Page Six has a rather long piece on Lindsay Shookus, the SNL producer who became famous a couple of weeks ago for being the first woman Ben Affleck has openly dated post divorce. Several sources give inside quotes which have conflicting opinions on Shookus. A colleague and one publicist praise her and her work ethic and gush about how she landed Affleck. Another publicist makes it sound like she’s a conniving so-and-so. The article paints her as somewhat of a player in that she’s rumored to have dated Jon Hamm and Chris Noth in the period she was separated from her husband and (presumably) having a time out from her affair with Affleck, which started in 2013 if reports are correct. She hung in there, Affleck came back, and now she’s getting the payoff of being the cool girl who was first seen out with Affleck. It’s a long article and I’m just doing the highlights, so you might want to read it at the source if you’re interested.
On how Shookus is dealing with the attention
“She’s enjoying it,” a colleague of Shookus’ told The Post. “She never wanted to be on camera, but she’s comfortable getting a lot of attention.”Affleck got her jewelery, his MO
A publicist close to the situation told The Post that Affleck “adorned [Shookus] with gifts . . . all these bracelets and rings. He was here in NYC all the time visiting her and no one knew.”On how she landed Affleck
“I can’t believe that a girl from nowhere New York ruined a Hollywood marriage,” said the publicist close to the situation.Although she’s a beautiful blonde, Shookus is a departure from Affleck’s past rotation of A-list love interests. “He’s never really dated a regular girl before,” said an entertainment publicist who knows Shookus.
“He’s always gone for high-profile women. He wants to date people that know and understand his life. When you’re a TV producer, you understand that [Hollywood] life.”
“Ben really enjoys [Shookus’] company,” said a friend of the actor’s. “They have a really good time together. She’s very smart, and they share a lot of the interests. She’s a movie buff, so that clearly always excites him.”
On how great she is at her job
“The role that she has at ‘SNL’ now, she is very much the trusted confidante of all the talent,” said the colleague, who added that Shookus has taken over the hobnobbing duties.“Lindsay has developed very close relationships with all of [the cast], as well as the [guest] hosts.”
The other famous guys she has dated
In addition to Affleck, Shookus has previously been linked to Jon Hamm, who has hosted three times and made six guest appearances on “SNL,” according to multiple sources. One insider told The Post of having spotted the pair looking cozy at a Kanye West concert at Madison Square Garden last September.The colleague of Shookus’ said the talent booker is rumored to have dated “Sex and the City” star Chris Noth, too.
(Hamm’s rep tells The Post that Shookus and the “Mad Men” star know each other from “SNL” but “have not dated. They are not friends; they are acquaintances.” Noth’s rep didn’t respond to requests for comment.)
“The [idea of] having an affair [with Affleck] soon after she had a kid is disgusting,” said the publicist who is close to the situation.
They sort-of claim Affleck is sober but phrase it oddly
But Affleck’s friend disregards any such concerns, saying the actor/director — who has been to rehab more than once, including a stint this year related to alcohol addiction — is “working really hard at staying healthy.”“Lindsay doesn’t have to be sober, and she’s welcome to drink,” the pal added.
We knew this about her, we could tell from the photos from the quotes that her people gave that she’s comfortable with celebrities, that she loves the attention and that she’s trying to give off the vibe that she’s not impressed with Affleck’s status and wealth. Also, Affleck’s still drinking right? No one explicitly said he’s sober, the source said he’s “working really hard at staying healthy.” That’s not the same thing! Plus there new photos of him smoking before boarding a private jet yesterday. One vice at a time though, I get that.
Oh and as far as Affleck showering Shookus with jewelry – this is his MO. Remember the 10 carat yellow diamond engagement ring he bought Jennifer Lopez? He got Jennifer Garner a 7 carat diamond ring in 2009. Also, Radar had a story that Garner first discovered Affleck’s affair with Shookus when a high end jewelry boutique called their house to inquire about a purchase. (Kaiser told me that this same plotline was in the 1986 movie Heartburn, with Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, about the breakup of Nora Ephron’s marriage, but it sounds plausible anyway.) So maybe Radar got this one right.
This was a quiet weekend for Ben and Jen. Jen took her kids out to Jessica Biel’s family restaurant, Au Fudge, on Friday. On Sunday it’s presumed that she went to church because her daughter, Violet, was seen entering the church. Jen must have slipped through a back entrance with the other two kids because there aren’t any photos of her with them Sunday that I can find. As I mentioned Ben was seen smoking and getting on a private plane. Given how much attention Lindsay has been getting I would bet good money that he’s pulling away from her.
Photos credit: WENN and Backgrid
Ben sure likes affairs with attention seeking ladies! Either way this woman is shameful and disgusting. Ben is equally disgusting and not even remotely sober. It will be interesting to see his SDCC behavior
He will be so micromanaged at SDCC I don’t think we would notice much. Plus they’re going to put Gal Gadot front and centre, “Hey everyone! Remember how awesome Wonder Woman is? She’s in this!”.
It’s very interesting that more than a few film bloggers seems to be hearing rumblings that he won’t do the Batman standalone. He may still (I think he would have to if they want him as he is signed, not just attached), but the fact that they have heard rumblings means that someone, either Affleck or WB, is NOT happy. The behind the scenes of this must be very…interesting.
Theres clearly much happening behind the curtain. But if Ben drops out his departure could hurt the brand of the studios true money making movies because it heavily implies disorganisation from the very top. So the studio will wage an unprecedented image war on him if he leaves. Every petty Affleck demand, every misbehavior will be leaked out to both Deadline and Hollywood Reporter. Maybe even LA Times. And you can bet all his future projects with them will be scrapped.
