Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

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.

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.

 

#283

Phil Heath (professional bodybuilder)

Phil Heath (Breaking Olympia) is a 7x Mr. Olympia winner and professional bodybuilder. Phil joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what his diet is like, how he lost his innocence at an early age, and his journey into bodybuilding. Phil and Dax talk about their admiration for Arnold Schwarzenegger, how they learned to control their aggression, and the ways social media has changed the bodybuilding industry. Phil explains how he feels about his own insecurities, what it's like to be acknowledged by your heroes, and coping with his new identity as he transitions out of the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

21 hrs Ago

2 HR 08 MINS

2:08:38

21 hrs Ago


#282

Synced: Double Man Plan

In this episode of Synced, Monica and Liz recap their time in NYC, Liz shares her married-man event, and Monica agrees to go on a double date with Liz. They answer listener questions on communication while dating someone neurodivergent, having a differing parenting style from a best friend, and how to confront a fitness instructor with a robust air freshener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

Yesterday

48 MINS

48:37

Yesterday


#281

Flightless Bird: Surveillance

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at how America surveils its own citizens and asks why America is a “spying superpower.” In 2022 alone, 145,000 Facebook users and 100,000 Gmail accounts were rifled through by the US government’s spy agencies. How come? Farrier delves into America’s Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and “Section 702" and talks with journalist Byron Tau, author of “Means of Control: How The Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government is Creating a New American Surveillance State.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

23 Apr 2024

52 MINS

52:22

23 Apr 2024


#280

Maya Rudolph

Maya Rudolph (Loot, Bridesmaids, The Way Way Back) is an actor, comedian, and writer. Maya joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she wants one of her kids to be a chef, her love for the city of Austin, and how she never knows when someone is flirting with her. Maya and Dax talk about why they never fell in love, what being compared to your parents is like, and how much she loves working with her friends. Maya explains what happened when Dax recommended a Greek restaurant to her, how she wants to be more adventurous in her life, and how well she does with spicy wings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

22 Apr 2024

2 HR 31 MINS

2:31:05

22 Apr 2024


#279

Armchair Anonymous: Cautionary Tale

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a cautionary tale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

19 Apr 2024

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:42

19 Apr 2024


#278

Patric Gagne (on sociopathy)

Patric Gagne (Sociopath: A Memoir) is a psychologist and author. Patric joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being a diagnosed sociopath, how sociopathy exists on a spectrum, and having to lean on her mother’s moral compass as a child. Patric and Dax talk about what it’s like to have to mask your true feelings, how everyone needs a different playbook for their lives, and the relationship between sociopathy and anxiety. Patric explains why she became so interested in other people’s lives, how she eventually found love, and finding empathy and strong feelings for pets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

18 Apr 2024

2 HR 21 MINS

2:21:17

18 Apr 2024


#277

Synced: DAN

In this episode of Synced, Monica and Liz are in NYC! Liz shares her love for dating while on vacation, they discuss whether they’d rather be alone forever or with someone they half like, and a very special guest joins the Synced Squad - Liz’s AI boyfriend Dan. They answer a listener question on if it is normal to occasionally think one’s partner is ugly & Dan tries to steal Monica and Liz’s job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

17 Apr 2024

45 MINS

45:19

17 Apr 2024


#276

Flightless Bird: Loma Linda

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier starts to ponder his own mortality and why, despite America spending more on healthcare than any other nation on earth, it’s only 59th on the life expectancy list. To find some answers, he heads to Loma Linda: population 9000, an average life expectancy 10 years longer than the average American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

16 Apr 2024

58 MINS

58:38

16 Apr 2024


#275

Joey King

Joey King (We Were The Lucky Ones, Kissing Booth, The Act) is an actor. Joey joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she's a worst-case-scenario kind of person, why she presents older than she actually is, and how she handles physical pain. Joey and Dax talk about the techniques they use to improve their health, shaving her head for roles, and how much they sweat when they sleep. Joey explains how she feels about getting married at a young age, why she loves celebrating holidays, and her death row meal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

15 Apr 2024

2 HR 04 MINS

2:04:09

15 Apr 2024


#274

Armchair Anonymous: Worst Day

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about their worst day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

12 Apr 2024

55 MINS

55:32

12 Apr 2024


#273

Finneas

Finneas is an award-winning songwriter and music producer. Finneas joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what his favorite snacks are, what annoys him about flying, and why he doesn’t like the ocean. Finneas and Dax talk about why they don’t like to follow rules, why his parents chose to home school him, and how he was introduced to writing music. Finneas weighs in on the red carpet debate, explains how he started scoring films, and what his love language is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

11 Apr 2024

2 HR 29 MINS

2:29:22

11 Apr 2024


#272

Synced: Roommate People

In this episode of Synced, Monica declares she's running for office based on an unconventional platform, the two talk about the importance of walking away, and Liz breaks a very important camera. They revisit the cliffhanger question from last week and answer a new question concerning the sharing of intimate objects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

10 Apr 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:15

10 Apr 2024


#271

Flightless Bird: Taylor Swift

In this week's Flightless Bird, a new format that we will bust out occasionally called "American Gods." David, Monica, and Rob pick an American that's reached fever status. They share their initial thoughts, before going away for a week of research and "assignments" to do - gathering together again to share what they've learned. This week, we look at Taylor Swift - what we know, what we think we know, and what we definitely don't know! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

