# Why do people hate Ben Affleck? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 25, 2005, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673 "2005-11-25T10:53:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/21 "2005-11-25T16:46:10Z")
Matt Damon got the better of that deal – I’ve always found Hilary Swank really odd-looking. Those teeth … ---
**Author:** ![Glassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Glassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glassy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/22 "2005-11-25T16:53:10Z")
> [@Elret](#): > > Despite his somewhat eerie resemblance to Hilary Swank, I find Matt Damon far more attractive than Ben Affleck. I hadn’t noticed that resemblance either. But you’re right. And it’s spooky. Anyway. Yes, I find Matt Damon more attractive, too. What I’m trying to say is that Ben Affleck has a classical handsomeness that makes people long to cast him as superheroes and noble fighter pilots who sacrifice themselves for love, and things, which he really isn’t good at. He always seems just about to go :rolleyes: at his own character’s actions. I personally think Affleck could have a grand career as a movie villain. You know, turn the hate to good use. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/23 "2005-11-25T16:56:18Z")
I can’t believe I’m the first to mention he was DA BOMB in ‘Phantoms’. ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/24 "2005-11-25T17:04:18Z")
> [@](#): > > I can’t believe I’m the first to mention he was DA BOMB in ‘Phantoms’. > [@](#): > > Word, bitch, Phantoms like a mallfucker. -Jay ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/25 "2005-11-25T17:26:26Z")
C.T. Granville. I mean if you were in the Voyage of the Mimi, it’s hard for me to hate you. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/26 "2005-11-25T18:36:57Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > C.T. Granville. > > I mean if you were in the Voyage of the Mimi, it’s hard for me to hate you. MIMI-FEST!! (this is not something I just made up) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/27 "2005-11-25T19:58:08Z")
“Everybody” doesn’t hate him. Most people rarely think about him, or think of him only as a decent-looking, decently talented actor. Those that DO hate him fall into two categories. 1. People (like me) who just got sick to death of hearing about Ben and Jennifer Lopez. But we’re not the ones who insult him on web sites and message boards. The people who do that are… 2. Indie movie fans and Kevin Smith lovers. People like that loved Ben in independent crap like “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma,” and resent the hell out of him for giving that junk up to appear in MAINSTREAM crap and PROFITABLE junk like “Armageddon.” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/28 "2005-11-25T20:10:54Z")
> [@bubastis](#): > > Why do people hate Ben Affleck? It’s one of those weird internet bandwagon things. I hate those. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/29 "2005-11-25T21:03:35Z")
Well, I had some instinctual dislike for the guy because of the Jock, Prep thing until I saw his input and depth on Project Greenlight. I think the guy is an equal, not a sidekick to Damon. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/30 "2005-11-25T21:29:06Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > It’s one of those weird internet bandwagon things. I hate those. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/31 "2005-11-25T21:36:04Z")
> [@picker](#): > > Me too. Me three. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/32 "2005-11-25T22:46:08Z")
[Earlier and similarly titled thread on the very same topic.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273755&highlight=Affleck) ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/33 "2005-11-25T23:37:28Z")
Wow. The Hillary Swank/Matt Damon similarity \*is \*eerie and I had never noticed it before despite thinking both of them are hot. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/34 "2005-11-25T23:59:42Z")
> [@brownie55](#): > > Did you all forget _Pearl Harbor_, I know I have tried. I think the hate started there. “I need you like Ben Affleck needs acting lessons, and that’s a whole lot baby…” ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/35 "2005-11-26T00:20:18Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > “I need you like Ben Affleck needs acting lessons, and that’s a whole lot baby…” MATT DAMON! ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/36 "2005-11-26T00:24:10Z")
I don’t hate Ben Affleck, but I think he’s wildly overrated and overexposed. I also dislike Kevin Smith movies, which doesn’t help. I just find him smarmy and in a world with Johnny Depps and George Clooneys, I have no use for him. That’s about the size of it. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/37 "2005-11-26T00:57:36Z")
> [@bubastis](#): > > And I mean HATE. He gets more stick than Jar Jar Binks. He’s not that bad an actor. He seems to come across as a reasonably cool guy. Whats up? They confuse him with a duck that sells supplimental insurance. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/38 "2005-11-26T13:00:37Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > Ah, yes. You remember it well. > 🙂 Hee. Liked the Aflack joke as well. I don’t really think about movie stars in general-I either like their work or don’t, but Ben Affleck–I don’t know–he’s kind of a blank. I don’t think he’s very intelligent, and it shows. Not that you have to be intelligent to be in movies, but… Maybe he’s just really self-effacing, but I doubt it. I don’t see him as arrogant-George Clooney-now there’s arrogance on a stick and then some. ---
**Author:** ![Intermatic\_Timer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ee59a6/32.png) [@Intermatic\_Timer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intermatic_Timer)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/39 "2005-11-26T14:32:09Z")
I just say “Shakespeare in Love” again, and yes he is a bad actor. The only one in that movie that didn’t look like he was even in the right play. Everyone is staying in period and he looks like he’s not eving trying to act, but just pose for his fans, look and talk as modern as possible, and basically treat the movie as a star vehicle even though he has a minor part. He’s just so full of himself. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/40 "2005-11-26T16:42:20Z")
Here’s some stuff that Affleck did that didn’t suck. 1. The last 40 minutes of Pearl Harbor. 40 great minutes in a 3 hour movie. 2. **Paycheck** - For once, he’s better than the material. 3. **Mall Rats** - He plays a pompous jerk. This is like Seinfeld playing Seinfeld. 4. **Daredevil** - Okay, big controversy here. My wife and I love this movie, though the directors cut is actually worse than the theatrical, which is rare. The quality of this movie is more or less despite Affleck, though he isn’t terrible. 5. \*\*Bounce \*\*- Underrated. Affleck actually acts well in this movie, better than Paltrow. His suckiness tends to outweigh his coolness, but he’s a better picker of movies than Sandra Bullock. I actualy respect Affleck more than Eddie “give me $20 million for anything” Murphy. I think Affleck more or less \*tries \*to do quality work. He just doesn’t choose very well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673.md?page=3)