But Ben is just self destructive enough to do this, so lets wait and see
I think the script being dropped is the biggest indicator that something is up. Part of the reason Ben got this job is because he could also write and direct his own movie. Lets be real that was a MAJOR draw for WB.
Depending on how many pictures his initial deal is he won’t have a choice in not doing a solo. For comparison most of the MCU has six picture deals that are typically divided between the avengers and solo projects. Other smaller players may have smaller deals but Downey, Chris Evans, Chris H, etc all had multilayered contracts.
I agree he will be micromanaged but the self-destructive always have a way of blowing up don’t they?
I think they misread his suitability for this project from the get-go. And given this sloppy situation, I don’t think he’ll be missed at all. Cutting losses might be for the best.
I’m with you OG. Time to cut losses. Affleck as Batman has been one disaster after another from the beginning. All current information makes his future as Batman look even worse. Why keep going down that road? I don’t think it would make the studio look disorganized from the very top. That is already the current impression. Making a clean break and changing direction would show someone finally has their head screwed on straight.
He looked pretty good in the photos from the Starkey awards ceremony thing.
Really ? He is full of Botox and fillers and clearly has a bad made suit
I have nothing on her. He is Oscar winner and his behaviour is what every entitled spoiled man does so just like in case of Angie VS Jen i will blame Brad or in this case Ben. Same difference.
Of Corliss she’s milking the attention – it’s not like he’s going to stay with her for long. She seems smart – this will be a career boost.
I don’t buy these two are in love.
More like alcoholics-in-crime. Misery loves company and all that.
ITA. I wrote that in one of the other Ben ‘n’ Lindsay comment sections. SNL peeps are known to party *hard* – Jimmy Fallon, anyone? And active alcoholics – and I know this from my own experience – tend to have a really shabby moral compass when they are drinking/using.
helo
The publicist “close to the situation” seems to really have it out for Lindsay.
I could see that, especially if the publicist is a woman. I tend to speak that strongly against women who knowingly sleep with married men (my friends coworker is sleeping with their boss and apparently it’s like a big game for them to hide it from the wife). It’s disgusting behavior and someone who’s willingly participating in betraying someone like that SHOULD be villified.
Don’t get me wrong- Ben takes most of the blame here. He’s a garbage human…but so is she.
So agreed!! Husband is sh!t too, obvs…
but it’s kinda like girl-code: we should have each other’s backs.
For me it’s just about being a decent human being. I don’t judge the “other woman” for making that mistake. I know it’s easy to feel seduced/lured into a relationship like that – especially if you’re young, naïve and easy to manipulate. But I do judge the “other woman” when she feels no shame or guilt about hurting people and does nothing to end such a relationship. Yeah yeah he’s he one that took the vows. Got it. But she is responsible for her own shitty behavior too.
In this case, she took the vow too. She was married at that time.
Just like Leanne and Ediot.
So true. I recently learned a woman I run into on occasion is having a pretty badly-kept affair with a director at her agency. Whose wife is 7 months pregnant with their first child. Absolutely the guy is a disgusting piece of trash, but for one woman to do this to another woman…I have no words. Maybe because life is hard enough being a woman…but when I think of men in this situation I’m more, “you gross human being” where as with the woman I’m just angry. Two people bearing equal responsibility, but for whatever reason illicit different emotions in me.
Come on. The married cheater has 90% of the responsibility for an illicit affair, because all he or she had to say to the flirty slut with his/her shirt off is: “I’m sorry. No. I’m married. I love my spouse.” AND THEN WALK AWAY. That’s a built-in explanation for refusing and staying faithful.
The fact that this so rarely happens proves something to me: these people should NEVER get married. Stay single, FFS – shag a million people, be the biggest horndog on the planet. If you’re single & you’re honest with people (and if the people you shag aren’t certifiably crazy), no one should get hurt. It’s a very easy solution. And if you “fall in love,” STAY SINGLE. If a partner gets pregnant, draw up a support agreement and STAY SINGLE. You’ll never live up to the responsibilities of marriage and family, so JUST DON’T DO IT.
The publicist is merely saying what most people are thinking. Unless he or she is on a dozen sites typing the same thing, this is the public consensus.
Yeah – and the publicist also said she was a “beautiful blonde” Really????
That comment stuck put to me, too. She is far from “beautiful.” She’s average looking.
She also doesn’t appear to be “blonde” except with the help of a colorist. It’s like calling a 5’3″ woman wearing 4 inch heels “tall.”
Yeah I’ll bet she likes the attention because clearly this isn’t about a healthy relationship. Yikes.
My guess is he’s not sober and she has no interest is helping him be so. This is going to get SO MUCH WORSE.
Let’s hope it does get much worse. I’ve always got guilty pleasure popcorn at hand.
Wow this publicist hates her.
I wonder whose publicist it is!
I would make a guess: but the answer is a bit obvious. Especially since they keep *wink* repeating
“A publicist close to the situation
I guess she pissed off a lot of people in NYC and now, they are coming after her. Wasn’t Chris Noth married since 2012 and before he married his wife, they were together years before already with a kid.
The only comments this “publicist close to the situation” made were in regards to the Ben Affleck affair. Specifically calling Lindsay “disgusting” for the affair. Those comments have nothing to do with Chris Noth or anyone else. It’s Jennifer’s publicist.
This is not her publicist. Surely that is plain to see.
It is weird Jennifer garner looks so together. Either she really is like amazing Amy, they are really not compatible, or he just is like the say a sabotagerwho gets bored w vanilla and now wants rocky road.
Lyndsey is attractive but not together more normal, frizzy hair, birth mark. More like Ben and his bloated disheveled mess of clothes. Wonder if they are addicts together or really have similar interests?
Ben has a clear self sabotage pattern going back twenty years. I think Jennifer is a little too concerned about appearances because she is a perfectionist but that generally has her heart and mind in the right place. And I think Ben exploited those two qualities to the hilt while ironically openly resenting her for it
Interesting analysis @Nyawira. I think you may be right.
I think you summed it up perfectly.
My guess is that Jennifer moved on in her mind long ago and while she is probably concerned that Ben (father of her children) isn’t sober, she probably doesn’t have any effs left to give about him
“I can’t believe that a girl from nowhere New York ruined a Hollywood marriage,” said the publicist close to the situation.
Wow, what a mark of distinction. She must be so proud.
I thought that was an exceptionally cold quote. I think it’s probably not something anyone involved actually said, but icky nonetheless.
Cold and weirdly snotty. Of all the things to criticize……”Nowhere, New York?” Who cares where she was born? I happened to be born in a very large city, but that doesn’t make me better or worse than anybody else. It’s the 21st century, people people often, you know, move away from where they were born.
It is a strange quote probably taken out of context to divulge the juiciest information for maximum impact.
Yeah a real feather in her cap.
“… and gush about how she landed Affleck.” That doesn’t seem like a terrifically difficult feat. Quite a few have “landed” him, haven’t they?
No kidding.
Like, what are we supposed to say? “You go, girl (from Nowhere, New York). Way to land that serial cheater!”
No, that comment was meant to be greeted with derision. It was a quote by the “publicist close to the situation.” The same source that calls her disgusting for having an affair so soon after the baby.
Wow. Lindsay has a type.
And seriously, didn’t Jon Hamm recently go to rehab?
I don’t know about Chris Noth but IIRC he’s a bit of a player too.
Another way to look at it is that Lindsay is a lot of guys’ “type”.
Yes all three men have had addiction issues, specifically alcohol. I think we just learnt something about our girl here. Namely she is a true cool girl.
That and likely also an alcoholic…
She may be a lot more like Affleck in other ways too. Her husband, as far as we know, doesn’t fit that type. Maybe he’s like the male Jennifer Garner. She wanted to marry a decent man, but her vices and predilections got in the way just like Affleck’s did. Just a thought.
NOth played a bit of a player on two shows but he’s married and has been with the same person for about a decade. Are they implying hes a cheater? I never heard the rumours about him if there were any
Interesting. If he’s been with his wife for more than a decade….where was Lindsay 10 years ago? Was this prior to or during his current relationship? Interesting.
There’ve been rumors about Noth and, yes, that bit is implying she has no qualms about getting with attached guys.
He was on the plane going back and forth from the Starkey Gala where he received an award for his Eastern Congo initiative. Who cares if he smokes? He’s been smoking for years off and on, throughout his marriage to Jen No, it’s not healthy, but maybe it helps with other vices. I actually thought he looked good in the photos at the Starkey Gala – and even the smoking photos at the plane. He looked thin, tanned and healthy (comparatively.)
He’s already pulling away from Lindsay? Man, he’s damned either way isn’t he? If he took her with him to Starkey, people would be saying “see, she wants the red carpet attention!” and pointing out how she’s away from her child yet again. She didn’t attend with him, and now it’s that he must be pulling away. Lol. Can’t win.
He’ll be at ComicCon this week, so there’ll be plenty of opportunity for even more criticism!
So nice of you to join us Lindsa…I mean JoJo! 😉
You think he looks good in those Starkey Gala photos? Whaaa…. Look props to him for his charity work but looking good?….well the suit’s a nice colour I guess.
Jojo is a frequent and longtime poster on this site.
Sorry, not Lindsay – just JoJo. And yeah, I think he looks fine, as in “perfectly ok.” I’m not here to praise him at all, but I’m also not going to tear him down just for the sake of it when I think he looked healthier than we’ve seen in a while.
I was going to say the same thing about JoJo. A balanced opinion does not make a person Lindsay.
There is an article on MSN.com that mentions LS could be pregnant. I really hope this is jut gossip. If not, it would just be too much.
I hope that’s not true, for a lot of reasons. He is a messy messy messy dude
Me too. He is no shape to father another child and it is unfair to his poor children enduring this chaos as it is. It would hurt them I am sure.
I just watched that old Sex and the City ep where Carrie is being haunted by an SNL talent booker who dated Aidan. Nina Katz. So funny.
The face girl 🙂 great reference!
best reference ever. LOL!
What I want to know is how one manages an affair with a newborn at home? Who has the time or energy for that?
Me too. Does SNL writers get paid a lot that they can afford a 24 hour stay at home nanny? Where does she find the energy and the time?
@Jojo. Oh yes. Poor Ben. His people probably locked him up to dry him out for a couple of days so he’d be presentable again.
This timeline confused the hell out of me so I read the new People and US at the checkout counter (I’d would never spend money on either). Glad I saved my $, they had nothing new that hasn’t been on their websites according to what happened when, what with the dueling timelines. I believe hers. Something strange I did notice -neither mentioned poor nanny! It was as if she was wiped from the story and never existed. But we remember her. What big celebrity clout is that. Something interesting tho in the US piece it looked like they might have had it in then took direct reference to it out when they said “all the drama stunted Allfeck and Shookus’ romance”. Yeah nanny drama. My best guess is by April 2015, Jen had already confronted Shookus and gave up on saving her marriage. She was going away to film and had to get a second nanny. So she figured why not a hot nanny. To test if Ben was as dumb as Nick Dunn and have the extra satisfaction of knowing he couldn’t be faithful to his mistress either. But she probably didn’t realize Nanny would go Andie on them (sorry for all the references to Gone Girl for those who haven’t read it).
She will emerge again eventually because by all accounts and blinds she is still sleeping with Ben. She’s just back underground and out of the spotlight. Ben is probably paying her a pretty penny to keep her under wraps again which is why she disappeared so abruptly.
