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

Armchair Anonymous: Airplanes II

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about the craziest thing that ever happened to them on an airplane, again. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Aug 16, 202452 minEp. 776

Raj M. Shah & Christopher Kirchhoff (on the military-industrial complex)

Raj M. Shah is a technology entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and former director of the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit. Christopher Kirchhoff is an expert in emerging technology and founder of the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley office. Raj and Christopher join the Armchair Expert to discuss how to reduce the risk of great power wars, the discrepancy between the private sector and military technologies, and how investing in military technology helps to maintain peace. Raj and Christopher talk abo...

Aug 15, 20242 hr 2 minEp. 775

Julianne Hough

Julianne Hough (Everything We Never Knew, Dancing with the Stars) is an actor, dancer, and choreographer. Julianne joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in the Mormon church, going to live with a Russian family to dance when she was 9 years old, and her relationship with perfectionism. Julianne and Dax talk her ambitions to act and sing, her addictive loop, and her pursuit to be a country music singer. Julianne discusses her identity being tied to the shows she’s on, going through her ...

Aug 12, 20242 hr 5 minEp. 774

Armchair Anonymous: Cooking Disaster

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

Aug 09, 202451 minEp. 773

Richard Isaacson (on Alzheimer’s prevention)

Dr. Richard Isaacson is a neurologist with a focus on the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Richard joins the Armchair Expert to discuss who his medical idol is, the importance of preventative medicine, and how he got involved in Alzheimer’s research. Richard and Dax talk about the core tenants of brain health, some of the main factors of developing dementia, and how to lower the risk of developing amyloid in the brain. Richard explains how important diet is for cognitive ability,...

Aug 08, 20241 hr 59 minEp. 772

Jack Black

Jack Black (Borderlands, Kung Fu Panda, High Fidelity) is an actor and musician. Jack joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he feels about being shouted at on the street, getting started in the alternative comedy scene, and having two brainiac parents. Jack and Dax talk about their experiences with drug use, how theater saved his life, and what bands influenced his music career. Jack explains when he feels like he found his acting voice, why he loves acting in movies adapted from video games,...

Aug 05, 20242 hr 22 minEp. 771

Marion Jones (Olympic track-and-field athlete)

Marion Jones is an Olympic track-and-field athlete and professional basketball player. Marion joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in Sherman Oaks, her first exposure to the Olympics, and when she knew she wanted to be an Olympic champion. Marion and Dax talk about how much her mom helped guide her career, the feeling of winning her gold medals, and getting the call from federal prosecutors about performance-enhancing drugs. Marion explains her decision to come clean, what her experie...

Aug 01, 20242 hr 15 minEp. 770

Teddy Swims

Teddy Swims (I've Tried Everything but Therapy) is a singer-songwriter. Teddy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in small town Georgia, meeting Dave Chappelle, and having to learn to not come on too strongly to people. Teddy and Dax talk about how important personal relationships are to him, being surrounded by sweet men in his life, and when he started getting tattoos. Teddy discusses his relationship with how he looks, mistaking familiarity with comfort and love, and celebrating p...

Jul 29, 20241 hr 55 minEp. 769

Armchair Anonymous: Wild Card V

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

Jul 26, 20241 hr 2 minEp. 768

Andrea Dunlop (on Munchausen by proxy)

Andrea Dunlop (Nobody Should Believe Me, The Mother Next Door) is an author and podcaster. Andrea joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her journey to becoming a writer, how her sister tried to sue her for defamation after her first book, and her personal relationship to Munchausen by proxy (MSP). Andrea and Dax talk about willful deception and reality distortion, the gendered aspects of MSP, and why confronting and taking action against it is so hard. Andrea discusses the disorientation of betra...

Jul 25, 20242 hr 29 minEp. 766

Woody Harrelson & Ted Danson

Woody Harrelson and Ted Danson (Where Everybody Knows Your Name) are award-winning actors. Woody and Ted join the Armchair Expert to discuss working together on Cheers, their brotherly relationship, and how much shame pains them. Woody talks about his motorcycle accident, how his ambitions have evolved, and why he doesn't have a cell phone. Ted discusses his codependency, the growing awareness of his self deprecation, and what brought them together to start a podcast. See Privacy Policy at https...

Jul 22, 20241 hr 48 minEp. 766

Armchair Anonymous: Beach Stories

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

Jul 19, 20241 hrEp. 765

Alegra Kastens (OCD Specialist)

Alegra Kastens (Books, Looks, and Lobotomies) is a licensed therapist, OCD specialist, and writer. Alegra joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the difference between OCD and OCPD, what having onset OCD is like, and how some compulsive behaviors can be contagious. Alegra and Dax talk about what some of the misinformation is around OCD, what the difference between habitual and obsessive behaviors are, and how OCD is related to other compulsive disorders. Alegra discusses OCD showing up in dreams, ...

Jul 18, 20241 hr 59 minEp. 764

Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Indiana Jones, The Goonies) is an Academy Award-winning actor. Ke joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his experience was like escaping Vietnam after the war, what it was like landing his role in an Indiana Jones at such a young age, and his decision to quit acting in his 20s. Ke and Dax talk about how he struggled to find his identity, how he got into fight choreography, and the impact of asian representation on his decision to come back to acting...

