Cher isn’t exactly subtle—and that blunt honesty was on full display during her recent appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast.
The pop icon joined host Dax Shepard on the January 5 episode. While the conversation stayed lighthearted, it didn’t take long for Cher to make it clear she’s always had a soft spot for Shepard’s wife, Kristen Bell.
Early in the discussion, Shepard openly acknowledged the dynamic, asking Cher directly if she thought Bell could do better. “Who would be your dream partner for her? ’Cause I know you think she could be better, and I don’t disagree,” he said, prompting laughter from Bell, who was also present.
Cher didn’t name a hypothetical replacement, but she didn’t exactly walk back the sentiment either. “The truth is, I trust her,” Cher replied. “So you must have something that I don’t see.”
The two first connected while filming the 2010 musical drama, back when Bell and Shepard were already engaged. Cher recalled their early interactions fondly, saying they immediately clicked on set.
“We got along so well, and we were very sympatico,” she said, adding that she had deep respect for Bell long before fully knowing her career. “I didn’t know who she was, but she was good.”
As the conversation unfolded, Shepard tried to make his case—not as a comedian or podcaster, but as a partner. He explained that one of his defining traits is his comfort with Bell’s success. “I’m not threatened by her shining,” he told Cher. “The shinier she gets, the better.”
That perspective resonated. Cher noted that her own partner, Alexander “AE” Edwards, shares that same outlook. “The more I shine, the more he has won,” she said. Bell summed it up simply, calling them “guys who polish you so you shine more.”
By the end of the exchange, the tone softened. Shepard admitted, “I adore you, and I understand nobody’s good enough for her,” while Bell flipped the script, calling her husband a “slow burn” and “almost too good” for her.
Cher closed things out with one final nod of approval, telling Shepard, “You seem like a good dad.” Bell didn’t hesitate to agree, calling him “the best dad there ever was,” even as Shepard joked that he was just putting on a show to impress Cher.