Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Sharon McMahon (The Small and the Mighty) is a NYT bestselling author, podcast host, and known as America’s History Teacher. Sharon joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her favorite historical writers, how the government has been structurally set up, and what types of modern challenges the U.S. Supreme Court faces. Sharon and Dax talk about the different types of democracies, the importance of constructively challenging other’s ideas, and how dangerous it can be to have blind allegiance to a party. Sharon explains why some people may feel burned out by politics, the problems with proportional representation, and the value of having multiple political parties.

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Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone (Hildy the Barback and the Lake of Fire) are actors, comedians, and writers. Melissa and Ben join the Armchair Expert to discuss why they showed up in medieval costumes, having sleepovers with Glenn Close, and tickle parties. Melissa, Ben, and Dax talk about their clandestine relationship early on, how they deal with comedy comparison, and getting fired from CPK. Melissa and Ben explain the benefits of working with your spouse, how much they love flipping houses, and how they’ve maintained their appetites to keep creating.

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Yuval Noah Harari (Nexus, Sapiens, Homo Deus) is an author and historian. Yuval joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how people can be manipulated by misinformation, how powerful the role of an editor is, and how much our lives are shaped by bureaucracies. Yuval and Dax talk about how ideological gaps today compare to those in the past, what role algorithms play in the spread of mass media, and the difference between information and truth. Yuval explains his take on the artificial intelligence revolution, how AI is an agent and not a tool, and his suggestions for regulating it as it advances. 

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Sarah Paulson (Hold Your Breath, American Horror Story, 12 Years A Slave) is an award-winning actor and producer. Sarah joins the Armchair Expert to discuss when she knew she wanted to become an actress, her time spent in Florida with her dad in the summer, and her desire to do things outside her own experience and existence. Sarah and Dax talk about how important it is to be able to laugh at yourself, how hard it can be to deal with rejection, and who her lookalikes are. Sarah explains how impactful her relationship with Ryan Murphy has been on her career, her experience doing dramatizations of true crime stories, and why she feels like her anxiety defines certain aspects of her life. 

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

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Kimberley Quinlan is a therapist and anxiety specialist. Kimberley joins the Armchair Expert to discuss her self-compassion test, her techniques in treating anxiety disorders, and what orthorexia is. Kimberley and Dax talk about how much stress people can feel over their food choices, why having acceptance of your own personality traits is important, and the connection between OCD and eating disorders. Kimberley explains what olfactory reference syndrome is, what happens to your body when you criticize yourself, and tools you can use to get over the fear of flying. 

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Keegan-Michael Key (Transformers One, Key and Peele, Keanu) is an actor and comedian. Keegan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the lore of the Milford panther, growing up in Detroit, and gives a masterclass on the history of sketch comedy. Keegan and Dax talk about dark underbelly of Key and Peele comedy, how most characters are based on basic archetypes, and getting emotional while hosting SNL. Keegan explains how important it is to stay connected with your audience as a comedian, how social media has changed the way people consume comedy, and Shaquille O’Neal pops by for a visit. 

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Dax and Monica talk to Armcherries! In today's episode, Armcherries tell us a story about a social media fail.

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Michael Morris (Tribal) is a cultural psychologist and author. Michael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the misconceptions he had about the Midwest, fundamental attribution error, and the differences between individualism and collectivism. Michael and Dax talk about where the concept of tribalism came from, how language can affect behavioral choices, and why we learn to absorb the culture of whatever community is nurturing us. Michael explains what peer, hero, and ancestor instincts are, the problems with in-group favoritism, and how we can transcend toxic tribalism.

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Jeff Bridges (The Old Man, The Big Lebowski, True Grit) is an Academy Award-winning actor. Jeff joins the Armchair Expert to discuss how he broke his mom’s heart as a teenager, learning how to stage fight, and why he travels with his own chair. Jeff and Dax talk about when parents show you their “feet of clay,” the secret to keeping a healthy relationship, and how near death experiences can snap you out of your identity. Jeff explains how he came to terms with death when he was sick, finding comfort in uncertainty, and all the projects he’s involved in outside of acting.

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