Jul 15, 20242 hr 9 minEp. 763

Armchair Anonymous: Pooped Yourself

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

Jul 12, 202451 minEp. 762

Phil Elwood (on the dark side of PR)

Phil Elwood (All the Worst Humans) is a public relations operative and author. Phil joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what speed debating is, what astroturf organizations are, and how he's trying to increase media literacy. Phil and Dax talk about his involvement with helping Qatar win the World Cup bid, how he instigated a trade war between Antigua and the US, and his trip to Vegas with a dictator's son. Phil explains how psychological operatives attain information from their targets, being ...

Jul 11, 20242 hr 13 minEp. 761

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor (Timeless) is a singer and songwriter. Meghan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what it was like growing up on Nantucket Island, how she felt about the age gap between her parents, and having to move because of her allergies. Meghan and Dax talk about how she got into producing songs at a young age, why she loves the true crime genre, and song writing competitions. Meghan explains how she deals with negative comments on social media, how she has become more open about her medic...

Jul 08, 20242 hr 15 minEp. 760

Armchair Anonymous: Near Death

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

Jul 05, 202453 minEp. 759

The Avett Brothers Return

The Avett Brothers are a Grammy-nominated American folk rock band. They return to the Armchair Expert to discuss how they decide to make big purchases, whether people actually have new thoughts, and the influences for their new self-titled album. Seth and Scott talk about what it's like to be an opening act at this stage of their careers, how the human voice might be the best instrument, and why people are drawn to the themes of the country genre. They explain how it feels for their music to be ...

Jul 04, 20241 hr 44 minEp. 758

Kirby

Kirby (Sugar, Barry, The Good Place) is an actor. Kirby joins the Armchair Expert to discuss where she got her sense of style, her mom's love of American celebrity gossip, and how representation is starting to change in television and film. Kirby and Dax talk about how acting careers differ in England and America, what getting negative feedback in drama school does to you, and her relationship with her own appearance. Kirby explains why healthy arguing in relationships is important, how her acce...

Jul 01, 20242 hr 12 minEp. 757

Armchair Anonymous: Parent-Teacher Conference

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

Jun 28, 202449 minEp. 756

Cody Delistraty (on grief)

Cody Delistraty (The Grief Cure) is a writer and journalist. Cody joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how art can differ between cultures, his experience with his mother's cancer treatment, and what the social function of grieving is. Cody and Dax talk about how grief has become more public with social media, the changes that need to happen to bereavement policies, and how grief can be studied in the same way addiction is studied. Cody explains how he tried using AI to deal with his grief, the ...

Jun 27, 20241 hr 58 minEp. 755

Eric Dane

Eric Dane (Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Euphoria, Grey's Anatomy) is an actor. Eric joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he feels it can be difficult for him to relate to other men, how losing loved ones at a young age affected his social life, and why he believes all trauma should be treated equally. Eric and Dax talk about almost getting in a fight at their AA meeting, their journeys with sobriety, and yelling cut in the middle of a scene. Eric explains how he feels about being an older actor wi...

Jun 24, 20241 hr 42 minEp. 754

Armchair Anonymous: Embarrassing Sex

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

Jun 21, 202454 minEp. 753

Michael Norton (on rituals)

Michael Norton (The Ritual Effect, Happy Money) is a social psychologist and professor. Michael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what it was like having his parents own a greeting card store, where his interest in psychology came from, and why he loves to design social experiments. Michael and Dax talk about humble bragging, why people don't like braggers, and why studying people's rituals can be an insight into their state of mind. Michael explains why people develop irrational habits to av...

Jun 20, 20241 hr 57 minEp. 752

Ilana Glazer

Ilana Glazer (Babes, Broad City, The Afterparty) is an actor and comedian. Ilana joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what growing up in the suburbs of Long Island was like, being part of an anti-drug Christian group when she was younger, and why she was good at being a telemarketer. Ilana and Dax talk about going through puberty at a young age, why they were attracted to being comedians, and what the rules are when working with bears on set. Ilana explains her aim to take pleasure in the proces...

Jun 17, 20242 hr 2 minEp. 751

Armchair Anonymous: Dad Stories

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

Jun 14, 202446 minEp. 750

Erik Larson (historical author)

Erik Larson (The Demon of Unrest, The Devil in the White City) is an author and journalist. Erik joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how the pandemic affected his work, why he identifies himself as a high-functioning introvert, and how he pitches non-fiction books. Erik and Dax talk about how technology has changed his research, why he's drawn to Russian literature, and wanting to find a witchy element in a home. Erik explains how January 6th fueled his desire to write a book about the Civil Wa...

Jun 13, 20241 hr 56 minEp. 749

Amy Poehler Returns

Amy Poehler (Inside Out 2, Women Talkin' 'Bout Murder, Parks and Recreation) is an actor, comedian, and director. Amy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how much therapy means to her, giving advice to your kids, and being reluctant to ask for mentorship. Amy and Dax talk about battling with a loss of relevance, the feeling of knowing someone is upset with you and not confronting it, and pulling hot guys. Amy explains the things she's most proud of, why she doesn't like traditional birthday par...

Jun 10, 20242 hr 18 minEp. 748

Armchair Anonymous: House Sitting

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

Jun 07, 202453 minEp. 747
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