Ben Affleck relapsed on Saturday at a Halloween party, he ‘owned his mistake’

Ben Affleck is in good spirits as he visits Jennifer Garner after a wild night!
Ben Affleck relapsed on Saturday, at a UNICEF party which he attended in a mask and suit. TMZ posted video of him visibly stumbling and trying to steady himself as he got into an SUV with a very young-looking blonde woman. They got in the back seat and had a driver. Well he did just announce he was going to date, so there’s that. TMZ paparazzi talked to Ben outside Jennifer Garner’s home yesterday and he was quite blase about it, as was a recent People article explaining Ben’s relapse. Ben was smiling in the video, the pic above was taken at about the same time. He said “it happens, it’s a slip, but I’m not going to let it derail me.” Affleck was sober for about 16 months prior to this, if there were no other slip ups. Here’s the relevant part of that People article, which is an exclusive:

Ben Affleck was seen arriving at Jennifer Garner‘s home one day after appearing to be publicly inebriated at an event on Saturday night.

“You could tell that it wasn’t an easy thing for him, but Ben owned his mistake,” a source tells PEOPLE. “He said it happens, that he slipped up but that it won’t happen again. It was a smart move because now the story is basically over.”

“He looked tired,” the source adds…

A rep for Affleck did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

The night before, the father of three, 47, was spotted attending the UNICEF Masquerade Ball in West Hollywood.

[From People]

If that People source is from Affleck’s camp that’s damning. He’s not taking this seriously at all. Where is the quote about how he’s committed to being sober and will go to more meetings or will work with addicts or something? This is all about the PR fallout, not about what he’s doing to manage his sobriety. Ben just announced on Instagram, right before he drank at that party, that he was dating, essentially confirming Page Six’s report from last week. In that post he asked for donations for the Midnight Mission, which helps addicts get back on their feet. He wrote “I have been in recovery for over a year and part of that is helping out others.” The main part of recovery is admitting you’re powerless over alcohol, not picking up that first drink and staying sober one day at a time. I would not take any amount of money, success or fame in exchange for my sobriety. That was one of the hardest things I earned and I don’t want to ever go back there. I think about that whenever I’m tempted. I’ve seen people drink again after decades sober. I do believe that for alcoholics it does not become something you can suddenly manage. All that said, I hope he’s serious and committed to staying sober this time. I hope he’s not half-assing this and thinking he can drink again.

Update: I’m sorry for missing this earlier story with a statement from an Affleck source. They said “Sobriety is difficult and elusive for everyone struggling with addiction. Ben has acknowledged he’s going to slip up from time to time. It was never as if this was simply behind him.”

Here’s Ben decorating Jen’s house with his kids yesterday. Interesting how they did a show of togetherness after his public mess up. Look at how they’re all dressed in the same color, including the kids.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner spend Sunday doing Halloween decorations

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner spend Sunday doing Halloween decorations

photos credit: Backgrid

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90 Responses to “Ben Affleck relapsed on Saturday at a Halloween party, he ‘owned his mistake’”

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  1. Jenns says:

    And once again he runs to Jen for damage control when he f**ks up. He will never not be her 4th child.

    • Lizzie says:

      came here to say the same thing. imagine your deadbeat loser ex showing up half drunk to decorate for halloween and you can’t kick him out b/c cameras have been following him all night and your kids are waiting. he puts her in a crappy position all the time. i don’t really care if he’s an addict. there are plenty of addicts who don’t cheat and emotionally abuse and extort their spouses or former partners.

      i know she is part of the ben’s savior narrative but they had a real marriage and have 3 children and i don’t really see how she can extract herself from it unless she cuts his contact off completely and i don’t think that’s fair to ask of her so a bunch of strangers on the internet can think she’s not a door mat. i don’t know. it seems really complicated and i feel bad for her and those kids.

    • Allergy says:

      I think it’s great they don’t hate each other.
      I don’t think if you try not to drink, but then drink, you somehow failed. You did well the months you were sober. Now you can try to be sober again, as long as possible.
      I think there are different kinds of alcoholism, and AA works best for those who immediately go on a hard six-year-binge after one drop.
      Hallucinogens have been proven to work for some people, to help them stop drinking.

      • lucy2 says:

        I think it’s good for their kids that they can get along and all spend time together, and that he can be involved like that.
        But I do think he turns to her and the kids when he needs damage control, which isn’t fair to them. Jen has to be so very tired of all this.

