CARPOOL: Taken

Summary

Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone – CARPOOL: Taken (July 29, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone buckle up for an energetic “carpool” chat, riding hard for the film Taken (the first in the franchise). With their trademark banter, pop culture references, and absurd hypotheticals, the duo dissect the film’s cultural impact, themes of safety and vengeance, and how Taken has lived rent-free in their minds since its release. Layered throughout are their musings on relationships, dating “icks,” internet discourse, and the everyday trials of being “it girls” in a post-9/11 world.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Pop Culture Catch-Up (00:39–05:10)

• Madonna’s “Confessions 2”: Benito enthusiastically reviews Madonna’s latest album and laments not being included in the Danceteria video with the “It girls.” Mary Beth admits she hasn’t listened yet but is eager to ride the wave when ready.
  • “Everything Madonna says is funny to me. Well, it's iconic, but she has one where she goes, ‘Everybody here is a work of art.’ And that's very me.” – Benito (01:09)
• Galaxy Brain Ball Plug: The hosts reference their upcoming event, reflecting on how they hope listeners make watching Galaxy Brain a ritual beyond premiere day. (01:30–01:53)
• Vermicelli Bowls & Brushes: Ongoing community in-jokes, like the vermicelli bowls fan onslaught and the “Brush Your Shoulders Off” challenge. (05:07–09:04)

The Brush Your Shoulders Off Challenge & Relationship Musings (04:30–11:20)

• Playfulness as a Relationship Litmus Test: The hosts propose that if your partner can’t joke around (e.g., brush his shoulders off after you do something nice for him), he might not be “the one.”
  • “If you can’t look at your man and say, go on…then brush his shoulders off, and he do it? He’s not the one.” – Benito (05:43)
  • “You have to film yourselves doing this with your cranky ass boyfriend.” – Mary Beth (05:57)
• Normalizing Bodily Functions: Benito and Mary Beth wax poetic on the need for couples to be able to fart in front of each other.
  • “You should be able to fart in front of your partner.” – Mary Beth (09:28)
  • “Sometimes with a fart, I’m like, that's cool. It came out of your butt. I love your butt.” – Benito (10:15)

Quick Hit Topics & Anecdotes (11:04–24:00)

• Acupuncture for Anxiety: Benito shares his positive experience getting acupuncture “in and around the booty,” and how it helped manage stress and inflammation. (17:51–18:43)
• Social Media Judgment: Riffs on how judgmental social media can be, especially regarding parenting choices, and the superiority of venting in group chats instead of to strangers online. (19:09–20:09)
  • “I have no opinions to give to strangers...unless you're taking rights away from innocent civilians, totally.” – Benito (19:50)
• The Odyssey (the new film): Benito recounts his attempt to see Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in London, only to have the screening usurped by FIFA, leading to a hilarious tale about tiny theaters and moviegoing etiquette. (21:53–24:25)

Carpool Main Event: “Taken” (29:46–47:14)

Setting the Stage (29:46–31:18)

• Only discussing the original Taken, not the sequels. The film is lauded as a post-9/11 cultural moment and the start of the “Liam Neeson Renaissance.”
  • “First movie. It’s clean. Drop two and three. It’s cleaner.” – Benito (30:00)
  • “It actually taught me a lot about sex trafficking.” – Benito (30:35)

Movie Recap with Commentary (31:18–38:05)

• Benito and Mary Beth recount with humor and detail the core plot: Liam Neeson as a workaholic ex-CIA dad whose daughter is kidnapped while traveling in Europe. They delight in the absurdities, like the daughter's improbable pop star aspirations, the chain of “teen sluts” leaving a paper trail, and the pivotal kidnapping scene.
  • “Six tickets for six boys that smell like shit. An Axe kilo. We'll be going to Taken.” – Benito (31:30)
• They highlight the now-iconic “I have a special set of skills” phone speech.
  • “This big moment. Liam Neeson gets on the phone with the man who's taken her and he's like, I have a special set of skills. And I will find you and I will kill you.” – Benito (36:03–36:12)

The Action & Its Impact (38:05–41:23)