@Lisa – Nope, not poor Ben at all.Im
Just not going to pile on. Sorry.
So Jen purposely set up the nanny so she could then “explain the meaning of scandal” to her children?
As for the timeline, ET said she went to Lindsay’s husband with the details in March 2016 (not 2015). I think Jen was still holding out hope until early this year, but i think Ben went off the rails in Montana or around there and also started to see Lindsay again (or told Jen he wouldn’t stop seeing her.)
Like I said, I’m sure she didn’t think nanny would go public, but it would gave her a certain private satisfaction I’m sure. Nobody could understand why she hired her and that would have hurt Lindsay for sure. Like I said I believe the timeline that she was the reason they split and began a trial separation. Which during that time (Fall 2014-March 2015) it seemed like they were trying to make it work. Then when she found text messages and Lindsay wouldn’t back away Jen threw in the towel. I believe it was over before the nanny. I don’t think Jen cared about the nanny personally, other than it was such gross behavior. But she was over Ben by then.
And whether it was March of 2015 or March of 2016 we really don’t know. That’s what I’m saying, there is conflicting information from the different sites and makes it hard really to figure out what really happened so we can put the spin on what we think out there. Doesn’t mean either of us are right.
Oooo, What an interesting idea. Jen hiring the ‘hot nanny’ to stick it to Mistress Lindsay.
Because you’re right. That’s like rule #1: Only hire Mrs. Doubtfire.
Then Jen goes and breaks it.
Affairs hurt so much.
I hope the kids won’t suffer too much and Jen will find someone who deserves her.
Jennifer would have to be absolutely diabolical to try and hire a nanny Ben would sleep with. Kids get attached to nannies, she wouldn’t do that to them. The nanny was engaged at the time. She probably seemed like a normal girl.
My thoughts, too. That nanny stunt hurt and confused their children. Not cool.
JoJo – I think its pretty safe to say that Ben and Lindsay started back in 2013 and were off and on since then. I think Jen found out in 2015 when they were “on” again and they separated and maybe they agreed to separate but with the hopes that they could work on the marriage and maybe reconcile. I think when he was spotted in Nova Scotia, with I presume her (if not her then another random, although it was reported in a blind that he was there with his long time mistress), Jen threw in the towel and they announced their separation.
There are numerous reports that the affair started not long after Lindsay’s daughter was born, and she is 4. They must have been “off” for a period and Ben then did the Nanny to fill in time. I bet they assumed the “on” position again before Christmas because something happened over Christmas in Montana. Things were different after that. It was also stated that Linday supported him too through his rehab stint. Which means they haven’t just started dating. I definitely think she was the final straw that blew up the marriage once and for all. She was not just the typical one night stand random. He was wooing her for years and buying her jewelry, etc. that made the difference for Jen.
Public consensus is that Ben has been in an ongoing affair with her for 4 years, give or take, and anytime he was in an “off” period with her, he was doing anyone willing. Now you can come back with your ……but Jen. He is a serial cheater, gambler, alcoholic, and rumored hard core drug user. Is there anything that she has done in the past 2 years that tops any of that? Put the blame squarely where it fits on Affleck’s shoulders, not hers. His crimes far out weigh hers, so quit trying to divy up the blame.
She may not be a perfit person, who is? But nothing she has done has reflected badly on her or the kids. Do you think her kids, when they get older, are going to condemn her for staying with their father so long and being a so called door mat or be grateful that she tried to save him and their family at great personal sacrifice? And before you all go off on how she loved being Mrs. Affleck – do ya think she did at any cost? NO, if that was all she was staying for she would have let this saga go on and on the way it has been for years. In the end, being Mrs. Affleck was not worth it anymore! She can just sit back now and watch him self destruct. Everyone has already formed an opinion of him and he locked that up all by himself.
I don’t think there is anything that absolutely confirms your timeline at this point. It is an attempt to try to blame her somehow for a marriage that was doomed from the beginning. The usual Jezebel narrative because somehow a woman has to be a nasty slutty bad mother to have an affair or an alleged alcoholic.
Jen as martyr is ridiculous. She is a human being who was in a dysfunctional marriage. I am sure she made her own share of mistakes. Not like him of course but some. Ben being awful doesn’t make her an angel. She made her choices on her own. For some reason people want to believe he used magic powers or something to overcome her resistance. How about an unhealthy dynamic was at play and became the culture of their marriage. Blaming Ben for everything doesn’t allow her to figure out why she stayed and work on her own issues.
She isn’t weak. Strong women are just as sympathetic.
People standing around reading mags rather than buying them is actually quite annoying to those of us who might like to buy something. If I disliked a magazine, I wouldn’t buy it or read it.
Reading or not reading a magazine in a grocery store or drug store line up isn’t going to make the line move any faster. You still have to wait for those in front of you.
I highly doubt she would do that to her children. She had nothing to gain by doing that and she isn’t some Machiavellian woman who would purposely destroy her family. She didn’t fight all this time to hurt anyone. She simply wanted to save her family and be with the man she absolutely loves with everything she has. Why does she have to be a genius when the simple facts are obvious. People want to cast her in some heroic light when it isn’t necessary. She wanted to save her family and gave it everything she had but in the end it still ended in divorce. PR wars yes but hurting her children is an absolute no.
Agree, I don’t believe it was intentional. Neil Patrick Harris and his husband had used Christine as their nanny, and Ben had just worked with NPH on Gone Girl, so I think there was the added comfort factor that she came recommended by someone they knew, etc. (although it didn’t work out so well :))
“Dated” is a euphemism for she was available for a recreational f**k, right? She seems to be the sort of fame-adjacent individual who has decided to sleep her way to a higher social stratum in Entertainment and to get access to serious money. Also, I agree that she is probably willing to party as hard as he does, which may include hard drugs, which may be disastrous for both of them. He’ll be fine if he doesn’t od, she won’t be–the woman in this situation always ends up on the short end of the stick.
There was another article this weekend talking about Jennifer Garner’s brand being “the good girl”. I think Ben really liked having a wife and children at home. He may have a great deal of anger towards her but he does seem to think she is a good mother. Lindsay is getting a great deal of publicity right now but her narrative is much different. Even People said “Ben Affleck was worth the risk” . the Page 6 article says she works 6 days a week. We know she travels a great deal. If they had an affair when both their children were so young – that is pretty awful. I guess what I am saying is she is being judged as a “bad mother” in the public eye. It is unfair because no one knows the whole situation. I do think this poses a problem for Ben and his image though. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
I think for a short period of time, particularly if he’s not sober right now, Lindsay will suit his needs. At some point, he’s going to want that career acclaim again and Lindsay’s name being dragged through the mud as his mistress is not going to work in her favor. I think if he’d been able to pull off the “it’s a new relationship” claim, she’d stick around for longer. On the other hand, her standing in the industry as a producer for SNL may work in her favor.
The BuzzFeed article was good, although that author did a very similar one a while back (?) I don’t think the “good girl” angle was necessarily intended as a positive – except maybe in terms of capitalizing on it for endorsement deals and the minivan majority – but more that it’s unfortunate that this type of persona, which Gatner very much embodies, is still expected of women. and we haven’t moved much beyond it.
As for Jen, I think this divorce drama is helping her brand immensely, and I think it’s possible some directors are looking at her now for some edgier, more interesting roles because of it. I have no doubt she’s going to try for those – similar to when she read the “Go the F to Seep” book as part of her Vanity Fair interview, but that didn’t seem to get much broad attention.
Ugh. In what parallel universe is Ben Affleck “worth the risk”? Girl doesn’t have the best taste in men, does she?
He’s gross..and it seems the women who are mistresses/sidepiece these days are really proud of being that. This woman, Chloe green, etc..
‘Getting’ a man who is willing to not only cheat on his wife but keep on humiliating her for years is nothing to be so happy about.
That’s because women who do this have low self-esteem and convince themselves that the man has only left his wife “because it’s all about her” (the mistress). And they don’t realize, until the “prize” they “won” does the same thing to them, that it was always all about him and she just happened to be the flavour of the day/week/month…
@Mariposa,
It is so strange to me that “the other woman/man” has become a title of worthy distinction among some. It is truly disgusting. I’m beginning to think that there just isn’t any behavior people are willing to feel shame for committing. It’s like “to shame” someone is worse than doing something so appalling that you deserve to be called out and shamed.
Tulip when I was 27 I feel in love with a man 20 years older then me with four kids. We had a brief affair. We broke if off because it was wrong, I felt horrible about his children less so his wife. And I cried and had a broken heart but I got over it . So i agree with you there are women who have no respect for a wife of family and I tend to think that if you go that route what goes around will come around. Not everyone is shameless.
@Sansa,
This is what I am talking about exactly. People make mistakes, people hurt others, people do things that they shouldn’t, all of that is normal human behavior. While it deserves to be faulted, it can be understood particularly if there is remorse and/or regret involved. All of us have done things that we aren’t proud of having done. It is when these behaviors become acceptable to society
and unworthy of self reflection that it becomes anathema.
I am sorry that you became embroiled in that marital situation. What ever was wrong or right in that marriage did not have to involve you and shouldn’t have. The whole thing is messy, hurtful, and unfair. A married person owes his wife and his family his loyalty. Further, he shouldn’t place anyone he cares about in the position that he put you in, with your cooperation, of course.
Good for you for removing yourself from that equation. I am happy to hear that you have moved on to healthier, more honest, and uplifting relationships. Everyone deserves it.
I agree, and these mistresses when caught by the paparazzi out and about put the biggest smile for the camera like they have something to be so proud of.
I get that sometimes divorce is only option in some marriages but I would never want a man who left their wife and family by behaving in the sneakiest way possible. He is no prize-Hollywood star or not 😷.
There was a time in European history (England, France, etc.) when being the mistress of the king was an honored position. The queens’ ladies in waiting would be placed by their relatives in the queen’s service in hopes of seducing the king and getting land and titles for the family members. The Boleyn family went all out and got their girl on the throne (which worked out badly for them, but better for the Seymores after them). King Henry even gave his mistress’ son the royal surname “Fitzroy” or “illegitimate son of the King.” So, while we may disdain women who have sex with married men, it’s not a modern idea for the women in those relationships to be venerated or given lots of attention. It’s more like a case of “everything old is new again.” American celebrities are like modern-day royalty.
One vice is always replaced by another one. My guy has been clean for 2 years (cocaine) and even though he prefers not to drink alcohol, he does smoke. It helps him. Smokers usually gain weight when they quit.
Addicts need a system and good influences. If his issues are with alcohol and gambling then he should surround himself with people who do not drink or gamble. Or if they do, sensible enough not to do it around him. He’s been clean for how long, 3 months? He can relapse at any moment.
I think his addictions go deeper than alcohol, though alcohol may be a gateway. There was a Lainey blind in the past about pain medication from a back injury maybe escalating into something worse.
I remember reading that he didn’t drink when he gambled, almost like the gambling was a replacement for the other things. Who knows if that’s still true at this point though.
If I recall correctly, I’m remembering the blind that he was using heroin for a time…?
He looks SO puffy in these photos, especially around the eyes. I’d be surprised if he were “sober.” The addicts I’ve known personally call themselves sober if they’re not using the substance they went to rehab/treatment/meetings for. Example: my acquaintance the alcoholic thinks nothing of taking MDMA or coke “now and then.” My experience is anecdotal and I don’t expect it applies to people in general. Affleck has shown repeatedly, though, that he is a man who lacks moderation (alcohol, gambling, women).
