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Erin & Sara Foster

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Hosted by Dax Shepard

2h 10m
Transcript

Original podcast

Summary

Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.

In this episode, the guest Erin and Sarah Foster join the hosts to discuss their upbringing as daughters of music producer David Foster, their career trajectories in writing and fashion, and the success of Erin's hit Netflix series Nobody Wants This. The conversation explores family dynamics, sibling relationships, and overcoming the challenges of growing up in the spotlight. They candidly discuss the complexities of parental relationships, the realities of Hollywood expectations, and the shift from trying to break into acting to finding their true voice in writing and building the clothing brand Favorite Daughter.

  • Recognizing that parents are human beings with their own struggles can help heal childhood resentment. 38:24
  • Writing and creative pursuits can offer a more authentic path when acting fails to provide fulfillment. 1:04:57
  • A supportive network and family background can provide advantages, but work must ultimately stand on its own merit. 1:00:28
  • Letting go of control and pressure in sibling relationships often leads to better connection and mutual participation. 21:22

Chapters

  1. 0:00
    Episode Introduction and Host Welcome

    The hosts greet listeners and introduce the Foster sisters as guests.

  2. 0:55
    Quince Sponsored Segment Begins

    The show shifts to a sponsor message for Quince, highlighting their product line.

  3. 4:06
    Nepo Baby Narrative and Privilege

    The sisters reflect on growing up as children of David Foster and the impact of nepotism on their careers.

  4. 5:00
    Business Model: Clothing vs. Podcast

    The conversation focuses on how the sisters balance their apparel brand with their podcast as a marketing tool.

  5. 23:26
    Personal Growth and Therapy Journey

    The sisters share their late start in therapy and how it shaped their personal development.

  6. 35:22
    Teen Accounts and Social Media Safety

    The hosts discuss Instagram’s teen accounts feature and its importance for online safety.

  7. 37:39
    Father Relationship and Healing Moments

    The conversation turns to their relationship with their father, his illness, and moments of reconciliation.

  8. 42:07
    Navigating Fame and Family Pressure

    The Foster sisters discuss how their parents’ celebrity status shaped their early experiences and the expectations placed on them.

  9. 43:43
    Early Career Struggles and Financial Reality

    They reflect on the paradox of being famous yet broke, sharing anecdotes about being recognized but unable to afford simple pleasures.

  10. 45:00
    Switzerland Experience and Self‑Discovery

    Sarah shares her transformative year in Switzerland, detailing how the boarding school experience helped her find confidence and a new sense of self.

  11. 46:40
    Creating Barely Famous and Industry Challenges

    They discuss the conception of their reality‑style show, the hurdles of pitching it to networks, and the eventual cancellation that tested their resilience.

  12. 47:30
    Personal Relationships and Public Perception

    The episode delves into their romantic histories, the impact of public scrutiny, and how they navigate personal boundaries in the spotlight.

  13. 1:04:05
    Transition from Acting to Writing

    The sisters explain how they moved from acting careers to writing, highlighting the pivotal moments that led to their first staff writing job.

  14. 1:22:26
    Rekindling Old Friendships

    The hosts revisit their early friendship with Dax, recalling how their bond deepened over time.

  15. 1:35:12
    The Birth of a Show

    They discuss the early days of the show, its initial struggles, and the eventual breakthrough that turned it into a cultural phenomenon.

  16. 1:51:24
    Health, Wellness, and Self‑Care

    They discuss seasonal affective disorder, exercise habits, and the importance of mental and physical well‑being.

  17. 2:00:00
    Navigating Parenthood and Partnership

    The couple talks about balancing their relationship with the demands of raising two children and maintaining open communication.

Highlights

  • 6:00

    Naming the Podcaststory

    The guests discuss how they originally wanted a title similar to Nobody Wants This for their podcast and settled on The World's First Podcast after feeling like they were late to the medium.

  • 37:20

    Healing Through Storiesstory

    The host shares an emotional realization about his father's regret over leaving the family, highlighting how simple acknowledgments from parents can heal old wounds.

  • 38:59

    Sharing Similar Childhood Epiphaniesstory

    Erin shares a parallel story about her father admitting how much he missed her as a baby, mirroring the host's experience of parental vulnerability.

  • 48:10

    Finding Identity in Switzerlandstory

    Sarah talks about running away from her life in Malibu to attend a boarding school in Switzerland, where she experienced a completely different social hierarchy.

  • 54:13

    Dad's Piano Advicestory

    David Foster tells a young Erin that she does not have the piano talent he has and advises her to go find the thing she would do through a broken hand.

  • 1:13:22

    Creating Barely Famousstrategy

    The sisters describe how they turned industry rejections and the constant calls for reality TV into a scripted satire about two girls refusing to do reality television.

  • 1:34:41

    Father's Reaction to the Showstory

    When Erin finally tells her father's family about her show, her father-in-law's only request is to make them look rich, which freed her to write without fear.

Quotes

  • “I think some of them are a little suspicious.”
    Dax Shepard · 10:36
  • “I had no money, Sarah. That was the weirdest thing is to be famous and be broke.”
    Dax Shepard · 43:43
  • “I was just like, oh, okay. It was a really freeing moment and I really genuinely appreciate this about him”
    Unnamed speaker · 54:17
  • “I think probably when you were younger, there was maybe probably more of it.”
    Dax Shepard · 45:17
  • “I need friendship first. I've never just like met someone and fallen in love.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:22:36
  • “I remember being like, Kate, this is crazy, it's like my best friend.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:23:41
  • “I was like, oh my god, has she ever kissed you like that?”
    Dax Shepard · 1:36:55
  • “The average height for adult men in the United States is five feet, nine inches.”
    Unnamed speaker · 2:16:14
  • “It affects sexual function in the body's reproductive response due to lower oxygen levels.”
    Unnamed speaker · 2:18:37
  • “He announced the introduction of Sharia penal law on October 22nd, 2013.”
    Unnamed speaker · 2:19:53
  • YouTube Premium 0:55–1:16
  • Quince 1:16–2:55
  • Allstate 32:12–32:49
  • YouTube Premium 32:45–34:20
  • Squarespace 34:17–35:26
  • Instagram teen accounts 35:22–36:35
  • HP 1:07:29–1:08:06
  • AG1 1:07:53–1:10:05
  • Walden University 1:10:25–1:11:21
  • Superhuman 1:10:34–1:12:05
  • HP 2:01:52–2:03:09

About this episode

Erin and Sara Foster (Nobody Wants This, The World’s First Podcast, Favorite Daughter) are producers, entrepreneurs, and podcast hosts. Erin and Sara join the Armchair Expert to discuss thinking their dad was unimpressive next to Goldie Hawn, refusing to join their family’s reality show, and Sara starting therapy after Erin’s intervention. Erin, Sara, and Dax talk about the temptation to buy podcast views, why listeners prefer their episodes without guests, and building a business around people knowing the real them. Erin and Sara explain why money doesn’t erase childhood hurt, how one story from their dad changed Erin’s understanding of being loved, and why winning a fight can still feel like losing. Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime. Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

0:00
2:10:42

30,058 words · 4 speakers

Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

Topics

  • Beverly Hills
  • BuzzFeed
  • Sunland
  • Trader Joe's
  • Albertson's
  • Wardie pumpkin
  • People Magazine
  • Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated