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With Jersey Girl released last week, Totty Watch wonders why Ben Affleck insists on playing roles where he attempts to convert his lesbian leads to a life of straightdom?! Ego run wild? Or is he perhaps playing out some deep-rooted reversed wish fulfilment? Was Jennifer Lopez just a 'beard'? Even worse, was sweet Gwynnie a cover-up as well? Or are rumours that Ben and Matt secretly get it on purely a publicity stunt to keep both of them in the headlines? Totty Watch investigates.....

Name
Benjamin Geza Affleck

Vitals
Born on 15 August 1972 in Berkley, California.

Famous For
Not being gay, despite persistent rumours and his close friendship with Matt Damon.

Ben and Matt have been buddies since the age of eight when they've appeared in five movies together and jointly wrote the Oscar winning Good Will Hunting. This was unquestionably the pinnacle of his career, as Ben's choices of roles have always been a bit hit and miss. His collaboration with the indie god, Kevin Smith in Chasing Amy and Dogma were two of his more astute decisions and for box office clout Armageddon and Pearl Harbour delivered the wedge if not the kudos. But recent roles (more on those later) have left fans asking for a refund.

Being half of 'Bennifer'. His disastrous on / off / on / off affair with Jennifer Lopez became a media joke. Journalists rubbed their hands together with glee over stories involving lap-dancers, gun purchases, excessive gambling and diamond studded toilet seats as gifts. But it all proved too much for the golden couple and their engagement was called off.

The Evidence
Tongues have been wagging about Ben's sexuality for years. His friendship with Matt Damon is all the proof some of us need that he's in denial. But surely the poor bloke is allowed to have a best friend? Let's face it, he needs all the friends he can get after his disastrous relationship with Jennifer. Not to mention his dubious choice of recent acting roles. His career hasn't recovered from last summer's astonishingly dreadful Gigli, where he appeared alongside his betrothed, and quite frankly neither have the unfortunate souls who went to see it.

Paycheck was a box office flop and if stateside reviews are accurate, his new movie Jersey Girl by old mate Kevin Smith is heading the same way.

The trouble is Ben doesn't try very hard to quell the rumours and neither does his PR machine. When Gigli bombed there was gossip that Ben's 'people' were talking to Matt's 'people' and attempting to contrive a gay stunt between the two to deflect the bad publicity. Nothing too extreme, just a misplaced hand or a hug that lasted a little too long. Hmmm.

Ben's whole career is littered with questionable roles and queer associations. Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant is gay. He wore incredibly tight leather trousers in Daredevil. He kissed Jason Lee in Chasing Amy and expected his innate machismo to convince the lesbian lead that straight was the only way forward. He failed. Funny the first time, but then he did it again in Gigli. And failed. Get a grip Ben, this is not how you want to be typecast.

For all the queers out there who trust their instinctual gaydar, there are millions of straights defending him to the death. Just take a look at any internet message board about Hollywood and you'll find a rampant debate about Ben's sexuality.

The golden boys have even been immortalised on stage by a couple of chicks in the Off-Broadway hit "Matt and Ben".

Worth Knowing
Bored of the action man heroics of Armageddon and Pearl Harbour he's trying out comedy again in his next movie Surviving Christmas. Unfortunately there's no sign of him sliding back into those leather trews for a Daredevil sequel.

As the host of a recent edition of Saturday Night Live Ben showed that he's managed to maintain a sense of humour by bringing a box of T-shirts onto the stage with 'Bennifer' emblazoned across the front. And covering every future eventuality he'd also had three made saying 'Benyoncé', 'Bophrah' and 'Ben-Gay' "...in the unlikely but wonderful hope that Matt finally comes around", he said.

Availability
You decide. But the truth will out and when it does we'll be waiting with open arms and we promise he won't be disappointed.

Give Me More
Click on the images below to get the big picture.

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