Synopsis
Hi, Im 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 peoples 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.
Episodes
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Colman Domingo
19/08/2024 Duration: 01h58minColman Domingo (Sing Sing, Euphoria, Rustin) is an actor, playwright, and director. Colman joins the Armchair Expert to discuss dancing and culture, being a shy kid in school, and why he feels like he’s his best self right now. Colman and Dax talk about how some people make social choices to not feel different from others, the experience of going to acting class, and what is was like stepping into the world of Euphoria. Colman explains when he felt like he needed to make a life change, why he stopped saying yes to every audition, and how genuinely interested he is in other people’s stories. Claim your free ticket to Sing Sing at see.singsing.movie/armchairexpert See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Armchair Anonymous: Airplanes II
16/08/2024 Duration: 52minDax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about the craziest thing that ever happened to them on an airplane, again. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Raj M. Shah & Christopher Kirchhoff (on the military-industrial complex)
15/08/2024 Duration: 02h02minRaj M. Shah is a technology entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and former director of the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit. Christopher Kirchhoff is an expert in emerging technology and founder of the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley office. Raj and Christopher join the Armchair Expert to discuss how to reduce the risk of great power wars, the discrepancy between the private sector and military technologies, and how investing in military technology helps to maintain peace. Raj and Christopher talk about the resistance to changing defense policy, how drones are influencing military strategy, and what checks and balances exist in most military contracts. Raj and Christopher explain how US military technology is at risk of falling behind other countries’ innovations, what government bureaucratic roadblocks exist in developing new tech, and the optimism around young engineers solving the problems in military defense. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv
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Julianne Hough
12/08/2024 Duration: 02h04minJulianne Hough (Everything We Never Knew, Dancing with the Stars) is an actor, dancer, and choreographer. Julianne joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in the Mormon church, going to live with a Russian family to dance when she was 9 years old, and her relationship with perfectionism. Julianne and Dax talk her ambitions to act and sing, her addictive loop, and her pursuit to be a country music singer. Julianne discusses her identity being tied to the shows she’s on, going through her divorce during covid, and why she wanted to open up about her struggles with loss and grief. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Armchair Anonymous: Cooking Disaster
09/08/2024 Duration: 50minDax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a cooking disaster. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Richard Isaacson (on Alzheimer’s prevention)
08/08/2024 Duration: 01h59minDr. Richard Isaacson is a neurologist with a focus on the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Richard joins the Armchair Expert to discuss who his medical idol is, the importance of preventative medicine, and how he got involved in Alzheimer’s research. Richard and Dax talk about the core tenants of brain health, some of the main factors of developing dementia, and how to lower the risk of developing amyloid in the brain. Richard explains how important diet is for cognitive ability, what role genetics play in developing brain diseases, and the need for modifying your physical activity as you age. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Jack Black
05/08/2024 Duration: 02h22minJack Black (Borderlands, Kung Fu Panda, High Fidelity) is an actor and musician. Jack joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he feels about being shouted at on the street, getting started in the alternative comedy scene, and having two brainiac parents. Jack and Dax talk about their experiences with drug use, how theater saved his life, and what bands influenced his music career. Jack explains when he feels like he found his acting voice, why he loves acting in movies adapted from video games, and chronological music marathons.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Marion Jones (Olympic track-and-field athlete)
01/08/2024 Duration: 02h15minMarion Jones is an Olympic track-and-field athlete and professional basketball player. Marion joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in Sherman Oaks, her first exposure to the Olympics, and when she knew she wanted to be an Olympic champion. Marion and Dax talk about how much her mom helped guide her career, the feeling of winning her gold medals, and getting the call from federal prosecutors about performance-enhancing drugs. Marion explains her decision to come clean, what her experience was being incarcerated, and how failure doesn’t have to be forever. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Teddy Swims
29/07/2024 Duration: 01h54minTeddy Swims (I've Tried Everything but Therapy) is a singer-songwriter. Teddy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in small town Georgia, meeting Dave Chappelle, and having to learn to not come on too strongly to people. Teddy and Dax talk about how important personal relationships are to him, being surrounded by sweet men in his life, and when he started getting tattoos. Teddy discusses his relationship with how he looks, mistaking familiarity with comfort and love, and celebrating pain and agony in music. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Armchair Anonymous: Wild Card V
