Episodes

Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Harriet, The Color Purple) is an award-winning actor and singer. Cynthia joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the vibes of South London, how she feels about people calling her cute, and her desire to connect with the audience when she’s on stage. Cynthia and Dax talk about the differences in acting in dramas vs comedies, the burdens of doing political roles, and why she picked extensive makeup over CGI for Wicked. Cynthia explains if she prefers songs led by lyrics or musi...

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a story about a crazy ex. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at htt...

Keith Payne (Good Reasonable People, The Broken Ladder) is a professor and author. Keith joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the effects of economic segregation, the roots of our current divisions, and how some people feel about dating others with opposite political views. Keith and Dax talk about the psychological immune system, the better-than-average effect, and how tribalism plays a role in people’s politics. Keith explains the geopolitical effects of the Mason-Dixon Line, how education lev...

Jude Law (The Order, Skeleton Crew, Sherlock Holmes) is an actor. Jude joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he feels like he cries more than he used to, how he has become an unapologetic enthusiast, and having to tap into different parts of your personality for different roles. Jude and Dax talk about him finding his confidence when he joined theater, what it’s like to work with great directors, and how important Mike Nichols was to him. Jude explains the chemistry with RDJ on set of Sherloc...

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy story. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19....

Sharon McMahon (The Small and the Mighty) is a NYT bestselling author, podcast host, and known as America’s History Teacher. Sharon joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her favorite historical writers, how the government has been structurally set up, and what types of modern challenges the U.S. Supreme Court faces. Sharon and Dax talk about the different types of democracies, the importance of constructively challenging other’s ideas, and how dangerous it can be to have blind allegiance to a par...

Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone (Hildy the Barback and the Lake of Fire) are actors, comedians, and writers. Melissa and Ben join the Armchair Expert to discuss why they showed up in medieval costumes, having sleepovers with Glenn Close, and tickle parties. Melissa, Ben, and Dax talk about their clandestine relationship early on, how they deal with comedy comparison, and getting fired from CPK. Melissa and Ben explain the benefits of working with your spouse, how much they love flipping houses,...

Yuval Noah Harari (Nexus, Sapiens, Homo Deus) is an author and historian. Yuval joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how people can be manipulated by misinformation, how powerful the role of an editor is, and how much our lives are shaped by bureaucracies. Yuval and Dax talk about how ideological gaps today compare to those in the past, what role algorithms play in the spread of mass media, and the difference between information and truth. Yuval explains his take on the artificial intelligence r...

Sarah Paulson (Hold Your Breath, American Horror Story, 12 Years A Slave) is an award-winning actor and producer. Sarah joins the Armchair Expert to discuss when she knew she wanted to become an actress, her time spent in Florida with her dad in the summer, and her desire to do things outside her own experience and existence. Sarah and Dax talk about how important it is to be able to laugh at yourself, how hard it can be to deal with rejection, and who her lookalikes are. Sarah explains how impa...

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy hotel story. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://...

Kimberley Quinlan is a therapist and anxiety specialist. Kimberley joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her self-compassion test, her techniques in treating anxiety disorders, and what orthorexia is. Kimberley and Dax talk about how much stress people can feel over their food choices, why having acceptance of your own personality traits is important, and the connection between OCD and eating disorders. Kimberley explains what olfactory reference syndrome is, what happens to your body when you cr...

Keegan-Michael Key (Transformers One, Key and Peele, Keanu) is an actor and comedian. Keegan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the lore of the Milford panther, growing up in Detroit, and gives a masterclass on the history of sketch comedy. Keegan and Dax talk about dark underbelly of Key and Peele comedy, how most characters are based on basic archetypes, and getting emotional while hosting SNL. Keegan explains how important it is to stay connected with your audience as a comedian, how social...

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a story about a social media fail. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Noti...

Michael Morris (Tribal) is a cultural psychologist and author. Michael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the misconceptions he had about the Midwest, fundamental attribution error, and the differences between individualism and collectivism. Michael and Dax talk about where the concept of tribalism came from, how language can affect behavioral choices, and why we learn to absorb the culture of whatever community is nurturing us. Michael explains what peer, hero, and ancestor instincts are, the...

Jeff Bridges (The Old Man, The Big Lebowski, True Grit) is an Academy Award-winning actor. Jeff joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he broke his mom’s heart as a teenager, learning how to stage fight, and why he travels with his own chair. Jeff and Dax talk about when parents show you their “feet of clay,” the secret to keeping a healthy relationship, and how near death experiences can snap you out of your identity. Jeff explains how he came to terms with death when he was sick, finding com...

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a story about a horrible boss. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice a...

Malcolm Gladwell (Revenge of the Tipping Point) is a 5x New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and podcaster. Malcolm joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he thinks people don’t talk about money enough, what he learned about covid superspreaders, and why he decided to write an antidote to his previous book. Malcolm and Dax talk about how many outsiders a group needs before it changes, how bad actors can hijack systems for their own gain, and how much they love a digression. Malcolm e...

Halle Berry (Never Let Go, The Union, Monster’s Ball) is an Academy Award-winning actor, producer, and director. Halle joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the longevity of her romantic relationships, her experience with stepdads, and what winning a beauty pageant did for her confidence. Halle and Dax talk about the moment you finally see your parent as human, how beauty is often subjective, and why it was important for her to get the role playing a drug addict. Halle explains why she loves dire...

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy convenience store story. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...

Max Bennett (A Brief History of Intelligence) is a researcher and author. Max joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his lack of an academic background, how he became interested in the way the human brain works, and why neurons evolved. Max and Dax talk about reenforcement learning, how emotions developed in the human brain, and how artificial intelligence is being designed to have curiosity. Max explains the paper clip conundrum, how language allows us to transfer thoughts, and chain of thought p...

Kathryn Hahn (Agatha All Along, Bad Moms, Glass Onion) is an Emmy-nominated actor. Kathryn returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss the Swedish art of death cleaning, whether limousines are embarrassing or not, and the line between hoarder and collector. Kathryn and Dax talk about losing their fathers, the relationship of their story once they had kids, and why fecal transplants have become so popular. Kathryn explains why menopause should be talked about more, what being married for 30 years i...

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy church story. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https:/...

Maren Morris (Intermission, Humble Quest, GIRL) is a Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter. Maren joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why some people are attracted to their therapists, why she doesn’t like to be confrontational, and how people adapt to their environment. Maren and Dax talk about how publishing music has changed since streaming, dealing with rejection early in her career, and what influences she draws from for her songs. Maren explains what’s fueling her recent creativity, ...

Lupita Nyong’o (The Wild Robot, Mind Your Own, Black Panther) is an actor. Lupita joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how her father’s political activism affected her childhood, feeling homeless and homesick wherever she is, and growing up on American television. Lupita and Dax talk about the internal battle of developing her American accent, the identity crisis that it caused, and how much she loves earnestness. Lupita explains how she learned to shed her ego, the importance of allowing yourse...