Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Mom's Car: Ryan Hansen

Nov 4, 2025
Ryan Hansen, an actor and comedian known for his roles in *Veronica Mars* and *Party Down*, shares hilarious and heartfelt stories from his youth. He recalls feeling famous at church, influenced by his pastor father. Together with Dax and Aaron, Ryan dives into mischievous teenage antics, including a legendary redheaded troublemaker and embarrassing first sexual encounters. The trio humorously reflects on the ups and downs of high school life, from acting out as an escape to awkward sexual experiences involving everything from rocks to Jell-O.
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ANECDOTE

Church Kid Privileges

  • Ryan Hansen grew up famous within his church because his dad was a music pastor and he and his brother ran the Sunday school scene.
  • They abused backstage privileges, even getting into the baptismal and taking lost-and-found items like baseball gloves.
ANECDOTE

Introduced To 'Cool' By One Friend

  • In eighth grade Ryan met Jeremy Dent who introduced him to cigars, BB guns, Playboys and go-karts, making Jeremy the coolest kid.
  • That friendship opened Ryan to riskier 'cool-kid' behavior and new social circles.
ANECDOTE

The Legend Of Billy

  • Dax and Aaron recount the local legend of Billy, a tough redhead who stole ATVs and even a horse, terrifying other kids.
  • Billy's violent, tearful fights became a formative symbol of 'toughness' in their junior high memories.
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