Jennifer Lopez Details Dealing With Racism From Conan O’Brien In Her New Documentary

Jennifer Lopez needs no introduction. She is one of the most popular faces in the industry today. The 52-year-old singer is at the center of the recently released Netflix documentary Halftime, which delves into the global superstar’s success and the pressure of life in the spotlight.

One of the aspects of her life that comes into focus is the media scrutiny she faced in the 00s. She faced a lot of criticism over her body and rumored ‘diva behavior’. Most shocking of all has been the reminders of the racism she faced as a Latina woman, including from big names in the media such as TV personality Conan O’Brien. 

In one throwback scene, the host tells the audience that he’s got ‘our script intern’ to play her partner Ben Affleck and ‘our cleaning lady’ as Lopez to stand in for the couple in a sketch. An unnamed publication was also quoted in the documentary as saying about Affleck, “Don’t get friendly with the help, let alone marry them.”

What’s shocking is not only the blatant racism that circulated in the media, but also the fact that it was so widely accepted. This is emphasized by the reminder of Lopez’s portrayal in South Park, with an episode seeing Cartman turning the star into a hand doll who sings a song titled “Taco-Flavored Kisses.”

Alongside the racism she faced, Halftime also examines the media’s obsession with her personal life in the 00s and how this impacted her mental state. She said, “Their appetite to cover my personal life overshadowed everything that was happening in my career.” Affleck, who is now engaged to Lopez, also appeared in the documentary, stating: “I said to her once, ‘Doesn’t this bother you?’

On how she made it through those difficult times, Lopez explained: “I had to really figure out who I was and believe in that and not believe anything else.” Meanwhile, Halftime is available to watch on Netflix now. Stay tuned to Thirsty for further updates.

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