Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Kelly McGonigal (Joy Is a Risk Worth Taking, The Joy of Movement, The Upside of Stress) is a psychologist, bestselling author, and dance instructor. Kelly joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up with a mirror twin in New Jersey, navigating childhood with unexplained chronic pain, and finding freedom at Boston University. Kelly and Dax talk about studying psychopaths recruited through newspaper ads, sneaking compassion into her viral TED Talk, and spreading joy in dance class despite her own pessimism. Kelly explains why joy doesn’t require a happy life, how connecting with strangers challenges our cynicism, and why singing with a concert crowd can restore our faith in humanity.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/This holiday season, NOBULL encourages people stay “Stronger Than the Season.” Head to https://www.NOBULLProject.com all holiday season to shop new deals every week and checkout products like the Drive 2, a versatile hybrid training shoe built for mixed workouts, helping listeners move through the season their way.The Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal now $8 for a limited time. Only at McDonald’s. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week’s episode of Mom’s Car we welcome Minka Kelly (Ransom Canyon, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood). Minka, Dax, and Best Friend Aaron Weakley talk through putting your darkest secrets in a book, revisiting the peep show where you once worked, the relief of no longer being the young cheerleader on set, finding a partner whose suck matches your suck, why a proper joint beats a gummy, and Dax’s escalating toothpick addiction.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brittany Snow (The Hunting Wives, Pitch Perfect, Parachute) is an actor, singer, and director. Brittany joins the Armchair Expert to discuss commuting from middle school in Florida to a soap opera in New York, getting her orthodontic hardware removed for a cracker commercial, and entering recovery at sixteen. Brittany and Dax talk about rediscovering her love of performing through Pitch Perfect, the double standard for mothers behaving badly onscreen, and turning her own recovery into her directorial debut. Brittany explains why falling in love can become another addiction, how her relationship with her father has changed through Alzheimer’s, and why realizing nobody cares can be comforting.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ This holiday season, NOBULL encourages people stay “Stronger Than the Season.” Head to https://www.NOBULLProject.com all holiday season to shop new deals every week and checkout products like the Drive 2, a versatile hybrid training shoe built for mixed workouts, helping listeners move through the season their way.The Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal now $8 for a limited time. Only at McDonald’s. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time something crazy happened on Halloween. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erin and Sara Foster (Nobody Wants This, The World’s First Podcast, Favorite Daughter) are producers, entrepreneurs, and podcast hosts. Erin and Sara join the Armchair Expert to discuss thinking their dad was unimpressive next to Goldie Hawn, refusing to join their family’s reality show, and Sara starting therapy after Erin’s intervention. Erin, Sara, and Dax talk about the temptation to buy podcast views, why listeners prefer their episodes without guests, and building a business around people knowing the real them. Erin and Sara explain why money doesn’t erase childhood hurt, how one story from their dad changed Erin’s understanding of being loved, and why winning a fight can still feel like losing.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week’s episode of Mom’s Car we welcome Guy Stevenson (MADtv, Reno 911!, Punk’d). Guy, Dax, and Best Friend Aaron Weakley talk through competing for alpha status at the Groundlings, Dax’s decades-long boxing lie, getting sober in the Marines, bouncing at Jumbo’s Clown Room, the making of Dax’s all-time favorite sketch, asking a heart surgeon for a wolf upgrade, and a motorcycle road trip neither Dax nor Aaron was brave enough to cancel.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kristen Bell, Adam Brody, Justine Lupe, and Timothy Simons are actors on the series Nobody Wants This. The cast joins the Armchair Expert for Nobody Wants This Week to discuss Kristen’s first press appearance on TRL, Adam not knowing how to make coffee when he met his wife, and the peanut butter fingerprints that exposed Justine’s engagement-ring discovery. The cast and Dax talk about playing messy singles as married parents, protecting a romantic lead from becoming unforgivable, and Justine accidentally calling cut while kissing Tim. They explain why embarrassment can disguise itself as anger, which domestic habits their spouses will have to accept, and whose job it is to intervene when the in-laws hate your partner.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time they made the news. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Malcolm Gladwell (The American Way of Killing, Outliers, Revisionist History) is a bestselling author, journalist, and podcast host. Malcolm returns to Armchair Expert to discuss growing up among Canadian pacifists, discovering America through magazines, and making his home in the country that fascinated him as a kid. Malcolm and Dax talk about what Law & Order gets wrong about murder, how a surgeon’s 3,000 gunshot cases challenge the crime statistics, and what assault weapons bans actually ban. Malcolm explains why crime and violence are not the same problem, a mind-blowing statistic comparing the police forces of Los Angeles and Berlin, and how fear puts people on opposite sides of the gun debate.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week’s episode of Mom’s Car we welcome Liz Plank (journalist, author of For the Love of Men, and host of Boy Problems). Liz, Dax, and Best Friend Aaron Weakley talk through the stakes of soft launching a boyfriend, dating men who come with renovation projects, whether having a boyfriend is actually embarrassing, the difference between being picky and expecting perfection, why raising kids should be a team sport, begging your partner to finally fart in front of you, and Dax competing with Aaron’s girlfriend over who gets to take care of him.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Colin Kaepernick (The Perilous Fight, Colin in Black & White, I Color Myself Different) is a former NFL quarterback, author, and civil rights activist. Colin joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up Black in a white adoptive family, finding belonging in a Modesto barbershop, and choosing football over Major League Baseball prospects. Colin and Dax talk about the racial code words used to evaluate quarterbacks, reaching the Super Bowl in his tenth career start, and the teammate who helped turn sitting into kneeling. Colin explains why loving parents can still have blind spots, how reading Malcolm X reframed his childhood, and what happens when your daughter inherits your refusal to back down.