Well colour me surprised. US Magazine, which runs the seedier side of officially sanctioned celebrity stories, is going with the more specific, hard-hitting angle in the Gaffleck divorce. We’ve already seen People Magazine’s kind of sanitized, near-constant and somewhat predictable coverage and here comes US with the dirty details. I know many of you will disagree, but I see this as the other side of an official PR divorce rollout which has been planned for months. Garner and Affleck are running this thing with the precision of a political campaign. They want the public to question whether People or US is accurate and they want to appeal to both the devoted gossips *raises hand* and Garner-lovers on one side and the Affleck fans on the other. Affleck got People mag and Garner got US.
Here’s some of US’s story, which is what we’ve heard and speculated about their relationship for years. I’m just impressed that US is putting it out there, and I’m really convinced they’re doing it with the full cooperation of the teams coordinating this press blitz. This is some decent gossip but it’s still glossing over the nitty gritty.
In the new issue of Us Weekly, multiple sources allege that the couple’s 10-year marriage (they announced their divorce on June 30) was torpedoed by Affleck’s partying, gambling and, yes, inappropriate behavior with other women.
One pal claims, in the past year, Garner told her friends that Affleck had “admitted to cheating” with an attractive love interest. A devastated Garner kicked the two-time Oscar winner out of their $17.5 million home in L.A.’s Pacific Palisades, “but eventually decided to forgive him,” says the insider. Meanwhile, a source close to Affleck insists, “Ben did not cheat on Jen.” The A-listers may be the only ones who know the truth, but at least one thing seems certain: Garner’s trust had been irrevocably broken.
Indeed, insiders say there was plenty of mistrust during their decade-long union. “She tried to leave him a few times, but he would beg her to stay,” one source says of the pair, who fell in love while filming 2003’s Daredevil.
Each time the Alias alum considered walking away, she’d think of kids Violet, 9, Seraphina, 6, and Samuel, 3. “She always fought against the urge to throw her hands up in the air and walk away,” says an insider. “They’ve been on the brink of splitting up many times before, but it’s Jennifer’s worst nightmare for their children. Her biggest desire has always been to keep the family together.”
An Affleck pal says he’s struggling with the separation as well: “This is just as hard on him and difficult for him. Any divorce is tough on everyone. He is leaning on his mom and close friends.”
Ben is a cheating cheater, who could have predicted that? I’m just impressed with how he’s managed to keep it under wraps for so long. This is Jennifer’s side of the story. She got to get it out there, and she did it in the outlet that people were less likely to believe. If this wasn’t a sanctioned story, I’m convinced we would be hearing about the many women Affleck has been boning on the side instead of just the one he supposedly confessed to. Now if we start getting details on the identity of some of these women, then I’ll believe that the tabloids have legitimately dug up information and that it’s not coming from official sources. In Touch and The National Enquirer need to get on that. My money is on In Touch, they’ve impressed me so much lately.
photo credit: WENN.com
Is he checking out that other woman in the parking lot? Lol
no, that’s one of jen’s crew – publicist, manager, or assistant – i’ve seen her before.
It sure looks like it. Seriously, while I admire the ability to forgive someone and realize that it takes great strength, it is torture long-term to continue to subject one’s self to a constant barrage of gut punches. It isn’t healthy to continue to take someone back for any reason if all it brings is more emotional abuse and let-down.
Ok, I’m sorry. I’m sick of this. I was team Jen for about 3 days, and now I’m team Ben.
Ben Affleck is not a f*cking monster. He’s a guy, and he just can’t help himself, he just can’t take control of his life and steer it, he feels the need to gamble, drink and occasionally take a hall pass or two. WE KNOW THAT!!!
WE KNEW THAT!!!
But Jen?! Jen took some hall passes herself in the day, isn’t that right Scott? Michael?
Jen’s vices are all covered up under dimples and clog sandals from 1996. This looks like a witch hunt orchastrated to make one person an angel and another a raging monster.
#Benforlife
There’s no evidence that he ever cheated. He is vilified because he counted cards? It’s perfectly legal. The casino kicked him out because they were losing money every time he walked in the door. So the guy likes to gamble….big deal. Do they seem any poorer because of it? No evidence he’s an alcoholic either. People see him unshaven and tired looking and assume he’s hung over. Poor guy can’t catch a break. Jennifer is not blameless in this divorce. She wants to be off making movies too. Neither one of them wanted to stay home and look after the kids. Too much time away from home resulting in hectic lifestyles and a lot of resentment was a major cause of this divorce.
