Are you lonesome tonight? Do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we didn't stand apart?
Does your? Hello everybody.
Welcome back to Significant Lovers.
We are your Co host. We are two cousins.
My name is Mel. And I'm Kel.
And yeah, this is a podcast all about relationships, whether
it's in pop culture, modern day or historical couples or
anything in between. We're talking about, yeah,
famous couples, their timeline, our thoughts on their
relationships, and how they relate to us as humans in
general. Yes, any couple is possible.
There's infinite possibilities, really.
And so today's episode, we're picking out where we left off
with Bennifer a couple months ago.
If you haven't listened yet, we've covered Jennifer Lopez and
Ben Affleck, their original relationship from the early
2000s, like 2001 was it till 2004, their broken engagement,
you know, everything that happened with that.
And then we also covered Ben Affleck and his marriage to
Jennifer Gardner. Yes.
Now we're talking about Ben Affleck with Jennifer Lopez when
they reunited in recent history, and this is still a developing
story. Guys, we are recording this on
September 16th and stuff is coming out day by day.
So this episode won't come out for a couple weeks.
So it's possible that more might come out after this is recorded.
Hopefully nothing major, but this is everything that has
happened since they're reunite, since they reunited, and the day
that we're recording it. Crazy Trilogy.
You could say. Yes, yeah.
When we could cover Jennifer Lopez and her other
relationships in between as well 'cause there's a lot with that,
but it just seems like the time to pick back up with these two
'cause they're giving us a lot to talk about right now.
It's true. We've gotten messages from you
guys saying we need to get on the microphone and talk about
it, so we're doing it. It's time.
And I'm gonna give a little content warning because with
most episodes, I feel like I try to be really nice and
understanding towards the couples, you know, even some
couples that have not been the best.
But I feel so bad saying this with this couple.
I had a hard time not being nice but just liking them at all.
So. That might come across in this
episode if you're a huge Bennifer shipper.
I'm so sorry, but I'm I just gotta be honest about this
couple. I.
I thought this was gonna be like a trigger warning, but just
warning. We might not be that nice.
But yeah, I mean, usually, usually I want to be as
sympathetic as possible to people, even people that do bad
things want mostly for modern day people, I feel just bad
because like they could hear it or you know what I mean?
Yeah. And even like historic people,
sometimes you just like get attached to them.
But yeah, I we might be a little biased basically because when I
heard about recent things about Bennifer, I was like, Oh my God,
are you kidding me? Yeah.
So. My take on them is either they
are stupid or they think that we are stupid and we'll get more
into that. But yeah, I find them pretty
annoying. The three words that I would use
to describe them are cringe, forced, and ridiculous.
All of the green negative usually we have like the last
ones negative. I'm sorry, compliment sandwich,
but yeah, my. Take on this couple is I do
think that they're stuck in the early 2000s and that very
traditional approach to celebrity and publicity.
And I think that's all they know, maybe because that's the
time period that they came up in.
But it's really annoying because they're always complaining about
the attention, but I think they're very obviously calling
the paparazzi and doing things that they know will get
attention. It's just doing things that are
representative of a bygone era that they started in.
But it annoys me because it's like I said, as if they think
that we're stupid. Like they're both trying to re
energize their careers by resurrecting this relationship
that fueled their stardom 20 years ago.
And I find it honestly kind of sad because even though there
are some positive articles about them and there are some hardcore
shippers, it's not a believable story.
Like we see right through them, especially with Ben Affleck's
face all the time and how miserable he looks.
And just like we know too much about their own baggage for them
to, like, sell us this great love story that they think
they're selling, I guess. But where does it begin?
So we're going back to April 2021.
Jennifer Lopez and A Rod have officially announced their
breakup a month after calling off their engagement.
Jlo and A Rod had been together for almost 4 years and the two
of them were very, very public about their relationship and
their blended family. A Rod had two daughters, Jlo has
two twins, and they seemed like a pretty happy family together.
I actually thought that her and A Rod like seemed to work
together. They both were from New York.
They both were Latino. They both Who?
Who is a rod for our European listeners who might not know?
Sorry, a Rod is a professional baseball player.
I would say he's actually like one of the last like celebrity
baseball players that we've had in recent history.
He's dated a lot of high profile people, but he's most known for
playing on the New York Yankees. And yeah, Jlo's famously from
New York. I thought that that seemed cute
together. They both have like their
nicknames are their first initial and then a little bit of
their last name. Like I just thought it made
sense. But sources say that their
breakup have been a long time coming but mostly seem to have
been triggered by cheating rumors.
A little context. A model and personality TV
personality named Madison Lacroix, who was from ATV show
called Southern Belles, went public claiming that a rod had
been pursuing her on Instagram, sliding into her DMS and
offering to fly her out to Miami to be a side chick.
So that's pretty bad. I understand why Jennifer would
break up with Alex. They tried to make it work for a
little bit, but ultimately she broke up with him because she
couldn't trust him, which is understandable.
So then you get with Ben Affleck I.
Know that's what's understandable like OK, I'm
breaking up with someone because I think they might have cheated
on me so I'm going to get with the guy that cheated on me 20
years ago who I know. Also cheated on Sense.
Yeah, and I know he also cheated on his wife and mother of his
children with the nanny. Like why would you trust this
guy more? I don't know.
I guess I will say to give her a little benefit of the doubt or
whatever. Sometimes when you are
heartbroken over someone, it can be therapeutic in a way to make
yourself heartbroken over somebody else.
So yeah, maybe that was a distraction.
Yeah. So she's not really wasting any
time. She, soon after that, days
later, is spotted coming and going or Ben Affleck is spotted
coming and going out of it. Jennifer's Bel Air house on
numerous occasions, but there's one instance when he's
photographed and sources are claiming that they're just
friends and that apparently Ben had reached out to Jlo after she
heard about the breakup and just wanted to see that she was OK.
Weird. When is that ever?
Yeah, what the heck? You hear that your ex has gone
through a breakup and you just reach out as a friend.
I know you OK. Yeah, obviously it wasn't very
innocent. Then in May, both Jen and Ben
had a week off of work, and they decided to spend it together at
Ben's house in Montana. And a source tells PEOPLE it's
all been quick and intense, but they're happy.
Yeah. Then they're photographed
together in Miami at Jennifer Lopez's gym there.
And then a week later, she's seen leaving his house in LA.
So then she just got divorced. Oh, she's not divorced, but she
just broke up her engagement. OK.
But so that just happened, yes, just happened.
And her and a rod were like living together.
And like I said, their families were like super close, basically
married. They they were cohabitating.
At this time, sources are saying that their relationship is very
serious and that they are discussing their future
together. How could it be serious already
I. Know way too fast and it's not
like you're picking up where you left off because you left off
like almost 20 years ago, before you even had kids, before you
had these separate marriages. Like it's kind of like you're
starting from scratch. Yeah.
So then in June, the first photos come out of them kissing.
So, you know, we know that they are together and people are
freaking out like, this is a big story in the tabloids.
It's almost reminds me of like a reboot.
Like Oh my God, I never thought that TV show would come back
after all these years. It's.
Cool, but it's almost like a fan fiction in a way, you know?
