Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, Elf, 500 Days of Summer) is an actor and musician. Zooey joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how doing auditions always made her nervous, how she had to adjust from filming movies to shooting tv shows, and where her sense of fashion came from. Zooey and Dax talk about the double date they once went on together, how success sometimes comes from being obsessed with something, and their favorite cookies. Zooey explains how much fun she is having recording her new podcast, how she used to have dance parties on set, and the results of her food sensitivity test.

Metta World Peace (NBA Champion, All-Star, and Defensive Player of the Year) is a former basketball player. Metta joins the Armchair Expert to discuss staying up until 3 am shooting hoops in his neighborhood, what his experience was like being a part of the Malice at the Palace, and how he has approached dealing with mental health issues over the course of his life. Metta and Dax discover their mutual love for Spades, how one of their favorite pastimes is stargazing, and how they will never stop eating fast food. Metta explains who was the hardest player for him to guard in the NBA, how he would choose to defend himself against a mountain lion, and what the motivation was for him to change his name.

Nicholas Hoult (The Great, About a Boy, Mad Max: Fury Road) is an actor. Nicholas joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he got into motorcycle racing, that he often has social anxiety in hindsight, and how he dealt with being a child actor. Nicholas and Dax talk about where they think “dad bods” come from, how embarrassing the choreography for Mad Max was to shoot, and how being raised by women shaped his character. Nicholas explains that he sometimes will lie about having seen a movie, his approach to shooting an awkward sex scene, and what advice Michael Shannon gave him on playing a real person on screen.

Armchaired & Dangerous Live from Seattle at the Paramount Theater. February 1st, 2022. ​Today’s episode: Bill Gates

Brené Brown (Atlas of the Heart) is a research professor and author. Brené joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how important language is to express our emotions, how people often incorrectly use the terms envy and jealousy, and the difference between the halo effect and the bandwagon effect. Brené and Dax talk about what the physical symptoms of shame are, how some people are more hardwired for struggle, and if it’s possible to have compassion for people who inflict trauma on others. Brené explains how she often races other people when swimming laps, how Schadenfreude can be a predictor of a fragile ego, and why she doesn’t want to be seen as a motivational speaker.

Kristen Bell (The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window) is an actor and producer. Kristen returns to discuss her new satirical thriller on Netflix, her recent colonoscopy, and how great she is at doing impressions. Kristen and Dax talk about investigating a weird smell in their bedroom, why you shouldn’t wash your feet in the shower, and how you can make your favorite scent into a lotion. Kristen explains why she thinks Monica’s ears got infected from new earrings, that she dislikes the toilet paper they have in their motorhome, and the custom gift Dax got from a popcorn company.

Michael Schur (The Good Place, The Office, Parks and Recreation) is a television producer and writer. Michael returns to discuss his new book on ethics and what he thinks it means to be a better person. Michael and Dax talk about the difference between guilt and shame, how the world rewards unique people but leaves others behind, and how it’s a luxury for people to care about moral issues. Michael explains how he created a Katrina fundraiser from a fender bender accident, how he would go about setting up a new society, and his perspective on abstract versus realistic philosophical arguments.

David Arquette (Scream, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ready to Rumble) is an actor. David joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he almost died in a professional wrestling match, what growing up fast in Hollywood was like, and how much he loves Bozo the Clown. David and Dax talk about how they had to learn to not be so hard on themselves, how the new Scream movie is different from the others, and how time moves faster when you get older. David explains how he thinks we live in a society of punishment, that he is a certified Bob Ross instructor, and how he never wants his daughter to do a Google search on him.

