"We'd be looking around & people would be saying, 'Want selfie with A-Rod,' that will work better with J.Lo" - When Alex Rodriguez's billionaire ex-girlfriend's mother had problems with his crazy popularity
New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez's starting lineup of girlfriends has always been a hot topic in the MLB sphere. Since his divorce from his ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis in 2008, he has dated many women, including Hollywood A-listers like Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz.
In May 2016, Rodriguez's relationship with Anne Wojcicki, the co-founder and CEO of 23andMe, a personal genomics and biotechnology company, garnered a lot of attention.
As he is a legendary MLB player, Alex Rodriguez has numerous die-hard fans. Every time he steps out, MLB fans cannot curb their excitement as they excitedly walk up to him to get autographs and selfies.
Although Rodriguez and Wojcicki were happy with each other, Anne's mother, Esther Wojcicki, had problems with A-Rod's immense fame among New Yorkers.
In a 2017 interview with the New York Times, Esther Wojcicki said:
"If we went to Target to look for clothes for the kids, all of a sudden we’d be looking around and people would be saying, ‘We just want a selfie with A-Rod.’ He can’t walk across Central Park. He has to take a cab.”
Talking about how inconvenient it was to accompany her daughter's ex-boyfriend in public, Esther Wojcicki mentioned pop icon Jennifer Lopez to further explain her point.
Rodriguez and Lopez were in a relationship when Esther Wojcicki's interview with The New York Times was published.
Esther Wojcicki said handling the fans and the paparazzi while accompanying Rodriguez on the streets came naturally to Lopez because she is a celebrity as well. Additionally, she wished Lopez good luck.
"That will work better with [his current girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez] because she’s like, ‘Take a picture of me anytime.’ … I wish J.Lo all the luck in the world.”
Alex Rodriguez's ex's mom shades his conversational skills & talks Jennifer Lopez. et.tv/2AiXbF4 https://t.co/pBbUYtxAER
"Alex Rodriguez's ex's mom shades his conversational skills & talks Jennifer Lopez." - @Entertainment Tonight
Alex Rodriguez and Anne Wojcicki called it quits after dating for less than a year in February 2017.
Anne Wojcicki's mother Esther Wojcicki called out Alex Rodriguez's excessive obsession with baseball
In the same 2017 "New York Times" interview, Anne Wojcicki's mother, Esther Wojcicki, pointed out New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez's extreme obsession with baseball, which the Wojcicki family was not as interested in.
"His main interest in life was something that none of us had ever focused on, which was baseball.”
Wojcicki added how Rodriguez could be watching MLB games all day. She also mentioned an incident where Rodriguez was unsure about sailing on a yacht with her daughter Anne because the TV wasn't working and he didn't want to miss any MLB games.
"He could … watch baseball for 10 hours a day. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to go on the yacht with Anne because the TV might not be working.”
Anne Wojcicki’s mother says Alex Rodriguez "couldn’t have an intellectual conversation about anything" and spent all of his time watching baseball nydn.us/2AYbAma https://t.co/tV7zf5YaHM
"Anne Wojcicki’s mother says Alex Rodriguez "couldn’t have an intellectual conversation about anything" and spent all of his time watching baseball." - @NY Daily News Sports
After splitting with Wojcicki, Rodriguez went on to date pop icon Jennifer Lopez. The pair got engaged in the Bahamas in 2019, only to call it quits in April 2021.
While Lopez recently got married to Academy Award-winner Ben Affleck, Rodriguez is currently enjoying the single life.