Yeah, I feel like I'm back in high school.
Yeah. Everything's right again.
Like, we would be freaking out obviously if Robson got back
together, but how genuine would that really be when people want
it so badly, you know? That would be crazy.
Yeah. That's a whole other
conversation. I would be sad for sure.
At this time, a writer for Vogue, Raven Smith, releases an
article titled Why Bennifer Matters, And I think that this
excerpt was kind of interesting, she says.
Much has changed since their original dalliance.
Jlo has twins and Ben's acquired their mass that massive Dragon
Tattoo. But as a couple, they nearly
predate the Internet, reminding us of the organic way we
function pre apps. Sorry to be a snap, but this
final brilliant part of the story is love itself.
We're all human and as we rebuild and grow, no matter how
hard we try not to allow it, no matter how much we we fall in
love with someone new, we all think of the one that got away.
You've pictured your what if person as if you read this.
I'm sure the business the business can be completely
finished with no loose ends. But we all have a what if
someone out there wondering wandering the planet without us.
It's not painful, just passed and we're resigned to it.
But Ben and Jen are a slim hope that the past doesn't have to
lay doormat, that one day, years from now, you and your what if
might be in a circumstance that lets you love again.
Whoa, interesting. I mean, what are the odds of
that this couple is like allowing all these people to
feel that like kind of fan fiction type of excitement in a
way. I don't know how genuine that
is. Yeah, and even though that
sounds romantic, I mean, it happened because other
relationships ended, you know, a divorce.
And it wasn't like just as happy story.
And I feel like that article makes it sound like ohh, like
you could end up with your what if.
But I'm assuming a lot of people are like married and that's why
they are not with their what if. So, you know, it's kind of
weird. I know.
And, like, the happy story would maybe be that like, yeah, your
divorce doesn't happen or like, yeah.
Hey, maybe you'll get divorced and then you can end up with
your wife and. Yeah, I know.
That's sad. I also find a little, I mean,
yeah, it doesn't really matter how long you date somebody.
But like Jen, Jennifer Lopez, she she was actually engaged
twice before she was originally a game engaged to Ben Affleck.
She had been married twice before him and she even had a 10
year relationship with her high school sweetheart who she didn't
even end up marrying before Ben Affleck.
So like she had like 3 pretty significant relationships before
him that it's like interesting to think like, oh, you know,
from her younger days, like that broken engagement, she had three
full intense relationships before that.
And then like a marriage and a broken engagement after that.
So it's kind of funny to be like, oh, he's the one that got
away. Because that could be several
people. Yeah, exactly.
But I don't know. I also think it's kind of
unrealistic because if a relationship doesn't work out
the first time, it's, I don't know, a risk to think that it
would years later. And it's like weird to I don't
know to for that writer, not no shade to her, but to say, Oh,
it's hope that your what if might work out.
It's like, oh, you mean the guy that cheated on you, like
engaged. I don't know, especially now,
like their lives are more complicated than they were years
before. But this was, I should have
asked this on the Patreon, but it was a question I was thinking
about with this couple is like, at what point does a complicated
history only complicate your present in a way?
Like some people you might have a complicated history with and
you that like intensifies your bond, but you wouldn't be with
them otherwise. Like the person that they are
right now isn't really up to your standard, but it's just the
history that's driving that connection.
But you're asking at what point does the history make it not
possible to have a relationship? Yeah, like at what point is the
history detrimental to the relationship more so than it
adds value? I feel like sometimes if there's
something related to your family or your friends or something
that like being with that person would cause issues, you know,
from the like if, if it really is making your present more
difficult by being with somebody, that that's when I
think the past can make it impossible to make it the
future, if that makes any sense. Yeah.
Especially when everybody in your life hates that person.
No, Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know.
What do you think about that? I mean This is why I didn't ask
Patreon because I feel like there's just too like the
patreons on Patreon but I feel like it's too hard to summarize.
But maybe when you don't really trust that person anymore, like
you have baggage from things that might have happened.
I totally get that. Like a history, I think, like a
complicated history, I think sometimes might make someone
hold on for too long because they want everything that
they've gone through with that person to be worth something and
like. Yeah.
When you overcome things, that can make you stronger, but at
some point I think it might create unnecessary hurdles that
you otherwise wouldn't have with someone that you're starting
fresh with. There's so much to that.
I know I'm moving pretty fast though.
Jen made their relationship Instagram official in July when
she made a post celebrating her 57th birthday.
And in the photos, like she's showing off her ABS, she's
wearing a bikini and the second the 3rd post in she's kissing
Ben which I found like kind of egotistical too.
I don't know. Yeah, like me, me.
Oh, here's the supposed love of my life.
Or. Whatever, me, me.
Like the first couple photos, it's like she wants people to be
like, Oh my God, she's 52 and she has a body like that.
And then, and she knows that's what people are thinking, and
then she knows that people are going to go crazy when they see
that third picture. Oh my gosh, yeah.
And it's like, I don't know if the fame and the publicity is
the reason why you guys broke up originally in the 1st place.
Why are you showing it off that quickly?
Three months is not that. Like you could wait a minute.
Some people don't even like post anything on Instagram for like a
couple of years into their relationship.
Oh well, we've talked about this, talking about this.
I think a few years is too long. A few years is too long, but
it's like a celebrity. It's.
Different celebrity is different, yeah.
Because like, that was a huge problem for them before, so why
wouldn't you like try to be more private?
I'm sorry to be a bitch, but this is what people mean when
they say work on yourself. Like reflect, change.
You know this is kind of changing what you were saying.
You know? If publicity is what ruined
their relationship the first time, why would you just dive in
and do the same exact thing again?
Yeah, exactly. And they keep doing it more so.
Then for her birthday they celebrated in San Tropez and
there at the club they are very heavy on the CDA and they're
seen singing her song. Jenny from the blog.
Yep. I know and he's got like all
alcoholism issues. Doesn't seem mature.
Meanwhile, they're photographed together on a yacht, which is
decorated with framed photos of them from earlier in their
relationship, like. That is insane.
Who goes on vacation and brings photos to display?
That's crazy. Like it's not like it's their
permanent yacht. They're like renting it or
something. Like why would you bring photos
to like a hotel or something? Are they still in Saint Tropez?
Cause I've heard that if you ever see celebrity photos on a
trip like that, that means that they were called or like told
about this ahead of time 'cause why?
I don't. Maybe I'm wrong, but I wouldn't
think there's like round the clock paparazzi in Saint Tropez
for American celebrities, you know what I mean?
I don't think yeah exactly IA 100% in stage because then on
the gut there's paparazzi that shoots a photo of them
recreating the iconic Ask grab shot from the Jenny from the
Block music video. It's so fake.
Do you think we're stupid? They know that people are going
to be eating that up. Like, Oh my God, look, it's it's
benefit from the past right now, benefit from the block.
Like they know we're going to be doing the side by side photos.
And it's, it literally does feel like it's like a 90s reboot
coming back and like that people are just like hungry for it.
But OK, are they like actually together though, and they're
just playing up their celebrity? Maybe, but I don't even know how
you have that conversation like I.
Know I cannot wrap my head around like so-called PR
relationships. Yeah.
Like how that actually goes down.
