Today it was announced that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were officially divorcing. This caused major shock and awe through the county. (Seriously, everyone was thrown off) Within this family, there are two adults and six kids. No one else. You wouldn’t think that though after reading all the reports. Someone named Jennifer Aniston was in there too.
Way back in 2000, Pitt and Jennifer Aniston had just gotten married and they were the quintessential sweethearts of America. Everyone raved about them as they stepped on all the red carpets, they made all the magazine covers and some couldn’t even wait to find out what their prospective children would look like. They were both successful, attractive actors and, strangely enough like other celebrity relationships, people felt sort of close to them. Sadly, this didn’t last long.
In 2005, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie starred in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It was a huge blockbuster and many could see and feel the high intensity between the two stars. Rumors went flying of “trouble in paradise” and a “new love for ‘Brangelina.’” People were so invested they had Team Angelina and Team Jennifer shirts. While many didn’t want to accept it, the divorce became true. People freaked out, especially as Angelina Jolie had the reputation as “the bad girl.” How could Brad go for her? And yet, Brangelina was seen together for the first time in public not long after the divorce was finalized.
After hearing the divorce news today, unlike the normal reaction of sympathy and and wanting to give privacy, many went back to Jennifer Aniston. It was even proclaimed “Jennifer Aniston Meme Day.” The tweets involved enough shame to last a lifetime. There are reports of Pitt cheating on Jolie, which obviously fully circled back.
Jennifer Aniston, reading TMZ this morning: pic.twitter.com/iWr6IbNmZN
— Andy Herren (@AndyHerren) September 20, 2016
jennifer aniston and karma right now pic.twitter.com/287oPnCHm0
— ㅤ (@mymymajestymila) September 20, 2016
Jennifer Aniston like pic.twitter.com/Nv0skGPAvl
— Bullfighter (@DeeGreezy) September 20, 2016
“What news?” – Jennifer Aniston
— Gary Janetti (@GaryJanetti) September 20, 2016
But is it really okay to insert an now uninvolved party?
Yes, some of these tweets are funny, and we can totally imagine her sipping some white wine on her patio of her beach house. But that doesn’t mean it’s okay. She’s her own woman, now married, successful as always and doing so well. There’s become an element of celebrity culture where some are only known as someone’s ex, not the successful career they’ve built themselves. Every movement of hers was scrutinized years after the divorce and she was always referred to as “the one Brad let go.” This is also the same world where the media is constantly pitting women up against each other. This has played right into it. And she’s not even the one in the middle of this.
I’m a child of divorce myself, and it was tough. But then being a child of divorce in the public eye and everyone commenting and rumors flying and the paparazzi camping outside your house? That’s even tougher. And Brad and Angelina are going through it. And I’m sure Jennifer doesn’t want to relive her whole divorce.
I never want to stop anyone from having fun, but there has to be a point where we put jokes aside and see that this is a real family going through a tough time. We don’t know what happened either. But as someone not involved, maybe it’s best to leave Jen out.
