Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard XX
[0] Are you at all worried that people won't be able to tell who's talking because we sound so similar?
[1] Well, Monica, I think you might be right.
[2] No, no. See, you're, you can't play a trick on people when they can't see our faces.
[3] But like, you know, I'm asking sincerely because this is my first foray into a podcast.
[4] So you are an experienced queen.
[5] Expert?
[6] Expert?
[7] Your borderline expert.
[8] So should I say, and this is Kristen, and then say my lines, my thoughts?
[9] Okay.
[10] Well, we have a long way to go.
[11] First of all, there are no lines in a podcast.
[12] Right.
[13] Does it feel like someone is talking to themselves?
[14] That's what I'm worried about.
[15] I'm worried.
[16] I'm worried.
[17] Well, maybe you don't use your super skill of imitation during this podcast.
[18] Okay.
[19] Yes, we have been told many times that our voices sound exactly alike.
[20] But here's where I will bump up against that.
[21] You get paid, shall we say, zillions of dollars.
[22] Yes.
[23] to implement your voice skills.
[24] So far, I have not been paid zillions of dollars.
[25] So I have like the mall version of your voice.
[26] So hopefully people can tell the difference between a lackluster version and a silky, beautiful, Kristen Bell version.
[27] Well, all I know is it's going to be a great show.
[28] We're doing a show together.
[29] Finally.
[30] Called We Are Supported by.
[31] Fun name.
[32] It is a nice name.
[33] because we're best friends and we love each other.
[34] And we often talk about the cracks in the ceiling and how we can make more accomplishments and opportunities available, not just to ourselves, but to other women.
[35] We often talk about how we're representing ourselves as business women.
[36] And then Monica had this ingenious idea.
[37] She was like, wait, we have microphones and recording equipment.
[38] And access to people.
[39] Yeah.
[40] Why don't we talk to some women and not just see how they did?
[41] it, but hear what they think about life and themselves and other women and relationships and mistakes.
[42] So me and you just did this little interview recently and somebody email me and said, hey, I really loved that because it wasn't just like, rah, raw, go girl.
[43] It was a very real conversation.
[44] And that's what we are bringing to the table here.
[45] We think, we hope.
[46] I think we will.
[47] I mean, don't get me wrong.
[48] There's a lot of go girl, do it queen underneath all of it.
[49] But Whereas that could lean into no nuance, toxic positivity, we're going to be real about it.
[50] You know, just to give a tiny bit of backstory, during the election, when Kamala was, what's it called?
[51] Up for it.
[52] Indicted.
[53] Not indicted.
[54] Innaugrated?
[55] Innaugrated.
[56] Oh, oh, this podcast is going south quick.
[57] We don't have any words.
[58] When she was inaugurated, I felt like there was this very special energy in the world.
[59] on the internet, like, I mean, of course, there was a lot of reasons for that.
[60] But even women who were on the opposite side of the political spectrum, they were like, yeah, this is a good day.
[61] This is a good day for us.
[62] Yeah, we'd been polarized for so long, and there was something very uniting about it with the female energy.
[63] Her coronation was extra, of Arundale, was extra special because no matter what you believed in, you were seeing something new, something different.
[64] were seeing yourself, yourself represented there.
[65] And I remember crying on the day that happened and my girl said, I thought you were happy.
[66] And I said, I am.
[67] I'm overwhelmed because when I was in school, there were all pictures of old white men on the walls.
[68] That will not happen to you.
[69] You will see a woman, a woman of color.
[70] You will see another human being represented and you can't undercut what that means to everyone.
[71] So we decided to make that a regular thing and try to bring a lot of the people who've put all those little cracks up there to your ears bringing them hot and fast uh -oh the man just entered the room here we go um we're recording do you want to say hi i would love to say hi and i also want to express my deep excitement for this show and for you two to alpha beasts in miniature little bodies running the town, running everyone's business.
[72] Mainly yours.
[73] Keeping everyone in line.
[74] No, I'm really thrilled you guys are doing this.
[75] Thank you.