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy study abroad story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ashe (The Girl of Your Dreams, Moral of the Story, The Dream) is a singer and songwriter. Ashe joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up with a bipolar father, becoming the responsible younger sibling, and finding refuge in songwriting. Ashe and Dax talk about her breakout hit coinciding with devastating loss, the panic attacks that nearly made her quit music, and the adrenaline crash after a show. Ashe explains why success can feel like a warning, how childhood fears follow us into adulthood, and learning to feel safe in the life she’s built.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week’s episode of Mom’s Car we welcome Jedidiah Jenkins (Go Quiet on the Mountain, Mother, Nature, To Shake the Sleeping Self). Jedidiah, Dax, and Best Friend Aaron Weakley talk through texting punchlines to David Sedaris, driving through a blizzard while Aaron slept for 29 hours, finding love 58 miles outside your comfort zone, Jedidiah’s sexual Rumspringa in his 30s, the difference between being desired and doing the desiring, sex that requires a construction crew, and the house tour that made Dax realize he was using sex like a drug.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James McAvoy (California Schemin’, Atonement, X-Men) is an award-winning actor and director. James joins the Armchair Expert to discuss running wild in Glasgow’s council estates, considering the priesthood to see the world, and landing his first film role after offering to make tea. James and Dax talk about the Wanted role Dax almost got, feeling out of his league opposite Keira Knightley, and making a film about Scottish rappers who fooled the industry by pretending to be American. James explains how childhood hardship sharpened his empathy, why kids need room to be bored, and why helping people doesn’t always mean fixing their problems.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us their craziest nurse stories. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adam Grant (Vibe, Hidden Potential, and Think Again) is an organizational psychologist, Wharton professor, and author. Adam joins Armchair Expert to discuss being pushed out of his childhood friend group, feeling like an impostor at Harvard, and finding his footing on the diving team. Adam and Dax talk about memorizing students’ backgrounds, NASA sending incompatible astronauts into the wilderness, and the party that produced 78 marriages. Adam explains why proximity can beat dating algorithms, what separates pals from companions, and what an AI friend can’t give back.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week’s episode of Mom’s Car we welcome Dakota Fanning (The Sun Never Sets, Ripley, Man on Fire) and Jake Johnson (The Sun Never Sets, New Girl, The Dink). Dakota, Jake, Dax, and Best Friend Aaron Weakley talk through Dax and Aaron’s romantic movie night, bringing a rolling backpack to high school with zero shame, a firefighter uncle’s devastating theater review, treating dating apps like a casino, letting ADHD run wild on a hike, being just famous enough to get a restaurant table, and needing someone to confirm that the seven-foot man across the room is Shaq.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Frankenstein, The Shape of Water) is an Academy Award-winning director, screenwriter, and producer. Guillermo joins Armchair Expert to discuss his dad winning the lottery twice, diagnosing himself from a health encyclopedia, and promising the monsters in his bedroom lifelong friendship. Guillermo and Dax talk about writing The Devil’s Backbone while his father was kidnapped, James Cameron nearly fighting Harvey Weinstein on his behalf, and bringing back Pan’s Labyrinth to finally realize it in 3D. Guillermo explains why monsters are more honest than people, how creative shortcuts rob us of the best part, and why being loved matters more than being celebrated.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy dinner party. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jared Diamond (Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings, The World Until Yesterday, and Guns, Germs, and Steel) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning scientist, historian, and UCLA professor. Jared joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in the shadow of World War II, his family’s connection to the Holocaust, and his path from physiology to geography. Jared and Dax talk about testing history through natural experiments, measuring the influence of CEOs and coaches, and the six factors that determine a leader’s impact. Jared explains the “Hamlet test” for irreplaceable leaders, why timing can matter more than talent, and how democracies overestimate a president’s control over the economy.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leanne Morgan (Leanne, You’re Cordially Invited, I’m Every Woman) is a comedian, actor, and author. Leanne joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a 600-person Tennessee town, leaving her first marriage, and raising three kids while chasing Hollywood. Leanne and Dax talk about developing stand-up while selling jewelry at house parties, spending 20 years as the “$2,500 girl” on the corporate comedy circuit, and finally breaking through with a viral stand-up clip in her 50s. Leanne explains why she never lost faith that Hollywood would happen, how success has reshaped her marriage and family, and why staying true to herself became her greatest asset.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about an experience with a bad customer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, serial technology entrepreneur, and pioneer in de-extinction. Ben joins Armchair Expert to discuss being raised by his mom and grandparents in Texas, starting his first company while at Baylor, and why a conversation with geneticist George Church changed the course of his life. Ben and Dax talk about building a team to engineer a mammoth from scratch, creating woolly mice in 30 days, and turning 73,000-year-old DNA into dire wolf puppies. Ben explains why de-extinction is really about developing new technologies, how humans should take responsibility for species we’ve eradicated, and why inspiring people about science is as important as the animals themselves.Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joey King (Practical Magic 2, The Act, The Kissing Booth) is an Emmy-nominated actor and producer. Joey returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss starting work at nine years old, her dad’s past as a professional arm wrestler, and losing and rediscovering her natural sense of joy. Joey and Dax talk about joining the beloved world of Practical Magic, working alongside Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, and finding fulfillment in difficult performances without taking them home. Joey explains why thinking about yourself less can quiet insecurity, how difficult periods can create useful perspective, and why public perception matters less when your real life feels good.Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/riskStart your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us their crazy gym stories. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eric Goode (Monsters of God, Chimp Crazy, Tiger King) is a filmmaker, hotelier, and conservationist. Eric joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in an animal-filled home, surviving Northern California’s New Age movement, and befriending Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring in 1980s New York. Eric and Dax talk about creating legendary nightclubs and hotels, directing Nine Inch Nails videos, and stumbling into Tiger King while investigating reptile smugglers. Eric explains why obsession can give life purpose, why conservation requires talking to people you oppose, and why there is rarely one clear bad guy.Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/riskStart your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dave Franco (Idiots, The Studio, Together) is an actor, writer, and director. Dave returns to Armchair Expert to discuss growing up as the youngest of three brothers, being a hopeless romantic from childhood, and becoming Hollywood’s sexiest cat dad. Dave and Dax talk about pursuing Idiots for a decade, surviving the exhausting long takes of The Studio, and forging an identity outside his brother’s shadow. Dave explains why vulnerability is worth the risk, why he stays off social media, and why the right relationship gets better with time.Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/risk Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a bad teacher. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Angela Duckworth (Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best, Grit) is a psychologist, MacArthur Fellow, and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Angela returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss nearly drowning while trying to save her mother, apologizing 15 years later to an author she treated poorly, and how a graduate student’s critique of Grit changed the direction of her work. Angela and Dax talk about why achieving goals rarely delivers happiness, how Leon Marchand changed his environment to break Michael Phelps’s world record, and why the people around us deserve more credit for our success. Angela explains why grit isn’t always enough, how our surroundings shape our behavior before we realize it, and why changing your situation can actually give you more agency.Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/risk Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lizzo (Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin', Cuz I Love You, Special) is a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning musician and performer. Lizzo joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a Detroit church where her uncle preached and her cousins made up the choir, being mocked in Houston for “talking white” and liking anime, and losing her father at 19 who told her she could become the next great flute player. Lizzo and Dax talk about being in a dozen Minneapolis bands at once, stripping down during the interview that sparked My Skin, and watching “Truth Hurts” become a hit years after she had already given up on it. Lizzo explains why Whitney Houston “brought the church to the club,” why fame makes people afraid the other shoe will eventually drop, and how turning insults back on bullies became a kind of emotional judo.Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/risk Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a summer fling. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ray Madoff (The Second Estate, Immortality and the Law, Practical Guide to Estate Planning) is a Boston College law professor, author, and tax-policy expert. Ray joins Armchair Expert to discuss being a proudly mediocre high school student, reluctantly trading philosophy for law school, and becoming a terrible Wall Street tax lawyer who loved teaching. Ray and Dax talk about America’s return to a pre-revolutionary aristocracy, how “salaries are for suckers” among the ultrawealthy, and why $50 trillion in wealth yielded only $28 billion in estate tax. Ray explains why high earners and wealth holders aren’t the same, how fair taxation could rescue capitalism, and why the problem is the system and not billionaires themselves.Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/risk Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gal Gadot (The Runner, Wonder Woman, Fast & Furious) is an actor, action star, and former pageant winner. Gal joins Armchair Expert to discuss unexpectedly winning a beauty pageant, being thrust onto the front page of the New York Post at 21, and surviving cerebral venous thrombosis after the birth of her fourth child. Gal and Dax talk about being discovered for a Bond audition while studying law, reaching the point where she was ready to quit acting, and going from recovering in bed to training with an Olympic running coach for The Runner. Gal explains why struggle is essential to happiness, how parenthood constantly forces you to adapt, and why getting older can open you up emotionally.Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/risk Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Olivia Fox Cabane (The Charisma Myth, The Net and the Butterfly) is a bestselling author, speaker, and leading authority on the science of charisma. Olivia joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in Paris without television or movies, receiving an autism diagnosis in her 40s, and decoding the “secret manual” of human interaction. Olivia and Dax talk about translating charisma research into a teachable system, showing founders why body language can outweigh a flawless pitch, and updating her book with cutting-edge research on digital charisma. Olivia explains why focused listening gives introverts an advantage, why genuine warmth cannot be faked, and how too much charisma can leave powerful people dangerously unaccountable.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | https://hp.com/SmartTank  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jimmy Kimmel is an Emmy-winning host, comedian, and producer. Molly McNearney is an Emmy-winning writer, producer, and actor. Jimmy and Molly join Armchair Expert to discuss how working together strengthened their marriage, why ten quiet minutes in bed can constitute a date, and raising children who know the president as their family’s antagonist. Jimmy, Molly, and Dax talk about rescuing unprepared talk-show guests, getting fired from radio with less than $20 in the bank, and attempting to evade paparazzi after the show’s suspension. Jimmy and Molly explain why deliberate distortion is worse than disagreement, how to teach privilege without shame, and the importance of building traditions around collective joy.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | https://hp.com/SmartTank  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy spa story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chris Young (The Wound Is Where the Light Enters, Coherence Consulting) is an author, consultant, and public speaker. Chris joins Armchair Expert to discuss watching addiction consume his mother, spending two years without electricity or running water, and selling drugs by age 11. Chris and Dax talk about the small choices that hardened into a drug-dealing identity, the courtroom speech that moved his sentencing judge to resign, and the unlikely coalition that won his clemency. Chris explains why family is a verb, hope is a drug worth taking, and freedom begins with imagining beyond your circumstances.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | https://hp.com/SmartTank See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Sedaris (The Land and Its People, Happy-Go-Lucky, Calypso) is a bestselling author, humorist, and celebrated storyteller. David joins Armchair Expert to discuss discovering his name in the Epstein files, crossing state lines after midnight to have a tumor removed, and feeding it to a snapping turtle. David and Dax talk about testing and rewriting his essays onstage, giving relatives veto power over his stories, and evolving from writing about life’s biggest moments to writing about almost nothing. David explains why talking to strangers creates real connection, how treating words as violence distorts actual harm, and why comedy should be as tasteless as possible.Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | https://hp.com/SmartTank Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy extreme weather story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Marc Brackett (Dealing with Feeling, Permission to Feel, RULER) is a psychologist, professor, and founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Marc joins Armchair Expert to discuss the childhood trauma that shaped his life's work, the fallout from disclosing it on national television at 12, and the inspiring uncle whose simple compassion finally made him feel safe. Marc and Dax talk about turning ideas into a program reaching 10 million children, being called out by his mother-in-law for failing to regulate during lockdown, and discovering Yale students often mistake envy for stress. Marc explains why avoiding emotion is bad, how precisely naming a feeling changes what you can do with it, and why the best emotional allies listen instead of trying to fix.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | https://hp.com/SmartTank  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Taron Egerton (Apex, Rocketman, Kingsman) is a Golden Globe-winning actor and singer. Taron joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a Welsh village with a 59-letter name, being raised by a single mother, and finding acting after being bullied as an artistic kid. Taron and Dax talk about Colin Firth mentoring him during Kingsman, expressing himself through Elton John in Rocketman, and transforming himself into a sociopathic villain in Apex. Taron explains embracing his shadow, smashing his idealized self, and believing in a benevolent universe.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | https://hp.com/SmartTank  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy hotel story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christopher Whitcomb (Broken Plea, Cold Zero, and Black) is a former FBI Hostage Rescue Team sniper, bestselling author, and national security analyst. Christopher joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in rural New Hampshire, the winding path from teacher and speechwriter to the FBI, and the unbelievable twists of fate that shaped his storied life and career. Christopher and Dax talk about serving on the FBI's elite hostage rescue team, being at the center of historic events like Ruby Ridge and Waco, and why he decided to revisit the Idaho murders after the suspect's guilty plea. Christopher explains the psychological mindset of elite operators, how life-or-death decisions are judged long after the fact, and why pursuing the truth matters even when the official case appears closed.Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTank Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scott Eastwood (Lucky Strike, Fury, Fast X) is an actor, producer, and entrepreneur. Scott joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Hawaii, getting expelled after raiding a pot farm, and bar-backing his way through college. Scott and Dax talk about swearing off war movies before Lucky Strike pulled him back in, nearly coming to blows with Shia LaBeouf on Fury, and defying his agents to star in Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” video. Scott explains why fame is more burden than prize, how film sets can force grief into a holding pattern, and why you should say what you feel before time runs out.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTank  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy home intruder story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eva Benefield (Ghost Girl: Surviving the Black Swan Murder) is a writer, entrepreneur, and founder of Ghost Cowboy. Eva joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in the Charleston Lowcountry, finding her mother dead at 14, and losing her father in the notorious Black Swan case. Eva and Dax talk about reclaiming her story through darkly funny TikToks, building an apparel company one drawing at a time, and writing a memoir while still living through its aftermath. Eva explains why humor can be a survival mechanism, how creation became her answer to destruction, and why she couldn’t depend on a verdict to give her closure.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alan Ritchson (War Machine, Reacher, and Motor City) is an actor. Alan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a military family, the surprising path from ballet to action movies, and unpacking newly diagnosed ADHD and CPTSD. Alan and Dax talk about the exploitation he experienced as a young model, surviving childhood bullying, and learning to separate self-worth from success. Alan explains the power of EMDR therapy, the complicated role resentment plays in his life, and why he believes some people are called to carry the fight for others. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tommy Lee (Tommyland Rides Again, The Dirt, Shout at the Devil) is the co-founder of Mötley Crüe, a legendary drummer, and rock icon. Tommy joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up between Greece and California, finding refuge as an introvert behind a drum kit, and how ballet unexpectedly shaped his future as a performer. Tommy and Dax talk about dropping out of high school after landing a record deal, building Mötley Crüe from the Sunset Strip to worldwide fame, and the band's decision to get sober together before recording Dr. Feelgood. Tommy explains why fame can be profoundly isolating, how bonsai trees became his greatest form of meditation, and why the life people envy isn't always the life they're imagining.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Geena Davis (The Boroughs, Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own) is an Academy Award-winning actor and advocate. Geena joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up shy and tall in a strict New England household, reinventing herself as an exchange student in Sweden, and going from posing as a department-store mannequin to landing her first role in Tootsie. Geena and Dax talk about winning an Oscar at 32, how Susan Sarandon taught her to stop apologizing for existing on set, and discovering her athleticism while filming A League of Their Own. Geena explains how roles can transform who you are, why the precision of Olympic archery offered relief from the subjectivity of Hollywood, and why lasting cultural change begins with making unconscious bias impossible to ignore.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy stalking story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Grant Achatz (Alinea, Next, The Aviary) is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and culinary innovator. Grant joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in small-town Michigan working in his family's diner, rebuilding a GTO with his father, and discovering the emotional power of food. Grant and Dax talk about training under Charlie Trotter and Thomas Keller, reinventing fine dining at Alinea, and battling stage IV tongue cancer at the height of his career. Grant explains why great meals are really about storytelling, how he sees AI as a beneficial tool in his work, and why pursuing excellence requires constant evolution.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jackie Tohn (Nobody Wants This, The Boys, GLOW) is an actress, comedian, and musician. Jackie joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up on Long Island with two gym-teacher parents, discovering her BRCA mutation after her father’s cancer diagnosis, and becoming an advocate for genetic testing and preventative care. Jackie and Dax talk about clawing through Hollywood as a musician and comic, learning to pivot instead of wait for permission, and finally being able to calm down after Nobody Wants This. Jackie explains the exhaustion of making life-or-death choices, how anxiety changes once the thing you fear actually happens, and the freedom of not having to be “on” for every room.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about an animal attack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dave Eggers (Contrapposto, The Circle, and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) is a bestselling author, founder of McSweeney’s, and Pulitzer Prize finalist. Dave joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the strange family lore behind McSweeney’s, growing up in John Hughes-era Illinois, and falling in love with writing and designing books as a kid. Dave and Dax talk about moving to Berkeley to help raise his little brother after his parents died, shaking up literary readings with They Might Be Giants, and building a creative community out of rejected magazine pieces. Dave explains why kids should be published, how writing can give order to chaos, and why the happiest creative life might be the one with the least preciousness. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lukas Gage (I Wrote This For Attention, Voicemails for Isabelle, and The White Lotus) is an actor and author. Lukas joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a chaotic family in San Diego, surviving a brutal hate crime as a teenager, and being sent to a troubled teen wilderness program. Lukas and Dax talk about navigating Hollywood as a closeted actor, the surreal experience of getting married on The Kardashians, and Conor McGregor fracturing a disc in his back while filming Road House. Lukas explains how a BPD diagnosis changed the way he understood himself, how shame and secrecy can distort identity, and what it means to stop performing for other people's approval.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy family secret. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Edward Norton (The Invite, Fight Club, and American History X) is an Academy Award-nominated actor, filmmaker, and environmental entrepreneur. Edward joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up with a visionary city-planner grandfather, methodically living on $11,000 a year as a young actor in New York, and building a port-emissions company that sucks poison from cargo ships. Edward and Dax talk about the actor’s narcissistic brain, why he doesn’t treat film like a volume game, and the exhilarating trust Olivia Wilde created while directing The Invite. Edward explains the difference between iconic actors and shape-shifting actors, why uncertainty can be the gateway to deeper work, and how the things we absorb from the world become what we eventually give back through art.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Olivia Wilde (The Invite, Booksmart, and Don’t Worry Darling) is a director, actor, and filmmaker. Olivia joins Armchair Expert to discuss being raised by war-correspondent parents, growing up too fast on the Georgetown campus, and finding her footing at boarding school. Olivia and Dax talk about learning the wrong lessons in LA audition rooms, leaving The OC to chase movies, and making the jump from directing music videos to Booksmart. Olivia explains why the most personal work is usually the best work, how parenting teaches patience and humility, and why we need to relearn the art of disagreement.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy story about finding a foreign object in a patient's butt. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Susie Wolff (Driven, F1 Academy, and Williams Formula One) is a former professional racing driver, and managing director of F1 Academy. Susie joins Armchair Expert to discuss her motorsport-obsessed childhood in Scotland, her grandfather's career as a daredevil motocross rider, and discovering karting as the only girl on the track. Susie and Dax talk about racing against Lewis Hamilton as a kid, the physical toll of driving an F1 car, and building F1 Academy from a financially unworkable idea into a fully-backed series for female drivers. Susie explains why performance is the purest validation, how femininity stopped feeling like weakness, and why writing a letter to her younger self was the most emotional part of writing her memoir.