Years after the high-profile relationship between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez went into a rapid downward spiral, Affleck finally admitted to Details magazine why things between the glamorous twosome failed so miserably.
"I got lost. I felt suffocated, miserable and gross. I should never have gone down that route or got sucked into all the publicity," he said.
Now, sadly it seems Marc Anthony has suffered the same fate at the hands of the same woman. With his seven-year relationship to Lopez recently grinding to a screeching halt, media speculation abounds. Was Lopez too controlling? Too public? Too sexy?
"Unbecoming for a 40-year-old," was apparently how Anthony was rumoured to have described an outfit she wore in a recent photo shoot.
Yet, despite his protestations, she did it anyway, ignoring any of his requests to rethink her slew of slutty ensembles.
What transpired was most likely a blow to Anthony's self-esteem, self-worth and view of his place in her world. Was he even needed? Desired? Or was he treated as just another one of Lopez's designer handbags to be taken out of the house only on the right occasion?
Many blokes wouldn't put up with that sort of diva-esque behaviour. Sure, they'd date her, have sex with her, beg to see her naked and even pay for her dinner. But marry her? Most likely not. In fact, a quick poll around the office found that there's a clear distinction between the type of woman a man would marry, and the type they wouldn't.
"I'd never marry a woman who was so independent; they wouldn't listen to a word I ever said," Perry, 29, told me the other day when I asked him what he thought of Lopez.
"She might be hot and cool, but if you don't feel like 'the man' in the union, you're going to feel emasculated. I would never want to marry a woman and have that happen to me."
Forbes magazine once wrote that men would rather wed their secretaries than their bosses, with blokes from Luciano Pavarotti to my mate Lance all marrying their assistants and proving the research might indeed be true.
Many I polled did not disagree.
A man doesn't judge a woman who he might want to marry by whether her shoes are from Louboutin or Lowes (OK, maybe some do but you might want to rethink the ones who know the difference), but rather whether she is down-to-earth, real, likes him for himself (not his money, his status or the size of his private bits).
Men certainly say they'd rather not be with a woman who is so darn independent that she appears not to need a man in her life at all.
But here's the ultimate question: what characteristics must a woman have that would make a man grab three months' worth of his salary to buy a diamond ring and get down on one knee to ask her to be with him till death do them part? When I asked the men the question, a mix of opinions were thrust at me.
It appeared the type of woman many wanted to marry was a combination of someone who is smart and could hold a conversation, and someone whose breasts and sexual prowess could satisfy their testosterone-filled fantasies.
While there are certain aspects of a woman men avoid like the plague - overly sensitive, disloyal, slutty and an inability to cook (you'd be surprised by how many men reckon this is a deal breaker) - it seems these days that religion, career choice and shoe brand hardly rate a mention. What is important is the woman's ability to make the guy feel important enough in the union to warrant him sticking around.
The most interesting comments that came out of the discussion were the following deal breakers. See what you think ...
"I'll only marry a woman who doesn't want kids."
When it comes to the issue of kids, marriage, family and the whole shebang, in the heady stages of romance, endless shagging and sexy lingerie, many forget to discuss those innate core values that are ultimately going to shape your relationship, your marriage and your life. But whether the bloke in question wants kids or not, the fact that a woman does or does not share his point of view on the matter, apparently makes it mightily clear whether or not she's marriage material for him.
"I'd never marry a stripper"
When factoring in whether or not to propose to a woman, rarely does her career of choice come into play. Most of the men I've polled couldn't give a toss what a woman does in her spare time, as long as there's dinner on the table (at least once a week), she knows how to iron a mean suit-pant crease, oh, and she isn't a stripper ...
"I'd never marry a girl who has slept with one of my friends"
Out of the men I'd polled, a woman who has slept with one of their friends was put into the "non-marriage-material" category a bunch of times. I know that, thanks to social networking, the world has become a smaller place, but I've got to agree with the dudes on this one. I mean surely there's enough people on the planet not to have to take your best mates' sloppy seconds?
"I'd never marry someone who had previously had an affair or is having an affair with me"
This is a tough one. There are a few married blokes out there who revel in the fact that a hot, young thing has her eye out for him. Suddenly he feels alive again; as if he's still got it. It doesn't mean he's going to marry her. Because if he does, she will most likely do a Wendi Deng on him and dump him for a younger dude anyway ...
