Kristen Bell has insisted the ongoing debate around bathing began as a “joke”.

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell

Several celebrities have weighed in on the debate in recent weeks by opening up on how often they take showers and baths, as well as how often they bathe their young children.

And 41-year-old actress Kristen has now said she can’t believe how much the topic is being discussed, because it all began on her husband Dax Shepard’s 'Armchair Expert' podcast as a joke between himself, his co-host Monica Padman, and Hollywood couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.

Speaking to ‘Entertainment Tonight’, the ‘Frozen II’ star said: “I thought, ‘America is not gonna dig deep into this and want all the intel on how often people bathe, right?’ Because there are much more important topics.

“But it was kind of funny when, like, we started being asked about it and then the interviewers didn’t even know that Dax’s podcast was the one that started the questions. And by the way, a room full of four comedians — Dax, Monica Padman, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis — who were ‘joking’ about bathing, and then the world took it seriously.

“I think people maybe need a little bit of a lesson of what is a joke and what is not. Because now people are acting like this is an actual Supreme Court case.

“I think it’s on the listener to deduce whether or not it’s a joke, to be honest.”

The debate was first sparked when Ashton and Mila admitted they don’t wash their children – Wyatt, six, and son Dimitri, four – until they can “see the dirt” on them.

Mila said: "I didn't have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn't shower much anyway. But when I had children, I also didn't wash them every day. I wasn't that parent that bathed my newborns — ever."

Ashton added: "Now, here's the thing: If you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there's no point."

And in a later interview, Dax and Kristen also shared their thoughts on the debate when Kristen said she is a “big fan of waiting for the stink”.

She said: "I'm a big fan of waiting for the stink. Once you catch a whiff, that's biology's way of letting you know you need to clean it up. There's a red flag. Honestly, it's just bacteria; once you get bacteria you gotta be like, 'Get in the tub or the shower.' So I don't hate what [Mila and Ashton] are doing. I wait for the stink."

Following their comments, Jake Gyllenhaal insisted he doesn’t shower every day either, while Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson weighed in to say he takes cleanliness to the extreme by washing at least three times a day.

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