        I hope he doesn’t let a slip up become something worse, and that he gets back on track right away.

    • Kimberly says:

      he’s the typical drunk…not a shocker…

  2. DaisySharp says:

    AA teaches it’s not something you can manage and it’s either no alcohol, forever, or one drop and you are an out of control drunk again immediately. But I’ve found that’s not true of all alcoholics. Now, in Ben’s case, it doesn’t look good here, but as someone who quit smoking, over a period of years, with major backslides…oh and how many times did I hear “I thought you quit”. Well, I did, but it took a lot of lapses, a lot of backsliding, and it took years. So, I don’t judge the journeys of others. I hope he makes it to where he needs to be for himself. Maybe someday that will include the occasional slip up or binge. Maybe not.

    • Esmom says:

      Yes. In fact from what I’ve read, research has shown that AA’s all or nothing approach has set many people up for failure and that some people actually can learn to moderate their drinking. In any case, Ben wasn’t able to walk away after one or two drinks so it wold seem it would still be best for him to stay away from booze. I know it’s tough and I wish him well as he figures it out.

      Congratulations on quitting smoking!

      • Anna says:

        The people who can learn to moderate their drinking are not alcoholics. Alcoholics cannot moderate their drinking, and pretending otherwise is disingenuous at best and dangerous at worst.

    • Erinn says:

      I’ve never had to quit anything stronger than caffeine before, so this certainly isn’t my wheelhouse. And quitting that cold turkey (for a while – I’m back on the caffeine, but definitely small amounts compared to my peak) was hard enough. I felt awful. But I can’t even imagine how hard it would be to never make a slip up when trying to avoid drugs or booze, or whatever. I’m sure some people can manage it, but I’m willing to bet that most will have at least a minor slip or two.

      I kind of suspect he probably thought “Well, I’ve been doing pretty good for a while now, maybe a drink or two will be fine now” and then it wasn’t. Maybe this will be a good teachable moment for him – maybe he’ll realize at some point that he just can’t risk it. But I really am rooting for him to get through this. I know Batfleck can be a problematic douche, but I hate to see anyone struggling with addictions of any kind, and I’d really like to see him get it together for the kids. At least seeing this (sadly) might help the kids to avoid this kind of thing in their own lives.

    • S says:

      You’re unlikely to ruin your family’s lives with a cigarette slip up or binge. Alcohol is different.

  3. SB says:

    You’re right, he’s clearly not taking it seriously. The only thing he’s serious about is repairing his image by doing this obviously planned/staged photo op. I can’t summon much sympathy for Garner anymore as she is clearly complicit in this charade. All of this could have taken place six months ago, a year ago, two years ago… nothing has changed or improved in this situation and probably never will. Zero progress.

  4. Lena says:

    Have to give props to Bens PR people. Look with what picture you’re leading with the day after when miraculously he looked fine again and shrugged it off. I think he’s about to go off to do couple of movies and he can’t look like he’s falling apart again. Well done, Sunshine Sachs.

    • Jenfan says:

      Bingo!! I think he is filming out of LA starting next week.

      Also if you watch that TMZ video – it’s almost like he gave a press conference. He parked across the street – I’m sure he could have pulled into the driveway behind the gate without being photographed. He stopped faced the cameras and talked for a few minutes.

    • Mia4s says:

      Yep, you’ve got it. Masterful PR…that has nothing to do with getting him healthy!

      “ if there were no other slip ups”

      ….that’s really the question isn’t it? Has he been sober or has he been publicly sober? Only one of those things matters to studios and will be seen by insurers. So sorry for his kids.

      • Noodle says:

        If you look at his exit from that dinner with Jobs’ widow, he didn’t look particularly sober. That said, he wasn’t seen sloppy like he was this past weekend. That sloppiness is probably what prompted this redemption visit.

  5. Originaltessa says:

    Addiction is hard. I feel bad for him.

    • smcollins says:

      Addiction *is* hard, and I’d feel bad for him if it seemed like he actually gave a damn about being sober. Sobriety seems more like a PR image for him than an actual goal or lifestyle. Relapse is and can be a part of recovery, but as a former Addictions Counselor I can’t tell you how many times that was used as some sort of free pass to use again (as well as the Disease Model used as an excuse to not take personal responsibility). That’s not the case with every relapse, of course, but more times than not it was when it came to those who weren’t 100% committed to their sobriety, which I don’t believe Ben truly is. jmo

      Edited to add: I worked for the Health Department where 90% of our clients were court-ordered to be there so they didn’t feel they actually needed treatment, it was just part of their probation and better than going to jail

  6. Sayrah says:

    He looked so wasted in that video in the mask. It doesn’t seem like he can be a former addict who can partake in one or two occasionally. And if this is the obliterated state he drinks to, that’s really sad. Hopefully he can get back on track.

  7. bethenny says:

    What a loser. I guess it’s all right to be a fall-down drunk in public as long as you ~own it, right? Like he had a choice with that video going viral and that will follow him for the rest of his days. He’s a pathetic person, not for this relapse, but for the flippant way that he’s handled it. So is Garner, why did she even bother divorcing him? She’ll never move on. Both of them need to take those innocent kids and move away from the cameras but that would defeat their purpose in life. Both are addicted to fame.

    • minx says:

      He’s not my favorite person but calling someone struggling with sobriety a loser, nope.

      • bethenny says:

        He’s sure as hell not a winner. L-O-S-E-R. Was, is, always will be.

      • waitwhat says:

        +1000 Minx. Jfc

      • Enn says:

        I’m no Ben fan, but addiction is a disease and struggling with sobriety doesn’t make someone a loser. Evaluate yourself.

      • carly says:

        Considering the irreparable damage he’s causing to his kids I think loser is appropriate at this time.

      • Mariettaj91 says:

        I’ve been sober a long time… 14 years going in January. It’s very difficult. But I do it because I know I’d be dead if I drank again.
        He needs to fire anyone who works for him and tells him this is ok. Including Sunshine Sachs. He’s not serious about his recovery. AT. ALL.

        I’ve always been an Affleck apologizer, and I’ve always had a soft spot for him. I’ve been a fan for over 20 years. But he pisses me off when he does this. Everyone around him never says no. Including Jen! Dude needs a reality check.

        I feel bad for Jen that she and the kids have to deal with him. I have a bad feeling about this slip. Is this another downward spiral? I hope not.
        Side note: I hope he “wrapped it up” for his overnight guest. It’s really sad that these young women who drink with him don’t care about him at all and just let him do what he wants.

      • Lizzie says:

        being an addict doesn’t make you a loser…but being an everything else he is does make him a loser. he’s entitled, glib and has no respect for women, never has – and no respect for his family….even when he was sober.

  8. Socks says:

    It doesn’t sound like he’s been sober for 16 months. If he has, he is definitely not taking his sobriety seriously. How about calling his sponsor before he drinks? Going to a meeting? Not “oh I slipped.” Relapse happens, but he’s so blasé about it. Ugh. He’s gross.

    • K-Peace says:

      I find it hard to believe that he’s really been sober for 16 months and that this is his one slip-up, with the paparazzi just happening to get it on film. It’s probably more like, there have been many “slip-ups” in private but this is just the one time in 16 months that the paparazzi caught it.

  9. Meghan says:

    As a recovering addict, yes relapse does happen but if you are working a problem it’s a little more than just an “oopsie I won’t do it again.”

    I’m lucky. I recently had all my teeth pulled and they prescribed narcotics even though I asked them not to, but I was in a LOT of pain. I took them as prescribed, sometimes even going longer than the prescribed times, which I’ve never done before. They actually made me feel sick to my stomach and I’m not exactly rushing to get that feeling again. A relapse could be right around the corner and I have to take steps to prevent that.

  10. Jess says:

    Alcohol addiction is hard on everyone involved, which is why they say it’s a family disease. I have so much respect for Jennifer, and I know exactly what she’s dealing with.

  11. JoanCallamezzo says:

    I don’t understand why Jennifer Garner continues to help him out at this point. Yes they have children together, I understand being cordial, but he has used her cheated on her and taken her for granted for years. I just got divorced after 20 years of marriage to an emotionally abusive relapsing alcoholic. Now that I’ve had space from his toxic behavior there is no way I would provide cover for him for any reason. I don’t understand her motivation. Maybe it’s a stipulation in their divorce agreement and he gave her a gazillion dollars. I’ll give Ben credit for not drinking and driving though.

    • Sibby says:

      I think we all know what her true motivation is at this point (and it’s not just the kids). She needs Al anon as much as Ben needs to fix himself.

    • Spicecake38 says:

      Good for you @Joan for getting out I hope you have a wonderful new path ahead!