"I got lost. I felt suffocated, miserable and gross. I should never have gone down that route or got sucked into all the publicity," he said.
Now, sadly it seems Marc Anthony has suffered the same fate at the hands of the same woman. With his seven-year relationship to Lopez recently grinding to a screeching halt, media speculation abounds. Was Lopez too controlling? Too public? Too sexy?
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"Unbecoming for a 40-year-old," was apparently how Anthony was rumoured to have described an outfit she wore in a recent photo shoot.
Yet, despite his protestations, she did it anyway, ignoring any of his requests to rethink her slew of slutty ensembles.
What transpired was most likely a blow to Anthony's self-esteem, self-worth and view of his place in her world. Was he even needed? Desired? Or was he treated as just another one of Lopez's designer handbags to be taken out of the house only on the right occasion?
Many blokes wouldn't put up with that sort of diva-esque behaviour. Sure, they'd date her, have sex with her, beg to see her naked and even pay for her dinner. But marry her? Most likely not. In fact, a quick poll around the office found that there's a clear distinction between the type of woman a man would marry, and the type they wouldn't.
"I'd never marry a woman who was so independent; they wouldn't listen to a word I ever said," Perry, 29, told me the other day when I asked him what he thought of Lopez.
"She might be hot and cool, but if you don't feel like 'the man' in the union, you're going to feel emasculated. I would never want to marry a woman and have that happen to me."
Forbes magazine once wrote that men would rather wed their secretaries than their bosses, with blokes from Luciano Pavarotti to my mate Lance all marrying their assistants and proving the research might indeed be true.
Many I polled did not disagree.
A man doesn't judge a woman who he might want to marry by whether her shoes are from Louboutin or Lowes (OK, maybe some do but you might want to rethink the ones who know the difference), but rather whether she is down-to-earth, real, likes him for himself (not his money, his status or the size of his private bits).
Men certainly say they'd rather not be with a woman who is so darn independent that she appears not to need a man in her life at all.
But here's the ultimate question: what characteristics must a woman have that would make a man grab three months' worth of his salary to buy a diamond ring and get down on one knee to ask her to be with him till death do them part? When I asked the men the question, a mix of opinions were thrust at me.
It appeared the type of woman many wanted to marry was a combination of someone who is smart and could hold a conversation, and someone whose breasts and sexual prowess could satisfy their testosterone-filled fantasies.
While there are certain aspects of a woman men avoid like the plague - overly sensitive, disloyal, slutty and an inability to cook (you'd be surprised by how many men reckon this is a deal breaker) - it seems these days that religion, career choice and shoe brand hardly rate a mention. What is important is the woman's ability to make the guy feel important enough in the union to warrant him sticking around.
The most interesting comments that came out of the discussion were the following deal breakers. See what you think ...
"I'll only marry a woman who doesn't want kids."
When it comes to the issue of kids, marriage, family and the whole shebang, in the heady stages of romance, endless shagging and sexy lingerie, many forget to discuss those innate core values that are ultimately going to shape your relationship, your marriage and your life. But whether the bloke in question wants kids or not, the fact that a woman does or does not share his point of view on the matter, apparently makes it mightily clear whether or not she's marriage material for him.
"I'd never marry a stripper"
When factoring in whether or not to propose to a woman, rarely does her career of choice come into play. Most of the men I've polled couldn't give a toss what a woman does in her spare time, as long as there's dinner on the table (at least once a week), she knows how to iron a mean suit-pant crease, oh, and she isn't a stripper ...
"I'd never marry a girl who has slept with one of my friends"
Out of the men I'd polled, a woman who has slept with one of their friends was put into the "non-marriage-material" category a bunch of times. I know that, thanks to social networking, the world has become a smaller place, but I've got to agree with the dudes on this one. I mean surely there's enough people on the planet not to have to take your best mates' sloppy seconds?
"I'd never marry someone who had previously had an affair or is having an affair with me"
This is a tough one. There are a few married blokes out there who revel in the fact that a hot, young thing has her eye out for him. Suddenly he feels alive again; as if he's still got it. It doesn't mean he's going to marry her. Because if he does, she will most likely do a Wendi Deng on him and dump him for a younger dude anyway ...
