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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.

Armchair Anonymous: Stalking (Part 2)

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 19 views
  • 3 days ago
  • 38:12

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us more crazy stalking stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sanjay Gupta #4 (on dementia and weight loss drugs)

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 55 views
  • 4 days ago
  • 02:26:37

Sanjay Gupta (Chasing Life, The Last Alzheimer’s Patient) is a neurosurgeon, medical reporter, and author. Sanjay joins the Armchair Expert again to discuss what some of the benefits to deregulating cannabis can be for people’s quality of life, the relationship between physical health and brain health, and what actions people can take to decrease their chances of developing dementia. Sanjay and Dax talk about the dyslexic things they both struggle with, what some of biggest predictors of Alzheimer’s are, and having a sick care system vs a health care system. Sanjay talks about the long term effects of obesity, the judgements and income inequality gap of weight loss drugs, and decoupling the correlation between weight and health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Synced: Ross's Hot Dogs

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 22 views
  • 5 days ago
  • 01:07:27

In this episode of Synced Monica and Liz dig into the man versus bear debate, they check in about last week's date, and share important sidewalk rules. They answer listener questions on the pressures to get plastic surgery while aging and if/when one should pee in a pool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Flightless Bird: Flights of Fancy

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 62 views
  • 6 days ago
  • 01:10:08

We’re trying something a little different today - something we’re calling “Flights of Fancy.” Now awhile back, if you follow David Farrier on Instagram, you would have seen a prompt where he wanted you to pitch a deeply American topic YOU could speak on. Maybe it was a job you had, or some other personal insight you could give into something AMERICAN. Maybe you worked at Buckees, or in the depths of the White House. We heard from so many of you - like hundreds - with so many ideas. Rob made a fancy spreadsheet to collate all your responses, and we picked a bunch we liked. Then we zoomed with those people - getting them to explain their area of expertise. We met a true cross section of America - and some of the topics you’re about to learn about - some of them we’re gonna dive deeper later in the year. But for now, this is Flights of Fancy - where we talk Flightless Bird listeners about the what they want to see on Flightless Bird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bobby Lee

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 78 views
  • 7 days ago
  • 02:12:15

Bobby Lee (Sweet Dreams, TigerBelly, Bad Friends) is an actor and comedian. Bobby joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his complicated relationship with his parents, how he feels about dating a fan, and getting sober at a young age. Bobby and Dax talk about how they used to punish themselves for failing, what their experience with psychotherapy has been, and how far they would go with Brad Pitt. Bobby explains the pressures he felt getting cast on Mad TV, the guilt of relapsing, and the debate of audio vs video podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Armchair Anonymous: Stalking (Part 1)

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 69 views
  • 10 days ago
  • 40:05

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy stalking story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Doty (on the neuroscience of manifestation)

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 180 views
  • 11 days ago
  • 02:04:40

James Doty (Mind Magic, Into the Magic Shop) is neurosurgeon and author. James joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what happens to someone who is constantly activating their sympathetic nervous system, how compassion for others can often be limited by how much compassion you have for yourself, and losing $80 million in 6 weeks. James and Dax talk about their relationship with money, what they’ve learned about doing acts of service for others, and the science behind manifestation. James explains how people look for evidence to confirm their own biases, why being kind and compassionate increases our chances of survival, and the importance of self-awareness and humility. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Synced: No Steaks

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 44 views
  • 12 days ago
  • 54:07

In this episode of Synced, Monica and Liz are fresh off their date! They recap how the double man plan went and discuss the differences between worst dates for men & women. They answer listener questions on having trouble sleeping with a partner in the early stages of dating, and making an aesthetic change knowing one's partner doesn't like it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Flightless Bird: Pies

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 42 views
  • 13 days ago
  • 51:52

In this week's Flightless Bird, David Farrier talks to the author of 50 Pies 50 States, Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Farrier sets out to discover why Americans love pie so much, declaring January 23rd National Pie Day back in 1986. Farrier and Fong discuss what makes the pie so American, before looking at Stacey’s top 3 American pies - which David, Monica and Rob then sample. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tiffany Haddish

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 56 views
  • 14 days ago
  • 02:14:47

Tiffany Haddish (I Curse You With Joy, Girls Trip, Night School) is an actor and comedian. Tiffany joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how much she needs laughter on a daily basis, her journey to find her biological father, and how messy her bedroom is. Tiffany and Dax talk about whether or not they think humans are designed to eat meat, what her love language is, and her first orgasm. Tiffany explains how some of her personal relationships changed after achieving success, what it’s like to date as a successful woman, and which chapter was the hardest to write in her book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charan Ranganath (on memory)

