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
Jack McBrayer
May 25, 2026Summary Preview
Jack McBrayer, best known for playing Kenneth on 30 Rock, joins the podcast to discuss his southern upbringing in Georgia, his journey through Chicago's improv scene, his unique approach to privacy and social media, and his current show Zillow Gone Wild. The conversation reveals Jack's careful balance between his playful private persona (including hilariously vulgar birthday texts) and his wholesome public image, while exploring themes of authenticity, control, and the nature of fame.
- Jack's Privacy Paradox and Birthday Text Tradition
- Growing Up in Georgia: School Teachers and Methodist Church
Armchair Anonymous: Bad Roommate II
May 22, 2026Summary Preview
A lively Bad Roommates Part 2 episode featuring four wild roommate stories from armchair experts across America. The hosts celebrate when one caller admits to being the bad roommate themselves. Stories range from someone treating hemorrhoids with a roommate's apple cider vinegar to an FBI raid for a pedophile roommate, plus a psychotic episode involving police and a near-attack during a night terror.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Hemorrhoid Treatment Gone Wrong
- FBI Raids Apartment for Pedophile Roommate
Summary Preview
Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau and Luke Malone discuss their book 'One in Five,' revealing child sexual abuse as a major public health crisis affecting 20% of children. They explore prevention strategies, the complexity of perpetration (including that 70% of cases involve other minors), and challenge common misconceptions about who commits abuse and how it can be prevented through public health approaches rather than purely criminal justice responses.
- Origins of a Groundbreaking Collaboration
- The Staggering Scale of Child Sexual Abuse
Brandi Carlile
May 18, 2026Summary Preview
Brandi Carlile, the 11-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, joins Dax and Monica for a deeply personal conversation about her journey from rural Washington to becoming one of music's most celebrated artists. She opens up about growing up in poverty with an alcoholic father, coming out as gay in a small town, surviving a church baptism rejection, and her remarkable rise in music. The conversation explores themes of addiction, faith, ambition, family dynamics, and her collaborations with icons like Joni Mitchell, Elton John, and Tanya Tucker. Throughout, Brandi demonstrates remarkable vulnerability while showcasing the fierce drive and authenticity that have defined her career.
- Small Town Origins and Rural Life
- Growing Up with an Alcoholic Father
Armchair Anonymous: Waterparks
May 15, 2026Summary Preview
Armchair Anonymous presents wild and unexpected stories from water parks across the United States. Hosts Dax Shepard and Lily Padman hear from guests who experienced everything from vomit cascades and parasitic infections to unexpected injuries and mistaken identities. These stories showcase how vulnerable people are in aquatic environments and how quickly a fun day at the water park can turn into an unforgettable disaster.
- Vomit Cascade at Connecticut's Oldest Amusement Park
- Six-Year Parasitic Infection from Bali's Natural Water Park
Ben McKenzie (on cryptocurrency)
May 13, 2026Processing failed
Chace Crawford
May 11, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview actor Chase Crawford, best known for Gossip Girl and The Boys. Chase shares stories from his early life moving between Texas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota, his journey into acting, the wild New York City nights during Gossip Girl's heyday, navigating fame and career challenges between shows, and his transformation playing The Deep in The Boys. The conversation covers everything from his people-pleasing tendencies to his relationship patterns, work ethic, and appreciation for the unexpected success of The Boys.
- Texas Roots and Early Years
- College, Valet Life, and Breaking Into Acting
Armchair Anonymous: Unauthorized Evacuation III
May 08, 2026Summary Preview
In this Armchair Anonymous episode titled 'Unauthorized Evacuation 3,' hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman share hilarious and mortifying stories from callers who experienced unexpected bowel emergencies. From a makeup counter disaster to teaching mishaps, river tubing incidents, and Christian camp chaos, these stories prove that digestive disasters unite us all. The episode celebrates the human experience with humor, empathy, and the comforting reminder that we've all been there—or will be someday.
- Kayla's Makeup Counter Catastrophe
- Josh's First Day Teaching Disaster
Patrick Radden Keefe (investigative journalist)
May 06, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Patrick Radden Keefe, an award-winning investigative journalist and staff writer for The New Yorker, about his new book 'London Falling,' which explores the mysterious death of 19-year-old Zach Brettler in a luxury London apartment. The conversation delves into Keefe's fascinating career path from law school to journalism, the story of a teenager who pretended to be a Russian oligarch's son, and the transformation of London into a playground for extreme wealth.
- Patrick Radden Keefe's Journey from Law School to The New Yorker
- The Pentagon and the Office Space Reality
Jack Antonoff
May 04, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Jack Antonoff, one of the most successful music producers of the last decade and frontman of Bleachers. They discuss his upbringing in New Jersey, his journey from touring in vans to producing Grammy-winning albums, his collaborative process with artists like Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar, and his philosophy on creativity and staying true to authentic work. The episode culminates in an unexpected moment where Dax dances to Antonoff's new song 'Upstairs at E.L.S.'
- Growing Up in New Jersey and Early Musical Foundations
- The Underground Music Scene and Finding Community
Armchair Anonymous: Bar Stories
May 01, 2026Summary Preview
An Armchair Anonymous episode featuring four wild bar stories from around the world - from a security guard's violent altercation in Minneapolis that led to emergency surgery, to a street fight in Johannesburg involving a car windshield, a fake ID adventure at Michigan State, and a drunk college student who lost four teeth on the bar floor. The stories explore the chaos, danger, and dark humor that can unfold in bar settings.
