Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard

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.

Craig Ferguson is a talk show host, comedian, and podcaster. Craig joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he carries extra underwear with him, how diverse Scotland is, and his journey into late-night television. Craig and Dax talk about what they have learned in getting older, who the desert fathers were, and their experiences with meditation. Craig explains what made him want to get sober, how he defines attractiveness, and why he wants to talk to people who aren't comedians. 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 time something crazy happened on Halloween. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adam Grant (Hidden Potential) is an organizational psychologist, professor, and author. Adam joins the Armchair Expert again to discuss how much he misses his family when on a book tour, how most people achieve their goals by being motivated, and the most effective way to teach someone a new language. Adam and Dax talk about how being a perfectionist can stifle someone's learning, how to overcome the fear of public speaking, and what the difference is between receiving advice and feedback. Adam explains the importance of having imperfections in the world, what the concept of scaffolding is for improving skills, and how people gain social status in different environments. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Chainsmokers are musicians, DJs, and producers. Alex and Drew join the Armchair Expert to discuss their anonymity as DJs, how they have maintained a successful partnership, and where they get creative inspiration from. Alex & Drew talk about why they became interested in venture capitalism, their love for performing live, and how they balance who they are on stage versus real life. They explain what their experience has been collaborating with other musicians, how they handle reading misinformation about themselves, and what social media has done for young creators. 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 the most generous act of hospitality they've received. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Robert Sapolsky (Behave, Determined) is a behavioral scientist and author. Robert joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why he was drawn to studying the social habits of baboons, how their behavior relates to human psychology, and what we learned from Phineas Gage. Robert and Dax talk about how conditioning helps people get through stressful situations, how culture affects the development of the human brain, and how child raising is different in a collective society. Robert explains the myth of grit, how praise and punishment are used to try to shape people, and his view of free will. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jada Pinkett Smith is an actor, producer, and talk show host. Jada joins the Armchair Expert to discuss where she got her sense of punctuality from, how difficult it can be to share your life with the public, and her experience with abandonment. Jada and Dax talk about what she learned about loyalty from Tupac, what it was like being robbed at gunpoint, and how she feels about asking for help. Jada explains what it's like to have a shared identity with another person, her four-day ayahuasca journey, and how she learned to love herself and others at the same time. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.