JLo keeps saying no

The Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein Office Romance press tour is now in New York. JLo was seen in several different outfits yesterday and today while on promotion for the movie.

I interviewed them yesterday during the junket (virtually) and at 10am she was in this look, with perfect hair and makeup and lighting.

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My thoughts on the movie, which premieres on Netflix on Friday, are coming later this week. But I’ll say this for now – I watched it on Sunday in preparation for the interview, and while obviously I would have watched it anyway, since rom-coms are my whole sh-t, it was technically homework. Usually the way it works with my screening assignments, Jacek will start it with me, and if he’s not into it, he’ll tap out after ten minutes, 15 tops. This happens… often. With Office Romance, he was in for the whole ride. Without complaint. In fact, he offered commentary, almost too much commentary (because he is a middle-aged white man who thinks his opinion matters to everyone). The point is, for what it’s worth, my husband chose to spend his Sunday night with JLo and Brett, with no regrets.

Back to the press tour though and the interviews they’ve been doing together – I did not ask them if they were dating, but Savannah Guthrie did. And she was direct about it; when JLo did not give her an answer she was satisfied with, Savannah went back for more.

@todayshow

Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein, who are co-starring in the new romcom "Office Romance," deny the rumors that they are dating in real life.

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Jennifer Lopez – with Brett Goldstein beside her – says she and Brett Goldstein are not dating. Which actually isn’t news. She already said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week that she’s single. It’s just that no one wants to believe her. In part it’s because JLo loves love. Her fans are called “JLovers”. This is a significant part of her image, her reputation, her personality. But we’re in the longest ever stretch where she hasn’t been in love. And for the public, this is unfamiliar territory. We’re still getting to know this version of JLo…

But at the time, honestly, for a change I think, the shipping of JLo with Brett is coming from a good place, at least right now. From what we know of him (and of course we can never really know a celebrity), he’s the greenest flag who’s been linked to her romantically in a long, long, LONG time. For someone who’s been called the queen of rom-coms, this in and of itself is a rom-com trope. “Green flag” is a core expression in modern online dating culture that’s been adopted by romantic pop culture – used heavily in manhwa and animé and all over the corners of the internet that are obsessed with the C and K-dramas and BL dramas that have become so popular. Which, of course, is an audience that Office Romance wants to tap into.

This, then, is wishful thinking. Here we called it Gossip Genie-ing. But in this space, in general, overall, the shipping is fundamental fanbase behaviour for any romance storyline – the viewers are so invested that they hope it’s real.

That said, I get why she’s being so clear with the truth. If she indulged in the shipping, it would inflame those who are predisposed to hate her and she’d be accused of fakery for promotion. And she’s also just coming out of a bruising situation during which so much of the online community practically rejoiced when her ex-husband ghosted out of their marriage like it was a suffocating situation he had to escape. JLo is Teflon for sure, and she always, always keeps it moving. But I do think that mess has made her reticent about how she performs her celebrity and engages on socials.