Betty Draper + Courtney Cook

Summary

Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone

Episode: Betty Draper + Courtney Cook
Date: January 14, 2026
Podcast Network: Dear Media

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Episode Overview

Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone are back for another irreverent, pop culture-obsessed episode of Ride. This week, each host 'rides for' a particular blonde icon: Benito spotlights TikTok personality and English teacher Courtney Cook, while Mary Beth deep-dives into the Mad Men icon Betty Draper (and actress January Jones). The conversation dizzily careens through Gen Z TikTok trends, personal rituals, 2000s TV nostalgia, musical theater, and hot takes on eating culture, all delivered with the duo's signature, "bestie-brained" banter. The episode is a celebration of idiosyncratic womanhood, the joys of harmless obsessions, and the internet’s endless supply of comfort personalities.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Infinite Universe of Music and Cultural Creation

• Reflecting on Timelessness: The show opens with an appreciation for how music continues to evolve, with Mary Beth marveling at how new songs become new obsessions, referencing Lizzie McAlpine's "Spring Into Summer" and Olivia Dean's growing stardom.
• Quote:

  “It must be so crazy as a musician. Like, we're still hearing new album titles. The first time I heard ‘Virgin’ I thought, that's so crazy that that hasn't been used.” — Benito (01:36)

• The hosts muse on how art doesn’t displace the old, it just adds more layers, leading to discussions of personal music phases and appreciating eras.

2. Social Encounters, Recognition, and the Weirdness of Microfame

• Not Remembering Everyone: Mary Beth speaks candidly about not remembering everyone she meets, noting it’s a “human thing” and not ego. Benito shares the unnaturalness of public figures being recognized by strangers, which can make remembering faces even harder.
• Quote:

  "So like the sheer amount of people that we're meeting is like, maybe I'm wrong. But no, I think you're right." — Benito (05:47)

• The hosts joke about developing “face blindness” and the awkwardness that can come with repeated brief interactions, touching on themes of connection vs. performance.

3. Algorithm Addiction and the Joy/Danger of Perfect Content

• TikTok Magic: Benito describes his TikTok algorithm as finally “getting him,” delivering exactly the soothing/chaotic content that perfectly fits his present obsessions (“It’s not trying to pander, it’s just like, 'we got you, kid'”).
• They swap TikTok stories, plushie unboxings, and the ease of unintentional purchases on apps (“TikTok Shop's trickery—you hit buy and suddenly, it’s done.”)
• Both hosts acknowledge the double-edged sword of content that’s too perfectly tailored—if it gets too good, “then I’ll never close the app.” (Mary Beth, 07:45)

4. The Cult of Comfort YouTubers/TikTokers (Spotlight on Courtney Cook: Segment ~20:25-29:36)

[20:25] – Courtney Cook Deep Dive

• Who is Courtney Cook?
  • Benito introduces the “relatable blonde bob queen” and TikTok English Lit teacher from Atlanta who posts about her meals, classroom life, and everyday joy.
  • She’s known for her signature phrase, “We ain’t stressing,” which Benito has adopted as a mental health mantra:

    “She goes, we ain’t stressing. And I’ve literally thought that was so—like, if she gets milk on the counter, she just goes ‘we ain’t stressing.’” (22:39)

  • Cook’s “onion cup” lunch hack (soup dumplings scooped with onion layers) and “Ploughman’s lunch” tantalize Benito, who marvels at her unselfconscious approach to eating, the real presence she has on camera, and her warmth as a teacher (24:11).

[24:30] – Details That Endear

• Teaching With Heart: Cook brings in her mom for recipes, shares pregnancy cravings, and is widely beloved by students and parents.
• Cooking as Self-Love/Abundance: Benito celebrates her lack of "calorie counting or guilt," seeing it as radical, joyful, and grounding.

  “There’s such a joy, and there’s, like, there’s no calorie counting. There’s no guilt about eating. It’s so, like, I eat and I’m hungry, and I’m eating right now.” (25:14)

• She’s Not “Trying to Entertain”: Benito and Mary Beth love that Cook’s viral fame seems authentic and uncalculated—she shares out of genuine enjoyment, not as a career maneuver (48:10).

[29:36] – Viral Power & Wholesome Fandom

• Her affection for “bouderkaze” cheese, regular British roasts, and her penchant for giving credit for international dishes are all noted.
• Benito is open about finding comfort and safety in Cook’s presence, and wanting to cast her in future acting projects.

5. TV Nostalgia & The Complexity of Betty Draper (Segment ~34:52-44:56)

[34:52] – Mary Beth "Rides for" Betty Draper

• Mad Men Reverence: Mary Beth talks lovingly about her journey with the show, the complexity of Betty Draper’s character, and the significance of representation for complex women on TV.
• Quote:

  “She is definitely flawed…but I just have so much empathy for this character who I feel like…was just praised for [her beauty] her whole life. And then as women age…It was sort of beautiful to see that character navigating all that she was going through.” — Mary Beth (39:01)

• They discuss the importance of flaws and multidimensionality in “difficult” women characters, defending both Betty and, in tangential conversation, Carrie Bradshaw as necessary for dramatic storytelling.
• Quote:

  “There has to be conflict. And also, like, I haven’t met anyone who’s perfect except Courtney Cook. But we haven’t met.” — Benito (41:10)

[43:01] – Iconography and Fandom

• Memorable Moments:
  • Betty’s shotgun scene: “Her immediate response, that used to be my phone background. Just her, one cigarette hanging out of her mouth and holding the shotgun.” (43:01)
  • The hosts rhapsodize about the fashion, the water-cooler TV era, and January Jones’s magnetism.
• TV as Lifelong Companion:
  • The show is celebrated for its rich backgrounds, flashback structure, and the lasting power of its characters.
  • Mary Beth predicts Benito will fall hard for Mad Men on his own time, sharing her own experience of “waiting until you’re ready” for a big TV show to click (52:19).

6. Entertainment “Authenticity” & The TikTok Generation

• Concerns with Influencer Culture:
  • Mary Beth confesses initial apprehension about TikTok-viral personalities—not everyone needs to be an entertainer, and not every internet personality is authentic.
  • Cook, though, is praised for just doing what she likes (48:11).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On fandom & comfort creators:

  “I’m just completely enamored of her and I just, I, I, I wonder if she would listen to this. I hope she would.” — Benito (28:08)

• On the enduring power of complex women in TV:

  “It was important to me, as a young woman, to see that representation on TV, and just how much rich backstory you can create in an hour-long program.” — Mary Beth (41:13)

• Banter about cultural osmosis & TikTok fakeouts:

  “Are you annoyed because he's gay or is he annoying?” — Benito (45:07)
  “Is she a demon, or is she a woman?” — Mary Beth (45:10)

• On “British Lit” teachers and childhood obsessions:

  “Me and British lit. I would have gone. My paper’s already turned in. Five paragraph essay, assert, support, explain. It’s done.” — Benito (28:14)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:36] — Discussion on the infinity of music and naming albums
• [05:45] — The oddness of microfame and meeting fans
• [07:40–08:54] — TikTok Shop algorithm and plushies story
• [20:25–29:36] — Courtney Cook: who she is, why Benito ‘rides’ for her, her iconic TikTok habits
• [34:52–44:56] — Mary Beth on Betty Draper: her role in Mad Men, why women like this matter on TV, iconography, favorite moments
• [45:07] — Gender, queerness, and internet personality archetypes
• [52:19] — On timing your big TV show binge for personal readiness

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Tone and Style

• The episode is playful, fast-paced, filled with in-jokes, and swings between frivolity and thoughtful critique. The hosts are warm, confessional, and often pivot mid-sentence—making the podcast both intimate and chaotic.
• There’s reverence for nostalgia, open fandom, and delight in the “unserious” sides of internet culture, but always with an undercurrent of sharp insight and earned affection for their topics.