• The car chases, action setpieces, and staggering kill count are praised. Commentary also turns to the movie’s role in making women more vigilant about travel and their safety.
  • “Truly, you are entertained from the second it starts, the second it ends. And this, like, tale of revenge...” – Benito (37:19)
  • “It did have like a crazy kind of butterfly flaps its wings effect… I wonder if there’s some way to track a decline in European solo female travelers.” – Benito (41:23)

Feminism, Fantasy & Real-World Resonance (41:23–43:43)

• The hosts argue Taken is, in some way, a feminist film due to its wish-fulfillment revenge fantasy against exploitative men, but also point out the troubling realities the film hints at—such as real-life elites partaking in human trafficking.
  • “It’s not only feminist, it’s wish fulfillment as a Scorpio.” – Mary Beth (41:01)
  • “We’re trying to create these spaces where we can have fun. But yeah, it’s scary out there.” – Mary Beth (39:45)
• Mary Beth expresses her lone conspiracy theory: that Jeffrey Epstein is still alive and there must be a new “kingpin”—an aside that perfectly captures their mix of irreverence and real talk. (42:25–43:06)

The “What If We Got Taken?” Scenario (44:56–46:26)

• They imagine what they’d do for each other if the other got “taken”—luxurious flights, Parisian vintage shopping, and rescuing with panache.
  • “If you got taken, I would finally get to release this special set of skills that I have… I would still find time to get you and vintage shop in Paris.” – Benito (44:59–45:18)
• Benito and Mary Beth’s playful fantasy symbolizes their deep friendship and provides a tongue-in-cheek antidote to the film’s grim tone.

Rewatch Value & Family Appeal (46:24–47:14)

• The film is recommended as a family movie due to its lack of (onscreen) sex, making it suitable even for a watch with your partner’s parents.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "Everything Madonna says is funny to me...it's some of the best pop talking I have ever experienced.” – Benito (01:09)
• “Totally transparent. Yes. I have not listened to Madonna’s new album yet.” – Mary Beth (02:21)
• “You should be able to fart in front of your partner.” – Mary Beth (09:28)
• “If you can’t look at your man and say, go on…then brush his shoulders off, and he do it? He’s not the one.” – Benito (05:43)
• “I think this [Taken] was in middle school when it came out...Liam Neeson has a daughter who...wants to be a pop star.” – Benito (31:05)
• “These bitches trick Liam.” – Benito (33:52)
• “This big moment. Liam Neeson gets on the phone with the man who's taken her and he's like, I have a special set of skills. And I will find you and I will kill you.” – Benito (36:03–36:12)
• “It did have like a crazy kind of butterfly flaps its wings effect where I know that, like, my sister, a lot of women, they're like, it is kind of a scary film.” – Benito (41:23)
• “It’s not only feminist, it’s wish fulfillment as a Scorpio.” – Mary Beth (41:01)
• “If you got taken, I would finally get to release this special set of skills that I have.” – Benito (44:59)

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:39–05:10 – Pop culture/catch-up: Madonna album, Galaxy Brain Ball, vermicelli bowls
• 05:10–11:20 – The “Brush Your Shoulders Off” challenge; relationship playfulness
• 11:20–24:00 – Acupuncture, social media, slow walkers, The Odyssey (film anecdote)
• 29:46–47:14 – Taken deep dive: plot recap, impact, hypothetical scenarios, film’s legacy and effects

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Tone, Language, and Style

• Playful, irreverent, and peppered with in-jokes and digressive riffs.
• Conversational, fast-paced, and intimate—listeners feel like part of a best friend group venting, musing, and cackling about life and pop culture.
• Moments of sincerity about safety, vulnerability, and community shine through the comedy.

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Summary Takeaways

This episode showcases Benito and Mary Beth at peak chaotic bestie energy, using Taken as a launchpad for larger discussion about anxiety, safety, being “seen,” friend loyalty, and enjoying pop culture (even when it’s problematic). Their signature mix of humor, vulnerability, and nostalgia creates an episode as entertaining as the very movie they’re celebrating, leaving listeners wanting both to rewatch Taken and message a bestie “go on, brush your shoulders off.”

Transcript

[Mary Beth Barone]

The following podcast is a Dear Media production.

