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. Link to AI voice translated show in Spanish.

Comedy
TV & Film
Music
301
Lizzy Caplan
Lizzy Caplan (Fatal Attraction, Masters of Sex, Party Down) is an actor and producer. Lizzy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how hard it is to hang out with friends in LA, how she started dating her husband, and what she thinks about matchmaking. Lizzy and Dax talk about how they dealt with their parents getting cancer, how she views modern parenting culture, and how scary doing comedy can be. Lizzy explains what her favorite sex scenes are, how she feels about reboots, and how much she loves the food in London.
113 min
302
James Comey (Former director of the FBI)
James Comey (Central Park West) is a former FBI director, lawyer, and author. James joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he got into a law enforcement career, his experience investigating mafia families, and what he learned working in the private sector of law. James and Dax talk about how much mafia families are influenced by Hollywood, what the typical stereotype of an FBI agent is, and how he handled the politics of the role as director. James explains what changes he tried to bring to the agency, how being held at gunpoint changed his perspective on life, and why he wanted to write a fiction novel.
106 min
303
Flightless Bird: Drug Rehab
This week on Flightless Bird, David sets out to look at drug rehab in the state of Florida. According to the CDC, since 1999 over 932,000 people have died from a drug overdose. Since 1999, overdoses involving opioids have increased eight times. With those stats came an exploration of drug rehab facilities - many of which gamed the system and became corrupt. Why did Florida end up leading America in having the most drug centers per capita? What went wrong and has it been put right? To find out, David met with a number of former patients of rehab centers to find out what’s going on in 2023.
34 min
304
Charlie Day Returns
Charlie Day (The Super Mario Bros, Always Sunny, Fool’s Paradise) is an actor, producer, and podcaster. Charlie returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss what his early dating experiences were, what doing live podcast shows has been like, and what movies influence his own directing projects. Charlie and Dax talk about the last comedies they saw in the theaters, how actors doing commercials has changed, and what happens when you give commencement speeches. Charlie explains his approach to voicing Luigi, how he feels about people doing impressions of him, and what it was like playing a character who barely speaks.
114 min
305
Armchair Anonymous: Wild Card II
Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us their craziest stories.
56 min
306
Michael Waldman (on the Supreme Court)
Michael Waldman (The Supermajority, The Fight to Vote, The Second Amendment) is an attorney, presidential speechwriter, and author. Michael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how the U.S. Supreme Court is involved in modern policymaking, what the concept of originalism is, and how extremism is influencing judges rulings on cases. Michael and Dax talk about the changes Congress can make to how justices are appointed, how public hearings have become spectacles for entertainment, and what role the media has in shaping the court of public opinion. Michael explains how the office of the President was founded, the struggles between gun rights and public safety policy, and why it’s important to protect judicial independence.
127 min
307
Flightless Bird: Exotic Pets
In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to understand Florida’s obsession with exotic pets. Why does the sunshine state have more exotic animal species than any other state and, quite possibly, than any other country? David discovers that there are about 50 different reptile species now thriving in Florida - most of them imports. With that in mind, he explores the Burmese python, an escaped imported creature that is now eating alligators out in the Everglades, taking the position of top dog in the ecosystem. David wants to find out what happens to Florida’s unwanted exotic pets, visiting the Everglades Outpost in Homestead to meet skunks, foxes, and wolves - plus the odd goat, lion, and giraffe. He ends his trip by meeting Snakes, an exotic snake dealer who is dealing with the law changes in Florida.
49 min
308
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers (The Album, Happiness Begins, A Little Bit Longer) are a pop rock band. The Jonas Brothers join the Armchair Expert to discuss how faith and spirituality has shaped their lives, what they learned from their musical theater experiences, and how the family dynamic played a role in their career decisions. The Jonas Brothers and Dax talk about their most embarrassing performance moments, what the concept of “the call of the void” is, and how the metrics for measuring successful music has changed. The Jonas Brothers explain their influences for their most recent album, their relationship with their younger brother, and how becoming fathers has shifted their perspectives.
133 min
309
Armchair Anonymous: Public Evacuation
Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about an emergency public evacuation.
58 min
310
Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss (The 4-Hour Workweek, Tribe of Mentors, The Tim Ferriss Show) is an author, entrepreneur, and podcaster. Tim joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his perspective on stoicism, why he thinks psychedelic treatment progress has been slow, and how he analyzes taking risks. Tim and Dax talk about how fear plays a role in people’s anxiety, how having conversations about trauma has become normalized, and why they love to learn about different subcultures. Tim explains the cost of inaction, what the results of his dog’s DNA test were, and his time as a competitive Argentinian tango dancer.
138 min
311
Flightless Bird: The Villages
This week on Flightless Bird, David sets off for The Villages, America’s biggest retirement community, home to over 100 thousand people over the age of 55. What lies in this mysterious land spread out over about 32 square miles, an area bigger than Manhattan? David discovers the Villages are so big, they get their own designation on the census. Taking a tour with a resident, Farrier discovers golf courses, pickleball courts, grocery stores, banks, and a roading system just for golf carts. And while the local paper is full of positive stories, is there a dark underbelly that runs underneath? And is there any truth to the ongoing rumor that the Villages is the STI capital of the United States?
50 min
312
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda (Book Club: The Next Chapter, Grace and Frankie, 80 for Brady) is an actor, activist, and producer. Jane joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she got involved in activism, how she approaches her romantic relationships, and why she believes friendships are important to mental health. Jane and Dax talk about their experiences with step-parents, how technology has changed how people interact with one another, and why being in a state of laughter is so vulnerable. Jane explains what her favorite birds are, what it means when women tell their truth, and how being resilient shaped her adulthood.