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Conclusion

This episode of Ride showcases Benito and Mary Beth at their best: earnestly evangelizing the people and characters who make everyday life brighter, with winking self-awareness and a love of pop culture minutiae. Whether they’re musing on the undemanding joy of a TikTok personality or defending the TV antiheroines of yesteryear, the show remains a space where obsession is celebrated—and where the distinction between high and low culture is lovingly blurred. If you’re after celebrity dish, TV nostalgia, TikTok deep cuts, or just a window into how internet best friends talk when the mics are on, Ride is a delightful listen.

Transcript

[A]

The following podcast is a Dear Media production.

[B]

Hey, can you come pick me up? Yeah.

[A]

What's wrong?

[B]

Nothing.

[A]

Are you sure?

[B]

Yeah, no, I just need a ride. Ride, ride. I just want to have fun. Start your engines. Take care.

[A]

I'm Benito Skinner.

[B]

I'm Mary Beth Barone and this is Ride.

[A]

Awesome.

[B]

We're recording.

[A]

Awesome. Sugar on me.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

That was just playing in the bodega. I can't hear her in my headphones.

[B]

I can't either.

[A]

Don't have to, though.

[B]

Oh, and then maybe a little bit lower.

[A]

A little lower.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I couldn't hear that at full.

[A]

Volume, so I was picking out a macro bar while that was playing just now. Try everything.

[B]

Try everything.

[A]

Yeah. I can't believe that song exists. Sometimes songs like that. Do you ever, like, think. Hear a classic and you're like, that must have been insane when this.

[B]

It came out. Yeah.

[A]

Like, I want to dance with somebody. That must have been. I hope you guys were spinning that on your vinyls. Going crazy.

[B]

Well, you know what? I. All our old listeners to all of our sort of. More, I guess. When was that out? The 90s.

[A]

I like to call them advanced.

[B]

They're advanced.

[A]

It's 80s. Whitney is 80s, right? I think it feels very 80s.

[B]

Yeah. I was thinking about how it's cool that we keep adding to music. Like we don't have to retire any to keep making more. Do you know what I mean?

[A]

Oh, God. I literally had this thought recently, where I go must be so crazy as a musician. Like, we're still hearing new album titles. Like, the first time I heard Virgin, I thought, that's so crazy that that hasn't been used. Maybe it has, but not that, you know, I'm not aware of it.

[B]

And it's just like, yeah, there's going to be new music that comes out this year that's like a song we're going to play like a thousand times. Because right now I can't stop playing Lizzie Mo McAlpine spring into summer. And I'm like, you got a crush, girl. Hey. I keep. I keep playing this song and I was just thinking like, oh, this could be my most played song this year. But then I thought, we're only like a few days into the year.

[A]

I know. But for some reason, Olivia Dean hadn't arrived at my desk. And you can take off your headphones and walk around the block if you want during this because I know you're about to get a little jealous. She has electrified me in a way that only you had previously.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

A new supreme has risen. Well, I just.

[B]

I take a little ownership because I showed you the music videos.

[A]

That's true. You had, like, a playlist, and I just saw it.

[B]

I looked up Olivia Dean.

[A]

Did you look up Olivia? Olivia Dean? God, I love her name. I just. I literally, like. I watch videos of her and I, like, blush. I get, like, a little, like, bashful. I don't know how to describe it.

[B]

She has star power.

[A]

She has this moment in the video where, man, I need. Where she walks and she, like, has this power strut and she keeps contact with the camera. And if I was teaching how to be a star class, I would show that and go, that can't be taught. And then class is dismissed.

[B]

Class dismissed.

[A]

That. That right there can't be taught.

[B]

It can't. And I like that her videos are in a cinematic universe. I actually noticed this with Audrey Hobert's videos as well. They seem to have, like, a through line for the album.

[A]

Yeah, it's very. It's. It's eras, it's cohesion, it's storytelling.

[B]

I just got really self conscious because I had to get my gel taken off because I'm doing a brand activation. On girls day.

[A]

No, to something.

[B]

I have to do. Essie. And I'm excited because I love Essie. But I've had gel on for a while, so my nails look, they've survived the blast.

[A]

I say this to you as I'm about to go on a ski mountain for a brand. For a brand deal.

[B]

A brand activation.

[A]

I guess it's an activation of sorts. Heineken was such an activation.

[B]

It was Santa.

[A]

Santa was such an activation.

[B]

To me, it. Any brand deal can be an activation.

[A]

You just have to put your heart into it. Some of you guys are not putting your heart into your brand deals. And you ain't slaying, honey.

[B]

It shows and it shows.

[A]

It shows in the work. Like, I just think it's fun. It's all art if you think about it. Andy Warhol would have loved it.

[B]

And I just posted that scene from Six Feet under where they've just taken mushrooms. And she's saying we should try to make art in every single thing that we do.

[A]

I say that every morning when I take a probiotic.

[B]

Yeah, your ritual.

[A]

Ritual. My ritual. Speaking of ritual. Oh, wait, no. We'll do Puerto Rico as a joint.

[B]

As a sleigh, as a carpool.

[A]

Was there anything else I wanted to tell you over Christmas?

[B]

I have some things.

[A]

Hit me with the list, sweetie. Hit me.

[B]

So I just wanted to Say this has nothing to do with what we do for work. This is a human thing.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

It's not me being too good for anyone. It's not me saying I'm better than anyone.

[A]

Melrose Pot is getting scared with this one. I cut all my hair off, by the way, you guys. I hope you like it. I'm feeling good.

[B]

So I actually don't remember every single person I've met.

[A]

We gotta knock that off. We gotta stop expecting that.

[B]

And can I just say I'm so sorry I.

[A]

It's not you.

[B]

I wish that I had. I wish I've remembered every single person. It's not something I'm capable of.

[A]

Can I say something awful? And I know. Oh God, the AI one's going to post this and I'm just going to get reamed. I'm done. Benny Drama. Fucking thinks he's famous or something. Okay. I said this to someone. I think it was to my sister. And she was like, that actually makes so much sense. And I was like, maybe it belongs on the pod. When people go to the airport, you don't meet anyone. But we sometimes do meet people who have seen our work so they come up to us. So even at like a random thing that at a cafe you don't meet anyone. Like I just met an absolute Brony and a doll on the street corner. So I've now met someone.

[B]

Right. Like you just met someone walking.

[A]

That's not normal.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So like the sheer amount of people that we're meeting is like, maybe I'm wrong.

[B]

But no, I think you're right.

[A]

And I think I'm like, is that why I'm having. Having trouble with it and I can't place faces anymore?

[B]

Well, that's the thing. So I'm actually going to start telling people I have face blindness.

[A]

I think I'm co opting that because sometimes I literally think so many people look like, like somebody to me. Like someone will be walking towards me and fully like, that's that.

[B]

Well, I don't know if I went to high school with them, if I went to college with them or if they did improv with me. Like I. Or if they appreciate that. But also it's like I'm not complaining at all. By the way. I. I love meeting people in, in all walks of life and I don't.

[A]

Have any complaints right now.

[B]

I don't at all.

[A]

We're also not even talking about some of these people. It might have been in a past life.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

I'm all about past lives lately. Just go with it. Oh, my God. I. I have stumbled upon this TikTok, and this gets into my ride later, but because my algorithm is just. It's perfection.

[B]

You've perfected it.

[A]

It's perfection.

[B]

Mine has some work.

[A]

It finally gets me. It's not trying to predict me. It gets me. It's not trying to pander. It's not trying to sell. It's just like, we got you kidding? This thing came across my desk, and this thing. I don't want to say come across my desk anymore.

[B]

I just decided, that's too damn bad. Well, that's too damn bad.

[A]

What's that from?

[B]

I don't remember.

[A]

Do you know what I'm talking about?

[B]

Yeah. Sounds like it's from Baskets, but I know you didn't watch that, so.