Isn’t Chris Noth married as well? And Jon Hamm looks like he’s fallen off the wagon. Perhaps he has Lindsay to thank for that.
If he’s an alcoholic and back to drinking-that’s on HIM, certainly not on who he dates. Unless you’re Jennifer Garner, I don’t get your rancor.
Um. No. Addicts are responsible for themselves. The first thing they tell you at Al Anon (a support group for loved ones of addicts) are the three C’s. You didn’t cause it. You can’t control it. You can’t cure it.
why would be him pulling away from her because of the attention she/they are getting when it was HIM the instigator of the tabloid frenzy by going public with her shortly after filing for divorce to non other that one of the most popular celeb spots like Giorgio Baldi? He knew exactly what he was doing. What I can just assume is that now that is in the open is not as much as fun for him anymore, he likes the sleaziness and the thrill of the secret dirty affair with another cheater like himself: now that he’s not cheating on anyone is not as thrilling. He will get bored soon, specially if this Lindsay woman starts to enjoy too much the spotlight, he will get annoyed by that.
He’d pull away because he is full of contradictions and constantly battling who he is and who he wants to be.
well, the battle on who we area and who we want to be is relatable basically to every human being, don’t you think? But I get your point. The thing is that he has nobody but himself to blame for it and if he’s indeed (already) pulling away from this woman (I bet he does or he will shortly) the reason is not because of the media attention. He wanted that media attention when she showed up to Giorgio Baldi. I think it will be because is not thrilling anymore, when the side became the main.
All I can say is that a man that just last year employed a full-time sober coach to keep him on the wagon shouldn’t be drinking casually. He looks a mess.
Not with anew Gf like Lindasy. Both of them are a mess. I agree with the above comment that this woman is looking for a ticket to climb higher in the social strata of the entertainment world. The only thing is, she is not very likeable.
I think Jen Garner is prettier.
I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but it is almost an empirical truth 🙂
Not necessarily. I find Lindsay to be much more attractive than Jen physically, even though I also think what she’s doing is wrong. I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
I don’t think JG’s looks had anything to do with the breakup of the marriage. She’s certainly very attractive.
Lol I am sure that comforts her on a daily basis. I guess if she were less attractive to you maybe then it would be her fault for gaining weight and not keeping her man. It is a strange comment to make when this is not a superficial story.
I feel like I SHOULD find Jen Garner pretty, as there is nothing wrong with her features, but she just strikes me as plain and sort of boring. I find Lindsay to be much prettier. Lindsay has a spark to her that stands out in these pictures and makes her very attractive. I don’t agree with her behaviour and I don’t think looks are what caused this, because it’s still not worth breaking up a marriage over, so that’s besides the point, but on a superficial level she is pretty.
I thought Chris Noth was married?!?!?
So’s Ben. Hamm was in a very long-term relationship. So was she. Apparently, it doesn’t matter to her.
Do they ever present a timeline for these relationships? If she’s been an SNL producer for two decades, she’s been running in those circles for a long time. I assumed she dated Chris Noth a while ago and Jon Hamm more recently. It’s not like she and Ben have been exclusive for all these years.
I believe Hamm’s rep is denying they were ever dating. He says they are acquaintances and that is all. That is interesting.
If Hamm’s rep even bothered in denying this story to Pagesix is because it did happen and it happened when he was in with his longtime gf.
They remind me of Scott Disick and Bella Thorne. They come across like a gross, toxic, boozy partying couple. Yuck.
I know a lot of people on this site loathe Jennifer Garner but I hope she finally moves on and remarries a decent guy that is good to her and her children. Then I hope Ben feels like shit when he realizes what he took for granted and another man is now raising his kids.
One of the reasons Ben irritates me is that he doesn’t seem to appreciate how blessed he is. Newsflash Ben, you’re not that special. You’ve been super super lucky.
He’s good looking but not in a movie star way. He has some talent (as a director) but plenty of other actors and directors have more talent and *most* of them have less financial and professional success. He married a woman that was devoted to him and by all accounts a great mom that worked hard to keep their family together.
He has been blessed with so much good fortune but doesn’t respect or appreciate it at all. Is it self-sabotage? Entitlement? Both? Regardless, he is old enough to take responsibility for his own decisions so IMO he’s a straight up schmuck.
So true, well put.
There is truth in your statement but I don’t think Jen needs a guy to make her complete. I would rather see her happy with herself with or without a man.
What’s up with Lindsay’s leg in that final photo?
Looks like a birth mark
Yeah I bet she loves the attention. On the other hand, Au Fudge is still in business?!?!? It got so many bad yelp reviews!
lol that was my reaction! That place is still is business?!
Meh, finding out that these Ben and Jen have been really over for years and just playing pap marriage is a big turn-off.
While I think Ben is more borderline personality disorder that addict, I really don’t see why he can’t get on with his life (such as it is) in private and public. These two would have done better to have firmly split ages ago, instead of dragging this out.
I agree. Not sure at all what benefit there was in keeping up the image for so long. Some say she loves him too much to let go, what about the kids, etc. But they could have stayed close friends and co-parented all this time–so many people do that successfully. It must all be about PR. But managing and/or hiding what? More serious substance addiction? Other relationships? And why would Jennifer want to live so long without a loving partner–she seems like a family person who would want much more. Has he just been using her all these years? All the bad behavior, lying and then begging her to stay. Why? All just a mystery to me. I do wish them both well. I’ve enjoyed a lot of their film and tv work over the years.
All this very messy PUBLIC post-divorce drama, convinces me that Ben is desperate for attention. After years of claiming to dislike the paps and acting offended by them, he is strutting his stuff for them now. Your borderline idea is interesting, I don’t know enough about it to say. I do believe he is a functioning alcoholic, who may been enabled in his career for years by a highly functioning Jen.