115 min
313
Armchair Anonymous: Worst TSA
Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us their worst TSA stories.
43 min
314
Gretchen Rubin (on happiness)
Gretchen Rubin (Life in Five Senses, The Happiness Project) is an author and podcaster. Gretchen joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what led her to the happiness space, how important relationships to other people are, and the individualistic nature of happiness. Gretchen and Dax talk about the ways physical activities make your emotions respond, how your sense of smell forces you to stay present, and her prescription for creativity through sight. Gretchen explains how slow time can move when you are doing something novel, what obliger-rebellion is, and why she is so intrigued by people who develop routines in their lives.
138 min
315
Flightless Bird: EPCOT vs Universal
This week on Flightless Bird, David continues his Florida series by going to EPCOT, Disney’s “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.” Joined by two Disney Adults, Elizabeth and Patrick, David eats his way around the world, and discovers why many also choose to drink their way around the world. Along the way, Farrier discovers Figment, a Disney character that only exists in EPCOT. After finding out why no one is allowed to die in Disney World, Farrier heads back to LA to compare Disney World with Universal Studios. He meets up with theme park YouTubers Peter Sciretta and Kitra Remick of “Ordinary Adventures” to talk Super Nintendo Land and gets a tour from Jon Corfino, Vice President of Creative at Universal Studios. Why is Mario so popular and what do the kids think about the Super Nintendo Land?
46 min
316
Nicholas Braun
Nicholas Braun (Succession, Zola, Minutemen) is an actor. Nicholas joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he got into show business, doing Meisner acting exercises with his dad, and his car that he named the “Daxi Taxi.” Nicholas & Dax talk about packing a lip, the comedic trajectory of Succession, and their love for Friday Night Lights. Nicholas explains how uncomfortable talking about his love life is, how he feels about this being the last season of Succession, and shooting his shot with Kim Kardashian.
120 min
317
Armchair Anonymous: Movie Theater Experience
Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about their craziest movie-going experience.
46 min
318
Shonda Rhimes
Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Bridgerton, Scandal) is a producer, writer, and showrunner. Shonda joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what her experience has been working for a streaming service versus network television, why she loves meeting other showrunners, and her ability to stay unburdened by comparison. Shonda and Dax talk about their relationship with making money, the power of Chicago, and the impact of being interviewed by Oprah. Shonda explains how she is naturally a shy person, how she feels about people being intimidated by her, and the decision to raise kids by herself.
112 min
319
Flightless Bird: Alligators
In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to discover Florida’s relationship with its 2,000 crocodiles and whopping 1.25 million alligators. Traveling to America’s oldest city, St Augustine, Farrier visits the Alligator Farm to discover why crocs are more feisty than gators, and what food they like eating. He then dives headfirst into the phenomenon of Florida Man, after discovering a man high on bath salts once climbed into the very croc enclosure he’s now looking at!
50 min
320
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton (Paris: The Memoir) is a model, actress, entrepreneur, and New York Times best-selling author. Paris joins the Armchair Expert to discuss playing into stereotypes early in her career, the power of shame, and how therapeutic it was to write her book. Paris and Dax talk about what their early experiences in Hollywood were like, why the bad boy persona is attractive, and how much she relates to Pamela Anderson. Paris opens up about her traumatic reform school experiences, being a new mother, and her obsession with making a billion dollars.
109 min
321
Danny Ric + Daxy Shep “eff won” Teaser
Follow eff won with DRS over at https://spotify.link/effwon or search "eff won with DRS" on Spotify for new episodes every week. Enjoy a preview of the conversation between Dax and Danny, scantily dressed, with a bit of F1, a dash of Pulp From The Paddock, and a bazillion giggles.
9 min
322
Armchair Anonymous: Gifts Gone Wrong
Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a well-intentioned gift gone wrong.
55 min
323
Jason Katims
Jason Katims (Dear Edward, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights) is a producer, writer, and showrunner. Jason joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his ability to embrace the ensemble, the relationship between an actor and writer, and what the responsibility of the creator is to the characters of a story. Jason and Dax talk about how much they loved working together on Parenthood, what their early film experiences were like, and how much they value a great crew on a project. Jason explains what it was like to employ his own father as an actor, his pattern of working off of source material, and what starts his creative gears.
121 min
324
Flightless Bird: Spiritualists
In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier sets out to the “psychic capital of America,” Cassadaga. On the way, he comes across his first Big Tent Revival, so he stops to find out what’s going on. Eventually winding his way to Cassadaga, Farrier encounters a group of Americans who not only believe in life on the other side of death, but the fact that you can communicate with those who have crossed over. David discovers Spiritualism, a religion that once boasted 8 million followers in America - amongst them, a former president! David visits a seance room and comes face to face with a lot of cats - because this sleepy village has also become the unofficial home of hundreds of stray felines.
44 min
325
David Sedaris #4
David Sedaris (Happy-Go-Lucky, A Carnival of Snackery, Calypso) is a comedian and author. David joins the Armchair Expert again to discuss what trendy sayings bother him, how he feels about doing nice things for strangers, and why he likes to make his own postcards. David and Dax talk about what they know how to say in different languages, how drug and food addictions are similar, and how hard it is to accept help from others. David explains why he doesn’t share his streaming passwords, the phenomenon of wanting to do things for his sister Amy, and how the societal value of the satirist is growing.
161 min