Ben Affleck and SNL producer Lindsay Shookus look smitten on date https://t.co/l6bnoqkIKE
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) July 8, 2017
On Friday morning we saw the first photos of Ben Affleck out the night before with a woman who was initially presumed to be a new girlfriend, an SNL producer and Emmy winner named Lindsay Shookus. E! ran those photos along with some complimentary details about Shookus. It wasn’t long until other outlets, particularly US and People, started running negative stories about her with just the right amount of shade. I kept expecting to read “bless her heart” peppered among the details, and there were plenty. I’m just going to do an abbreviated list here and you can read the individual stories linked if you haven’t already. There’s so much to recap but I would assume that “someone” told US and People the details all in one go, which were then meted out into multiple stories over the weekend like filled candies with sh-tty centers. You’d rather have one decent chocolate bar instead of these pieces with mystery jelly you end up spitting out.
US: Ben has been seeing Lindsay for 3 years, she was married too
“Ben and Lindsay started their affair about three years ago, just a few months after she became a mom,” an insider close to the former A-list couple claimed to Us. “They were not casually dating — they were having a full-blown affair. They were sleeping together, sending each other cute texts and meeting up whenever they could.Garner and Shookus’ ex-husband, Kevin Miller, both discovered the relationship in 2015, the source claims: “They were devastated when they found out about the affair.”
US: Affleck source claims he’s only been seeing Lindsay three months
“Ben and Lindsay have been out together in London, in Los Angeles and he has plans to go visit her in New York as well,” the insider tells Us. ”He isn’t relieved that this information is out there, but he is very happy with Lindsay and doesn’t want to hide it.”“Lindsay was not what led to the end of their marriage. They had a ton of other problems.”
“Jen knew about the new relationship and still chose to go on vacation with Ben for the 4th of July,” the source shared, referring to the former couple’s recent trip to the Caribbean.
US: Lindsay left her husband to be with Affleck
The Saturday Night Live producer tied the knot with her NBC colleague Miller in 2010. However, an insider alleges that her relationship with Affleck, 44, spurred her to end the marriage. “She was married and had a baby and left her husband to be with Ben,” the source claims.The insider alleges that Shookus would frequently travel to L.A. to scout talent for SNL so she could spend time with the Oscar winner. Meanwhile, Affleck was still married to Garner.
[Sources linked in text]
I was going to quote People too, but they parrot Ben’s side of the story, that he’s only been with Lindsay for three months, but that they were “flirting” prior to that. They also have another story about how Lindsay has been staying at Ben’s rental house in LA. She was seen flying out of LAX on Friday, the day after their date (those pics are below). E! has a fawning piece about how how “kind,” “unpretentious,” “loyal” and how much of a “girl next door” Lindsay is, and it reads like all the bullsh-t he must have told her to get her on the hook and convince her to leave her husband. I would bet good money that he’s done this to several other women during his marriage.
It’s not surprising that Affleck is a cheater, but he had a longterm side piece ALONG with screwing the young nanny. So he got with Lindsay in 2013, Jen discovered the affair in 2015, and Ben was caught with the nanny that summer. Shookus surely heard about the nanny yet she STILL took him back after that. He was probably juggling a few other women here and there too, narcissists do that. Also, read this quote in US, sourced to someone close to Affleck, practically saying he’s not to blame for anything since he was having problems in his marriage anyway. “Lindsay was not what led to the end of their marriage. They had a ton of other problems.” When you’re having problems with a spouse you break up or work on things with the spouse you don’t go complaining to your various mistresses and your children’s caregiver, and then blame the wife for it unless you give zero f-ks about your marriage.
So we know Affleck will sabotage his relationships, we saw what he did to J.Lo and now we have a small glimpse of what he was doing to Jen. I hope she can let go, I hope she realizes she’s well rid of him, and I like that we’re getting these dates and details about the mistress. It’s like codependent Jen was under his spell and was keeping his secrets for him while believing his lies about how he would change. Now that the PR lid is lifted she’s dishing on everything and it’s worse than we thought. Also, it sounds like Lindsay is just as ruthless as Ben, right? They may seem perfect for each other but it won’t be long until he’s pulling the same tricks on her that kept Jen off balance and struggling in vain to keep the relationship together, when in reality there was nothing she could do to change him.
Photos credit: WENN and Backgrid
It was apparent that he was a garbage person when he ruined Batman. This is not surprising.
my question: any smart parent would realize it would be better for the kids to be divorced than stay together in this mess?
why did she put her kids through this for years when she knew he was a dumpster fire of a person?
thats gonna screw up her daughters.
How is this all HER fault? Ben is a grown man and those are his kids too. All that he’s done is his fault. The effects on their kids are shared between both of them. I’m so sick of reading people’s opinions and their need to put all the blame on Jen. Ugh
If the other parent is good for the kids and there is no big drama in front of them why would the kids be damaged by these kind of issues in a way that divorce is preferential for them? don’t think the girls knew of any of this.
His empty eyes have always disturbed me. For me, they say it all. The eyes have it.
What I am reading is: Jennifer Garner does not protect him any longer and when he went public she let the public know. I wonder if we’ll hear more but I think she will not destroy him for their childrens sake.
Also what David Finder, for whatever reason, said publicly about Ben:
“This is something that Ben is extraordinarily good at, when he has to cook up a phone conversation, when he has to hear somebody on the other end of the phone. It’s kinda stunning how … If I was his wife, I think I would be very suspicious, always, of whoever just called because he has a real gift at being able to insinuate a conversation.”
“He has to do these things in the foreground where he takes out his phone and looks at it and he puts it away so his sister doesn’t see it. There are people who do that and it’s too pointed. But Ben is very very subtle and there’s a kind of indirectness to the way he can do those things. Probably because he’s so duplicitous.”
David Fincher so right through Ben Affleck.
David Fincher is good friends with Pitt but has said that he’s not that different than his fight club character and the public would be shocked. Said Pitt gets way with things because women find him attractive. Guess fincher likes to trash talk his actors.
@Imbored : Now that you mention about Brad Pitt, I can’t help to compare the situation of both men since addiction seems to be taking a role in their family life that leads to a separation in the end.
When the story came out about Affleck and Lindsay, most people said it’s a downgrade for him, it’s too soon for Affleck and that he should focus with his addiction and kids first.
Meanwhile, when story about newly separated Pitt+SM came out, most people said he deserved to have fun, that it’s an upgrade and what a hot couple they would be. Pitt truly is the golden boy of HW. Interesting. 🤔
I would love to know what majority of people would say in the future if a story of Pitt and SM decided to move in together come out (although I could pretty much guess it…😅)
@Rhea I can’t help myself, no one said Pitt was upgrading with Sienna. Are you listening to yourself ? Pitt was with Angelina Jolie and may be dating Sienna Miller, that’s not an upgrade. Not to bash anyone, because I think Sienna is pretty if anything she’s downgrading by dating Pitt. I think it was more his fans co signing because he “deserves” to be “happy” & have ” fun” because poor sad Brad has been through a bad sad time because he’s the victim here not his kids. Sorry minor correction. But back to another scum bag in Affleck. But yes there’s a disparity in reaction to both men, because scum bag Affleck is rightfully being vilified but sad victimy golden precious Brad is Mr Hollywood and liked, so there will be no vilification of him ever, regardless of what he does.
@Keely
Please read again. I said “most people” NOT “most people on this site”. Meaning, I’m talking about bigger and wider amount of people. Not just limited on this site. You could check the comments section on DM, E!, TMZ, and more others. A lot of them said Pitt is upgrading with SM. And a lot of them said Affleck is downgrading with Lindsay. Their words. Not mine. I’m just writing it down and comparing it.
I’m not one that like to compare one person appearance with another person.
What I am comparing here is the public reaction for both men. Both A-list, both got an addiction problem, both got hit with cheating rumours during their separation, but somehow Affleck has it worse. Of course the nanny part in Affleck case is what makes his image more worse than Pitt, but I clearly remember when the rumour was about Pitt and Cotillard, most people were cheering. They were happy with the possibility of him cheating from his wife. (Karma seems to be the favorite word)
I wonder if people would also treat Pitt like Affleck if his cheating rumour with MC that time turns out true. Will they put him in the same box with Affleck or not? (And before you ask me again, I’m not just talking about people on this site 😉)
Hope this explanation clears things up.
“Of course the nanny part in Affleck case is what makes his image more worse than Pitt, but I clearly remember when the rumour was about Pitt and Cotillard, most people were cheering.”
Rhea, I think the issue is Ben Affleck used up all his goodwill with the public years ago. Brad Pitt is still known for being a nice guy, even today and even after ex-wifey-to-be did all her leaks.
@Rhea I get that, I take issue with that still. You say “most people” , but when you visit sites like E, the DM , TMZ etc you’re referring specifically to a certain demographic that specifically hates Angelina. It’s not necessarily the wider public if you’re sourcing from the same type of spaces ( unless you’re not). As for reading comments on said sites, no thank you, i have no reason to read the utterings of racist, misogynistic, sexist trolls. It’s like reading Breibart and Fox & the like and then saying most people hate Hillary or she’s not qualified , do they really/ is she really not or is it the particular spaces you’re visiting, I’m not saying there aren’t people outside of those settings that don’t ?
I’m not sure if I’m capable of being objective where Angelina is concerned so that’s that to consider, but again in what logical setting is dating Sienna Miller after Angelina Jolie an ” upgrade” in any barometer you use? I always consider my sources, I’m not saying it’s just those sites that think this way or that everywhere else Angelina is loved and they agree with me.
Again look at the big picture with reference to the people involved, with the Pitt and Coltillard rumours you can’t ignore the history of the people involved with regards to the karma stuff and hence people’s reaction & the general perception of Pitt . The same way you can’t ignore that people’s reaction to the Affleck stuff is based partly on “but we all knew he was gross ” JLO told us, Goop told us, the nanny etc etc. We’ve known about his addiction problems etc, as opposed to Pitt where everyone was like whaaat, not Brad Pitt- Never? I mean after he himself came out and bascically admitted his issues , you still had people in those very spaces twisting themselves into pretzels to excuse him .You know they won’t because again Brad is sad it’s never his fault, we like him golden boy, he’s hot blah blah vs stripper banging, gambling, bloated Batfleck and I’m not going to go into the psychology of all of that .
@Green
Perhaps you are right. Plus, Affleck is not really hiding his wandering eyes and addiction. So many rumours about it already so I guess it’s not really shocking any more.
@ Keely
Those sites that I mentioned are just some of the examples. They might not like Jolie there, but still you have to count their opinion, too. You could go on to see other sites for a wider demographics. Heck, maybe even ask the people in your neighborhood, too if you must. 😋
There would be those that saying things about upgrading and downgrading. Again, it’s not my words. I was merely comparing the public opinion from what I have read and heard so far on both men. I was using the word public because it’s not limited to this site only and not only from 3 or 4 of sites that I have visited. And no, not only from sites that hates Jolie.
So if you’re asking me what barometer I’m using that dating Sienna Miller after Angelina Jolie is an ” upgrade”, you’re asking the wrong person. Ask those people. Again, it’s not Jolie and SM that I was comparing.
And IMO (is it better for you now after I’m using the word “my opinion”🤔?), there seems to be more people agreeing with Pitt going out on a date again (although Pitt separation is newer) unlike Affleck. This site is mostly pro Jolie and people here don’t mind him going out for a date again. But, Affleck? Nope. It’s too soon.😏😏
ITA with you that there’s a disparity in reaction to both men.
Interesting, that’s a great quote. So that’s why Fincher cast him wasn’t it? He knew he could play the role.
I mean you should be able to play people that are nothing like you but it certainly played a part.
Still mind boggling that he said that about him tho. Not that I mind but its crazy.
I think GOOD actors are able to, but even decent ones can play their personality with a twist, you know?
And I don’t think Affleck is good to great, I think he plays on type, but with direction.
It is crazy that Fincher would say something so… revealing. I mean maybe for most people that doesn’t mean much, but that quote pretty much seals the deal for me that Ben is scary manipulative.
I always got the impression that Fincher didn’t particularly like Ben. I felt that he thought Ben was perfect for the role. I think Ben wanted he and Fincher to have that Director/Actor chemistry but it didn’t happen
Besides that Fincher can be so wonderfully shady
@nemera34 I got the same vibe. Ben seemed to really hope for that intimate director/actor chemistry that you mentioned, but Fincher is not a fan. perfect casting.
This is completely a guess, but I always assumed Ben is probably not a great actor in terms of being directed since he’s also a well-respected director. I think it was a bit of a pissing contest where Ben thought they’d be equals but Fincher is very controlling on his sets and is very much THE director (as it should be.)
Fincher hates the actors in fact BUT if you are able to support his dictatorial ways,He again will work with you.
Fincher never praised Craig or Affleck as actors but he was okay to work again with them on other movie projects.
And they’re all desperate to work with him (Fincher).
Those quotes are from Fincher’s DVD commentary on Gone Girl. It was obvious he was not a fan of Affleck at all. He also talked about how production was shut down for four days because Affleck wouldn’t wear a Yankees cap in the airport scene and they went back and forth with his agent until he finally agreed to wear a Mets cap.
The idea was that Nick Dunne just picked up a baseball hat at an airport shop in NY and Fincher insisted it be NYY but Ben refused because he’s a Red Sox fan. I never understood why he wouldn’t have just brought along a Cardinals cap since the character was from Missouri.
I said something similar in the other thread, QueenB, but I love how you phrased it (and with quotes!). And the point about their children is good: Say what you will about them, but they do seem to put their kids first.
I feel like Fincher isn’t the only person in Hollywood who doesn’t like Affleck.
I will give Jennifer and Ben a big standing clap for how they at least put on a positive face for their kids. Because regardless of that is said in the Gossip press the children are what is important. Those children have 2 parents. And what always stand out for me in a marriage ending is if something happened to either of them the other will be raising the kids. And like Ben or not.. God forbid anything happen to Jennifer He will be the sole parent. And again it doesn’t matter what the world thinks or feel. He is their parent. And they need to stand together for their children. Dating whatever is secondary to that. Hopefully they can both be the best parent to those 3 children. Outside of that everything else is just everything else.
Geez he’s even more garbage than he was just last week. Wow.
Broke up two marriages. Amazing.
What’s stunning to me is how he manages to juggle all these women. I find it exhausting to keep up relationships with me boyfriend, parents, and scant few friends all at the same time, and all those are above board. I don’t have more energy to invest in other people, let alone secretly.
Same. I wish I had more energy just for the people closest to me.
+1 and add a small toddler to my situation and where does all this extra time for affairs come from??!!! I think he really needs professional help, this is not normal behavior whatsoever and can be very damaging for kids
Wealth. The rest of us don’t have the time or the money to pay people to cover up our deceits.
Time and frequent travel opportunities would help, either with above-board or sketchy ‘connecting’ activities.
He has plenty of time because he’s loaded and probably has three full-time assistants who help with clipping toenails, speed dialing and diary planning the side pieces, and anything else in between.
Lindsay reminds me of someone.. I just can’t place my finger on it. As for Ben he just seems like a very unhappy man.
“A very unhappy pig.” Fixed it for ya! 😉
@Alix Pigs deserve better, they are nice animals.
I kept thinking that this weekend, that she reminds me of someone and I have no idea who. They all seem unhappy to me, rubbish situation all round. I have no sympathy for any of them.
She reminds me of Kate McKinnon.
A female version of Kevin bacon, looks wise
Dirtnap, Kate McKinnon is beautiful. This woman is a bit rough.
It’s Ben. She reminds you of him, standing next to him, because they are identical.
Yes. She is a blonde slightly feminized Ben Affleck.
It just came to me! She looks like she could be Matt Damon’s sister. In some photos it is uncanny
I agree! It was the first thing I thought of when I saw her- that she looks like Ben. Weird.
I think she looks like a female version of Matt Damon. Someone posted a photoshop image on Twitter and now I can’t unsee it. Someone also mentioned Kellyanne Conway which I can see to a degree, but that’s also just terrifying.
Definitely similar eyes to Matt D.
She reminds me of Heather Morris from Glee.
That’s who she reminds me of, Heather Morris. I can see the female Ben thing too though, especially the first picture.
She looks a bit like Brooklyn Decker without makeup.
Amy Smart?
YES! me too!
she reminds me a little bit of Amy Smart but Smart is prettier.
Nicole Simpson?
A harder-featured Nicole.
She looks like Kate McKinnon.
Matt Damon in a wig!!
Agree with all the guesses! My first guess was she looks like Frances McDormand.
I’m glad he found his own kind, this woman seems right for him. They deserve each other. Btw I’m not convinced Garner wasn’t same as him either…she had her own shady track record and that still stands.
Will this finally end talk that JG and BA are staying together? Enough already.
JG is a doormat and a major clinger. She knew about all his affairs but still put up with his crap just so she could be called Mrs. Affleck. She was fine with this affair as long as it didn’t go public. The minute Ben made it public, she went to her good ole US Weekly to tell her side of the story. Underneath that wholesome image and dimpled smile, she is as shrewd as they come.
She couldnt really bash him because this marriage was her only thing keeping her relevant. She was the Mini Van Mom in Hollywood. Her love life was always messy and pretty calculated. Its all image.
or maybe she tried for the sake of her kids? probably both, I suspect.
I’m sorry but Jen Garner may be who Jen Garner is but what we won’t do is blame her for her soon to be ex-husbands horrible, borderline mentally abusive ways. Relationships are complicated and who knows what series of even truly occurred during their marriage but Ben has always had issues. I won’t blame Jen for trying or staying because everyone always says what they would’ve done and etc. but we don’t know everything. It’s so easy to judge from the outside. Ben is a piece of work and this woman will learn the hard way. I just hope his kids will be okay.
+100 💪
Yeah. I’m very much of the you-never-know-what-you’d-REALLY-do-until-you-live-it school. I’ve been in some real-life relationship situations that, had you asked me before they actually occurred, how I’d handle them, I’d have told you “for sure” I’d have handled them differently. Real life is far different than a hypothetical scenario.
Also, women are not to blame for their husband’s infidelity. Like, ever. At all. No one is “controlling” enough or “not understanding” enough or “cold,” or whatever-the-hell other excuse. The only one to blame for cheating is the cheater. Does it make the cheated-upon partner a saint? No. But every adult is in control of their own actions and private parts, and no one can “make them” cheat … Or hit, or anything else.
Uh, does anyone not remember Ben’s image circa immediately post-JLo? He was a joke, if anything Garner (back then a hot tv property and well liked thanks to Alias, irrespective of whatever went down in her love life) was the one who turned HIS image around by marrying him.
And how is she, the wife who was cheated on, somehow to blame in all this? They had kids together, people have been reluctant to leave worse situations for far less. So what if she’s shrewd, it’s a good thing given the crap he’s pulled.
This. I often wonder if commenters here were just too young to understand what Jen did for Ben.
The Jlo and Gigli era ruined him completely. He walked away not just a tabloid stapple but heavily scorned in the industry. His job offers dried up and for awhile you only saw him in either ensemble parts or low tier jobs. But during that period, thanks to Jens PR work, they started reporting about him as a “reformed rake” and “family man”. She could have silently settled into the marriage but that creates a news vacuum and the easy narrative would have become that Bad Boy Ben tricked Good Girl Jen into marriage while he plays. So she built him up as a hands on father, being sure to drop a tale of his daddy ways every few months. She fixed his name.
When he finally decided to direct his first film, few financiers wanted to take a chance on an untested director who is failing at acting. Those who did were buoyed that they were dealing with a guy who spends his Sundays with his wife buying fruits rather than in drunken binges in strip clubs. I guarantee you, Jen served more than a few meals charming financiers and their wives for that first film. She is basically the consumate political wife and Ben really really needed that back then.
People are really over-stating what she did for his career. When they started dating she came with a ton of baggage too, what with Foley and Vartan overlapping and her being extremely blatant about fawning all over Ben while she was still with the latter and he was with J.Lo. She had the same cheater rep he did, maybe actually worse since her cheating had broken down a marriage not an engagement. Anyway, then they had what was clearly an accidental pregnancy very early in what had otherwise seemed like a pretty casual relationship (for him anyway). It was all super messy on both sides. Their wedding was unflatteringly described as a shotgun wedding, tabloids were trying to push stories saying he was still hooking up with J.Lo and there was even some suggestion it was actually Vartan’s baby.
Jennifer’s whole butter wouldn’t melt, relatable Midwestern mum revamp didn’t pick up steam until a few years in, around the time she was promoting Juno, by which time Ben had already gained back a touch of acting cred with Hollywoodland and revitalised his career with Gone Baby Gone.
+1 She really helped revamp his image way back when even if it was a load of BS and even though she wasn’t a little angel herself. At the time though, I think because of Alias, she was considered “the better Jennifer” so it helped him. On the flip side, Gone Baby Gone is what he did professionally to turn his career around and gain more credibility in the industry which led to funding for Argo down the road.
No, more likely that she knew he had vices but since they married and started a family, she thought that was over to a certain extent. Even after he cheated, they were working on things evident by the articles coming out when he went to rehab. Ain’t nothing wrong trying to keep the family together.
When the news broke about the divorce filing, that’s when Ben’s team put out he’s been casually dating which was PR to cover for the truth coming out a few months later about the long-term affair seeing as the timeline fits. Which now prompted Garner to put out her own PR as he can’t stop lying and she’s refusing to be his ashes as she said previously (in relation to his awful tattoo). It’s one thing to do all of that during the marriage but then to move on to a side piece and calling it ‘dating’ is just 1 step too far. Garner is refusing Affleck and Shookus to become ‘legit’ after breaking not 1 but 2 marriages with their actions and the douche that Affleck is trying to claim that other things broke up the marriage.
Affleck is a cheating addict scumbag but some people can’t stand Garner for doing what women have been doing since forever: Standing by their man. Trying to fix their man. Trying to hold the family together.
That responsibility more often than not is placed on the woman for starters, if women weren’t trying so damn hard, most relationships/marriages wouldn’t last long. I think the reason why modern marriages have a shorter time span now is because women at least now have more options to leave as they are more financially independent but that doesn’t hold personality and societal conditioning into account. Some women just don’t take crap and know their worth and some women just don’t (no matter how much money, power and looks they have).
In theory Garner could have left easily as she has money but in reality she was clearly deeply in love with this man (she RAN to him during their wedding ceremony) and deluded herself about his vices. If people want to be angry about a woman being in love and making dumb choices, then you’re going to be angry a lot! Refuges are full with these women (and they still return to the worst of relationships), your own friends probably go through similar struggles. It’s fine to not like that but I feel like some of the comments (not yours specifically) is condemning what is daily reality for women all over the world from all walks of life and it saddens me that we are so harsh towards these women.
+1
Excellent post.
Well said. Marriages are complicated. Add children to the mix and it’s very difficult to walk away. To take from your children the stability that your marriage, your familial unit represents.
Oh come on. Jen Garner traded in her husband for Ben. Im really sick of her being portrayed as this poor live sick woman who was played so hard. Who uses her children to advance her career and then turn around and act all high and mighty about the paps.
@QueenB:
Stop. Garner had a long-term crush on Affleck but as far as actual evidence of any cheating or ‘upgrading’ goes: there is none.
Per Foley, 1st husband, couple of years after they were separated: Nobody else was involved,” Foley told TV Guide in 2005. “Jennifer became a huge celebrity. She became a huge star, and she deserved everything she got. There was no other relationship, there was no infidelity, nothing. People get divorced, you know? Through no one’s fault and everyone’s fault.
Garner also dated her co-star inbetween Foley and Affleck:
As for her other ex, Alias co-star Michael Vartan, who she dated in 2004, he told USA Today in 2005 that they were still close, even describing their breakup as “benign.”