[76] Me too.
[77] Me too.
[78] Full disclosure, we've done a few, and it's been a joy.
[79] It has really been special.
[80] I obviously was a ball of nerves in the beginning, and Monica was like, calm down, you're going to be fine.
[81] And I'm sure we edited out some of the stupid stuff.
[82] No, I left it all.
[83] And I'm here to take you down.
[84] That's what women do to each other.
[85] That's the focus of the podcast.
[86] No, I felt very protected by you and very helped and encouraged.
[87] And that's actually another example of shattering the glass because I have all these businesses where I'm on camera where I feel really comfortable.
[88] And this was one that I was new to.
[89] And you shepherded me and guided me in here.
[90] And I'm grateful to you.
[91] I tech shepherded you.
[92] You did.
[93] Well, I was just going to say, Monica, isn't it a joy to be better at Kristen than something?
[94] Oh, no. Yeah.
[95] I wasn't, unfortunately.
[96] When she said she was nervous and I was like, hon, you can do this in your sleep.
[97] It occurred to me, oh gosh, she wants our advice.
[98] We're always going to her for like acting advice, voiceover advice, life advice.
[99] Well, we started this by saying I have the mall version of her voice.
[100] No, you don't.
[101] Yes, I sure do.
[102] The mall version.
[103] I can own it.
[104] Is it too late to augment someone's voice in post?
[105] It's not too late.
[106] We'll see.
[107] Can I ask you guys a couple questions?
[108] Why not?
[109] I have seen you two over the last five years share some moments that I know I can't really participate in.
[110] You know, when RBG died, you guys were, you know, heartbroken in a way that was really sweet and powerful and allowed me to recognize like, oh yeah, I can't relate to the journey.
[111] And through y 'all's eyes, I've been able to see, like, these really momentous events and how powerful they are for you guys.
[112] And I'm happy for you guys that so many of these things have happened in the last few years.
[113] Watching you, Monica, get to talk to Hillary Clinton and Amy Poehler, I see the power of it.
[114] I see the sincerity of it.
[115] I see how much it affects both of your heart.
[116] So it doesn't shock me. You made her cry.
[117] Well, that's the girl.
[118] But first of all, because he's talking about our relationship, which is really special to me. And second of all, because I forgot that RBG died and that you mentioned it again.
[119] Sorry.
[120] Spoiler alert.
[121] She's still passed.
[122] Oh, that's great.
[123] This is going to shit.
[124] So fast.
[125] A man walks in and then a girl starts crying.
[126] Yeah, it is powerful.
[127] It is.
[128] And so I've just, I think in the last five years, I've really had a front row seat to how passionate you guys are about it.
[129] my curiosity, so I know why you guys did it.
[130] It's very obvious and I'm very happy for you both for doing it.
[131] What pressure do you feel either of you to have some kind of unified female perspective or mission statement or a collective consciousness?
[132] Like knowing that it's a mission driven kind of exploration, do you feel the way to that?
[133] I would like to say that a lot of the language is what I would like to change.
[134] I don't think there needs to be anything unified about a female perspective.
[135] The female perspective simply needs to be represented and on the map and in the conversation, not as a whisper.
[136] So, like, I'm surely going to disagree with plenty of women out there, but I want to hear from them.
[137] I want to make sure they feel like they are heard.
[138] I mean, it's a little bit like, you know, Voltaire's saying of, I may not agree with what you say, but I'll fight to the death for your right to say it.
[139] I just want to set the scene for women talking and seeing each other, seeing people who have accomplished really great things, but I certainly don't feel pressure.
[140] I just want this on the airwaves.
[141] Well, Monica, I completely agree.
[142] Oh, no. No, no. Monica's talking.
[143] She just did a double trick.
[144] I mean, yeah, this is not a mission -driven podcast.
[145] It's just a representative podcast.
[146] It's bringing all these stories that you don't really get to here shining a light on all these people who've done a lot for women.
[147] Yeah.
[148] It's a little bit like I work with the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund and women make up 50 % of the people on the globe and less than 1 % of global money goes to women's organizations.