[A]

No, it's.

[B]

What? Couldn't be true.

[A]

I haven't watched enough things lately. This, like, video where this guy has this really calm voice, and he'll tell you about, like, how you're feeling, or, like, invisible string theories that give you tingles where he's like, they say that one person should always love the same person twice. Or, like, some shit like that. And I'm like, okay. And they have, like, an animation of, like, two skeletons meeting each other. And I'm literally like, whoa.

[B]

I would love to see.

[A]

I'm completely covered in body chills. I'm like. I'm convulsing. It's incredible. So I see that. And then who I'm going to talk about today, also, that's on the algo. But, yeah. And then monkeys. Monkeys and otters all look like me, by the way. There's not a single animal that doesn't look like me.

[B]

Yeah, I actually don't want my algorithm to get that accurate, because then I'll never close the app. You know what I mean? I need a few misses here and there that jolt me back to reality, where I go, I gotta put this thing down.

[A]

I know, I know. It's time to stop. When somebody has a meta cube out, so you can. Hey, Medicube, if you're listening, I'm not interested. Knock it off.

[B]

Let her go.

[A]

Unless you want to fly me and Mary Beth to somewhere in the world. No, let her go. I'm serious. I just. It's not going to happen. And then after I bought the Zootopia plushies for us on TikTok, which is my favorite text of the year, Mary Beth sent me a photo of two Zootopia blind box dolls and said, care.

[B]

To comment on her desert at my house.

[A]

When you open those, can you take me through unboxing that? Unboxing the blind boxes.

[B]

I guess I should announce at this point in the podcast that my apartment has become Benny Drama's shipping and handling facility, fulfillment center for the last two to three months. So you've been getting things shipped to my place, which is fine. I have a package room. When you first ask me, I go, okay, a package here and there. Sure. Of course. It's every day I get at least five packages. They all have my name on it. So I don't know it's what it's going to be ever. I kind of like, which is fun.

[A]

I don't have to do that, but I just feel like it's a respect to like the owner.

[B]

But then I don't know what's something I ordered versus something you ordered? Exactly. So I opened all blind box. It's all blind box. All blind. It's. And it's fun for me. It's like, okay, I get to experience this right now. I opened this one box and it had. Yeah, I just. I immediately was just like, well, these are for us. And Benny ordered them. Like, there was never a hesitation of like, maybe he got these for his nephews. It was just, well, Benny got these for us and we're going to open them later. Yeah, that was it.

[A]

I was so happy. They took a really long time. They really did. They were for Thanksgiving. Took a long time.

[B]

Well, with TikTok Shop.

[A]

Well, in TikTok Shop, usually it's really fast, though. And also, I will say the way that TikTok Shop works is how our website will work. It's trickery. You. You press a button and you think you're about to confirm two more times before. But it's already.

[B]

No, no, it has.

[A]

Your winter, your Venmo. Bye. Bye. See it in two days.

[B]

Well, interestingly, I. Sofia Neygaard did the.

[A]

Wait, can we watch her on your TV tonight? Yes, we can, because I have not seen her in a minute and I need to.

[B]

I know she's done a lot of videos too.

[A]

Oh, I can't even imagine, like the. Yeah. What hotels has she stayed in? What airports?

[B]

She spent 48 hours in her investigation into, like, buying stuff on TikTok. She had ordered stuff from stores that by the time she received the product, she went to go return it and they weren't websites anymore. That's where we're headed.

[A]

Quality, not quantity.

[B]

Quality, not quantity. Should we quickly touch on. Why are you wearing a pesto? Shirt. I don't even think you remember that. But you told me to write it down. I remember I came to the Ludlow. You were down so bad. You had had a lot going on.

[A]

And that was called a low point, I would say.

[B]

You told me to write this down. I'm only bringing it up because you told me to write this down.

[A]

Yeah, it was like, as low as I've ever been.

[B]

I came over and you were upset about your skin. You were, have to fly to la. And then you were like, and I have pesto on my shirt. And I was like, well, that feels like something you could easily fix.

[A]

It was just like.

[B]

Like it was.

[A]

It's called the final straw.

[B]

Pesto shirt.

[A]

Why are you wearing a pesto shirt? It's like, it's the only one I have. I don't have a washer dryer. Yeah.

[B]

Poor guy.

[A]

My skin was bad, though.

[B]

But, you know, when you hit rock bottom, it's only up from there.

[A]

Exactly. What's the song with rock bottom?

[B]

Oh, Rock Bottom by Haley Steinfeld.

[A]

I was about to say, I'm on.

[B]

The right side of rock bottom.

[A]

I'm me.

[B]

Now you.

[A]

All you have to do is cut your hair and get a tan.

[B]

Hailee Steinfeld, Congratulations. She's expecting. And we were so happy to see the collab post between you and your guy.

[A]

Yeah, the baby said.

[B]

Are you gonna post about it? I'm gonna see if there's anything else you want to touch on.

[A]

I fall in love with you more and more every day. Every day.

[B]

I feel high today, which is interesting. Well, senorita, Senorita, THC Margarita, I feel for you. I love when you do that.

[A]

What do I just like?

[B]

You go into musical theater voice.

[A]

I know. It's so easy to tap into. I want to play a musical theater anything. I want to play anything that I just wanted. I don't know.

[B]

My mom watched the new George Clooney Noah Baumbach movie.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And she said, Adam Sandler did a great job. He played outside his normal, you know, idiot golfer or whatever.

[A]

She needs a letterbox. Can I just say she needs a.

[B]

Damn if I didn't think it would destroy my relationship with a lot of producers, directors, and financiers I would have her do on my TikTok movie reviews. I know, but I think she's just so honest.

[A]

It's so funny. I'm like, when I watch something now, I don't even have takes on it. I'm just like. That probably took so. That was probably so Hard to get made.

[B]

I started Frankenstein last night.

[A]

Oh, I really want to see it. Yeah, I haven't seen it yet. I mean, Mia Goth. Come on.

[B]

There's a lot going on.

[A]

Oh, and Oscar Isaac. Don't even get me near that, man. I have things to say.

[B]

I'm shaking.

[A]

I know I'm shaking. I love when he's a little bastard and ex machina.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I mean, that's the first time I ever saw him. I think.

[A]

I think it's the first time a lot of us saw him. Unless we saw Leonard Cohen.

[B]

Leonard Cohen or.

[A]

What's that?

[B]

Oh, Lu Davis.

[A]

Lu Davis.

[B]

For some reason, I thought that. Okay, yes, you're right. That's the first time.

[A]

It's so funny. Lou and Davis, I. I think of them about that movie all the time because it's the last movie I saw with my godmother, and we both agreed that he was really handsome. And I hadn't come out to her, but it was kind of like that might have been it. So I kind of came out through Oscar Isaac. And also when I asked her to get me a Bratz doll when I was.

[B]

I loved Inside Luy Davis. Many, many people have never heard of it.

[A]

I know, but I think it was like his debut in my head. I hadn't seen him before that.

[B]

We should watch that Season three.

[A]

Oh, my God. The other night we watched Casablanca. Hugh Hefner's favorite movie.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Did you not know that? No, that's all I remember from the Girls Next Door.

[B]

We had dinner last night with a straight guy, and I forget what little factoid I mentioned, but he's like, it must be great for you guys to, like, know all this stuff.

[A]

No, it was so mortifying in that moment to be like, yeah, we do know this. Like, that's so embarrassing. I don't know. Amy Adams is coming to mind. Was it a factoid about her? It was.

[B]

No, it was something completely random about a movie or something. Anyway, if the pace feels a little slow today, I feel like we're still in vacation. We're on island time.

[A]

Oh, yeah, baby. Hubba hubba. Yeah, we are. You know, I got really ahead of myself on the Monday back. I was doing emails, but then I started doing creative work, and then I laid my head on a pillow and woke up late for dinner.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So sorry about that.