Brian Klaas is a political scientist and professor. Brian joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the topics of power and corruption, how he got connected to talk to dictators for his research, and the differences between functional and dysfunctional psychopaths. Brian and Dax talk about power-seeking versus power-obtaining behavior, how faces can influence the results of elections, and the story of the Madagascar Yogurt Kingpin. Brian explains how systems of power can be reformed using shadow boards, how police recruiting strategies differ, and how the psychological distance between humans can have an effect on policymaking.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer, Twilight, Charlie’s Angels) is a Golden Globe-nominated actor and filmmaker. Kristen joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her experience starring in movies at a very young age, how she secretly is really into cars, and the personal similarities she felt when playing Princess Diana. Kristen and Dax talk about how they feel their best movies never make any money, how they listen to the same song over and over if they love it, and how Kristen jumped on Dax’s Halloween hayride without him knowing it. Kristen explains that she never remembers the stuff she says during press events, how she thinks horoscopes can be weirdly accurate, and how she learned to stop dreading uncomfortable situations.

Michael Moore (Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine, Where to Invade Next) is a documentary filmmaker and author. Michael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what it means to be liberal in America today, how he got interested in politics from winning a position on the school board when he was 18, and how he thinks we can fix social security inequalities. Michael and Dax talk about what happened to the auto industry in Detroit, how the people of Michigan reacted to Roger & Me, and why it is so hard for Americans to agree on the subject of abortion. Michael explains why he doesn’t drive an electric car, what being bottle-fed as an infant did to him, and how he feels Americans are closer to each other on political issues than we are led to believe.

Max Greenfield (New Girl, The Neighborhood) is an actor. Max joins the Armchair Expert to discuss writing a book for beginner readers, how being dyslexic doesn’t mean that you can’t learn, and how he struggled for a long time before becoming a successful actor. Max and Dax talk about their experiences with sobriety, how Max committed to adopting a dog right before going into treatment, and how much they love the schedule of filming a TV show. Max explains how he is pretty sure he had a concussion playing football in high school, what it’s like to be married to a casting director, and how he didn’t know what pants to wear after coming out of lockdown.

Stacey Abrams (Stacey’s Extraordinary Words) is a political leader, voting rights activist, and best-selling author. Stacey joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her work to expand voting rights for disadvantaged communities, the corruption she has seen within the American political system, and how the sources of information have been fractured by social media. Stacey talks about embracing her heritage at a young age, how her parents encouraged her to be educated despite their social standing, and her experience running for Governor of Georgia. Stacey explains why she wanted to write a children’s book about her struggles in school, her views on forgiveness and repentance for public figures, and how her dad was a fantastic storyteller despite being dyslexic.

Jeremy Renner (Mayor of Kingstown, Hawkeye, The Hurt Locker) is an actor. Jeremy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss where the confidence in his own masculinity comes from, how his first investments were in real estate, and how he was a makeup artist while auditioning for roles early in his career. Jeremy talks about how he bought a fleet of firetrucks to support volunteer crews in his community, what the experience of shooting The Hurt Locker was like, and how his relationship with the original six Marvel stars has evolved over the years. Jeremy explains why he took the Mayor of Kingstown role without reading a single line of the script, how never used to buy things for fun, and how he was always more comfortable on the stage than on film.

Eric Schmidt (The Age of AI: And Our Human Future) is a technologist, businessman, and former CEO of Google. Eric joins the Armchair Expert to discuss writing a book with Henry Kissinger about the growing industry of Artificial Intelligence, how AI will shape the minds of younger generations, and how it can discover new truths that humans can’t see. Eric and Dax talk about the possible solutions for homelessness, how other countries are addressing the housing crisis, and how we should stop criminalizing addictive behavior. Eric explains the concept of large language models as it relates to AI, how the internet isn’t optional but fundamental for people in today’s world, and that in the near future the only resource left for humans compete over will be fame.

Dwyane Wade is a former professional basketball player, film producer, and author. Dwyane joins the Armchair Expert to discuss navigating different forms of addiction throughout his life, how he never had too big of an ego to ask for mentorship, and who he thinks is the greatest basketball player of all time. Dwyane and Dax talk about picking up golf in retirement, how the system of athletic scholarships needs to be reformed, and the experience of being celebrated for just being a good father. Dwyane explains what Shaquille O’Neal did for his basketball career, why he wanted to do a photographic book highlighting the big moments of his life, and how his own family didn’t congratulate him on being named one of the top 75 best basketball players ever.