I mean I I would be willing to bet that they were like actually
hooking up and like together and stuff, but how?
I just don't get how that goes. I feel like that would take away
the romance from it, knowing that everything that you're
doing is also has an ulterior motive and for other people to
see. Yeah, I feel like it would take
two really egotistical people to the town with that.
Yeah. And I wrote in my notes, like, I
was like, I find this so egotistical.
Like, even though I love Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, I
love them as a couple. I would not really buy it if 30
years from now they got back together and we're deliberately
recreating images and moments that they knew was popular.
During the Twilight era, you know, like, I would not find
that genuine. So strange, Oh my.
God, I don't know, like what the like they go to can and they're
like making out on a rooftop or something like, hey, obviously
you know that that's not real. He like climbs up in a tree and
then leans down to her. And I hope that I would not fall
for it. If they didn't, I might.
I might be just too excited. And I really, I don't get it
because Ben Affleck supposedly is the one who hated media
attention and couldn't handle it the first time.
So like, why would you be going along with this now?
Just out of desperation? So then in September, they
attend the Met Gala together and they pose for picture kissing
through their masks. In October, Throughout that
month, Jennifer is away in Canada filming a Netflix movie
called The Mother, which is a which this time it's apparently
hard on their relationship because they're apart from each
other. And then for Thanksgiving, she
flies back to LA to spend time with Ben and her twins, Max and
Emmy. And then he also spends separate
time at home with his own children.
Speaking of, I have to wonder what Jennifer Garner is thinking
throughout all of this. I know I I read that she was
just like happy for him or not happy for him, but she was over
him to the point where like she didn't really care.
Almost like she was relieved that like now he's Jennifer
Lopez's problem. But I think honestly, it would
be hard for the kids. Like I'm just imagining if my
parents broke up and then like one of my parents got back with
their ex from earlier. I know we talked about this in
the episode with Jennifer Gardner, but like from a kids
perspective, it would almost feel like, well, did you ever
really love my mom or or love my dad?
Because were you thinking about that other person the whole
time? Yeah, I know.
So how old are the kids now? If you had to guess, it's OK if
you don't know the exact age, but.
Right now his kids are 18. Like right now as the time we're
recording this, he has an 18 year old, a 15 year old and a 12
year old and she has 216 year olds.
So at this time they're like three years younger than that.
So teens are pre preteens. So they're still young, like
still the age where you need your parents around.
So I also have to wonder like that's I don't know if they
would have heard about this, but it's just weird like, oh, why is
dad like out on a yacht in Europe?
Well, you know. Ben Affleck actually did say
something about it when he went on The Howard Stern Show.
He was like, all I care about is my kids and how this effects
their kids. And he's like, I know they're
not immune to it. He's like, I know that, like,
kids at school say things to them and like, talk about how
I'm in the tabloids. That has to be hard for the kids
because it's not like they're taking things slow and easing
them into it. Like it's happening very, very
quickly. And I feel particularly bad for
Jennifer Lopez's kids because they had these two other
basically step sisters through her relationship with a Rod, who
they were very close with. They all lived together, they
traveled together and then very quickly now they have three
different basically step siblings.
You have to have like a blended family again.
And that's hard. Like I've never gone through
that. But I can't imagine having like
step siblings and then your parents get divorced because
what does that mean for your relationship?
And to have to do that like multiple times seems like it
would be kind of. Traumatic.
That seems really hard. The stars and their children, I
know. I also wrote my notes like it
did did remind me. I know I mentioned this before
when we did the Pete and Ariana episode, but it really reminded
me of them again because there's like a new article about them
every single day and every single article mentions the
projects that they're working on or the projects that are coming
out right now. So like there is so much
promotion for all of their stuff at the same time.
Strange. And then in December, Ben goes
on Howard Stern so take a drink and he talks about why him and
Jen broke up the first time. He said.
I would say that media attention was about 50% of what just
destroyed our relationship. The idea that people hate you
and they hate you together and that being together is poison
and ugly and toxic and the thing none of us want to be a part of.
And who the fuck would want to have them to dinner and what the
fuck are they doing together? He was like very aware of what
people thought and that that got in the way.
I think they had other problems too.
I guess I was just going to say like, I don't know why that
would ruin your relationship, but like, I don't know, why
should they care what other people think?
I mean, what about like gay couples?
You know, they have to deal with that all the time getting shit
from people and people can make it through.
So I mean, I know it's like different to be famous, but it
seems really hard to be famous. But they obviously had other
problems. I but I think what I'm
interpreting by that is like we said, like, like we said, these
are pretty egotistical people, so they care a lot about what
people think, yeah. And.
Yeah. Oh, I just remember from your
episode, like part one, that that was around the time like
their movie Geely Whatever didn't do good and that their
career was kind of taking tanking.
So it was more than their relationship I think.
Yeah, exactly. I think when a relationship is
no longer financially beneficial for them, it starts to sour.
But so then in February 2022, Jlo is on the cover of People
magazine to promote her upcoming movie Marry Me.
And the cover line is Jennifer in love.
And in the article, she explains why her relationship with Ben
now works better, better than it did previously.
And she says, we're older now, we're smarter, we have more
experience. We're at different places in our
lives. We have kids now and we have, we
have to be very conscious of those things.
It's a beautiful outcome that this has happened in this way at
this time in our lives where we really can appreciate and
celebrate each other and respect each other.
We always did. But we have even more of an
appreciation because we know that we can take that, that life
can take you in different directions.
So as mentioned, Jennifer is promoting her new movie Marry
Me. So of course, Ben and Jen are
posing in front of posters that say Marry Me at this time on the
red carpet. And this is obviously fueling
engagement rumors. And so then, of course, two
months later, guess what? They really do get engaged.
Oh. My.
Goodness. She shared the news in an e-mail
newsletter to her fans. She said.
Well, at my favorite place on earth, in the bubble bath, my
beautiful love got on one knee and proposed.
I was taken totally off guard and just looked in his eyes,
smiling and crying at the same time, trying hard to get my head
around the fact that after 20 years this was happening all
over again. I was quite literally speechless
and he said is that a yes? I said yes, of course.
That's a yes. Like he's a scumbag.
I'm sorry. Again, about with the ulterior
motives here, like, I don't find it very romantic that you're
telling us in a newsletter, an e-mail newsletter.
If it really was genuine, why aren't you just like letting, I
don't know, like rumors swirl and then like a Rep confirms or
denies. Like it just seems odd to me.
I I would like if these are different people in different
circumstances. I would think this is really,
really sweet and romantic. I do love people reuniting like
that kind of story, but it just doesn't seem smart.
I was just, when this was happening in real time and I was
hearing about it. I was just all throughout.
I was just saying, are you kidding me?
I know. No, because I don't believe that
Ben has probably done the healing that he needs to do from
all the shit that he's put people through before.
And yeah, there's no time that these people worked on
themselves at all. This is actually Jennifer's
sixth time getting engaged. 6th time. 6th time like I said,
she's gotten engaged like 2 years earlier.
What the heck is the psychology behind that?
I know what even is engaged to someone that has been engaged to
six times. I know how big of a deal is.
I mean, obviously you're downsizing a little bit.
You're like, now I'm Naked in the tub.
Yeah. But it would be ridiculous in a
way if it was like an over the top engagement.
Yeah, 'cause like, Oh my God, lady, like, how many times can
you do this? But what were you going to say?
Well. Actually, her first engagement
to Ben I think also wasn't that big of a deal.
I think he was like, what? Wasn't it at the house and he
had like roses or something? Oh yeah, you're right, you're
right. Playing her song, which was kind
of weird. Yes, yes, but they barely knew
each other at that point as well.
Yeah, like I think it was when she first met his family.
Yes. Which to me she's kind of
rushed, but it's actually her 7th time being proposed to
because on an episode of Carpool Karaoke she revealed that she
had also rejected a couple proposals in the past.
And just like based off the math of what she said, we can assume
that another person had proposed to her at some point that she
said no to. So I mean that's crazy. 7 times
she's gone through that once in a lifetime experience.
No shit. I know it happens to people a
couple times, but once you get to that time it's like, OK,
obviously something is not going right after after the thing of
the yes and the getting married. Like at some point you have to
do something like introspective work and maybe it is like you're
not picking the right people. I wonder.
It's so like Elizabeth Taylor in a way.
I wonder if what she'll do now and if she'll just kind of stop
'cause that's what Elizabeth Taylor did.
Like she had all her husbands and then at some point when she
was older, you know, she just was single the rest of her life.
So I mean, I hate to like be shitting on Jennifer here 'cause
Ben's the problem, but like, that's kind of the point.
It's like if you had gone through this like bad
relationship you just got out of on, why would you go back to
someone who's like a walking red flag like Ben Affleck?
Yeah. I mean, he's he is the red flag,
yes. But yeah, I know.
So I'm not. I'm not saying it's like her
problem completely, but she should know better.
Yeah, yeah, from a mile away, we know it's not going to work.
And don't, don't sit there and tell us about the kids.
It's all about the kids you want.
And you don't give a shit about the kids because otherwise you
would not be in this relationship in the first place.
I would like to like ask the listeners, I'm not sure when
maybe some episode or I don't know if I should say it right
now, but it, you know, it's been something that I've struggled
with. But when do you tell a friend or
something that like you don't think it's a good idea or?
I know, yes. Yeah, it's hard to do.
Yeah, it's really hard. For celebrities, it's probably
even harder because they're probably surrounded by a lot of
yes people. So just three months after
getting engaged, they eloped in a surprise wedding in Vegas.
So like, again, didn't you say like we have to be more cautious
for the kids? Like, why isn't that moving so
fast? What is the rush here?
Her kids were present, but his weren't even there because they
just did it spur the moment. And his kids were away at summer
camp, which I feel like would be very upsetting for them.
Be like what you just like did this without even warning us
like you just got married after that a couple.
This is like a couple months into the future.
Jennifer actually goes on Jimmy Kimmel to promote her upcoming
romantic comedy called Shotgun Wedding which.
Is that? Crazy.
Like she gets engaged around the promotion of her film Marry Me
Yeah. And she gets married very
quickly around the promotion of her film Shotgun.
Wedding Mel, I did not know that.
That's really weird. Like surreal.
I didn't know that she was like mirroring her movies.
Yes, in her life. That's why I feel like this has
to be staged, because what are the odds that it would line up
with your projects like that? Dick.
That's creepy. I know.
Yeah, 'cause it's like you read these articles where she like,
talks about something having to do with her relationship with
Ben. And then the last paragraph will
be and Jennifer Lopez new movie is coming out and it's like has
a title that like mimics whatever is happening with Ben.
Like it's like too good. It does seem so old fashioned,
almost like 1950s in a way, 'cause I feel like people would
always starring movies that like kind of reflected their life.
That does seem like an old school, really old school way of
being a celebrity if. I mean, maybe it's just a crazy
coincidence, but I would think not.
Yeah, it's too good to be true. And then on the show, she said
that it was Ben's idea for them to elope before their big
wedding day because they were busy planning it, and that she
was experiencing a little bit of PTSD from their first wedding
falling apart. So he said, let's just go to
Vegas today and get married to eliminate the pressure of the
anticipation, which kind of seems like a good idea.
But like I said, it's kind of shitty that then his kids were
left out of that. Yeah.
Well, so then they did have their big wedding in August,
which again, like even that is a pretty to me.
I still think that's a shotgun wedding.
Like, they got engaged in April, they're getting married in
August, They have a big wedding ceremony and reception on Ben's
87 acre island in Savannah, GA. Jennifer wore a custom Ralph
Lauren dress with cap sleeves and open back cut out, a flowing
train and ruffled detail and a very dramatic veil.
And all the guests also were told to wear white.
There were three days of activities and the wedding
concluded with a big romantic fireworks show.
And then the newlyweds jetted off to Italy for their
honeymoon. And there are some very high
rise photos of them taken by Pop High res photos taken by
paparazzi where they're all dressed up and walking hand in
hand and they look in love and stylish and very cute.
But then there's more grainy, authentic pictures that come out
that appear to show Ben crying and looking very distressed.
And Jennifer seems to be comforting him.
So it's just very different from, like, this, like, big love
story and like, happy ending that they're trying to sell us.
And around this time, sources are saying that Ben is having a
hard time with the media attention on their relationship.
I don't know why I don't buy that.
I know because it sounds like. Another problem.
Yeah. Jarring though.
Yeah. The contrast between the high
resolution so happy pictures and Oh my gosh.
I know I, I feel like they weren't prepared with how much
people would be on to them. Then in October of that year,
there are reports that Ben and Jen are already butting heads
over Ben's bad habits, including his failure to clean up after
himself and his smoking. Then in December, Jennifer
shared in her fan newsletter that the couple had a big
blended family holiday celebration and that all of
their Christmas decorations were Hummingbird themed in light of
her upcoming single Hummingbird. Oh my goodness, so
self-centered, I know. Like it's just like it really is
like so old fashioned to be blending all these career.
Yeah. Aspects of your life with your
romantic life and personal life in this way, why should
Christmas. Be about your professional
project. And it's so self-centered for
the kids too. It's like what?
Why do we care what mom's song is?
I know I didn't have a normal Christmas.
Yeah, I was thinking it too, because I was like, it's kind of
ironic that she has this newsletter in a way to like,
connect with her fans and be close to her fans to sell her
products and her movies and her music.
But honestly, it's so unrelatable that you even have a
different themed Christmas, the core every single year.
Like most people go into their attic or yeah, they like pull
out the same stuff and like it's nostalgic and it's a tradition.
Like that's so weird to what even is like Hummingbird themed
Christmas decoration. I know.
Are there pictures of that? I don't even understand.
I don't think what that would look like.
Oh my gosh, that is so not Christmas at all too, at least
in the northern hemisphere. I know it's confusing the
southern hemisphere too, but you know, you wouldn't like see
Hummingbird, at least where we live.
Like you wouldn't see hummingbirds out.
Like that just doesn't make any sense.
Oh, she has like jewelry That's Hummingbird stuff.
I think the tree is decorated with hummingbirds.
Oh my goodness, we actually do have, funny enough, a
Hummingbird ornament my family. So I guess I take it back.
