Dax Shepard’s old jokes resurface amid backlash over Kristen Bell's anniversary post

A resurfaced video of Shepard from a 2012 interview features him making an offhand remark about striking Bell

A resurfaced video of Dax Shepard joking about hitting his wife Kristen Bell has reignited controversy just days after the actress faced backlash for her “tone-deaf” wedding anniversary post.

The clip, taken from a 2012 SheKnows interview promoting their film Hit and Run, features Shepard making an offhand remark about striking Bell during a conversation about his customised car.

In the interview, Bell recalled, “He was so excited. We drove to brunch and the first thing I said, five minutes into the ride, I said, ‘This sounds like it’s gonna break.’” Shepard responded that he was “very offended,” before adding, “And then I hit her several times.” 

Bell, appearing to play along, replied, “And then I got beat up, and guess what — I never opened my mouth again.” The interviewer remarked that the couple had “quite the interesting relationship.”

The clip has resurfaced following backlash over Bell’s 12th wedding anniversary post to Shepard, in which she wrote, “Happy 12th wedding anniversary to the man who 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 incentivised to kill you, I never would.’”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by kristen bell (@kristenanniebell)

The post, shared during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, was widely criticised by social media users for being insensitive. 

Bell has since limited comments on her Instagram and skipped a scheduled Today show appearance.