Jennifer Aniston faced tabloid scrutiny after Brad Pitt divorce: book
The "Friends" actress is one of several stars featured in Sarah Ditum's book, "Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s."
Jennifer Aniston's love life has been scrutinized and analyzed by the mass media for decades, but things recently took a weird turn when a tabloid published an article implying she and a former married president were romantically involved.
A guest on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," late last week, Aniston explained how a picture of her working on set had recently been taken out of context to make headlines. Kimmel then pulled out a previous issue of In Touch Weekly, with the ominous headline: "The Truth About Jen & Barack [Obama]!"
The caption below read: "Michelle betrayed as Aniston steals her husband's attention."
JENNIFER ANISTON'S DATING HISTORY: HER HIGH-PROFILE RELATIONSHIPS
Jennifer Aniston was linked to former President Barack Obama by a tabloid. (Michael Buckner/Variety | Michelle Gustafson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Kimmel was interested in if Aniston ever worried about stories like that.
KIMMEL: "This is a magazine that came out a couple of weeks ago."
ANISTON: "Oh s---."
KIMMEL: "So the truth about Jen and Barack!"
Aniston made it clear where she draws the line when it comes to auditions. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Flabbergasted, Aniston responded. "That's kind of – that was – of all the calls you get from your publicist where you're just like, ‘Oh no, what’s it gonna be?' or the email saying, you know, ‘Some cheesy tabloid is gonna make up a story.’ And then it's that. I was not mad at it."
Jennifer Aniston joked she knew former first lady Michelle Obama better than her husband. (Steve Granitz/FilmMagic | Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
KIMMEL: Is there any truth to this?
ANISTON: "No, that is absolutely untrue."
KIMMEL: "Well, I know it's not true, I just don't know if everybody knows."
Aniston turned to the audience to reiterate that there was nothing romantic about her relationship with the former president, adding they'd only met once.
"I know Michelle more than him," she teased.
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama embrace during the Democratic National Convention in August. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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KIMMEL: "Is there a truth about you and Michelle, that we should know?"
ANISTON: "It's it's – that is not true."
Jennifer Aniston is seen filming on location for "The Morning Show" at the Mercer Hotel on Sept. 26, 2022 in New York City. (James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images)
Kimmel took Aniston's honesty as an opportunity to ask her about more rumors written about her.
Aniston confirmed rumors that she'd had a salmon sperm facial, a fan had asked her for a photograph while she was nude in the sauna and that she travels abroad with a jar of olives. She was quick to dispel a rumor that said she'd had a $4,000 anti-aging water filter installed for her dogs. She also denied having a black belt in jiu-jitsu.
KIMMEL: "You have a zip lock bag filled with your dead therapist's ashes?"
Jennifer Aniston, pictured in 2021 on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was delighted to shut down any romance rumors with former President Obama. (Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images)
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Aniston was horrified that Kimmel, her personal friend, asked that question.
KIMMEL: "That one's a little bit true, right?"
ANISTON: "It's a little true. Oh, I'm gonna sound like I really need a therapist after this."
The actress tried to justify the response, saying she'd attended the woman's service, trailing off and calling it a long story.
Aniston also confirmed that as a child, she had artwork hanging at The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and that her family made her belly dance on Christmas Eve.
"Anytime, not just Christmas Eve!" the "Friends" star quipped. "You know the Greeks love any kind of a family dinner…. It's like when you say to your child, ‘Play piano for everyone’ or ‘Let’s sing for everyone.' I get such anxiety when my friends do that to their children… I have inner trauma from having to perform and belly dance in front of my great aunts and uncles and grandmothers." she joked.
Jennifer Aniston says as a child, she was often asked to belly dance in front of her family. (Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)
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A representative for Aniston did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. When reached for comment, an Obama representative simply replied, "Stop."
The former president and his wife celebrated their 32nd anniversary the same day Aniston appeared on the talk show.
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