Now he’s found his true love and drinking buddy to help him get messy.
hmm, he does seem to exhibit sociopathic tendencies. His massive ego, lying, cheating, manipulative, addictive, reckless and impulsive behaviour.
In what world/universe is she a beautiful? Blond maybe beautiful hell no
Nowhere, New York? Oh please, she’s a long time producer on the hottest show on television (whether you find it funny or not SNL is always relevant) and has won at least one Emmy. SNL may be filmed in NYC but it is Hollywood through and through. It’s also not as if she is just some random producer, she is personally responsible for most of the talent booked and acts as their personal liaison. That has to be one of the most coveted jobs in the entire industry with a priceless amount of clout that comes with it.
Yeah, the idea that she’s a “regular” or “normal” girl is weird. She’s an industry insider.
I know. She has a powerful position but of course minimize that to make the situation more lurid. It doesn’t sound as good that she is an accomplished woman on her own and she doesn’t need him for a career boost. That was strange to me too.
She is not that good of a Producer. She just got lucky that SNL hired so she stuck it out there. Producers are a dime a dozen in that field. Since SNL has already an established name, she actually got lucky. If she is a lot better than others, she would be producing bigger projects. Her ticket out of there is getting a bigger fish, like Affleck.
I wonder how long they’ll last. I can’t see them doing the modern blended family thing considering their circumstances.
Jen Garner, hands down, has the worst shoe collection on earth
RIGHT?!?! Good grief!!
She’s wearing casual comfortable sandals. What on earth is wrong with that?
her shoes are expensive and ugly .It is the “expensive” who is bad
I think another way to look at this is that no it will not harm this chicks career but think about it. Now the so-called married men she likes will think twice about it because maybe she’s not going to go So Undercover anymore. And the significant others are alerted to the potential for a situation with her and their man. Maybe won’t hurt her career but will hurt her MO-pattern.
Huh. Shookus seems far better suited to Affleck than Garner is.
And I do not mean that as a compliment to Shookus.
One of the thought I have to add is that it is an accepted practice to have affairs in Hollywood but I have a feeling that not all are so accepting when you make a big public mess with it. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some subliminal backlash against her. There are ways to make people pay. If she’s not the most popular one this is not helping
But she didn’t out herself as the mistress or call the paps. Ben rolled her out as his new girlfriend probably to Jen’s surprise, and then Jen’s camp spilled the tea.
I think it was jen’s camp stepping back and letting the tabs print from sources and materials they have been sitting on for years. Not necessarily generating the story. Though they likely added material once it was rolling out.
@KB poor choice of words on my part but the point being she’s messy. Ben is messy. At some point soon it’s going to be more of a mess because I think he’s going to crash and burn and then true colors will be shown. For all I know she could stick around and help the guy out or she will be busy with the new television season and not have the time of day for him. If she were an actress in front of the camera she would be toasted and Ben would be fine because it’s Hollywood.
In fact I’m thinking that once the TV season starts she’s going to be super busy and maybe they will just drift apart and she will find a new man and then Ben crash and burn
Totally. There will be no backlash. Hollywood is not based on morality and it takes a lot more than an affair for anyone to truly care. Loyalty is based on position, connections, ratings and profit. She is well aware of that and so is he. Their relationship surprises no one in the industry. If she sticks around and this becomes ancient history in Hollywood time, it would actually shield Ben professionally. She has pull and can use that to their advantage. I mean seriously who going to judge them outside of the public? That can’t last forever.
Most longtime marriages/relationships between actors or Hollywood people in general are open, or if not open, they have some kind of arrangement. Because there’s always one of the parts (usually the men) that has the upper hand and the other just agrees. rarely two people in Hollywood with the same amount of “power” in the relationship last.
This whole Affleck-Garner situation reminded me Sean Penn and Robin Wright’s on/off relationship (without the talent and the charisma, may I add). To the public she was the long suffering wife putting up with a shitty husband and trying to keep the family together. And that very well might have been part of the truth. Then Lainey wrote that they had it open and it was an arrangement that worked well as long as the dalliances were minor and they keep discrete. They BOTH had affairs, Sean wasn’t discreet, Robin was super discreet. But Lainey wrote all collapsed when SHE fell in love with one of her sidepieces. That explained Penn so mad at her at the Oscars and HIM filling for divorce first. Then outdraw it, Then SHE finally put an end to it. I was so, so surprised when Lainey wrote all this in clear, without even put it as a blind. That speaks volumes on how her sources were solid and how the Penn’s relationship it was basically an unspoken secret in Hollywood.
All this to say: we know maybe 1% of what’s really going behind close doors. We can assume and most of the time it comes out right, but sometimes things are more complex.
Well said. This is complex with very little actual information.
She’s a fool if she doesn’t think that her time here has an expiration date.
Hooking up with a married, drunk mess however wealthy or successful is hardly “cool girl”.
What I love is that first picture of them is NEVER going to go away. They both look like dirty, sweaty, messy drunks and it will sum up this relationship for as long as it lasts. It’s not only a matter of when this will end badly, but how. He’s an accident waiting to happen.
married one,reproduce and staying married with one worse and spill the beans and tantrum only when you find out you can’t keep him called Cool ? don’t think so.
Was Ben’s shout out to Jen in his acceptance speech an apology/truce flag?
Probably the same reason he said he would love to direct her in a film. He thinks it makes him look like he’s a better husband / ex than he was / is. Keep that family man image on the tracks. Yeah, that’s workin’.
His attempt at image control. I am sure Jen G wanted to punch him in the mouth. He is squeezing the last few drops out of his marriage for PR. One more image boost for old time’s sake.
