Dax Shepard Says Relationship Discourse Is ‘Deeply Insulting’ to Kristen Bell

Dax Shepard has had enough with the discourse surrounding his marriage to Kristen Bell. On the latest episode of Armchair Expert, Shepard fights the critics who claim he’s “abusive” to his wife. “Another round of me being a terrible person was in the media, and I avoided that,” he began. “But then it hit Kristen’s doorstep really hard, and then I got to find out everything that people are saying about me.” Two weeks ago, Bell playfully shared that she knows Shepard’s flirting with her when he starts complimenting other people. That came with confusion, as in most marriages, that kind of foreplay can feel more like an insult. Shepard called the narrative surrounding the anecdote “weird” because he thinks people now see him as a “controlling, abusive” husband. “I find it deeply insulting to my wife,” he added. “She’s what, she’s sitting in a house with her two daughters and modeling some abusive relationship? Like, it’s very offensive to her.”

He also clarified what Bell means when she said that he likes to compliment people as a way of flirting with her. “I think she phrased it in a way that got easily confused for people,” he said. “Because we’re saying, I flirt with Kristen by tipping people a lot. And I flirt with Kristen by complimenting people.” He says he’s not flirting with the “hot young waitresses” but is actually doing an act of service. “I’m finding the dude that I don’t think’s had a compliment in a while and tell him I love his shoes. It’s always somebody that I want to make their day,” he explained. “She likes having a partner who’s kind and gives compliments to other people and isn’t withholding of that.” 

He now worries that his “role” in the media is that of a “terrible man” because of the public reaction to their relationship. Shepard concluded, “That makes me want to go away.” If you were a waiter hoping for a kind compliment from Dax, you might be out of luck.