Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard - podcast cover

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Armchair Umbrellawondery.com

Hi, I’m Dax Shepard, and I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly sexy. I invite you to join me as I explore other people’s stories. We will celebrate, above all, the challenges and setbacks that ultimately lead to growth and betterment. What qualifies me for such an endeavor? More than a decade of sobriety, a degree in Anthropology and four years of improv training. I will attempt to discover human “truths” without any laboratory work, clinical trials or data collection. I will be, in the great tradition of 16th-century scientists, an Armchair Expert.

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Episodes

Robert Sapolsky (on human behavior and free will)

Dr. Robert Sapolsky (Behave, Determined) is a behavioral scientist and author. Robert joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he was drawn to studying the social habits of baboons, how their behavior relates to human psychology, and what we learned from Phineas Gage. Robert and Dax talk about how conditioning helps people get through stressful situations, how culture affects the development of the human brain, and how child raising is different in a collective society. Robert explains the myth ...

Oct 19, 20231 hr 50 minEp. 652

Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith is an actor, producer, and talk show host. Jada joins the Armchair Expert to discuss where she got her sense of punctuality from, how difficult it can be to share your life with the public, and her experience with abandonment. Jada and Dax talk about what she learned about loyalty from Tupac, what it was like being robbed at gunpoint, and how she feels about asking for help. Jada explains what it's like to have a shared identity with another person, her four-day ayahuasca jour...

Oct 16, 20232 hr 6 minEp. 651

Armchair Anonymous: Teacher/Principal

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about their craziest story as a teacher or principal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 13, 202346 minEp. 650

Morgan Neville (documentary filmmaker)

Morgan Neville (The Saint of Second Chances, Roadrunner, Won't You Be My Neighbor) is a filmmaker, producer, and writer. Morgan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why people love documentaries, why he had so many books in his childhood home, and how Los Angeles's history differs from other American cities. Morgan and Dax talk about what it means to be a good singer, what Mr. Rogers did for the perception of masculinity, and why some people are addicted to work. Morgan explains how he selects h...

Oct 12, 20232 hr 20 minEp. 649

Fred Armisen

Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia, Documentary Now!) is a comedian, actor, and musician. Fred joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he doesn't speak up when he's uncomfortable, why he will eat something he didn't order, and why he doesn't like to return purchases. Fred and Dax talk about how fun it is to rediscover music that you love, what interviewing your friends is like, and Fred's unique family heritage. Fred explains how his musical career led him to comedy, what living in different cities ...

Oct 09, 20231 hr 59 minEp. 648

Armchair Anonymous: Service Industry

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy service industry story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 06, 202350 minEp. 647

Vivek Murthy Returns (US Surgeon General)

Dr. Vivek Murthy (House Calls) is the Surgeon General of the United States and an author. Vivek joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he defines loneliness, strategies for strengthening connections, and what hustle culture has done to creativity. Vivek and Dax talk about what it takes for people to confide in each other, how taking time away from work can improve mental health, and the power of service. Vivek explains why incarcerating people for drug use is problematic, what it means to cult...

Oct 05, 20232 hr 29 minEp. 646

Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington (Thicker Than Water) is an award-winning actor, producer, director, and writer. Kerry joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her anthropology degree, not feeling like the protagonist of her own story, and finding out the truth about her family. Kerry and Dax talk about what it takes to keep secrets, their experiences with abuse in the household, and James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland. Kerry explains how her relationship with food has changed over the years, what she learned...

Oct 02, 20231 hr 45 minEp. 645

Armchair Anonymous: Failed Romantic Pursuit

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a failed romantic pursuit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 29, 202335 minEp. 644

Gabor Maté (on trauma & addiction)

Dr. Gabor Maté (The Myth of Normal) is a physician and author. Gabor joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how most people exhibit addictive behaviors, how the mind is connected to physical health, and how human societies are like lab cultures. Gabor and Dax talk about why airports can be sources of anxiety, what happens to the body when someone goes through trauma, and why children have the expectation to be loved unconditionally. Gabor explains why it's important to confront painful emotions, h...

Sep 28, 20231 hr 43 minEp. 643

Jonathan Van Ness

Jonathan Van Ness (Queer Eye, Getting Curious) is a hairstylist, television personality, and podcaster. Jonathan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the idea of older women having younger sexual partners, dealing with skin issues, and how news organizations choose political sides. Jonathan and Dax talk about transgender participation in sports, what it means to challenge progressive ideas, and how state laws around gender-affirming care can differ. Jonathan explains why judging in cheerleading ...

Sep 25, 20231 hr 51 minEp. 642

Armchair Anonymous: Waxing Debacle

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a waxing debacle. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 22, 202350 minEp. 641

Prachi Gupta (on the model minority myth)

Prachi Gupta (They Called Us Exceptional) is a journalist and author. Prachi joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she was grounded for reading fiction, how she views the institution of arranged marriages, and what the American Dream meant to her parents. Prachi and Dax talk about why she wanted to tell her brother's story, how she feels about happiness being correlated to success, and why being emasculated can affect how men treat one another. Prachi explains why dating apps have changed how...

Sep 21, 20232 hr 11 minEp. 640

Jimmy Kimmel Returns

Jimmy Kimmel (Strike Force Five) is a talk show host and podcaster. Jimmy returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss how much the attic hasn't changed in five years, what it's like working with his competition on a podcast, and how much of a temper he doesn't have. Jimmy and Dax talk about the state of trout fly fishing, what they think being retired from show business means, and how much they appreciate a good standup. Jimmy explains that he doesn't accept comparisons to other talk show hosts, w...