Jen is no Angel for sure, but at least she locks her shit down better. Ben’s all sloppy, finger banging strippers who tell on him and getting banned from casinos and showing up in Canada with another woman on his wife’s bday. It can’t be called a witch hunt when you hand deliver all your vices to the media with a bow on top due to your sloppiness. Team kids who have to deal with adults behaving badly.
Sabrine: the alcoholism was from his stint at Promises in the early 2000s for alcohol addiction. It wasn’t even a secret at the time.
+1
I’m actually feeling sorry for Ben now.
ah the big guns have finally arrived.
totally believe it but i also doubt that Garner stayed faithful all that time.
She has a bazillion dollars and dresses like a hobo, but she owns it! She makes granny clothes look good.
No they still look like granny clothes.lol
Don’t let the hobo look fool you those are some very expense clothing in handbags that she’s wearing.
she has a bazillion dollars also BECAUSE she dresses like that. it makes her appear less threatening and also more relatable.
i understand that all but i still find that look better than being overly done when going out in every day life.
dresses like a nun on vacation
Lol. She actually does.
Damn, where did she get that stripey jacket? I need something frumpy for Nun vacation. We’re going to Katy Perry’s convent.
That jacket screams Talbots, c 1990-ish.
She does not make granny clothes look good. She looks frumpy 99% of the time.
If I had their money, I’d dress in comfy clothes too. I hate heels, makeup, and anything bodycon. I have great curves but am not overweight. I don’t get why everyone needs to look like they are going to a club. I am over it. I will dress stylish but not uncomfortable.
But Jen doesn’t dress stylishly comfortable either. Just frumpy. Then again so does he.
Ben’s PR man is Ken Sunshine (who also reps Leo D).
Sunshine worked tightly for NY politicians, so he’s used to big guns.
I’m sure Ben’s many distractions have watertight NDA’s and pay offs.
So, I could be wrong, but I’m not expecting a Tiger Woods’ style tsunami of revelations.
Yeah but look what happened with the Finding your Roots debacle.
For such a pro, this doesn’t feel like it’s being handled well. It’s been so heavy handed with the message, and that weird “family vacation”? They should have gotten their message out quickly, and then gone dark.
Ah, the aptly-named Ken Sunshine.
I was really surprised Enquirer had nothing on him. They have deep pockets. The best they could come out with was a tired J-Lo story. They literally had nothing but to run that? The are slipping and other outlets are passing them by. LOL
As Jenn says. ” I carried a Watermelon.”
Ha. I haven’t seen that movie in years, now you have me wanting to watch it.
LOL!
*clapping*
Haha! That line was also the very first thing that came to my mind.
Lol I say that at least once a week every summer.
Sorry , not buying the ‘poor Jen’ story. She knew what he was, had three children with him, and attempted to re-make him into what she imagined him to be.She always looks a bit stepford wife like to me.
Oh, goody, another “Poor Jen” narrative for the next ten years…
Isn’t that the length of time for when the statute-of-limitations runs out – and public sympathy runs dry?
(Bye, bye, Jen A! Enjoy your Eau de Theroux…)
“begged her to stay”: yep, it’s her camp.
Seems like just yesterday the narrative was “he’s been dying to get out of this marriage for years”.
This story is definitely tilted in the “poor, long suffering wonderful wife and mother” side of things with him being the “sleazy cheater”. Neither of these folks are exactly sweet innocents without pasts, but hers always get shoved under the rug with these type of stories. It is like she did not exist before her “wonderful” family life with Ben. On the surface, it looks like she tried harder and he was a bit of a louse (that Oscar speech should have been a huge clue), his pained expressions during the pap walks and his not being able to own up to his past (which is similar to many Americans). He definitely has issues and who knows if he is as bad as this, but she is coming out smelling like a rose.
Her PR camp seems to be trying to make sure “her truth” is going to be “The Truth”, whether it is actually all true or not.
Oh good grief. Cheating is his thing.
To give out this sad little fact, that it was only ONCE is just laughable. Oh please. Just stop talking.
It is time for their crisis PR team to shut it all down. And go dark. We have heard enough how she was so dedicated to the “family”. Time for everyone to just shut up and shut it down. And go away for the Summer.
Though… I am willing to bet.
If Affleck does something incredibly stupid… between now and the release of Batman… there will be all kinds of stories of how there has been a reconciliation. How they are trying to make it work again for the “children”.
I completely agree with you I said the same thing in on the the other Jen and Ben post.
( ” I think they are too busy getting their PR agents to spin this split into his/her personal agenda ( especially Ben) that they are making this bigger then it woukd be.