[B]

Have you seen that TikTok? It has, like 4 million likes.

[A]

Yeah, that girl.

[B]

Did the day happen?

[A]

Did the day happen? That's me, like, a lot.

[B]

What time? What time is it? That's like, it's five.

[A]

I would wake up, oh, God. Here. Here I go. Talking about set. You guys want this season over.

[B]

Her. You miss that life.

[A]

I would wake up from naps at lunch and be like, I've missed everything and everyone wants me dead. They want me to die.

[B]

Did the day happen?

[A]

Did the day happen? That was me in London. Do you remember that Sunday? Yeah. I was so hungover. And then I go to Mary Beth's room and I'm like, we have to walk outside.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, I needed it, demanded it.

[B]

I had no interest in it whatsoever. But then I was happy.

[A]

You always get nervous that you won't fall asleep that night. You'll fall asleep.

[B]

You'll fall asleep.

[A]

Can I just say that to everyone?

[B]

Let's get into what we ride for.

[A]

I will be riding for Courtney Cook.

[B]

And I will be riding for Betty Draper. This episode of Ride is brought to you by Ritual. If you think about it, your gut is kind of like Beyonce. It's powerful. Like 70% of your immune system is located in your gut. Whoa, that's insane. And if we're not supporting our gut, then we're not really addressing the whole picture. Rituals Synbiotic plus is a daily gut health supplement with clinically studied probiotics to support immune health and the annoying gut stuff like bloating and gas. So I take probiotics because, as you know, I have a lot of dietary restrictions. My biome is just very delicate, just like my bones. So it's very important to me that I take Ritual, which contains high quality, clean ingredients, and that all of Ritual's products are vegan, GMO free and tested for heavy metals and common allergens. That's just very important to me. One daily minced capsule is all you need for bloat, gut and regularity support. It's vegan friendly and formulated without GMOs, major allergens, animal products, shady filters, and artificial colors. I take my gut biome really seriously. That's why I'm gluten free and dairy free, except butter. And that's why taking ritual has made me feel better. I love the product. I think we need to get this into more people's hands. And you know what? It's good to just have it. So get your gut going and support a balanced gut microbiome with Ritual Symbiotic plus for a limited time, save 40% on your first month at ritual.comride. that's ritual.comride for 40% off your first month. Take care of that biome because if you don't, then how the hell are you gonna let somebody else or something save 40% on your first [e-mail] ride. Thank you, Ritual. It's 2026, and if you're still paying rent without Bilt, it's literally time for a change. Build is the loyalty program for renters that rewards you for your biggest monthly expense. Rent. If you think that's my biggest monthly expense, honey, you obviously don't have access to my real, real account. I don't like paying rent, and I bet you don't either. But Bilt makes it feel a little better. BILT is a loyalty program for renters that rewards you monthly with points and exclusive benefits in your neighborhood. Let me explain. With Built, every payment of rent earns you points that can be used towards flights, hotels, Lyft rides, Amazon.com purchases, and so much more. And here's something I'm really excited about. Starting in February, Built members can earn points on mortgage payments for the first time. Soon, you'll be able to get rewarded wherever you live and unlock exclusive benefits with more than 45,000 restaurants. I can't even believe there are 45,000 restaurants, fitness studios, pharmacies, and other neighborhood partners. Personally, I'd redeem my points for going to SoulCycle, of course. Oh, my God. I think there's an overcompensating theme ride coming up. I just got a DM about that. I need to, like, look into it. I don't think I'm in town, though. It's simple. Paying rent is better with Built, and soon owning a home will be be better with Built too. Oh, my God. I'm so excited. I'm tripping over my words. Earn rewards and get something back wherever you live. Excuse me. I'm getting choked up. Join the loyalty program for renters at join built.com ride. That's J O I N B I L T.com ride. Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. That's J O I N b I L T.com ride. Thank you. Built. Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. As I do the Merit Beauty ad.

[A]

Whoa.

[B]

Don't be psycho.

[A]

Come on, live this life.

[B]

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[A]

Oh, my God. So, Merit, I'm so glad.

[B]

I'm so glad you're here.

[A]

They have this amazing stick I'm sure you have the title in there, but it's like kind of like a foundationy stick.

[B]

I'm opening fruit leather.

[A]

Oh, God. What goes great with a Merit Freaking full face fruit leather. And it's just like, you just dab it so you don't need, like, a full face foundation. I'm just saying I feel good.

[B]

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[A]

Well, so it's a millennialist. I'm a maxinista and a millennialist. That's. Wait, that should be our bios. Artist, comedian, millennia. Oh, I put a mint in. Some of you should think about it.

[B]

Merit is a minimalist beauty brand that makes elevated makeup and also elevates makeup.

[A]

They have such a good blush. The blushes are so good for me. It's like, have you ever seen a pretty girl get ugly like this until she puts on her merit? And that's me.

[B]

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[A]

Me, I was buying it every 30 seconds. I shipped it to your house.

[B]

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[A]

Oh, God, you have such a tough life.

[B]

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[A]

Those makeup bags are fabulous.

[B]

Thank you, Merit. Wait, where are we going?

[A]

Who cares? Ride.

[B]

This is an episode you're making.

[A]

Blondes.

[B]

Blondes. This is our blonde Know your girl.

[A]

Wait, it's our Blonde Ambition episode, Blonde admission.

[B]

I don't know your girl.

[A]

Courtney Cook. Okay, can I start? Because, like, I just. I gotta let.

[B]

Wish you would.

[A]

So I'm on Tick Tock one day, and as I said, my algorithm, like, finally just gets me. And after three Meta cube ads, I land on this woman. She has a little bob, so I'm already locked in. Blonde bob. She has this warmth that I immediately, as a gay man, go English teacher. Like, I just said it out loud. And she's British lit.

[B]

Whoa.

[A]

In Atlanta.

[B]

But she's not British.

[A]

Okay, no, no, no. But she has an affinity for the Brits. Shared like us.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

So I'm Thinking, like, real. Recognize real in this moment. Yes, Bob. So I love when. Sorry, I just. I literally just got tingles. I love when someone's doing something in a rush, but, like, they still, like, have time. I don't know how to describe it. Like, I used to love watching this woman who was a newscaster do her makeup, and she had, like, 30 seconds.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I, like, loved it. I was like, fudge yeah, bitch. Like, I was screaming. This woman, she's doing this before school, and she was eating Weetabix. Have you ever had that?

[B]

I have not, but you do. I know what it is.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Which now I'm like, I want one so fudgeing bad, because she's eating them, but every morning she's like. I mean, her mannerisms, like, are in my bones at this point. So I would say that if you're gonna watch, like, this is probably the episode to watch, because, like, I just like, I. I want to be her.

[B]

God, I want to see this girl.

[A]

I think there's something beautiful that I'm going to get to later about the way she approaches food and everything, but she's eating. She does little combos every morning with her Weetabix. So she'll put in, like, yesterday she dipped them in dark chocolate, put them in her fridge, and then the next day, she puts them in this glass bowl that's too small for everything, and then dumps milk and strawberries and she eats it. And she's like, every time on her first bite, she'll go. And kind of. Wait a sec. And then she's like. But she has this thing that she says, and I'm literally. It's in the back of my head now, and it's helping me. She goes, we ain't stressing.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

Also found out via comments, because, you know, I. I heard the South. I heard a little bit of a Southern accent, and I went, please, please want the rights for me and my friends.

[B]

I know. Well, this was my fear. This was my fear with this ride.

[A]

Someone said, are you a trumpy? And she go, no, no. She like, something cutesy. She was like, oh, no. So, okay, okay.

[B]

I'm like, we can breathe.

[A]

Yes. She goes, we ain't stressing. And I've literally thought that was so, like, if she gets, like, milk on the counter or whatever. She goes, we ain't stressing. No worries. And I'm like, we ain't stressing and say that.

