Dax Shepard has responded to the controversy after his wife Kristen Bell's comments about his unusual way of flirting with her by complimenting others, including restaurant staff. The internet went into a frenzy, with one user commenting:“Excuse is so weak you can practically hear the cringe.”During a recent episode of his Armchair Expert podcast, the 51-year-old actor defended his actions, stating that Bell's statements were misunderstood and that he does not flirt with strangers in front of his wife.His statement follows Bell's description of how Dax Shepard's practice of complimenting others makes her feel loved, sparking online debate regarding their relationship and his interactions with others.What did Dax Shepard say about Bell's flirting comment?During the November 9 episode of Armchair Expert, Dax Shepard discussed the topic with co-host Monica Padman after their interview with actress Rhea Seehorn. The actor added that he typically avoids internet criticism, but this time it was tough because the backlash had reached Bell as well. He said:“Another round of me being a terrible person was in the media, and I avoided that, but then it hit Kristen’s doorstep really hard, and then I got to find out everything that people are saying about me.”Shepard went on to clarify that the couple's original discussion had been misunderstood. He explained that he flirts with his wife by tipping extra:“I think [Bell] phrased it in a way that got easily confused, [because] we’re saying I flirt with Kristen by tipping people a lot and I flirt with Kristen by complimenting people.”He denied that he purposely approaches attractive ladies or flirts with restaurant staff:“I’m finding the dude that I don’t think’s had a compliment in a while and tell him I love his shoes. It’s always somebody that I want to make their day, those compliments [are] flirting with Kristen, but it went through the grinder that I flirt with people in front of Kristen.”According to the actor, compliments are intended to make other people happy, which Bell finds attractive. Dax Shepard also addressed comments that portrayed him as dominating or aggressive, describing the allegations as profoundly disturbing:“My behavior versus this weird narrative that is surrounding me as like a controlling, abusive, now flirting with people in public, which I don’t do.”He said he grew up around men whose behavior he consciously tried not to repeat in his own family:“I grew up around certain men who behaved a certain way, and then literally dedicating my whole life to being the opposite of all that, I don’t ever yell at my children. I don’t swear at them. I don’t yell at my wife. To have given it my all to be the opposite of what now some group of people is saying I am is hard.”The actor also denied that he had acted inappropriately toward restaurant workers, stating that he would publicly offer $10 million to anyone who could identify a server to whom he had given his number or hit on:“I will offer, publicly, $10 million to any server you can find that I have given my number to or hit on. Like, go find this person you think I’m doing this to.”What did Kristen Bell originally say about Dax Shepard flirting with waitresses?The incident began when Bell appeared on an episode of Armchair Expert in October, alongside her Nobody Wants This co-stars Adam Brody, Justine Lupe, and Timothy Simons.During the interview, Bell described how Dax Shepard sometimes compliments individuals while they are out together, explaining that she sees it as flirtation directed at her. Bell said:“That’s how I know you’re flirting with me a lot. There’s a couple things Dax does where he doesn’t have to look up and wink at me, but I know that he’s just being the best boy.”She added:“We’ll be at dinner and, like, he’ll say to the waiter or waitress, he’ll go, ‘Wow, you have incredible eyelashes, gorgeous eyes. Great, great job.’”Bell added that she is pleased with the gesture since she enjoys watching her spouse make others happy:“But that’s flirting with me because he just made someone else feel good.”The actress also stated that she does not feel intimidated by the compliments and believes Shepard has never crossed a line.She remembered another time when Dax Shepard complimented her friend Heather's brows, explaining how his ability to recognize and acknowledge something great about another person makes her drawn to him. Bell added:“Exactly. That’s why it makes me fluttery inside. That’s why it gives me butterflies because everyone saw it. He’s the only one that said it. Maybe she hadn’t had a compliment today. And I’m with the guy that’s pouring compliments on people, making people feel good.”However, the couple's explanation drew criticism online, prompting Shepard to clarify how his behavior had been perceived.Internet reacts to Dax Shepard clarifying Kristen Bell’s comment about flirting with waitressesDax Shepard's clarification has done little to settle the online debate, with social media users divided over whether his explanation makes the situation clearer or simply raises more questions.One commenter was unconvinced by his response, commenting:"Excuse is so weak you can practically hear the cringe."Another joked as they added a GIF of how the servers might interpret the interactions:"The waiters who this guy has “complimented” are now thinking they’re just...desperate for unsolicited affirmations."Others, however, argued that the original comments had been taken out of context. One person wrote:"It makes sense if you don't twist it around and make it into something it's not. I don't understand the fascination with twisting what these two say."Another pointed to the wording Bell used to describe the behavior:"There’s nothing wrong with complimenting other people other than your partner. I think the thing that keeps confusing everyone is the use of the word flirting."Not everyone was interested in hearing more about the couple's private life. One user remarked:"This couple specifically needs to tell us less about themselves."Another remained unconvinced by Shepard's clarification:"It still makes zero sense."A different user questioned Bell's original example:"Except she specifically uses the example that he compliments women who he’ll never see again. It’s weird AF."However, another person appreciated Dax Shepard's clarification about the people he compliments:"I like that he clarified it's usually the guy who never gets a compliment that he's trying to make smile. 😂 Kristen's version definitely made it sound like a different story."Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.