Jennifer Aniston celebrated her 50th birthday this week.

Jennifer Aniston celebrated her 50th birthday this week.Credit:FilmMagic

The guest list was newsworthy in itself,featuring names such as Barbra Streisand,Diane Keaton,Sandra Bullock,Orlando Bloom,Robert Downey jnr,Ellen DeGeneres and George and Amal Clooney. It also had an average guest age of about 53,which is generally more applicable to wakes than Hollywood parties.

In a solid rebuke to tabloid nonsense,she also invited a few of her exes,most surprisingly Pitt but also John Mayer,who once admitted the pair split over his tweeting habit. (For what it's worth,Mayer also described her as the"most communicative,sweetest,kindest person";Aniston is the queen of gold ratings from exes.)

She extended the favour to her friends'exes,inviting Pitt's one-time partner Gwyneth Paltrow,Mayer's ex Katy Perry,and the long-divorced Courtney Cox and David Arquette,spreading the forgiveness vibes across the do. Odd move,some might say?"Get over it,we're all still rich and more-or-less beautiful,let's party"appears to be Aniston's reply.

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It all negates the whole"misery guts"thing,the suggestion Jen's moping away on her sofa,desperately childless and alone after another tragic break-up. That's an idea she actively countered in an interview withInStyle last August,where she decried the"fair share of sexism"she's copped from media headlines,saying"with all due respect,I'm not heartbroken"and calling claims she was upset that she wasn't a mum"reckless assumptions".

So why does the misperception linger? Probably because people don't read anymore. Words get ignored,but drunken party pics offer evidence galore. Despite the social media ban,images have emerged online from Jen's 50th,with Aniston featured in goofy photo booth snaps alongside Paltrow and Kate Hudson,olive martinis in hand,and even in what looks to be the mid-stage of throwing a middle finger to the world.

It's all quite inspiring. Not just that old people can find the requisite energy to party on a Sunday,or that celebrity exes can overcome public bickering to remain future friends,or that Mayer can still get invited to A-list gatherings,or that Aniston can so casually admonish a lengthy and unjust tabloid narrative – but mainly that someone of Witherspoon's petite stature can (allegedly) booze so hard as to stumble home (that's an impressive liver).

Aniston's 50th is truly a celebratory goal to strive for,and for that I rechristen her'Pour Jen'. Happy birthday,Pour Jen. Sure,that works.

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