Dax Shepard's Reveal About Kristen Bell Anniversary Post Won't Help Toxic Marriage Rumors

The following article includes mentions of domestic violence.

There are few celebrity relationships as weird as "Hit and Run" star Dax Shepard's marriage to "The Good Place" actor Kristen Bell. It seems the couple can't escape backlash for their "romantic" tributes to each other online, and one particular scandal related to Bell's 12-year anniversary post was just another red flag in a list of many.

Shepard addressed the controversy on his "Armchair Expert" podcast on April 6, 2026 after his guest, comedian Nikki Glaser, mentioned that she had considered making a joke about the scandal during her 2026 Golden Globes monologue. The "Idiocracy" star shared, "Kristen knew through her publicist, but didn't tell me. So, I actually didn't know, and this was brought to my attention after a week and a half... I had no clue" (via the Daily Mail). Apparently, not even the fact that Bell had to limit her comments on the post was enough for her to bring it to her husband's attention as Shepard continued, "Someone comforted me, and I had to go to Kristen, like, 'What are they talking about?' She's like, 'Oh, that post I had.'"

Considering the content of the post, it's possible Bell might have even been fearful to tell Shepard. The couple's reputation has already been damaged beyond repair, but expressing themselves differently cannot be a credible excuse to avoid sharing anything at all. Shepard also remains heavily active on social media, leaving fans questioning how such a major scandal was something he could have missed.

While Dax Shepard didn't address Kristen Bell's controversial Instagram tribute until six months later, it still might have been too soon.

Fans and experts alike condemned her caption: "Happy 12th wedding anniversary to the man who, after [an] episode of Dateline, once said to me: 'I would never kill you. A lot of men have killed their wives at a certain point. Even though I'm heavily incentivized to kill you, I never would.'" The director of Family Violence Litigation Clinic at Albany Law School, Dale Margolin Cecka, explained to the Daily Mail that such comments "normalize[s] abuse and silence[s] survivors," made all the more distasteful by Bell posting this during October, aka Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Shepard's "Armchair Expert" guest, Nikki Glaser, shared that her joke at the 2026 Golden Globes would have been: "Die, My Love. If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You. Sorry, Baby. These are not just Dax Shepard captions for his anniversary post. These are movies nominated tonight." While she shared that she ultimately didn't tell it because of her friendship with Shepard, she also joked that "it was old news by then." There is much to be said about the dangers of how dark humor surrounding domestic violence can diminish its real-life gravity — far beyond Glaser's reasons for omitting the joke. Shepard might be able to make light of the situation now, laughing along with Glaser as she recounted her bit, but it doesn't stop suspicion about Bell's shifty behavior surrounding the post.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.