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
Armchair Anonymous: Crazy Gym II
Sep 18, 2026Summary Preview
This episode of Armchair Anonymous features four remarkable gym stories from listeners who experienced everything from workout-induced vomiting to catastrophic injuries. The tales showcase the unpredictable dangers of pushing physical limits, from an altitude training disaster in Denver to a bouldering accident in Minneapolis, reminding us that what starts as a normal gym session can quickly turn into a medical emergency.
- The Altitude Training Vomit Disaster
- The Stalker Roommate from the Gym
Eric Goode (documentary filmmaker)
Sep 16, 2026Summary Preview
Documentarian Eric Goode discusses his remarkable multi-decade career spanning New York nightclubs, boutique hotels, turtle conservation, and acclaimed documentaries including Tiger King, Chimp Crazy, and his newest series Monsters of God. The conversation explores his unconventional path, from founding the legendary nightclub Area with collaborations from Warhol and Basquiat, to creating iconic hotels like The Bowery and Maritime, to becoming a leading voice in wildlife conservation and documentary filmmaking about the exotic animal trade.
- Eric's Early Life and Unconventional Education
- Founding Area: The Legendary New York Nightclub
Dave Franco Returns
Sep 14, 2026Summary Preview
Dave Franco returns to Armchair Expert, this time in person, bringing his infectious charm and openness. He discusses his intense workout routines with Allison Brie, their unique tradition of nightly love letters, and his decision to stay off social media. Dave shares hilarious stories from filming projects like The Studio and idiots, including a heart-stopping moment with Woody Harrelson in Hong Kong. He also opens up about meeting the Pope, his deep love for cats, and how he navigates Hollywood while maintaining his authentic self.
- Fitness, Physiques, and the Pressure to Stay in Shape
- Social Media Abstinence and Its Consequences
Armchair Anonymous: Bad Teacher
Sep 11, 2026Summary Preview
This Armchair Anonymous episode explores stories of bad teachers, featuring accounts from former students who experienced inappropriate, bizarre, and even criminal behavior from their educators. The stories range from a pathological liar teacher who fabricated her entire resume to a biology teacher who dispensed dangerous medical advice, and a beloved middle school teacher whose secret life as a pedophile was tragically exposed.
- Joey's Pathological Liar Teacher
- Chris and the DECA Discrimination
Angela Duckworth #3 (on bringing out your best)
Sep 09, 2026Summary Preview
Angela Duckworth, psychologist and bestselling author of Grit, returns to discuss her new book Situated, which explores how our environment and circumstances shape our success just as much as our personal effort and determination. Over ten years after Grit, Duckworth has expanded her focus from the 'inside game' of personal psychology to the 'outside game' of situational factors, arguing that understanding and controlling our situations is just as important as willpower and perseverance.
- The Genesis of Situated: From Grit to Context
- The Ocean Story: A Metaphor for Situational Power
Lizzo
Sep 07, 2026Summary Preview
Lizzo joins Armchair Expert to discuss her journey from Detroit to Minneapolis to global stardom. She opens up about growing up in Detroit, her church upbringing, navigating middle school bullying in Houston, the rise of her music career, dealing with sudden fame and intense public scrutiny, and finding her way back through therapy and self-work. She also shares the story behind her new children's book about meeting her flute, Sasha B. Fluton, and discusses the power of reclaiming words like 'bitch' to disarm bullies.
- Detroit Roots and Early Memories
- Moving to Houston and Middle School Struggles
Armchair Anonymous: Summer Fling
Sep 04, 2026Summary Preview
An Armchair Anonymous episode featuring four summer fling stories from listeners. The stories range from an unexpected romance in Peru that led to a kidney infection, a Berlin techno club encounter that evolved into something meaningful in Paris, a mysterious bouncer who may have been a reality TV star, and a cinematic backpacking romance in Spain. The hosts share heartfelt reactions to these tales of spontaneous summer connections.
- The Peru Adventure That Became a Medical Emergency
- The Berlin-Paris Triangle of Confusion
Summary Preview
Tax law professor Ray Madoff joins Armchair Expert to expose how America's wealthy have been systematically written out of the tax system. Through loopholes, stock manipulation, and the erosion of estate taxes, billionaires pay lower effective tax rates than middle-class workers—threatening capitalism itself. Madoff traces this transformation from the progressive era through Reagan to today, revealing the mechanisms ultra-wealthy use to avoid taxation while explaining why this crisis demands urgent reform.
- The Rise of America's Second Estate: How We Got Here
- The Coordinated Attack: How the Estate Tax Was Gutted
Gal Gadot
Aug 31, 2026Summary Preview
Dax and Monica welcome Gal Gadot for her first podcast appearance. They discuss her athletic background, Israeli military service, unexpected entry into entertainment through pageants and modeling, her journey to becoming Wonder Woman, and her physically grueling new film The Runner. The conversation touches on health topics including peptides, menopause, and Gal's near-fatal cerebral venous thrombosis after childbirth. They also explore cultural differences, parenting four daughters, and the challenges of maintaining authenticity in Hollywood.
- Introduction and First Podcast Experience
- ChatGPT Personality Test
Armchair Anonymous: Wild Card XIV
Aug 28, 2026Summary Preview
A wildcard episode featuring three unexpected and harrowing stories from listeners. John recounts capsizing in a canoe and going over a 20-foot waterfall before being airlifted to safety. Evie shares her experience being struck by lightning while working at a summer camp in northern Ontario. Erin and Lauren describe being assaulted by an aggressive stranger who followed them home from a karaoke bar, resulting in severe injuries.