- Security Guard vs. Domestic Violence: A Costly Intervention
- Road Rage in Johannesburg: Hooters Parking Lot Showdown
Tara Stoinski Returns (primatologist)
Apr 29, 2026Summary Preview
Primatologist Tara Stoinski returns to discuss the new documentary 'A Gorilla Story,' which follows Pablo's gorilla family through dramatic power struggles, infanticide, and complex social dynamics captured over two years of filming. The conversation explores parallels between gorilla behavior and human society, the importance of long-term wildlife studies, and conservation efforts that have helped mountain gorillas increase from 250 to 1,000 individuals.
- Introduction and Personal Updates
- The Documentary's Origins and David Attenborough's Connection
Laufey
Apr 27, 2026Summary Preview
Levy and her identical twin sister Junia join the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about growing up between Iceland and China, the intense discipline of classical music training, finding her unique sound at Berklee College of Music, and navigating sudden fame. They discuss twin dynamics, the loneliness and freedom of musical dedication, her viral pandemic success, and the complexities of being a Waysian (half-White, half-Asian) artist in today's music industry.
- Growing Up as Twins Between Two Worlds
- The Immigrant Mother's Resilience and Entrepreneurial Spirit
Armchair Anonymous: Twins
Apr 24, 2026Summary Preview
Armchair Anonymous hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman dive into fascinating twin stories, featuring four different callers who share their experiences as identical twins or siblings of twins. From telepathic connections to medical fraud, twin switches, and mistaken identity assaults, these stories explore the unique bonds, confusions, and occasionally dangerous situations that come with being a twin.
- Casey's Twin Telepathy and Sister's Near-Death Experience
- Anna's Nanny Was Actually Two People
Alvin E. Roth (on moral economics)
Apr 22, 2026Summary Preview
Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin E. Roth joins Armchair Expert to discuss his new book 'Moral Economics,' exploring controversial markets and transactions. The conversation delves into how markets work, the difference between repugnance and disgust, and Roth's groundbreaking work in kidney exchange programs that have saved tens of thousands of lives. They examine various morally contested markets from prostitution to organ sales, discussing the economic and ethical tradeoffs society faces when regulating these transactions.
- Introduction to Market Economics and Alvin Roth's Background
- Understanding Markets: Beyond Monetary Exchanges
Tom Pelphrey
Apr 20, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Tom Pelfrey, an Emmy-nominated actor best known for his role in the HBO series Task. The conversation covers Pelfrey's journey from New Jersey to becoming an acclaimed actor, his experience with daytime soaps, his battle with alcoholism and path to sobriety, his relationship with Kaley Cuoco, and his approach to acting. The discussion explores themes of addiction, identity, partnership, mental health, and the transformative power of self-awareness.
- New Jersey Roots and Early Acting Career
- Early Success and Devastating Failure
Armchair Anonymous: Scams II
Apr 17, 2026Summary Preview
This episode of Armchair Anonymous features three scam stories from listeners. The episodes explores contractor fraud during COVID renovations, an online dating blackmail scheme, and a romantic con artist who emptied a single mother's house. Each story highlights how scammers exploit trust and vulnerability, while also showcasing resilience and recovery.
- COVID-Era Contractor Scam: The Email Impersonation
- Snapchat Sextortion: The $700 Lesson
Rachel Zoffness (on pain)
Apr 15, 2026Summary Preview
Pain psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Zoffness joins the show to revolutionize how we understand pain. She explains that pain is constructed in the brain, not just in the body part that hurts, and demonstrates this through fascinating examples like phantom limb pain and the tale of two construction workers. The conversation reveals that chronic pain is biopsychosocial—influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors—and that there's always hope for treatment through addressing multiple ingredients in a person's 'pain recipe.' Zoffness shares powerful patient stories, including a teen who was bedridden for four years and returned to life, and discusses how factors like loneliness, stress, sleep, and nutrition all impact pain levels.
- Rachel's Background and Journey to Pain Science
- The Fundamental Misunderstanding: Pain is Made in the Brain
Jennie Garth
Apr 13, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Jenny Garth, star of the iconic 90s show Beverly Hills 90210. Jenny opens up about her journey from a farm in Illinois to becoming a television icon, the challenges of early fame, her struggles with relationships and mental health, and her path to self-discovery through divorce, therapy, and Buddhism. She discusses the toxic dynamics on set, her complex relationship with Luke Perry, battles with anxiety and substance use, and ultimately finding peace and love again.
- From Farm Girl to Hollywood Star
- The 90210 Phenomenon and On-Set Dynamics
Armchair Anonymous: Bad Dates II
Apr 10, 2026Summary Preview
A hilarious collection of dating disasters from Armchair Anonymous, featuring stories of boundary lists, bizarre behavior, and unexpected twists. From a first date with an aerospace engineer who confessed love in 'all Greek meanings' to a wife's unforgettable story of her husband's spicy wing catastrophe that led to a McDonald's milkshake remedy, these tales prove that sometimes the worst dates make the best stories—and occasionally lead to marriage.
- The Christian Date with a Comprehensive List
- The Austin Trail Date Gone Wrong