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
851
Edward Norton
Edward Norton (Fight Club, American History X, Birdman, Grand Budapest Hotel) is an American actor and filmmaker. Edward sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss his new film Motherless Brooklyn, his relationship to privacy and his thoughts on storytelling. Edward talks about how he always felt on the outside of cool and Dax wonders if Edward seeks control. The two discuss iconic vs. shapeshifting actors and they tell the sad origin story of how they met.
106 min
852
LIVE: Andrew Zimmern
Armchair Expert Live from Minneapolis at the Orpheum Theatre. June 29th, 2019.
98 min
853
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games, 40 Year Old Virgin, Pitch Perfect) is an American actress, writer, director and producer. Elizabeth sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss going to a uniphile school, turning 40 on the set of the Hunger Games and her producorial recipe.  Elizabeth talks about her positive disposition and Dax recalls meeting her at a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The two talk about wanting their kids to feel a sense of danger, the sexiness of a capella singers and female empowerment.
109 min
854
Monica Lewinsky
Monica Lewinsky is an American anti-bullying ambassador to the Diana Award’s Anti-Bullying Programme, on the advisory board of Project rockit, founding board member of The Childhood Resilience Foundation and contributing editor to Vanity Fair. She sits down with the armchair expert to discuss overcoming trauma, cyber bullying and her experience being publicly labeled as a negative archetype. Monica talks about being an upstander and Dax is impressed by Monica’s resilience. The two discuss chasing and breaking patterns, public shame and the ways in which they both seek safety.
106 min
855
Jim Jefferies
Jim Jefferies (Legit, The Jim Jefferies Show) is an Australian-American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, and writer. Jim visits the attic to discuss his early negative experience doing standup, his mothers end of life and his relationship to sobriety. Jim talks about the gun control bit that changed his career and Dax asks about Australian masculinity. The two talk about the desire to one up every conversation and the benefit of maintaining friendships with ex-girlfriends.
109 min
856
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
Nadine Burke Harris is an American pediatrician who is the 1st and current Surgeon General of California. She is known for her work in adverse childhood experiences. Nadine visits the Armchair Expert to discuss the impact childhood trauma has on health and longevity, she talks about her own experience with childhood adversity and she gives tools to buffer those who have many ACEs. Nadine talks about the screening process she pioneered and Dax wonders if parents will ever be truthful in admitting their contribution to childhood trauma. The two talk about the study that first led to ACE research, they discuss how awareness leads to shame reduction and Monica and Dax are in awe of Nadine's uniphile status.
128 min
857
Adam Devine
Adam Devine (Workaholics, Pitch Perfect, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates) is an American actor, voice actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and singer. Adam sits down with the Armchair Expert to talk about managing ego, the series of events that led to Workaholics and an early childhood trauma that he credits to his career in comedy. Adam discusses his first experience on Letterman and Dax explains the effects of a certain muscle building diet. Adam confesses that he originally thought Pitch Perfect was a baseball move and the two realize they are both obsessed with the same almond butter packets.
93 min
858
Lori Gottlieb
Lori Gottlieb is an American author and psychotherapist. She sits down in the attic to discuss her transition from entertainment to therapist, her willingness to listen to career advice and the importance of the patient/therapist relationship. She talks about the privilege of being let into someone’s thoughts and Dax wonders if she’s ever fallen in love with a patient. The two talk about the unfamiliarity of change, her rule for couples therapy and what it’s like seeing her patients out in the world.
91 min
859
The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band. They sit down with the Armchair Expert to discuss the experience of being in a family band, the balance between touring and home life and the connection between artist and audience. The two talk about how they came to love music and Dax describes the magic of an Avett Brothers’ concert. They discuss the male right of passage, their relationship to religion and the feeling of universal unity.
117 min
860
LIVE: Monica Potter
Armchair Expert Live from Cleveland at KeyBank State Theatre. June 23rd, 2019.
80 min
861
Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan (Away We Go, 17 Again, Mr. Universe, Obsessed) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. Jim joins the armchair expert to discusses his desire to revolt against expectations, his relationship to religion and his experience growing up in the midwest. Jim laments over being offered grandpa roles and Dax talks about the dangers of elitism. The two talk about challenging the audience, why certain people can avoid scandal and whether their children will have addictive personalities.
118 min
862
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: Dave Asprey
Dave Asprey is an entrepreneur and author. He founded Bulletproof 360, Inc., and Bulletproof Nutrition Inc. He has also written multiple books. Dave sits down in the attic to discuss his transition from tech to nutrition, his experience working through PTSD he developed at birth and his journey to lose weight. Dave talks about the benefits of delayed ejaculation and Dax wonders what the evolutionary purpose is for death. The two talk about embracing placebo, the impact of gratitude and Monica and Dax take a field trip on the fact check.
111 min
863
Charlie Day
Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Horrible Bosses, Pacific Rim) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, director and musician. He sits down the with Armchair Expert to discuss growing up amongst musical PHD's, his biggest fear as a parent and the process for creating It's Always Sunny. Charlie relays an incident involving a BB gun which resulted in profound life advice and Dax wonders what it was like to work with Ice Cube. The two talk about their varying relationships to money, wanting to avoid the comparison game and they debate whether or not its valuable to insert yourself in a dangerous situation.
137 min
864
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: Dog the Bounty Hunter
Duane "Dog" Chapman aka Dog the Bounty Hunter is an American reality TV star and bounty hunter. Dog sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss why he joined the Devil's Disciples, how he got the name Dog The Bounty Hunter and his longest hunt. Dog talks about his connection to Tony Robbins and Dax sees many similarities between Dog and his dad. The two talk about being in public-facing marital relationships, building armor to cover trauma and creating moral boundaries within immoral situations.
118 min
865
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock From the Sun, 500 Days of Summer, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) is an American actor, filmmaker, singer, and entrepreneur. Joseph visits the attic to discuss the differences between enjoying science vs. art, his commitment to creativity and the future of privacy in social media. He talks about why he did a Pop Tart commercial as a kid and Dax admits to a social blunder upon first meeting Joseph. The two discuss career fear, Jospeh talks about his grandfather who was blacklisted from the industry and they dissect the perceived idea that Joseph is extra confident.
124 min
866
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots, and the USC Trojans of the University of Southern California. Pete joins the Armchair Expert to discuss overcoming his stature as a kid, the importance of being present and his three basic rules. Pete talks about learning from failure and Dax is enamored by Pete's skin. The two discuss the value of being a salesman, learning how to be competitive and the power of self-actualization.
108 min
867
Kal Penn
Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar, The Namesake, House) is an American actor, comedian, producer, and former civil servant. Kal sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss developing his stage name, not being able to please everyone and lying on his resume. Kal talks about his time working in the White House and Dax asks about balancing work and stereotypes. The two discover that they are the same person and they discuss the worth of a Big Mac.
130 min
868
LIVE: David Koechner
Armchair Expert Live from Chicago at the Chicago Theatre. June 28th, 2019.
99 min
869
Beanie Feldstein
Beanie Feldstein (Neighbors 2, Lady Bird, Booksmart) is an American actress. Beanie sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in LA but always feeling like a New Yorker. She talks about her experience falling in love and the merit of summer camp. Beanie recalls her first night on Broadway and Dax needs to revisit his stance on Barbra Streisand. The two discuss differing confidence levels between siblings and Beanie claims to be an avid Armcherry.
122 min
870
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: Dr. Steven Gundry
Dr. Steven Gundry is an American doctor, former cardiac surgeon and author. Dr. Gundry sits down in the attic to discuss his early work in heart transplants, the degeneration of the human microbiome and his theory on lectins as they impact health. Dr. Gundry talks about training as a scrub tech when he was in medical school and Dax is extremely interested in crapsules. The two talk about the evolution of humans, why medical residents are forced to work on no sleep and Monica and Dax host a moonlight fact check.
112 min
871
Danny McBride
Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down, Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, Alien: Covenant, Vice Principals) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. Danny sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss his conflict between taking work and being with his family, his childhood memory of living on a prison ground and his move to Charleston. Danny talks about being drawn to people who aren't what they claim to be and Dax is in love with The Righteous Gemstones. The two talk about making comedies vs dramas, Danny talks about the moment he realized none of his characters have long sleeves and we learn in the fact check that Dax can't stop sending Danny e-mails.
93 min
872
EXPERTS ON EXPERT: Tal Ben-Shahar
Tal Ben-Shahar is American and Israeli professor and author in the areas of positive psychology, organizational psychology and leadership. Tal sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss his road from squash player to Harvard professor, his trick for mitigating road rage and his psychological approach to solving structural problems. Tal gives tips on building resilience and Dax questions the validity of self-help. The two talk about the reasons behind escalating systemic depression, the idea that humans have more commonalities than differences and the concept of ritualizing positive behavior.
111 min
873
Busy Philipps
Busy Philipps (Freaks and Geeks, Cougar Town, Vice Principals, Busy Tonight) is an American actress, writer, producer, and director. Busy sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss feeling creatively seen on Freaks and Geeks, individualists vs. communalists and her perception that Dax has facial blindness toward her. Busy talks about her catharsis writing her book and Dax asks about her foray into social media. Dax and Busy are excited to learn they both worked at the California Pizza Kitchen and Busy believes everyone deserves to hear “I Love You” before bed.
129 min
874
LIVE: Peter Krause
Armchair Expert Live from Detroit at the Fox Theatre. June 21st, 2019.
92 min
875
Casey Affleck
Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, The Assassination of Jesse James, Gone Baby Gone, Manchester By The Sea) is an American actor and director. Casey sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss his childhood in Boston, his lack of foresight in making career decisions and his Kevin Bacon related epiphany. Dax is shocked Casey doesn’t know they’re neighbors and Casey believes any actor could have played his roles. The two commiserate over going to Alateen meetings as kids, they unearth an old misunderstanding between the two of them and Monica tells Casey about her Good Will Hunting obsession.
114 min