Alex Rodriguez Explained Why He Hung Out With Ben Affleck's Ex

new york, ny june 03 alex rodriguez attends the 2019 cfda awards at the brooklyn museum on june 3, 2019 in new york city photo by taylor hillfilmmagic

(Image credit: Taylor Hill)

published 23 June 2021

Alex Rodriguez attended Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus' birthday party in the Hamptons last Saturday, and the internet began to speculate they were dating.
Shookus previously dated Ben Affleck—who's now in a relationship with Jennifer Lopez, Rodriguez's ex.
But it turns out there's a much simpler explanation: Rodriguez and Shookus are longterm friends, and knew each other long before A-Rod and J.Lo even got together.
"There is absolutely zero there," Rodriguez's spokesperson told Page Six. "They’ve been friends for 15 years."

The internet erupted earlier this week when news emerged that Alex Rodriguez attended the Hamptons birthday party of Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus—who also happens to be Ben Affleck's ex. (In case you somehow missed it: Rodriguez recently split with Jennifer Lopez, who has now reunited with former fiancé Affleck.) But while many were quick to speculate that Rodriguez and Shookus were dating, resulting in a very confusing love...square?...it turns out the reality is much simpler.

Rodriguez and Shookus are longterm friends, his representative told Page Six. In fact, they knew each other long before he and Lopez even got together. "There is absolutely zero there," Rodriguez's spokesperson said. "They’ve been friends for 15 years." Rumor over!

los angeles, california september 22 lindsay shookus attends the hbos post emmy awards reception at the plaza at the pacific design center on september 22, 2019 in los angeles, california photo by david livingstongetty images — 'Lindsay Shookus'

This isn't the first unfounded rumor Rodriguez has had to deflate since his separation from Lopez. Earlier this month, speculation of a relationship with Katie Holmes began to circulate after A-Rod was spotted leaving her New York City apartment building. But again, there was a simpler explanation: Rodriguez was apartment hunting in the city, and didn't even know Holmes lived there. "They have never even met," Rodriguez's spokesperson told Page Six, with Holmes' rep telling E! News, "She doesn't know him."

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.