[B]

And I just say that, wait, if these walls could talk.

[A]

If these.

[B]

We have a new bit we're doing. It's very visual, though.

[A]

It's very visual.

[B]

And it's from the mind. From the twisted mind of any drama. I have to give credit where credit is due. It's very much, like, nothing to do with this.

[A]

If these walls could talk, they'd say.

[B]

And you can watch the video if you want to know what we're doing.

[A]

Courtney cook. Okay. So that's her breakfast, her lunch. She'll either have, like, a plowman's lunch, which is just kind of like various. Like, oh, my God.

[B]

Saying that.

[A]

What's a plowman's lunch? I don't know exactly where it comes from, but she'll have, like, a piece of bread, cheese. She loves this. Oh, my God. What's it called? It's like a German cheese. I probably should say. Yeah, yeah. It's string cheese. She's like, has this Plowman lunch. It has, like, onions. She really loves onions, which I. I don't really with raw onions, but she has these, like, onion cups that she does, and she'll put, like, soup dumplings in an onion cup.

[B]

What does that mean?

[A]

So it's like, where you cut an onion and it has, like, one of the layers, and you use the cup to, like, scoop something. And she'll eat that. That's.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

She'll do it with, like, deviled eggs. And all the comments are like, girl, your students after lunch must be like.

[B]

You know, the Grinch, when literally eats an onion.

[A]

But I believe that she has fabulous breath. Like, there's. Oh, she also says fabulous all the time. So, like, so you. I know she's so.

[B]

And she's posting each meal every day.

[A]

Not each meal every day, but she definitely posts a couple times a day. There's such a warmth to her. She has four kids. Okay, so she has. I'll get back to her lunch. So these onion cups are kind of like her. This is her signature signature scoop. It's her signature scoop. It's. It's Sydney Sweeney signature scoop.

[B]

But it's hers, and it's an onion.

[A]

And it's an onion cup. I mean, that, to me, doesn't really feel like I won't ever eat that, but I love watching her eat it. She'll eat it in one bite, which is very me.

[B]

So crazy.

[A]

No, it's incredible.

[B]

But I can imagine the crunch it makes being very satisfying.

[A]

Oh, my God. I'm literally like. I'll get tingles. I love it. And so she'll do that for lunch, and then sometimes she'll take, you know, I love sweet potatoes. She'll take a sweet potato, and she'll just stick this cheese, like, in the middle of it. She'll put, like, four pieces of cheese in and just take it to the dome. She cuts a little bit, and then just. She fingers it in there. It is so incredible. I, I, I'm like. I watch her do it. I need to eat it. And I. I can't stress enough. Like, there's such a joy, and there's, like, there's no calorie counting.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There's no guilt about eating. It's so, like, I eat and I'm hungry, and I'm eating right now. I just, like, I don't know if we, like, see enough of that. It never feels like, you know, oh, I'm doing some kind of crazy thing where I'm wasting a bunch of food as well, like a mukbang or something. It feels very like I'm eating my lunch. Eat with me. And also, like, I'm hungry. I'm gonna eat.

[B]

And is she talking like she's narrating about her day or it's really about the food?

[A]

It can be anything. She kind of, like, talks about. Yeah. She brings in her mom for some recipes. Sometimes she talks about her pregnancy cravings, which rock my world. And you can just tell how much your kids love her, too. Oh, my God. Just something about her. Like, she has that. That English teacher. Je ne sais quoi.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I will say, oh, my God. And, like, sometimes she'll, like, she dyes her own hair, and she'll just, like, she just does it, and she'll kind of be like, I don't know. Maybe that'll look weird. We ain't stressing. And I'm like, we ain't stressing.

[B]

What's that? Some powerful pros.

[A]

I just can't stop thinking about it. And, like, she does, like, an English roast every Sunday, like a British roast. They look insane. Like, I have to. I'm gonna fly in. If we were shooting in Atlanta, I.

[B]

Would have to drive over Courtney's table.

[A]

It's Courtney's table. I'm like, feed this cast, girl. A lot of dietary restrictions, but feed this cast. So I. Oh, my God. She had. And she shows and she goes, this is our roast every single Sunday. She's done it for 23 weeks. She's doing 52. 53 weeks of it. 52 weeks. How many weeks?

[B]

52 in a year.

[A]

52 in a year.

[B]

She'll be doing a year.

[A]

Yeah. No, She's a year and a week. A year some change.

[B]

A year in a week.

[A]

Can you google Courtney cook cheese?

[B]

You think that'll come up?

[A]

It's sold out in grocery stores. And I posted her on my story and she has a following. 2.3 million. I mean, people are obsessed with her. Butter kaze. That's what it is. But I think it's like buderkasse because it's like German, so I'm saying Buderkase.

[B]

I love the way you did that.

[A]

Thanks, sweetie. There's a warmth to it and an intimacy and an unapologeticness that I think is really beautiful. But yeah, it just made me warm and it made me so happy that this person is teaching people. I feel safe with her. And I'm like, I bet her students love her so much. And I've seen some comments where people are like, she's my kid's teacher and she is literally perfect. Like, they love her so much. And I'm just like, oh, my God. And so people are like, you must have the stomach of a gut, as.

[B]

They say in England, good constitution.

[A]

Literally. I mean, come on, like, eating those onions. I mean, the gut flora must just fabulous.

[B]

I have to see this woman. I have to see her doing her thing.

[A]

I would be decimating those classrooms if that's what I was taking down at lunch.

[B]

I wonder what it's like to be a teacher and sort of be like, famous online.

[A]

She's done a few ads, which I was so excited about. I was literally like, doing my little. That's my girl. Get that. Yes. If these Wallace could talk. I like, want to cast her in overcompensating. Like, I just like, I don't know. I'm just completely enamored of her and I just, I, I, I wonder if she would listen to this. I hope she would.

[B]

I hope someone says she will send it to her.

[A]

Yeah, Courtney, it's Benny. I. You would. I would have been your favorite student.

[B]

I'm sure.

[A]

Me and British lit. I would have gone. My paper's already turned in. Five paragraph essay, assert, support, explain. It's done.

[B]

British lit is so interesting to teach high school kids. I feel like we didn't get that specific. I would have loved high school.

[A]

I don't know exactly the age.

[B]

Oh, I don't know why I just assum.

[A]

Would assume that it probably is high school because that feels like too specific for like elementary. First grade.

[B]

British lit. British lit in first grade. I actually thought the other day too, I think we should stop Teaching of Mice and Men. I think it's, like, actually bad.

[A]

Oh, I love that book.

[B]

I know, but isn't it showing that, like, men are just. They don't know their own strength, but then ultimately you feel bad for them? I haven't read it in a while.

[A]

Said it was a little bit more about friendship.

[B]

But he kills the girl, right?

[A]

Yeah. On accident.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Lenny. So that just happened after he shoots Lenny?

[B]

You didn't think we were going to talk about. Of my cement on here?

[A]

You know, I saw the play with Leighton Meester. Yes, I saw it with Leighton Meester.

[B]

That's so cool.

[A]

And someone else was in it who's really famous. Who was the other guy? It was really beautiful.

[B]

On Broadway.

[A]

I saw it on Broadway. Yeah.

[B]

She's perfect for that role.

[A]

I'm trying to think if there's any other, like, little quips for her. Her palette is very international. And she really gives credit where credit's due, I will say. Which is really nice. And also why I know you're gonna love her condiment. Darling. She's putting mayo on everything. Yes. Onion cups. Soup, dumplings on onion cups. It's so fucking fabulous.

[B]

One of my career goals is to be in the Hellman's Mayo super bowl commercial.

[A]

That's so funny, because I thought you were gonna say, start a Mayo company. But we promised each other we'd never start companies.

[B]

Why would I mess with perfection? Hellman's has got it. They did it.

[A]

Hellmans, you got it.

[B]

Hellmans, you have our attention.

