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
Sasha Hamdani (on ADHD)
Mar 04, 2026Summary Preview
Dr. Sasha Hamdani, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in ADHD, joins the show to discuss her expertise, personal journey with ADHD, and the nuances of diagnosis and treatment. She shares her late diagnosis story, explores how ADHD manifests differently in men and women, discusses rejection sensitive dysphoria, and offers insights into managing ADHD as both a patient and parent. The conversation covers everything from diagnostic challenges to practical coping strategies, with Sasha drawing on both her clinical expertise and lived experience.
- Sasha's Personal ADHD Journey and Misdiagnosis
- Understanding ADHD Diagnosis and Criteria
Marcus Mumford
Mar 02, 2026Summary Preview
Marcus Mumford, lead singer of Mumford & Sons, joins Dax and Monica for an intimate conversation about his musical journey, personal struggles, and creative evolution. From his unique upbringing in a church-leading family to becoming a Grammy-winning artist, Marcus opens up about childhood sexual abuse, addiction recovery, and finding freedom in his art. The episode culminates in a powerful live performance that showcases why he's one of the most compelling artists of his generation.
- Origins: Church, California, and Finding Music
- Meeting Carey Mulligan: A Love Story That Started at Bible Camp
Armchair Anonymous: Las Vegas
Feb 27, 2026Summary Preview
Hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman share wild Vegas stories from listeners, featuring drug-fueled hotel room chaos, a high school choir trip gone wrong, a climbing accident on an art installation, and a terrifying kidnapping attempt. The episode delivers on the promise that 'everything that happens in the world happens in Vegas,' with tales of injury, bad decisions, and narrow escapes.
- Hotel Room Drug Trip Gone Wrong
- High School Choir Trip Witnesses Suicide
Adam Mosseri Returns (Head of Instagram)
Feb 25, 2026Summary Preview
Armchair Expert hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram at Meta, for a wide-ranging conversation about social media, AI, content moderation, platform changes, and the challenges of leading one of the world's most influential apps. They discuss personal responsibility in the digital age, Instagram's evolution from photo-sharing to video and messaging, and the complexities of moderating content at scale.
- Personal Background and Career Path
- AI Integration and the Future of Instagram
Sterling K. Brown
Feb 23, 2026Summary Preview
Sterling K. Brown joins Armchair Expert for a deeply personal conversation spanning his childhood in St. Louis, the loss of his father at age 10, his journey through Stanford and NYU, and his breakthrough roles in This Is Us and The People v. O.J. Simpson. He discusses the unique pressures of being a Black actor in Hollywood, his 31-year relationship with wife Ryan Michelle Bathe, parenting two sons, and his mother's battle with ALS. The conversation touches on representation, code-switching, the difference between safety and success, and how past experiences shape present choices.
- Early Life and St. Louis Country Day School
- Loss of Father and Family Dynamics
Armchair Anonymous: Unique Kink
Feb 20, 2026Summary Preview
In this Armchair Anonymous episode, Dax Shepard and Monica Padman explore unique kinks with three vulnerable and entertaining callers. Amanda from Ohio shares how her husband's prosthetic eye unexpectedly became a turn-on. David from Rhode Island recounts a wild Tinder experience involving 'forced gay' dynamics with an Australian dominatrix watching remotely. Rico from Florida opens up about his lifelong kink for having his toes nibbled, tracing it back to childhood comfort from his mother. Throughout the episode, the hosts create a judgment-free space that celebrates vulnerability, challenges shame around sexuality, and finds humor in the unexpected.
- Amanda's Prosthetic Eye Discovery
- David's 'Forced Gay' Tinder Experience
Colleen Cutcliffe (on the microbiome)
Feb 18, 2026Summary Preview
Colleen Cutcliffe, microbiome scientist and founder of Pendulum, joins the podcast to discuss the fascinating world of gut bacteria and its impact on health. The conversation explores how microbes influence everything from metabolism and obesity to mental health and food sensitivities, while addressing the challenges and opportunities in making probiotics that actually work. Cutcliffe shares insights from her research on specific strains like Akkermansia muciniphila and their role in maintaining gut health, along with personal stories about building her company and partnering with Halle Berry.
