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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David Sussillo (Emergence: A Memoir of Boyhood, Computation, and the Mysteries of Mind) is a technologist, neuroscientist, and professor at Stanford University. David joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up with two parents that were addicts, experiencing extreme poverty throughout his childhood, and the joy of finding a best friend during that time. David and Dax talk about how the immersion and rules of video games amid the chaos of his life became the precursor to his research today, ...
Nate Bargatze (The Breadwinner, Hello World, Your Friend) is a standup comedian, writer, and actor. Nate joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up with a father who was a preacher/clown/teacher/magician/motivational speaker, working as a water meter reader before finding his way into comedy, and what it’s like reentering reality after being celebrated on an arena stage. Nate and Dax talk about how his decision to always be a clean comic affected his career trajectory, the time he was heckl...
Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a funny pregnancy story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Kathryn Paige Harden (Original Sin On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness) is a psychologist, professor, and behavioral geneticist. Kathryn joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why psychology is not a solved problem, studying the essential question of why we do things we don’t want to do, and how her religious upbringing was fundamentally at odds with her desire to study psychology. Kathryn and Dax talk about what living in a culture that embraces the concep...
Zach Braff (Scrubs, Garden State, Bad Monkey) is an actor, writer, and director. Zach joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his storied doppelgänger switcheroo, coming up with a special camera rig to shoot the game play scenes in Ted Lasso, and the responsibility he feels directing seasoned actors. Zach and Dax talk about how exciting it was for both of them to play rare dramatic roles in Bad Monkey, his belief that longevity in show business is dependent on how you ride the wave, and the fun of ...
Dax and Monica host Armcherries sharing their remodeling nightmares. The first caller recounts a DIY home renovation gone wrong, from a kitchen flooded with sewage to a $40,000 pipe replacement. Another guest shares a physically traumatic story involving a uterine prolapse caused by intense floor scraping. The final tale details hiring a contractor whose drug use escalated into harassment, culminating in a roommate stepping on a hidden needle. These unexpected challenges highlight the hidden perils of home projects and choosing the right help.
Amir Levine, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, joins Dax to demystify attachment theory. They discuss how childhood attachment styles are formed, the different adult attachment styles (anxious, avoidant, secure), and how Amir's personal experiences, including his relationship with his father, influenced his work. The conversation delves into the neuroscience behind attachment, explaining the “Cyberball effect” and introducing tools like CARP for cultivating secure relationships and rewriting one's past for a more secure present.
Amanda Peet (Fantasy Life, Your Friends & Neighbors, The Whole Nine Yards) is an actor, writer, and producer. Amanda joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being a serial monogamist during her dating years, what relation she has to the designer of Radio City Music Hall, and going from a hippie Quaker school in Manhattan to a stuffy private school in London. Amanda and Dax talk about recognizing a pattern of existential thinking when her kids turn seven, undergoing psychoanalysis at age 13, and...
Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy first responder story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Sasha Hamdani (Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply) is a board-certified psychiatrist and ADHD clinical specialist. Sasha joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the classroom insurrection she started which led to her ADHD diagnosis, how her residency rebuilt the confidence that medical school degraded, and that symptoms known today as ADHD first showed up in the 1700s. Sasha and Dax talk about her beef with diagnostic labels and how often trauma is misdiagnosed ...
Marcus Mumford (Prizefighter, Sigh No More, Wilder Mind) is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer, and producer. Marcus joins the Armchair Expert to discuss enjoying occupying the liminal space between his kids and his parents, being born into the church attended by Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, and becoming pen pals with his wife Carey Mulligan at bible camp when they were 10 years old. Marcus and Dax talk about finally feeling able to embrace being an artist with his new record, forming Mum...
This Armchair Anonymous episode features three unforgettable Las Vegas stories. Marie recounts a birthday trip gone awry, starting with a broken toe and escalating into a terrifying MDMA experience with physical injuries and emotional turmoil. Madison shares her high school show choir's disastrous tour, marked by a public breakup, a hair dye 'revenge' stunt, witnessing a fatal fall, and an ill-fated Lion King show. Finally, Riley details his harrowing underage journey for fake IDs, which quickly devolved into a hostage situation involving drug deals and a dramatic police rescue, revealing a brush with forced criminal recruitment.