“We’re much better off as friends,” he admitted.
Vartan revealed that Garner told him about her engagement to Affleck. “Jennifer and I were best friends first, during [the romance] and after,” he said at the time. “I’m hoping Ben will put me in one of his next movies.”
If Garner did any of her exes dirty, then they sure as hell are very gracious about it no? And would you tell an ex you cheated on that you are now with that person? I don’t think so.
Maybe she was waiting on Affleck but 1 that’s not a crime last time I checked, women can date around and have different feelings
2 that didn’t stop her from going into another relationship and doing her thing with her career.
Once they were both single (Garner and Affleck), they came together which yeah probably made Garner happier but still…Also read above what Ramona wrote, how can Garner upgrade to a man that was tabloid poison with a tanked career when Michael Vartan and Garner where shipped to the end of days due to Alias’ popularity? It would have made more sense for Garner to stay with Vartan and upgrade their status as a couple if that was her main goal.
Artemis, I never really bought those statements. I was always under the impression that both Foley and Vartan took the high road when it came to commenting on Garner. I don’t think trashing her would have helped either of their careers and so they “played nice.”
@esmom:
If you want to believe that, that’s fine. But as these two men according to some here have been cheated on, I don’t know why they both complimented here when their profiles as actors could have allowed them not to comment at all. The fact that Foley joked about Affleck and Vartan said she ‘deserved’ her fame, makes me think they split amicably without any cheating drama. Men and their ego tops taking the high road and they can afford it as men. There’s never been any true dirt about Garner cheating with Affleck. And why would she cheat with Affleck but then move on to Foley and then break up with him. Seems like a long way around to getting with Affleck.
I rather believe their statements then people’s assumptions just so they can discredit her in defense of Ben Affleck of all people.
Yeah. For the record, I’m not condemning Garner. I said upthread she’s the same as Affleck in my book.
The only people I feel badly for are all the children involved. The adults are all equivalent to juvenile delinquents.
He’s the jerk but she’s clearly leaking some of this stuff. So while it’s not her fault it’s also ridiculous to say she is solely looking out for her kids. He’s a narcissist pig. She’s a clinger , and codependent.
Luca what would you have done in this situation. Think you would have been a tad resentful and done the same thing? Put yourself in her shoes, forget that she’s Jen Garner, just think of her as Jane Doe. What would you have done if your husband was trying to sell his mistress of 3 years as a new romance that had nothing to do with the breakup of his and her own marriage – just glossing it over. SHE HAD EVERYTHING TO DO with the breakup of his marriage and her own.
Now, that being said there were many, many more women before during and after he started his on-off 3 year affair with her, that Jen seemed to look the other way on, but this one was abit different, this wasn’t a one night stand fling – this was someone who he did repeatedly, this one had a ongoing history with him – that is what brought it to a head, she found out and not only found out but learned that it had been ongoing for 3 years. She (for whatever reason – love and kids I suspect) was able to blow off the one nighters but not the long termers. Even the blind about him being in Nova Scotia just before they separated stated that who he was with was his long term mistress. It clearly referenced that in the blind. Said the woman was brunette but hey maybe she was brunette back then OR maybe wearing a wig as a disguise?
What I don’t get is all the women bashing Jen for everything. YES YES YES she hung on way to long – but everyone in a bad marriage, especially one with kids who adore their dad, will try to make it work until they reach their breaking point. She tried to make it work for them until she reached her breaking point.
Breaking point reached in 2015 when she discovered this LONG TERM affair. Thus the separation and divorce. EVERYONE has to get to their breaking point before they pull the plug. It took her a long time to get to that, but it is what it is.
She is guilty of loving a loser and trying to keep her family together – that’s her greatest sin. Add up his!!
But the point is it’s been two years of this extended breakup. He clearly was cheating while they were married with more than just this one woman. He’s been attached to many, many others. And blatantly red handed with the nanny. He’s not her problem anymore. He’s done many different things to make it known he doesn’t want her. If she wanted to stay married but it’s pretty clear if he changed his mind she’d jump back on that horse. If she thinks this one woman was the problem she’s deluded. And the circumstantial evidence is she is leaking like a sieve that’s not looking out for her kids.
You cannot overlook the extent to which his addictions played a role in why she stayed. The man spent most of the last year in rehab! I would not want to be handing my kids over to him in that state either. That’s why the negotiations were so protracted.
ELX I don’t disagree hence the textbook codependency she was as addicted to his destructive behavior as he is to drugs and alcohol.
No she stayed because she wanted to have control over when and if he had the kids. If she divorced she probably assumed she would have to share custody unless she was willing to throw out all the dirt she had on him to seek sole physical custody and I really believe she did/does not want the whole truth out there, not for his sake but for the kids. Sharing custody means he would have had the kids 50% of the time and she would have to worry that whole time, whether he was coherent or otherwise and if the kids were ok. I think she could bury him but restrains for the kid’s sake and he knows that and plays on it. Also, I genuinely believe she does not want her kids to be deprived of a relationship with their father. But she wants to ensure they are safe and not in any physical danger when they are with him because he is too high, drunk or distracted to be 100% parenting. I don’t think she wants the kids to hate her down the road for not letting them see their father. I am not disputing the fact that Ben loves his kids, he does, but just sometimes his addictions get the better of him. And if he had of loved them the most though he would have respected their mom and left when he first started cheating instead of subjecting them all to this. But that would have meant that probably Sera and Sam would never have been born. Given that choice I am sure that Jen would say she would go through it all again start to finish because she got three beautiful children out of it. To regret it means she regrets them and for sure she doesn’t!
Scotiagirl…none of that gets them anywhere really I mean who would be shocked if he relapsing as we speak. So what’s she going to do dust him off and get him sober again so he’s in good enough shape to bang one of his harem? It’s textbook codependent behavior. If her priority was the kids she absolutely should have kicked him out gotten some decent therapists and let him sink or swim on his own. The faux conscious uncoupling rescinded once his good old side piece popped up isn’t about the kids. She wanted to control him and now she’s angry because she ‘fixed him’ for someone else.
To clarify, I think the protracted negotiations have left Jennifer Garner with a lot of control over where, when, and how he interacts with those kids–and random side pieces who’ve been promoted to girlfriend are not welcome. I also think Garner has finally broken free of the toxic co-dependent state that she was in–good for her!
Nothing to add, just that I think Luca is spot on here
The misogynistic hating on Jennifer Garner is getting tedious. Now you can move on to hating Lindsay, okay. But, never, never, poor little Ben. Poor Ben, so misunderstood by his wife. Poor little boy.
All three of them are cheater. I hope J-Lo is laughing her ass of, given that she’s been endlessly blamed for being cheated on by this messy fuckboy.
Every post that points out that Jennifer isn’t a saint also completely slams Affleck for being a total scumbag.
@Kate:
JLo is a massive cheater herself who claimed in her memoir that Ben was her first real heartbreak. Keep in mind this woman had been married a few times and engaged prior to Ben and cheated on her first 2 husbands! She thought she was upgrading and ended up herself with 2 cheating turds (P Diddy and Affleck). Add to that, she’s now dating another turd again which for sure will end up in a mess.
I dislike Ben immensely. Always have. He’s sleazy and sexist and an un-repentant addict and absent father who’ll screw anything that moves. Not half as smart as he thinks he is either.
But all of that is written all over him. He practically flaunts all his vices and failings, and always has.
Jennifer Garner hooked up with him after he purposefully humiliated J.Lo to get out of marrying her. At the time his alcohol and gambling addictions were rampant. There has never been a clearer picture of exactly who he was than then, and she chose to have children with and marry him anyway.
I don’t feel sympathy for people who seek out partners who are blindingly obviously not suited to any kind of normal, healthy, monogamous relationship. I feel disdain for people who decide to bring children into that mess.
@ Artemis. So JLo is a cheating cheater and Garner has crushes and waits for her men. Okay got it.
@Keely:
Don’t take it from me, both of Jlo’s ex-husbands have said it. Ojani Noa, then husband, said she was meeting up with P Diddy in Miami and they were not officially broken up yet. I must admit, he spilled a lot of tea on J Lo and not very respectfully but if he wasn’t such a blabbermouth, we wouldn’t be gossiping so whatever.
JLo’s 2nd hubby didn’t actually spill. Bless Cris Judd as he seemed such a nice soul, always gracious and not a golddigger and JLo did him so dirty. It was actually Judd’s father who spilled everything. JLo was fine with the marriage until the filming of Gigli.
Larry claims the “I’m Real” hitmaker, 31, pressed the marriage issue and was happy with Cris until she began filming Gigli with Ben. Larry explains, “She was leaving the house at 5 a.m. and she wouldn’t return until after 10 p.m… Jennifer was spending more time with Ben, and Ben made Cris feel unwelcome. Then in May, she told Cris that their marriage was over and she would be seeking a divorce. Jennifer did not conduct herself as a married woman, and Ben did not respect the fact that she was my son’s wife. In May, she told Oprah Winfrey how happy she was being married to Cris. It was all a lie to protect her public image.” And Larry claims Jennifer’s romance with his son began way before they made their first public appearance at the March 2001 Oscars and ex-love Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs made an official statement declaring the end of his relationship with the New York beauty on February 14 2001. Larry says, “There was talk that Jennifer rebounded to Cris after Puffy, but I don’t believe that. They had been dating long before (Combs’ club-shooting) trial began.”
Compare these scenarios with the ones of Garner’s exes who wouldn’t have any reason to protect Garner if she truly cheated on them. At least Garner had the decency to divorce her husband before dating around and like I said, dating doesn’t mean you have to be with that person forever. Vartan and Garner broke up and she took up with Affleck as a single woman. If you have any receipts stating otherwise, you can post them 🙂
The tea from Judd’s dad in even more detail: http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/dad-lo-jen-article-1.528366
Ben moved on to one of his many side hoes shocked! Ben has been an ain’t sh*t dude for years. Jen wants/ed to change him but he is who he is. It’s best to cut your losts and move on. Glad she’s doing that.
Selfish. So selfish. And greedy. He seems like one of those people who is never, ever satisfied. Always has to have more, and more, and more. What a sad way to live.
Let them ruin each other. I bet she cheated on her husband many times over too. These type of people never not have a side piece. Shook(us) though that she cheated so soon after giving birth, that is some next level dedication to being a shitty person.
And LOL at US calling the affair a ‘relationship’ that caused her to end her MARRIAGE to her HUSBAND. What relationship? They both were screwing around, how many relationships can one have when you’re supposed to be married and have kids jeebus christ?!
yeah, not like she had a newborn to be a mother to or anything, guess she had a deluded husband and some paid help for that tedious childrearing/bonding thing while she screwed around outside of her marriage with a married man…i will side eye the FUDGE outta her for that shiz, i mean, what kind of terrible lowlife does that at such precious time in their lives? oh that’s right, someone who doesn’t GAF about anyone but themselves, aka ben affleck. what a perfect pair, they deserve some applause for this level of effed up. they aren’t going to ruin each other because seriously, what’s left to ruin?? they are both pretty much scum at this point.
What is this Lindsay woman telling herself to make it seem a good idea to be in a relationship with him now? If she was a naive type of person she may believe the married man siren song of “my wife does not understand me, I stay for the kids” but then for the other side pieces to be revealed and still stay? She must be mainlining pure, uncut delusion.
So much hurt inflicted on so many, especially the innocent kids, all for the thrill of “new”, that is all this is, chasing “new”
Nailed it.
‘She must be mainlining pure uncut delusion’ is the best thing I’ve read in months. Bravo.
We have a new Leanne Rhymes on the loose, thats for sure!
+1000
I don’t think an unhappy couple should stay in a marriage for the sake for the children. Because it ends up hurting the kids in some other way to have seriously unhappy parents.
I never suggested unhappy people should stay together for the sake of the kids, but Affleck is acting this way with every woman he has a relationship with, he chases “new”, not because he is unhappy but because he wants new, doesn’t matter who, as long as they are new.