- The Microbiome Revolution and Early Seeding
- How Microbes Control Metabolism and Weight
Charlie Puth
Feb 16, 2026Summary Preview
Charlie Puth joins Armchair Expert to discuss his musical genius, journey from YouTube to stardom, struggles with fame and authenticity, and his latest album 'Whatever's Clever.' He reveals his unique ability to hear and memorize music, opens up about mental health challenges during his rise to fame, and shares how finding his wife Brooke helped him rediscover his authentic self.
- Musical Origins and Early Talent
- The Dog Attack and Physical Scars
Armchair Anonymous: Meet Cute III
Feb 13, 2026Summary Preview
Armchair Anonymous presents a heartwarming 'Meet Cute' episode featuring three delightful love stories. From a juggler who caught a hat and a heart at a Philadelphia Folk Festival, to a Chicken Express worker who slipped his number into a drive-thru order, to childhood hospital friends who reunited as teenagers and discovered love, these tales showcase how unexpected moments can lead to lasting relationships. Each story demonstrates that sometimes taking a chance—whether catching a flying hat, writing your number on a napkin, or reconnecting after years apart—can change your life forever.
- The Juggler's Perfect Catch
- The Chicken Express Napkin Gambit
Justin Garcia (on the science of sex)
Feb 11, 2026Summary Preview
Evolutionary biologist and Kinsey Institute director Justin Garcia joins the podcast for a comprehensive discussion about human sexuality, relationships, and the science of love. Garcia explores the biological underpinnings of pair bonding, sexual behavior, and intimacy, drawing from decades of research at the famous Kinsey Institute. The conversation covers topics ranging from the history of sex research to modern dating apps, infidelity, and the evolutionary tension between monogamy and sexual novelty. Plus, a special anniversary surprise as the hosts chat with Winna, creator of the New York Times Connections puzzle.
- The Kinsey Institute: History and Legacy
- The Intimacy Crisis: Why We're Lonely Despite Being Connected
Kaley Cuoco Returns
Feb 09, 2026Summary Preview
Kaley Cuoco returns to Armchair Expert for an in-person interview, discussing her upcoming thriller series Vanished, life on her ranch with rescue animals, her relationship with Tom Pelphrey, parenting philosophy, and her unapologetic approach to life and work in Hollywood.
- Ranch Life and Animal Rescue
- Meeting Tom Pelphrey: A Modern Love Story
Armchair Anonymous: Cooking Disaster II
Feb 06, 2026Summary Preview
This Armchair Anonymous episode features cooking disaster stories from multiple callers, including a severe bacon grease burn requiring hospitalization, a lemon meringue pie contaminated with dead bugs, a French press accident that led to fentanyl addiction, and a glass bowl injury that nearly severed an artery. Each story showcases how quickly kitchen mishaps can escalate into medical emergencies, with lasting physical and emotional impacts on the families involved.
- Bacon Grease Burn at Daughter's Pancake Birthday Brunch
- Bug-Infested Lemon Meringue Pie for the In-Laws
Claudia Rowe (on the foster care system)
Feb 04, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview journalist and author Claudia Rowe about her book 'Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care.' The conversation explores the deeply troubling realities of the American foster care system, revealing how it often produces worse outcomes than the situations children are removed from. Through stories of multiple foster youth, including 16-year-old Marianne who was convicted of murder, and Arthur Longworth, an inmate who became an essayist, Rowe illustrates how the system's structural failures—constant placement changes, lack of therapeutic support, over-medication, and premature aging out—create a pipeline to homelessness, addiction, and incarceration rather than safety and stability.
