Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Latest Episodes:

Hannah Berner Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

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.

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Armchair Anonymous: Stealing III Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us about a time they stole something.

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Cohen Miles-Rath (on psychosis and recovery) Jun 03, 2026

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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.

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Lena Waithe Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

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.

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Armchair Anonymous: Graduation May 29, 2026

Show notes

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

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Ezra Klein Returns (on political polarization) May 27, 2026

Show notes

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.

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Jack McBrayer May 25, 2026

Show notes

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.

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Armchair Anonymous: Bad Roommate II May 22, 2026

Show notes

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

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Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau & Luke Malone (on child sexual abuse prevention) May 20, 2026

Show notes

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.

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Brandi Carlile May 18, 2026

Show notes

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.

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