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Steve Aoki (Wonderland, Dim Mak, and Neon Future) is a Grammy-nominated DJ, producer, and record label founder. Steve joins Armchair Expert to discuss the larger-than-life legacy of his Benihana-founder father Rocky Aoki, growing up a skater kid in Newport Beach, and finding belonging in the straight-edge hardcore punk scene. Steve and Dax talk about launching Dim Mak out of living room shows, transitioning into electronic music through DJing and remixes, and why he still regrets turning down the chance to appear in Tropic Thunder. Steve explains why DIY culture makes creativity feel possible, how competing for his father’s approval shaped his ambition, and why the brain, longevity, and being present as a new dad matters most to him now.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a story about a crazy neighbor. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leslie John (Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing) is a behavioral scientist, Harvard Business School professor, and expert on privacy, self-disclosure, and decision-making. Leslie joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in Waterloo, Canada, training professionally in ballet as a child, and how her family’s irrational penny-pinching sparked her fascination with human behavior. Leslie and Dax talk about why people are more open to revealing their dark secrets on a sketchy-looking website over a more official looking one, how one mortifying overshare helped her find lifelong mentors, and what parasocial relationships reveal about modern intimacy. Leslie explains why secrets take up cognitive space, how vulnerability creates trust through social risk, and why we may be better off sharing a little more than we think we should.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hunter Biden (Beautiful Things) is a former attorney, artist, and recovery advocate. Hunter joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in Delaware political royalty, surviving the car accident that killed his mother and sister, and the unconditional love of his more extraverted brother Beau. Hunter and Dax talk about the comfort and danger of self-destruction, the mythology of “functional” addiction, and the people who loved him when he could not love himself. Hunter explains how addiction narrows the world to a single need, why being publicly humiliated didn’t make him irredeemable, and what it means to rebuild a life without hiding.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy camping story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Darby Saxbe (Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives) is a clinical psychologist, tenured professor, and researcher on family stress and the transition to parenthood. Darby joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in an academic household, her parents’ dramatic divorce, and watching her surgeon father suddenly learn how to become the primary parent. Darby and Dax talk about why fatherhood research has lagged behind motherhood research, what happens chemically and neurologically to new dads, and how hunter-gatherer societies, Barcelona playgrounds, and Swedish “latte papas” reveal very different models of raising children. Darby explains why “dad bod” is a real thing, how dads’ brains physically change when they engage in caregiving, and why kids may need more community, boredom, roughhousing, and freedom than modern parenting usually allows.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hannah Berner (Giggly Squad, None of My Business, Summer House) is a comedian, podcaster, and former Division I tennis player. Hannah joins Armchair Expert to discuss her dad being her personal tennis coach, battling performance anxiety as a college player, and rebuilding her identity after leaving the sport. Hannah and Dax talk about nightmare experiences on the New York subway, how stand-up became the place she could finally be herself, and the pressure of filming her first Netflix special. Hannah explains why embarrassment can be freeing, how comedy helps bridge the divide between men and women, and why changing your dream doesn’t mean you failed.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time they stole something. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cohen Miles-Rath (Mending Reality: An Advocate’s Existential Journey with Mental Health) is a mental health advocate, author, and suicide prevention professional. Cohen joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up between two wildly different households in upstate New York, finding his footing as a distance runner while becoming the first in his family to go to college, and how injuries and pressure began to unravel his sense of self. Cohen and Dax talk about the psychotic break that led him to try to kill his father, the role weed and sleeplessness played in his crisis, and the unconditional love that helped him rebuild his life after jail. Cohen explains what hallucinations and delusions feel like from the inside, why recovery requires daily vigilance and a strong support system, and how sharing his story helps reduce stigma around severe mental illness.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lena Waithe (The Chi, Queen & Slim, Master of None) is an Emmy-winning writer, producer, actor, and playwright. Lena joins Armchair Expert to discuss being a talkative kid in the South Side of Chicago, discovering television through her grandmother, and realizing she was a writer before the industry knew where to place her. Lena and Dax talk about the changing definition of celebrity, the hard-won evolution of The Chi, and her fairy godmothers in the business. Lena explains how identity can become mistaken for activism, how aging can be a privilege instead of a fear, and why the best conversations require listening instead of assuming.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy graduation story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ezra Klein (Abundance, The Ezra Klein Show, Why We’re Polarized) is a political commentator, journalist, podcast host and New York Times columnist. Ezra joins Armchair Expert to discuss becoming a father, getting serious about longevity and strength training, and why self-improvement became politically coded. Ezra and Dax talk about how attention became the most valuable currency in politics, why there’s no liberal Joe Rogan, and how cancellation can backfire into shadow influence. Ezra explains why democracy requires moral imagination, how telling people you hate them pushes them away, and why the desire to become a better person shouldn’t belong to one political side.