Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Episode: Mom's Car: Nate Tuck
Date: October 14, 2025
Guest: Nate Tuck
Host: Dax Shepard, with Aaron (frequent guest/friend)
Overview
In this “Mom’s Car” episode, Dax reunites with his longtime friend, producer, and "creative soulmate" Nate Tuck, joined by Aaron. The trio takes a nostalgic and hilariously honest ride through their shared history—reminiscing about wild parties, childhood and family stories, youthful jobs, brushes with danger, and the messiness of being human. The episode’s tone is candid, irreverent, and filled with warmth and self-deprecating humor, with each story leading to reflections on growth, friendship, and the absurdities of adulthood.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Nostalgia for “Mom’s Car” Days
[01:21] - [02:58]
- Dax sets the scene: three friends riding in a car, reminiscent of their early adulthood.
- Nate jokes about always being "in a meeting" and decompressing.
- Lighthearted banter about Dax’s affection for Kristen’s sensible car:
“I fucking love it.” — Dax [02:44]
Adventures & Misadventures: Bachelor Party & Off-Road Races
[03:02] - [09:02]
- Nate’s bachelor party in the desert: hungover friends, wild off-road rides, and the unexpected terrors of Class 1 cars.
- The "hammer down" off-roading advice: accelerate even when scared, directly opposing natural instincts.
"You see something scary, hammer down. It’s always better to have the front end light." — Dax [03:41]
- The chaos and puking aftermath, with hungover men vomiting by the trail.
- Dynamics of men acting wild, including Nate’s infamous party trick: coming out in just a weight belt, inspecting the house, and doing calisthenics.
- Reflections on how different behaviors (like stripping at parties) would be interpreted today.
Family Stories: Dads, Outbursts, and Childhood Memories
[11:02] - [16:08]
- Stories of wild road trips, car accidents, and parental tempers.
- Nate describes a van flip in college; first instinct after the crash was embarrassment.
- Both hosts reflect on parental reactions, and their own struggles to hold back swearing and temper in front of their kids.
“Try not to, but it is... God. Motherfuck. And I will think about my dad, who tried so hard to hold back. I gotta do better.” — Nate [14:08]
Friendship, Parenthood, and Responsibility
[14:18] - [16:16]
- Comparing ages at parenthood, maturity, and readiness.
- Pet stories: Nate never had pets until adulthood; his family’s dog hated the kids.
“My dog I grew up with hated us…only liked our mom.” — Nate [15:45]
Blue-Collar Upbringings & Early Jobs
[22:42] - [26:31]
- Vivid stories of childhood jobs: roofing, HVAC, digging trenches, and working in a slaughterhouse.
- The “gift” of those brutal jobs as motivation for a different future.
- Gruesome slaughterhouse memories: shoveling animal sludge, disgusting environments, and taking payment in ribs.
“Five seconds... Of course you did. That’s hysterical.” — Nate on accepting ribs as payment [24:17]
- Dax and Aaron laughing at their younger selves dry heaving, getting covered in filth, and then going straight to White Castle for burgers, noting the absurdity and toughness required in their fathers’ generation.
Adventures in Script Delivery & Encounters with Celebrities
[33:00] - [38:17]
- Nate’s first Hollywood job: driving scripts around LA, often after hours, sometimes to celebrities.
- Epic “Jean Claude Van Damme” story:
- Delivering to Van Damme late at night, finding him in a robe, cocktail in hand, with a woman in the background.
- Van Damme’s polite but intense “thank you” routine all the way down the walk—hilarious and surreal.
“I was like, what if he roundhouses me?” — Nate [36:08]
Road Rage & Self-Reflection
[38:17] - [40:50]
- Nate’s road rage moment: ready to fight after excessive horn use, only to confront an 80-year-old man, leading to instant regret, self-awareness, and an end (for years) to his road rage habit.
“I looked around. I saw everyone. I felt immediately like a villain in a story.” — Nate [40:05]
- Dax and Aaron share their own emotional growth in contrast.
Origin of Friendships & Early Party Days
[41:04] - [45:18]
- Stories about how Nate, Dax, and Aaron first started hanging out—missed opportunities, wild trips, grad parties, and quick bonds forged through debauchery and camaraderie.
- Aaron’s “jealousy” of Nate for being Dax’s LA best friend.
“He was the only friend of Dax’s I thought, oh, this guy might be…” — Aaron [45:05]
Listener Story: Wild Workplace Accusation
[46:20] - [50:36]
- Reading a wild listener email (in Nate’s honor): wrongful accusation of sexual harassment involving a claim of fingers inserted during work.
- The group analyzes logistics, laughs at the absurdity, and provides comic commentary on flawed anatomy and human behavior.
“You're not making out in the closet. You said naked men.” — Dax [49:12]
Reflection & Closing Moments
[50:44] - [51:19]
- The trio reflects on the nostalgia of riding together, the vulnerability and humor of aging friendships, and the value of their shared experiences.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On overcoming instinct in off-roading:
“You see something scary, hammer down. It’s always better to have the front end light.”
— Dax, recalling racing advice [03:41] -
On post-crash embarrassment:
“My first feeling was embarrassment… And then I was like the driver trying to make sure he was okay. Meanwhile, he’s the one who fucking bought it.”
— Nate [11:16] -
On generational emotional restraint:
“Forget the behavior. It's the words. And then forbid those sounds come out during your tirade.”
— Dax [13:54] -
On White Castle after a day at the slaughterhouse:
“He ordered like 20 hamburgers… and a black coffee. Oh, man.”
— Dax [31:02] -
On encountering Jean Claude Van Damme:
“The door opens, and it’s Jean Claude Van Damme. He is in a robe, chest showing, holding a cocktail… and a woman crosses frame also in a bathrobe.”
— Nate [35:01] -
On instant regret in road rage:
“An 80 year old man steps out. And I stop and I look around and everybody in the intersection is staring at me. I felt so bad… I put my hand up and said, I’m sorry.”
— Nate [40:05] -
On the oddity of a workplace accusation:
“Three fingers up an ass is gonna take some doing.”
— Dax [49:24] -
On male friendships:
“So at that point, I remember us being in the backyard of our house and we were just hugging on each other, drinking. It was just very loving…”
— Nate [44:04]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Memories of Car Rides & Adult Nostalgia: 01:21 – 02:58
- Bachelor Party & Off-Road Racing Fiascos: 03:02 – 09:02
- Family Mishaps & Parental Temper: 11:02 – 16:08
- Blue-Collar Jobs & Slaughterhouse Story: 22:42 – 26:31
- Jean Claude Van Damme Delivery Story: 33:00 – 38:17
- Nate’s Road Rage Epiphany: 38:17 – 40:50
- Listener’s Wild Workplace Accusation: 46:20 – 50:36
- Closing Reflections on Friendship: 50:44 – 51:19
Summary Tone & Takeaways
This episode captures the messy, hilarious, and poignant reality of long friendships and growing up. Dax and his friends blend raunchy storytelling, childhood and adult vulnerability, and comic timing to remind listeners why old friends (and stories of near-disaster) are so essential for understanding ourselves. They celebrate enduring bonds, hard-earned wisdom, and the comic absurdity of human life, all while (literally) riding through Los Angeles—“armchair expert” style.
Ideal for:
Fans of unfiltered stories about friendship, nostalgia, blue-collar Americana, and the ways our messy pasts shape who we become—told with honesty, humor, and heart.