Is it because she’s his twin?
probably, on every other level she’s just as bad if not worse! at least he had drugs/alcohol to use as an excuse, what’s hers?
So she was traveling to LA frequently to scout some talent and hook up with Ben. I want Lorne Michaels to pull her travel expense reports, give us some receipts.
Ben is so lazy, it is amazing he was able to juggle so many women at once.
Well isn’t he the sexually incontinent one.
I thought she looked like Kevin Bacon with shades on
Same.
Kevin Bacon X Brooklyn Decker + and a little bit of John Edward’s mistress.
I hope he is worth it for Lindsay. She ruined a marriage and messed up her kid for life. Many people were hurt if this is true that they have been seeing each other for 3 years.
Because your parents separating when you’re a baby (or any time really) is going to mess you up for life? Puhlease. Half of the human race has parents that fooled around and half in the western world have parents that divorce. The overwhelming majority do just fine.
I’m sure he justified the nanny-banging by telling Shookus that he was SO LONELY because they couldn’t be together all the time and openly. He’s already pulled his BS with her and she bought it, probably because to do otherwise would be admitting she threw away her marriage for this serial cheating wandering wang. Well, she wanted to be more than the mistress, she better look out, because there’s now a vacancy for the long-term sidepiece.
Or it was one of their “off” times
“There’s now a vacancy for the long-term side piece” – on point!!!
All I’ve got to say is “How you get them, you lose them.”
Jen Garner learnt this the hard way.
…IMO, it’s very different once you bring other lives into this world, at least she got her screwing around done before procreating, same defintely can’t be said for affleck or shuckus.
Finally someone said it. She cheated and ditched her first husband to trade up or so she thought and then threw him away once A list Ben came along. So a cheater gets cheated on by a man who is a known cheater. This was never going to end well.
Ben was not A list when they got together. He was a joke. Lol
only someone who’s been messing with Ben for a long period of time would get into a relationship with him. I can’t imagine a sane woman, with her life in order, would want to take on that mess. He’s a cheater, a gambler, a recovering alcoholic, with an ex-wife who can’t seem to let go.
I’ve always believed that Nannygate was a smoke screen. Ben wanted to leave Jen, but either didn’t have the balls to end the marriage himself, or she kept hanging on. Now I firmly believe that if he was cheating with Shookus for 3 years, he didn’t want her to be labeled “the other woman” so he made the nanny the scapegoat. The only problem with that theory is that it hangs on Ben being self-sacrificing and that he is not.
I don’t think it was a smokescreen, did you see his face in those photos set-up by the nanny when she visited him with a bottle of wine or whatever it was? Sheer happiness. He fooled around with a lot of people and didn’t have any issue with it. However, he would never leave his wife officially for an attention-seeking nanny, even he would be smart enough to know better. It’s clear she tried to play him but overstepped the mark when she didn’t want to leave. Where is she now though?
Now somebody like Shookus who is an award-winning powerful producer, has money and a high social status is a much better partner. She’s more of an ‘equal’ and knows how to keep the lid tight on whatever affair is going on. It’s what people in ‘high society’ do. New York scene especially is full with them, no doubt she was a part of that and I doubt Affleck was the only 1 she was seeing. Shookus is connected with all the work she’s done on TV as she’s got links to music, film and TV. Shookus will always remain her status so she doesn’t need to do what the nanny did, she’ll be fine.
She’s labeled the ‘other woman’ now but it won’t affect her career or social status as it’s a common thing in that world so her peers and colleagues don’t care. As for readers of gossip, we don’t have any influence on her status anyway as she’s not the face of something. She works behind-the-scenes where gossip doesn’t influence job stability.
I hope Jen does send out some serious PR offense at her and BA so that her career and his DOES suffer, because they are selfish narcissists who deserve to publicly shamed for their shenanigans.
Not so common and unscandalous for non-famous folk who work in TV production. Celebrities live in a different world, even from commoners who work behind the scenes in the entertainment industry.
First rule of thumb, don’t get involved with talent. You will be used and everyone will know it.
PS, the producer credit and all its associated variations are used very loosely in the business. And Emmys are given out to many production ensembles. She may not be as powerful as it sounds.
@Miss Melissa – totally agree with you. Never mess with the talent. I think this will hurt her reputation on some level professionally. I know those in front of and behind the camera at SNL have a very “work hard, play harder” mentality, but it’s really not common for someone who lives behind the camera to be so very, painfully in front of it in such a negative light as she is now. Celebrities live in a world of their own. Now she’s a “celebrity” but only for who she banged. Not a good look.
He’s even grosser than I always thought! I know everyone keeps saying how Garner should have left long ago (and yes she should have, she’s taught her daughters some terrible lessons about how to let a man treat you in a relationship) but this is all on Affleck. Somehow this is worse than when it was just a bit of strange on the side from time to time. That made some sad sense; Gross, but I get it. You stay in the marriage and it’s just a physical thing otherwise. But this? This was a full blown relationship. For three years??!! A man with the tiniest sense of dignity and grace would realize his marriage was over, quietly divorce his wife with a fair settlement and move on! Where is the respect not only for your wife but for your new partner…of 3 years?!? This is just disgusting.
The sad thing is, I think Garner actually loved him and calculating as she may be, she clearly invested a lot in that relationship.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this and nannygate weren’t the first time, but it feels like finding out about both was what finished it for her.
Oh I agree she definitely loved him and sadly she was the only one of the two really invested in this relationship. People used to get mad at me when I would describe my assessment of their relationship (back when they were the golden couple) as; she loved and adored him, and he liked her a whole lot!
Turns out I was a lot closer to the truth. Honestly, I do think that’s very sad.
I’m really not a big fan of the “she’s pregnant, quick let’s get married” idea. I get the urge but it’s a time of heightened emotions that aren’t necessarily a strong foundation for a marriage. I really wonder if he was ever faithful to her at all.
Something tells me this will not end happily.
What a mess he is. I hope he’s at least got his substance abuse issues sorted, he is a deeply insecure man and it looks like his ex-wife got tired of his bs. Also given the timeline, I wouldn’t bet against Jen Garner finding about this AND the nanny and that turning out to be the final straw for her.
Not holding my breath. Wouldn’t his own admitted timelines mean he was abusing substances while he was having an affair with Shookus? And now he’s openly in a relationship with her, someone who, during all that time, clearly had no qualms about his vices. He went into rehab as his marriage disintegrated because it would affect custody of his kids. So, yeah, I’m guessing it’s not long before he becomes a spiraling mess again.
@Izzy completely agree. If he hasn’t already started to self-medicate then I don’t doubt that he will very soon. I always believed he went to rehab as a way to keep custody of his kids, but now with the way this bomb has dropped – of his own creation – I believe we’ll be seeing the “Ben with his pants unzipped” again sooner than any of us realize. Sad state of affairs.
I have to admit that when I started following this story less than 2 years ago, I had not paid attention to Affleck since he and JLO split. So I had not been familiar with the 10 years of rumors surrounding him and his marriage to Jen Garner. So when I saw the two of them hanging out sooo much together I firmly believed they were working on repairing that marriage. I have come here to say all of you were right and I was so wrong. This whole situation is so sick and twisted. Ben is just really gross and Jen should receive the Oscar for best actress for her role of public wife and behind the scenes defender. And yeh – once he went public with Lindsay, Jen’s PR people gave the ok to no longer hold back
Ben and Lindsay are gross af. They deserve each other.
It’s also very interesting to witness the pr battle not so behind the scenes. Someone is mad as hell (hi Jen) and is dishing everything she knows. So much for being the super mom, willing to coparent peacefully to protect the kids. The last 48 hours prove that she is an even bigger doormat than I though and that the public closeness with Ben was never about the kids, it was about clinging to him and their all-american, wholesome family image. Pathetic.
AG just can’t win with some of us here. She is called a doormat because she stayed too long in this marriage. She is a doormat because now is she is fighting via PR war according to one of you here. She is a cheater too even though there were no kids involved back then. Not that I condone cheating. She has no career so she is holding on to Ben even though there are other Hollywood housewives who actually don’t do anything. She has at least Neutrogena, Capital One (lol) and Save the Children. To conclude she is really a doormat. ☺
I know huh. Can you believe the women bashing on her and trying to vilify him? She may be no saint but she has done nothing as bad as him, yet they are trashing her to try to redeem him or save some shred of his dignity. She is at fault for choosing her children over even herself, cause I damn sure she would have walked a whole lot sooner. She is guilty of love, and that makes her evil. She is guilty of trying to save her family and fighting for it, when today people just can’t be bothered and simply throw in the towel and divorce with out any fighting to try to salvage it.
If she really is behind this PR then she is a shrewd player and if anything the woman on here should be celebrating that she, a woman, is such a shrewd player and can out play him and all his PR team, if this is the case.
She’s putting him on notice not even to attempt to introduce his newly promoted side piece into her or her children’s lives–I’m sure there’s a lot more tea where that came from.
You don’t put someone on notice by running to the gossip rags. You have a conversation with them.
I’m not trying to save Ben Affleck’s dignity because he has none. A man with dignity would not cheat with his kids’ caregiver. He is trash.
Her main default seems that she does not love herself as much as she loves Ben Affleck. It’s rather sad and yes, pathetic.
She is not the first one who loved too much. It will be a long journey for her to get her mojo back and she will. Just like all the other women who are not a public figure.
I wonder why Jen didn’t mention the “affair” in the Vanity Fair interview. Did they agree never to mention it? what would be in it for her if she had truly moved on and she must have known that Lindsay was always around. I would have thought she would have wanted to expose Lindsay and Ben way before this and not leave it to Ben to come out with this relationship.
I agree with other comments that she always hoped that he would change and stay in the marriage. I do not know why she has had all of this sympathy. She liked being Mrs. Affleck and as she said she had her eyes wide open. She has basically admitted it. Even now she is working it – in People they said she is in “mama bear mode”. This image is what she wants to sell. I mean, wtf. its not like they split up last week and the family has blown up.
In the pap pictures for the last few years, you can see he just does not want to be there. Lindsay is a grown woman. Its her choice and Ben’s. Doesn’t make them douches but it is what it is.
Maybe she didn’t say anything, because being this perfect wife works better for her. Helping Ben with his addictions, staying with him, supporting him even though he cheated with the nanny. Keeping up the appearance that it was a happy marriage with Ben having problems but working on them. Sounds better to have a husband that cheated “only” with the nanny than having a husband who doesn’t give a damn about you and the family and has a full-blown affair for years before you even notice.
Yes you are right…
I don’t get it either. This worked for her for whatever reason now its over.
My guess is she did not mention it in Vanity Fair or elsewhere because Ben and Lindsay was a much more painful and deep situation. And that it caused and is causing a lot more turmoil to Jen than the relatively short-lived and almost farcical nanny bonking situation.
The gall of him. The heartless bastard cheated on the nanny. How could he. Ha. It appears as though he met his match in this Lindsay person. I hope karma does its job on these two deceiving cheaters, but oh so blindly in love they couldn’t stay apart, asshats. I know a lot of people on this site have no empathy for Jennifer, the mother of his three children, but I do. Hope she finds a partner who will treat her with respect and honor the sanctity of marriage, if she ever can even possibly think about going down that road again.
Jen didn’t respect the sanctity of other people’s relationship.
Which marriage did she break up? Her own? Not when Scott Foley stated he couldn’t handle her success and started pulling away. Her relationship with Vartan? They weren’t married. So tell me which other relationships she didn’t respect?
J-Lo might have a different story to tell.
i dunno, i am of the opinion that it’s one thing when it’s just you and you cheat…it’s another kind of betrayal once you cheat/lie/ etc. when there are children involved. they feel the pain all around them, don’t understand why it’s happening, and ultimately will be shaped by it for a lifetime.
