# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/41 "2005-11-26T17:14:17Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > 1. **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. Small hijack: why? I liked Daredevil better than Spiderman and have been meaning to search out the directors cut. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/42 "2005-11-26T17:33:37Z")
I think it was more the hate on J-Lo that rubbed off on him. Now that he’s not with her, he doesn’t bother me nearly as much. ---
**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, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/43 "2005-11-26T17:56:06Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > 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. Brief hijack: George Clooney is arrogant? I’ve never thought of him that way, but is it really arrogance when you’re that good? I mean, he’s a hell of an actor, now branching out to producing, directing, and writing, all to pretty good success. He does comedy and drama equally well, and consistently works on good projects. I can’t recall any hot media gossip about him and who he’s sleeping with. Overall, he’s the anti-Affleck in these respects. Sure, Clooney makes his politics very well known, but I saw Ben on _Real Time with Bill Maher_, and he sounded like one of those guys who thinks he knows a lot about politics but doesn’t, mouthing off. Give me Clooney any day. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/44 "2005-11-26T18:00:47Z")
**Revtim** , **squee** , you two nailed it. Matt Damon: Just take it from “It’s a good course.” Ben Affleck: Oh, now you’re the director. Matt Damon: Hey shove it, _Bounce_-boy. Let’s remember who talked who into doing this shit in the first place. Talking me into _Dogma_ was one thing, but this… Ben Affleck: Hey look, I’m sorry I dragged you away from whatever-gay-serial-killers-who-ride-horses-and-like-to-play-golf-touchy-feely-picture you’re supposed to be doing this week. Matt Damon: I take it you haven’t seen _Forces of Nature_? Ben Affleck: You’re like a child. What’ve I been telling you? You gotta do the safe picture. Then you can do the art picture. But then sometimes you gotta do the payback picture because your friend says you owe him. [They both take a beat and look at the camera] Ben Affleck: And sometimes, you have to go back to the well. Matt Damon: And sometimes, you do _Reindeer Games_. Ben Affleck: See, that’s just mean. After that exchange, I can’t hate either of 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/45 "2005-11-26T18:48:24Z")
Yeah, the main endearing feature about Ben Affleck is that he’s willing to poke fun at himself and his image. I don’t like his politics even slightly, but he seems a cool enough guy. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/46 "2005-11-26T20:13:43Z")
I also give Ben some points for doing that Frondi sketch on “SNL” after the “Gigli” disaster. As for his performance in “Shakespeare in Love,” well, I think he did exactly what he was SUPPOSED to do. Sure, the film was set in 16th century England, but the whole point of the film was that the Elizabethan theatre world was a lot like modern Hollywood, complete with neurotic artists and egotistical actors. Affleck was playing a Shakespearean actor AS a modern-day Hollywood narcissist. Exactly as the script required him to. If he seemed like a clueless, arrogant dork, well, his charcater was SUPPOSED to be a clueless, arrogant dork! ---
**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, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673/47 "2005-11-26T23:25:08Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > As for his performance in “Shakespeare in Love,” well, I think he did exactly what he was SUPPOSED to do. Sure, the film was set in 16th century England, but the whole point of the film was that the Elizabethan theatre world was a lot like modern Hollywood, complete with neurotic artists and egotistical actors. > > Affleck was playing a Shakespearean actor AS a modern-day Hollywood narcissist. Exactly as the script required him to. If he seemed like a clueless, arrogant dork, well, his charcater was SUPPOSED to be a clueless, arrogant dork! Exactly! I was reading **Intermatic Timer** ’s post and thinking, “What a perfect description of the character of Ned Alleyn!” Especially > [@Intermatic Timer](#): > > he looks like he’s not eving trying to act, but just pose for his fans > … > and basically treat the movie as a star vehicle even though he has a minor part. He’s just so full of himself. “We are in desperate want of a Mercutio, Ned. A young nobleman of Verona.” “And the title of this piece?” “_Mercutio_.” “I will play him!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-ben-affleck/332673.md?page=2)