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 54 views
  • 18 days ago
  • 02:18:05

Charan Ranganath (Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters) is a neuroscientist. Charan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the mechanics of memory, how AI learning is different than human learning, and the influence that present context has on memories. Charan and Dax talk about the relationship of imagination to memory, the problems with hypnosis, and repressed memories. Charan explains how sleep can conceptualize memories, the ways photos can influence memories, and how traumatic memories affect the brain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Synced: The B.E.D.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 53 views
  • 19 days ago
  • 01:25:44

In this episode of Synced, Monica and Liz are out of sync. Liz pitches candidates for the ‘double man plan’, Monica learns the Heimlich maneuver, and a special guest joins to discuss murder. They answer listener questions on sobriety induced friendship shifts and whether to confront a partner with a new laugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Flightless Bird: Citizenship

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 46 views
  • 20 days ago
  • 01:02:03

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David Farrier looks at the process of gaining American Citizenship, and what it means to become truly American. Why over the last decade did over seven million non-Americans choose to become American? And what does this process look like? David talks to a New Zealander who chose to Naturalise before looking at some Americans who’ve chosen to do the exact opposite. Why would someone choose to become American and why would someone choose to give it up? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Pine

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 55 views
  • 21 days ago
  • 02:05:29

Chris Pine (Poolman, Star Trek, Wonder Woman) is an actor, producer, and director. Chris joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the thrills of a catastrophe, falling in love with nicotine toothpicks, and what growing up in old Hollywood was like. Chris and Dax talk about how hard it is to expose your emotions, how much they love saunas, and the experience of feeling fraudulent. Chris admits to his preconceptions of Dax, the juxtaposition of how he sees himself vs how others see him, and his love for the city of Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Armchair Anonymous: Delivery Driver

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 240 views
  • about 2 months ago
  • 53:48

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy delivery driver story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonah Nolan (director & screenwriter)

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 320 views
  • about 2 months ago
  • 02:14:44

Jonah Nolan (Fallout, Westworld, The Dark Knight) is a screenwriter, director, and producer. Jonah joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he doesn’t have a British accent like his brother, what he learned working on farm, and why he wrote his first script about amnesia. Jonah and Dax talk about how much research he does when taking on a project, how the perception of doing television has changed, and why humanizing the subject matter is so important in scriptwriting. Jonah explains how he finds himself crying more as a parent, how he approached adapting a video game to TV, and why biopics are so hard to make. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Synced: WOM

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 210 views
  • about 2 months ago
  • 53:23

In this episode of Synced, Monica and Liz discuss what is sending them to hell, Monica recounts a traumatic phlegm incident, and Liz reveals her new family member: Monika. They answer a listener question on whether great sex requires pursuing a relationship and they end on an unexpected cliffhanger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Flightless Bird: Lord of the Rings

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 260 views
  • 2 months ago
  • 01:02:59

This week on Flightless Bird, David Farrier still finds himself stranded back in New Zealand, waiting for his new Visa to be issued so he can make more American Flightless Birds. Cut off from America, he decides to do one of the most touristy things he can imagine: he sets off for Matamata and the tiny sleepy village of Hobbiton. Left over from the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, he goes to meet Hobbiton general manager Shayne Forrest, who takes Farrier around the most incredibly detailed living film set he’s ever seen. Farrier discovers that Hobbiton has recently opened up a Hobbit house, so Farrier goes inside to experience it with an American man called Matt. Outside, Farrier is lucky enough to meet Pickles, Hobbiton’s one and only rescue cat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conor McGregor & Jake Gyllenhaal

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 350 views
  • 2 months ago
  • 01:52:50

Conor McGregor is a mixed martial arts fighter, businessman, and actor. Jake Gyllenhaal is an actor. Conor and Jake join the Armchair Expert to discuss what their experience was collaborating to remake Roadhouse, how promoting a movie is different than promoting a fight, and what the motivation was for Conor to learn mixed martial arts as a young man. Conor, Jake, and Dax talk about what it’s like growing up in hypermasculine environments, how they approach failure, and what it’s like raising children as a fighter. Conor and Jake explain what training for a fight does for your physical health, what it takes to create believable fight scenes, and how much they love being creators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Armchair Anonymous: Cult

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

  • 380 views
  • 2 months ago
  • 01:05:10

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time they escaped a cult. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices