Dax Shepard Under Fire After Creepy Remark Linked to Sabrina Carpenter

Dax Shepard is getting a lot of heat online after comments he made about singer Sabrina Carpenter during a recent episode of his podcast Armchair Expert. The remarks came up while he was talking with Saturday Night Live cast member Marcello Hernandez, and many listeners say the conversation crossed a line.

Shepard started talking about Carpenter, who is 26, and said he has recently become very interested in her. He explained that his daughters were the ones who introduced him to her music, especially her hit song Espresso. Shepard, who is 51 and married to Kristen Bell, described himself as being obsessed with the pop star, which immediately made some listeners uncomfortable.

Things escalated when Shepard began pushing Hernandez toward a romantic idea. He told the 28-year-old comedian that if he were younger, he would try to date Carpenter with all my might. Shepard then asked Hernandez directly, Are you not trying your hardest to marry her? The moment caught listeners off guard and quickly became a talking point online.

Hernandez shut the idea down right away. He explained on the podcast that he is already in a committed relationship. He shared that his girlfriend is a Dominican architect and a Yale graduate, adding She’s unreal. His response made it clear that he was not interested in any dating talk involving Carpenter.

While Hernandez rejected the personal angle, he spoke positively about working with Carpenter. He said they have collaborated several times on Saturday Night Live and described her as down to clown and genuinely funny. He also said she is a strong actress and a cool person to work with, keeping the focus on their professional connection.

After the episode aired, backlash spread quickly on social media. Many users criticized Shepard for what they saw as creepy and weird behavior. People pointed out the age difference and the fact that both Shepard and Hernandez are already in relationships. One viral comment even said it was time to unplug that weirdo’s mic. These reactions came from platforms like X and Instagram, where clips from the podcast were widely shared.

This is not the first time Shepard has faced criticism for things he has said publicly. Earlier this year, he was called out after revealing on his podcast that he once offered to pay for his 11-year-old daughter, Delta, to freeze her eggs in the future. He said the idea came up after she mentioned wanting kids someday, but many listeners felt the comment was inappropriate.

Kristen Bell has also been pulled into controversy recently. She posted an anniversary message that included a joke from Shepard where he said he was heavily incentivized to kill her, but never would. Domestic violence advocates criticized the post, calling it insensitive and poorly thought out.

Despite the criticism, Shepard remains active in Hollywood. Armchair Expert was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Podcast. He also continues to work alongside Bell and recently voiced characters in the stop motion series Ultra City Smiths.

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