For the three-hour live Netflix comedy roast of Tom Brady Sunday night, Ben Affleck made a surprise appearance near the end of the show to join other A-listers in hurling zingers at the retired football legend.
But Affleck ended up on the receiving end of some pretty savage commentary for what’s been described as a “cringeworthy,” “unhinged” performance at The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady. People had lots to say about Affleck’s tirade against Brady’s social media critics, as well as the 51-year-old actor’s physical appearance, speculating that his shiny, smooth face had to be the result of cosmetic surgery and possible pressure put on him by his image-conscious wife Jennifer Lopez.
Even Affleck realized, in real time, that his aggrieved speech, meant to honor Brady, might not be playing so well, either in the audience at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, or among viewers streaming the event.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get this chance again. I’m probably never going to work again, actually, after tonight,” the “Argo” star said.
Certainly, Affleck’s grievance-laced speech at the roast began to garner as many headlines overnight as Kim Kardashian’s, with the reality star facing a long and loud chorus of boos before she could even begin to speak.
Affleck began to hurl expletives almost as soon as he stepped up to the dais, directing his anger at social media users who he said hide behind their anonymity to criticize Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
“Fans have your back,” said the Boston-reared Affleck, who is an avid New England Patriots fan and a longtime friend of Brady’s. “You guys out there talking (expletive), all right, behind your (expletive) keyboard, that doesn’t make you a fan. That makes you a (expletive).”
Affleck also went off about how Brady and other professional athletes have to read mean comments online despite giving their all on the field.
“I can’t think of a more (expletive) up, dysfunctional, horrible working system designed to perpetually make people feel awful,” Affleck exclaimed to the audience.
Affleck certainly has a point about toxic online discourse, but he invited some of that discourse to be thrown in his direction.
“Ben Affleck going on an unhinged rant about fans on social media at the Tom Brady roast was not on my bingo card,” one person wrote on X.
Another user compared Affleck’s speech to a “car crash,” while a third wrote, “Next time get somebody else to do it don’t ever invite Ben Affleck nomo #TomBradyRoast.”
Far more social media comments discussed Affleck’s appearance, speculating that he may have received surgical enhancements ahead of both the Netflix roast and Monday night’s Met Gala. Lopez is a co-chair of the gala and is expected to make a splash by walking the red carpet in some grand outfit, probably with Affleck, her fourth husband, as her escort.
“Ben Affleck’s face lift looks insane,” said one person, while another added, “Ben Affleck couldn’t afford good plastic surgery? No wonder he seems so angry. That’s permanent.”
“THIS is Ben Affleck?” another person said, according to the Daily Mail. “Why does his face look so different? It’s almost like he had some nip & tucks done.”
Yet another person referred to Lopez’s emphasis on always looking polished in public, but suggested that Affleck had taken his wife’s concerns too far, the Daily Mail also reported. “Someone tell Ben Affleck that comedy needs facial expressions. Dude needs to stay away from JLO’s surgeon,” someone said.
Others got back to Affleck’s overall performance at the Brady roast, with one person saying, “Ben Affleck was AWFUL.”
In his speech, Affleck alluded to the fact that he’s long been the target of harsh online commentary himself, notably during the “sad Affleck” period in his personal and professional life. He referred to people “making (expletive) memes” out of him, “looking (expletive) despondent,” with a Simon and Garfunkel song playing in the background.
Affleck also said he knows what it’s like to be a celebrity, dealing with professional setbacks but still needing to “talk to the cameras.” “Even in my business, even when you make ‘Justice League’ … you have the global press tour,” he said.
Perhaps Affleck’s performance at the roast was his way of trolling the trolls, predicting that if he went out angry, he’d get a reaction, even a negative one. With Affleck’s recent projects, he has shown a self-awareness about his sometimes difficult public persona.
Those projects include his appearance in Lopez’s documentary, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” which focuses on their relationship. In the documentary, Affleck admitted that he’s had to learn to go along with his wife’s drive to make aspects of her private life public.
In a more good-humored way, the Oscar winner poked fun at his need to re-invent himself after marrying Lopez by shooting an extended Dunkin Donuts commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. In the commercial, Affleck makes himself the hapless star of a boy band, co-starring Brady and his other longtime friend Matt Damon, and he makes a fool of himself trying to rap and dance.