[A]

Yeah. This episode is brought to you by NO cd. So picture this. You're going about your day when suddenly a horrifying thought flashes through your head. I've talked about this before. It's these intrusive thoughts. I get them so much during the holidays. And, honestly, mine. I don't know if anyone else feels this. I'm sure someone does out there. I mean, my God, we do have pretty good listenership these days. Knives are really hard for me. Anytime I see them, I'm like, oh, intrusive thoughts are coming. Here's the thing about those disturbing, unwanted thoughts, like the ones you have about killing me. They're more common than you think, first off, but in fact, almost everyone has them. But for people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or ocd, they usually cause a lot of distress and they feel hard to stop thinking about. And once you feel something, your body reacts to it. So you think it's true. It's not true. It's ego dystonic. It's not something that you would actually do. That's why you're so stressed about it, babe. But I use nocd. I used it about a year and a half ago before we started shooting overcompensating and it truly helped me so much to talk to somebody about it. Using exposure and response prevention therapy or erp. Erp, the most proven OCD treatment, your NOCD therapist can help you take the power away from OCD and distressing thoughts in live face to face video therapy sessions. I mean, come on, it's fabulous. No City also accepts many major insurance plans and offers always on support between sessions. To learn more about therapy with NOCD, go to nocd.com and schedule a free 15 minute call with their team. That's nocd.com to learn more and book a free 15 minute call. Tell them that Benny Drama sent you, baby.

[B]

So here's the thing about Senorita. It's a line of THC margaritas available in four delicious flavors. They're non alcoholic, fast on set, crafted by winemakers with real juice, organic agave and low calories.

[A]

So the buzz feels light, social and smooth. And is available in 5 and 10 milligram of fast onset hemp derived THC.

[B]

You know what I liked about it too? Because I can't eat gummies anymore because it all hits me too fast.

[A]

Oh God.

[B]

Yeah, It's a gradual sort. I mean, you're thinking about all kinds of.

[A]

You can't. I thought about clouds last time. Not in a good way.

[B]

Not in a good way. And that's. Yeah, I don't, I don't. Tell me anymore.

[A]

I won't.

[B]

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[A]

You want a vacation in your mouth, right? Like, isn't that what you kind of have said?

[B]

That's what I've been looking for. When people tell me what am I looking for with dating? I say, well, I would like a vacation in my mouth.

[A]

And they go, what about lime jalapeno margarita? Mango margarita, Grapefruit, paloma ranch ranch water? All those would be that. And you say, wait, that's so funny.

[B]

I don't need a man. Oh my God, no.

[A]

You say to them, those are all the senorita flavors.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

Hey, you guys, it's Mary Beth here alone. They've actually said that Benny is not allowed to talk during this ad because it's literally not about gay guys. This is about the app Her. Are you still out there weeding through the straight app? Her could be for you. Her understands queer specific dating nuances. Whether you've newly come out as queer, you're looking for a friend or a new romantic partner you can restart with her. What's great is that her is Sapphic first. This is where sapphic identity thrives. From u haul romances to chosen family friendships, we celebrate the nuances no other app understands. It's also young and bold. Millions of LGBTQIA users worldwide are connected, connecting daily. It's the largest sapphic community on the planet. I mean, that sounds pretty damn good to me. It's also authentic and intentional. There are also IRL events, if you can even believe that. Her is the only dating app actually built for Sapphics by Sapphics. And it's perfect for this winter restart season. I mean, we're in the cold weather. It's famously cuffing season. We're gonna be coming out of hibernation soon and trying again. It's time to wipe the slate clean. And her isn't just about swiping. As I mentioned, it's real queer community. It's IRL dating. It's queer events and personality forward. Beautiful. We love to see it. Just let you know what I think you should be putting in your profile. I think you should be just putting your personality in there. Just like whatever you find fun and funny and hey, maybe throw a serious one in and just like, see try her this winter. It's sapphic restart season. Thank you, Her. I can't wait to download and make a profile from one mom to another.

[A]

From one blonde freaking bombshell. From one blonde bombshell. She is gorgeous.

[B]

Courtney Cook to Betty Draper. So I feel like sometimes when we do the rides that, like, we've been Wanting to do for years, I feel like. Like I'm not ready.

[A]

No, it's not.

[B]

You know, when we did Gossip Girl, like, I just was like, did we hit all the notes that we really wanted to?

[A]

I'm having that with Courtney Cook because I'm like, she has, like, five other things, but I'm like, if I covered the onion cups and the. We ain't stressing, like, you know why I love this woman, but that's not gonna be my last words on her. Of course, Betty Draper is in perpetuity.

[B]

We can always talk about her.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

Always. In the future, if there's something that I missed.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

So I started watching Mad Men, and I've talked about it at length sort of everywhere I go. I'm talking about Mad Men on other people's podcasts and interviews. In general meetings. I'm talking about Mad Men. I think it's one of the best shows ever made.

[A]

Do you know this is what my hapless is said. He's like, in office, we joke. Will Benny ever do an interview where he doesn't bring up Mary BETH and the O.C. that was my 2.

[B]

And I said, no, honey, it's just. It's not. It's a movie. It's a movie, and it's pretend.

[A]

You're an adult. You should know that.

[B]

You should know that. So I started watching Mad Men. I think I caught up on, like, four seasons, and maybe there were, like, two seasons left or something by the time I caught up, because I watched the series finale when it aired.

[A]

Oh, that was a long time ago.

[B]

It was a long time ago.

[A]

Amc.

[B]

I was in Savannah, Georgia. Of course. This is the AMC Breaking Bad era.

[A]

Why were you in Savannah, Georgia?

[B]

I was there for spring break with my family.

[A]

Wait, that's so fun.

[B]

I love Savannah, actually. You could have seen I'm a Ride.

[A]

Courtney Cook.

[B]

All right.

[A]

She was there, probably.

[B]

Next time. Next time I go to Georgia, I want to meet with John Ossoff, and I'll add Courtney Cook to the list.

[A]

Oh, I'll be with her at school.

[B]

Please. Oh, well, she'll be feeding me an onion cup.

[A]

I'll gag, but I'll take it down.

[B]

We'll talk about, like, making feminist literature.

[A]

I think she has things to say as far as, like. Like, eating culture. I just think it's beautiful. I can just tell she was loved as a kid.

[B]

Eating culture.

[A]

I don't know how to describe it. Like, the culture around eating. She's just.

[B]

She's coming from a place of Abundance.

[A]

You know, where I'm like, just someone is doing good, like, they're putting out all the right energy, and I want her to get everything she wants and including brand deals. But if she loves teaching, maybe she still gets to teach. But then also, like, maybe she doesn't have to. Brand deals does align with Crate and Barrel.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

Can I say something about Betty Draper?

[B]

Sure.

[A]

And can I just say something, please? January Jones.

[B]

January Jones.

[A]

She came into my life via red carpets.

[B]

Oh, absolutely.

[A]

And it was always the Golden Globes, because I. They were just about to sweep. They were always gonna win.

[B]

Yeah. Those were the days.

[A]

And I.

[B]

Golden era of television.

[A]

Golden era of television. 100%. I just remember being like, that's a perfect woman. I still feel that way. There was something about, like, the essence of that show in every way that appealed to me. But for some reason, amc, I don't think I had it or something. Like, there's a few things I'm saving, and I don't know why I've saved for so long. In between seasons of overcompensating, I. I watch all of the O.C.

[B]

Right?

[A]

And then sometimes I'll do all of Sex and the City.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then I started. Oh, I redid Fleabag again. But then I'm either gonna do Sopranos or Mad Men, because I haven't done either.

[B]

I.

[A]

It's crazy because it's like, how can I, like, write for tv? And I haven't watched those. I'm embarrassed. I'm totally embarrassed.

