Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Armchair Expert | Wondery

<p>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.</p><p>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 <a href="http://wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/">wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/</a> now. </p>

  • 1 hour 57 minutes
    Nate Bargatze

    Nate Bargatze (The Breadwinner, Hello World, Your Friend) is a standup comedian, writer, and actor. Nate joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up with a father who was a preacher/clown/teacher/magician/motivational speaker, working as a water meter reader before finding his way into comedy, and what it’s like reentering reality after being celebrated on an arena stage. Nate and Dax talk about how his decision to always be a clean comic affected his career trajectory, the time he was heckled by a parrot, and realizing that his comedy tribe were all the dirtiest standups. Nate explains that a big aim of his comedy is to not make others feel bad or uncomfortable, his belief that one-on-one we can all relate to one another, and why watching a comic for 20 years is observing a life.


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    23 March 2026, 7:30 am
  • 46 minutes 7 seconds
    Armchair Anonymous: Funny Pregnancy

    Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a funny pregnancy story.

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    20 March 2026, 7:30 am
  • 2 hours 11 minutes
    Kathryn Paige Harden (behavioral geneticist)

    Kathryn Paige Harden (Original Sin On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness) is a psychologist, professor, and behavioral geneticist. Kathryn joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why psychology is not a solved problem, studying the essential question of why we do things we don’t want to do, and how her religious upbringing was fundamentally at odds with her desire to study psychology. Kathryn and Dax talk about what living in a culture that embraces the concept of original sin means for our morality, genetic predictors of misdemeanor versus felony behavior, and our active human inclination to break stuff. Kathryn explains her belief that holding each other accountable is not a supernatural condition but a social one, why we can aim to be better in our institutions than in our worst moments, and the scientific fact that there’s no evolution without diversity.


    Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/

    Head to turbotax.com to find a store location near you and get matched with a TurboTax expert — with real-time updates in the iOS app.

    This episode is sponsored by AppleTV. Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/mr2caw2c

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    18 March 2026, 7:30 am
  • 2 hours 8 minutes
    Zach Braff Returns

    Zach Braff (Scrubs, Garden State, Bad Monkey) is an actor, writer, and director. Zach joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his storied doppelgänger switcheroo, coming up with a special camera rig to shoot the game play scenes in Ted Lasso, and the responsibility he feels directing seasoned actors. Zach and Dax talk about how exciting it was for both of them to play rare dramatic roles in Bad Monkey, his belief that longevity in show business is dependent on how you ride the wave, and the fun of returning to direct the first episode of the Scrubs revival 25 years after it first aired. Zach explains how his confidence in his looks and skills as an actor have evolved across his career, surprising results from his year without beer, and navigating romance and relationships at 50.


    Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/

    Head to turbotax.com to find a store location near you and get matched with a TurboTax expert — with real-time updates in the iOS app.

    This episode is sponsored by AppleTV. Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/mr2caw2c

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    16 March 2026, 7:30 am
  • 45 minutes 19 seconds
    Armchair Anonymous: Remodeling Disaster

    Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a remodeling disaster.

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    13 March 2026, 7:30 am
  • 2 hours 2 minutes
    Amir Levine (on attachment theory)

    Amir Levine (Secure: The Revolutionary Guide to Creating a Secure Life, Attached) is a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author. Amir joins the Armchair Expert to discuss dispelling myths and misconceptions about attachment theory, how the love he has for his dog helped him to understand his relationship with his father, and the test experiments that showed how attachment styles develop in early childhood. Amir and Dax talk about why attachment is really just a radar of availability for other people, the reasons secure adult attachment is linked to our exploratory drive, and how a breakup was the catalyst that led him to co-write Attached. Amir explains the role a sense of reciprocity plays in shifting into secure attachment, the physiological and neurological responses involved as we evolve our attachments, and the beauty in appreciating the hidden sparks of talent in our loved ones. 


    Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/

    Head to turbotax.com to find a store location near you and get matched with a TurboTax expert — with real-time updates in the iOS app.

    This episode is sponsored by AppleTV. Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/mr2caw2c

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    11 March 2026, 7:30 am
  • 2 hours 17 minutes
    Amanda Peet Returns

    Amanda Peet (Fantasy Life, Your Friends & Neighbors, The Whole Nine Yards) is an actor, writer, and producer. Amanda joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being a serial monogamist during her dating years, what relation she has to the designer of Radio City Music Hall, and going from a hippie Quaker school in Manhattan to a stuffy private school in London. Amanda and Dax talk about recognizing a pattern of existential thinking when her kids turn seven, undergoing psychoanalysis at age 13, and contending with the cultural mores of Something’s Gotta Give. Amanda explains relishing the opportunity to play a high functioning character with mental illness in her new film, exploring a complicated relationship with wealth in Your Friends and Neighbors, and recently finding a new gear in acting.


    Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/

    Head to turbotax.com to find a store location near you and get matched with a TurboTax expert — with real-time updates in the iOS app.

    This episode is sponsored by AppleTV. Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/mr2caw2c

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    9 March 2026, 7:30 am
  • 48 minutes 38 seconds
    Armchair Anonymous: First Responder II

    Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a crazy first responder story.

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    6 March 2026, 8:30 am
  • 1 hour 32 minutes
    Sasha Hamdani (on ADHD)

    Sasha Hamdani (Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply) is a board-certified psychiatrist and ADHD clinical specialist. Sasha joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the classroom insurrection she started which led to her ADHD diagnosis, how her residency rebuilt the confidence that medical school degraded, and that symptoms known today as ADHD first showed up in the 1700s. Sasha and Dax talk about her beef with diagnostic labels and how often trauma is misdiagnosed as ADHD, how liberating it was to understand the way her brain functions, and neurological reasons why grief is so destabilizing for someone with ADHD. Sasha explains the importance of being able to emotionally regulate before conflict, her hot take on self-diagnosis, and non-stimulant, skills-based approaches that work well to treat ADHD.

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    4 March 2026, 8:30 am
  • 1 hour 50 minutes
    Marcus Mumford

    Marcus Mumford (Prizefighter, Sigh No More, Wilder Mind) is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer, and producer. Marcus joins the Armchair Expert to discuss enjoying occupying the liminal space between his kids and his parents, being born into the church attended by Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, and becoming pen pals with his wife Carey Mulligan at bible camp when they were 10 years old. Marcus and Dax talk about finally feeling able to embrace being an artist with his new record, forming Mumford & Sons from childhood friends, and not understanding ahead of time how performing at the Grammys would impact their career. Marcus explains loving to tour in weird ways like on a boat and a train, releasing a weight with his song Cannibal, and the magical experience of readiness on his new album Prizefighter.

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    2 March 2026, 8:30 am
  • 50 minutes 19 seconds
    Armchair Anonymous: Las Vegas

    Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a crazy Las Vegas story.

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    27 February 2026, 8:30 am
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