26/07/2024 Duration: 01h02minDax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Andrea Dunlop (on Munchausen by proxy)
25/07/2024 Duration: 02h29minAndrea Dunlop (Nobody Should Believe Me, The Mother Next Door) is an author and podcaster. Andrea joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her journey to becoming a writer, how her sister tried to sue her for defamation after her first book, and her personal relationship to Munchausen by proxy (MSP). Andrea and Dax talk about willful deception and reality distortion, the gendered aspects of MSP, and why confronting and taking action against it is so hard. Andrea discusses the disorientation of betrayal trauma, the medical kidnapping conspiracy theory, and if there are any predictable causes of MSP. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Woody Harrelson & Ted Danson
22/07/2024 Duration: 01h47minWoody Harrelson and Ted Danson (Where Everybody Knows Your Name) are award-winning actors. Woody and Ted join the Armchair Expert to discuss working together on Cheers, their brotherly relationship, and how much shame pains them. Woody talks about his motorcycle accident, how his ambitions have evolved, and why he doesn't have a cell phone. Ted discusses his codependency, the growing awareness of his self deprecation, and what brought them together to start a podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Armchair Anonymous: Beach Stories
19/07/2024 Duration: 59minDax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy beach story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Alegra Kastens (OCD Specialist)
18/07/2024 Duration: 01h58minAlegra Kastens (Books, Looks, and Lobotomies) is a licensed therapist, OCD specialist, and writer. Alegra joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the difference between OCD and OCPD, what having onset OCD is like, and how some compulsive behaviors can be contagious. Alegra and Dax talk about what some of the misinformation is around OCD, what the difference between habitual and obsessive behaviors are, and how OCD is related to other compulsive disorders. Alegra discusses OCD showing up in dreams, the ineffectiveness of thought suppression, and the importance of accepting that you have OCD thoughts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Ke Huy Quan
15/07/2024 Duration: 02h09minKe Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Indiana Jones, The Goonies) is an Academy Award-winning actor. Ke joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his experience was like escaping Vietnam after the war, what it was like landing his role in an Indiana Jones at such a young age, and his decision to quit acting in his 20s. Ke and Dax talk about how he struggled to find his identity, how he got into fight choreography, and the impact of asian representation on his decision to come back to acting. Ke explains what it was like to make his comeback with a critically acclaimed independent film, doing animation voiceover work, and having the fear of losing his acting career again. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Armchair Anonymous: Pooped Yourself
12/07/2024 Duration: 50minDax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time they pooped themselves. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Phil Elwood (on the dark side of PR)
11/07/2024 Duration: 02h13minPhil Elwood (All the Worst Humans) is a public relations operative and author. Phil joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what speed debating is, what astroturf organizations are, and how he's trying to increase media literacy. Phil and Dax talk about his involvement with helping Qatar win the World Cup bid, how he instigated a trade war between Antigua and the US, and his trip to Vegas with a dictator's son. Phil explains how psychological operatives attain information from their targets, being questioned by the FBI, and the effectiveness of sports washing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Meghan Trainor
08/07/2024 Duration: 02h14minMeghan Trainor (Timeless) is a singer and songwriter. Meghan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what it was like growing up on Nantucket Island, how she felt about the age gap between her parents, and having to move because of her allergies. Meghan and Dax talk about how she got into producing songs at a young age, why she loves the true crime genre, and song writing competitions. Meghan explains how she deals with negative comments on social media, how she has become more open about her medical conditions, and having dual toilets in her bathroom. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Armchair Anonymous: Near Death
05/07/2024 Duration: 53minDax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a near death experience. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Avett Brothers Return
04/07/2024 Duration: 01h43minThe Avett Brothers are a Grammy-nominated American folk rock band. They return to the Armchair Expert to discuss how they decide to make big purchases, whether people actually have new thoughts, and the influences for their new self-titled album. Seth and Scott talk about what it's like to be an opening act at this stage of their careers, how the human voice might be the best instrument, and why people are drawn to the themes of the country genre. They explain how it feels for their music to be accepted by a broader audience, what kinds of stories their dad tells their children, and the experience of being involved with a musical theater production based on their music. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.