[B]

Hey, it's okay. Because the. The good thing is they. They are still available, and you can find them whenever you're ready. I mean, I just watched Six Feet under, which I hadn't. It's like, you know about a show that you should watch, and then one day you're just gonna go, I'm ready now. Yeah, I'm ready to watch it. And I'll talk about Six Feet under in season six, probably.

[A]

That was me with girls. It was like, one day I was like, really? Now's the time. I didn't watch it at the time when it was out, because in college, I didn't watch it really anything.

[B]

Well, college HBO was tough. It was tough to have that. Amc, it was Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and Mad Men was, like, all sort of, like, cycling throughout, like, you know, one season would end and the other would start. So that was a crazy time to be a fan of tv. But at the time, this was amc. It was weekly. It was water cooler talk. I mean, it was. It was such A massive show, and it had such a. It just, like, a lot of thought and care was put into the show in this really beautiful way.

[A]

Star making for so many people and star making.

[B]

Absolutely. And there's actually a GQ cover that January Jones did in a black leather jacket that I'll never forget. I know there was a lot of moments. GQ, actually. For women born in the 90s who would later come to realize their bisexuality, GQ is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Megan Fox spread the Katy Perry spread with her with the fire extinguisher. And then, of course, January Jones in the leather jacket.

[A]

They also know how to position athletes to gay men, because all of a sudden, I'm like, shit, he's caked up. He's got a fucking wagon.

[B]

And we never knew before.

[A]

No. But, yeah. Oh, my God, I would love to be like, can I get this gq? And it was Megan Fox. I mean, that's why we did Megan Fox with the red background. It's kind of a.

[B]

It's iconic to gq. So I'm watching Mad Men, and I read. I used to read, like, blogs doing, like, episode recaps and stuff, because I just. I like to engage with what's being said in the discourse around the shows. There wasn't as much social media at the time, so it was really like, you're reading one person's opinion of, like, that episode or whatever. And I just remember that Betty Draper got a lot of bad press, to be honest, because she is a very complex female character. But what I really love about how they wrote the character was that she had a very deep backstory. And so, to me, all of the choices that she made in her marriage and in motherhood make sense based on the time period, how she was raised, and honestly, like, how her husband was treating her. She is definitely flawed. Like, she's really hard on the kids. She has a short temper. She smokes, for goodness sakes. And she's not perfect. But I just have so much empathy for this character who I feel like, you know, she was so beautiful and probably was just, like, praised for that her whole life. And then as women age and they can't really rest on that anymore, I mean, she was obviously beautiful, straight till the end. It was sort of beautiful to see that character navigating all that she was going through with, like, being a young mom and then aging and all that stuff.

[A]

So. Oh, it just. And she gave birth to Kieran and Shipka.

[B]

Kieran and Shipka.

[A]

But, you know what's hitting me right now is maybe we should be them for Halloween. Obviously. I'm Betty.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I was just thinking about that. And you're Dawn. You're Big Don.

[B]

I'm Dawn. Because Don was. He was a tough chew as a husband.

[A]

I'm sure he was.

[B]

And he had a backstory.

[A]

What a gorgeous couple. Here's my thing. Like, sometimes when people. It's like with the Carrie Bradshaw discourse, and it's kind of what we talked about before, where it's like, yeah, but it's also like a TV show. So that you should, like, there needs to be things that happen.

[B]

There has to be conflict.

[A]

Yeah. There has to be conflict. And also, like, I haven't met anyone who's perfect except Courtney Cook. But we haven't met. Right. I know she is. And you. But I. I'm just kind of like. Yeah, I. I think that's kind of the point. Thus tv.

[B]

Yeah. I think just entertainment justice for Betty.

[A]

Betty, we're in your corner.

[B]

That, hey, Betty, we're rooting for you. That was important to me as a young woman to see that representation on TV and just how much rich backstory you can create for characters in an hour long program. I think one thing Carrie Bradshaw could have benefited from was a little bit more insight into her family and how she was brought up. I feel like we didn't get a lot of that in Sex and the City in general, which that's not what the show is about, and that's totally fine. And I think Sex and the City is a perfect television show. Like, I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't necessarily think that. That having any of their families super involved would have enhanced the show necessarily, but I think it would have given us a little more insight into their choices.

[A]

I think it's fun. I'm sure there's great interviews with the writers and stuff of why they chose not to. I think there was something specific about just like, it just felt like we're just not doing it. There are some characters where that makes sense. The thing that I think is really fun is like thinking about what the audience thinks the past would be and then how you could play with that. Like that I feel like is always interesting.

[B]

Yeah. Like surprise them.

[A]

Yeah. To just to be like, you know, you thought kind of.

[B]

Well, that's what they did with Dawn's story. It was. It was slowly revealed through flashbacks, stuff like that. With Betty, it was more linear. You're meeting her family and her dad and finding out about her mom passing Away. And I just also the fashion. I mean, my God, say what you will about her, but she knew how to dress. Of course the woman knew how to dress.

[A]

100.

[B]

The woman wondered what she'd gotten herself.

[A]

The woman had wondered what she had gotten herself into.

[B]

That's her marrying daughter.

[A]

I just wrote that two minutes ago. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I. I've only seen the aesthetics of it. And my God, I mean, total knockout.

[B]

Some iconic Betty Draper moments. There's a bird squawking outside her window. She just grabs the gun and shoots it over an episode. Her immediate response, that used to be my phone background. Just her one cigarette hanging out of her mouth and holding the shotgun.

[A]

Like the iconography of the show is. It's pretty.

[B]

It's just beyond.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I could honestly ride for Joan. I could ride for Christina Hendrick. Joan.

[A]

Oh, God, she is. Oh, my God. You know what she's so good in is drive.

[B]

She. She's kind of good in everything. Peggy Olson, of course, played by Elizabeth Moss. Then we have the character of Megan, who is a later love interest of Dawn's.

[A]

So Mad Men is about marketing in the 50s.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

To make it. To put it, you know, and their.

[B]

Families, like these ad men's families, family life. And so the show ran for a lot of seasons, and I just. I wish. I wish it kept going. I think they're all good every show. I feel like there's the fans that go, well, that one season wasn't great, where they, like, you know, they did too much or whatever. To me, it never low key or high key, fell off. It just stayed good. And I stayed there arm in arm with Betty Draper. Other iconic things. When she said, of course, that someone told her she looked profoundly sad, and she said, well, my people are Nordic. Then she has to confront dawn about something, and she's like, I've seen how you are with money. You don't understand it.

[A]

You.

[B]

To me, yeah, literally, I'm sitting you down with a shoebox I found in a locked drawer. But she's sort of driven to mania at certain points in the show because also, women's ailments at that time were not taken seriously. She's diagnosed with hysteria, like, pretty early on in the show because her hands keep getting numb. And then she has to see a therapist, which I thought was really interesting to give a female character like that a therapist relationship in the show where you can kind of tell the therapist isn't taking anything she says seriously.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But she is expressing whether they be superficial or not experiences that she's had.

[A]

You know what therapist scene I think about all the time is Fleabag, where she was like, you already know what you're gonna do. Do you know what I mean? And if Fleabag's like, what? Like, what do you mean? She's like, no, you already know what you're gonna do.

[B]

Watch shows with complex female characters.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And.

[A]

And stop hating them.

[B]

I throw. Overcompensating the mix.

[A]

Think about if you're hating them or if they're just a woman or if that guy's annoying or he's gay. That's also a really good game. Oh, yeah. Are you annoyed because he's gay or is he annoying?

[B]

Is he annoying? Is she a demon and do you like him?

[A]

Is she a demon or is she a woman?

[B]

Do you like him or is he just a straight guy? Shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad really pose the question of, like, you can just root for someone that's just sort of awful across the board, of course. I wanted Don to, like, be happy, too.

[A]

And I was always rooting for Walter White. He had his reasons, my good sis.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

I love him. Oh, my God. Bryan Cranston. I know you're listening, big daddy. Bryan Cranston. Courtney Cook. I love y'. All.