- Going Over the Falls: A Canada Day Canoe Disaster
- Search and Rescue: The Aftermath and Gratitude
Olivia Fox Cabane (on the science of charisma)
Aug 26, 2026Summary Preview
Olivia Fox Cabane, a leading authority on the science of charisma and bestselling author of The Charisma Myth, explores how charisma is a learnable set of behaviors rather than an innate trait. She shares insights from her updated book, including new research on online charisma, and explains how presence, power, and warmth combine to create magnetic influence. As someone with autism who was diagnosed later in life, Olivia offers a unique perspective on studying human behavior from the outside and developing tools anyone can use to increase their charisma.
- Olivia's Background and Late Autism Diagnosis
- Growing Up Between Worlds and Learning Social Skills
Jimmy Kimmel & Molly McNearney
Aug 24, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman host Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney for a lively evening conversation covering their relationship origin story, the challenges of working together on a late-night show, navigating public controversies, parenting in the spotlight, and thoughts on retirement. The couple shares intimate details about how their friendship evolved into romance over eight years of working together, the intense stress of Jimmy's 2017 suspension, and how they balance their professional and personal lives while raising kids in an unusual environment.
- The Kimmel-McNearney Origin Story: Eight Years in the Making
- Working Together: The Daily Show Grind and Marriage Dynamics
Armchair Anonymous: Spas
Aug 21, 2026Summary Preview
This Armchair Anonymous episode features four wild and hilarious spa stories ranging from unexpected happy endings to waxing disasters. Listeners share their most embarrassing, awkward, and shocking spa experiences, including a honeymoon massage with a surprise finish, a husband volunteering as a live model for a professional waxing class, a mysterious fainting incident in a San Francisco nail salon, and a botched Brazilian wax that required emergency stitches.
- Kat's Honeymoon Happy Ending
- Mary's Husband Becomes a Live Waxing Model
Chris Young (on being sentenced to life in prison)
Aug 19, 2026Summary Preview
Chris Young shares his powerful story of transformation from a childhood marked by poverty, addiction, and instability to serving two life sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, to ultimately being pardoned by President Trump. His journey highlights the devastating impact of mandatory sentencing laws, the power of self-education, and the humanity often overlooked in the criminal justice system. Through discovering philosophy and literature in a county jail library, Chris rebuilt his life intellectually and spiritually, demonstrating extraordinary resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
- Growing Up in Poverty and Violence
- The Path to Drug Dealing and Street Life
David Sedaris #6
Aug 17, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman reunite after a two-month summer break to discuss their time apart, share highlights from their travels, and welcome beloved author and humorist David Sedaris for his sixth appearance on the show. They explore themes of addiction, family dynamics, parasocial relationships, and the evolution of Sedaris's writing career, while David treats listeners to a reading from his new book.
- Welcome Back and Summer Reflections
- The Schwarzenegger Encounter in Budapest
Armchair Anonymous: Extreme Weather
Aug 14, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman host Armchair Anonymous featuring extreme weather stories from listeners. Three harrowing tales unfold: Ella from New Jersey survives a tree crashing through her mother's house during severe winds, Mark from Winnipeg navigates his family's boat through a tornado on Lake of the Woods, and Samantha from Ontario endures a derecho that drops a tree on her and her five-year-old daughter during a backcountry camping trip. Each story showcases the unpredictability of nature and remarkable survival instincts.
- New Jersey Tree Strikes House During Severe Winds
- Tornado Encounter on Lake of the Woods
Marc Brackett (on emotional intelligence)
Aug 12, 2026Summary Preview
Mark Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, discusses his journey from childhood abuse survivor to emotional intelligence pioneer. He shares how his Uncle Marvin gave him 'permission to feel,' leading to a career developing SEL curriculum now used in thousands of schools. The conversation explores the science of emotions, regulation strategies, and why emotional intelligence is crucial for wellbeing, relationships, and success.
- Uncle Marvin and Permission to Feel
- The Journey to Emotional Intelligence Work
Taron Egerton
Aug 10, 2026Processing... (Downloading)
Armchair Anonymous: Hotel II
Aug 07, 2026Summary Preview
In this Armchair Anonymous episode focused on crazy hotel stories, listeners share wild experiences ranging from a couple's elaborate rat scam at a French hotel, to a shooting incident at a Milwaukee wedding venue, a tragic suicide and subsequent cleanup at a famous haunted Colorado hotel, and a terrifying assault at a San Diego hotel. The stories reveal the chaos, danger, and bizarre situations that can unfold in hotels, while highlighting the challenging work of hospitality staff who must handle everything from customer scams to traumatic emergencies.
- The Pet Rat Scam in Southern France
- Milwaukee Wedding Turns Into Active Shooter Situation
Christopher Whitcomb (on the Idaho murders)
Aug 05, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Christopher Whitcomb, a former FBI Hostage Rescue Team member and author investigating the Idaho college murders case. Whitcomb shares his extraordinary FBI career, from being present at Ruby Ridge and Waco to working counterterrorism operations. The conversation then focuses on his latest book examining the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, where Whitcomb raises serious questions about the investigation, evidence, and Brian Koberger's guilty plea despite significant inconsistencies in the case.
- Christopher Whitcomb's Unusual Path to the FBI
- Becoming an FBI Sniper and the Hostage Rescue Team