J-Lo, who after being dumped by Ben–immeditely broke up Marc Anthony’s marriage (Marc, another sleezeball)? J-Lo, who dumped her seemingly lovely husband to go with Ben in the first place? ALL of these people are risk-taking narcissists. Ben is just at the top of the pecking order, adored by his wife, the nanny, J-Lo and the new one.
I’m not saying J-Lo is a saint but she was trashed by Ben and his friends for years as being the reason for his bad rep’. Oh, he was not with the right Jen. Well, the right Jen is a cheating doormat turns out.
The only innocent people are the children. They did not ask for any of their ridiculous behavior.
What a dirtbag.
So JG has codependency issues and clearly needs some therapy of her own but you gotta give it to her she quashed their ‘relationship debut’ like a PR master. I’m not a fan of hers but the angry female in me kinda loves how she shat on their ‘its new’ bs.
+1 Adele Dazeem (love your screen name by the way)! Ben & Lindsay can’t sell their “new romance” lie now.
Alright, so I think Ben is a serial cheater, awful to women, and an addict. I also find it irritating that the tabs (despite his groaning about how hard they are on him) continually gave him a break for his wandering peen while scarlet lettering people female actresses for years who have done less.
That said, I have a hard time feeling a ton of pity for Jen although I am empathetic towards her situation. While I don’t think once a cheater always a cheater, I do think the old adage of how you ’em is how you lose ’em and it’s hard for an old dog to learn new tricks can ring true. He had a long history of infidelity before they even got together (JLo and the strippers, cheated on Gwyneth, and there were more I believe) and they got together in a shady way.
I also feel like leaking to the press and exposing his lying as* about this being a “new” relationship probably feels good for the moment….but is going to backfire as it will be a big story that her kids will hear about and they already had to deal with the nanny. I’m sure it would be a bitter, unfair pill to swallow, but it would have been better for her to let him lie about this being new instead of starting a new round of tab stories and having the kids exposed to it (yeah, Ben’s ultimately responsible because of his wandering peen but she definitely has a hand in this press cycle on his cheating as* as US is clearly coming from Camp Garner).
I think its good for Jen’s girls to know who their father is. They will still love him, but at least they will grow up in reality. They will know how the world really works. Raising girls to believe that “daddy is perfect,” can be another kind of delusional set up for young women. They may be more wary of addiction. They may be more wary of liars. They will also see that their father has gone to rehab and fought against his addiction. Better that girls not believe in fairytales.
Maybe later down the road, but not at their young ages. They will inevidently find out for their selves via the internet at some point down the road. I do think that Ben loves his kids but ya know if your love your kids above everything else you would take the high road and at least respect their mother. If he did not love her and wanted out, he should have walked out right then and there instead of disrespecting her and his kids by repeatedly cheating on her and really cheating on his kids, he cheated them out of a family. He would have been a whole lot better off and somewhat respected having walked out then instead of doing this for all those years. He could have walked at any time and then had these ongoing flings as a single dad. He was capable of walking at any time and did not.
It isn’t good for them. Divorce is painful enough and creates plenty of chaos. They don’t need more drama. I am sure there has been plenty to spare in their lives.
@ Wisca I do agree. Perfect Daddy is a big fat lie. They will know and I hope they handle it but the key is how she handles it. If she overcomes and goes on to show them a strong role model then that is how they think is the correct way to deal with a bad relationship. Women whose mothers stay regardless of how bad they are treated are modeling that it is right to tolerate more than you should.
@magnoliarose I agree. Garner’s modeling will be key for her daughters.
It said that they were on again/off again
I think when he & Lindsay were were off he ran back to Jen and said he wanted to make things work with her and they even started marriage counseling. But Lindsey and he kept getting back together and Jen obviously knew that. I think she thought it was just one of his many flings but then realized it was “A full blown affair”.
E! calls Lindsay kind, unpretentious, loyal and the girl next door. Isn’t that exactly what he had in Garner?
A frumpy Hollywood actress?
Frumpy? Really? Did she drive him away with the “terrible shoes” that seem to be a theme of other posts about these two? How dare she go shopping without wearing Jimmy Choo’s with a 6″ heel!
@Annetommy: I know that the marital problems between Affleck and Garner never were her taste about shoes or outfits BUT the way to describe Affleck’s girlfriend seems a way to trash Garner.
Loyal? I wonder what her ex husband thinks about that one. Lol
I wonder what Ben’s PR is going to look like now that Amazing Jen does not have his back.
Read Lainey’s take on that today
Just did! Very interesting article. He is a mess without her.
I respect her game so much. She’s so good at manipulating the media and he’s feeling the brunt of it now that she’s not on his side. Hell hath no fury. I feel bad for the kids involved, but not Ben. Lainey always said she was just as much Amazing Amy as he was Nick Dunne!
Affleck is as weak as Dunne.Not a bad guy but just a disappointing weak guy.Unable to take a radical decision.
If you are unhappy in your marriage,divorce before to hate your partner
@ Louise. Jen kinda did. Jen said “Don’t worry, my eyes were wide open during our marriage.” SHE also said “He still is the person who really knows the truth and I am still the only person who knows some of his truths”.
Talk about shade! Sort of like “Bless his Heart!”
She is good! I think this could get very interesting now!
She must have known it would come out. UNLESS he kept saying to Jen “I dont want to be in a relationship” “its not you, its me” “I need time by myself” blah blah and never thought they would end up being official.
I honestly don’t like the pair of them. Jen has had much sympathy from this site over the years and we all know its hard to give up on someone if you love them but I don’t think the three kids equated to a strong and loving marriage. They are not a “symbol” that we should all be surprised about. I would never have put Ben n Jen together. If they had no kids, everyone would be saying”of course she is not his type” but I do think Jen has worn him down. He’s a douche for sure, but I bet she is hard work and she CHOSE TO STAY. noone held a gun to hear head. She had the means and motives to go. She chose not to. End of.
And he chose not to end it either!
I wonder what Ben’s friends (Whitesplaining Damon) are going to say now. They spent so much time blaming J-Lo, the big booted latina girl for his pr problems, saying that he was the most misunderstood man ever or some sh*t like that but J-Lo has not been around for more than a decade and his image is even worse now. So who’s to blame?
Controversial opinion ahead: I have a deep dislike for Jennifer Garner. Like, I am a full-on Jennifer Garner “hater.” Perhaps its irrational — yes. Sure. But I just cannot STAND the woman! Now, please don’t read me wrong. I’m not a Ben Affleck fan; he’s problematic on several levels; I have no horse in this race. But, yeah, I have a hard time mustering any compassion or sympathy for Jennifer Garner. (My aura must have beef with her aura or something.) My first thought upon reading this? “Well, she probably ruthlessly mean-girled some unsuspecting innocents throughout her life, and this is the cosmic boomerang coming back to knock her on her ass.”
wow…hope you get some help with aura beef thing…sounds painful…
Nope. Not painful. I think it’s healthy to be skeptical of phonies.
I can’t stand her and her mother of the earth act either. She’s constantly calling the paps then go cry to Congress about the paps. She wants people to ‘ask her more’ even though she would not be on the red carpet if it wasn’t for her trash husband.
And to think her mediocre, bland ass had a Vanity Fair to promote her divorce when WOC have to win her freaking OSCAR to get a over.
Never been fond of Affleck or Garner.
I always felt this marriage was a PR rescue for Ben, and Jen went along for the ride because she was crazy in love/lust with him.
Jen has 3 beautiful children, and is financially set for life.
Ben is a very talented professionally, but will never be faithful to anyone.
Agree. There is a bit too much PR & pap strolling (involving kids) in this relationship for my liking.
You distilled it perfectly to the essence here.
Jen and her kids are going to be just fine.
Ben is the one that might end up in the gutter someday.
I don’t get why she has to lay it on so thick though PR-wise. How much are those credit card ads paying her that she feels she has to play such an intense PR game?
Jen and Ben are two of the most exhausting fortysomethings on the planet.
She’s the kind of person that bothers me the most too. Those who manipulate to try to always come across as saviors and victims.
They abuse knowing they have a lot of power and it’s almost impossible to take them down, they really are horrible people.
She should leave the marriage with some dignity but instead she runs to the press to publicly trash the father of her children. She has used them to prop up this ridiculous image she has concocted but now her feelings are more important than their emotional well being. Hollywood kids know gossip like adults and her kids have to go to school possibly being teased about their parents. They don’t understand and don’t need to understand what his problems are at this stage. He has never said anything bad about her publicly so on that account I give him credit. He is a lousy husband. He is a cheater. He is a deeply flawed. But once you choose to have children it is no longer about your hurt and desire for revenge. Petty crap like this damages the only truly innocents in this sordid tawdry affair.
I don’t respect a woman who claims to love her children engaging in a PR battle against another woman by insinuating she is a bad mother. That is close to slut shaming and insinuating that she neglects her child is wrong. How would she know what happened between Lindsay and her ex? It is not enough to hurt her own children but now Lindsay’s daughter is dragged into this. For Jennifer the world is about her and her only. Her pain is the only pain.
She chose this long drawn out public farce and now she is mad he won’t play along anymore? She should be throwing him a going away party and send Lindsay a sympathy card. He is not her problem to manage anymore.
He isn’t going to have an epiphany. He is running away and slamming the door.
And he has not publicly and privately trashed her through how many one night stands, affairs, being thrown out of casinos. How about his dignity? Did he leave the marriage with any?
I think Ben left his dignity between the thighs of a Las Vegas stripper quite a long time ago.
I agree. Ben is one of the biggest douches in HW (and we romanticise it by calling him troubled, but evidence shows he’s douchey even when he’s not drunk etc) but Jennifer Garner wants this story to continue in the press and obviously isn’t thinking about her kids’ well-being.
So where has Lindsay’s 3 year old child been during this affair? Staying with a nanny? We know how Ben likes nannies. Or staying with Daddy while Mommy flies to LA to be with Ben? I worry for this child whose mother valued her marriage so little. I predict that now that this relationship has gone public it will lose its’ luster for Ben. He’ll be on the prowl looking for his next victim. And there are four children who will be hurt by this forever.
THIS…what about her kid!? Screw the selfish adults, what about the children who didn’t ask for any of this crap?
Maybe with her father? Having an affair doesn’t make you automatically a bad parent. Not being with your child 24/7 doesn’t make you a bad parent and if you have a penis no one even ever suggests it does.
Could Affleck be the father of this child? It would explain a lot. Also. why doesn’t Affleck drive anymore? He goes everywhere in a limo or uber. Lose his license? DUI?
Ediot Cibrian and Leann had better watch out. These two are going to take their position as the biggest cheating losers in Hollywood if they’re not careful.
I wonder if the nanny knew about Shookus!?
I don’t blame Jen for not letting him say that he & Lindsay had only been dating for 3 months. Maybe if he and his team had not gone into details, she and her team would have left it go.
US said that both Jen & Lindsay’s ex both found out in 2015 and were devastated.
This was probably going on in 2013 when Ben attended an after party with her as was reported. It said they were at the bar where Ben & Lindsay later became “locals”
What happened to all this “my wife” stuff during all your interviews, Ben?
On what planet would someone leave her husband for Ben Affleck, thinking he was right for her? Good f*cking lord.
All three of them have major issues. And yes, that includes Jen. She was in full martyr mode yesterday at church, flashing beaming smiles to the paps on her way out and even making sure to sweetly and demurely wave at them before she got into the car. Oh, I’m sorry, Jen – I thought you hated the paps. Gotta give it to her. She’s a master.
She’s a boss. I don’t like her, but you have to appreciate how good she is at this. And Ben is so bad at it, the contrast is just delicious to watch. I feel bad for Shookus, she is in way over her head.
I think she’s wasting energy. Fine, leak to call the douchey ex about his BS on his affairs/relationships, but she’s wasting her life on this man and energy on keeping public attention on it.
I agree. This is f ed up what he did but her pap walks, smiling like everything is great when her husband filed fof divorce 3 months ago and just introduced his mistress to the entire world is so FAKE! And so obviously aimed at BEN. Girl stop doing anything, good or bad, for Ben. Dont try and get his attention, dont do anything because of him move ON let it go girl..
