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.
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Recent Episodes
Kelly McGonigal (on joy)
Nov 04, 2026Summary Preview
Dr. Kelly McGonigal, a Stanford psychologist and author, joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her new book on joy. The conversation explores why joy is often difficult for people to embrace, the neuroscience behind joyful moments, and how actively seeking small uplifts can be transformative. They discuss joy dampening, collective joy, positive empathy, and the importance of meeting others' happiness with enthusiasm rather than cynicism. The episode also delves into McGonigal's background, her meditation practice, and her research on compassion and stress.
- Introduction and Background
- Childhood and Path to Psychology
Mom's Car: Minka Kelly
Nov 03, 2026Summary Preview
Minka Kelly joins Dax Shepard and Karen Stinkley on Mom's Car, where they surprise her with Uber Eats deliveries of her favorite foods and gifts while discussing therapy, aging, her memoir's impact, working on Ransom Canyon in Albuquerque, fitness, vices, and her new interior design venture with friend Sally. The conversation reveals her journey from Friday Night Lights to embracing her 40s with newfound freedom and self-acceptance.
- The Healing Power of Writing a Memoir
- Returning to Albuquerque for Ransom Canyon
Brittany Snow
Nov 02, 2026Summary Preview
Brittany Snow joins Armchair Expert to discuss her journey from child actor to directing, her recovery from an eating disorder, and her starring role in Netflix's hit series 'The Hunting Wives.' She opens up about hypervigilance, perfectionism, addiction, and finding freedom in vulnerability. The conversation covers her early career on soap operas, the Pitch Perfect franchise, and the challenges of maintaining recovery while working in Hollywood.
- Child Stardom and the Origins of Hypervigilance
- Soap Opera Training and Finding Her Voice
Armchair Anonymous: Halloween II
Oct 30, 2026Summary Preview
This Halloween-themed episode features four college-era stories filled with hitchhiking adventures, costume-making disasters, elaborate pranks, and haunted hayride mishaps. The common thread is young people making questionable decisions during Halloween festivities, from hitchhiking two hours to party to getting run over by a tractor while method acting. Despite the chaos, all stories have happy endings, including unexpected romances and valuable life lessons.
- The Hitchhiking Adventure Gone Right
- The Chick-fil-A Costume Stabbing Incident
Erin & Sara Foster
Oct 28, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview sisters Erin and Sarah Foster, creators of the hit Netflix show 'Nobody Wants This' and the podcast 'The World's First Podcast.' The conversation explores their unique sibling dynamic, childhood experiences with their father David Foster, their winding paths to success, and the unexpected cultural phenomenon of 'Nobody Wants This.' The sisters share candid insights about family, career setbacks, parasocial relationships, and how they've built multiple successful businesses together while maintaining their close but complicated relationship.
- Monica's Parasocial Relationship and the Foster Sisters' Introduction
- Height, Competition, and Growing Up in LA's Elite Circles
Mom's Car: Guy Stevenson
Oct 27, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard reunites with his Groundlings friend Guy Stevenson for a wide-ranging conversation covering their comedy days together, Guy's Marine Corps service, his multiple open-heart surgeries, careers as bouncers, and their shared love of motorcycles and physical comedy. The two reminisce about their unusual friendship at the Groundlings where they bonded as the only members who lifted weights and had been in real fights.
- New Wave Origins and Long Island Upbringing
- Dyslexia and Learning Challenges
Nobody Wants This
Oct 26, 2026Summary Preview
The Armchair Expert hosts welcome the full main cast of 'Nobody Wants This' Season 3 - Kristen Bell, Adam Brody, Justine Lupe, and Timothy Simons. The conversation covers the show's latest season about moving in together, character development, proposals, cohabitation quirks, and the cast's strong real-life relationships. The episode also includes discussions about TRL, dating norms, and ends with personal stories about missing pets.
- The Cast of Nobody Wants This Arrives
- Marriage, Relationships, and Character Protection
Armchair Anonymous: News II
Oct 23, 2026Summary Preview
In this episode of Armchair Anonymous, Dax Shepard and Monica Padman hear remarkable stories from callers who ended up on the news. From a carjacking with a child in the backseat to a mass vomiting incident on an international flight, from a wrongful expulsion after preventing a suicide to a random shooting at a restaurant, these stories showcase extraordinary circumstances that thrust ordinary people into the media spotlight.
- Carjacking Rescue and Viral Harry Styles Cup
- The Airplane Vomit Wave of 1992
Malcolm Gladwell #4
Oct 21, 2026Summary Preview
Malcolm Gladwell joins Armchair Expert to discuss his latest book 'The American Way of Killing,' which examines gun violence in America through a unique lens. The conversation explores several dishonest conversations around guns, including the distinction between crime and violence, the true origins of the Second Amendment, the ineffectiveness of assault weapon bans, and why America is actually under-policed. Gladwell challenges conventional wisdom on both sides of the political spectrum, arguing that most gun deaths stem from expressive violence (arguments and feuds) rather than calculated crimes, and that the real solution lies in grassroots homicide prevention rather than federal legislation.
- Violence vs. Crime: Understanding America's Real Problem
- Medical Advances Hide the True Scale of Gun Violence
Mom's Car: Liz Plank
Oct 20, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview journalist and author Liz Plank in a wide-ranging conversation about modern dating, social media relationships, gender dynamics, and the challenges of finding partnership in contemporary society. They discuss the complexities of soft launches and hard launches on social media, the ROI of relationships for different genders, evolutionary biology's influence on dating behavior, and the importance of choosing imperfect partners willing to grow together.