Yeah. I just remembered.
Just the fact that she's telling us like it's a case.
You just have some things for yourself and your family.
And then you probably remember this.
It's February 2023 now and there is an awkward moment at the
Grammys when Trevor Noah, who's the host, is talking and they
didn't seem to know that the camera was on them.
And Ben whispers something in her ear.
And then she seemingly reprimands him and she actually
hits him in the chest and rolls her eyes like she looks
genuinely angry. That's not flirty.
And then he seems to angrily pout.
And then he like, addresses tie. And then Jen turns and she
notices the that the cameras are on her and her eyes look so big
like they get like horrified. And then she completely code
switches and pretends to laugh at whatever Trevor just said.
But it's the kind of laugher. No, you know, she didn't hear
what Trevor said. She's just laughing because she
heard other people laughing. And she's like, oh shit, I have
to act normal now. And Ben still has this like
grumpy distance stare on his face at this point.
And I don't know if this is real, but the Daily Mail hires a
lip reader to interpret what they said to each other.
And allegedly she said look more friendly, look motivated.
And he said, he said, I might. So some people assume that maybe
he was drinking again and that she was maybe scolding him for
that because we do know that his alcohol issues.
He later said to The Hollywood Reporter, I saw Trevor Noah and
I was like, oh God, they were framing us in the shop, but I
didn't know that they were rolling.
And I leaned into her and I was like, as soon as they start
rolling, I'm going to slide away from you and leave you sitting
next to Trevor. She goes, you better fucking not
leave. That's a husband and wife thing.
So maybe it's like. Just like regular banter but I
don't know it just look. The code switching I think is
what makes it look super funny and like they were caught in the
ACT because like her eyes just look so horrified when she sees
that they're on camera. In a way I do feel a little
sympathy for them in that moment because like that does suck, but
you can't just like be a little annoyed at your partner at some
event and you have to, you feel like you need to be smiling and
happy and everything. Yeah, totally.
And I feel bad for Ben in that regard because he said that the
fact that people assumed that he was drinking again made him feel
guilty forever, even being open about his alcohol issues.
Like he was like, you try to be open about things to like lessen
the stigma, but then then your whole life people are going to
be wondering if you're relapsing.
That is tough. So I feel bad for him with that,
but it is a funny clip. And then in February, also for
Valentine's Day, the couple got matching commitment tattoos,
which are crossed arrows, kind of like an Infinity sign.
And it says BB and J you. Sure about that.
All right. I know, we know how that goes.
Every time, I think, I'm pretty sure every time we've mentioned
tattoos, like with a couple, it hasn't gone well.
Yeah, but I'm sure there have been couples we covered that
have tattoos and it's fine and we just didn't mention it.
But it's happened a few times on this podcast.
OK, so the in that same interview Ben talks about the
media attention more and he says she as in Jennifer, she thinks
that because of the experiences that I've had I've become very
guarded. And she's right.
I view these things as landmines where if you say 1 wrong thing
your career might be over. So she tells me today, relax, be
yourself, have fun. You're actually a fun guy who is
real and genuine, and you just seem so serious.
Do I seem serious? But as in many things, she's
really right and she loves me. She's looking out for me.
She's trying to help me. So it's like, maybe I ought to
fucking listen to her. Then says it is kind of
interesting that he does seem to have such a issue with press,
but she presses him to be more open because I think that's just
not a relatable issue that a lot of people have.
It's being guarded about people in general is very different
about being guarded about media attention.
But yeah. And then in May, paparazzi catch
footage of Jen and Ben getting into a car.
And once again, he looks visibly grumpy, very grumpy.
And when he opens the door for Jennifer to get in, he angrily
closes it shut, like, he kind of slams it in her face.
But you can maybe assume that he's upset that paparazzi is
there in general. She's probably calling them.
Exactly, and maybe I'm ignorant but I feel like why aren't you
just at your house in Montana if you really hate paparazzi that
much? Like why are you in places where
paparazzi would be? Right.
I mean, ever since throwback to an episode a while ago, but
Samantha Ronson said Lindsay Lohan called paparazzi.
So people do it, yes. So it's a thing.
And Jlo just seems like the type that would.
Yeah. But honestly, like, he had that
relationship, too, with Anna de Armas or whatever.
And he was also photographed with her a lot.
But like, if you watch the videos, they're walking super
slow, like on walks, like in their neighborhood in a way that
I'm like, someone probably called the paparazzi in that
situation, Yeah. I know I don't.
I don't know if I buy that he actually hates the paparazzi.
Yeah. Or like OK maybe he does, but he
still is willing to do it for his career if that makes sense.
Yeah, like maybe his team is calling the paparazzi.
Yeah, I think. He I think he is consenting to
it or like knows about it. Maybe he doesn't technically
like the experience, but he wants the benefits of it.
So yeah, kind of like how a lot of us have to do things we don't
want to do for work. True.
But we would argue, like, I think that's kind of optional.
Like, I think you must have a lot of money by now.
Like you could pull it back a little if you wanted to, but it
seems like he doesn't. Yeah, I just like, what are the
odds to like, I know paparazzi are probably, they're probably
always in some locations like or close by and maybe the airport
or outside like a Hollywood studio or something.
But what are the odds that they would always be like know where
you are every single day I. Find it so weird?
Have you ever seen paparazzi in New York?
I don't think so, no. I I know you saw it in Italy,
right? But yeah, I never, I mean, I
didn't live in like downtown Manhattan, but I never saw them
in New York either. It's just, it's weird.
I wonder if anyone listening if you live in LA, like do you ever
see them like camped out somewhere?
Just curious how it works. Maybe they're just really good
at hiding, but I feel like if you've ever even tried to, like
there's some celebrities where I've had tabs on them all the
time. Obviously Rob and Kristen in my
younger days, I knew where they were at most times.
Not like they were exactly like I knew the state that they were
in most days because I just was a huge fan and I wouldn't be
able to tell you like if they were going to a coffee shop or
they're like regular day-to-day whereabouts.
Like that would be so hard to figure out.
We have tried purposefully to like see celebrities before and
didn't like it's hard, you can just happen across them, but
it's really hard to actually like wait around somewhere and
see somebody so. So what I don't get paparazzi
would be like, in the right place at the right time.
Like someone has to be tipping them off.
Yeah, unless they're just waiting outside their house,
which is creepy, but yeah. But yeah, the ones where they're
just like, yeah, going to a coffee shop, like, how did they
know? Yeah.
Yeah, and then in this video, like they're getting into a
parked car somewhere. So I mean, maybe someone saw
them at like a restaurant or something, but it just seems
odd. So that same month, Ben and Jen
attended the premiere of her film Mother.
And on the red carpet, Ben, first of all, he looks terrible.
I hate to say that but his face is very red and his skin is
puffy and his eyes look very sunken in like he just doesn't.
Oh no. He looks very tired and they're
posing and Jen kisses him like she's doing kind of the fake
laugh, like she's really like playing up the pictures.
And then he whispers something in her ear and then she kisses
him again. And then he puts his face in her
face and he seems to be saying something very intensely in a
pretty angry manner. He doesn't look like chill at
all. The Daily Mail hired a lip
reader who apparently said that they are merely talking about
where they're going to stand and like, take pictures.
