Las Culturistas w/ Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Episode: “Overqualified” (w/ Becca Ramos AKA Producer Becca!)

Air Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode celebrates longtime Las Culturistas producer Becca Ramos as she steps into the spotlight as a guest, promoting the launch of her own podcast, Welcome to El Barrio. The conversation weaves together Becca’s journey from behind-the-scenes producer to public-facing host, her cultural diaspora as a Puerto Rican raised in Texas, reflections on pop culture, identity, and the powerful emotional terrain of coming into your own. It’s filled with laughter, vulnerability, and classic Culturistas energy, plus a candid roundtable on fashion, music obsession, cultural roots, and even New York City apartment hunting.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Becca Ramos’ Personal & Professional Journey

• Transitioning from producer to host is vulnerable but empowering for Becca.
  • “[Now] it’s my job to also be the face.” (07:17, Becca)
• Launching Welcome to El Barrio (trailer and pre-save available, launching Feb 3 on Michael Tura Network), Becca aims to bridge Puerto Rican stories across the island and diaspora.
• Her upbringing spans LA, Houston, and Portland; her parents are Puerto Rican from differing backgrounds—one island-raised, one NYC/LA—giving a unique diasporic experience.
  • “I kind of put my Texas life on a shelf sometimes.” (29:03, Becca)
  • “I want to achieve this big, grandiose life. I don’t know what that looks like, but I know I can’t do it here in Texas.” (29:43, Becca)

2. Pop Culture: Fashion, Beyoncé, and Merch Obsession

• The trio discusses fashion and their approaches to color, prints, and statement pieces (“You are the best dressed person, yeah, yeah. But you know that.” 07:38, Bowen).
• Beyoncé’s frequent reinventions—Renaissance (silver), Cowboy Carter (denim), and a predicted leather-clad rock era—spark a spirited talk about merch-buying impulses.
  • “Beyoncé’s the only [artist] that I’m like...I have to buy the merch.” (10:53, Becca)

3. Latino Cultural Identity & Diaspora

• Becca unpacks complexities of being Afro-Latina, often feeling not “enough” for either side—feeling “ugly” in Texas until moving elsewhere, and navigating language challenges as a non-fluent Spanish speaker.
• She recounts her mom fiercely defending her from being bullied for “not being Puerto Rican enough” at a quinceañera:
  • “Nobody will make fun of my child for not being Puerto Rican enough for not speaking Spanish...I can yell at everybody in Spanish because I speak both languages.” (92:36, Becca)
• The tension between island Puerto Ricans and diaspora is a recurring theme Becca wants to “bridge” on her new podcast (44:27, Becca).

4. Baylor University & Greek Life in Texas (18:07+)

• Becca's college experience at Baylor during a tumultuous period of scandal and “rape culture” shaped her worldview on whiteness, safety, assimilation, and survival as a POC.
• “I didn’t know I was hot until I left Texas.” (21:17, Becca)

5. Love, Dating, and Internalized Expectations

• Becca’s story of dating her (older, white) college TA highlights the challenges and awakenings around assimilation, family prejudice, and self-acceptance.
  • “It was like, the first moment that I was like, oh, it doesn’t matter how much I try to assimilate, I will never be enough...” (27:00, Becca)

6. Puerto Rico: Rediscovery and Creative Work (40:11+)

• Frequent trips to Puerto Rico for work and family have helped Becca heal and re-root in her culture, inspiring her podcast’s origin stories and connections to local creatives.
• “Now I have friends on the island. It doesn’t feel like I’m on vacation so much. It feels like I’m coming home.” (41:59, Becca)
• First podcast episodes are recorded in Puerto Rico, purposely centering the island’s voice.

7. Bad Bunny, Community, & Cultural Power

• Extended recollection of attending Bad Bunny’s Choli residency in Puerto Rico: inclusive production, affordable pricing for locals, real efforts to surge the local economy, and fostering a true party vibe.
  • “He really is for the culture and he’s outside.” (47:31, Becca)
• “Puerto Rico es una cama twin” – everyone knows everyone, and Becca shares how close she came professionally to influential people through a few degrees of separation.

