Fans call out Jason Bateman’s ‘disgusting’ Charli XCX interview
Actor-come-podcast host Jason Bateman has landed himself in hot water following an awkward on-air exchange with singer Charli XCX.
During an appearance on SmartLess, the podcast Bateman co-hosts with fellow actors Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, the Brat artist, 33, was grilled on her future family plans, leading to a cringe-inducing moment that fans have slammed as “disgusting.”
The three co-hosts appeared to know little about the star – who recently tied the knot with The 1975 drummer George Daniel – with Bateman, 57, going on to say she “might find somebody” with whom to have children in future.
Watch the video above.
The subject arose after the singer mentioned she’d avoided “a lot of conflict” throughout her upbringing as an only-child.
In response, Bateman proceeded to ask outright if Charli had any plans to start a family of her own one day.
“Would [you] love to have more than one kid or would you like to have a kid that has the same sort of experience as you?” The Arrested Development star inquired.
But Charli was quick to shut down that line of questioning, revealing that she “actually doesn’t really want to have kids.”
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This appeared to surprise Bateman, who went on to press the subject further, bluntly asking, “Why?”
Laughing, the singer clarified, “You know, who knows? That could change.”
Co-host Sean Hayes, 55, then offered his two cents on the subject, saying that at the end of the day, he’d much prefer to regret not having children, than to have them and regret it further down the line.
Charli agreed with this sentiment, saying that while she “loves the fantasy” of having a child, the only part of the process that appeals to her is the idea of picking a name for it.
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“That is exactly a sign to me as to why I should not have one,” she joked, “the fact that that feels like the coolest part about it? Maybe I’m not ready.”
The already-uncomfortable exchange then reached new levels of awkwardness, with Bateman claiming that the singer’s outlook on kids “could change” in future.
He revealed that his own partner, Amanda Anka, had also been averse to having children prior to meeting her now-husband.
Bateman claimed that once the pair began dating, Anka’s mindset began to shift.
“She was like ‘OK, I think I can have a kid with this guy.’ So you might find somebody,” he advised the recently-married star.
The Apple songstress quickly clarified that she’d already gotten married mid-way through last year, but Bateman insisted she “hadn’t let him finish,” his train of thought, adding “maybe your next husband, you’re gonna want to have kids with him.”
The episode subsequently cut to a commercial break – with listeners then going on slam the uncomfortable back-and-forth in the podcast’s YouTube comments.
“I stopped listening after she was asked about wanting kids/and making it seem like if she found the right partner she’d wanna change her mind. This episode should just be deleted,” one fan commented.
“I had to go listen to see for myself and it’s worse than I thought it would be… disgusting,” wrote another.
This latest podcast appearance comes as the star’s Brat tour dramatisation The Moment opens on an estimated $427,940 – the third-highest limited debut by any film since the pandemic.
Inside the remarkable rise of our next-gen pop princesses
The film stars Charli XCX as a fictionalised version of herself preparing for a first headline tour.
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