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack McBrayer (Zillow Gone Wild, 30 Rock, Wreck-It Ralph) is an Emmy-nominated actor, and comedian. Jack joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a family of school teachers, finding his people in Chicago improv, and why he’s wary of letting too much private silliness become public record. Jack and Dax talk about the early magic of Second City, his steel trap memory for dates and birthdays, and the wild houses and homeowners of Zillow Gone Wild. Jack explains why reading the room isn’t the same as being inauthentic, how suntanning is his version of meditation in a chaotic world, and why sometimes your skin feeling tight is enough reason to leap into the next chapter.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a bad roommate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau (One in Five) is a leading prevention researcher and Luke Malone is an Emmy-nominated journalist. Elizabeth and Luke join Armchair Expert to discuss the staggering prevalence of child sexual abuse, why this subject is so difficult to talk about publicly, and how a reluctant interview became a long collaboration. Elizabeth, Luke, and Dax talk about the difference between pedophilia and offending, why so much child sexual abuse happens at the hands of other kids, and how the current justice system often fails both victims and young offenders. Elizabeth and Luke explain why prevention should be treated as a public health issue, how shame prevents people from seeking help before harm happens, and why compassion and accountability have to exist together.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brandi Carlile (Returning to Myself, By the Way, I Forgive You, and The Story) is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, producer, activist, and author. Brandi joins Armchair Expert to discuss being a feral kid in rural Washington, navigating her father’s alcoholism, and being denied baptism by her church as a teenager. Brandi and Dax talk about building a career through relentless hustle, working with Rick Rubin and T Bone Burnett, and bringing Joni Mitchell and Tanya Tucker back to the stage and studio. Brandi explains how marriage equality changed her life, why she holds special respect for elders in the LGBTQ community, and how faith, family, and service continue to shape her worldview.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy waterpark story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben McKenzie (Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, Easy Money) is an actor, author, and outspoken cryptocurrency skeptic. Ben joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a civically minded family in Austin, studying economics at the University of Virginia, and stumbling into acting success with early fame on an unnamed hit show. Ben and Dax talk about navigating imposter syndrome after overnight success, transitioning from acting into writing and directing, and what led him into investigating crypto markets during the pandemic. Ben explains why behavioral economics reveals how irrational people really are, how financial systems exploit trust and hype, and why the promise of “easy money” taps into something dangerously universal.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chace Crawford (The Boys, Gossip Girl, and The Covenant) is an actor. Chace joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up between Texas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota, being a people pleasing chameleon from having to always make new friends, and leaving Texas for College in California. Chace and Dax talk about crashing a car while valeting in Malibu, narrowly missing Friday Night Lights, and achieving overnight success on Gossip Girl. Chace explains how fame can either make you self-centered or paranoid, how alcohol can make celebrity feel easier for all the wrong reasons, and why chasing the next wave of validation is always a trap.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about an unauthorized evacuation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick Radden Keefe (London Falling, Empire of Pain, Say Nothing) is an award-winning investigative journalist, bestselling author, and staff writer for The New Yorker. Patrick joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a deeply intellectual household, developing a childhood obsession with writing for The New Yorker, and navigating a winding academic path through Columbia, Cambridge, and Yale Law. Patrick and Dax talk about the years-long reporting process behind London Falling, how a chance encounter led him to the story of Zac Brettler, and the challenges of investigating a mysterious death tied to hidden identities and extreme wealth in modern London. Patrick explains how proximity to oligarch culture and social media can warp ambition, why digression can be the soul of storytelling, and how to hold empathy for people navigating unknowable circumstances.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack Antonoff (Bleachers, everyone for ten minutes) is a Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and frontman. Jack joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up as an unsupervised middle child in suburban New Jersey, processing profound family loss at a young age, and finding early identity through obsessive music discovery. Jack and Dax talk about grinding through DIY touring as a teenager, the evolution from punk purist to global pop collaborator, and how environment and movement shape his creative process. Jack explains why grief clarifies what truly matters, how the anxiety of the well running dry fuels his restlessness, and why starting over is the key to staying alive creatively.Sign up now in the app or at grubhub.com/plus/golddays to unlock exclusive Gold Days deals.Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy bar story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tara Stoinski (A Gorilla Story) is a primatologist, conservationist, and CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Tara returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up outside Philadelphia, her academic path from Tufts to Oxford to Georgia Tech, and balancing motherhood with a career studying gorillas in Rwanda. Tara and Dax talk about documenting rare gorilla dominance battles, the challenges of filming endangered animals in the wild, and how gorilla social structures differ from chimpanzees. Tara explains the importance of long-term behavioral research, how early life trauma can impact animal behavior, and why strong social bonds are key to survival in both gorillas and humans.