The media and public are going think what they want. After you make that first statement you can either feed the beast or go on with your life and let your actions speak for itself, so far Jen and Ben are choosing to be the beast.” )
This!!!! Its ridiculous how many PR stories are coming out on a daily basis. IMO, it’s mostly from Ben’s camp because we learned during the “Argo” campaign how obsessed he is with his image after working his way back to respectability.He’s leaning on his mom, he doesn’t have many friends, he tried to get her back, he’s flying to Atlanta to be with his kids…enough already.
I absolutely think he will attempt a short-lived reconciliation if things look shaky before Batman. What I think is interesting is that Jen hasn’t hung him out to dry at this point. Wonder why she is playing along?
She has to play along. A lot is riding on the success of Batman. If she blew this story wide open and Batman tanks a major studio loses a lot of money. That would anger some major power players in Hollywood. She likes her status in Hollywood and doesn’t want ruin it. She may not make great movies but she is connected socially with a lot of Hollywood because of her marriage.
I totally believe he has a some major issues. Drinking, pills, gambling and cheating but she knew who he was when she married him. She probably thought she could change him. I can’t fault her entirely though. She loved him and a lot of us make dumb choices because of love.
Elise Elise Elise Come on now she doesn’t have to play along. First off Batman is going to make money regardless if its good or bad and whether or not Ben has good or bad publiaty.
Look at Jeremt Renner while promoting Avengers his split got very messy and the other Avengers acting like douchebags and it didn’t effect of the Box Office and the Studios love the free publicity. Also once promotion was over so was Jeremt Renner divorce drama.
At the end of the day Ben or any other comic book actor could be rapist and the comic book fans wouldn’t care and would still pay to go see the movies. It all boils down to this nothing going to get in the way of comic fans and seeing their favorite comic book characters come to life. The studios know this and that is why there was so much bad behavior during the Avengers promotion.
I think Jen is caught up with the “perfect” family/”perfect wifey” image and perhaps a bit of a martyr? There is definitely some “payoff” for her in staying, not cash or anything but in some warped way this works for her. She gets off on being his “savior”? I think he is such a damaged piece of shite and she needs to re-group and move on for the kids sake if nothing else. It is apparent that she is not above pimping out the kids and “perfect” family to please him/improve his image. Lainey had an interesting blind long while back about how she tries to “improve” herself as he is sooooo smart and she is sooo unworthy. Jen was top choice for answer
I still contend it is more about her wanting to keep her status in Hollywood. If she tells the truth it will anger the power players who want/need their stars to tow the line and stick to the story. The divorce is bad enough If she tells the truth about his supposed issues then it is another negative, possibly bigger, story is attached to an already unpopular Batman.
Yes, Jeremy Rennner et al. were terrible during their publicity tour with Avengers and I am sure they made quite a few people at the studio blow their tops over their comments. But Renner, Downey , Evans are established as their characters and much bigger stars than Garner.
What your forgetting is in the eyes of the media Ben and Jen they are no longer connected his failure are no longer her failure just like his successes are no longer be her Success and vice versa.
Now if Ben career takes a hit it will be seen as Jennifer Garner was the one that keep him in line and made him successful.
Those are some top notch watermelon modeling skills. If I tried to carry one like that after grocery shopping it would be splattered on the sidewalk.
He begged her to stay?
More like:
“Jen, STAY (away from my booze cabinet)”
“Jen, STAY (away from my medicine cabinet)”
“Jen, please STAY (away from my hot diggity dancer pals)”
I keep thinking about the movie.. The Way We Were.. Hubble and Katie
This is a mess.
lisa2, I just felt compelled to watch that movie again recently for some reason…so sad but bittersweet 🙁
Does he *own* another jacket?
So I take it Affleck won’t be doing individual interviews at Comic Con? At least I hope not!
I hope Henry Cavill has been practicing, you’re up pal!
Considering Jen is a cheater who cheats hard to feel bad for her.
So should we applaud her for finally leaving or for the fact that she “forgave” him several times “for her children’s sake”?
Jennifer is at the top of this and is winning this media war hangs down.
That’s not a watermelon…it’s one of Emily Ratajkowski’s breasts!
But who exactly was he cheating with? Blake Livley? Possibly. Random women he met? Maybe but I think some would have come out of the woodwork before now. That Emily chick whose PR finally took time off? Also possible, but she seems like the kind to go for someone less used up.
Considering how indiscriminate he seems to be in his choice of sexual partners, plus the possibility that he’s not always being safe, I don’t really see much point in exposing yourself to diseases with your own husband. Gross. If she took him back after multiple affairs, that’s on her. He probably finally gave her something and she couldn’t live in denial anymore.
