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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.

Jon Bon Jovi

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.4K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:32:20

Jon Bon Jovi is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, record producer, philanthropist, and actor. Jon joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the sustainability of his music career, the two share in the false sense of confidence they once had, and Jon admits how crazy it is that he’s been making records longer than he hasn’t. Jon tells the story of his mob meeting with Howard Stern and how Bruce Springsteen joined him on stage when he was in high school. Dax praises Jon on all of the work the JBJ Soul Foundation (www.jbjsf.org) is doing and we have the most special fact check ever with special guest, best friend Aaron Weakly.

Aly Raisman

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.7K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:41:21

Aly Raisman is a two time American Olympic gymnast. Aly talks to the Armchair Expert about being a survivor of abuse, growing up in a sport where perfection is key and opening up about her mental health journey. The two discuss their experiences with trauma, the aftermath of sharing their stories publicly and staying strong despite potential triggers along the way. They talk about the lack of resources and support available to Olympians post-career and the importance of finding a strong sense of self outside of gymnastics. Aly and Monica also bond over the Magnificent Seven.

Sofia Coppola

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.4K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:16:06

Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, The Virgin Suicides) is an Academy Award & Golden Globe Award-winning screenwriter, director, producer, and actress. Sofia chats with the Armchair Expert about spending her childhood on set, how comfortable she always felt there and how she fought becoming a director because it seemed expected. She explains how she never felt oppressed by her father’s success in film, her time living in Paris and what it was like trying to track down Bill Murray. Sofia discusses how Kirsten Dunst became her muse and Dax asks Sofia for advice on how not to ruin his daughters’ lives.

Day 7

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 4.3K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 47:17

Day 7. Dax gives the Armcherries a personal update. Recorded on September 21, 2020.

David Farrier

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 2.1K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:47:23

David Farrier is a New Zealand investigative journalist known for his documentary Tickled and documentary series Dark Tourist. David joins the Armchair Expert to discuss all things conspiracy theories, from QAnon to Wayfairgate to Flat Earthers. The two discuss how these conspiracies happen, what makes people susceptible to them, and how to have constructive discussions with their believers. Dax confesses how sad he is that he can’t hang out with David every day.

Sara Bareilles

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.6K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:31:38

Sara Bareilles is a Grammy Award-winner and Tony and Emmy Award-nominated singer, songwriter, actress and author. Sara chats with the Armchair Expert about her awkwardness as a kid and how she found her place in community theater. Dax geeks out about the two attending UCLA at the same time and Sara tells him how she wasted a year of school credits abroad. She discusses her obscure overshares on stage, the bipolar lifestyle of musicians on the road, and how she feels a little like a superhero because she had covid already.

Leah Plunkett

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.2K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:44:49

Leah Plunkett is a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and an associate professor at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. She is the author of the book, Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk about Our Kids Online. Leah chats with the Armchair Expert about the pitfalls of sharing kids’ data on social media, the ways in which tech companies commodify human data and how she implements restrictions in her own house. Dax wonders how to balance the positive and negative sides of tech and Leah talks about using improv in teaching law. The two talk about possible solutions moving forward and Leah teaches Dax and Monica a new word. 

Keith Urban

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.3K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:20:46

Keith Urban is an Australian singer, songwriter and record producer. Keith chats with the Armchair Expert about adjusting to Nashville from Australia, why he couldn’t get signed to a record deal and his unique meld of sounds. Dax wonders why songs by Australian singers often sound American and Keith talks about wanting approval from his father. They talk about Keith’s time on American Idol, having many years of professional struggle before success and how he found sobriety after marriage.

Susan Burton

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.4K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 52:07

BONUS EPISODE with Susan Burton, the founder and executive director of A New Way of Life, a non-profit that provides sober housing and other support to formerly incarcerated women. Susan chats with the Armchair Expert about her heartbreaking story – battling addiction, losing her son, and her time spent within the prison system. Dax and Susan discuss the control that prisons seek and how often prisoners are survivors of trauma. Susan talks about her road to recovery and how it introduced her to the concept of service. She discusses her journey to becoming a resource for women coming out of prison and all of the amazing work A New Way of Life is currently doing.

Tom Brady

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 4.3K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:43:27

Tom Brady is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. Tom joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his journey to healthy dieting, valuing skills that often get undervalued and starting football in high school. Dax asks what it was like to leave the Patriots after such a long career and Tom talks about having a chip on his shoulder. The two discuss Tom's approach to bettering himself and the identity shift he will inevitably experience post-retirement.