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Laufey (A Matter of Time, Mei Mei the Bunny, and Bewitched) is a two-time Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Laufey joins Armchair Expert in between Coachella performances to discuss growing up between Iceland and the US with a violinist mother in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, how having an identical twin helped shape her sense of self, and navigating her identity as a biracial kid in a homogenous society. Laufey and Dax talk about the discipline of classical music training at Berklee, building a fanbase during COVID through her Sunday livestreams and vintage jazz-inspired covers, and why she believes general admission is the best way to experience Coachella. Laufey explains how discipline should be about building habits rather than winning, how choice can be more overwhelming than limitation, and how vulnerability is the real key to connection - both onstage and off.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy twin story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alvin E. Roth (Moral Economics) is a Nobel Prize-winning economist, Stanford professor, and author. Alvin joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in Queens with two schoolteacher parents, skipping a traditional high school path to attend college at 16, and how early academic exposure shaped his curiosity about markets and human behavior. Alvin and Dax talk about pioneering kidney exchange programs that have saved thousands of lives, the surprising ways incentives influence behavior in everyday systems, and how market design applies to everything from matching students to schools to allocating scarce resources. Alvin explains the difference between repugnance and disgust in economics, why some markets are morally contested yet necessary, and why solving complex social issues requires designing better systems rather than relying on good intentions alone.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tom Pelphrey (Task, Ozark, Love and Death) is an Emmy-winning actor and mental health advocate. He joins Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in New Jersey near the Shore, the impact of his intense high school acting teacher, and how he maintains lifelong childhood friendships. Tom and Dax talk about early success colliding with addiction, the relentless pace of daytime television, and rebuilding a life through sobriety. Tom explains why tying identity to achievement can be dangerous, how awareness unlocks real change, and why fatherhood is the ultimate ego reset.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time they were scammed. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rachel Zoffness (Tell Me Where It Hurts: The New Science of Pain and How to Heal) is a psychologist, pain scientist, and author. Rachel joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she was drawn to pain in her early neuroscience studies, the most pressing question regarding pain being made in the brain, and how a pain psychologist is like a used car salesman. Rachel and Dax talk about the biopsychosocial factors that contribute to pain, definitive psychological origins of phantom limb syndrome, and the sensory map on our brain called the cortical homunculus. Rachel explains the tale of two nails, compelling evidence that pain and physical damage are not the same, and why data we give the brain that amplifies danger will also amplify pain.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jennie Garth (I Choose Me, 90210, What I Like About You) is an award-winning actor and author. Jennie joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her vegan journey, being discovered in a pageant and moving to LA to work as an actor, and the recent experience of watching herself in Beverly Hills, 90210 for the first time. Jennie and Dax talk about how tense dynamics between their characters began to seep into real life, what it means for her to have been ‘born blue,’ and the layered, heartbreaking connection she had to Luke Perry. Jennie explains how having kids young saved her life amid the industry, having her stomach pumped at the end of her marriage, and healing through Buddhism and learning to care for herself after a near-divorce.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a really bad date. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Emily & Matt Hyland (Emily, Pizza Loves Emily, Emmy Squared Pizza) are restaurateurs and authors, with Matt a Michelin-recognized chef and culinary creator, and Emily an educator, poet, and mindful movement teacher. Emily and Matt join the Armchair Expert to discuss meeting when Emily was Matt’s college RA, how yoga has been one of the biggest through lines in Emily’s life, and their favorite pizza’s favorite pizza. Matt, Emily, and Dax talk about when THE burger entered the scene, how a difficulty to compartmentalize working together caused their relationship to break down, and the underlying friction that resulted from conflating her identity with his food. Emily and Matt explain getting divorced after opening a restaurant based on their love story, how through therapeutic work healing their dynamic as partners after each remarrying, and the clarity that came from an arrest and a restraining order during a really dark moment.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nikki Glaser (Good Girl, Golden Globes, Alive and Unwell Tour) is an Emmy, Grammy, and Golden Globe-nominated comedian and television host. Nikki returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss not wanting to miss out on something because she’s afraid of looking stupid, why she wants another shot at Dancing with the Stars, and receiving self esteem from helping out. Nikki and Dax talk about pulling up to Hollywood tour buses to give them a little thrill, being so out of the loop as a result of comment sobriety, and her take on online incel culture. Nikki explains how being a hater can provide a form of bonding, why she doesn’t actually want people to watch her specials, and the pressure of aesthetic expectations attached to having money as a woman in entertainment.Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy spring break story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Pollan (A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness) is a science and environmental journalist. Michael returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss why choosing surrender is liberating in both psychedelics and life, what the “hard problem” of consciousness is and how we get to it, and how sentience serves homeostasis in living beings. Michael and Dax talk about asking what the world would be like without consciousness, the remarkable fact that plants can see, hear, and fight, and experimental evidence via the ginger test that disgust originates in the gut. Michael explains the qualitative redness of red, that there’s so much more going on in consciousness besides computation, and what strange places to visit our minds are. Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.