Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard

On this special episode, we revisit some of our favorite moments from Monday episodes in 2023. 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 wild holiday vacation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adam Frank (The Little Book of Aliens) is a physicist, astronomer, and writer. Adam joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he dealt with being an outsider in school, why he was drawn to science fiction, and how he discovered a secret language in mathematics. Adam and Dax talk about what the search for intelligent life outside Earth looks like, how common it is for other planets to have water, and what the concept of a liquid brain is. Adam explains why people are so obsessed with UAPs, why looking into space is like looking back in time, and how he thinks climate change is affecting the planet. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Willem Dafoe (Poor Things, Platoon, The Lighthouse) is an actor. Willem joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he doesn't have the desire to buy things, how being raised by his siblings affected his perspective, and how his parents encouraged him to be ambitious in life. Willem and Dax talk about how one's identity can be defined by social conditioning, how he loves collaborating with others on a project, and how he feels about playing big characters. Willem explains how good directors make the film process more enjoyable, how he feels about knowing too much about other actors, and what he thinks about being so recognizable. 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 meet cute. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maria Sharapova is a 5x Grand Slam-winning former professional tennis player, investor, and entrepreneur. Maria joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how her priorities changed after retiring from tennis, her experience as a child moving to the US from Russia, and where her strong work ethic came from. Maria and Dax talk about how isolating success can be, what it takes to be critical of yourself, and how they both approach conflict in their relationships. Maria explains how much pressure there is on individual athletes to perform at a high level, why she wants to be a voice for female empowerment, and her superstitions. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jon Batiste (American Symphony) is a musician and composer. Jon joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why some people feel unworthy of others, why it's important to feel rejection, and how music can connect all types of people together. Jon and Dax talk about why they want to evolve as artists, how priorities can change when a loved one is sick, and what it's like to have a relationship in the public eye. Jon explains what obligations he feels when fans approach him on the street, how TV shows can affect people's view of other cultures, and why he can still accept criticism of his work. 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 stories. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniel Markovits (The Meritocracy Trap) is a law professor and author. Daniel joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what it was like growing up in different countries, why freedom of speech can sometimes be controversial, and why great art can impact society as much as scientific breakthroughs. Daniel and Dax talk about what it means to study meritocracy, how the landscape of going to college has changed, and how having educated parents affects a child's development. Daniel explains why there is such a wide gap between the wealthy and the middle class, how some institutions use diversity to exclude people, and how the American marketplace is driven mostly by policy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives, Flamin' Hot) is an actor, producer, and director. Eva joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she loved having kids later in life, how she views religion versus spirituality, and what growing up on a Texas ranch was like. Eva and Dax talk about what types of people they are attracted to, why acting in soap operas is so much work, and what biohacking techniques they use to improve their health. Eva explains why she wanted to make a film about Flamin' Hot Cheetos, the importance of Latinos seeing themselves reflected on screen, and how she used Desperate Housewives as her film school. 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 piercing or tattooing incident. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jedidiah Jenkins (Mother, Nature) is an author and memoirist. Jedidiah joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how being Christian affected his identity, what sexuality could be like without social rules, and practicing not getting a boner. Jedidiah and Dax talk about what it means to be a centrist now, how it's difficult for him to know when someone is flirting with him, and his relationship with his mother and her faith. Jedidiah explains how he learned to find common ground with people who don't share the same beliefs, embracing the double helix of the narrative and experiential self, and why he wanted to retrace his mother's walk across America. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wiz Khalifa (Khali Sober, Khalifa Kush) is a multi-platinum selling rapper and singer. Wiz joins the Armchair Expert to discuss his life growing up as a military kid, why it was tough to grow up scrawny, and what drove him to start writing at a young age. Wiz explains to Dax the difference between a mixtape and an album, how he and Snoop Dogg became friends, and the importance of putting in the work. Wiz discusses how weed changed his creative process, the cultural differences in talking about other people's business, and his jail selfie. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Becky Kennedy (Good Inside) is a clinical psychologist and author. Becky joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she wants to help people understand themselves through their kids, why some traditional parenting techniques aren't effective, and how to set boundaries with your children. Dr. Becky and Dax talk about how much a person's past shapes who they are now, why she was compelled to share her ideas on social media, and how expectations of parents can sometimes be unfair. Becky explains how repairing a relationship can be difficult, why people fall into the same patterns consistently, and how behavior can be separated from one's identity. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trevor Noah (What Now, The Daily Show) is a comedian, writer, and podcaster. Trevor joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why silence scares him, people's aversion to being blamed, and how language helps you get to the granularity of meaning. Trevor and Dax discuss the false idea that you have to consume the news all the time, the history of the apartheid system in South Africa, and having patience for people only if they're engaged in the fight. Trevor explains how hyper-vigilance is a form of safety, that life doesn't happen in snippets, and how important community and connectedness is to him. 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 bartending story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Barbara Kingsolver (Demon Copperhead) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Barbara joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why she loved to read as a kid, how there can be truth in writing fiction, and how she went from being a biologist to a novelist. Barbara and Dax talk about the struggle in being creative, the effects of structural classism, and why being an author is the best profession to have. Barbara explains how rural people are portrayed in the media, how her writing was influenced by the opioid epidemic, and how she tries to focus on accessibility in her novels. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tom Hansen is an entertainment lawyer and Dax's best friend. Tom joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what knowing people from the Dust Bowl era is like, how much he loved working on his grandparent's farm as a kid, and why he thinks he isn't a good listener. Tom and Dax talk about why some people just aren't ambitious in life, why he got into a lot of trouble in school, and their experiences with illicit drugs. Tom explains how going to Europe as a young man altered his perspective, how he was introduced to the world of entertainment law, and how raising daughters changed his definition of what it means to be a man. 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 babysitting experience. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dan Ariely is a social scientist, professor, and author. Dan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why people often want to regulate other's behavior, what factors can affect workplace employees' motivations, and how people live in different realities from each other. Dan and Dax talk about the funnel of misbelief, what happens when people are excluded from a group, and how to engage people with differing opinions from your own. Dan explains how people proclaim their identities to others, what responsibility there is to verify data used in research, and the true societal role of a social scientist. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.