AFFLECK

Movie star, Ben Affleck, in most of his movies that I've seen, has seemed sort of "square" -- great-looking, in the way Rock Hudson was, but what Ben portrayed never stayed with me.

"Good Will Hunting," which he co-wrote with Matt Damon and with whom he won an Oscar for best original screenplay, stays with me.

His romances stay with me. I have an ear for gossip, and bitchy-labels comes to my mind, instinctively. Maybe I should have been a Mary Hart, on Entertainment Tonight, or a Hedda Hopper.

After a high profile relationship with actress Gwyneth Paltrow in 1998, his relationship with actress/singer Jennifer Lopez attracted worldwide media attention -- they were dubbed as "Bennifer." J Lo seemed fixated on him, fixated on showing the world the fabulous engagement ring Ben gave her!

"J Lo Gives Me the Creeps" was the title of my 3/10/10 blog about her. She's an ordinary girl who made herself a queen -- big dreams -- enormous drive -- big talent -- she has a remarkable talent for self-promotion, and getting what she wants.

She's been a celebrity for ten years, and she's still there, stunning, gorgeously dressed and bejeweled, showing us how she can get any man she wants (except Ben Affleck) -- how she can marry famous singer, Mark Anthony, make twins with him, and at 41, continue to be utterly perfect looking.

Ahh yes, (murmurs bitchy-gossipy Em), but soon, as J Lo's being idolized on American Idol, she'll be heading toward the quicksand of her mid 40's.

Ahh, and where's 38-year-old Ben?

Following their breakup in 2004, he began dating Jennifer Garner. The two married in June 2005 and have two daughters, Violet Anne, born December 2005, and Seraphina Rose Elizabeth, born January 2009. Affleck has been actively involved in politics and children's issues, creating a non-profit organization called the A-T Children's Project. Along with childhood friend Matt Damon, he founded the production company LivePlanet -- what a practical, clever move for both of them. I think actors (also plain regular guys), hit their prime in their mid-to-late forties.

Affleck's latest movie "The Town" has received great reviews for him as the director, writer, and leading actor. The movie was number one the week it opened; the second week it was number three, continuing to gross over $16 million -- it's a big hit!

Hey -- is money the measure of success? To most of the world it is. Not to me -- to me, how much money you make is boring numbers that show how much money you put into selling your product.

Watching where Affleck is heading next -- seeing him grow as an all around movie maker, politician, husband, father, artist -- that's success -- that's fun!