[Benito Skinner]

I'm Benito Skinner.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I'm Mary Beth Barone.

[Benito Skinner]

And this is Rye Rye Ride. Sabrina.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Madonna.

[Benito Skinner]

I've got something I want to talk about. Whoa. You hear those Harley Davidson? Come on. It's a little Harley Davidson. It's the street gang.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's the Greasers.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, it's the Greasers.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So we're the opposite to the Greasers in the Outsiders. Mmm.

[Benito Skinner]

I haven't watched the Outsiders in a long time, but I remember we gonna do it for Johnny.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, we're gonna do it for Johnny. And Pony boys stay golden.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, by the way, we're gonna do it for Johnny.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, duh.

[Benito Skinner]

So, Sabrina, I've got something I want to talk about. Madonna's new album, Confessions 2, has hit the scene. And it's hit the clubs, it's hit the airwaves, and we're all just loving it. There was a question. I think someone DMed me where they were. Like, I was thinking, I. I was wondering what has.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So thank you guys for joining us for episode three of season four. It's been so fun.

[Benito Skinner]

Talking is one of the hardest things I've ever done.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, it's true.

[Benito Skinner]

Someone DM me, was asking what I thought about Confessions too, and they could picture me doing all the lip syncing of Madonna talking throughout. It's some of the best pop talking I have ever experienced. Everything Madonna says is funny to me. Well, it's iconic, but she has one where she goes, everybody here is a work of art. And that's very me. At the Galaxy Brain Ball it is.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Which is coming up on Friday, which is so beyond sold out.

[Benito Skinner]

We have this pod so you can plug stuff.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Wait. Totally. Well, there's another plug there because it is sold out, but cheers. Galaxy Brain has been out for one day, and I hope you've all watched it multiple times by now. I hope you took the day off from work. But it's not just about watching it the day it comes out. It's about watching it for weeks, months and years to come. So just come on now.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, you know Murphy's Law, so I know that anything that can happen will happen. And that means an orgy has taken place with Galaxy Rain playing in the background. You can send us a photo if you want. Just, you know, don't. It shouldn't be too graphic. I don't want any, you know.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, I say keep it graphic.

[Benito Skinner]

Totally.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I want it to.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, I've sent you some graphic things.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah. There's nothing I haven't Seen the manicure pick before the manicure. Now I'm going to be honest with everyone. Totally transparent. Yes.

[Benito Skinner]

A lot to say on that later.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I have not listened to Madonna's new album yet.

[Benito Skinner]

To me, that sounds like it's something you'll experience later. And when people. People come to me and they're like, you haven't read A Little Life? And they. They hold me at knife point, and I say, I'm going to get to it when I get to it. And when I do, I'm sure it's going to mean the world. But that, I think, will be you with confessions, too. But if you think I'm going to walk into $3 bill and I'm not gonna look at you and say, I've got something I wanna talk about. I mean, come on. This album, it just feels like a true return to form for her. I think it's fabulous. It flows so beautifully throughout. It kind of has a renaissance feel and that you can just kind of like. You're at the club and it's like, oh, shit. Bring your love. Bring your love. But Danceteria is a huge hit for me. I think we should have been in it. In the bathroom, going.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Popping up out of nowhere.

[Benito Skinner]

There's a video, and it's full of the it girls of the moment.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Okay. Come on. Yeah, that makes sense.

[Benito Skinner]

We were grossly ignored.

[Mary Beth Barone]

We were overlooked.

[Benito Skinner]

Remember when there was at one point, we were going to be in Devil Wears Prada, too? I was sitting.

[Mary Beth Barone]

There was an avail check.

[Benito Skinner]

There was an avail check. And I watched the. I was watching the film. It's a film. Where the. Would we have come into this?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I think it was like at the party. You know, the party in the beginning.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, we were going to be at the Met gala.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Is that what that was in?

[Benito Skinner]

Come on, press your shoulders off.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You're getting ahead of my legs.

[Benito Skinner]

Speaking of which.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Don't you dare. So. Okay. And I want everyone to know you can hear me clicking my precise V5 pilot pen, which I was sent the pink edition of by pilot. And thank you so much. I have a whole box. I love them so much. I've written down the intro stuff today.

