Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Umbrella
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.Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 13, 2021 • 1h 39min
Best of 2021
On this special episode, we revisit some of our favorite moments from 2021.
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Dec 9, 2021 • 1h 43min
Anderson Cooper (CNN Political Commentator)
Anderson Cooper (Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty) is a broadcast journalist and political commentator. Anderson joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the relationship with his mother after the passing of his father, the reasons why he sought adventure in his life, and the motivation for writing a book about his ancestors. Anderson and Dax talk about why the Vanderbilts constructed such elaborate American palaces, how that time period was the beginning of celebrity in America, and how the inheritance of the family mansions affected future generations. Anderson explains that there was a pathological desire for money within the family, that the concept of a trust fund was explained to him at a very early age, and how he approaches the subject of money with his own son.
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Dec 6, 2021 • 1h 55min
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields, a celebrated actor and model, shares insights into her life as a mother of two teenage girls. She opens up about the enduring misogyny in advertising and how young celebrities are often sexualized. Brooke reflects on her Ivy League education and her efforts to support women over 40 in rediscovering their identities. The conversation touches on notable experiences, including filming in Scotland, and addresses the importance of mental health awareness for mothers, revealing the complexities behind her public persona.
Dec 2, 2021 • 1h 45min
Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder)
Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn, Masters of Scale) is a software entrepreneur and author. Reid joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being obsessed with role-playing games as a kid, how he wanted to go to boarding school to have more experiences, and what it was like to work at Apple before the return of Steve Jobs. Reid and Dax talk about how we are already living in the metaverse, the ethics and responsibilities of operating a large scale company, and how to successfully pitch your idea to a room of investors. Reid explains how the most successful companies prioritize speed over efficiency when they launch, that he started a social network before MySpace and Facebook existed, and why people need to learn how to fail early in order to succeed later.
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Nov 29, 2021 • 1h 54min
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper (Nightmare Alley, A Star is Born, The Hangover) is an actor and filmmaker. Bradley joins the Armchair Expert to discuss their long-standing friendship that started at the beginning of their sobriety, exploring the mysteries of the human experiences through storytelling, and how he almost didn't get his breakthrough role in The Hangover. Bradley and Dax talk about how their careers took drastically different paths, how they were both once involved in an FBI investigation, and how beautiful Bradley's new movie Nightmare Alley is. Bradley explains that he was very surprised when he was voted Sexiest Man Alive, how he used to be obsessed with reading the comments about his character in Alias, and being held at knifepoint on a New York subway.
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Nov 25, 2021 • 1h 51min
Chris Wallace
Chris Wallace is a journalist, author, and television news anchor. Chris joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how being the son of a famous journalist shaped his career, who his most memorable interviews have been, and his views on how we ended up with an opinion-driven 24-hour news cycle. Chris talks about how he has always tried to be an unbiased journalist, why he decided to write a book about Bin Laden's capture, and what it was like to moderate a presidential election twice. Chris explains how he once attended the Republican Convention as Walter Cronkite's assistant, that he was sat in the last row for his first Emmy's win, and what hard-nosed question he asked Vladimir Putin.
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Nov 22, 2021 • 1h 44min
Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman (Where the Deer and the Antelope Play, Parks and Recreation, Devs) is an actor, comedian, and carpenter. Nick joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up on a farm outside of Chicago, how he is often introduced as a master woodworker, and the story behind Ron Swanson. Nick talks about how his new book is about people getting more in touch with the nature around them, how it was tough to go from the theater scene to the television scene, and how he was once commissioned to make a kitchen table for Rainn Wilson. Nick explains that he has always kept the mentality of a student to keep learning new things and what it means to him to be a patriotic American.
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Nov 18, 2021 • 1h 17min
Erin Lee Carr Returns (documentarian of Britney Vs Spears)
Erin Lee Carr (Britney Vs Spears, I Love You Now Die, Mommy Dead and Dearest) is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and producer. Erin joins the Armchair Expert to discuss producing her new documentary Britney Vs Spears, her thoughts on conservatorship reform, and why Britney had such widespread mass appeal. Erin explains how the level of scrutiny on Britney was the same as someone like Princess Diana and how the lawyers in Britney's case took financial advantage of the situation. Erin talks about recently trying to reduce her screen time, her upcoming murder documentary, and what documentaries she and Dax love right now.
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Nov 15, 2021 • 1h 17min
Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray (This Must Be the Place) is a cook, businesswoman, and best-selling author. Rachael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how she dealt with losing all her material possessions when her house burned down, how her sense of privacy changed after filming a show from her home, and how she loves to create an experience for people through food. Rachael talks about how she has never cared about money a day in her life, how she has modeled her work ethic after her grandfather and mother, and how teaching a cooking class eventually led to a Food Network deal. Rachael explains that she achieved a lifelong dream to own property in Italy, how she doesn't care at all what people think about her, and that a home is a frame of mind and not the stuff in it.
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Nov 11, 2021 • 1h 40min
Khalil Gibran Muhammad
Khalil Gibran Muhammad (Some of My Best Friends Are) is a Harvard professor and historian. Khalil joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how the Civil Rights movement was shaped by the Cold War, how Chicago politics gave black people the opportunity to exercise their political muscles, and how the post-slavery system of institutions sought to control those who just received their freedom. Khalil and Dax talk about how the redlining of the mortgage system disenfranchised many hopeful black homeowners, how the political system fits into the equation of progress, and how interviewing Rodney King influenced him to pursue a career in the legal system. Khalil explains that teaching critical race theory can shape how laws are written in the future, his experience having a white guy as a best friend, and why all Americans should fight against fascism.
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