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Actress Gabrielle Union opened up about her past relationship with NFL star Chris Howard on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert Podcast on January 2, 2023. The couple were married between 2001 and 2006.
In the interview, the 50-year-old actress joked that she felt "entitled" to cheat on Shepard, stating:
"I was paying all the bills, I was working my a** off and I felt like that’s what comes [with it]."
The actress revealed that neither Howard nor she was ready to commit, and their marriage was a "stupid relationship that should never have gotten out of the dating phase."
Fans were left dismayed at Union's admission of her infidelity. It sparked an online debate about what would happen if the roles were reversed. Speaking about the same, Twitter user @mikeyperk wrote:
"How do that even correlate?": Gabrielle Union's podcast interview sparks debate on social media
Following the release of the Armchair Expert Podcast, netizens called out the Cheaper by the Dozen actress for her comments.
One Twitter user, @NSRd4tmsz, inquired if the actress was right in cheating, then it implied that if a man is "paying all the bills, he too should be able to cheat freely":
Many others pointed out that "paying bills" does not equate to "infidelity." Some commented that the 50-year-old's argument also meant that a husband is only "loved and respected" if he has "money" and "provides for the family." Others questioned her reasoning, calling it "wrong" and "ridiculous.":
Some netizens were appalled at the unfaithfulness of both partners and stated that "nobody should be cheating." Others questioned the reason for staying married when both parties were not interested in being together.
Finally, many users explained that the Being Mary Jane actress was misquoted and only a selective part of her podcast interview was being shared. They pointed out that Chris Howard was cheating before Gabrielle Union, so it is unfair to target just the actress.
One user, @maresarustla, explained that Union's comments "made in jest" were being exaggerated. She stated:
"If you actually listen to the whole Armchair Expert episode with Gabrielle Union, the unfairly aggregated comment was made (in jest) during a nuanced conversation about cheating, to which Dax also offered anecdotes, lopsided relationships, evolved views on marriage, etc."
Some other observations by Twitterati arguing about misquoting and twisting comments are given below:
What did Gabrielle Union say?
During the interview with Dax Shepard, the LA's Finest actress explained that throughout her "dysfunctional" marriage to NBA star Chris Howard "neither one of us felt like our marriage should get in the way of our dating."
She outright added that she was definitely not getting the "Wife of the Year" award. After admitting to unfaithfulness on both sides, she stated that she felt "entitled" to enjoy her own affairs.
After a brief stint with a couples' counselor where the therapist figured that the couple shared no common morals, values, or scruples, Union decided not to stay in an unhappy marriage that was damaging to both partners.
Gabrielle Union married Dwyane Wade in 2014 and the couple welcomed their daughter through surrogacy in 2018.