8. Struggles with Language, ADHD, & Dyslexia (56:08+)

• Becca discusses the impact of late-diagnosed ADHD and dyslexia on language learning, and how this affects her confidence about speaking Spanish within her community.
• “I always struggled with critical reads, even though English is my favorite class...But now I’m looking back, I’m like, oh yeah, it was so prevalent, my issues.” (58:17, Becca)

9. Tumblr & Internet Culture Roots

• Becca’s teenage obsessions—Twilight, Hot Topic, and Tumblr—shaped much of her emo/alt-girl identity and early creative expression.
  • “When you open your Tumblr, you open your heart. That’s rule culture number 30.” (79:02, Bowen)

10. Apartment Hunting Hell in NYC

• In the “I Don’t Think So, Honey” segment, Becca vents about cutthroat real estate, deposits lost, unrealistic income requirements (“guarantor must make 100x rent”), dog prejudice, and last-minute scramble culture.
  • “It’s insane out here...They should put the market three months in advance.” (113:41, Becca)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Posterity & Identity:
  “I didn’t find out what Afro Latina meant until 2017. I was like, that’s me.” (23:10, Becca)

• On Cultural Belonging:
  “It doesn’t matter how much I try to assimilate; I will never be enough for these [white, wealthy] families.” (27:00, Becca)

• On Bad Bunny’s Commitment:
  “He really is outside, in the community, networking with real Puerto Ricans, and he is really doing the work.” (48:03, Becca)

• On Diaspora & Gentrification:
  “How do I not be a parasite to this community? How do I be a part of the good in this community?” (54:27, Becca)

• On Tumblr’s Power:
  “When you open your Tumblr, you open your heart.” (79:02, Bowen)

• On Language & Privilege:
  “People hold onto the language because it is so attached to your culture...now I have much more empathy to those who have given me a hard time.” (59:19, Becca)

• On Empowerment:
  “Selfishly, I’m just really grateful to be making a lot of new friends and meeting Puerto Ricans. They’re making me feel at home, like I have this extended family.” (95:01, Becca)

Episode Timeline & Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:34 | Start (post-ads), multiple liquid day, trending hydration facts | | 03:56 | Doxy-PEP, STIs, frank sexual health chat | | 05:06 | Welcoming Becca as a guest, her podcast announcement | | 07:17 | The anxiety & reality of “front-facing” promotion | | 08:35 | Sartorial style, fashion philosophy, color stories | | 10:07 | Beyoncé era/merch discussion, fast fashion | | 13:30 | Texas roots, Baylor, college experiences, assimilation | | 18:07 | Baylor’s football and Greek culture, safety, whiteness | | 21:17 | Discovering self-worth beyond Texas | | 27:00 | Dating, heartbreak, and never being “enough” for white families | | 29:03 | Putting Texas “on a shelf,” newfound cultural appreciation | | 40:11 | Puerto Rico trips & podcast origin, increasing connection | | 44:27 | Dynamics between island & diaspora Puerto Ricans | | 47:31 | Bad Bunny, community efforts, the “Choli” concerts | | 53:03 | Mom-daughter dynamics at Bad Bunny show, parent as full person | | 54:27 | Gentrification parallels, “being a part of the good” | | 56:08 | ADHD, dyslexia, and language learning challenges | | 71:32 | The culture that made Becca say “culture is for me”—Twilight | | 76:00 | Tumblr & mono-culture vs. algorithm, writing as outlet | | 101:13 | “I Don’t Think So, Honey” Segment | | 113:41 | Becca’s apartment-hunting woes | | 115:54 | Becca’s podcast promo—Welcome to El Barrio (Feb 3 debut) |

Guest Details: Becca Ramos

• Podcast: Welcome to El Barrio, debuting Feb 3
• Premise: Bridging Puerto Rican culture and history between the island, diaspora, and specifically diasporicans in the U.S.; blending interviews, historical context, and personal “barrio” stories.
• First Episodes: Feature academics, writers, artists engaged in liberation & community work—Jorrell Melendez Barrío, Santiago Ortiz, and Mikey Cordero among others.

Tone & Atmosphere

• Deeply honest and candid, with Culturistas’ signature quick wit and pop savvy.
• Reflective and empowering, centering on Becca’s learning, unlearning, and bridging the gaps in culture, language, and self-perception.
• Brimming with supportive energy from Matt and Bowen, who continually affirm Becca’s achievements and influence on their show.
• Occasional playfulness: pop culture debates, fashion/fandom confessions, and loving teasing about dogs and Tumblr days.

Conclusion

This episode stands out for its emotional resonance, record of self-discovery, and the unobstructed joy of seeing a beloved collaborator realize her creative vision. Becca’s journey, from feeling “overqualified” but overlooked to self-empowered, offers a lens on what representation, cultural bridging, and personal healing can look like in a pop culture landscape. The episode is both a celebration and an invitation to look closer—in our families, our culture, and our own stories.

Listen for:

• The launch of Welcome to El Barrio (Feb 3)
• Becca’s vulnerable “barrio” stories and those of her guests
• Smart, nuanced dives into Latinx pop, punk-emo Tumblr adolescence, and the messy heart of belonging—wherever home may be