Mindy Kaling Tells Ben Affleck to ‘Hang in There’ at DNC

Mindy Kaling, recognized greatest for her roles in The Workplace and The Mindy Undertaking, introduced her signature wit to the 2024 Democratic Nationwide Conference (DNC) on Aug. 21.

Addressing the group at Chicago’s United Middle, Kaling couldn’t resist throwing in a light-hearted jab at fellow Massachusetts native Ben Affleck, who’s presently navigating a extremely publicized divorce from Jennifer Lopez.

“I like you, Massachusetts!” Kaling shouted, drawing cheers from the group. “Everyone seems to be all the time hating on us. However they simply don’t get it. Go Sox! Go Jason Tatum! Ben Affleck, hold in there!”

She then quipped, “Dunkin’ Donuts is the most effective espresso on the earth!”—a playful nod to Affleck’s well-known love for the model, the place he serves as an official ambassador.

Kaling’s connection to Affleck goes past their shared Massachusetts roots.

Early in her profession, she co-wrote and starred within the off-Broadway play Matt and Ben, a satirical tackle how Affleck and Matt Damon wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for Good Will Searching.

The play, which she co-wrote along with her school pal Brenda Withers, helped set up Kaling as a serious comedic power within the leisure business.

The timing of Kaling’s remarks was notably pointed, coming simply sooner or later after J.Lo filed for divorce from Affleck on Aug. 20. The divorce, which ended their two-year marriage, has been making headlines because the submitting, with Lopez itemizing their separation date as April 26, 2024—only a few months earlier than their marriage ceremony anniversary.

The Bennifer saga has been a rollercoaster for followers. The couple initially started courting in 2002 after assembly on the set of Gigli. Their relationship was a sizzling matter within the early 2000s, with their first engagement making headlines.

Although they known as off their deliberate 2003 marriage ceremony and ultimately broke up in 2004, they rekindled their relationship practically 20 years later. After tying the knot in Las Vegas in 2022, they celebrated their union with a grand ceremony in Georgia, surrounded by household and pals.

Kaling’s shoutout to Affleck was simply one of many many highlights of the DNC’s third night time—she additionally shared a light-hearted but significant second about her reference to Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I’m an extremely well-known Gen Z actress who you may acknowledge from The Workplace, The Mindy Undertaking, or as the girl who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video,” Kaling quipped.

Reflecting on their shared heritage, Kaling recalled, “We instantly hit it off. We talked concerning the love that we have now for our mothers, who had each handed away from most cancers.” She continued, “Each of our moms had been immigrants from India who got here to America and dedicated their lives to serving others.”

Kaling additionally couldn’t resist a little bit of humor relating to Harris’s cooking talents, including, “However the factor I bear in mind essentially the most concerning the vice chairman is that Kamala Harris can cook dinner. Guys, she was so significantly better than me. However she additionally knew that my household was watching, in order she gently corrected my sloppy dosa making, she was complimenting me each step of the best way.”

The night, themed “A Battle for Our Freedoms,” additionally featured performances by music stars like Maren Morris and Stevie Marvel. Morris took to the stage along with her protest anthem “Higher Than We Discovered It,” whereas Marvel delivered a robust rendition of “Larger Floor.”

“It is a second to inform your kids the place you had been and what you probably did,” Marvel informed the group. “After we stand between historical past’s ache and tomorrow’s guarantees we should select braveness over complacency.”

The DNC has seen a star-studded lineup because it gears up for Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential nomination acceptance on Thursday night time, with performances by artists like P!nk scheduled for the ultimate night time.

Watch Mindy Kaling’s speech on the DNC under.