The “Roast of Tom Brady” on Netflix captured the audience’s attention and enjoyed widespread acclaim at the Kia Forum on Sunday night, with one notable exception.
Ben Affleck, the Hollywood star from Massachusetts, delivered a seven-and-a-half-minute segment that seemed out of place for the roast format as he vented about internet trolls.
This performance led sports commentator Katie Nolan to question his sobriety during the act.
Nolan expressed her perplexity on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” commenting, “How come we never get good Affleck in sports-related appearances? Whenever he shows up, there’s always a question: ‘Is he on drugs?’ — just like I’m bad at spotting fake hair or drug use. But his vibe was like that guy you end up talking to late at a wedding, who you only realize too late is probably high on coke.”
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This isn’t the first time Affleck’s sports-themed appearances have sparked controversy. In 2016, during an appearance on Bill Simmons’ now-defunct “Any Given Wednesday” on HBO, Affleck famously went off on a profanity-laden rant about the NFL and Brady’s suspension related to Deflategate.
Reflecting on Affleck’s latest performance, Nolan criticized, “Ben Affleck, come on, babe. Step up.” She detailed how Affleck complained about the toxicity he observed in Brady’s social media mentions, particularly targeting a user named “Tallboyhenry” in his rant.
Brady tried to steer the narrative back by commenting, “Fans have your back. Those of you behind your keyboards spewing negativity, that doesn’t make you fans, that makes you cowards.”
Nolan suggested on Monday that if Affleck was uncomfortable with these types of events, he might consider not attending at all. She remarked, “You’re at the Tom Brady roast, supposed to be the fans’ representative… Why go after some phantom? I doubt that Twitter user was even real.”
Despite eventually sharing some jokes about Brady, Affleck’s overall performance didn’t escape Nolan’s sharp critique of his night on stage.