Dax Shepard breaks silence on Kristen Bell anniversary post controversy

Actor and podcast host Dax Shepard has revealed that he was entirely oblivious to the viral controversy surrounding his wife Kristen Bell’s wedding anniversary post for over a week.

Speaking on a recent episode of Armchair Expert, the 51-year-old discussed the fallout from an October Instagram post in which Ms Bell quoted a dark joke he had made following an episode of Dateline.

The controversy resurfaced during a conversation with guest Nikki Glaser, who hosted the Golden Globes in January.

Ms Glaser admitted she had written a monologue joke referencing the incident but ultimately decided to cut it to avoid making the couple's lives "harder."

Upon hearing the joke, which poked fun at the titles of nominated films being mistaken for Shepard's Instagram captions, the host responded with laughter.

Ms Bell's original post, celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary, featured a caption where Shepard told her: "I would never kill you... Even though I’m heavily incentivised to kill you, I never would."

The remarks drew significant backlash from followers who argued the "tone-deaf" joke trivialised domestic violence, particularly as it was shared during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Despite the uproar, Mr Shepard noted that his wife’s publicist had shielded him from the news initially. "I was alerted by someone that this whole thing was happening. I didn't know," he told Ms Glaser, adding that Ms Bell had also chosen not to inform him immediately.

The couple, known for their candid and often self-deprecating public personas, have opted to keep the post active on social media.

Née Kiari Cephus, the artist Offset has also faced public scrutiny regarding his personal life and high-profile relationship.

Following his transition into a solo career after Migos, he released the project Haunted by Fame on 31 October 2025, exploring the pressures and misinterpretations that often accompany celebrity status.