Overly cheerful people like her are fake phonies and always make me feel the urge to flee. Her life is awful and she is going through an awful time, id respect her more if she kept it real. We all go through hard times
Who knows if this story is accurate. I’m skeptical not because I don’t think Ben would do that (as if), but because it seems unlikely that it was kept completely undercover till now, especially as messy as Ben has been and as much dirt as Garner fed the tabloids circa Nannygate. Seems like it would have come out during all that, especially as she’s in the industry.
For me, the biggest evidence in favor of the “three years” story is that it’s pretty much accepted gossip that Garner was with Ben waaayyy before they went public, which was already super quick after he ended things for good with J-Lo. Past behavior predicting future, and all that.
I am not going to rush to judgement about this Lindsey person. All i have heard so far are comments from a bias source.
I think it is not fair to blame her for ruining Affleck’s marriage. I am pretty sure he did that himself.
And life is never black and white. She might have fallen under his spell like Garner did. She might have tried to split up several times and he kept reeling her in.
Also, why are people judging her as a bad mother? Who here knows for sure how much time she spends with her kid?
A good mother picks a good father for her children. A good mother works her ass off to make a marriage work so that her children can have stability. A good mother does not run off behind her children’s father’s back and screw a mess of alcoholism and gambling. A good mother does not start a relationship with a man like Ben Affleck and introduce her child to a womanizing, self serving, addict. Period. I know nothing about her other than she is inviting this man into her life willingly but couldn’t be bothered to work on her marriage so that her child could have a stable two parent household.
You realize everything you’ve said would point to Jennifer Garner not being a good mother, right? She had three kids with him knowing full well he couldn’t keep it in his pants and he had impulse control issues with alcohol, drugs, and gambling.
@scotiagirl – In a thread above, you talk about how Jen finally reached her breaking point in 2015 when she found out about Lindsay. But it appears that’s not the case. In one of the articles over the last few days, it was mentioned that Jen confronted Lindsay in New York after she found out, to ask/tell Lindsay to back off because they were working on their marriage (yet again.) So it appears Jen still wasn’t done when she found out about Lindsay – or the nanny, for that matter. As one of the articles that came out in 2015 when they split said, “Jen doesn’t want the divorce. She’d stay in that dysfunctional marriage forever if she could.” Honestly, I’m not bashing Jen – Ben is responsible for everything he’s done. But my opinion is that Jen would have remained with Ben even after Lindsay and the nanny for that matter, if she had a choice in the matter. I don’t actually believe it was Jen’s decision to file in April. The timing doesn’t make sense now knowing what we know. Clearly Ben was seeing Lindsay (again or still) at the time they filed. Either Jen had no choice but to accept it at that point and file or Ben finally pushed the matter.
Interesting no gossip cop denials on the tens of stories that have come out about Ben and Lindsay on their “relationship ” history. Also – no article from TMZ since this relationship went public – when they were the mouthpiece after the divorce filing – that Ben was dating.
Ben and Jennifer have been over for years. 2015 was just the throw out date for the world. I think people are going on about the time lines because we have seen Ben/Jen together so much. But they were not together as a couple for a long time. Jennifer seems like a caring person. She just was not the person for Ben. It looks good on paper. But that is not the kind of life Ben really wanted. Regardless of Jennifer helping to shape his image it was never what he wanted. So many people here and other places saw for years how Ben always looked like some animal in a trap. A beautiful family trap. I think Ben just can’t resign himself to the man he actually is. And it eats him up inside. I believe that he thinks he has to be a certain way to maintain the level in Hollywood that he wants. Perhaps he is letting that go. Being himself and taking the hits that come. I don’t know about Lindsay because her life is about to explode in ways I don’t imagine she could have ever thought. Her looks are being attacked. Her marriage and child the topic of gossip. Her family and friends will not be pulled into this. Not sure if she knew what to expect. But I doubt this was it. Jennifer Garner is still playing the game she has always played. Now she is just going to shift it into being the image of the PERFECT DIVORCED WIFE/MOTHER not bothered by anything.. shopping, going to the market and church; smiling all the time. That is her armor. That is what she does. It just seems to me she is also not accepting who she is. Both of them could benefit from some extensive counseling.
I would have thought Ben would have wanted to be out of the Tabloid Gossip line of fire. Now he is back again with more dirt than before. And perhaps he likes this messiness.
This is the best summary today.
That makes a lot of sense.
I think Ben has always wanted to just be free to sleep around, marrying Jenifer was a huge mistake for everyone.
He always looked miserable. I am sure he knew she would flip but he wanted out so bad he would have chewed his leg off to get away. He isn’t a happy families type. But he didn’t want to look like a douche like Leo DeCap but now I think he should have just gone full Leo and skipped this charade.
At least Leo is not bringing kids into the world only to constantly disrepect their mother in front of the whole world. Ben going the Leo D route would be a huge improvment.
I really think Ben loves Jennifer. She is the mother of his children. I’m sure there were good times. I just think it probably eats at him and did that she was so good as a wife/mother so why wasn’t that enough. That she was what every man says they want but he didn’t. He hurt her I have no doubt. But I do think he didn’t want to hurt her. Ben is a damaged soul and has so many things messed up inside. Not saying this as a defense. I just think it has to be a terrible thing to not be the person you are. Even if that person is an ass. There are many people in the world that are total asses and own it and are happy with their imperfections. Ben to that person to me trapped inside himself.
He still looks miserable. He has a black hole in his soul that no alcohol, pills, woman, Oscars or even family can fill up.
I agree with all of you. I honestly think he is a damaged person that wants to be the kind of man who is content with what he thinks a healthy normal man would want. I think his failure to be a better person makes him conflicted and destructive. Jen is not perfect. We know this. But I know these types of situations can drag a person into a place where they lose their center and behave in ways they never imagined possible. Loving someone who doesn’t love you back when you gave it everything and made mistakes hurts.
I guess I want her to see she is free now. Don’t keep it going with this tabloid fight. She has nothing to gain.
There’s no way he’ll stop cheating. Regardless of whether or not Lindsay is his soulmate, he will be cheating (and probably is cheating) on her every chance he gets. Just read someone’s anecdote about Ben on Datalounge–she claims she was dating an actor and was with him at an event, when Ben approached her and asked for her number. She asked him “what about Gwyneth?” (who was with him at the event), and he said, “oh, we’re just friends.” She said Ben was looking at her cleavage more than he was looking at her face during this exchange. What a dirtbag.
oh you can bet that the minute Lindasy went form side-chick to main, her place was promptly filled with a new side-chick. I’m surprised because she doesn’t seem to be the shallow type, nasty and a chetare like him? sure but to do the job she does she has to have a minimum of intelligence and wit, so I think she fell for the tricks of this assh*le and she’s going to regret it soon.
I also think he still is hooking up with a number of other women, a mix of randoms and famous ones, probably married or committed to relationships, so he has an easy way out and no pressure. And I still maintain that he’s going public with this Lindsay chick because or PR reasons, she’s average looking and with her own career and he thinks this makes him look mature and reliable, as opposed as he’d be rebounding with a bimbo or a Sienna Miller-type.
the more details come out about this woman and this affair the more I feel disgusted about how men have it so easy, particularly men like Affleck. If is Garner through her team and her “sources” leaking the details about the duration and entity of this hookup then I’m not going to hate on her for being the leaker, specially when it was him the one who started telling lies to E! about this one being just a three month new relationship. I’m not team anybody out of these two, but damn, Garner has all the right to leak whatever is her truth when he is trying to present this relationship as a brand-new one. Those sugarcoated E! stories are just disgusting.
I am trying to understand Ben’s particular brand of womanizing. Because it seems to have A LOT of layers. First he needs the devoted background, stabilizing wife. Than he needs a multitude of side-pieces, the number varying (I guess), according to his location at the time, and his energy level. And than he also needs a longer term “affair” who he must reassure about the side pieces AND the nagging, unsupportive wife who he doesn’t love anymore and is perpetually about to leave. And if he’s lucky he can do it all while gambling and drinking heavily. Holy crap. And the thing is, I bet he needs the layers. Like, he wants on some level to be married in addition to the rest, because that is the only way this situation satisfies him. All the women in this probably believe that if the other women went away, they could “have” him. But no, he has to have this whole structure. He wants the duplicity or its boring.
I still don’t get all the shock and awe here. Affleck has been doing this kind of thing since Goop, since JLo, since well before Garner decided she absolutely must have him and keep him at any cost. And he continued doing this kind of thing once he married Garner. It’s that simple. Is it just that everyone here suspected he was a dog but was hoping he was actually a different person underneath it all? Or that he was somehow going to prove everyone wrong? Or that he was going to suddenly see the light and return to Garner to be the dutiful, reformed husband and family man? None of this is new. None of this is shocking. I’d say the only thing that’s shocking is the depths both Ben and Jen went to in order to create and maintain the perfect family veneer for the last 12 years. Otherwise, wake me up when you find out something we all didn’t already know.
I don’t get it either, maybe because I never thought they were particularly
well suited. A couple like, say, Brad and Angie–they fell madly in love, couldn’t keep their hands off each other, you could feel the sparks. In retrospect, that wasn’t going to last, and it didn’t–and Brad’s addictions didn’t help. But Garner and Affleck just never seemed that compatible and I was surprised when they kept on having kids.
Especially the third one. I was amazed when I saw Jen and her baby bump. It was after the The Town mess (Blake Lively, the nude pics…).
Jojo, his friends are from behind the camera and he was at one point was always in Vegas in between filming.
I’m only surprised they lasted this long. Although I guess it’s easy for a cheating dog to stay married for a long time when your wife is that willing to look the othey way.
I would also like to know who finally decided to leave this sham of a marriage? Was a long-term affair with Lindsay the last straw for Jen? Did Ben actually convince himself he was in love with Lindsay (loooooool)?
I never saw this great match with them. But when you look at Ben A. on the outside he doesn’t look like the kind of guy that does the things he does. I remember when I found out about all the stuff Ben did, it surprised me because he physically doesn’t look the part. And he is one of those guys that is for the most part by himself. He doesn’t run in a pack. And I notice too his relationship with Matt has lessened over the years. Ben always looked like a loner. And undercover. You never see him with friends. Never see him with other guys much. People like that have secret lives. Less people around less people you have to worry about giving it away.
Sad but true.
I’m not sure about the friendship thing though. I think he flies a lot more under he radar than others. We don’t see/hear about him out at clubs partying it up publicly with a Leo-like posse, no, but I think he remains very close to Matt, Casey, Patrick Whitesell and others in his close knit circle. Casey and Matt both joined him in Montana last Xmas/New Years. He was at Matt’s house for the SuperBowl, etc.
I think towards the end he stayed married only because of inertia regarding disrupting his family man image and damaging his career. Jen Garner is missing common sense and i remember reading an interview of hers (post separation) where she gushed over him being the love of her life and said she’d always wanted to have babies with a big masculine man like Ben or something. It was really weird and gushing and schoolgirly.
Agreed. Never bought Ben and Jen as a couple. The duplicity is what amazes me even though it’s well documented who he is. The nanny, ok. The strange on the side, ok. Old news. But this long-term gf on top of a wife, a nanny, all the strange, the strippers, the costars. That’s insane!! This is a man who clearly cheated on his wife with his gf and on his gf with the nanny and so on. But I think he likes the chaos. The thrill of the chase. The high of something new. Now that Lindsey, who seems like the ultimate enabler, has been promoted to full time gf I am positive he’s making sure those hoes in other area codes are still game.
