 to me. Why can’t The Enquirer and all their Mensa-member journalists figure that one out? Step it up, people!! Hee. It’s not that difficult.
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I’d smoke too if I had three small children. And drink.
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Well said Carlotta!!
If these people had half a brain ,they wouldn’t write these ridiculous stuff.Hello if sounds like BS it probably is .Ben is happy with family and life period.As Ben would say ‘Get that through your F…ing head !” Lmao
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Icccch – he looks just like my loser ex husband with the unemployment beard.
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Of all his rumored vices, I’d also be least worried about the smoking. Yes it’s nasty and yes it can cause lung cancer but drinking and gambling tend to do far greater collateral damage, imo.
Also did you ever notice that many recovering addicts (drug, alcohol) seem to smoke like chimneys? It seems to be the one “safe” addiction in the grand scheme of things.
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smoking is very dangerous for children. It doesn’t just impact ben, it puts jen and the children at risk for lung cancer asthma and other illnesses.
When I was younger my dad was a big smoker. My mom refused to let him smoke in the house and tried for years to get him to quit. My sister and I tried hidding his cigs. My paternal grandmother died from lung cancer and he got broncidious several times. He woldn’t quit until my mother threatened to divorce him because my sister was starting to have respiratory problems.
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He should quit for the kids.
It’s one thing to smoke when you are single or married but once you have kids it isn’t about you anymore.
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Jen was trying to save her marriage by giving Ben a boy..then he starts smoking again? Did he ever quit? Sorry, I do not trust him. There is an air of selfishness about Ben that has always bothered me. Jen can keep having his babies, but he is not gonna change.
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The pic of Ben holding Violet’s hand is so adorable..this is the image that Jen wants for her family. Ben’s rugged salt n’pepper hello kitty aura is workin its magic on me.
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When was the last time he worked?
I get the feeling he’s in a huge mid-life crisis regarding his career.
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He can be sexy when he tries. That said, what’s up with his hair? Is it real? It’s freaking me out.
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OH MY GOD…that top picture is freaking gorgeous…soooooo sexy….
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Vow renewals are second only to tattoos of each other’s names as harbingers of marital doom.
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I love the picture of him carrying the Hello Kitty backpack. I wonder if Violet covers for him and let’s daddy hide his ciggies in her bag? Kidding, kidding.
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Looks like ol’ Ben is at the start of a midlife crisis.
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I don’t believe for one second these two would do something as corny and desperate as a vow renewal. And anyone who thinks a newborn puts a “spark” in a marriage has no kids.
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@ Kaiser, et al: it’s because he’s looking very Timothy Olyphant-ish with the beard and the longish, graying-at-the-temple hair. Minus the Olyphant Swagger, natch!
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Who knows what is really true with them as a couple? I love Jennifer, his wife. She is really a class act and she’s not full of herself. I hope they are happy together and do not split like the typical Hollywood couples. No…I cannot imagine him with JLo. Maybe they had some chemistry back then, but I’m glad they let it go. He’s married to a wonderful woman. I hope he’s as good a husband to her.
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