      • JoanCallamezzo says:

        Thank you SpiceCake for the well wishes. How Jennifer can continue to smooth out Ben’s image after everything he has put her through is beyond me and we don’t know the half of it. He slept with the nanny he’s a hot mess. At the time I thought it was admirable of her to drive him to rehab now I think anyone but her should have done it.

      • lucy2 says:

        My guess is she does is because no one else will, and she is trying to protect her kids from having him seriously bottom out or worse.

        I hope she does have a support group, therapy, Al-Anon, something, because she has, and continues to, put up with a LOT from him.

    • Green Desert says:

      Good for you, Joan! I can only imagine how hard that was for you. I have no experience with addiction or loving an addict, but I kind of wonder the same thing about Garner. My one logical answer is the kids, and maybe a worry in her mind that her kids may inherit his addiction genes. Maybe that drives her desire to “fix” him? The statements gave me pause though…what the source said about slipping up from time to time, almost gives Affleck permission that he probably doesn’t need.

      On an unrelated note…I love your screen name! Parks and Rec forever. 🙂

    • Call_me_al says:

      I’m married to a recovering addict and alcoholic. He relapsed when our kids were toddlers. I asked him to move out to get his shit together. He was still allowed to come over and see the kids while he was getting stable in outpatient treatment, given he could act reasonably. I took the kids to visit him in residential treatment. I wanted my kids to have a sober and living father, no matter what ended up happening with us.
      How is what Jen is doing wrong or unhealthy?

  12. Eliza says:

    His official quote was “relapses happen but won’t happen again” well which is it? I mean if it’s normal how could it “never” happen again? I’m sure there’s been more than a few relapses in that 16 months he just doesn’t count them because they only lasted a night.

  13. Spicecake38 says:

    I feel the worst for their children,Garner and Affleck are adults who have some control,but not the kids.Garner seems like she’s doing her best,but being his person to run to after a slip up or a long bender just doesn’t seem like a healthy dynamic.IDK about Ben,it seems like he takes his sobriety seriously,until…Until he thinks he can handle it again,and here we go again.
    OTOH,he’s an addict and I wish him the best.

    I was reading about women and this culture of *mommy juice *and what an epidemic this is.Don’t get me wrong I like a drink or two or three on occasion,but plan accordingly-no need to drive,make decisions etc all.I am seeing this being presented as cute or funny and I don’t think it’s either of those when moms are drinking during the day or at sports events/play groups.
    I came across this book called Her Best Kept Secret:Why Women drink and how they can gain Control by Gabrielle Glaser.It was highly rated,and I think I’m going to read it ,it may help me understand what women (and men)around me are doing and why,because I’m at a loss as to the acceptance of alcohol abuse in middle class America today.

    • JoanCallamezzo says:

      I always side eyed the parents with wine at kids birthday parties and beers while trick or treating. It seems like mommy juice has gained mainstream acceptance and I don’t think it’s cute or funny I find it alarming.

      • Spicecake38 says:

        THANKYOU!Also we had trick or treat the other night (I forgot so we didn’t participate),but we drove to a restaurant and back-zero drinking while out,not driving distracted,and STILL nearly hit a child running across the street.Sorry to sound snarky,but beer when trick or treating-kids+cars+crowds+dark,please parents don’t add alcohol to the dynamic.

      • lucy2 says:

        I agree, it’s a little weird to me that people are laughing at what seems like low grade alcoholism. If you can’t get through your day, or a kids event, or anything like that without carting wine around with you, you have a problem.
        I wonder if drunk driving incidents have increased with the rise of that “mommy juice” nonsense.

    • A says:

      Oh my god, YES. Thank you for this. “Wine mom” culture is just honestly the most disconcerting thing in the world. So many women joke about how they need a glass or two at the end of every day, and it’s like…are you hearing yourself? You need a glass or two EVERY day to get through the pressures of your life? What?

      And I’m not saying this because I think women who do this don’t have any problems in their life. They do. Raising children is hard. Society doesn’t make it easier. And I’ll bet a lot of these women have partners that do not do their share of the work either, leaving all of the logistics and stuff to them. It’s much easier to become reliant on alcohol or other things when you’re feeling unsupported and frustrated in your own life. But the fact that people don’t think this is a problem, just see it as something quirky and funny is just sad.

      • Cidey says:

        WORD. I’m so sick of the “wine o’clock” garbage. I, too, love a cocktail but my alarms sound when a mom has to have a drink to “deal with the stress” of being a mom. I have been hungover since having my kids. It SUCKS and I am a much less effective parent. Being a bottle of chardonnay in would make it even worse. I wonder how many of my neighbor-moms drive buzzed but think it’s OK because…..”wine o’clock”!

