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
Mar 14, 2019 • 2h 21min
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: Johann Hari
Johann Hari is a Swiss English author and journalist. Johann sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss the many factorsthat have impacted his research on addiction and mental health, he explains why he is disillusioned by the idea that addiction is purely chemical, and he talks about the importance of community and love in depressive people. Johann talks about his own personal experience with anti-depressants, trauma and familial addiction that led him to his exploration. Dax debates Johann about the importance of tough love and he wonders if models of rehabilitation in other countries can be mapped on to America.
Johann is the author of Chasing the Scream and Lost Connections: Uncovering the real causes of depression and the unexpected solutions.
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Mar 11, 2019 • 2h 2min
Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen, Across the Universe, Mildred Pierce, Westworld) is an American actress, activist, and musician. She sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss her childhood growing up amongst adults, her young foray into the entertainment industry and she shares her experience with domestic abuse. Dax asks about the sustainability of dating when having a child and Evan thinks we're definitely living in a matrix. The two chat about the benefit of psychedelic drugs, they discuss the nuisance of victimhood and they unpack a past twitter fight between the two them.
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Mar 7, 2019 • 2h 16min
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: Reshma Saujani
Reshma Saujani is an Indian American lawyer, author, politician and founder of the tech organization Girls Who Code. She sits down in the attic to discuss how she spent her childhood trying to assimilate, what it felt like when she reached a lifelong status goal and she talks about her mission to promote bravery. Dax asks Reshma about what she learned from two failed elections and Reshma discusses her relationship with religion. Dax and Reshma debate the roles of biology and culture on gender differences and Dax wants to go back in time and visit Monica's grandma.
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Mar 4, 2019 • 2h 6min
Pete Holmes
Pete Holmes (Crashing, The Pete Holmes Show, You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes podcast) is an American comedian, actor, writer and podcaster. Pete sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss his three-way marriage with comedy, the book that got him sober and how his life resembles the biblical story of Jacob and Esau. Pete decides Dax's mom would be played by Francis McDormand and Dax predicts fatherhood will rightsize Pete's problems. Dax and Pete talk about the different tactics men use to appear attractive to women, how modesty is an equally alpha move to being ostentatious and the two have different takes on the fatherly nature of Bob Vila.
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44 snips
Feb 28, 2019 • 2h 29min
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: John Gottman
John Gottman, an American psychological researcher and co-founder of the Gottman Institute, shares fascinating insights on marital stability and relationship dynamics. He discusses how his daughter transformed him into an instant feminist and the differences in how men and women perceive sex. The conversation dives into the importance of a father's role in a child’s development, the 'four horsemen' that can doom a relationship, and the critical need for couples to foster curiosity in their partnerships.
Feb 25, 2019 • 2h 1min
Jake Johnson
Jake Johnson (New Girl, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Let's Be Cops) is an American actor and comedian. Jake sits down in the attic to discuss his early misconception of school, he pinpoints a career moment where he felt humbled and talks about his process mending a parental relationship. Jake describes the discomfort of being a public person and Dax admits that books he used to worship have lost a lot of societal value over time. Jake and Dax discuss choosing family over work, they delve into addiction and Jake tells the story of how he got stuck at Natalie Portman's house.
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Feb 21, 2019 • 1h 57min
LIVE FROM CHICAGO: Gillian Flynn
Armchair Expert Live from Chicago at the Chicago Theatre. December 1st, 2018.
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Feb 18, 2019 • 1h 51min
Chelsea Peretti
Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation, The Sarah Silverman Program) is an American writer, comedian and actress. Chelsea sits down with the armchair expert to discuss her resistance to ambition, the intrigue behind successful siblings and how biology is anti-feminist. Dax admits that he desperately wants Chelsea's approval and he can't discern whether or not she likes him. The two talk about parenting as public figures, she describes feeling very unprepared when she started Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Dax thinks Chelsea is from Long Island.
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13 snips
Feb 14, 2019 • 1h 50min
Best of Year One
Celebrate a year of laughter and growth as hosts reflect on favorite moments and their podcast journey. They delve into personal hygiene quirks and humorous takes on relationships and resilience. Expect funny anecdotes, like an embarrassing Jell-O mishap, alongside deeper discussions on grief and identity. Listen in on playful banter about gender dynamics, therapy, and their memorable interactions with pigeons. This nostalgia-filled episode is a mix of humor, insight, and heartfelt storytelling.
Feb 11, 2019 • 2h 12min
Jason Mantzoukas
Jason Mantzoukas (The League, The Dictator, Parks and Recreation, How Did This Get Made Podcast) is an American actor, comedian and improviser. Jason sits down in the attic to talk about Bostonian culture, his early goal of being on The Daily Show and his year abroad studying how cultures use music for medicinal purposes. Dax asks about his deathly food allergy and Jason thinks we are on the brink of a paradigm shift in comedy. Dax wonders if Jason ever feels resentful for his place in the industry, Jason talks about how he never expected to be single in his 40s and Monica feels like a fangirl.
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