Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Dr. Susan Liautaud (The Power of Ethics) is an author, teacher of ethics at Stanford University, and founder of Susan Liautaud & Associates Limited. Susan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss ethics: the six forces present in all ethical dilemmas, why we can't look at things in a binary manner, and how we're only as ethical as our last decision. Susan explains that there's no place for blame, shame or guilt in ethics, what incentive people have to make ethical decisions, and the need to make ethics accessible to everyone. Dax & Susan discuss the need to think about the consequences that could happen, not just the consequences that will happen and in the fact check, we have a visit from the man whose simulation we are all living in.

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We check in three months later with both contestants: Aaron has a girlfriend, septoplasty, lasik and colonoscopy while Charlie’s arms are back to looking huge. Dax & Monica present them with trophies and a framed photo of the baby in the white dress.

Robin Thicke is a singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, musician and actor. Robin joins the Armchair Expert to discuss losing his home to the Malibu fires, his time on set of Growing Pains with his dad, and getting his first recording contract at 16 years old. Robin opens up about losing himself after the death of his father, how he was still searching for his dad's attention and approval, and how important focusing on balance in his life is. Robin discusses what he learned from the commercial flop of his first album and how his partnership with Pharrell started.

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Ethan Kross (Chatter) is an experimental psychologist, neuroscientist and writer, who specializes in emotion regulation. Ethan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the usefulness of your inner voice and how to harness it. Ethan explains how important context is when triggering emotions, how negative emotions are just as vital as positive ones, and the ways language can shape our emotional experiences. Ethan discusses how having the ability to feel the way we want all the time could be problematic and tips on how to be in the past and the future without being sucked in the chatter. In the fact check, Dax & Monica discuss the Royals.

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Aaron looks great in a beard, Monica tells Charlie that his arms look smaller, and Dax reminisces about a time when he thought he’d never be able to have sex again.

Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation, House of Lies, Middleditch and Schwartz) is an actor, comedian, writer, director and producer. Ben joins the armchair expert to discuss starting off in improv comedy, how Eugene Cordero is the funniest person in the world, and dancing with Dax at a pajama birthday party. Ben recounts working as a camp janitor as a minor, the importance of separating his self-worth from the work he does, and his experience going on the Letterman show. Monica divulges her attraction to Ben and the lengths she would go to be near him at his shows and Dax tells him how special his hair thickness is.

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Dax and Monica host a conversation with Bill Gates about his new book, How To Avoid A Climate Disaster, for the Chicago Humanities Festival.

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David Farrier exposes Monica and Dax to a new conspiracy theory each month. Today’s episode: JFK Assassination.

George Saunders (A Swim in a Pond in the Rain) is a #1 New York Times bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author. George joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the mental phenomena of life, farting in an elevator, and romanticizing everything as a writer. George explains how he learned that being a writer wasn't about your adventure resume, how to trust your own mind and bless your reactions, and how he finds inspiration by revisiting great works. George discusses how underestimated the role of encouragement is, that self-remonstration is the enemy of art, and how writer's block is having artificially elevated expectations of yourself.

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Dax gets a drug test, Aaron reveals how often he checks out ring fingers, and Charlie discusses how much he plays along with scammers at his gym.