[Benito Skinner]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. So again, as I was saying, an it girl was grossly ignored. You're getting ballpoint pen pr.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, yeah, Honey. Oh, they had my address, kid.

[Benito Skinner]

I'm good on the me. Me purses.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I got my ballpoint pens. I'm good. My apartment's pretty full right now.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So you okay? I wrote everything down, so I don't have my phone. There's no technology in between us. Except, of course, the microphones, the neon sign, and then all these cameras. Yeah. So it's just you and me.

[Benito Skinner]

And me and my phone.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Scroll. And your phone as well.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So you wanted to talk about the brush your shoulders off challenge. Challenge.

[Benito Skinner]

And I. No need to cross it off. I haven't talked about it yet, but

[Mary Beth Barone]

we got to it.

[Benito Skinner]

Totally. I'm like, I loved making lists. I love making lists when I'm like, breathe, you know, I'm like, stretch brush teeth. Yeah. Did it. I do every step in my skincare routine.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Is. Has to be, isn't it? So one of the greatest images. It's like, it's. It's the birth of Venus.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Then queen Latifah, and then I guess,

[Benito Skinner]

like a picture of a vermicelli bowl on postmates.

[Mary Beth Barone]

A big trip.

[Benito Skinner]

And can I just say, vermicelli bowl. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. The way you have embraced this dish, taught us about this dish and sent us. I would say I've seen a thousand

[Mary Beth Barone]

vermicelli bowls, dozens of vermicelli bowls, but

[Benito Skinner]

there's not one vermicelli bowl I don't want to see. And so it's been amazing. The brush your shoulders off challenge. So as we enter the dating scene.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, we're.

[Benito Skinner]

I've got something I want to talk about.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, I have a lot to say, but we're gonna get to it.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah. Or not.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, no, it's more general notes.

[Benito Skinner]

Agreed. On the whole thing. I just think there are some. So I think there's something that really dawned on me is if you can't look at your man and say, go on. Then brush his shoulders off, and he do it. He's not the one.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You have to film yourselves doing this with your cranky ass boyfriend. No. Because this brings up another point.

[Benito Skinner]

They have a chip on their shoulder.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Brush it off.

[Benito Skinner]

Let me paint some pictures for you, please. You just. You go down on this man, and it's amazing. Right?

[Mary Beth Barone]

Which is what you call giving head. Yeah, I know.

[Benito Skinner]

All my girls.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I love going down on guys.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, we are so, so back. You watching porn over there.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Kay. Come on, guys.

[Benito Skinner]

So here we go.

[Mary Beth Barone]

When you go down on your man.

[Benito Skinner]

When you go down on your man, and you know, you kind of like, he's a lucky one. You go, come on, man. Brush your shoulders off. And he.

[Mary Beth Barone]

If he doesn't go, don't film yourselves doing that one. That one's private.

[Benito Skinner]

So that's private. But no, it's like, you know, it's playful.

[Mary Beth Barone]

If your guy can't be playful with you, it's probably not.

[Benito Skinner]

If he can't be proud to be with you, I don't want any of my girls with guys like that. He should be like, you know, or if something big happens for him, which I think we have to celebrate those especially straight guys, or they'll shoot us.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Shoot us. Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

So you know, he hits a golf club, what, 200 yards or something. Lies. Probably says it's 300, right? Farthest they've ever embellishing. I love the amount of straight men that have told me that they've hit an iron or a driver. Like 300 yards, I'm like, no, you didn't.

[Mary Beth Barone]

First of all, that couldn't mean less to me. I have no idea the distances in my mind that can mean anything. Is that a football field? Is that an Olympic sized swimming pool? I don't know.

[Benito Skinner]

It doesn't matter because all you have to do is go. Go on then.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, I have never.

[Benito Skinner]

Feeling like a pimp.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Come on, brush your shoulders off. When girls are with their boyfriends and they come up to us to say they love the pod or overcompensating or hopefully one day, galaxy brain. Well, see, I mean, it's a special. It's only been out for one day. It's a special. And those take time. They grow, they really build.

