In this episode, we discover a weigh-in discrepancy, learn more about Aaron & Charlie’s eating habits, someone has an accident, and Monica double fists two bottles of wine.

Justin Timberlake (Palmer, Trolls, The Social Network) is a 10x Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, a 3x Emmy award-winning actor and record producer. Justin joins the Armchair Expert to discuss masculinity, the similarities of growing up in Memphis to Detroit, and the challenges of raising sons. Dax & Justin recount Justin’s experience on Punk’d, how well he has navigated new opportunities, and the role naivety has played in it. Dax compliments Justin on his SNL performance, his willingness to take on challenges and his acting in the movie, Palmer.

Jamil Zaki (The War for Kindness) is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. Jamil joins the Armchair Expert to discuss all things empathy: why he was drawn to the topic, the roadblocks of it, the erosion of empathy and how to get it back. He explains the different types of empathy (emotional, cognitive, and empathic concern), the impact it has on motivation in the workplace, and how self-compassion is a bridge to having compassion for others. Jamil expresses how empathy leads to a healthier mental and physical state and the importance of tuning your empathy towards who you want to be.

In this episode, we meet the contestants: Perfect 10 Charlie (230lbs) and Best Friend Aaron Weakley (306lbs). The colorful history of their physiques, rules of engagement and week 1 results will be revealed!

Welcome to Race to 270– Armchair Expert’s first game show! Two competitors, Best friend Aaron Weakley and Perfect 10 Charlie, are on a race to see who can reach 270 pounds first. Aaron starts out the competition at 306 pounds and has 36 pounds to lose. Charlie starts at 230 pounds and has 40 pounds to gain. The winner will receive $5,000! Dax and Monica check-in with the competitors each week to track their progress and chat about life, Chinese food and everything in between. Let the games begin.

Common (Mind Power Mixtape, A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1, Hell on Wheels) is a rapper, actor, and writer. Common joins the Armchair Expert to discuss learning to love process, the value of character, and having gratitude for the moment. Common explains how he found strength in individualism and how grateful he is to finally be able to do the things he loves without the pressures of their monetary performance. Dax and Common bond over their parallel lives: their love of Pulp Fiction and Barack Obama, not having masculine figures in their lives, and disastrous first podcast interviews with a significant other. Best friend Aaron Weakley returns for the fact check and Dax & Aaron recount Dax’s worst smelling fart on the school bus.

David Farrier exposes Monica and Dax to a new conspiracy theory each month. Today’s episode: Bigfoot.

Brad Grossman is an author, entrepreneur, and creator of the Zeitguide’s Culture Class. Brad joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his role as a culture guide and how he seeks out all the interesting information in the world and synthesizes it for his students.  Brad explains the inspiring ways companies and individuals are pivoting in order to connect to consumers, how covid has been a magnifier to our systemic problems, and the ways it will help us reboot our sense of humanity. Dax and Brad explore what’s going to happen in 2021, the need to dismantle archaic systems and tweak them in a way that’s more sustainable to humanity. Go to Zeitguide.com and use code “ARMCHERRIES” for 50% off Brad’s first culture class of the year.

Randy Jackson (Name that Tune, American Idol) is a world-renowned musician, record producer, A&R executive, and founder of Unify Health Labs. Randy joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being a child in the deep south in the 60s, how he got started playing music, and his desire to live his life through music. He discusses his journey as a studio musician to an A&R executive, the ingredients that make up a star, and his vision of American Idol as the A&R process completely unfolded. Randy and Dax bond over the sexual power of Van Hunt and Dax pleads a defense to jazz-fusion.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is the first three-peat Armchair Expert guest and an American neurosurgeon, medical reporter, CNN medical correspondent, and author. Sanjay, fresh off receiving his covid-19 vaccination, joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how much we’ve learned this year about human behavior. Sanjay explains the evolution of neurogenesis and why cognitive decline is not inevitable. The two discuss that in order to heal the body you have to heal the mind, the importance of building the resiliency of your brain, and the power exercise has on it. Dax tells Sanjay about Monica’s psilocybin experience and Sanjay tells us that the best thing you can do for your brain is to take a brisk walk with a friend and discuss your problems.

Jackie Tohn (Glow, Best Leftovers Ever, CHiPs) is an actress and musician. Jackie joins the Armchair Expert to discuss getting into acting in New York at nine-years-old, how she and Kristen became best friends and how being a boundaries-less person has affected her relationships. Jackie opens up about her past boyfriends and how they’ve all become megastars, how much her mom gave up in order to make her dreams come true, and how self-awareness is what separates the assholes from the non-assholes. Jackie explains how she landed a hosting role on Netflix’s Best Leftover’s Ever while Dax explains the cup full of urine in the attic.

On this special episode, we revisit some of our favorite moments from 2020.

Join us for our annual holiday party featuring remote guests Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bob Mervak and Kristen Bell. 

