Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone

Episode: CARPOOL: Puerto Rico
Date: January 21, 2026
Podcast Network: Dear Media

Overview

This episode finds best friends and comedians Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone basking in their post-New Year's vacation glow after a sun-soaked trip to Puerto Rico. They weave together stories of beach mishaps, culinary adventures, and thoughtful takes on responsible travel. Amidst their signature irreverent banter, they provide a loving case for why Puerto Rico should be on your travel list and swap musings on trends, pop culture, and the art of living large with your chosen family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Pop Girl Musings and Audience Banter

[00:31 – 02:06]

• Kicking things off, the hosts riff about their adoration for “girl singers” like Zara Larsson and Olivia Dean.
• Benito confesses to late-night YouTube binges—"I watched her…deciding between a US snack or a UK snack. It’s like midway through, I thought, this is better than most movies.” (01:29)
• Humor around the reality of having long lists for prospective partners, with Olivia Dean’s own response: "Oh, I have a lot more than three." (01:54)

Trend Hysteria and “Bad For You” Culture

[03:47 – 05:59]

• Mary Beth brings up society’s obsession with labeling things as “bad for you,” with oat milk as the example du jour.
• “Someone, like, literally stopped me in the street and was like, oat milk is bad for you. And I'm like, okay, smoking is bad for you. Cigarettes are bad for you. Vaping is bad for you.” – Mary Beth (03:47)
• Both hosts mock the cyclical obsession with health foods: “Do you remember when kale dropped?...Kale had an incredible publicist.” – Benito (04:35)
• The two land on a critique of wellness fear mongering; everything is framed as either essential or deadly, leading to paralysis and humorously exaggerated paranoia.

Travel Anecdotes: Puerto Rico, Conspiracies, and Personality Types

[06:01 – 08:50]

• The hosts recount a tense airport moment in Puerto Rico involving a doomsday-leaning stranger convinced flight chaos would ensue due to political drama:
  • “You know we're never gonna get out of here, right?” – Stranger (06:53)
  • Benito jokes, “I told you, I don't trust anyone who has some kind of contraption on their arm that's not a cast or something.” (07:07)
• Vivid callbacks to COVID-era panic-buying (“Get the canned soup, buy out all the toilet paper”), with the hosts looking back at these “disaster prep” mindsets with bemusement.

Vacation Vibes & Puerto Rico Deep-Dive

[17:44 – 25:27]

• The core of the episode details their New Year’s retreat to Puerto Rico:
  • Why Puerto Rico?
    • Warmth, accessibility, and serendipity (“I just looked up places that are actually really hot right now…” – Benito, 18:24).
    • Homes rented through Dreamers Welcome, an LGBTQIA-owned company, provided both comfort and inclusivity: “I love Puerto Rico so much. I love the people. I love the food. I have so many recommendations for places if people want to go there.” – Benito (20:19)
  • Local Flavors & Best Finds:
    • Mornings started with coffee at Cafe Regina and sandwiches from Hilda, with humorous riffs on artisanal food packaging (“snacks rooted in the tradition of longevity” – Benito, 22:29).
    • Strong, wild beach waves, and navigating local tips (or lack thereof) about which beaches were safest for swimming.
  • Responsible Tourism:
    • Mary Beth stresses the importance of mindful travel: “It’s just important…if you’re going to go there, tip well, eat local…it’s called spreading love.” (24:43)
    • The impact of queer and conscientious travel is highlighted—“The fact that it was owned by queer people made me feel really safe for us there. And also, they gave so many recommendations…” – Benito (25:27)
    • Both are quick to chastise entitled tourist behavior: “I think the one thing that Americans, I think, tend to do is arrive somewhere, it's like, I'm on vacation, I do whatever the fuck I want. It's like, no, someone lives here.” - Benito (25:31)

Memorable Stories & Moments

• New Year’s Festivities: [31:47 – 34:29]

  • The pair describe ringing in New Year’s at a hotel party filled with an eclectic crowd, costumes, and fireworks. “When it struck midnight, they had fireworks. Baby, you’re a firework.” – Mary Beth (33:25)
  • Mary Beth skinny-dipping at midnight: “I went skinny D. Skipping at midnight on New Year’s. And when I came out of the water, I felt like a newborn baby…” (33:27–33:34)
  • Their “triple platinum” photo moment of Mary Beth emerging from the water.

• Queer Travel Note:

  • Benito describes a moment of anxiety about Uber drivers not picking him up, thinking it was because he’s queer—turns out, it was really about sandy feet: "It's because I was covered in sand. They don't pick you up from the beach." (26:09)

• Puerto Rico Pro Tips:

  • “Read up on the beaches…see if you want to take an excursion out of the city.” – Mary Beth (23:33)
  • “If you ride and die for Puerto Rico, go to Puerto Rico early and often. Don’t wait ‘til you’re 34.” – Benito (41:30)

• Quickfire: Smash or Pass (Red Carpet Edition): [35:19 – 36:16]

  • Run-through of quirky “smash or pass” questions (e.g., Frankenstein’s monster, F1 cars, Zootopia characters).
  • Highlights their improvisational chemistry and comedic rapport.

Cultural Callbacks & Comedy

• Regular shout-outs to pop culture figures (Pedro Pascal, Rihanna, Brittany Murphy), and repeated in-jokes:
  • “You are so Dakota Fanning from Uptown Girl. And I’m so Brittany Murphy. I miss her. I love her.” – Benito (11:14)
• Ongoing riffs on health panic (oat milk = smoking!), influencer travel tropes, and their own “travel elite” privileges (Vegas, Palm Springs, etc.).

Notable Quotes

• “Everything's bad for you.” – Benito (04:24)
• "I love Puerto Rico so much. I love the people. I love the food. I have so many recommendations for places if people want to go there." – Benito (20:19)
• "It’s just important…if you’re going to go there, tip well, eat local…it’s called spreading love." – Mary Beth (24:43)
• "I went skinny D. Skipping at midnight on New Year's. And when I came out of the water, I felt like a newborn baby." – Mary Beth (33:27–33:34)
• “If you ride and die for Puerto Rico, go to Puerto Rico early and often. Don’t wait ‘til you’re 34.” – Benito (41:30)

Important Timestamps

• 00:31 – 02:06: Pop-girl obsessions and late-night YouTube dives
• 03:47 – 05:59: Health trend hysteria and the “bad for you” conversation
• 06:01 – 08:50: Airport paranoia, stranger danger, and disaster personality types
• 17:44 – 25:27: Puerto Rico vacation, local flavors, and responsible travel
• 31:47 – 34:29: New Year’s hotel party, skinny-dipping story, and viral photos
• 35:19 – 36:16: “Smash or Pass” red carpet mini-game

Tone & Style

The conversation is warm at its core, coated with heavy layers of sarcasm, inside jokes, and affectionate ribbing. Benito and Mary Beth bring both wit and sincerity, championing queer visibility, responsible travel, and best friend energy—all interspersed with viral-ready soundbites and references. Their sometimes scattershot, always sparkling dialogue makes every tangent feel like a secret you want in on.

Final Thoughts

“CARPOOL: Puerto Rico” is a hilarious blend of irreverent reminiscence, pop cultural takedowns, and real talk about being good guests in someone else’s home (or beach). It’s a heartfelt, zippy episode ideal for those craving a mix of wanderlust, giggles, and best friend vibes—with plenty of actionable travel tips tucked between the punchlines.