Jennifer Garner sells Girl Scout cookies outside a store: annoying or helpful?


After too many unsolicited house visits I have a sign on my front and back doors which says “No Soliciting. No services. No religions. No pamphlets. No donations. Welcome: Politics and Girl Scouts.” There’s also a line about how family, friends, neighbors and packages are welcome. I put a screenshot in the photo gallery at the bottom of this story if you want to copy it or get ideas for your own. (I use Google Docs and the font is “permanent marker,” but I’ve gone on too long about my stupid sign.)

Anyway my rambling point is that I don’t mind Girl Scouts coming to my door, not that they ever have, because their cookies are awesome and it’s a great organization. I feel similarly about people waiting outside various business soliciting. I’m just trying to get groceries, I don’t want to have to consider whether that veterans’ organization I’ve never heard of genuinely helps veterans. Everyone knows the Girls Scouts and their cookies though. I think it’s cute that Jennifer Garner is helping her daughter’s Girl Scout troop sell cookies. She posted the above photo to Instagram where she’s holding a sign advertising all their cookie offerings. This is making me hungry.

When I was a girl scout we didn’t have the option of selling cookies which were already available. We had to take orders and then deliver them. Good for Garner for supporting her daughter’s troop. People Magazine has some older quotes from her about selling cookies. She told Live with Kelly and Michael back in 2012 that she was a troop leader and had done 27 hours training. She also said she liked to tell the girls to upsell to customers by mentioning they had gluten free cookies (they’re a dollar more) and also that no one seemed to notice she was a celebrity. “Nobody cares. I’m just there with the troop.” The guy in the photo above sure noticed her but maybe they asked him to do that for the picture. Yes she can be over the top but those kind of type-A parents can really encourage their kids to get involved. This means that Violet, 12, has been in Girl Scouts for at least six years. That’s wonderful!

Meanwhile In Touch has an article claiming that Jennifer’s ex, Ben Affleck, is regretting his impending divorce. They quote a source who claims that “Ben has huge regrets about how everything went down with Jennifer. He misses his old life with her and the kids. The decision to move on from Jen and the kids has been very hard on him. He’s just trying to concentrate on co-parenting and being the best dad possible, but it isn’t easy.” The fact that this is so “poor Ben,” which is basically what we just heard from his dad, adds legitimacy to the insider quotes. In Touch also claims that Ben’s girlfriend, Lindsay Shookus, knows Ben’s “heart isn’t with me.” I think the last time we saw photos of them together was January 22, about three weeks ago, but there may be more recent sightings that I haven’t heard about.

Ben and Lindsay out on 1/22 in New York.
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Look Ben’s in on the cookie selling too!
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Photos credit: Backgrid, WENN, Pacific Coast News and Instagram/Jennifer Garner

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66 Responses to “Jennifer Garner sells Girl Scout cookies outside a store: annoying or helpful?”

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  1. escondista says:

    Getting out there to help out your kids: Awesome.
    Posting it on your social media: Thirsty.

    • huckle says:

      Everybody posts crap like that to their social media. Why does this make her thirsty?

      • Alisha says:

        Everybody who posts on social media is thirsty as well? Just kidding. I do not care. I think this is fine and I do love their cookies.

      • Escondista says:

        I don’t. Have kids, no IG no Snap no Facebook.

        Look I know parents do that … but it’s accompanied by where people can go get said cookies to support the troop.
        This is just “Look at me out here selling cookies” with no way to actually help that troop, no time or location, no link.

    • noway says:

      Maybe they were a few boxes short of having sold them all, and this would put her over the edge. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt on this, because it is a good cause. Having done some of these kind of things, it can be fun but generally more work than you think. Good for her.

    • Tiffany says:

      Social media is how I know where to find the cookies so, no problem from me.

    • bleu_moon says:

      I was a cookie mom for 4 years for a huge troop. Your troop can’t return unsold cookies to the council once you’ve accepted them. I used to post cookie booths on social media all the time & asked the other parents to do so as well. Anything to get those cookies sold!

    • yara says:

      Did she even “get out there” to help out her kids? She posted a pic of herself with a sign but where are the pap or fan photos of this? I find it really hard to believe that we wouldn’t have one, the other or both. It didn’t happen. This was all for her instagram account. She is so contrived… it’s weird and phony and yes, thirsty.

    • cleveland girl says:

      you guys are such haters…seriously…this kind of stuff happens in LA daily and it is NO big deal. But as a former cookie mom from the 90’s I would have LOVED an opportunity like this to post on social media and get rid of the extra 10 cases that we ordered “just in case!”!!

  2. Goats on the Roof says:

    I reckon the mistress is a little less exciting now that she’s his main girl. Typical Ben behavior.

    • HelloSunshine says:

      That’s what I was thinking. Even if the above quotes are total bs, I think he’s probably not happy now that they’re officially. How long before we see another Ben cheating scandal?

      • noway says:

        Is it really cheating if you are cheating on the mistress? Just wondering. Why would anyone want to be with him for any steady relationship. He just doesn’t seem like the type.

      • patty says:

        @noway Ask Jen, she was with the drunk cheater for more than a decade.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        “Is it really cheating if you are cheating on the mistress? ”

        Any fans of the “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” on here?

      • A says:

        @Tiffany, oooooh poor old Penny Pan wasn’t the sharpest crayon in the box was she. 😛

    • Adele Dazeem says:

      What is that old quote? When you marry the mistress you create an opening.
      Not that they’re married but duh, of course he’s bored. No secrets, no drama.

    • Annabelle Bronstein says:

      So true. He’s the kind of guy who never matured past the “I only want what I can’t have” mentality. They say that celebs are frozen at the age where they became famous, in Ben’s case I’d say that’s accurate!

  3. littlemissnaughty says:

    He’s one of those the-grass-is-always-greener-guys, isn’t he? Eh.

    It’s great that she’s so involved, I’m not American so I know nothing about the Girl Scouts. But this seems like an easy way so do a nice thing. I mean you get cookies!

    I hate it when I’m asked to sign something or donate on the street. It’s just not smart. The really big organization don’t take donations right there, they always want you to become a member. I am. So leave me alone. Last time some dude was really rude. I nearly wrote an angry email.

    • mela says:

      Yeah, I think it’s less about Jen or the mistress and more about that this guy is NEVER happy/content. He is always chasing that dragon.

      I’m sure he misses having Jen -sure he likes her but not because he is in love with her. I bet he misses having her around since she was like a mother to HIM. she basically had created a soft place for him to land WHENEVER he wanted NO matter what he did. i’m sure she always had that house ready to revolve around him whenever he decided to show up – thats what he misses; a housekeeper, a maid, a cook, a sympathetic and enabling mother figure to dote on him when he is strung out, hung over or got in a fight with his mistress

      what a dog

      • maryquitecontrary says:

        Wow, Mela! I think you could be entirely spot-on.

        Well said!

      • mannori says:

        Really spot on Mela. I might add he also misses Pr side of it, the aura of respectability that gave him the family man (fake) persona that Garner helped him to create. Which for a leading man actor and a guy who chases being respected as a director is always useful.

  4. Taxi says:

    Nothing wrong with posting this. All the mom’s in my ‘hood do, if for no other reason than to show off their creative signs, cute kids, or remind non-GS families that it’s cookie time again.

  5. megs283 says:

    Yeah. Based on those photos, I would buy cookies from JG. From Ben…? Not so much.

  6. SJS says:

    GSUSA really pushes troops to sell at booths and not just door to door. They also have the girls set goals, so maybe they are trying to reach that amount. Our troop used funds to go to camp and knew how many boxes we needed to sell. Also, you have to have a certain adult to girl ratio whenever you’re out.

  7. Penfold says:

    Mmm, samoas…

    I bought a box last weekend. Should have gotten two. Lol.

  8. Birdix says:

    She also posted on Instagram stories asking people for orders then quickly saying they were sold out. I get it–it’s on brand for her, but it rings s little hollow with all her claims she wants privacy.
    That said I do love her tutu Tuesday posts…

  9. BendyWendy says:

    I’m a grinch. I don’t want to buy wildly overpriced GS cookies, especially once I heard they only receive about $.50/box for their troop. Take $10 and leave me alone.

    • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

      Lol, I confess… I don’t do solicitations of ANY kind. I don’t like paying GSC prices for cookies I don’t like either. If I want something, I’ll do the approaching. If I’m ready to buy, I’ll let ya know. Bah humbug.

    • MissMarierose says:

      Although about 10-20 percent of the price goes to the troop itself, the remainder pays for things like camp upkeep and program costs that allow for all girls to get involved in Girl Scouts.

      Not every girl can afford dues or uniforms or camp prices, so that cookie money goes allows the local council to let poorer girls participate in Scouting regardless of ability to pay.

      It’s not like the money is going to pay exoribinant salaries.

      • FLORC says:

        Yea. Such a small percentage gets used for GS stuff. Much goes to those big salaries. Unlike The BS popcorn. That could be priced at $20 a bag, but 70 or 80% is earmarked for troop business. It always has. Cookies are the most publicized, but fundraising goes year round.

        P.S. did you guys realize all the Girl Scout cookies are sold year round for double the quantity and almost half the price? Keebler in your cookie section. The names are sometimes different, but it’s the same cookie.

  10. Sayrah says:

    I’m my daughter’s daisy scout troop co-leader this year. Cookie booths start next weekend! Love that JG’s so involved. You can bet that I’ll be posting to Facebook and Instagram the morning we’ll be out to get all those boxes sold.

  11. patty says:

    For all her claims about wanting her kids to have privacy she certainly puts their lives out there a lot unnecessarily. It’s all about her brand now, privacy is second to it. And you’ve got to be kidding me about In Touch. A “poor Ben” angle gives it legitimacy? lmao It’s In Touch, it is all made up. And for the record, Ben himself hasn’t been seen in awhile, not since the fight with Jen at Sam’s basketball game a couple of weeks ago.

    • jccw says:

      Another site claims SNL is off for a couple weeks because of the Olympics, so my guess is Ben and Shook are vacationing somewhere for a “romantic” Valentines’ celebration.

      • girl with a horse says:

        That is correct. The last week SNL was on was the Saturday before the Super Bowl with Natalie Portman. That Saturday was the day of the fight at Sam’s b-ball game.

      • marcia says:

        jccw that’s what I’ve been thinking. The diehard bennifer stans (they still exist? lol) always get hopeful when they don’t see Ben and LS together for a few weeks then get crushed when they show up together again. Move on, people

    • wendy says:

      A man who lives in Long Island, NY tweeted thanks to BA for signing an item for him.

  12. girl with a horse says:

    Well I think it’s weird that someone who once cried in front of Congress about how her children don’t have privacy has no problem posting about their lives and activities on social media. It generates interest in them, which guarantees they’ll be stalked for at least one more day. Plus, I find it interesting that Jen says she can’t go anywhere without the paps following her — where were they on the day she had her sign outside the store? Hmmmm we get coffee, gym, school run and church strolls on a daily basis but where and when was this pic actually taken?

    I don’t believe the InTouch Weekly stuff. FFS. It’s a low-tier trash rag, you really think it’s got legit sources? bwahahaha That is really gullible.

  13. marcia says:

    Those days of her wanting her kids to have private lives are over. When did she really last make a statement about that anyway? Years ago? She has every resource available to move to another part of LA. The kids are in private school and have nannies who can drive them. They can really live anywhere, but she chooses to live in a pap zone and post about their activities on her social media. It’s all about her brand now. The kids are an integral part of that brand so they will be used.

  14. brittany says:

    I knew last week that there would be a Mommy-centric post on her instagram after the news of her working with Pervert Dunham came out and people reacted poorly. Glad to see that my instincts were correct and that Garner continues to be so predictable. Her game is so basic.

    I can’t believe that you are linking InTouch Weekly, using it as a source of information and trying to make it legit. I just… bwhahahah. Bless your heart.

  15. Jeannie says:

    The Girl Scouts are an amazing organization. Everyone should teach girls to be thrifty, to be self-reliant, to go for what they want in life. It’s an amazing thing.

    Jennifer garner actually seems like a good mom, I don’t see the need to rake her over the coals.

  16. not a fan says:

    Every post about this woman has people in it posting about how she seems like such a good mom, seems so involved and present, etc. Ever wonder why you think that? I will tell you. Because she makes sure that we get paparazzi pics of her mothering every day. Add in her instagram and she’s making sure every person in the world knows what a good, present and involved mother she is. I mean, if that isn’t fake, IDK what is. Other actress mothers are just as involved with their kids’ lives but they don’t make it Priority #1 to put it out there. This woman is very disingenuous.

    • Jeannie says:

      I think the things I want to think, thanks. It’s not because of you or your opinions.

      • amelie says:

        Woah, defensive much? lol Looks someone hit a nerve.

      • Jeannie says:

        Nope, that’s just petty ass bullshit. People are allowed to think what they want, n fake commenters are petty as hell.

      • claire says:

        This person’s post wasn’t even in reply to you, yet you lost your shit anyway. Calm down, go take a walk or something. If people can think what they want, people can post what they want too, without being attacked by others. Hypocrite much?

  17. yara says:

    How does Garner stand in front of a grocery store for presumably hours and not one fan or pap photo exist of the event?

  18. katie3 says:

    I’ve seen moms outside grocery stores overseeing the cookie selling process but the grunt work is done by the kids, not the parents. Parents are there for support, supervision. It would seem weird to me to see an adult by herself selling the cookies.

  19. KWM says:

    We are wrapping up cookie time here, thank god, I will never admit to how many boxes I actually ate. But for our troop and I am not sure if it is a GS thing or just a troop thing, you must have a cleared volunteer family member with the girls. So for the past 4 weeks on a Saturday or Sunday you could find me standing outside of a grocery store or Walmart. We personally ordered 21 cases and have all but 8 boxes left to sell. I love and hate cookie season. I love seeing it make my daughter interact with people and work on social skills and math skills, I hate that really parents are doing the bulk of the selling now a days, outside of the cookie booth. We went out in the neighborhood a few times with the wagon and knocked on doors, out of 20 homes 5 bought cookies. So it is mom and dad taking it into work. The cookie booths make my daughter actually do the selling. Jennifer Gardner looks like me on any given weekend, I get stuck with the sign while the girls restock, make change, pack up cookies.

  20. amelie says:

    I saw pap agency pics of her church stroll yesterday and it looked like she may have had a police escort. Funny how the same day as that she invites strangers into her kids’ private activities. What is her damage? No seriously, what is wrong with her? I hope she is in counseling. She’s a mess.

    • LearningtheSystem says:

      She didn’t post pics of the kids (never has on her IG). She did not identify the location. She didn’t even look like she was having a great time, though been there, done that and it’s long, but fun overall. She has two girls who are in the scouts. She even posted once from Sea World as an overnight volunteer for one of the troops. Again, no kids were photographed. She’s been photographed in years past working cookie booths. No denying it’s her brand, but she doesn’t post the kids, or tell you where to find them. I bet she was done with the booth by the time she posted, so no one would be able to identify where it was and show up. How is she different from Reese? She posts her kids frequently on her IG. Does everyone consider her thirsty?

      • claire says:

        Reese hasn’t bawled in front of Congress about pap laws. She’s also taking her daughter to events these days so it would seem that she has a very different approach to PR when it comes to her kids. Garner is just a hypocrite.

        There were no kids or anything in the photograph because it was probably fucking staged for her IG and didn’t actually occur.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        Huh, kinda becoming troll central here….

  21. madonami says:

    I eyerolled SO HARD.

  22. JoJo says:

    I’m always surprised that CB takes In Touch articles seriously. It’s a third-tier tabloid that has claimed Garner is pregnant with her fourth child, among other absurdities, more times than I can count, including last March – one month before they filed for divorce:

    “Ben and Jen have decided to have another baby. They’ve always been at their happiest when they focus on their family life. A baby would help begin a new chapter in their relationship as they move forward.”

    lol. He was already going to NYC to see Lindsay by that point. The article also said he’s blaming his cheating on a mid-life crisis. Was it a mid-life crisis in 2010 when he was cozying up to Blake Lively on the set of The Town? Was it a mid-life crisis on the set of To the Wonder in 2011? Sure, I have no doubt he misses the lifestyle he used to have – where he was taken care of and cleaned up after – but he’s not pining away for Garner.

    • Tina says:

      @JoJo – I don’t think he misses Jennifer either. The reality of divorce; however, may be hitting him hard. It is probably very close to being finalized. He lives part time in NYC and his kids live in LA. The family unit is forever changed. Ben’s father seemed to allude that it has been difficult for the children. He wouldn’t be human if he didn’t have some mixed feelings about his life. He is also struggling to remain sober.

    • Jess says:

      In Touch is fake news. It is people sitting around, making stuff up and passing it off as truth. I wish sites like this wouldn’t link to it or promote it. Don’t give it the clicks.

  23. Electric Tuba says:

    Whatever. Shelly Long in Camp Beverly Hills did it better and sold more cookies lol

  24. Justwastingtime says:

    When are was in my 20s I used to get those guys by playing hard to get. Then I turned 30. Just saying…