Ben Affleck and his new (and old) girlfriend Jennifer Lopez were involved in an airport skirmish at Venice Marco Polo Airport on Saturday after an aggressive fan would not give them space.
Ben Affleck + Jennifer Lopez Vs. Aggressive Fan At Venice Airport
I realize that sympathy for celebrities often comes in the form of world’s smallest violin, but imagine being mobbed everywhere you go…even if that is simply part of the job description of being an A-list celebrity, it cannot be fun.
Affleck and Lopez, now a couple again, had just debuted Afflick’s new film at the Venice Film Festival earlier in the week. The couple, pictured kissing and holding hands, have not been together on a red carpet for 15 years (and Jen, dear, you should talk to Jen G about Ben…I’d hate to see you hurt too).
As the couple stepped out of their car at Venice Airport, a man rushed up to them. He was probably harmless–he claimed he just wanted a selfie with them (versus a photo of them like the paparazzi)–but got right up into the face of Affleck. Affleck responded by pushing the man away and continuing to walk toward the terminal, with Lopez close behind.
Their security detail rushed to assistance and held the man off to the side, as Affleck and Lopez looked on with amused looks on their faces.
Ben Affleck gets into protective boyfriend mode for Jennifer Lopez at Venice airport pic.twitter.com/DEBlDKKhv8
— PRESS NEWS (@PressNews3G) September 12, 2021
It reminded me of my wife’s incident in Hyderabad, though thankfully no one got too aggressive…
> Read More: My Wife Is A Celebrity In India
CONCLUSION
Having people clamoring to take a selfie with you may seem like a great problem to have (and perhaps it is), but it is never fun when someone unwanted gets up in your face. It seems to me like Affleck handled this situation well.
image: Columbia Pictures / Fair Use Exception
Was the fan Italian? Asking because, it’s normal for Italians to get close.
I’m not sure the etiquette about selfies with celebrities. I would be afraid of not getting one so the first thing I would do is to take a photo of them without me.
Just before the pandemic, I saw one of the more prominent US Senators in the PreCheck line. The line was long, weaving back and forth by the crowd control ropes so I passed by her twice. My priority was first to get a photo, Then an autograph on the boarding pass. I didn’t think they were that important so I didn’t ask for a selfie.
You needed to tone it down a bit. You were making me uncomfortable.
Don’t be so cocky. Bernie is not a prominent US Senator. Bernie is not a she or her.
If nobody cares for pictures with them then they wouldn’t be celebrities. Ben Affleck’s reaction was correct to protect him but at the end of day it is because of morons like the guy that approached him that celebrities exist. I would not even bother looking at him and his girlfriend. Leave them alone.
Mobbed just like tourist in Lexor.
Why weren’t they flying private?
I once ran into Erik Estrada in the Turkish Airlines Lounge at IAD; as much as I wanted to ask him to re-enact his scenes from Airport 75 (while using the iconic terminal through the window as a background), all the while doing my best Karen Black impersonation, I decided to smile and walk past towards the bar to get another glass of champagne.
This event represents a significant and rather shocking failure by their security team who should have better prepared the location for their arrival, identified and responded to this individual much earlier and moved their protectees away from the threat quickly.
They are fortunate there was no injury.
They need a new security team.