What Is Armchair Expert? The Podcast, the Hosts and the Armcherries

Some podcasts keep it short. Armchair Expert takes its time, and that's exactly why its listeners love it. Here's a quick guide to the show behind our merch, for new listeners and longtime Armcherries.

What is Armchair Expert?

Armchair Expert is a weekly interview podcast hosted by Dax Shepard and Monica Padman. They sit down with celebrities, journalists and academics for long, candid conversations about what the show calls "the messiness of being human". Episodes often run for around two hours, and at the end Monica fact-checks Dax.

When did it start?

The podcast premiered on February 14, 2018. The first guest was actress Kristen Bell, Dax's wife. Dax started it "on a lark", after enjoying being a guest on other people's podcasts, and it became the most downloaded new podcast of 2018 on iTunes.

Where is it recorded?

In the attic of Dax's guest house, with the two hosts at their microphones.

Who are the Armcherries?

That's what Dax and Monica call their fans. It's also why so many of our designs feature cherries: two cartoon cherries strutting arm in arm, a scratchy pair drawn in one red, a cherry stamped with the AE initials.

Is there more than one show?

Yes. The Armchair family has grown over the years. Armchair Anonymous lets listeners tell their own stories, and Armchaired & Dangerous had David Farrier bringing Dax and Monica a new conspiracy theory. The hosts have also taken the show on the road, including Armchaired & Dangerous Live at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on February 17, 2022.

Why wear the merch?

Because two-hour conversations make you feel like part of the room. A crow, a cherry or a duck on your sleeve is a small sign to other listeners that you're in it too.

Ready to pull up a chair? Shop the Armchair Expert collection.