  14. julie says:

    Eagerly giving a press conference to the paps. Carving pumpkins on the front porch so the paps can easily capture it. Unbelievable. They both need help. I wonder what her boyfriend thinks about everything.

    • ChillyWilly says:

      Exactly. I don’t want to hear these two complain about their lack of privacy ever again. I am not an Affleck fan but I do hope Ben can overcome his disease for the sake of his kids.

  15. Meg says:

    I read a comment the last time he went to rehab that Ben doesn’t seem to genuinely want to stop drinking 100% and seems to think he can do this: drink to the point of falling over for a night then go back to many month long stretches where he doesn’t. Much like not working out or eating healthy during a holiday then going back to be healthy afterwards as people do, he seems to see that with booze too.

  16. Who ARE These People? says:

    Seems almost impossible to recover from addiction in Hollywood.

    It should be possible to have a career and a social life without it being immersed in the use of alcohol and other drugs, but that’s not the world we live in today.

  17. Carolyn says:

    I knew as soon as I saw that video on TMZ that he would be doing a photoshoot with Jen and the kids on Sunday. Thought it would be the usual church stroll but the video was so bad that they had to use the big guns, Jen’s front porch. Can’t carve jack-o-lanterns in the back yard, hm? I mean this has been going on for literally years at this point, using those kids are props to do damage control. No idea why she bothered to divorce him. I thought it was about saving face bc of all his other women but that doesn’t seem accurate at this point.

    • Sibby says:

      Ben Affleck is addicted to booze, drugs, women and fame. Jennifer Garner is addicted to Ben Affleck.

  18. Kat says:

    X17 said that the girl he was with spent the night at his place. Where are the pics of her leaving in the AM? And yet, we have pics of them carving pumpkins on the porch. How much $$$ do these people give to the paps on a daily basis, either for suppressing stuff or doing these ‘candid’ photoshoots?

    • Jenfan says:

      Better question who is the girl? She looked pretty young – 20s with a guy who is closer to 50.

    • Lena says:

      If you’ve ever read any commentary on their site they have zero credibility. They literally make stuff up to get clicks. I go for their pictures is all.

      • kat says:

        A lot of their articles are poorly written and speculating. However X17 had pics of his SNL girlfriend at his house that they bizarrely didn’t publish for months, not until some other tabloid actually broke the story that they were dating. They sit outside his house all day and night, they know what’s up, at least the comings and goings.

  19. carly says:

    He celebrated a year of sobriety with booze and pills. If he didn’t have impressionable kids, who would care, but he does so it’s all very sad and pitiful. His kids’ friends and their parents have no doubt seen the video as well as his flippant remarks to the paps. Embarrassing. His priority seems to be his image and career.

  20. paul says:

    I’m actually annoyed by the pics of him at Jen’s house, grinning away. He really does not give af. The pap in the drunk TMZ video is actually laughing at him. He’s such a joke. I pity only the kids, Garner knows full well what she’s doing here.

  21. Jessica says:

    How exhausting it must be to be his family.

  22. Cay says:

    There’s a good chance their custody agreement has a clause in it about his sobriety. He may not be able to see the kids unsupervised if he isn’t sober. If he fails a drug or alcohol test, he may loose his rights. I don’t know this is what they have in writing, but it’s certainly an option.

  23. jenner says:

    this all seems very attention-seeking to me. he is addicted to fame, not just alcohol.

  24. EndlessC says:

    The lack of compassion here is astonishing, but then again not everyone is educated about addiction. Media need to stop this monitoring, harassing and publicly shaming addicts. I’m appalled. It’s a disease everyone loves to judge.

    • buenavissta says:

      Agree Endless C. I’m fresh into recovery and I’m only saying so because this is the interweb where judgement comes at a distance and can’t hurt me. I have compassion for every addict. Kindness matters.

  25. Jaded says:

    Alcoholism is a terrible affliction, and most alcoholics I’ve known have had an enabler, someone who takes them back again and again and supports them through thick and thin. I was an enabler once upon a time when I was young and naive. It took me over 2 years to shake that guy off but I finally realized he was dragging me down and blaming me for his drinking problem. I think Jennifer is Ben’s enabler to a certain extent but she’s doing it from a good place, wanting him to be an active parent to his children. If anything will prevent him from relapsing too often it’s his kids.