John O. Brennan is a former American intelligence officer who served as the Director of the CIA from 2013 to 2017. John joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the distinctions between the CIA and FBI, his professional route through his career, and serving under six different administrations. John explains what it’s like to be confronted with harsh realities where either course of action has implications, the ebbs and flows of the CIA’s power of persuasion, and the need for ethical intelligence. John opens up about the personal weight of his job, the trickle-down effects of supporting smaller nations, and the ways in which climate change will continue to have serious national security implications. In the fact check, we find out if Miniature Mouse is a good fit for the CIA.

Shawn Mendes is Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum singer and songwriter. Shawn joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the results of finding success at such an early age, where the main source of his fears and anxieties stem from, and how lockdown has forced him to figure out his own identity. The two explore the ways society is conditioning people to want more and more, how social media has made everything need to be quantified, and the isolation of a musician. Shawn discusses his relationship with Camila and how they both bring humility into one another’s lives, his collaboration with Justin Bieber, and Dax praises him for his manifestation journal. In the fact check, we find out what Hogwarts house Dax belongs to.

David Farrier exposes Monica and Dax to a new conspiracy theory each month. Today’s episode: Mole Children.

Dov Fox is Professor of Law and Herzog Endowed Scholar at the University of San Diego School of Law and the host of the podcast Donor 9623. Dov joins the Armchair Expert from his closet to discuss growing up without a father, the effects overcoming adversity had on him as a parent, and cases of reproduction gone awry. The two debate genetic advantages that people are born with, how hard it is to tell your life story without knowing where it begins, and the ethics behind testing for genetic conditions in the reproductive process. Dov and Dax explore what’s okay to want in a child and when it crosses a line while Dax admits he wants to heal and nurture the child in him. And a surprise guest joins us for the fact check.

Natalie Portman is an Academy Award & Golden Globe-winning actress, director, producer, and activist. Natalie joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the effect of being a public figure at a young age, how being sexualized that early affected her and how privileged she feels to be able to connect with so many people that she admires. Dax tries to impress Natalie by wearing a Fauci shirt and admits to having a photo of her in his toolbox. Natalie explains her decision to take a break from acting to go to Harvard, how she comforts herself during career lulls, and the impact Star Wars had on her life. In the fact check, Monica takes a personality test.

BONUS EPISODE with Emmanuel Acho is a former NFL player and the author of the New York Times Bestselling book Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. Emmanuel joins the Armchair Expert to discuss that their are huge differences between color and culture, how societally we need to do a better job being proactive instead of reactive, and the communication barriers between the black lives matter and blue lives matter movements. He explains the need to acknowledge opportunity inequality and that proximity breeds care while distance breeds fear.

Scott Kelly is a retired astronaut that set the record for the total accumulated number of days spent in space. Scott joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his path to becoming an astronaut and how seeing earth from space really changes your perspective on humanity. Scott explains his structured approach to dealing with isolation, how he was able to compartmentalize fear, and what it’s like living in microgravity.  Dax asks Scott some questions about living in space, if he saw any extraterrestrial activities while up there, and if anyone has ever made love in space.

Hillary Clinton is a politician, diplomat, lawyer, writer, and public speaker who served as the 67th US secretary of state, a US senator, and First Lady. Hillary joins the Armchair Expert and the two bond over not being able to properly take a compliment, the feeling of imposter syndrome, and raising daughters. Hillary discusses significant transitions she went through, what its been like getting to know heroes in her life, and the assumptions and projections people put on her as a public figure.  She opens up about losing the 2016 election, feeling the weight of history and expectation, and how difficult of a transition it was to unexpectedly not become president. Hillary discusses how women often compare themselves against impossible standards and that progression is a relay race.

Susan David, Ph.D. is one of the world’s leading management thinkers and an award-winning Harvard Medical School psychologist. Susan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the work she does on emotional agility, what it takes for us to be healthy humans, and the dangerous narrative that success equals happiness. Susan explains that emotions are transient, how we need to face them with compassion and how vital accuracy is when evaluating them. She demonstrates how you go about defining your values and how to start creating distance between ourselves and our emotions.

Jewel is a Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter who has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Jewel joins the Armchair Expert and talks about growing up in Alaska with no indoor plumbing, singing in bars at a young age, and admits to being a terrible celebrater. She discusses being propositioned in bars & parking lots and how it skewed her idea of men. Jewel reflects on how much of an impact Bob Dylan’s mentorship made on her career, what it was like to sell a million copies every month for a year, and how she ended up millions of dollars in debt. She opens up about mindfulness, her neurological exercise routine, and how she’s learned to deal with anxiety.

David Farrier exposes Monica and Dax to a new conspiracy theory each month. Today’s episode: Lizard People

Tristan Harris is a computer scientist, the co-founder & president of the Center for Humane Technology, and co-host of the Your Undivided Attention podcast. Tristan Harris joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the role technology is playing in our lives, how algorithms determine the things we like, and how technology companies need to take on more responsibility. Tristan explains our inability to have trust in a shared information environment, how humans are becoming more unable to choose their own thoughts, and how technology enables us to run away from ourselves. Dax & Tristan discuss how users are more profitable when they’re addicted, anxious, and misinformed and Tristan breaks down the deep dilemma of living in these digital habitats.