Ben Affleck taken aback by Mindy Kaling’s surprise reference to his divorce from Jennifer Lopez at DNC

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Ben Affleck has reportedly been left dismayed by Mindy Kaling's recent comments regarding his divorce from Jennifer Lopez during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.

Sources close to the actor reveal that Affleck found it particularly disheartening that his personal life was the subject of humor at such a significant political event.

Ben Affleck 'frustrated' by Mindy Kaling’s reference to his divorce on DNC stage

During her appearance, Mindy Kaling, who was giving a shout-out to her home state of Massachusetts, made a playful comment, saying, "Ben Affleck, hang in there!" This was followed by enthusiastic applause from the audience. According to insiders, Affleck was surprised and disappointed to see his private matters brought up in this context.

A source told Daily Mail, "The last place he would have ever expected and wanted to be talked about, especially about his divorce, would be at a political convention." 

Affleck is reported to have expected greater respect and privacy from his Hollywood colleagues and was displeased with the public mention of his personal life.

"He isn't going to call out Mindy, but this was just a moment where he would love for people to know, especially ones that are meant to be his peers in Hollywood, to just not talk about his personal life."

While the star acknowledges that the comment will soon be forgotten, the public reference to his divorce underscores one of the major issues that contributed to the difficulties in his marriage.

The insider explained, "This will go away, and people will forget about it, but it's just the constant talk about his relationship with JLo that is a main reason it didn't work out this second time around."

"Ben values his privacy and to deal with adversity in the public eye is a stress-filled situation for him and when people bring it up who are in his community, so to speak, is just frustrating. Even though Mindy wasn't looking to cause a headache for Ben, she did provide one."

Affleck isn't anticipating an apology from Kaling for the joke and is instead focused on moving forward as he closes this chapter of his life.

"He doesn't want an apology, an excuse or anything, what was said is what was said, time to move on. He just wishes that he didn't have to move on from anything at all. He just wants to be known for his work and being a great father, not from any mistakes or misfortune that happens in his life."

The source wrapped up by saying, "Mindy did her thing, and he is refusing to make it a thing, it was a brief inconvenient moment to deal with, time to turn his attention to more important things in life."

Kaling's viral mention occurred shortly after Lopez submitted divorce papers on Tuesday, August 22, without legal representation, just hours before what would have marked the couple's second wedding anniversary.

Internet weighs in as Ben Affleck caught off guard by Mindy Kaling's reference to his divorce

Mindy Kaling's unexpected quip about Ben Affleck's divorce from Jennifer Lopez at the Democratic National Convention has sparked a wave of reactions online, with fans and critics alike weighing in on the actor's response to the public mention of his personal life.

One user commented, "Fact is if you're a celeb, you have no private life. If you do, you have to try your best to keep it that way, but most celebs can't resist publicity."

Another criticized Kaling's humor, saying, "Mindy Kaling is one of the unfunniest people as far back as I can recall."

Some users pointed out the apparent contradiction in Affleck's desire for privacy, given his highly publicized relationship with Lopez. "He wants a private life?? Seriously? He allowed cameras on his honeymoon. Every stop was a photo op," one user noted, while another added, "Come on, it was well-intentioned. He was not shy about playing the on and off wedding ring with the public when it suited him."

However, others defended Affleck, suggesting that the real issue lies in how his personal life has been handled publicly, particularly by Lopez.

"I doubt it has anything to do with the public talking about it; the real problem is that JLo invited the world in by making movies about it, publishing letters, etc. He's used to the public talking about him. He just doesn't want to encourage it because that's not him; it's JLo."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.