  26. A says:

    @Celebitchy, I just want to say, I really admire your commitment to sobriety. I think the hardest part for anyone is remembering that not giving into the desire for instant gratification is worth it. The fact that you consistently remind yourself of this every day and stick to it is a really remarkable thing.

  27. Amber says:

    Recovery from addiction is seldom an upward-trending straight line. It’s more often a zig-zag line. Relapses are nothing to be ashamed of and very common. I think it’s a good thing that Ben went to spend time with his family. Being isolated after a relapse wouldn’t help, I don’t think. It is very hard when someone in your family has an addiction. But as their family member, having compassion for that person can protect them from the shame that tends to perpetuate addiction.

    I was reading about how in Finland and other European countries there is this medication they can prescribe to alcoholics. It does something to block the dopamine rush in the brain that is involved with addiction. The alcoholic person takes the pill before they plan to drink, and most of the time the impulse to keep drinking goes away because that reward-pathway in the brain is disrupted. They are able to have one or two drinks and then stop. And in this way, they are able to regain self-control around alcohol without abstaining entirely. For some reason it’s not prescribed here in the US. But it’s got a much higher success rate at reducing binge drinking in addicted people than abstinence. It just makes you think, how many other ways could there be to treat addiction besides abstinence and/or rehab?

  28. S says:

    Now there are coffee date/motorcycle photos from Saturday, as well as a drunk poker at a casino photo. Wonder why we didn’t get the coffee date pics until this morning? They are days old.

  29. No Doubt says:

    He looks good there. I wish him the best. Garner is a good person and he’s lucky to have her in his corner. He torpedoed his whole life because of his addiction.

    • CindyP says:

      No, she needs to stop enabling him. Yup, I can go off the wagon whenever & show up at Jen’s for a photo op

  30. Carolnr says:

    Does anyone else think think the girl he was with at the coffee shop& Halloween party resembles Shauna Sexton? She looks to be around her age, as well!

  31. CindyP says:

    I’ve watched enough “Intervention” to know that Jen has to stop enabling his behavior. Why is he at her house? She needs to protect her kids, not him

    • Lena says:

      I think she is protecting them. Weekends are his time with them and he obviously was otherwise engaged on Saturday so he came to her house under her supervision Sunday evening. Tellingly, she didn’t bring them to his house for the day which I think she had been doing previously.

  32. DS9 says:

    I’m personally uncomfortable with dissecting Affleck’s sobriety journey. Alcoholism is a terrible disease and like many illnesses, treatment is a long road with a number of attempts at finding the right treatment.

    I’m also uncomfortable with smack talking Jennifer Garner and assuming she’s enabling him.

    I’m merely going to assume that we aren’t entitled to either of their deep thoughts along the way and that both parties are being advised by therapists.

  33. JoJo says:

    I wish I could say I feel sorry for Garner having to put up with this, but I don’t. Protecting your kids doesn’t involve an orchestrated photo shoot with the kids in full view. And then, if you watch the X17 video, watch how she puts her hand on his shoulder and then back and leaves it there. Where is John Miller in all of this? There was an E! news story last week, following the Page Six report that Ben was dating. The E! story took great pains to say a whole lot of nothing except that we should all be clear Jen’s still with John, but no one should actually expect to see her in public with John. Um, ok. And yet she has no problem with this public charade. It’s all a bit puzzling.

    • TT says:

      Pfft. I watched that video and she barely touches him, she’s trying to move him into the house. It’s not some reassuring, tender hug, she’s trying to usher him along. I feel like there’s enough drama around Ben and his situation without trying to make something out of literally nothing.

  34. sunshine gold says:

    When I see him I feel pangs of sadness – he seems like a really troubled person. Some people are just in the grip of addiction and can’t shake it. I’m sure he wishes his life had turned out differently, but now he’s “that guy” – the late 40s struggling addict Hollywood celeb who chronically dates hot women half his age and searches for his meaning in life.

  35. Andrea says:

    I was an enabler for 3 years in my early 20’s to my alcoholic ex whom I was in love with. I finally cut him loose after a DUI when he could have called me to pick him up, these were pre uber days and taxis were scarce. He appears 15 years later to be still an alcoholic who can’t hold down a job (he is a trust fund kid so money is not an issue). He was a cocaine addict prior to the alcoholism. He is engaged to a woman who equally talks about falling down drunk regularly on social media. I suppose he has met his match. I used to have nightmares about attending his funeral. I really do wish better for him, but like Ben, I don’t see this going anywhere good.