Dax Shepard faces backlash after ‘weird’ comments about ‘dating’ Sabrina Carpenter

Dax Shepard has found himself called out online for seemingly 'fixating' on Sabrina Carpenter during a podcast discussion with SNL's Marcello Hernandez.

On an episode of Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, which was released yesterday (January 26), the host sat down with Saturday Night Live actor Marcello Hernández. As his final question of the episode, Shepard quizzed the 28-year-old over his friendship with singer Sabrina Carpenter, as rumors of the pair potentially dating having arisen online.

Revealing he's 'newly obsessed with her,' as a result of his 10-year-old daughter's love of her music, Shepard explained he went to go and see the 'Espresso' singer perform around a month earlier. He added he just 'love[s] her' alongside being 'just obsessed' with one of her albums.

The podcast host then went on to question if Hernández is 'pals' with Carpenter and how it 'start[ed]', before going on to make some remarks which have been viewed by some as slightly questionable.

Dax Shepard discussed Sabrina Carpenter on his podcast (Ethan Miller - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Hernández explained he was in character as SNL's Domingo when he first properly met Carpenter.

In November 2024, he appeared at one of Carpenter's concerts in Los Angeles as an audience member that the singer 'arrested' for being so 'gorgeous' and making her 'flustered and overwhelmed', all as part of a skit.

Performing for 14,000 to 15,000 people, Domingo took the writers from the show with him to help script the moment, recalling how 'insane' and 'old school' it was to see 'a character from a TV show [...] in another place'. And Carpenter was 'down to clown' and 'think of something funny'.

Which is also why Shepard became 'obsessed with her,' the host voicing 'having all these realizations' about her not only being a singer but actor ,and it all being why she's so 'fantastic'. If he'd stopped there, maybe he'd have been fine.

But Shepard continued: "Now, if I’m you, and I’m 28, I’m going to try to date her with all my might. Are you not trying your hardest to marry her?”

After sipping his drink, Hernández responded.

Carpenter has also appeared on SNL (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

The Happy Gilmore 2 actor respectfully continued: "I’m in a relationship with a Dominican girl. She’s an architect. She’s unreal. She went to Yale."

Hernández added: "But Sabrina’s awesome."

And it hasn't taken long for social media users to weigh in on the whole conversation.

Picking up on Shepard's comments, One X user said: "Dax is acting so weird, fr."

"Marcello had to shut him down multiple times to mention his own girlfriend. it’s a bad look for a married man to be that obsessed with a pop star's love life," another added.

Hernández has been praised for his 'respectful' response (YouTube/ Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard)

A third wrote: "Ohh that’s not- why did Dax say that??"

Others were quick to praise Hernández, one user writing: "I love how he respected Sabrina while making it clear he is happily taken. It is so refreshing to see someone in Hollywood handle these awkward shipping questions with such class and maturity."

UNILAD has contacted Dax Shepard's representatives for comment.