Sep 18, 20231 hr 54 minEp. 639

Armchair Anonymous: School Dance

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a school dance disaster. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 15, 202352 minEp. 638

Mustafa Suleyman (on artificial intelligence)

Mustafa Suleyman (The Coming Wave) is an artificial intelligence researcher, co-founder of DeepMind, and author. Mustafa joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he became interested in the concept of universal human rights, what deep learning is, and how machines can actually become creative. Mustafa and Dax talk about how close artificial intelligence is getting to matching the human brain, how people might feel about computers creating all content, and how AI might revolutionize the energy in...

Sep 14, 20232 hr 19 minEp. 637

Idina Menzel

Idina Menzel is a singer and actor. Idina joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her scary theater accident, how her dad was a pajama salesman, and her feelings about the Happy Birthday song. Idina and Dax talk about how much pride goes into parenting, what being in relationships with other successful people is like, and her strategy for performing day after day. Idina explains how she views being a voice for people that she didn't intend to be, why she has always wanted to do a stage dive, and ho...

Sep 11, 20232 hr 25 minEp. 636

Armchair Anonymous: Worst USA Trip

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, international Armcherries tell us about their worst trip to the USA. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 08, 202355 minEp. 635

Amy Edmondson (organizational behavioral scientist)

Amy Edmondson (Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well) is a professor and author. Amy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she was drawn to studying organizational learning, what psychological safety is, and how systems exist to make societies better. Amy and Dax talk about why working groups can have different interpersonal climates, the definition of learning behaviors, and what the three types of failure are. Amy explains that vulnerability can actually be a desirable trait, how...

Sep 07, 20231 hr 50 minEp. 634

Jake Johnson Returns

Jake Johnson is an actor, director, and podcaster. Jake returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss what he remembers about being on the show in the early days, why he stopped going to casinos, and how much he respects AA. Jake and Dax talk about why they wanted their daughters to learn self-defense, how they feel about doing manual labor, and how hard it can be to see the red flags in some situations. Jake explains how he is usually 5 years late to trends, what kind of advice he gives on his podc...

Sep 04, 20232 hr 14 minEp. 633

Jim Farley (CEO of Ford)

Jim Farley is the CEO of Ford. Jim joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what growing up in Argentina was like, how much he loved watching car races as a kid, and the time his dad sold the car he gifted him. Jim and Dax talk about their shared car nightmare, the stereotypes of being a car guy, and how to achieve positive car karma. Jim explains the hurdles of reengineering cars for electric, how Ford joining the Red Bull Formula 1 team came to be, and the generational differences in car culture. ...

Aug 31, 20231 hr 29 minEp. 632

Tig Notaro

Tig Notaro is a comedian, actor, and podcaster. Tig joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what she thinks about cold plunges, how much she hates texting, and how having unconventional parents influenced her outlook on life. Tig and Dax talk about how much they value a sense of humor, how they pictured having kids, and their shared love of Edie Brickell. Tig explains why she started sharing her personal medical history on stage, her views on being a people-pleaser, and what she thinks being handso...

Aug 28, 20232 hr 3 minEp. 631

Armchair Anonymous: Bad Landlord

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a bad landlord experience. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aug 25, 202340 minEp. 630

Brian Chesky (co-founder of airbnb)

Brian Chesky (Co-founder and CEO of Airbnb) is a businessman and industrial designer. Brian joins the Armchair Expert to discuss if gaining success lived up to the expectations, how he struggled to fit in at school, and what his first startup was. Brian and Dax talk about what being an industrial designer means, where the idea for Airbnb came from, and how detrimental loneliness can be to human health. Brian explains why streamers were okay with losing money for years, how fast technology is acc...

Aug 24, 20232 hr 10 minEp. 629

Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo (Sing Your Name Out Loud) is a singer, songwriter, and author. Jason joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how intermittent fasting has affected his overall health, his experience going to a performance arts school, and paying his dues in the music industry. Jason and Dax talk about betrayal, how inspiring Taylor Swift is, and how the joy is in the journey. Jason explains how he broke his neck, his songwriting process, and his approach to get people to stop scrolling on social media....

Aug 21, 20231 hr 46 minEp. 628

Armchair Anonymous: Grateful for a Lie

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time they were grateful they lied. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aug 18, 202342 minEp. 627

Wendy Mogel

Dr. Wendy Mogel (Nurture vs Nurture, Voice Lessons for Parents) is a clinical psychologist, author, and podcaster. Wendy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how interesting linguistics are, how she developed her confidence to talk to strangers, and why she is worried about the future of young men. Wendy and Dax talk about how to notice the signs of puberty, why they feel kids have fewer experiences growing up than they used to, and big daddy love. Wendy explains how parents can manage their chi...

Aug 17, 20232 hr 11 minEp. 626

Kristen Bell, by the grace of God, returns

Kristen Bell is an actor, singer, philanthropist, and producer. Kristen joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her career in the tabloids, how you need thick skin to be a parent, and going to channel two. Kristen and Dax talk about what they Google, her Bart Simpson laugh, and give an update on how much they each cry. Kristen explains what happened to them at the Boston airport, what being kind to people means, and how she responds to negative feedback. Link to AI voice translated episode in Spani...

Aug 14, 20232 hr 41 minEp. 625

Armchair Anonymous: Worst Job Interview

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about their worst job interview. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aug 11, 202350 minEp. 624

Peter Attia (on longevity)

Dr. Peter Attia (Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity) is a physician, podcaster, and author. Peter joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the morality of cloning, why he wanted to be a professional boxer, and what the act of achievement-seeking does to the body. Peter and Dax talk about the difference between lifespan and healthspan, the four horsemen of health, and the genetic gifts of centenarians. Peter explains the concept of Medicine 3.0, the difference between relative risk and absol...

Aug 10, 20232 hr 40 minEp. 623
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