[149] But they only make up half the population.
[150] Exactly.
[151] So why would they get more than 1%.
[152] More than 1%.
[153] So like there's just some math problems here.
[154] Well, I guess maybe what I was hinting at is to me. From the outside, it always looks a little precarious because there are people with definitions of what feminism looks like, and they seem to be quick to call out others who aren't fulfilling their definition of it.
[155] I'll see Chelsea Handler.
[156] I can't imagine someone that's more of a pillar in the feminist movement, getting shame for showing her boobs as if she's falling into some masculine desire.
[157] desire.
[158] I guess that's what I meant.
[159] We're not thinking that hard.
[160] You're not.
[161] No, we're not trying to make people believe one thing or not believe one thing.
[162] We're just having interesting conversations with even more interesting people.
[163] I don't ever like to make it grandiose, but every one of these people that we talk to really has changed the trajectory of professions, of the way we think as a society.
[164] And it's so powerful to get to pick those people's brains.
[165] And sharing stories is incredibly powerful.
[166] It creates some of the best movement in cultures or societies.
[167] And, you know, we all know Kamala's story.
[168] There is a woman in the White House now.
[169] We know that story.
[170] We've been affected by it.
[171] We've been inspired by it.
[172] We're giving you 10 other women whose stories you will now know.
[173] Yeah.
[174] You look skeptical.
[175] You want us to talk more about boobs or something?
[176] What's the problem?
[177] No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, I'm curious because I personally never am worried that I'm speaking for a group.
[178] I'm not.
[179] That's great.
[180] So you never, like, find yourself saying something in thinking, like, is that not feminist?
[181] You know, like, let's say you want something frivolous or you want to look sexy and get attention or you want, like, any of those.
[182] Well, we talk about this in the show.
[183] It comes up a fair amount with people.
[184] But, like, mainly, like, yeah, do you feel like you have to get in line?
[185] But we don't feel like that.
[186] And I guess the hope is that you can have your own personality and your own thoughts and ideas.
[187] And still be this group.
[188] Look, there are some people who identify as feminists who hate makeup and deodorant and great.
[189] And then there are other feminists who love high heels and makeup.
[190] Great.
[191] But they can all be on the same team.
[192] Yeah.
[193] That's good.
[194] I will also say, I don't know that it's because we've been doing this podcast or talking so much about this.
[195] But, you know, I've been pointing out some differences in your personality over the last.
[196] six weeks that have 100 % been positive.
[197] And over the last three weeks, I've really noticed a lot of patriarchical questions coming up in your brain and that you've been talking to me about.
[198] Like, you know, I wonder if I thought that just because that's the way society raised me or if I really think that or like when we're watching TV, you'll ask a question about a character.
[199] And a lot of them, Daxie, have been related to your status as a white male.
[200] or the patriarchy versus, you know, women throughout history.
[201] And I've been very impressed.
[202] And I'm not, I don't want Monica and I to take credit for it.
[203] I do.
[204] Because obviously you've been doing the work.
[205] But it is having an influence in this household.
[206] I love that.
[207] Well, I'm afraid of both you.
[208] So, you know, I think that helps.
[209] Well, I think specifically it was yesterday we were driving somewhere.
[210] And I was thinking, can I ask you, well, how would you, when you talk about the married couples in our pod, how do you say their names?
[211] Like, will you go through them?
[212] this is a great question.
[213] Okay, I say Kristen and Dax.
[214] Okay.
[215] I say Molly and Eric.
[216] I say Ryan and Amy.
[217] Me too.
[218] Ooh.
[219] And I say Eric and Charlie.
[220] Yeah.
[221] Oh, that's the one place we differ.
[222] I say Charlie and Erica.
[223] But I thought about it because I do say Molly and Eric.
[224] Laura and Matt, Charlie and Erica.
[225] But I was thinking syllabically, I say the easiest syllable for.
[226] first.
[227] Like, Eric is a little bit harder for your tongue.
[228] So I say Charlie and Erica or Molly and Eric.