Adam Mosseri (Instagram, Facebook, Fortune’s 40 Under 40) is the CEO/Head of Instagram at Meta. Adam joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being the suit in a family of artists and designers, how we build up emotional affinities for particular brands, and why his approach to design is based in problem solving. Adam and Dax talk about using intelligent technology to evaluate safety at scale, how the Instagram algorithm actually works, and the arms race of the ability to detect when something was m...
Sterling K. Brown delves into his acting journey, reflecting on his unique upbringing, his father's passing, and the impact of his mother's ALS. He shares insights from his diverse career, from playing Chris Darden in "The People v. O.J. Simpson" to his role in "This Is Us" and "American Fiction." Brown discusses navigating fame, prioritizing family privacy, and the evolving landscape for Black actors in Hollywood, while also sharing personal anecdotes about marriage and overcoming physical setbacks.
Dax and Monica explore three "unique kinks" shared by Armcherries. Amanda discusses her attraction to her husband removing his prosthetic eye, stemming from vulnerability and trust. David recounts a wild Tinder date involving an Australian Domme who remotely directed a "forced gay" encounter. Finally, Rico shares his lifelong desire for toe nibbling, an innocent childhood comfort that became a hidden kink, and his profound journey through sex and porn addiction recovery, emphasizing acceptance and self-discovery.
Colleen Cutcliffe (Pendulum Therapeutics) is a doctor of biochemistry and microbiology and CEO and co-founder of Pendulum Therapeutics. Colleen joins the Armchair Expert to discuss starting a microbiome supplement company inspired by her premature daughter who had to take antibiotics, applying hyenas' evolved ability to digest rotting meat to study gut bacteria, and how fecal transplants reliably help treat C. diff. Colleen and Dax talk about the real linkages between microbiome and depression, ...
Charlie Puth (Whatever’s Clever, Voicenotes, Nine Track Mind) is a Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning songwriter, recording artist, and producer. Charlie joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his opinion that standup is the scariest job, how everyone in New Jersey is their own local celebrity, and that what’s most important about recording is capturing the air in the room. Charlie and Dax talk about the photographic memory-like way he approaches sound, learning he wanted to write his own music...
This "Armchair Anonymous" episode, "Meet Cute III," dives into four extraordinary listener love stories. From a serendipitous hat-catching moment at a folk festival leading to a shared juggling career, to a bold move involving a number on a fast-food napkin, and a spontaneous skinny-dipping adventure on a European "fuck bus," each tale highlights the unexpected ways love can begin. The episode also shares a deeply moving story of two individuals who met as children during a shared medical journey, reconnecting years later to build a family.
Justin Garcia (The Intimate Animal: The Science of Sex, Fidelity, and Why We Live and Die for Love) is an evolutionary biologist, researcher on sex and relationships, and Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute. Justin joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the unique quality that human sex is so tied to our social behavior, the physiological constraints on mating in other animals, and how sexually we are like magpies. Justin and Dax talk about why gorillas have really small testes, how the pan...
Kaley Cuoco returns to Armchair Expert, sharing insights into her extensive animal rescue efforts and the unique challenges of her ranch life, including exotic breeds like zonkies. She opens up about her parenting philosophy, her healthy approach to public criticism and professional rejection, and her ambitious pursuit of hosting the NFL Honors. Additionally, Kaley details her new thriller "Vanished," the complexities of filming as a new mother, and a pivotal relationship decision with fiancé Tom Pelphrey regarding separate sleeping arrangements for better rest. The episode also features Dax's personal stories, including a near-death experience and humorous takes on marriage and farting etiquette.