So, let me get this straight: Jen found out about his full-blown affair with Lindsay in “2015”, the nanny soon after and not only stayed married to this a**hole-living in the same house all the while-but also almost obsessively INSISTED ON PLAYING HAPPY, PERFECT FAMILY WITH HIM UP UNTIL A WEEEK AGO? You know, “for the sake of the kids”? 😒
I’m sorry but, it’s one thing to work your hardest to be the bigger person but something altogether to live in almost pathological denial (all for the sake of image). I have a former friend like this; no matter how badly things are falling apart all around her personally, she literally CAN’T acknowledge it. It’s like she truly believes that if she prenteds that everything in her manicured life is “perfect” (despite of how awful things truly were and we all could see) none of the bad things actually exist. It’s sad and so, so, so unhealthy.
Talking things through openly and expressing sad feelings during times of turmoil is what’s best for children and one’s self. Having one parent living in total denial and pretending everything is ok when it’s far from it only teaches kids to cover up their emotions. This whole thing is so depressing. Why doesn’t Jen believe she deserves more??
Why doesn’t Jen believe she deserves more??
This. This right here is the thing I do not get. How low can this woman’s self esteem be if she thinks she deserves that lying, nanny, producer, costar & starlet banging dog ? She does not love herself.
maybe she loves him more than she loves herself.
She’s a specific type of woman. She could be an astronaut, scientist , win a Nobel Prize but it wouldn’t be as good to her as being married to an astronaut, or the wife of a Nobel Prize winner. Her whole sense of accomplishment is that she married Ben Affleck. It’s that simple .
I think it’s simply that she has always seen Ben with eyes and heart of what kind of man he could possibly be; and not the reality of what kind of man he really is.
Which means the Ben she loves doesn’t exist.
Long ago, someone posted a link to a round table interview where Ben was being himself and Jen looked on like a devoted, lovesick puppy. She was married and he was engaged at the time.
Perhaps she never let go of whatever initial fascination she had with him.
I just read an article not too long ago about how people in relationships with partners who put them on a pedestal are not as happy as people with partners who see them as they are.
If there were ever a case of someone putting their partner on a pedestal, it’s Jen and Ben. Aaron Paul and his wife are another celeb couple that came to mind.
Perfect recap of everything! Sad stuff all around, IMO.
Ah, so this is what was going on. You know that line from Almost Famous “the truth just feels different.” This makes sense. SNL, huh? So – a sense of humor, relaxed, a little bit messy (like him), a little bit rough (like him). Yeah. She seems like a good fit for him, actually. Why go public, though? Going public just hurts Jen. Three Years? Ouch. He’s hurt Jen enough. Keep your secrets, Ben.
This must be the blond lady spotted
With him in Nova Scotia.
Ooh ouch almost vintage at this point.
I remember everyone in my office freaking out over Ben being in NS. But there was also a secondary report of him being here – when he wasn’t. They claimed he was out on the Halifax water front – but there were photos released from him in CA that same day.
He DID get spotted in a gas station in Cheticamp though – and there’s nothing on camera showing anyone else with him. And I think the gas station guy was the only one who ACTUALLY saw/recognized him. This would have been mid April 2016 – the other reports of him being in Halifax were in June I think – and unfounded.
Cool. Thanks for reply. I’ve been to Halifax and loved it
Oh Yeah the sighting of someone with Ben in Canada- this is one “blind item” that people seem to believe without absolutely no proof, and can’t let go of for some reason. I think he went to Canada by himself because he and Jenn were having problems (it was right before they announced their separation) and took off his ring because that’s what you do when your pissed off at your wife. I think it became part of his myth because Lainey got a bad source on it and everyone believed her. People were looking in all the wrong places. It was New York folks.
How about the blond Ben was arguing with in the uber in Miami last May?
That was disproven because he was in London or something
I think he was spotted with a brunette, not a blonde.
Not sure if it was her but Nova Scotia is only about a 2 hour flight from New York City. Not a bad spot to getaway but close enough to get back fast. Would not surprise me!
I think at this point Jen isn’t entitled to any sympathy. She wants to be someone’s eternal fan and make Ben her idol. She wants to remain a little girl forever, despite the fact that she had more divorces under her belt than he did and she’s not homespun innocent.
I always felt that E News seemed smug every time they did a story on Ben&Jen. That Melanie Brimley? (She”s British) was already saying on tv (before they filed) who she would pair Ben up with that was a celebrity. Even when the 2 guys on E were saying that B&J might reconcile.(They were basing it on that one church photo and really thought they could be) Melanie was adamant. E News knew.
What was all this talk about the nanny having a job at E News? I think they knew he was seeing someone in N.Y.
New GF could have a BFF working at E! a lot of Producers started at E! either as intern or a PA.
or maybe the affair was just very well known amoung industry folks.
Matt Damon: “See I’m not the only garbage person in this relationship.”
I love how the source says Ben & Lindsay were not sneaking around. If you are meeting at the Oriental Mandarin Hotel to date, you are sneaking around. It doesn’t matter if you are “regulars” or not. I can’t believe Ben’s team would be stupid enough to put that in writing.
It seems like his team is really stupid. “He’s revealed that they’re finally public though. No more sneaking around! They love getting to know each other more!” LoL How pathetic.
Then I read this:
“In his heart, Ben is very much a traditionalist,” a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY. “Although he’s divorced from Jen, he does still have this romanticized belief in the whole marriage thing. It’s way too early to be talking weddings for him and Lindsay though — the ink is still wet from his previous relationship.”
So calculated… the romance… now marriage. Surprise, surprise.
Ben, wake up!
Um, not taking away from Ben’s relationship issues, and I realize everyone is in a feeding frenzy – eager to join the ignorant and moblike hive mind on this topic – but let’s have just a teeny tiny bit of sense.
Hollywood Lies is pure trash. You know that every outlet and their mother now wants in on this story, and yet now we’re just going to believe any and every fifth tier tabloid and every “source” as valid? This is the same outlet, among others, that had Jen pregnant every two months.
@jojo
I agree. But this is how it happens. One ounce of truth makes people believe any and every tidbit that comes out and every rumor or whatever. So yeah this is going to go on and on. And most of it is not true at all.
x17 now saying his private jet on Sat. was to Vegas instead of the east coast. They claim it’s from the Sands Casino for high rollers. If true, sounds like another addiction is raising it’s head.
Oh, no…
If only it were a private jet back to rehab in Utah instead.
🙁
X17 has been delivering the goods here since this story broke. Ben back to high stakes gambling, no bueno. This is sad.
They also have new photos of Lindsay back in LA after just a few days in NYC, they quote sources saying she’s moving in with Ben full time and to expect a lot more pap photos of her going forward. Said she’d commute back to NYC for her “job and to see her daughter” – so if this is to be believed, her young daughter is a casualty of the “Get with Ben” curse. smh.
I do believe x17 insofar as they’re the ones getting the pics in the right places at the right times, but I don’t trust them as far as I can throw them in terms of actually knowing what’s going on or having credible sources.
You people believe x17? Ha! On Sunday, they said he left on a private jet “for the east coast to go see Lindsay”, and now lo and behold, “ooops”, he went to Vegas. But who cares about the truth right? Thats just a casualty at this point. Sad. I’m not disputing the Ben and Lindsay relationship. I’m just saying – use some discretion when choosing what to believe.
Yes they got shots of him on a plane and created the story. He flew private. She IIRC left on a domestic flight. They weren’t hiding being together. If they were together it would have made sense for them to just fly together in the private plane. Just makes more sense. Why waste money flying separately if you are going to be together. And not hiding
JoJo, does it really matter where the plane went if he may be relapsing in this stressful situation? Sorry, I still feel for the guy and can’t help but worry about him and what we’re seeing here w/his many known addictions, and I fear that this not-so-new relationship does not help. Whatever’s going on, it doesn’t seem healthy or positive, no matter what “sources” say.
@elle – Well, yeah, it does matter because it shows that x17 pretty much just shoots from the hip with regards to the accuracy of its content. All they have are photos, and I’ll give them that. They’re first to the photo scoops. But they have no clue what Affleck is doing, nor do that know that Lindsay is suddenly moving in with Ben. But they know that people like you will eat it up.
Also, I’m not sure that Ben ever stopped gambling and not sure he ever will. So there’s that. But it’s certainly not shocking.
I think everyone should take a huge breath. Jen has known about Lindsay for years. Ben just went public with her. That’s all that’s changed. The earth is still spinning, and Ben Affleck continues to be true same man he was whenJen married him 12 years ago. He still obviously sees his kids regularly and Jen clearly still feels comfortable with letting the kids go with him (hence, dropping them off last Thursday and probably many more days that we,as sad internet trolls, have absolutely no knowledge of.)
People like me? Pot meet kettle!
You’ve been commenting on Ben & Jen here for years. So you ought to know that the tabs often get it wrong, but sometimes they get it right. And you’ve always seemed a little naive, but your obliviousness (or coldness) to the severity of Ben’s addictions now and what could happen to him is troubling.
Please, you don’t know these people any better than I do, but show a little more sensitivity. Stop being a know-it-all.
Or how about people like, well…People.
As we know, this is Ben’s go-to PR outlet which confirms they went to Vegas: http://people.com/celebrity/ben-affleck-lindsay-shookus-return-to-la/
But, no, I’m sure he’s not tempted by the casino tables there or the liquor and the lifestyle. Because he completed rehab. And his co-parent, Jen – wait, no, scratch that – new GF, Lindsay, supported him through it all.
So he’s good now, as long as he has his “soulmate” w/him – doing pap runs.
@elle – Points taken. But as far as sensitivity goes, I just find all of the jumping to conclusions and rash judgments disturbing – trashing Lindsay’s looks, calling her a bad mother, calling Ben a bad father even though he seems to be seeing the kids regularly, etc. But, it’s a gossip site, so I guess it’s to be expected.
JoJo, I think such meanspirited comments about appearance are not only unnecessary, but they say more about the people making them than the actual subjects themselves.
(Personally, I couldn’t look myself in the mirror if I made them, or maybe I even find some relief in seeing their physical flaws compared to all my own.)
Yet when I watch someone who may be making sad choices and playing them out in public, no matter what image they try to present otherwise, I can’t help but speculate and show concern.
But that’s just me 🙁
Another tidbit from x17:
“(Lindsay’s) always accepted him for who he is and who he’s not. She supported him through his rehab for alcoholism, and she’s been his biggest supporter. He feels like he can be himself around her, and that’s why he fell so hard.”
This is pretty close to what was rumored he told friends back when he *settled* for Jen, that she was okay w/his gambling, etc. (until she wasn’t – and as long as she could have him). So Lindsay’s just another Jen. And for both, it can be said that at least an actual doormat doesn’t follow you through the door after you step on it.
How’s that rehab going, Ben? He’s a rebel without a cause. This is so sad.
You Nails a point.lindsay is like Garner when they start.She is clever with an interesting career and apparently she will sacrifice her career for him or save him of his demons
Ugh. So sad. Disappointed in him. I’ve followed his career since Chasing Amy. He was never a great, wonderful man but damn. Sitting here speculating and reading but watching someone make bad choices with the crappy health history he has is concerning.
I’m completely ignorant, so without adding anything, what’s up with her right leg? it’s too big to be a birthmark? http://www.x17online.com/gallery/view/lindsay-shookus-heads-to-a-meeting-in-santa-monica#pic1
It’s a birthmark commonly called a port wine stain or firemark. At least that’s what I’m seeing. Harmless. Just literally looks like a wine spill on skin.
Thank you both, @LadyT and @TheOtherSam…first time I heard about it.
She must know the scrutiny about her looks, her life, her past, all of her personal stuff, and still she shows up at meetings and flies commercial, all with a defiant smile. Is either than she gives a flying f*ck or she’s strong enough to take all the hate…or both? She’s in showbiz so she knows how it works, she’s not a naive poor woman getting chewed on by the Hollywood machine gossip. She knows exactly what to expect and she knows exactly what she’s doing.
Could be a very large port wine birthmark.
Can’t believe I’m commenting on another Affleck thread, but I’m curious knowing all that we do about his narcissistic ways, why people still pretend he’s this loving hands-on father? If the roles were reversed and Jennifer was the addict with a never ending harem, she would not get the benefit of doubt regarding her mothering skills.