[Benito Skinner]

No, they will.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Your guys boyfriends are so cranky. Like, tell them to smile more.

[Benito Skinner]

No, I know they're kind of mad at us and you know, I just, I am somewhat. Girls. So there's no threat, bro. Unless you want a threat. Unless you want to fucking take it there. I'm happy to take it there, by the way.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Also, oh my God, have I said that? If you see me buying a liquid death in a bodega, that's good luck for seven years if you witness that transaction.

[Benito Skinner]

I don't know if you've said it on the pod, but I have heard you say that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I told you that.

[Benito Skinner]

And if you see me buying a pistachio filled date, that's bad luck. A long time bad.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Sassy. And that's a rare aesthetic.

[Benito Skinner]

That's a very rare aesthetic.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I haven't even seen that.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, have you not?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I haven't even seen that.

[Benito Skinner]

Just getting up to a cashier, looking to my left and saying, a pistachio filled date. I thought, well, Benny drama needs to try that. And I had two. I loved it. I was in London, but It could happen here.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It could happen here. The bodegas are getting the newest stuff. We actually found a new protein bar just dropped. We. We had them at our hotel in Los Angeles. I don't know what they're called. We're gatekeeping for now. If you guys are good, we'll let you know what it is.

[Benito Skinner]

To me, it's like. It's true. Bar.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I know.

[Benito Skinner]

Is that what it's called?

[Mary Beth Barone]

Something like that.

[Benito Skinner]

But there's a strawberry shortcake one. Oh, my goodness. I just. Oh, I've. I've housed those. I've gotten, like, 10 of them.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Please try the brush your shoulders off challenge with your boyfriends. Film it. Let's just see how it goes down.

[Benito Skinner]

I'm not kidding. If they won't do it, I think they're kind of a dick.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You should break up with them.

[Benito Skinner]

And they care too much about how they're perceived.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Totally.

[Benito Skinner]

Like, they. They care too much about the mystery. Relationships aren't about that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No.

[Benito Skinner]

I want to see you brush your shoulders off because you got to be with this baddie.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I also think, like, you should. You guys should. And this. I don't care if this ruffles feathers.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, my God.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I don't care.

[Benito Skinner]

Totally.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You should be able to fart in front of your partner.

[Benito Skinner]

What is the problem with that? You should. I agree.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I'm so over this. I'm mad that I even have to bring this up. You think I wanna be talking about farting? I don't. I know, but I think if your guy. If your guy. Yes, the engineer has left the building.

[Benito Skinner]

He said, what the fuck? Well, you just punched a wall.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, God. He just killed three people at a bodega.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Sexual integrity of Melrose podcast.

[Benito Skinner]

Honey, this paper town is gone.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I think we should be farting freely. Like, obviously. Maybe not in, like, a serious moment, but maybe in a serious moment when you need to just, like, cut the tension.

[Benito Skinner]

I have something gross to add, but I don't know.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Pooping with the door open?

[Benito Skinner]

Well, no, that's fucking crazy. I think that you can kind of chill.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's up to the couple.

[Benito Skinner]

But sometimes with a fart, I'm like, that's cool. It came out of your butt. I love your butt.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Right?

[Benito Skinner]

That's funny. It can be funny.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You would.

[Benito Skinner]

You know, he rips a big fart. You go, go on there.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Right?

[Benito Skinner]

Let's just show him.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Girls should be ripping farts too.

[Benito Skinner]

I'm just picturing a girl. Boyfriend walks into the room, rips one. Rips ass.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No but she has to grab a cigarette from the pack. No, she taps it on the thing, puts it in, lights it's. Go on.

[Benito Skinner]

Then brush your shoulders off. And then she ashes in the bed on the gray sheets.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well done.

[Benito Skinner]

And then she just lights one up like a bassoon. Yeah, might have been interesting lately. I had acupuncture though, yesterday.

[Mary Beth Barone]

In and around the booty. I did such good prank. I'm waiting to decide if I'm gonna share it on the pod, but go on.

[Benito Skinner]

I know you didn't just say in and around the booty, Amber Rose. Finger up the booty ass, bitch.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, something. Actually, no. Nope.

