Jimmy Kimmel did an interview with Ben Affleck that was published in Men’s Journal earlier this week, I’m just seeing it now sorry. At the beginning of the article they clarify that the interview was conducted on October 6, 2017. Checking our archives of Affleck, that was about a week before the stories came out that Affleck lied about knowing about Weinstein’s abusive behavior and that Affleck himself was a serial groper, for which he only apologized for one incident caught on camera and otherwise half-denied and obfuscated his behavior. (He also pledged to donate all residuals from his Weinstein movies to charity.) So the issues about Affleck’s complicity in Predatorgate and his own behavior weren’t raised in the press yet. Plus Kimm is Affleck’s bro I doubt he’s going to ask any hard-hitting questions. This interview is mostly Affleck bitching about how he’s out of shape and knows it. He also complains about being old and unattractive now. Guess the Botox didn’t do much except make him look surprised and expressionless for a few months last year.

JIMMY:My first question is: Are you in love with your body?
BEN: Yes. I’m in love with my body. I don’t want to break up with my body. I’m very forgiving with my body. I don’t have very high standards.

JIMMY: Is that true?
BEN: Yes. That’s very true. It’s a lot of work to get in shape for a superhero movie. It’s much, much nicer just to have the nonsuperhero body. You know what I mean?

JIMMY: Oh, believe me, I know what you mean. Do you look at yourself in the mirror at certain angles to make yourself feel better about your physique?
BEN: No. I don’t own a skinny mirror or anything. I just avoid mirrors altogether. And occasionally, I catch a glimpse of this, like, strange, unshaven, middle-aged man. And I don’t recognize him at all. I’m horrified when I realize that actually the huge, shuffling, gray-haired homeless guy is me.

JIMMY: That’s the opposite of vanity. Do you feel like you are vain in any way?
BEN: I think, in all seriousness, you can’t help but be critical of yourself when your work is thrown back in your face and you see yourself all the time. Especially with paparazzi pictures. They do the opposite of movies. They try to pick the one where you look the most bloated and grotesque. And then they run the headline. It’s, like, “Affleck Homeless for Life!”

JIMMY: It seems as if maybe they alternate. Like, they want to get you looking your worst, then, six months later, they want you looking your best, so they can say how great you look now and encourage people to click on that. Then, three months later, they go back to you at your worst again.
BEN: It has to swing both ways. Otherwise there’s no story. There’s no drama. So you go from clinging to life on a ventilator, to being 400 pounds, and then back again so they can pummel you next month.

JIMMY: I don’t think it even has anything to do with showbiz. I think every human being has a certain amount of vanity. I was looking at my bald spot and kind of fretting about it, and I think my wife was making fun of me. Meanwhile, I’m staring at my own death. I’m witnessing my impending demise, as represented by the bald spot on my head.
BEN: People think that is a suggestion that you’re admiring yourself. You know, the fact of the matter is, it’s just staring and thinking, “Why do I have bags under my eyes? Why am I so fat and out of shape?”

JIMMY: What kind of workout do you do? Jumping jacks and Jack LaLanne kind of stuff?
BEN: Pushups, jumping jacks, and situps. The same workout I picked up in prison. I stick with that.

[From Men’s Journal]

There’s more in there with Affleck bitching about how old he looks at 45 but I’ll spare you. If he didn’t want to keep up a fit physique, he shouldn’t have signed up to be a superhero in a franchise. It’s pretty simple, don’t take the boatload of cash if you don’t want to put the work in because that’s a key part of the job. It’s not about age either, because plenty of older men maintain their physiques, particularly in his industry. Affleck is thought to be leaving the role of Batman anyway, he complains about it enough, although that hasn’t been confirmed.

Also, this is Ben Affleck’s key beef in life, the fact that the tabloids mock him. He talks about it so often and he blames Jennifer Lopez for starting it. He’s the one who gave her a 6 carat pink diamond engagement ring, appeared in her music videos, did red carpets and at-home interviews with her, and left her at the altar pretty much. He does it to himself and then blames other people. Also, is anyone else annoyed by the fact that he’s saying he looks like a homeless guy? He has tens of millions in the bank and at least two palatial estates, but he jokes that he looks homeless like that’s so funny.

I saw this whole set of photos and Affleck looks like this in pretty much every one. Also, the photos with Lindsay are from 11-25. Her sister got married last week and Affleck didn’t go, just FYI.

photos credit: Backgrid