Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Armchair Umbrella

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. read less

Our Editor's Take

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard shares the life lessons of fascinating figures. Dax Shepard's insightful questions and commentary result in meaningful conversations. The podcast offers a glimpse into life's complexity and the human condition. Dax, a longtime comedic actor, began the show in 2018. Listeners may know him from Parenthood and Without a Paddle. Dax loved being a podcast guest, and that experience inspired him to start his own show. The format allows for lengthy conversations instead of quippy interviews.

For sober Dax, the honest discussions offer the feel of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. The Armchair Expert podcast provides a platform for vulnerability, truth, and compassion. The conversations can get wild, but cohost Monica Padman is there to help. One thing that makes the podcast unique is its epilogue. At the end of each episode, she fact-checks statements that Dax and the guests made.

Armchair Expert reveals the human experiences of today's entertainers, leaders, and experts. Guests include Barack Obama as well as Dax's wife, actress Kristen Bell. When Kristen joins, she and Dax discuss marriage, sobriety, and raising children. Because neither one holds back, tensions can get high. Throughout, listeners can sense their love and commitment and appreciate their openness.

When singer Jason Derulo joins, the conversation ranges from the music industry to joy, betrayal, and Taylor Swift. He, Dax, and Monica consider methods for resisting endless scrolling. Comedian and actor Rob McElhenney comes on another episode to talk about parenthood. He's the father of two young boys and hopes to raise them well.

As a comedian, Dax can't let the conversation on the podcast stay serious for too long. Side topics include the DMV, Florida, Christmas, basements, and even electric kettles. Politics, psychology, and sobriety are also important talking points. In another episode, psychologist Phil Stutz talks about treating patients at Rikers Island. They discuss narcissism, human needs, and the value of structure.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard provides laughter and hope while contemplating what it means to be human. Listeners can hear new episodes twice a week.

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Episodes

Flightless Bird: True Crime
02-04-2024
Flightless Bird: True Crime
In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier talks to Terra Newell, who you may well know from the Dirty John podcast. We look at what makes the True Crime genre such a big deal, and some of the ethical questions it raises. David also shares his favourite 10 True Crime bits of media with Monica and Rob - which are: Dear Zachary (2008): A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son. Blackfish (2013) / The Cove (2009): A documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015): Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes. The Staircase (2004): The high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001. Last Call (2023): As the AIDS crisis intensifies in the early 1990s, homophobia and hate crimes increase, and a serial killer preys on gay men in New York City by infiltrating the queer nightlife to identify his victims. 6 The Thin Blue Line - 1988 (Errol Morris): A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas. Paradise Lost (1996): A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence. Capturing the Friedmans (2003): Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes. The Imposter (2012): A documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years. In The Dark Season 2: The second season of In the Dark explored the legal odyssey surrounding Curtis Flowers, who was accused of shooting four people to death inside Tardy Furniture, a Winona, Mississippi store, in July 1996 Honorable mentions: A Very Fatal Murder, American Vandal Other OGs: Helter Skelter (1974), In Cold Blood (1966), Making a Murderer (2018), Serial (2014) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices