Bill's out, so Ben gets 'SNL' vote

NY Daily News ^ | September 16, 2004 | MARISA GUTHRIE

[presidio9]

Bill Clinton wasn't available to host the premiere of "Saturday Night Live" so the next most ubiquitous Democrat will do - Ben Affleck. Affleck has been tapped to host the 30th season opener of NBC's "SNL" Oct. 2 at 11:30 p.m. Rap star Nelly is the musical guest.

Boston-bred Affleck spent a lot of time stumping at the Democratic National Convention in his hometown earlier this summer and has emerged as a political figure.

"SNL" producers tried to woo Clinton to kick off the season, but the ex-President and best-selling author turned down the invitation.

Now, of course, he's convalescing after heart bypass surgery and so wouldn't have been available anyway.

Clinton's refusal provided an opening for Affleck to make his third appearance on the show.

Likewise, it will be his second appearance after the breakup of his almost-marriage to Jennifer Lopez, which is likely to limit the show's comedic attacks on his love life. (He was last on "SNL" in March.)

It won't dampen, however, an all-out attack on his recent film career, which includes the bombs "Gigli" with Lopez, "Jersey Girl" and "Paycheck."

His films, along with his strong political beliefs, should provide enough fodder for "SNL" writers to fill a show.

Not surprisingly, Affleck has a new movie to promote, "Surviving Christmas," with James Gandolfini and Christina Applegate.

[bmwcyle]

Can you say, "Jump the Shark"?

[gunnygail]

Ben WHO?

Oh yeah, the guy who picked up on P-Diddy's sloppy seconds with J-Lo.

[Imaverygooddriver]

Knowing that Al Franken run show, they`ll probably choose Dan Rather at the last minute to host so they can "laugh away" his problem to regain his "credibilty". "Oh the forgeries were all a joke! ha ha ha ha!"

[truthandlife]

SNL has been awful the past few seasons and if they can only get Afleck to host the season opener then that means many stars are running from this nightmare of a show.

SNL is bankrupt for ideas and not funny.

[ChuckShick]

Whoa. After Affleck was so good in "Gigli", is anyone suprised that he would tapped for the season opener on SNL's?

He's such a hot commodity, I wonder if "Pink Lady and Ben" is in the works?

[BigSkyFreeper]

Ben WHO?

Aflac

[atomicpossum]

Oh yeah, the guy who picked up on P-Diddy's sloppy seconds with J-Lo.

Hey, I'm eating BREAKFAST here....

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

Affleck has a new movie to promote, "Surviving Christmas"

Kerry should be in a film called "Surviving November".

[theDentist]

MMmm.... Christinaaaaaaa...

[bannie]

You KNOW billyblythe clinton WANTED to do that show: Lines and lines of free stuff, "party" for days, chicks, chicks and chicks, and all that...

I'm sure that hillary connection squelched his gig.

[freekitty]

Oh geez....

[Liberty Valance]

I've looked at my schedule and lo and behold...i'll be arranging my sock drawer during that SNL timeframe. :o)

[t_skoz]

dude! now I need a mental douche!

this breakfast sandwhich... yuck, it just ain't the same!

[finnigan2]

Ben Affleck is a second rate actor who has appeared in a number of movies ranging from mediocre to disastrous. What is it that keeps his "career" afloat, I don't know - maybe he's got a great agent and publicist.

[silent_jonny]

That movie, Surviving Christmas, is a total disaster. I read a few months ago that the studio re-edited the flick multiple times, but you can only do so much with a sow's ear, I guess. Anyone remember Reindeer Games? Blech!

[Hildy]

I don't understand why his career is so good either. Check out this list for IMDB. I started it from the movie that made him famous, Good Will Hunting which was really Matt Damon's movie and, in my opinion, extremely overrated. :

Man About Town (2005) (pre-production)
Surviving Christmas (2004) (completed) .... Drew Lathem
Jersey Girl (2004) .... Ollie Trinke - OK
Paycheck (2003) .... Michael Jennings BOMB
Gigli (2003) .... Larry Gigli BOMB
Daredevil (2003) .... Matt Murdock/Daredevil BOMB
Third Wheel, The (2002/I) .... Michael BOMB
Sum of All Fears, The (2002) .... Jack Ryan OK
Changing Lanes (2002) .... Gavin Banek BOMB
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) .... Holden
Daddy and Them (2001) .... Lawrence Bowen BOMB
Pearl Harbor (2001) .... Capt. Rafe McCawley OK
Bounce (2000) .... Buddy Amaral BOMB
Boiler Room (2000) .... Jim Young BOMB
Dogma (1999) .... Bartleby BOMB
Forces of Nature (1999) .... Ben Holmes BOMB
200 Cigarettes (1999) .... Bartender BOMB
Shakespeare in Love (1998) .... Ned Alleyn SMALL PART
Armageddon (1998) .... A.J. Frost BIG HIT Phantoms (1998) .... Sheriff Bryce Hammond NEVER HEARD OF IT
Good Will Hunting (1997) .... Chuckie Sullivan Extremely overrated, cliched movie

[NYCVirago]

SNL has been awful the past few seasons and if they can only get Afleck to host the season opener then that means many stars are running from this nightmare of a show.

Yep. It's quite a letdown to go from Clinton to Affleck. At this stage of Ben's career, he'd appear at the opening of an envelope!

[Ghengis]

Ben Affleck is a second rate actor who has appeared in a number of movies ranging from mediocre to disastrous.

Trying to watch Daredevil was probably 15 of the most painful minutes in my life.

[finnigan2]

"That movie, Surviving Christmas, is a total disaster. "

- I haven't see all his films but I've heard that perhaps the biggest turkey of all was "Pearl Harbor". Mark Stein reviewed the movie in one of his column's and said about Affleck's performance something to the effect that, "the movie was an expensive screen epic with lot's of special effects and impressive technical achievements with a great big hole in the middle where the leading man was supposed to be."