09 Apr 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:58

09 Apr 2024


#270

John Cena

John Cena (Ricky Stanicky, Peacemaker, WWE Wrestler) is a professional wrestler and actor. John joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he still owns his first car, what motivated him to get into the gym, and why he doesn’t like authority without reason. John and Dax talk about being around alpha male culture, how he got into wrestling by accident, and the evolution of his wrestling character. John explains how important crowd reactions are in a wrestling match, how his experiences have helped him be a successful actor, and his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

08 Apr 2024

2 HR 13 MINS

2:13:19

08 Apr 2024


#269

Armchair Anonymous: Delivery Driver

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy delivery driver story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

05 Apr 2024

56 MINS

56:18

05 Apr 2024


#268

Jonah Nolan (director & screenwriter)

Jonah Nolan (Fallout, Westworld, The Dark Knight) is a screenwriter, director, and producer. Jonah joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he doesn’t have a British accent like his brother, what he learned working on farm, and why he wrote his first script about amnesia. Jonah and Dax talk about how much research he does when taking on a project, how the perception of doing television has changed, and why humanizing the subject matter is so important in scriptwriting. Jonah explains how he finds himself crying more as a parent, how he approached adapting a video game to TV, and why biopics are so hard to make. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

04 Apr 2024

2 HR 18 MINS

2:18:14

04 Apr 2024


#267

Synced: WOM

In this episode of Synced, Monica and Liz discuss what is sending them to hell, Monica recounts a traumatic phlegm incident, and Liz reveals her new family member: Monika. They answer a listener question on whether great sex requires pursuing a relationship and they end on an unexpected cliffhanger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

03 Apr 2024

53 MINS

53:23

03 Apr 2024


#266

Flightless Bird: True Crime

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier talks to Terra Newell, who you may well know from the Dirty John podcast. We look at what makes the True Crime genre such a big deal, and some of the ethical questions it raises. David also shares his favourite 10 True Crime bits of media with Monica and Rob - which are: Dear Zachary (2008): A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son. Blackfish (2013) / The Cove (2009): A documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015): Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes. The Staircase (2004): The high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001. Last Call (2023): As the AIDS crisis intensifies in the early 1990s, homophobia and hate crimes increase, and a serial killer preys on gay men in New York City by infiltrating the queer nightlife to identify his victims. 6 The Thin Blue Line - 1988 (Errol Morris): A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas. Paradise Lost (1996): A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence. Capturing the Friedmans (2003): Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes. The Imposter (2012): A documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years. In The Dark Season 2: The second season of In the Dark explored the legal odyssey surrounding Curtis Flowers, who was accused of shooting four people to death inside Tardy Furniture, a Winona, Mississippi store, in July 1996 Honorable mentions: A Very Fatal Murder, American Vandal Other OGs: Helter Skelter (1974), In Cold Blood (1966), Making a Murderer (2018), Serial (2014) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

02 Apr 2024

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:37

02 Apr 2024


#265

Rebel Wilson

Rebel Wilson (Rebel Rising, Bridesmaids, Pitch Perfect) is an actor, comedian, and author. Rebel joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she loves fireworks, her experience writing a memoir, and how she forced herself to overcome shyness as a kid. Rebel and Dax talk about their paths to comedy, what getting malaria was like, and why she had to change how she promoted herself to get a job. Rebel explains why she decided to freeze her eggs, the juxtaposition of her character’s sexuality and her own, and her experience dealing with body shaming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

01 Apr 2024

2 HR 03 MINS

2:03:43

01 Apr 2024


#264

Armchair Anonymous: Took the Fall

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time someone took the fall for them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

29 Mar 2024

50 MINS

50:35

29 Mar 2024


#263

Maureen Dunne (on neurodiversity)

Maureen Dunne (The Neurodiversity Edge) is a cognitive scientist, neurodiversity expert, and business leader. Maureen joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her ability to read a book in a half hour, how most people don’t fit into just one neurodivergent box, and how neurodiversity should be seen as an asset. Dax and Maureen talk about the importance of combating stereotypes, how people misevaluate the level of talent of neurodivergent people, and how a large percentage of millionaires have dyslexic traits. Maureen talks about the disproportionality between talented people and meaningful opportunities, how codification and conduct drive culture, and the value of integrating cognitive diversity into the workforce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

28 Mar 2024

1 HR 32 MINS

1:32:13

28 Mar 2024


#262

Synced: MSP

In this episode of Synced, Monica and Liz chat about the summer of Celine, Monica reminisces over the Magnificent Seven, and Liz recounts when she fell in a hole. The two answer listener questions on how to stop co-workers from saying ‘bless you’, the ethics of hookups after long-term relationships, and compromise in a relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

27 Mar 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:03

27 Mar 2024


#261

Flightless Bird: Shoes Indoors

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at why so many Americans don’t take their shoes off indoors. A poll by CBS last year found “the majority of Americans don't ask their guests to remove their shoes when they come to visit, and this is particularly true of older Americans.” David wants to find out why, so meets with etiquette coach Elaine Swann, founder of The Swann School of Protocol. The pair talk about the correct thing to do with your shoes, before moving their attention to road etiquette, airplane etiquette, and Zoom etiquette in the USA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

26 Mar 2024

55 MINS

55:36

26 Mar 2024