So maybe there's not much to it. Maybe just being in that setting
like stresses him out. But it definitely, especially in
photographs, like it looks like he's yelling at her, but maybe
that's just how he naturally is. I don't know.
Kind of scary. I know.
So then in June, they bought a $61 million home in a gated
community in Beverly Hills. So at least they're like in a
gated community at this point. Then in September.
So skipping ahead, Ben is photographed seemingly engaging
in an intimate embrace with his ex-wife, Jennifer Gardner and a
car. The two of them are smiling with
him resting his head on Jennifer's shoulder.
Interesting. Then the next day, sources say
that, well, first of all, the next day, at this point, Ben and
Jennifer Lopez, they actually haven't been photographed
together in over a month, but then they're photographed the
day after this or the day after that, so.
What are the odds? I know exactly and so a source
close to the couple say that Jlo is absolutely furious and feels
like she's been blindsided by these pictures.
Bens been insisting they were completely innocent and that Jlo
he does believe him, but he's also been unrepentant.
He keeps saying that Jennifer, as in Jennifer Gardner, is like
a sister at this point, and if Jlo's going to get jealous and
throw tantrums over a harmless cuddle, then the problem is on
her. Oh, that's a tricky situation, I
know. On both sides.
Ben, be for real. Your ex-wife is never going to
be like your sister, especially she.
Has kids together. I know I do.
I mean, we don't know these people, but I would believe that
Jennifer Gardner is truly over him.
And it wasn't romantic. And they both share kids
together. You got to have some kind of
familial bond, I bet. I bet it was just a cozy family
thing, but I can get Jlo's perspective.
I I would be pretty upset too. I think so, yeah.
That's a tough one. Yeah, I wouldn't love it.
But then, like, a week and a half later, Ben and Jennifer, as
in Jennifer Lopez, are photographed having a seemingly
tense conversation in their car. And like, maybe they're just
talking about something else, like some shared thing that
they're both stressed out about, you know, like some work drama
or something. But they do just both look so
serious, like they look angry. Interesting.
Do you think because we've been talking about like, oh, it seems
like they want attention. Do you think they want attention
for drama too? Or do you think this is purely
just a coincidence, like they got caught by paparazzi?
That's a good question. I think maybe I, I think they
might like, like the roller coaster aspect that their
original love story had the highs and the lows.
So maybe they do want people to think that, you know, like, once
you're engaged and married, what are the storylines now, you
know? That's true.
I don't know. It's tough.
It's tough because sometimes it feels like it's intentional and
then other times not. Yeah, because like, obviously
paparazzi is here and we're like, Oh yeah, obviously they
called the paparazzi. But like in these photos, are
they calling the paparazzi? There must be somewhere they're
not. Yeah, I don't know.
We don't know. I mean, maybe they did call the
paparazzi and they got in a fight by the time maybe she.
Called them and he was like, what the fuck?
Yeah, She was like, no, wait, let's stay in the car for a bit
because there might be photographers.
That's true. And he's like, are you serious?
And then they start getting into all their problems with each
other. Honestly, I.
That, that is what happened. So yeah.
Then in November, Jenna's interviewed by Vogue and about
her relationship with Ben. She says I feel even more
relaxed and comfortable, which makes me feel even more
beautiful than I have ever felt with someone else.
Every part of me, my body, my choice, my voice, even my
mistakes. Like I don't know I'm.
Sorry, that's so self-centered. I can't imagine saying something
like that. Yeah, I don't just I feel
beautiful, like me, me, me because of my relationship.
It's just weird. I know I could say like, oh,
someone else, like they help me, you know, feel beautiful or
something. But also it's like saying I feel
more relaxed. Like, OK, we've seen so many
photos now that don't look very relaxed.
So in December of last year, ahead of the promotion of her
new documentary film titled This Is Me Now, Jennifer gave an
interview to Variety. And she revealed that her and
Ben still both have PTSD, but the media frenzy that they had
experienced years ago. And she says, but we're older
now, we're wiser. We also know what's what.
We also know what's important, what's really important in life.
And it's not so much what other people think.
It's about being true to who you are.
I don't know. I just feel like if you really
had PTSD like you wouldn't be together in the first place.
It's a lot of fuss but I feel like you need the attention more
than ever. No offense but you're in your
50s and I hate ageism in Hollywood too.
But like I I feel like they are desperate for attention at this
point so I'm not really buying it.
No IA 100% agree. I think that, like I said with
the whole reboot, like a reboot is often an actor to revive
their career. And I think that's what they're
doing here. They're like, OK, like we really
don't want to be like, you know, on the on the outs in Hollywood.
We don't want people to forget about us.
So we're going to force them to remember this time when they
loved us. Yeah, yeah, 'cause I, I, I just
don't think people were like obsessed with Jennifer Lopez in
recent years. And, and that's hard and kind of
sad to witness happen. And I think it happens to
everybody that's a celebrity. But I don't think she was like
on, you know, the people's top choice for cover of magazine or
like who people are following. I mean, it was more like the
younger people, you know, like Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez and
all these people. And I don't think people were
that crazy about them recently. So I just don't really buy it.
No, they were definitely growing tired of her.
And I think unfortunately with this relationship, she didn't
realize that people were going to get sick of her more, a lot
of people. Yeah.
So then in this current year, 2024, in January, Jen is on the
red carpet and ET asks her about, you know, why are people
so worried about Ben's face all the time?
You know, she looks so angry. And she goes, Ben is fine.
You do not need to worry about Ben.
And she laughs. And, you know, I think her
response is kind of cute, but is it believable?
Like, does he really just have a resting grumpy face?
I don't know. And so then in February, Ben is
featured heavily in her documentary This Is Me Now.
And he says about getting back together.
He says, listen, one of the things I don't want is a
relationship on social media. We're just two people with
different kinds of approaches trying to learn to compromise,
which is interesting because, like, they are heavily on social
media. And then Jennifer says, I don't
think Ben is very comfortable with me doing all of this, but
he loves me. He knows I'm an artist and he's
going to support me in every way he can because he knows you
can't stop me from making the music I made.
He doesn't want to stop me, but that doesn't mean he's
comfortable being my muse, which is, I don't know, like, I don't
even think Jlo writes her own song and.
Yeah, Drew. It's not like he is the
inspiration behind, like behind the songs, like he's in the
documentary, he's in the paparazzi photos, in the
Instagram post, in the newsletter.
Like it's more than just like the songs are inspired by him.
Yeah. It's the the public image is
curated around the relationship. I almost think that like Ben
probably reached out because he could like after current a rod
broke up. Yes.
Like he just hit her up, took almost like a win in a way and
like didn't think through like what that relationship actually
meant. Probably not.
So then in May, Jen attends the Met Gala solo.
And this makes people think that maybe they are breaking up.
Fans also noticed that they haven't been photographed
together in over a month, and there are more and more tabloid
stories coming out. Page 6 alleges that an insider
says if there was a way to divorce on the grounds of
temporary insanity, he. As in Ben Wood, he feels like
the last two years that were just a fever dream and he's come
to his senses now and understands that there is no.
Way this is going to work. Temporary insanity.
