Culture

Mindy Kaling, known best for her roles in The Office and The Mindy Project, brought her signature wit to the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Aug. 21.

Addressing the crowd at Chicago’s United Center, Kaling couldn’t resist throwing in a light-hearted jab at fellow Massachusetts native Ben Affleck, who is currently navigating a highly publicized divorce from Jennifer Lopez.

“I love you, Massachusetts!” Kaling shouted, drawing cheers from the crowd. “Everyone is always hating on us. But they just don’t get it. Go Sox! Go Jason Tatum! Ben Affleck, hang in there!”

She then quipped, “Dunkin’ Donuts is the best coffee in the world!”—a playful nod to Affleck’s well-known love for the brand, where he serves as an official ambassador.

Kaling’s connection to Affleck goes beyond their shared Massachusetts roots.

Early in her career, she co-wrote and starred in the off-Broadway play Matt and Ben, a satirical take on how Affleck and Matt Damon wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for Good Will Hunting.

The play, which she co-wrote with her college friend Brenda Withers, helped establish Kaling as a major comedic force in the entertainment industry.

The timing of Kaling’s remarks was particularly pointed, coming just one day after J.Lo filed for divorce from Affleck on Aug. 20. The divorce, which ended their two-year marriage, has been making headlines since the filing, with Lopez listing their separation date as April 26, 2024—just a few months before their wedding anniversary.

The Bennifer saga has been a rollercoaster for fans. The couple originally began dating in 2002 after meeting on the set of Gigli. Their relationship was a hot topic in the early 2000s, with their first engagement making headlines.

Though they called off their planned 2003 wedding and eventually broke up in 2004, they rekindled their relationship nearly two decades later. After tying the knot in Las Vegas in 2022, they celebrated their union with a grand ceremony in Georgia, surrounded by family and friends.

Kaling’s shoutout to Affleck was just one of the many highlights of the DNC’s third night—she also shared a light-hearted yet meaningful moment about her connection with Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I am an incredibly famous Gen Z actress who you might recognize from The Office, The Mindy Project, or as the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video,” Kaling quipped.

Reflecting on their shared heritage, Kaling recalled, “We immediately hit it off. We talked about the love that we have for our moms, who had both passed away from cancer.” She continued, “Both of our mothers were immigrants from India who came to America and committed their lives to serving others.”

Kaling also couldn’t resist a bit of humor regarding Harris’s cooking abilities, adding, “But the thing I remember the most about the vice president is that Kamala Harris can cook. Guys, she was so much better than me. But she also knew that my family was watching, so as she gently corrected my sloppy dosa making, she was complimenting me every step of the way.”

The evening, themed “A Fight for Our Freedoms,” also featured performances by music stars like Maren Morris and Stevie Wonder. Morris took to the stage with her protest anthem “Better Than We Found It,” while Wonder delivered a powerful rendition of “Higher Ground.”

“This is a moment to tell your children where you were and what you did,” Wonder told the crowd. “When we stand between history’s pain and tomorrow’s promises we must choose courage over complacency.”

The DNC has seen a star-studded lineup as it gears up for Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential nomination acceptance on Thursday night, with performances by artists like P!nk scheduled for the final night.

Watch Mindy Kaling’s speech at the DNC below.