Monica Padman on Building Her Career & Finding Her Voice
Conversations with Cam
Cameron Oaks Rogers
4.7 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 18 February 2026
⏱️ 80 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, I sit down with Monica Padman, co-host and producer of Armchair Expert, for a conversation about her journey from aspiring actress to babysitter to speech writer to podcasting powerhouse. Monica shares how she navigated career pivots, the evolution of her role as co-host with Dax, and building confidence in real time. We dive into the behind-the-scenes of producing and editing episodes and new podcasts she’s created (like Beth’s Dead). Monica also talks about the impact of sharing her egg freezing journey publicly, the value of friendships, dealing with imposter syndrome, and recently being nominated for a Golden Globe. Finally, we dive into her favorite Armchair Expert moments, dream guests, our shared Friends obsession, and the process of moving into her new home!
Key Takeaway / Points:
Sharing my love for Armchair Expert as a long-time listener and Armcherry
Monica’s career evolution from nannying for Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard to becoming a co-creator and co-host of one of the top podcasts
How Monica built her confidence, found her voice, and developed her unique co-hosting style
Behind-the-scenes of booking, producing, and editing Armchair Expert episodes
How her relationship with Hollywood and celebrities has changed as a fangirl
Navigating opinions and feeling protective of her guests
What it was like sharing her egg freezing journey publicly, her current stance on family planning, and maintaining female friendships in different life stages
Monica on the feeling of belonging, experiencing imposter syndrome, and her recent experience at the Golden Globes
Favorite Armchair moments, dream guests, and what guest surprised her the most
Rapid fire: Monica’s favorite hosting recipes, favorite TV show, current fashion pick, and most valuable lessons learned from Kristen & Dax
Listen to Armchair Expert HERE
Listen to Beth’s Dead HERE
Follow Monica:
Instagram: @mlpadman
Follow me:
Instagram: @cameronoaksrogers
Substack: Fill Your Cup
Website: cameronoaksrogers.com
TikTok: @cameronoaksrogers
Youtube: Cameron Rogers
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I truly cannot believe that I'm saying these words, but today we are joined by the Lily Padman, |
| 0:06.7 | miniature mouse, whatever you may call her, Monica Padman. I have no words for this dream come true. |
| 0:14.0 | If you have been following me for a while, you know that this has been a dream for years and |
| 0:19.3 | years and years. I mean, I literally read an email to her that I sent |
| 0:22.2 | her five, almost six years ago, like requesting her and Dax to come on the show. And it's really |
| 0:29.3 | how we start this episode. So I'll let you hear it in a second. But she has been someone who has been in |
| 0:34.4 | my ear for so many hours of my life listening to Armitra expert |
| 0:39.0 | and who I've always really deeply admired and had like 10,000 questions for about her |
| 0:46.7 | transition from their babysitter to Kristen's right hand to the co-host of Armitra expert |
| 0:52.5 | to how she navigates those boundaries, to how |
| 0:55.7 | she feels around Hollywood as someone who was also, like myself, a massive fan girl as a kid, |
| 1:02.6 | to our friend's obsession, to everything back-end, armchair expert. Like, I have so many podcast |
| 1:08.1 | questions. We get into it all. |
| 1:11.2 | Like we go so many different directions. |
| 1:13.0 | I also really wanted to chat with her about her egg freezing journey and her current thoughts on like family planning and everything around her village and her bubble that she kind of surrounds herself with constantly, like this amazing group of friends |
| 1:27.8 | that I observe from a parasycial relationship of consuming her content. |
| 1:32.4 | But this was really just a dream come true. |
| 1:35.0 | And for all of you, Armcheries, I will say, she is as amazing as you would think. |
| 1:39.6 | And it was so parisocial and odd for me. |
| 1:42.4 | Honestly, the weirder part was when I was in the bathroom |
| 1:45.9 | and she called my cell phone and was like, hey, I'm downstairs, but like the front door |
| 1:49.8 | isn't opening when I buzz it. And something about hearing her in my ear, because that's where |
... |
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