Yep, so saying he had temporary insanity.
I think so, yeah. My gosh.
Fans also notice that on Instagram, Jennifer appears to
like an infographic post that says you cannot build a healthy
relationship with someone who dot, dot, dot.
And then there's like all these slides and they say someone who
lacks integrity and emotional safety.
Someone who doesn't respect your time.
Someone who doesn't think it's important to call or text back
in a reasonable time frame. Someone who lacks effective
communication skills equals silent treatment, withdraws or
refuse to communicate unless it's on their own terms.
Someone who doesn't know who they are or what they want.
She's on the breakup infographic stage.
That's true. I mean, it's telling that that
is what her her discover page looks like.
Yeah. True.
I mean, maybe you could say like, OK, if someone's in a
healthy relationship now, maybe they would like a post like that
because it reminds them of something from their past.
I would maybe like a post like that because we cover all these
couples all the time. So I always think about these
things, but I think it's kind of telling.
Yeah, so interesting, I know. Sources tell People magazine
that they are living separate lives at this point, adding to
the breakup rumors. At the end of the month,
Jennifer cancels her summer tour, stating personal reasons
and a desire to spend more time with family.
However, it's being reported that the tour was already not
selling well, in addition to her album being a total dud, only
peeking at 38th on the chart. So people start speculating
online that perhaps the divorce rumors are just now meant to
distract from the embarrassment of the professional flop.
Oh man. Maybe, but I wrote in my notes.
It's interesting if this is now when they're breaking up because
they had broken up also when they had their movie flop
together. True.
It's like that's when they cannot go on anymore, OK?
It's like they. Can't get through it.
No, they really can't. And again, maybe it's like the
break up is a way to like, OK, don't don't pay attention to my
tour not selling well, like. Or like it didn't sell well
because of exactly exactly it does give me second hand
embarrassment. Or like, I know I do kind of
hate, even though I'm not even a fan of Jlo's.
I do hate to hear about like a tour not selling or you know,
I'm totally flopping. It does give me.
Well, especially in this stage when concert tickets are so hard
to buy. Yeah.
It upsets me so. Then later in June, it's
reported that Ben has moved his things out of their shared
mansion together. And a source says Ben continues
to live at the Brentwood rental. He's been there for about two
months now. He seems OK.
He's been at the office every day and seems focused on work.
He's also spending time with his kids.
Meanwhile, he is photographed by paparazzi without his wedding
ring while Jennifer is vacationing with friends in
Italy without him. It's happening.
I know. Then in July, the couple
celebrated their the anniversary of their Vegas marriage.
They celebrated that apart, so they didn't want to celebrate
it. She was in the Hamptons with
friends, where she spent most of the summer, and he was in LA.
And during that trip to the Hamptons, Violet Affleck, Ben's
oldest child, actually came and spent time one-on-one with
Jennifer. I don't think it was, like,
during their anniversary, but at some point that summer.
And sources close to Jlo are claiming that it's hurtful that
Ben, during this time, is no longer putting in any effort to
maintain a relationship with her kids, Max and Emmy, And like,
that he's just completely abandoned them.
But I was also thinking about this.
And, like, her kids are 16 at this point.
She's been with Ben for less than two years.
Like, yeah. Does he really have an
obligation, I guess, to like be putting in, putting in an effort
and like hanging out with them one-on-one or like without?
Kind of weird. Yeah.
They have a dad still too. Yeah.
I feel like that make me
uncomfortable. Yeah, exactly.
Honestly, yeah, if your parent was like on the rocks with
someone, I wouldn't want to then spend time with that person.
Yeah, I think he's maybe just for the best.
If not, like, yeah, he seems really grumpy and troubled, too.
Yeah, I wouldn't want to hang out with him if I was a
teenager. Like you just want to hang out
with your real dad. You know, yeah, exactly.
I don't know how much of A parental.
Yeah, exactly. This isn't going to last.
We all know it. Exactly.
I'm actually on Ben's side about this, and I am too.
Oh. What I was going to say is like,
I feel like getting upset about that is like, and you haven't
even spent time with my kids. Like that's just using your own
kids to like make the person still.
I know your life. Is this really the problem you
should be talking about right now?
I'm sure there's others. Like the fact that you are on
opposite coasts on your anniversary.
Like, what about that? I hate to say this too, but I
almost wonder if like she's hanging out with his kids to
like still be close to him. Like to still be like oh, what's
your dad doing? Or I don't know, maybe drag this
out in a way maybe. He really doesn't want to see
her right now and this is like her only way of making it
publicly seem like they're still together.
Yes, that's so true. Meanwhile, the couple lists
their home for sale, while Ben purchased his his own $20
million Beverly Hills home without her.
So they're breaking up. Yeah, they are done.
Pretty. Oh my gosh, the sign.
Why? Why would he hang out with her
kids? I know.
He's like just a random guy basically.
Exactly. They really haven't even been
together that long. Like that's maybe if he's been a
stepfather, stepfather for like 10 years in their lives from a
formative age, but he's only known them when they've been
teenagers. The Daily Mail also reports that
Jennifer's mother and sisters are pushing her to file for
divorce and to stop wasting any time on Ben.
The source says Jennifer currently feels like Ben does
not deserve her, and her sisters agree.
They want Jennifer to be happy, of course, but they feel that
her sister is getting so caught up in what is supposed to be
that she isn't seeing it for what it is.
They want her to file for divorce 1st and get on with her
life, focus on her kids in her career.
Wow. But sources are telling Page Six
that Jennifer is still hoping to make things work with Ben, but
that he is completely checked out and is fine with the
marriage ending. What was the point?
I know. Me loving you, you loving him.
It frustrates me because we all saw this coming.
I know. We all did.
You didn't even have to know much about them to see this
coming. So then, in August, on the exact
two year anniversary of their Georgia wedding, Jennifer files
for divorce. The exact anniversary.
Like, come on, you do love the theatrics at that point.
I know because we also, if you go back to our episode on
Jennifer Gardner on the on their Vegas wedding, when they got
their marriage certificate, he said that him and Jennifer
Gardner had broken up like on that exact day like six years
prior. So they do love to use these
like anniversaries. Exactly 2 years, Yes, clean.
So odd. Planned.
I know exactly the contract expired.
I don't know, but in her filing she listed the date of
separation as April 26th, 2024. So it had been months before.
So when we she attended the Met Gala solo.
Like maybe they really were broken up at that. .0 Wow.
However, there are a few times where they were photographed
together since then by paparazzi with the kids.
So it does seem like they were maybe still trying to give the
appearance of being together. And for some reason, weirdly,
this couple did not have a prenup, which makes the divorce
a little tricky. You would think they would have
like. Especially since this is not
their first rodeo. It's like not their.
This is love. This time this is real.
So. Weird.
Maybe that was temporary insanity.
I know, sorry I'm being harsh. Normally I don't like prenup,
like I think it's so not romantic at all.
But these are definitely people that you would think would do
that. So surprising.
Maybe they knew it wasn't going to last that long and so they
were like, let's not have a prenup to make it seem
believable. Were they that aware?
That seems like insane to me. I know, especially since this is
literally her 4th or 5th marriage at this point, a
source, AJ Lo source tells People magazine.
The truth is there was a great deal of love, but also
unfortunately, what became clear was that what were Ben's erratic
mood swings that he couldn't hide from the press as much as
he tried to. You could see the erratic
behavior of the giant mood swings.
He would go from incredibly happy and warm, the best light
illuminated from him, to the deepest, darkest behavior.
I think I was signaling. I think he was signaling a
message to the press, but yet participating.
I don't know what that means per SE, but kind of blaming it on
him, which like, yeah, we do know that he seems to be Moody.
It's kind of what you're saying, like sending signals but
participating. Like he was participating in the
whole media paparazzi charade thing but was just like in a bad
mood throughout it all. Exactly.
And like, in a way that is belittling her like, but you
agreed to be a part of this. So on the bright side, it does
seem like Jennifer Lopez is now friends with Jennifer Gardner.
Like she's photographed leaving her house with and son Samuel.
I guess I don't know why Jennifer Lopez is still
maintained. I mean, it's not for me to say.
I, I would think it would be super painful to have a step
parent and then your step parent and your parent breaks up.
It's like, is that person not a part of my life anymore?
But what I'm saying is I don't know why Jennifer Lopez seems to
be continuing this type of role with Ben's kids, but like, she
didn't seemingly do that with a Rod's kids.
Interesting. Who she had been with for longer
a month. That is kind of strange.
It seems, again, like maybe there's ulterior motives there
because she gets photographed with Ben's kids and it does make
people think like, oh, maybe they are still together.
Yeah, What's going on? Yeah, it is nice that the two,
Jennifer, seem to have a friendship.
And then in August it's reported that Ben is being linked to Kick
Kennedy, who is the 36 year old daughter of Robert Kennedy
Junior who was recently running for president.
Apparently, the two had been spotted together in LA and the
sources are saying that they are getting to know each other and
that they have been hanging out since June.
But apparently, according to the Daily Mail, Ben and Kick
actually had a brief fling years ago, before he and Jlo even
reunited in 2021. My gosh.
The source claims that they met because Ben is from Boston and
when you live in Boston, the Kennedy family is royalty.
When he started hanging out with Kik, he legit thought that he
had landed into the Kennedy family, but she was too young
and not ready for anything serious.
Oh my gosh. Who knows if that's true, but
again, that sounds pretty opportunistic.
Does seem like he does care about how his personal life
effects his image. Interesting.
Of no, I guess Kick Kennedy does look a lot like Jennifer
Gardner, his ex-wife. Just a little.
Bit yeah, must I do still think he like a part of him from our
episode on Jennifer Gardner does see not I don't want to project
my own feelings like as her being the one that got away, but
that he probably does feel like he really fumble with her.
Yeah, it seemed like it. And then in September, a photo
is leaked of Jennifer holding Matt Damon's hand at the
premiere after party for her new movie, Unstable.
I didn't know that. Yeah, not in like a romantic
way, but it almost looks like she's confiding in him and that
he's offering support. But sources say that he refused
to talk about Ben with Jennifer. But who knows?
Then she also attended the TIFF Film Festival and she's wearing
a very revealing dress that shows off her bare rib cage and
it appears as though her tattoo that she had gotten with Ben is
now already removed. Wow.
Because that's where it was like under like on her rib cage.
But then September 14th, literally 2 days ago from the
time that we're recording this, Ben and Jen were spotted
together, photographed together having brunch at the Beverly
Hills Hotel with both all of their kids besides his oldest
daughter. He's in college.
Yeah, no, I'm serious. Why?
According to sources, Ben and Jen were sitting at separate
tables from the kids and were reportedly kissing and holding
hands. Are you kidding me?
No, this, this is like fresh. This is like this is ridiculous.
Yes, yes. So this is still going on.
Why? Apparently like sources claim
that they only got together for the kids sake so that the kids
could have lunch together. But I feel.
Like. You care.
Yeah. See, I like, I think his child
Finn is really close with her daughter Emmy, but they're 15.
I think her kids are 16. They can hang out without the
parents there. True.
They don't need to be there. They don't need to be kissing.
No, no, no, they definitely don't.
And also, if you're hanging out for the kids, why are you
sitting at a separate table for? My kids.
It's not like they're they're gasping at the grunch.
Anyway, like just have them run around somewhere.
Exactly. No less at the Beverly Hills
Hotel, which, if there is anywhere where paparazzi might
camp out, it is there. So true.
So apparently sources say that they are not getting back
together and they just were there to discuss finances and
have the kids like meet up. But again, the kids could meet
up without them and I feel like it honestly would be more
confusing for the kids the situation.
What crazy lives they live, I know.
Truly. And I wrote like it's just funny
how they keep saying stuff about the kids, the kids, but it does
just seem so self motivated. It does.
And that's it so far. I am feeling.
More stuff could come out before this episode comes out, but
yeah, that's that's Ben and Jennifer.
For you, that was really fun, even though more stuff might
come out, like I just don't buy it or it's it's a bad idea, but
we might. We'll probably have a updates
episode in the future. I can't believe that they were
just seen together again. I know.
Seriously. I don't know, Like it's like who
they think they're fooling. Like we do know that you did
file for divorce. Maybe they're just getting back
together again, I mean. I know, I don't know, I don't
want to be ageist, but it's like at your big age, like you guys
should be a little mature, like you should have some
self-control and be cautious and think about things.
It does seem like they just act on their every whim.
It, it seems very like teenager, like early 20s or something to
feel like you just have to run off with this guy that you have
crazy feelings for, even though he has so many red flags.
Like I think when you're older you don't do stuff like that
because you're like, you know what, I'm good.
Like I don't need to. I've had a lot of experiences
already, like, yeah, I can find some.
And she's Jlo like she could find somebody else.
So it's just weird. It's just so selfish.
Like I just honestly, like I said, I feel like especially for
her kids, it's so traumatic that like your mom keeps having you
adjust to these new family dynamics and and then like using
you in them being like, Oh, the kids.
It's I want to for like, how many times can you go through
like a family divorce like that over and over again?
I know it is selfish so. But that's Benifer.
Odds to get back together. Too high.
So high really I, I would say like 70% maybe.
I know, me too. I don't mean, I don't think
it'll be forever, but I I could see them saying like we're
giving it another go. Yeah, in her newsletter.
Yeah, but then like a month later being broken up.
Yeah. We'll see.
We'll see.
I don't know who she dates from here, but I'm I'm I don't think
that I don't think either of them will waste any time.
I don't think what what about Kate Kennedy?
I know exactly. Or I don't know.
She actually, she was like, videoed by paparazzi walking on
the street and they asked her about Ben Affleck and she just
said no comment. So that's kind of telling in
itself. No comment.
But yeah, next episode we are also covering a couple from
modern day. This one of the people in this
episode actually was mentioned by name earlier in this episode
at one point. It's a couple that had a short
lived relationship. But also there have been some
speculation about there being ulterior motives with this.
Relationship. All right, I can't wait.
Thank you, Mel. And thank you for listening it.
Was so fun and thank you everybody else for listening.
And we'll get back together next week.
Is your heart filled with pain? Shall I come?
Back again. Tell me, dear, are you alone?