There is such inherent sexism displayed in some of the comments here.
Are there comments saying he’s a good dad? I feel like the misogyny is coming out towards the new woman. She must be a terrible mother because she cheated on her husband, why isn’t she with her daughter at all times, how could she possibly visit LA and London when she has a child, how could she dare have a boyfriend when she has a child under the age of 18, and on and on.
I know. This narrative that people can’t be good parents and have an interest in sex, casual or otherwise is cloying.
I’ve seen people make comments inferring he is still a good dad who is there for his kids. Such BS. It’d be one thing if Ben were ‘only’ a cheater, but the serial cheating is just the cherry on top of his mountain of issues.
And you’ve added to my point: his new lady is already getting more heat in the parenting column, despite the fact he makes far more questionable decisions.
Men have it so easy.
Hmm, I don’t recall seeing comments like that about Ben. Other men, yes, but not him. But I agree men have it much easier. If you’re not the Jennifer Garner farmer’s market, mother of the year type, you’re a monster.
Ben specifically has been on the receiving end of comments like that. There is no way that he is currently a good father to his kids and realistically he probably never has been. Women and men are forever making excuses for garbage men like Ben Affleck and it gets tiresome after awhile. The man had to employ a babysitter for himself ffs and people are still itching to defend him.
@Neens: oh THIS +10000 Yes, there are plenty of deluded sorts who are saying he might be a philandering creep but he cares about his kids. Like Neens said, if he were a woman and spent the same amount of time gambling, working in other cities, philandering etc rather than spending time with his kids he wouldn’t get the benefit of the doubt regarding his parenting.
I must say, x17 is good. Maybe she’s calling them so they know where to find her. She doesn’t look surprised to see them.
In the post it says she left Ben’s house this morning- I think they followed her.
Shookus is just a convenience. If she was really important to him, he would have taken steps in the last few years to end his marriage since he had ample opportunity.
Whatever rehab efforts he’s made, he’s just not going to have an epiphany and become another person. He like his life. Women, gambling, lost time away from his family with a buzz on. That’s him.
Jen either knows this or she doesn’t’. Either way, it’s sad because we all know she’s quite clever and is just wasting her time with this. And finally- the kids know all about him. They know. They can’t change him either.
I find it difficult to believe that a woman would begin an affair with anyone, particularly someone pap-worthy, shortly after giving birth. I really don’t think that a career woman would then tolerate her lover cheating on her with both his wife and his nanny, either.
I don’t believe much of this gossip.
Women in love make idiotic horrible mistakes all the time. Careers don’t innoculate you from hormones or manipulators unfortunately 🙁
Am I the only one that thinks Lindsay looks a little smug in her recent snaps? Anyway, I hope she enjoys whatever it is that she thinks she’s getting now that they are public because this isn’t going to last long. I just sense a massive fallout happening. And while Jen may have been holding all of her cards, this lady might not. But, I could be wrong. She could be The One for Ben?
I think she will be the next Mrs. Affleck. I wish them well.
I’m not going to trash her looks. She isn’t any less attractive than many Hollywood actresses that people here say are “beautiful”.
she and Ben look like they are just over it and are out and don’t care anymore who knows or what anyone says. I think Ben feels just get out in front of it and let the press have its feeding days then it will die down. Neither of them look shy or apprehensive or upset. They must have talked about this and knew what would happen. She doesn’t look like she is going to crawl under a rock. I think she told Ben she was tired of hiding and it was time for him to put up or shut up. And he did. So perhaps she means more to him than some are thinking.
He said they are going to continue to be together, so they are making it clear that is exactly what they are doing. Let this play out….
+1
She will get along with Matt’s wife. Leave the kids behind to party sort of company.
Oh, she has known Ben longer than Jen so the 10 year of marriage didn’t count in her books. I think that speaks enough of her character.
And she is down to earth and “loyal.” Maybe not loyal enough to her own marriage. Her marriage was just a place holder till Ben said ok. Time for us together for real.
“She will get along with Matt’s wife. Leave the kids behind to party sort of company.”
But Matt and Ben wouldn’t ever be accused of such a thing if they’re photographed going out without the kids.
Ya know, lots of times when I read about other people and what goes on with them, I think I am so blessed. I must also be extremely intelligent because none of that nonsense has ever happened to me. LOL.
Agree! I think the air in Hollywood poisons the mind!
It’s nice being “normal”, isn’t it?
Both of them are at fault. Anyone could tell Ben was no saint at the time they got together. He used to be really handsome and women were throwing themselves at him. Now Jen is at fault there are several quotes regarding that she did not to divorce, asking Lindsay to back off and return jewelry Ben got for her. A recent one from People mag saying Ben couldn’t be alone from Jen’s PR which was odd because I was thinking neither can Jen be alone. I don’t think its always for the kids. Jen has clearly struggled to let go and cut her losses. She is doing so now because its all out in the open. It shouldn’t take so many episodes to let go of a man. Either way Ben will be Ben and Lindsay will see his true colors as well. It works much better when just say ok you can have her and just move on. I do hope Jen meets a wonderful man in the future.
Jennifer may already have another boyfriend, TMZ posted new pictures of Ben and Lindsay and ended the post with this:
“Ben and Jen Garner officially filed for divorce earlier this year. We were told they were already seeing other people.
Moving on, indeed.”
Good! I hope to see many pictures of Garner and Affleck with new partners, after the glacial pace of this divorce…..
There’s pictures of Ben with Lindsay from today & she’s had work meetings according to X17. I wonder if she wants a new LA based job so she can be closer to Ben? And she’s practically living with him…..Very suspicious how quickly this is all happening. Are they gonna announce she’s pregnant next?
I feel bad for the little girl. It says she will primarily be on the west coast and travel to NY for her job and child. That’s gonna be tough on a 4 year old, knowing Mommy is so far away.
They will follow the narrative… more photos will be coming in the next weeks/months… Lindsay is the new Jen, a supporter, a saint, a mother… etc. I don’t see a massive fallout. They planned this very well they had enough time for it.
She looks def sooo full of herself. She is already seeing the benefits of being with an A-lister: new doors will open for her in work, she gets attention (she enjoys it very much, look at her), ugh, can’t wait for the JL premiere, and her big smile on the red carpet. This woman is unstoppable. Everytime I see her I just feel, damn Ben. If Garner was clingy this woman is waaay worser than her. I don’t feel good vibe from her. Typical cold hearted woman with no values, no dignity. She will soak out Ben’s blood.
Well, I feel sorry for him a little bit. Just a little bit. It was his decision. No surprise that he looks like miserable af. It is not a healthy relationship – no matter how desperately they want to sell us the opposite.
Ben is just like average mood and after one night in Vegas everything and everyone seems prettier. LoL He’s back in the game with his pretty new girlfriend. Thats Ben. So typical Ben.
@Nancy – Wow, that’s an amazing talent. You made up that entire story in your own mind based on some pics of Lindsay walking. The new Jen? Smug? All because the woman dared to smile? Honestly, for all of the people who are so up in arms about how women (read: Jen) unnecessarily get all the blame, you’re doing the exact same thing to Lindsay. Warning Lindsay: Do not smile! You must walk around with a scarlet letter on your head and repent! Look like the shameful woman we all know you to be! Should we burn her at the stake too?
@learningthesystem – x17 knows nothing about Lindsay’s plans. It’s already been published that she visits LA all the time scouting for SNL. And People just reported that she’s simply in LA for work (and probably will continue to be. It’s part of her job.)
Honestly, I’m not ok with the things Affleck has done, but some people are going so far off the deep end here, it’s insane.
@JoJo Two words: body language. It’s easy too see how a person behaves in a situation when you see her gestures and mimic…etc. And in these photos she looks like a smug. And not because of she is smiling. You can see Ben is pretty distant. Which doesn’t mean anything of course. I’m just writing down my first impressions.
Don’t take this thread so serious.
Nobody wants to punish her and him. They wanted attention – let us enjoy talking about their sweet coffee date.
I just saw the pics of Ben & Lindsay leaving the coffee shop on DM and TMZ. Her attitude looks like imo “he’s all mine, now.” She looks smug.
IMO, they make a very odd looking couple. I would have never put them together! I could see him with a lot of different other women but not her.(She reminds me of someone he could have met in rehab)
I think Ben is actually enjoying the fact that The general public is all abuzz about this relationship!
@Carol Agree!!! She is smug af. And there is a picture she looks obviously in the direction of the paps sipping her drink: “look at me! i’m the queen! deal with it”
Yep. Ben can be the alpha male in the press again with his new catch. He loooves it.
Btw I don’t see much difference when he is with Jen or with Linds. He looks bored everytime.
Let’s guess how tall she is– 6′? 6’1″? I say that because Ben is 6’3″ and she is just a couple inches shorter. PEOPLE is saying they went to Las Vegas together this past weekend, x17 was just guessing that maybe she was going to NYC to see her daughter. Nope. Good God Ben. Your mid-life crisis is embarrassing to all of us and WE don’t even know you. And how mean to make her take the commercial flight and you got the huge private plane! Starting disrespectful from the very beginning.
Lindsay is just feeding his addictions if she went to Vegas with him. If he gave up drinking, he is just replaced his drinking with gambling yet again. I bet she likes to drink & gamble as well.
I think he is passive aggressively sending Jen a message
He is doing want he wants and she can not say anything about it anymore!
I think Jen is well over him but I do think she was caught off guard when he went public with Lindsay but only for her children They have been so good making this transition for the children, which obviously was Jen”s doing.
Oh yeah, Ben did say he was following her lead I forgot!
@Caroline +1
Thats why he looks so horrible. She doesn’t supports or helps him, she is the Cool Girl. She likes what he likes, does what he does. Of course he is keeping her around, she is totally okay with his serious addictions.
The Cool Girl, MTE.
So Ben/Lindsay have known each other for years or slept together for the last few (“soulmates” according to sources), but they’re only in the early stages of romance, just getting to know each other – yet still moving in together this quickly?
Even the Ben/Jen handholding/gazing papstrolls looked more romantic than this.
I keep reading comments saying “wait for the fall out”. What fall out? I don’t know what Fall out will happen. She is not some famous Actress. She is not in front of the camera. They don’t have kids together. She is not famous. If this ends it will be just it ended. This woman is not going to be doing magazine cover interviews. Yes the tabloids will plaster her picture on the cover.. but the average person is not going to know who the heck she is. Look at the nanny… Gone. No one is looking for her or care about her now. This will be the same. The press will just be waiting for who next.
Are we sure they don’t have a kid together? That’s what I fear is the reason behind her moving in w/him in LA away from family and work in NY. Is he setting them up here?
Do u think Ben will take her with him or she will fly in when he films his movies? (HE took her with him for his reshoots) Do u think they will have a 2 week rule like Damon & his wife? Speaking of Damon, when the paps see him, I am sure they will ask him how he likes Ben new girlfriend !
Jennifrr garner looked really pretty today. I thought she was a pathetic doormat while she clung to Ben during their marriage but we all do stupid things when we are blinded by love.
I think he looks much happier with this woman, after 3 years they obviously have some kind of serious connection besides sex. He just strikes me as more comfortable in his own skin in these pictures. Im sure living a lie with their f-ed up marriage and home life wasnt easy.
Im rooting for Jennifer Garner to sex it up a bit, she is a goddess compared this Lindsay in the looks department and I hope she gets her groove back and falls in love again. Really hope she grows some back bone and gets on with a little more confidence and dignity. Im sure she needs serious therapy after that relationship! In old pictures of her and ben she looks absolutely like a lovesick teenage girl, its rather pathetic. She needs to find more balance and not revolve her whole world around a man.
Having been through this narcissist thing and having read EVERYTHING on the subject, my warning to anyone out there is if they qualify for just two things run! Are they inconsistent and self-sabotaging? That’s all. It applies to all the personality disorders — doesn’t matter which one.