Join us for our annual holiday party where Dax, Monica and Wobby Wob reflect on the holidays and we welcome music and holiday cheer from Norah Jones & Kristen Bell. 

On this special episode, we revisit some of our favorite moments from 2021.

Anderson Cooper (Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty) is a broadcast journalist and political commentator. Anderson joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the relationship with his mother after the passing of his father, the reasons why he sought adventure in his life, and the motivation for writing a book about his ancestors. Anderson and Dax talk about why the Vanderbilts constructed such elaborate American palaces, how that time period was the beginning of celebrity in America, and how the inheritance of the family mansions affected future generations. Anderson explains that there was a pathological desire for money within the family, that the concept of a trust fund was explained to him at a very early age, and how he approaches the subject of money with his own son.

Brooke Shields (A Castle for Christmas) is an actor and model. Brooke joins the Armchair Expert to discuss raising two teenage girls, how her mother always aspired to be a model, and the misogyny that exists within the advertisement industry. Brooke and Dax talk about wanting to make their real-life experiences into movie scenes, how celebrities are often sexualized at a very young age, and why she decided to go to an Ivy League school. Brooke explains how she is working to help women over 40 find their identity, that it was like a dream to shoot a movie in Scotland, and how she is an advocate for the mental health of mothers everywhere.

Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn, Masters of Scale) is a software entrepreneur and author. Reid joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being obsessed with role-playing games as a kid, how he wanted to go to boarding school to have more experiences, and what it was like to work at Apple before the return of Steve Jobs. Reid and Dax talk about how we are already living in the metaverse, the ethics and responsibilities of operating a large scale company, and how to successfully pitch your idea to a room of investors. Reid explains how the most successful companies prioritize speed over efficiency when they launch, that he started a social network before MySpace and Facebook existed, and why people need to learn how to fail early in order to succeed later.

Bradley Cooper (Nightmare Alley, A Star is Born, The Hangover) is an actor and filmmaker. Bradley joins the Armchair Expert to discuss their long-standing friendship that started at the beginning of their sobriety, exploring the mysteries of the human experiences through storytelling, and how he almost didn’t get his breakthrough role in The Hangover. Bradley and Dax talk about how their careers took drastically different paths, how they were both once involved in an FBI investigation, and how beautiful Bradley’s new movie Nightmare Alley is. Bradley explains that he was very surprised when he was voted Sexiest Man Alive, how he used to be obsessed with reading the comments about his character in Alias, and being held at knifepoint on a New York subway.

Chris Wallace is a journalist, author, and television news anchor. Chris joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how being the son of a famous journalist shaped his career, who his most memorable interviews have been, and his views on how we ended up with an opinion-driven 24-hour news cycle. Chris talks about how he has always tried to be an unbiased journalist, why he decided to write a book about Bin Laden’s capture, and what it was like to moderate a presidential election twice. Chris explains how he once attended the Republican Convention as Walter Cronkite’s assistant, that he was sat in the last row for his first Emmy’s win, and what hard-nosed question he asked Vladimir Putin.

Nick Offerman (Where the Deer and the Antelope Play, Parks and Recreation, Devs) is an actor, comedian, and carpenter. Nick joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up on a farm outside of Chicago, how he is often introduced as a master woodworker, and the story behind Ron Swanson. Nick talks about how his new book is about people getting more in touch with the nature around them, how it was tough to go from the theater scene to the television scene, and how he was once commissioned to make a kitchen table for Rainn Wilson. Nick explains that he has always kept the mentality of a student to keep learning new things and what it means to him to be a patriotic American.

Erin Lee Carr (Britney Vs Spears, I Love You Now Die, Mommy Dead and Dearest) is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and producer. Erin joins the Armchair Expert to discuss producing her new documentary Britney Vs Spears, her thoughts on conservatorship reform, and why Britney had such widespread mass appeal. Erin explains how the level of scrutiny on Britney was the same as someone like Princess Diana and how the lawyers in Britney’s case took financial advantage of the situation. Erin talks about recently trying to reduce her screen time, her upcoming murder documentary, and what documentaries she and Dax love right now.