[B]

Who would be Bryan Cranston's one? Who would you be so shocked and happy to hear is a Baroni?

[A]

Bryan Cranston is kind of top Christopher Nolan on the set of the Odyssey. Also, can we stop, like, being so hard on trailers? It's like, let's wait until the movie comes out. Also, like, yeah. Everyone was so insane about the Odyssey trailer. And I'm like, were you there? Oh, sorry. Did you know Homer?

[B]

But wait, I didn't watch it because I'm like, I don't need to see it. I'm gonna see it in theaters.

[A]

Yeah, I'm gonna start in theaters thrice.

[B]

I don't care what he makes. He could make stop motion about.

[A]

I do. Because I'm gonna go.

[B]

I'm going to see it a hundred percent. I don't give a.

[A]

Someone's like, damn. I'm like, being a virgin isn't embarrassing unless it's you. Come on. Stick that thing right up that ass, baby. Let's have some fun. Let's go on the Odyssey, which we.

[B]

Know was written because someone took a while in the bathroom, and they needed a story.

[A]

And they needed a story.

[B]

You know what that tells me, Christopher Nolan?

[A]

They're happy. Chris, we love you.

[B]

Chris, we love you.

[A]

Yeah, but I am just like, Jesus. The trailer hate. Can we stop with the trailer hate? What's up? I need to stick some kaze cheese in a sweet potato right now with my best friend.

[B]

Chomp on down. Courtney Cook.

[A]

Butter. Kaze.

[B]

Courtney. Courtney cook.

[A]

Say bouderkaze.

[B]

Bouderkaze.

[A]

Say it again.

[B]

Buderkaze.

[A]

What did you say the other day that was so funny? You had a perfect line read.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

Oh, my God, it was so funny. I said something insane. Mary Beth looked me up and down and went totally and. And didn't blink, didn't anything. Barely moved. It was perfect.

[B]

Well, because I heard what you said to me and I was think, like, I actually processed assist it. And then I said, I was like, totally.

[A]

We're both on doxy.

[B]

I know. This is fun. Our psycho. I think it's working. I forget to take it twice a day sometimes.

[A]

Oh, I've never forgotten. You know what you are, Mary Beth?

[B]

Bisexual.

[A]

Well, yeah. But you're also my ride or die. Ride or die.

[B]

So ride or die. Initially, I was apprehensive because the thing with people on TikTok is sometimes they totally break your heart. You. You don't always know where they lie politically. And then all of a sudden they're posting memes where you'? What? What's going on? Yeah, that happened to me recently where someone I just thought was at least politically sort of not vocal, they posted stuff where I go, well, now I have to unfollow you. And that's unfortunate.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I was also concerned because I do feel like everybody now thinks that they should be an entertainer, and I think that's dangerous territory.

[A]

She's not.

[B]

It sounds like this person is actually entertaining. It sounds like they are a light. They're coming from a place of abundance, and I ride for that.

[A]

That makes me so happy. There's no motive. And she even said she did it because she likes watching those videos of people e lunch. And she's like. And I just like, I don't. I don't even think she thought that what she was eating was that interesting.

[B]

But it is sort of like moan and like, I don't think that girl started doing Snapchat characters to do a lip gloss brand deal. Like, I think she and her friends probably thought it was really funny and they were laughing about it. And I mean, it's kind of like us, kid.

[A]

Like, sometimes you don't even know. And like, yeah, you sign a contract with Spotify and, like, start a podcast and they ask, like, who you want to do it. With and you say your bestie. But like, other than that, like, it's like it falls in your line. It. Then they cancel it.

[B]

Like, by the way, if anybody knows what we should be using instead of Spotify, because you know, the founder of Spotify owns like an AI weapons company.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And now they're running ICE ads. Is YouTube the way. Because like, Apple music feels like a lot to jump into now, but is YouTube?

[A]

I wouldn't know how to post a story, but I'm. I'm sure someone could like come and show me in five seconds. I just. I don't. Yeah. I don't know the best way.

[B]

We're open to suggestions, of course. Always. Yes.

[A]

Title. Fuck it.

[B]

I think. I don't know if they have podcasts.

[A]

Jay.

[B]

Jay, which camera? We have a business. Jay, for you, Courtney Cook. I can't wait to engage with your content and follow and keep up and. And maybe get inspired because it sounds like if all you need to do is put food in an onion, maybe I'm a cook after all.

[A]

No, I swear to God. Like, she also that, like, she. She's inspired me because I really don't think I can cook anything.

[B]

And I'm wearing three shirts. Can do.

[A]

I love you in The Triple Mew Mew 3 shirt.

[B]

Three shirts.

[A]

I love you in the triple Mew. Mew. You. You look so gay to me. Every time you do it. It. I. I can't. I. I'm serious. Yeah, it's this neutralized.

[B]

Neutralized attraction.

[A]

You know, speaking of neutralized attraction.

[B]

What?

[A]

Flat chested queens everywhere. Avatar, Fire and Ash.

[B]

Flat chested.

[A]

I don't know the actress who plays her. She is literally incredible. The villain in it. In Fire Ash. I don't want to give too much away, but, you know, no one's seen it. I want them to go to the theaters and check out this.

[B]

This what's struggling at the box office.

[A]

Struggling right now. She is so U coded in every way and it's like a flat chested icon. She is like the way she moves, it's very Olivia Dean. Shoulders up again. It's a part of my star power class and I show that and I go. That can't be taught. Class dismissed.

[B]

Go home for the day.

[A]

And then I would eat a. A big old sweet potato with Budaz in the middle of it.

[B]

I'm cronut culture right now, as you know.

[A]

Oh, God. Okay. Don't give too much away.

[B]

Don't say it.

[A]

Don't say it. I ride for Betty Draper. I ride for January Jones. I ride for the time I'm going to spend with Mad Men at some point, but for the fact that I know it so well, the iconography, the red carpets, everything speaks volumes about the character, the writing, the show, and the actor.

[B]

You know what I see for you? I see you cuddled up with somebody. Next relationship, you look at each other. Two men looking at each other and going, should we start Mad Men tonight?

[A]

Men and women, you mean, right?

[B]

Me and you? Yeah, and you. You're on a couch and you just literally, you take that remote out with.

[A]

The three buttons, you press them, and obviously I straddle. I do full Bebe Rexha in the.

[B]

Pool, pose over them daisies on the. On the L part of the L shaped couch.

[A]

Of course, I press play. And we watch it straight through that for the next six days. And we. We only eat.

[B]

We only eat. And you stop to go piss and shit.

[A]

No, we don't.

[B]

You don't. Diapers.

[A]

We shit ourselves. Yeah. Pissing and shitting in the bed.

[B]

Me coming into your place.

[A]

We watched Mad Men. Yeah, that sounds incredible. I. I do think that's coming.

[B]

I see that for you. I was waiting for Six Feet under, which again, I'll get into in the future, but I thought, I'll watch that with a partner. And don't shoot the messenger here, but I tried to. I tried to watch Sopranos. It's not for me. It's okay for certain things to not be for a person. And I go, some people hate Sex in the City. I didn't hate Sopranos. I tried to force watching a show I wasn't ready to watch. And that's why I hope whenever you start Mad Men, it's the day that you are ready. Because if you try to force it, you're gonna watch five episodes and then you're not gonna finish it.

[A]

No, no, no. I want to be locked in and ready. It was like maybe, I guess now, like eight years ago when that finally happened with me with Sex and the City. I had seen so many clips, so many pieces. I had, like, snuck episodes, you know, on E with my sisters, but I was like, it's finally happening. And I just locked in. It happened with the OC Too, last year. I was like, happy watching and poor son.

[B]

Oh, man, I can't get enough.

[A]

Oh, my. Exit.

[B]

Benny, babe, eyes on the road. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in episode.