Exactly!
We are in the age of endless suspicion. No one knows the source of these stories but you call these people names as if you were all there when the stories were being handed out. For people that keep saying Jen cheated on her husband or boyfriend. This is what you choose to believe, it does not make it the truth. She and Scott Foley were in the process of divorcing when she started dating Vartan. The divorce was yet to be finalised when the affair started but how is that cheating on her husband when the marriage was already over. For these people, Jen must not go on a date in the next two years if the divorce from Ben is not yet sorted out but of course Ben can do what he likes when he likes right? It is not a crime to fancy someone and eventually marry that person. At the time she married Ben her career was on the rise and his was definitely in the other direction. She took a leap of faith with him and it has not worked out. It is not the first time such a thing has happened in a relationship and it will not be the last for sure. No one is trying to paint Jen as a Saint but you cannot keep using baseless and unfounded allegations that were based on happenings that occurred prior to her dating and marrying Ben as a basis for why she deserves all that she got from him during the marriage. If he is not really the marrying kind as it now appears, he should never have done it in the first place, whether she was pregnant or not. Instead of one kid from this relationship they now have three. The chances of all three kids adjusting well and being completely unaffected by the demise of their parents relationship is very low at this point. It will be interesting to hear what Samuel who is only 3 years old has to say about his parents when he becomes an adult.
Really because you were painting Jen G as a saint yesterday and you still are.
I like your post. But on one point. Samuel will be the least affected. He won’t remember his parents together as the years go on. It’s the other two that will remember and be more affected.
Seriously all anyone has to do is watch how Jen drooled and gushed over Ben in ‘Dinner for Five’ in 2003 while she was still married to Foley and he was still with JLO.
http://www.vulture.com/2014/10/when-jennifer-garner-fell-in-love-with-ben-affleck.html
She chased him for years and knew full well he was a dog. She would have looked the other way as long as she remained the wife of an A-lister. I think either the drug rumors are true or he dumped her for someone else.
+1.
Something really bad must have gone down for her to finally leave. She may not have been happy in the marriage but she was married to an A lister Oscar winner. I believe to her that was very important. Just look how many times she would take her kids on pap strolls to the Brentwood Country market knowing paps hang out there. Then she would talk about how great it is that there are new laws protecting kids from paps. She is one of the biggest hypocrites when it comes to this but she did it to enhance their/ her image. This is why I think image is way more important to her than she cares to admit.
So who thinks she will start dressing better and look more put together? I have 2 girls a year apart (which we planned and they are bff’s) and on grocery store runs workout clothes and tennis shoes can look great. Bad hair day? Hat and sunglasses……..
Jaysus. Have some of you just ever considered Jen loved Ben with all her heart and soul? He was the father of her children . In their private life, they shared enough beautiful moments and times that she held on hoping it would get better again . Last year in an interview she said, “I would do anything for that man.” She loved him, period. I just believe he emotionally checked out on her, and without that, what can you fight for regarding other problems? There’s no point, ultimately. I have no doubt her heart is broken and that he feels guilt over it but wants to move on.
Can’t someone be more than one thing at one time? I think most celebrities and human beings love their prospective partners it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a whole bunch of whitewashing and PR going on.
I think she loved him too and I don’t think she was motivated by any ulterior agenda. IMO, for Garner, he was it. She fell for him immediately and probably is still in love with him. He just never felt the same. I absolutely think he loved her too, but never to the same degree, and after years of trying to be “good”, i.e., not gamble, drink, drugs, whatever, he just couldn’t do it. He wants out. I think he loves his kids also and I don’t think he’s a monster. He really just isn’t cut out for marriage and has too many demons. I do tend to believe the Lainey blind also, about heroin. My guess, and I could be 100% wrong, is that it started with the pills, as Lainey alluded, and moved to heroin. He may have just experimented a couple times, or be in the early stages of addiction, which is why he has been so able to be productive and busy.
Jen at times seemed to worship Ben, and enjoyed the elevated status of being married to an Oscar winner.
Ben seemed to regard Jen as a wonderful Mother, but never his equal in terms of talent or status. Ben just seems tortured and unfulfilled-gives into his impulses -then is lost again. I cannot imagine any woman being able to sustain Ben’s loyalty long term.
He does have some good qualities -Ben is hard-working and highly intelligent. Sometimes Ben does look very handsome and charasmatic. But his addictions dilute his goodness.
It’s sad to watch this family fall apart-😔
The often-staged farmers market photo ops were adorable. Gonna miss them.