Dax and Monica host Armchair Anonymous: Cooking Disaster II, where listeners recount their kitchen mishaps. Stories include a father's severe bacon grease burn, a newly dating woman accidentally serving a lemon meringue pie filled with dead bugs, and a sleep-deprived new mother causing a French press to spill boiling coffee, severely burning her husband. Another caller shares a horrifying wrist injury from a shattered bowl. The episode showcases surprising dangers, resilience, and humor amidst domestic chaos.
Claudia Rowe (Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care) is a decorated journalist, advocate, and author. Claudia joins the Armchair Expert to discuss making the shift from using long-form journalism to a book to tell a story, touching off a five-year correspondence with a confessed serial killer, and confronting why she became fixated on what causes a person to commit murder. Claudia and Dax talk about her harrowing experience writing a true-crime memoir, realizing that this t...
Anderson .Paak (K-Pops!, Oxnard, Malibu) is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, music producer, and filmmaker. Anderson joins the Armchair Expert to discuss people discovering him through his wide-ranging collaborations, how his dad and uncle were like the hood version of Freaky Friday, and feeling grateful that he took the opportunity to repair with his father before he passed. Anderson and Dax talk about how his mom turned a strawberry stand into a multimillion dollar business into a prison sta...
Dax and Monica host "Foreign Object in Butt II," a listener-favorite prompt where medical professionals share incredible stories from their careers. Kristen, a nursing student, recounts her first patient: an 83-year-old with a bike handle stuck in his colon. Rachel, a surgical tech, details the removal of an industrial screwdriver from a patient's abdomen. Finally, ER PA Debbie shares both a comical tale of extracting a pear and a clementine, and a tragic story of a man who severely injured himself attempting to remove a Kong dog toy, highlighting the powerful role of shame.
Ellen Huet (Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult) is a journalist, startup founder, and author. Ellen joins the Armchair Expert to discuss must-haves versus most-haves in terms of cult sexuality requirements, her hot tips for avoiding cults that are too extractive, and her dealings with Silicon Valley and venture capitalists. Ellen and Dax talk about when she began covering orgasmic meditation startup OneTaste, the OM course to cult pipeline, and the intricacies and ...
Marcello Hernández (American Boy, SNL, Happy Gilmore 2) is a stand-up comedian, sketch performer, and actor. Marcello joins the Armchair Expert to discuss unsponsored gift selections from Marshalls, why Dominican kids are 12 years old but they’re also 40, and thinking he may have finally found his writing process. Marcello and Dax talk about the influential character he adopted during Model UN, leaving his first wife (soccer) for his mistress (stand-up), and how a depressive episode amid Covid l...
Dax and Monica host Armchair Anonymous, where callers share their craziest pet stories. Listeners hear about "Hannah Banana," a hypoallergenic horse with a dangerous buck that caused multiple injuries before a tragic accident. Another story involves "Harley," a beloved dog who was kidnapped, leading to a dramatic high-speed chase and an intense confrontation to get her back. Finally, a cross-country move takes an unexpected turn when a dog experiences a startling medical emergency requiring an old vet's surprising "sugar" treatment.
Elizabeth Smart (Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart) is a child safety advocate and founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. Elizabeth joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why advocacy became her opportunity to let other victims and survivors know they’re not alone, growing up not thinking her life would be in any way extraordinary, and details she remembers of her kidnapping at knifepoint in the middle of the night at age 14. Elizabeth and Dax talk about how her perspective on her experience has evol...
Chris Stapleton (Traveller, Higher, Starting Over) is a multiple Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Chris joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he looks for silence, his unpreparedness for the academics at Vanderbilt University, and wanting to make a record his father would like after his passing. Chris and Dax talk about the formative folks that gave him a shot as a young, no-name songwriter, following the motto that ‘terms are better than money,’ and the potential blind...
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman host "Armchair Anonymous: Wild Card XI," featuring three incredible listener stories. Marcos shares a dramatic account of his friend Marine Mike's heroic rescue of a family from a burning car after an explosion. Jane recounts breaking her foot in a severe ladder fall on the day of her daughter's wedding party, highlighting her determination to attend. Finally, Dani reveals the astonishing moment she realized a juvenile therapy client was the same person who had repeatedly broken into and stolen from her car years prior.
