Matt Damon suggests some stars would rather go to JAIL than be victim of ‘cancel culture’

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Matt Damon discussed his thoughts on “cancel culture” during an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast this week.

The 55-year-old actor appeared on Friday’s show to talk about his new Netflix crime thriller, The Rip, and was joined by his co-star, Ben Affleck.

During a conversation about the film – a story about Miami police officers and a massive cash seizure – Affleck explained that he doesn’t believe in simple definitions of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’.

The statement led Joe Rogan to draw a comparison to “cancel culture,” which he explained as taking something someone said or did and blowing it out of proportion, effectively ending their public life.

Damon interjected, suggesting that some people who have faced public backlash (‘been cancelled’) would have actually preferred a fixed punishment, like an 18-month jail sentence, so they could serve their time, claim they’d paid their debt to society, and move on.

You know, I’ve learned from experience that when you face really harsh public criticism, it truly never goes away. It’s something that can stay with you for the rest of your life, honestly. It’s a tough reality, but it’s one a lot of people in the public eye have to deal with.

Longtime collaborators and friends Damon and Affleck have spent the week doing rounds of press.

On Tuesday morning, the duo appeared on the Today show and shared with Craig Melvin what annoys them most about each other.

Affleck jokingly mentioned that Damon isn’t very good at keeping the house tidy. Damon quickly countered, explaining that was only true when he was younger.

The Air director said, ‘That’s the best information I have,’ and then added with a laugh, ‘Of course, we could always check with your wife to see if things have improved.’

Damon later named Affleck’s lateness as the thing that bugs him most. 

We arrived this morning, and Ben was surprisingly punctual – even three minutes early! He actually beat me here, which is a first in forty-five years, he joked.

The playful back-and-forth continued, with Affleck responding, ‘That’s totally untrue. I put in a lot of effort, and I’m working on other projects too.’

He playfully commented that the actor who plays him on screen enjoys a very comfortable life. He explained that everything seems to happen effortlessly for the actor – like magic – and acknowledged that’s just how things work for them, adding, ‘That’s okay.’

Damon recently faced criticism for his views on ‘cancel culture,’ following earlier controversy when he discussed the Me Too movement and allegations of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

In 2017, while promoting the film Downsizing, the actor expressed his belief that the positive contributions of good people in Hollywood were being overlooked.

He distinguished between unwanted physical contact, like a pat on the rear, and the severe crime of child sexual abuse, emphasizing they are not the same.

Both Minnie Driver, Damon’s former girlfriend, and Alyssa Milano publicly criticized his statements.

He admitted on the Today show, seven years ago, that he regretted speaking before fully understanding the situation, saying he wished he had listened more first.

He explained that he deeply cares for many of these women, admires their work, and wants to support their efforts for change. However, he feels it’s best for him to step back and listen for a while, rather than actively participating in the conversation.

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2026-01-18 18:36