Kristen Bell is facing more backlash after posting an anniversary tribute to her husband, Dax Shepard, that critics say made light of domestic violence.
The National Network to End Domestic Violence condemned the post as “tone-deaf,” especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
While some fans defended her humor, others called it inappropriate, prompting Kristen Bell to limit comments on Instagram and even skip an appearance on the “Today” show attributable to the backlash.
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Advocacy Group Condemns Kristen Bell’s Anniversary Post For ‘Trivializing’ Domestic Violence
Kristen Bell is facing criticism from a national advocacy organization after sharing a controversial anniversary post that many felt made light of domestic violence.
In a press release to Page Six on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the National Network to End Domestic Violence condemned the post, saying, “There’s nothing funny about domestic violence ‘jokes’ that trivialize the very real fear, trauma, and pain that thousands and thousands of victims and survivors face every day.”
The organization continued: “Especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, all of us have a responsibility to support victims and survivors, to take a position in proven solutions, and to talk about this issue with the seriousness it deserves.”
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The backlash stems from Bell’s Instagram tribute to her husband, Dax Shepard, marking their twelfth wedding anniversary.
Alongside a comfy photo of the couple, the “Good Place” actress, 45, captioned it with a darkly comedic quote attributed to Shepard: “Joyful twelfth wedding anniversary to the person who once said to me: ‘I might never kill you. Plenty of men have killed their wives at a certain point. Though I’m heavily incentivized to kill you, I never would.”
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Kristen Bell Skipped Her ‘Today’ Show Appearance
The actress appears to be already feeling the warmth of the backlash over her anniversary post, as she recently skipped an interview on the “Today” show.
In accordance with Page Six, Bell was scheduled to look alongside her “No person Wants This” co-star, Justine Lupe, on Wednesday.
Nevertheless, through the CBS morning show, Lupe was interviewed solo and said nothing about Bell or the controversial anniversary post she shared.
The actress had been on a press tour for the second season of the Netflix comedy when she got here under fire.
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The Actress Faces Backlash Over Controversial Post During Domestic Violence Awareness Month
While several celebrity friends, including Liv Tyler, Terry Crews, and Howie Mandel, responded with laughing emojis, the actress’s followers and fans found the caption deeply inappropriate.
One user commented, “Just an FYI, posting this during Domestic Violence Awareness Month is incredibly tone-deaf.”
One other added: “Not funny in any respect. What type of man says that to his wife? Oh, wait, I do know exactly what kind. Get out now, Kristen.”
Some, nonetheless, defended the actress and her husband, while calling on the couple to deal with the difficulty.
“I totally get your dark humor. I actually have it too, but persons are crucifying you and are going to boycott your show. Please address it someway.”
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One other user dismissed the outrage entirely, writing, “This post has zero to do with DV. Those that twist that narrative, then that’s your problem.”
Bell, who has not publicly addressed the backlash, has since limited comments on the post.
Kristen Bell Forgot Her Wedding Anniversary During An Interview
Only a day before the backlash, Bell had a cheerful red-carpet moment while promoting the second season of “No person Wants This.“
In an Entertainment Tonight interview, a reporter hinted, “Tomorrow, Friday, is…,” prompting Bell to enthusiastically finish, “The start of the weekend!”
After a transient pause, she laughed and guessed again: “What’s it? The seventeenth… the Wrexham Charity Gala?”
Moments later, realization struck. “Oh my God, it’s my anniversary! You understand, I do not keep in mind that,” she said with amusing. “Oh shoot, I’m so glad you told me.”
The “Frozen” actress went on to confess that her husband, Shepard, is not exactly great with dates either. “It helps that he doesn’t remember, either,” she joked. “And nobody’s at fault here, right? We’re just not great with dates.”
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The “House of Lies” actress revealed that Shepard was at home watching their kids, but didn’t appear to be preparing for any grand celebration.
“I do not know if making mac and cheese counts as prepping for the anniversary,” she quipped. “But we’re having a date night tomorrow, so we will rejoice.”
Kristen Bell Shared Her Anniversary Plans
Bell also revealed that she and Shepard planned to spend their anniversary evening alongside fellow Hollywood couple Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson on the Wrexham AFC Foundation Gala, an event that supports youth sports.
“It’s bringing kids together through sports,” she said. “We will that, so we’ll even have a date night tomorrow.”
Later within the conversation, Bell shared her thoughts on what keeps her marriage strong, emphasizing the necessity for honesty and emotional openness.
The actress noted that “sitting in discomfort” is an important a part of a relationship, “because vulnerability is uncomfortable.”
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“It’s hard to say what your needs are,” Bell explained. “It’s hard to say, ‘You hurt my feelings, and here’s why.’ It is also even harder to say, ‘I hurt your feelings, and here’s why.’ So sitting within the uncomfortable feelings and realizing that similar to anything — cooking an excellent meal, going to the gym and getting a six-pack, whatever it’s — those things take labor, and relationships are not any different.”