To bathe or not to bathe

Celebrities admitting to not showering regularly sparks debate on social media

To bathe or not to bathe, that is the question. Or it is at least for this list of celebrities, all who have admitted to not bathing regularly. “I do also think that there’s a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves,” actor Jake Gyllenhaal said in an interview with Vanity Fair. This very opinion sparked an entire debate and interesting conversation on social media, celebrities and fans alike criticizing and/or agreeing on opting out of showering regularly. So, which celebrities have come out as infrequent bathers?

5 & 4. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

Known for their roles as Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart on That ’70s Show, the famous couple revealed during their Armchair Expert podcast appearance that they only bathe their six and four year old children when they “see the dirt on them.” They’ve also said they tend to do the same for themselves.

3. Brad Pitt

Fight Club actor Brad Pitt also has some odd yet practical ways to stay clean. Similarly, Brad Pitt’s co-star Eli Roth revealed with People that Pitt has told him, “when you’re sweating and don’t have time to take a shower, you just take a baby wipe and rub it under your armpits.”

2. Kristen Bell

Bell, known for Eleanor in The Good Place and voice acted as Anna in Frozen, also shared her view on bathing. In an interview on The View, Bell said that she and her husband Dax Shepherd “[waits] for the stink” before washing their children.

1. Matthew McConaughey

Interstellar actor Matthew McConaughey has gone thirty five years without wearing deodorant, and although he may not use this common hygiene product, that doesn’t mean he’s not clean. “He did not have an odor. He smells like granola and good living,” McConaughey’s co-star Yvette Nicole Brown said.

Surprisingly, celebrities speaking on their bathing habits has caused social media users, family, and friends alike to share their thoughts. Junior Sarah Chapman has expressed her concern on these irregular hygiene habits.

“I really think it’s weird, you should at least shower every other day,” Chapman said.

Famous celebrities not taking the time to bathe properly has risen some concerns. Appearance is everything, and in a world where every action or word a famous person does or says is broadcast on a global stage, is it their responsibility to stay clean? According to Senior Ian Rodriguez, it is. 

“Waiting until you see dirt on you isn’t okay, that is like if you get cut or something and then not putting a band-aid on it until you bleed,” Rodriguez said.

The initial conversation spread on Twitter. Celebrities and fans alike joined in on the discussion. Famous celebrities such as Cardi B have shared their disapproval of celebrities not showering regularly, tweeting, “It’s giving itchy.” From A-list celebrities to fans on Twitter, it seemed everyone had a say on the bathing debacle, sharing their own showering schedules. 

“I think that people hear something like that and want to share their thoughts and feelings, especially with something that should be normal in everyone’s life,” Chapman said. “Bathing should be a constant in everyone’s life, whether you’re a celebrity or not.”