[229] So the Eric is at the end.
[230] But I do say Ryan and Amy.
[231] Yeah.
[232] Well, we were driving yesterday and I was going through in my head what I call them.
[233] And I say Ryan and Amy, Charlie and Erica, Eric and Molly.
[234] And then I was like, am I, I would have assumed I was doing something phonetic.
[235] Like, oh, I must like the sound of it.
[236] And then I'm like, well, no, maybe because it's my primary connection to those groups is the guys.
[237] Like, that's who I'm first thinking.
[238] I'm reaching out to them way more than the women.
[239] And then I was like, or is it just like patriarchy?
[240] Like Mr. and Mrs. Mike Smith, like on an invite, you know.
[241] That's interesting.
[242] Yeah, and it's hard to know.
[243] Well, we never even discussed this on the podcast, but this is something that bugs me is that we still have, when you check a box, whether you're ordering something online or on a survey, there's one box for a mister.
[244] And now, thankfully, there's like, I prefer not to say my gender or I'm non -binary, which is great for anyone who feels that way.
[245] But for people who identify as women or ciswomen, there's miss and misses.
[246] And I think there's one more.
[247] Sometimes there's M -I -S -S -M -R -S.
[248] And it's like, you know, in France, they canceled the word mademoiselle.
[249] They canceled it because, I don't know what the male counterpart is in France.
[250] Monsour.
[251] and then they would say madame or mademoiselle to delineate between who was married and who was available and that's baloney.
[252] You don't need to know who's available.
[253] If you want to know if they're available, you can look at their finger or you can ask them.
[254] Yeah, but you don't, but the introduction doesn't tell you who's on the plate that you can feast on that night, you know?
[255] So that was a way for men to categorize who was available and they canceled the word mademoiselle.
[256] That's cool.
[257] And less and less people are wearing.
[258] wedding rings?
[259] How are the weeklies of the world to know what the reception is?
[260] Communication is so hard and scary.
[261] I obviously, as a single person, get a tiny bit triggered every time I have to mark MS versus MRS.
[262] Just like reminding us that there are two types of women, married women and single women.
[263] It's like, no. Yeah.
[264] I mean, also at this point, there's just so many variations.
[265] And, you know, we're moving into a different era where you can't really.
[266] ask those types of questions anymore and it's good.
[267] It's none of your business.
[268] Yeah.
[269] Yeah, none yeah.
[270] It's a really fun show.
[271] We're so excited and also yet again the theme song.
[272] I mean, this is a new level.
[273] Fucking Bob.
[274] Bob and Sarah Borellis and the Detroit Children's Choir.
[275] It's something.
[276] I don't know how we're not going to play the entirety because there's a four minute full song.
[277] I don't know how we're not going to play the full four minutes of the song each time.
[278] and we're going to want to rock out.
[279] Should we play it during the trailer?
[280] The actual full length?
[281] Oh, of course.
[282] This should end on that.
[283] So get out of your seats.
[284] If you're in your car, pull over.
[285] Take your seat.
[286] Take your bra off.
[287] Take your bra off.
[288] Put your dancing shoes on whether they're healed or flat, whatever you prefer.
[289] And listen to this jam, and please enjoy, we are supported by.
[290] This will air starting Wednesday, June 23rd.
[291] It will air every week, 10 episodes for now.
[292] And it'll be under the armchair umbrella.
[293] feed.
[294] So that's where you can find it.
[295] You can find it anywhere.
[296] Anywhere you listen to podcasts.
[297] And Robin, I will also do a more condensed mansplaining version of what the show is.
[298] At the end?
[299] Where you sum up what we've talked about.
[300] Yeah.
[301] Well, no, more accurately point out the errors you made according to us.
[302] You know what?
[303] That's on brand.
[304] Yeah.
[305] Yeah.
[306] I love you.
[307] I love you.
[308] And here comes our theme song.
[309] going to turn it up going to break it we're going to raise our hands going to raise our voice going to break it does up going to sing out loud going to stand up tall all for such a long time