- Claudia Rowe's Journey from Serial Killer Story to Foster Care Exposé
- The Shocking Statistics of Foster Care Outcomes
Anderson .Paak
Feb 02, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard welcomes Grammy-winning artist Anderson .Paak to the show for a long-awaited conversation about his remarkable journey from poverty and homelessness to becoming a celebrated musician, director, and entrepreneur. They discuss his multi-generational family trauma, his mother's Korean heritage and incarceration, his father's addiction and imprisonment, and how music became his salvation. Anderson shares stories about his breakthrough with Dr. Dre, collaboration with Mac Miller and Bruno Mars, the iconic Tiny Desk performance, and his directorial debut K-Pops featuring his real son.
- Family Origins and Multi-Generational Trauma
- Childhood Trauma: Domestic Violence and Parents' Incarceration
Armchair Anonymous: Foreign Object in Butt II
Jan 30, 2026Summary Preview
This episode of Armchair Anonymous features part two of the 'Foreign Objects in Butt' series, with medical professionals sharing their most memorable emergency room and surgical experiences. The stories range from humorous to sobering, featuring elderly patients, surgical mishaps, and the consequences of shame and panic. Through four distinct stories from nurses and surgeons, the episode explores the surprisingly common occurrence of these medical emergencies while maintaining empathy for the patients involved.
- The 83-Year-Old and the Magic Bullet
- The Industrial Screwdriver Mystery
Ellen Huet (on wellness cults)
Jan 28, 2026Summary Preview
Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Ellen Hewitt, an award-winning investigative journalist, about her new book 'Empire of Orgasm' which explores OneTaste, a San Francisco-based wellness company that taught 'orgasmic meditation' but allegedly evolved into an exploitative organization. The conversation covers the company's origins, its charismatic founder Nicole Daedone, the practice itself, how members were allegedly manipulated financially and sexually, and the eventual FBI investigation that led to criminal charges.
- Ellen's Background and Communal Living
- Journey to Investigative Journalism
Marcello Hernández
Jan 26, 2026Summary Preview
Marcelo Hernandez, known from Saturday Night Live and his Netflix special 'American Boy,' joins Dax and Monica for a delightful conversation. The charming comedian shares his journey from being a soccer player in Miami to becoming an SNL cast member, discussing his immigrant parents' influence, his time at a Jesuit college in Ohio, and the wild path that led him through Model Arab League, stand-up comedy during the pandemic, and eventually to his breakthrough audition. The conversation explores themes of immigrant family dynamics, cultural differences between Miami and the Midwest, and the unique pressure and gratitude that comes from making your family proud.
- Gifts from Marshall's and Setting the Tone
- Miami Roots and Immigrant Family Dynamics
Armchair Anonymous: Pets
Jan 23, 2026Summary Preview
This Armchair Anonymous episode features wild and heartwarming crazy pet stories, including a dangerous horse named Hannah Banana, a high-speed chase to rescue a stolen dog in Alaska, a brutal dog attack requiring extensive stitches, and a dog's prolapsed rectum cured with an unusual sugar remedy. Each tale showcases the unpredictable chaos and deep bonds between humans and their pets.
- Hannah Banana: The Horse That Terrorized Orange County
- High-Speed Chase for a Stolen Dog in Alaska
Elizabeth Smart
Jan 21, 2026Summary Preview
In this landmark 1,000th episode of Armchair Expert, Dax and Monica interview Elizabeth Smart about her harrowing 2002 kidnapping at age 14. Smart shares the complete story of her nine-month captivity, her relationship with religion and shame, and her remarkable recovery. The conversation explores the investigation's many frustrating near-misses, her interactions with law enforcement while still captive, and how she's transformed her trauma into advocacy work helping other survivors.
- Celebrating 1,000 Episodes and Elizabeth Smart's Story
- Elizabeth's Openness About Her Trauma and the Power of Stories
Chris Stapleton
Jan 19, 2026Summary Preview
Chris Stapleton joins Armchair Expert for an intimate conversation about his journey from Kentucky coal country to country music stardom. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter discusses his unexpected path from writing songs for other artists to becoming one of the most respected voices in music, while maintaining remarkable humility about his success. He opens up about his creative process, the challenges of fame, his relationship with control and perfectionism, and finding balance between his career and family life with five kids.
- Early Life and Humble Beginnings
- Academic Success and Football Days