David Sedaris (The Land and Its People, Happy-Go-Lucky, Calypso) is a bestselling author, humorist, and celebrated storyteller. David joins Armchair Expert to discuss discovering his name in the Epstein files, crossing state lines after midnight to have a tumor removed, and feeding it to a snapping turtle. David and Dax talk about testing and rewriting his essays onstage, giving relatives veto power over his stories, and evolving from writing about life’s biggest moments to writing about almost nothing. David explains why talking to strangers creates real connection, how treating words as violence distorts actual harm, and why comedy should be as tasteless as possible. Take printer ink off your back to school list with HP Smart Tank | https://hp.com/SmartTank Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ Watch the fact check: https://youtu.be/Ik22bEZFfwQ Watch Armchair Expert episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzPEuwClyOzDdlrAmU-IwKncG87qrF7Vw Follow Armchair Expert on social: https://www.instagram.com/armchairexppod https://www.facebook.com/ArmchairExpPod/ https://twitter.com/armchairexppod Connect with Wondery https://wondery.com/shows/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ https://www.facebook.com/WonderyMedia https://twitter.com/WonderyMedia https://www.instagram.com/WonderyMedia https://www.tiktok.com/@wonderymedia About the Show: Hi, I’m Dax Shepard, and I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly sexy. I invite you to join me as I explore other people’s stories. We will celebrate, above all, the challenges and setbacks that ultimately lead to growth and betterment. What qualifies me for such an endeavor? More than a decade of sobriety, a degree in Anthropology and four years of improv training. I will attempt to discover human “truths” without any laboratory work, clinical trials or data collection. I will be, in the great tradition of 16th-century scientists, an Armchair Expert. Watch Armchair Expert every MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, and FRIDAY here on Youtube! Listen to episodes ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/shows/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ Chapters: 0:00 - Selfies 4:11 - Parasocial Relationships 11:19 - Defecation on Your Filanges 19:37 - Changing Culture 32:38 - Feeding a Turtle a Tumor 43:06 - Changing as a Writer 51:14 - Dinner with the Driver 59:32 - Saying it Like it is 1:05:07 - Free From Duolingo 1:13:47 - Art Collection 1:20:33 - Lady Marmalade 1:25:40 - Punching Down 1:36:49 - Foreign Objects in Body #armchairexpert #daxshepard #davidsedaris #DavidSedarisInterview #TheLandAndItsPeople #MeTalkPrettyOneDay #Calypso #HappyGoLucky #DavidSedarisTour #DavidSedaris2026 #NewYorkerEssayist #SantalandDiaries #DavidSedarisEssays #HumoristInterview #LiteraryInterview #DavidSedarisBook #TheftByFinding #DressYourFamilyInCorduroy #AmericanHumorist #EssayistInterview