- Social Media Dating and the Soft Launch Phenomenon
- The Complexity of Post-Divorce Dating and Introducing New Partners
Colin Kaepernick
Oct 19, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard interviews former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick about his new book 'The Perilous Fight,' which chronicles his life story from childhood through adoption into a white family, his football career, and the events leading up to and following his famous anthem protest. They discuss Kaepernick's experiences with racism, finding his identity as a biracial adopted child, his athletic journey from high school to the NFL, and the systemic issues in professional football.
- Growing Up Different: Race, Adoption, and Childhood Trauma
- Finding Black Culture: The Barbershop and Mrs. Attaway
Armchair Anonymous: Study Abroad
Oct 16, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman host Armchair Anonymous to explore crazy study abroad stories. Five callers share wild experiences ranging from a Pacific Ocean storm that nearly capsized their ship, to encounters with the Italian mafia, to Swedish drug dealers, to working in a Russian neurosurgery ward. The stories reveal the adventurous, dangerous, and transformative nature of study abroad experiences in the 1990s through 2010s.
- Surviving a Pacific Ocean Storm on Semester at Sea
- Locked in a Restaurant with the Italian Mafia
Ashe
Oct 14, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview singer-songwriter Ash about her new album 'The Girl of Your Dreams,' her journey through the music industry, childhood trauma, and navigating success while managing anxiety. The conversation touches on personal relationships, mental health, the challenges of fame, and features Ash performing her hit song 'Stop the Wedding.'
- Meeting at a Wedding and Early Connections
- Growing Up with Chaos and Finding Music
Mom's Car: Jedidiah Jenkins
Oct 13, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Aaron Weakley host longtime friend and acclaimed author Jedediah Jenkins for a wide-ranging, candid conversation covering sexuality, relationships, cultural differences, trust in intimacy, and the complexities of human connection. The discussion moves from lighthearted anecdotes about road trips and driving dynamics to deeper explorations of sexual identity, gay culture, dating apps, and the psychology behind desire and intimacy.
- Driving Dynamics and Japanese Culture
- Creative Process and Observation
James McAvoy
Oct 12, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview acclaimed Scottish actor and first-time director James McAvoy about his journey from Glasgow council estates to Hollywood stardom. The conversation explores McAvoy's unconventional path to acting, his childhood shaped by mental health awareness and working-class roots, the complexities of fame and identity sacrifice in show business, and his directorial debut with 'California Scheming'—a film about two Scottish rappers who pretended to be American to break into the music industry.
- Growing Up in Glasgow's Drum Chapel
- Early Masculinity and Finding Identity
Armchair Anonymous: Nurses III
Oct 09, 2026Summary Preview
In this episode of Armchair Anonymous: Nurses Part 3, Dan Shepard and Lily Padman hear jaw-dropping stories from nurses across North America. From thousands of maggots packed into necrotic wounds to a patient drinking their own blood from a PICC line, to a psychiatric patient who disemboweled himself and later tore out his own testicles, these healthcare heroes share their most unforgettable experiences. The stories explore the extreme situations nurses face while highlighting their compassion, resilience, and ability to find humanity even in the most disturbing medical scenarios.
- Vancouver Island Maggot Infestation
- The Blood-Drinking Patient
Adam Grant #4 (on the secrets of strong connections)
Oct 07, 2026Summary Preview
Adam Grant returns for his fourth Armchair Expert appearance to discuss his new book 'Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World.' The conversation explores the science behind human connections, the difference between friends and various relationship types, and practical strategies for building meaningful relationships. They debate proximity versus similarity in friendships, the marshmallow test, AI companions, and the relationship between personal character and professional integrity.
- Adam Grant's Journey from Isolation to Connection Expert
- The Four Types of Relationships
Mom's Car: Dakota Fanning & Jake Johnson
Oct 06, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman deliver Uber Eats orders with guests Dakota Fanning and Jake Johnson while discussing their new film 'The Sun Never Sets.' The conversation ranges from Dakota's childhood stardom and homeschooling experience to Jake's comedic career, ADHD behaviors, the challenges of fame, and working with legendary directors like Quentin Tarantino. They bond over their love of the film, relationships, acting techniques, and the authentic, low-budget filmmaking process.
- Film Review: The Sun Never Sets
- Dakota's Unconventional Upbringing and School Experience
Guillermo del Toro
Oct 05, 2026Summary Preview
An extraordinary two-hour conversation with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, exploring his creative process, personal philosophy, and the stunning 20th anniversary re-release of Pan's Labyrinth in multiple formats including 3D. Del Toro shares intimate stories about his childhood in Mexico, his father's kidnapping, working with James Cameron, and his deep understanding of humanity, art, and the filmmaking process. The discussion reveals a Renaissance man whose wisdom extends far beyond cinema into profound insights about life, creativity, and the human condition.
- Introductions and The Sacred Notebooks
- Early Life in Guadalajara and Family Background
Armchair Anonymous: Dinner Party
Oct 02, 2026Summary Preview
This Armchair Anonymous episode features four wild dinner party stories from listeners across North America. From a chaotic Cousinsgiving involving oil explosions and dog bites, to a hostess shooting birds mid-meal, a husband's projectile vomiting disaster, and a 10-year-old's catastrophic pool cue jumping accident, these tales showcase dinners gone spectacularly wrong.
- Jillian's Cousinsgiving Catastrophe: Oil, Blood, and a Runaway Dog
- Kat's Bird Murder Dinner Party in Muskoka