On one hand it is totally appropriate that he would reference his daughter and ex-wife. On the other, with all the recent gossip about the affair, it is pretty tone-deaf. As a side note, it looks like he is driving again.
Love Violet’s subtle shade there. You can tell she is nobody’s fool. It must be embarrassing to see your dad having a mid-life crisis and looking drunk in public. But Lily Depp survived it, she will too.
The more I read about Lindsay, the more I’m grossed out. What a mess.
Wouldn’t it be hilarious if the tables were turned and Lindsay end up getting more attention than Ben and he will hate that. Between her probably working more when the job warrants it and her getting more attention in general is going to irk him.
I wonder how long it will be before someone asked Ben how are the children? Will we ever see him with them again I wonder?
Sorry if this ends up being a double post. I would love for Ben to find it irksome because Lindsay gets more attention than he does. And I would love for her to be irked when her work warrants her full attention again and he seen out and about with other ladies and forgets return her calls. Also I wonder when someone is going to ask Ben how the children are.
Good lord those shoes. Honestly, I expect to see Jennifer Garner wearing Teva Sandals anytime now.
Nothing wrong with Tevas and nothing wrong with the sandals she’s wearing in the photo.
I think Ben’s team/WB are desperately trying to rehab his image. They failed in trying to paint Lindsay as the non-Hollywood girl next door.” This just encouraged gossip sites to really dig into her past and they will continue digging. Chris Both and Jon Hamm just got dragged into this mess now. (Note how quickly Jon’s reps were to deny this ) From all the articles published like “Who is Lindsay Shookus,” it seemed like Ben wanted us to forget his recent marriage and accept his new life after Jen. But in this last speech he mentioned Jen again and his children. If he hadn’t gone public with Lindsay, some would think there could be a possible reconciliation.
Yeah, well, they both strike me as kind of trashy but what do I know? I’m just wondering what’s up with her leg? I mean, if it’s a birth mark or what? There’s nothing wrong with it, I’m just curious.
Check out the blind of July 12 on Blindgossip.com entitled “Not Thrilled”
http://blindgossip.com/?p=86100#more-86100
It is labelled as an Exclusive.
There was also a blind on another site just last week that Ben is still doing the Nanny on the side behind Lindsay’s back.
There was also another blind that said a “certain publicist was leaking info. about her relationship with a movie star” and it’s reveal was none other than Lindsay Shookus!
Everybody assumes Jen team leaked the info. about the affair, but what if it were really Lindsay! She might have wanted the world to know (in her mind anyway) that she was not just wasn’t one of Ben’s random flings. I think when Lindsay saw those “perfect” family pics (dog &all), she had enough! Just my opinion but I believe Jen did everything she could to prevent this from coming out! Why would she want the world to know something that she has dealt with privately for at least 2+ years?
I do think Ben believes that Jen leaked this info. and he retaliated by taking Lindsay to Jen’s favorite restaurant!
Agree, suspect it was Lindsay tired of being in the shadows and wanted to stake her claim. After going to great lengths to hide everything else, highly doubtful Jen would want this out in this manner.
Think both blinds are right on the money!
Ben is trying to sway the PR image/narrative with his recent humanitarian award – too late, public perception of him has already been cemented on him – and not in a good way! If I was Jen I would leave him to his own devices from here on forward – the kids can probably be just as shielded from the PR as they are now.
This is very possible. If Lindsay (or a publicist close to the situation, lol) did leak it, I hope Ben is smart enough…oh never mind… to figure it out. My heart goes out to all the children in this situation. (and by children, I don’t mean the adults)
@ Caroli, where was that blind, please? I only hit a couple of the blind item sites, and it’s not on either of those.
@ Learningthesystem, it was under foxilla July 16th. It says his PR person is leaking to tabloids that she is our actor’s girlfriend and it revealed Lindsay Shookus. I think I said publicist instead of PR person.
Not Thrilled is also repeated from CDAN revealed on July 17th on Foxilla as well !
I read Lainey’s post from yesterday and the other from the 12th. Just WOW. I went back through her blinds, the one she referenced in her write-up on the 12th (from 2014) which is clearly about Ben. Then there’s another one from 2015, shortly after Jen and Ben announced their separation. It’s titled “His biggest problem” and throws back to the 2014 blind, making mention of this “multi-million dollar marketing strategy” weighing on his shoulders (oy vey) and hints to Shookus as saying “There were a lot of women….the most recent, professional turned personal, that I know of at least, is also not that recognizable, for now. She’s waiting for her moment.” DANG. I mean, I’m analytical so I usually don’t put all that much into blinds. They’re more entertaining than anything and often might hint to the truth about someone, a la “where’s there’s smoke there’s fire” but beyond that not much else. But boy, was Lainey right on the money. Upsetting and profoundly sad.
But there’s more. The rest of this particular blind says: “These affairs were not the biggest problem. The biggest problem is one he developed on the set of his most recent project. It started with pills and an injury a few years ago. Not the party kind but the kind that brings you down, often alone, to escape. One that not too long ago took the life of a major, major talent.” She uses the word messy in both blinds and in her regular posts about Ben so that’s another big hint. The year before, in 2014, Phillip Seymour Hoffman died of a heroin OD. I read this post and realize this is a HUGE assumption on my part and it’s just me putting timelines and thoughts/hints together so I could be 100% wrong, but I think it’s Ben. It fits. Beyond gambling, alcohol, cheating, pills, smoking, all stuff he had problems with prior to Jen, but also something much stronger to help dull the noise. Heroin is that solitary drug that drags you down deep. For his sake and for those who love him, I sincerely hope this is not the case, but at this point, considering the last 10+ years of struggles, the latest developments, etc. I wouldn’t be surprised either. Woof. Sad, sad, deeply sad stuff.