Seth MacFarlane

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 2.1K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:53:46

Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, American Dad, Ted) is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian, and singer. Seth chats with the armchair expert about how he first found animation, luck vs. effort and how he handles criticism. Dax brings up a lingering insecurity about Family Guy and Seth talks about the first time he drew a nude in college. The two talk about the future of animation, Seth’s involvement in philanthropy and Dax is disappointed they haven’t read any of the same books. 

Lenore Skenazy

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 5.8K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 02:06:24

Lenore Skenazy is the president of Let Grow, a non-profit promoting childhood independence and resilience, and the founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. Lenore discusses the generational differences in growing up, how unrealistic the current standards are for being a good parent, and the importance of play. Dax asks Lenore to dispel the myth of common childhood dangers and Lenore explains the negative notion of the phrase “stranger danger.” The two discuss frequency distortion, how resilient kids are, and Lenore unveils her husband’s crow box.

Jason Bateman Returns

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 2.6K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:54:16

Jason Bateman (Ozark, Arrested Development, Silver Spoons) is an American actor, director, producer and returning guest of Armchair Expert. Jason discusses his new podcast Smartless, his fears about coming across as overly opinionated and how much he’s willing to divulge on it. Dax owns his own insecurities and asks why they don’t hang out more, while Jason admits that he needs to work on his rest face. In the fact check, Dax and Monica go through and answer the Proust character questionnaire.

Nadia Bolz-Weber

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 2.9K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:50:55

Nadia Bolz-Weber is an author, Lutheran minister and public theologian. Nadia chats with the Armchair Expert to have a discussion on one of life's most challenging topics: religion. Nadia discusses the evolution of her faith, the beauty of grace and unconventional tradition. Dax wonders how she, as a femininst, can reconcile the lack of females in the church and Nadia talks about the danger of promise rings. The two talk about sobriety, community vs. faith and whether Jesus is the son of God.

Ellen Pompeo

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 2.1K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:37:51

Ellen Pompeo (Grey's Anatomy, Old School, Catch Me If You Can) is an American actress, director, and producer. Ellen chats with the Armchair Expert about growing up in blue collar Boston, her relationship with women and proving her worth. Dax asks about the impact of losing her mother at age 4 and Ellen talks about a few iconic movies she was cut out of. The two talk about Ellen's public salary negotiations and the pros and cons of being on a show for 17 seasons.

Bill Gates

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 4.5K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:37:09

Bill Gates is an American entrepreneur, software developer, investor, and philanthropist. Bill chats with the Armchair Expert about being fascinated by advancements in history, balancing work/marriage/fatherhood and his eternal optimism. Dax wonders if it's possible to be simultaneously sweet and demanding and Bill talks about his love of the movie, Spy Game. The two talk about the critical role of vaccinations, whether tech entrepreneurs deserve to be questioned by the government and their mutual love of Diet Coke.

Sean Penn

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.9K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:40:40

Sean Penn (Milk, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, I Am Sam, Into the Wild) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, author and humanitarian. Sean chats with the Armchair Expert about recognizing limitations, the freedom he finds in writing books and the impact of cancel culture. Dax wonders what drove Sean toward humanitarian work and Sean talks about the human desire for wanderlust. The two talk about the point at which assets become embarrassments, their mutual love of Bukowski and Sean's disapproval of insincerity.

Michael Tubbs

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 1.5K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:03:57

BONUS EPISODE with Michael Tubbs (the 79th and current mayor of Stockton, CA) is the second installment in a monthly series on dissecting the Black experience in America. Michael chats with the Armchair Expert about becoming the youngest mayor in Stockton’s history and the programs he developed to reduce gun violence and homicides in Stockton. He discusses the impact of his father’s imprisonment on his life and his realization that while people have the freedom to make choices, those choices are often contextualized by an environment in which they have no control. Dax then argues with Mayor Tubbs about universal basic income and Michael explains how an income floor can allow for people to take a risk and bet on themselves.

Atul Gawande

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 2.4K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:31:10

Atul Gawande is an American surgeon, writer, and public health researcher. He practices general and endocrine surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

Colin Jost

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 3.3K views
  • over 3 years ago
  • 01:40:48

Colin Jost (SNL) is an American comedian, actor and writer. Colin chats with the Armchair Expert about how he got into comedy, his approach to managing and he talks us through some of his favorite sightseeing castles. Dax wonders if his experience at Harvard was like Hogwarts and Colin shares one of his many poop stories. The two talk about Colin’s contribution to the Dave Chappelle Mark Twain Awards ceremony, he speculates on why he’s so private and he talks about how he views the world as an observer rather than a participant.