Ben Affleck glad to be family man, not tab target

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ben Affleck is managing to live a relatively private life in a Hollywood fishbowl.

He's no longer tailed daily by the paparazzi, as he was when he dated Jennifer Lopez from 2002 to 2004. It was a time when entertainment coverage was starting to explode and the couple was on the cover of every magazine and tabloid, and the top story on TV entertainment shows.

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"I definitely was in a tabloid crosshair," he said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "It mucks up your life."

He described the constant attention as "sort of snarky and venal and kind of overwhelming."

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The paparazzi weren't going to change their ways, so Affleck changed his life. He married Jennifer Garner, had three kids, and cut down his "compulsive" work schedule.

But not entirely: Affleck was in Washington D.C., this week to raise awareness for something else he holds dear — his Eastern Congo Initiative to reduce the child mortality rate in the region.

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Now, the paparazzi only occasionally take photos of Affleck and Garner when they're out with Violet, 6, Seraphina, 3, and Sam, 4 months.

"I feel like I have a chance to do the most exciting stuff that I've done in my career," he said. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world."