[Benito Skinner]

Good. Just drink. Drink your lychee martini, Sir.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, also burping. Farting. Not the same.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, of course not that debate.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Can we just put it to rest for once? Once and for all.

[Benito Skinner]

Burping. You could do like anywhere burping.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I do in church.

[Benito Skinner]

I did on a Zoom recently and I said, excuse me and it felt weird. It's like I didn't need to.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, it's like a sneeze. Relax.

[Benito Skinner]

I love farting and then going, oh my God. D. Like I love blaming it on ducks.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Of course.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah, that's always fun.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's a duck.

[Benito Skinner]

Because mine do have a. They have sex.

[Mary Beth Barone]

A duck like quality.

[Benito Skinner]

Have I farted on here?

[Mary Beth Barone]

Probably not, but you snot rocketed. And oh my God, that's gotta count for something.

[Benito Skinner]

Goes to a London club once. Here's the thing. Sorry. Oh yeah, you good?

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, I'm really sorry. Go on.

[Benito Skinner]

I went to the Invitation last week and this girl.

[Mary Beth Barone]

The invite.

[Benito Skinner]

Even the invite. Sorry. Fuck.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You don't support or respect women. Filmmakers by

[Benito Skinner]

K18 is a biotech engineered hair care brand on a mission to unlock your fullest expression without hair damage. I am obsessed with the leave in conditioner stuff. Like I put that in after just like a big week on set because I'm an actor.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Right.

[Benito Skinner]

Understanding the biology of hair, by the way. Is that what you were going to say?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I was going to say that.

[Benito Skinner]

Keep going.

[Mary Beth Barone]

They use biotech instead of cosmetic chemistry to engineer real and lasting solutions for your hair concerns.

[Benito Skinner]

K18's air wash dry shampoo is best selling non aerosol dry shampoo for all hair types. I'm obsessed with the K18. They have a great kind of like Detox shampoo.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah, the woman that cuts my hair is obsessed with it.

[Benito Skinner]

My concern is just like buildup and I think also like using too many products because when you do that every day you get a lot of scalp buildup. And then it can be really dry because you do have to wash well.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Also, it's like, does your hair get greasy, oily, or limp between wash days? Do you work out and have to put off sweating hot yoga lifting because of the extra work your hair will need after? Do you hate the gritty, starchy buildup that most dry shampoos leave behind? Like all these things, like, you can solve it with K18.

[Benito Skinner]

K18 is just one of those things you see in Sephora and you're like, whoa, science is here. And thank God, because yeah, I'm purchasing and it really is all so unbelievably worth it. And when I see someone's got K18 in their bathroom like you and me, I'm like, oh. And I steal it. I fill my pockets.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So I think the science of fresh hair is like so important. And they're finally using science to help women. It's like, about damn time. You can instantly eliminate odor and reduce oil and sweat even in the summer heat.

[Benito Skinner]

Fresh hair and scalp for up to three days.

[Mary Beth Barone]

The first biotech powered dry shampoo. No white cast, starchy buildup or heavy fragrances.

[Benito Skinner]

Shop at Sephora.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh my God.

[Benito Skinner]

We always tell people that. Are you kidding? Or get 10% off your first purchase at k18hair.com with code RED RIDE. That's code RIDE18hair.com.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I think we all know that us in the ride cinematic universe, we are huge proponents of therapy. We talk a lot on the show about anxiety and family dynamics, wouldn't you say?

[Benito Skinner]

Well, that's kind of like top two

[Mary Beth Barone]

and how to navigate both. But in order to make big meaningful changes that stick, it often takes a lot of conversation and practice. As you know, we have recommended regular therapy to anyone who listens to. And now we're recommending grow therapy. Everyone treats summer like it owes you happiness. Long days, pool parties, literally your best life on a loop. So what does it mean when you feel worse? The summer blues are real. It's why summer is one of the busiest stretches of the year for people starting therapy.

[Benito Skinner]

Therapy is too expensive. Used to end the conversation. It shouldn't. Oh my God, you're pissing me off. Grow Therapy works to help people find care they can afford. Is insurance friendly and easy to start and stay with no subscriptions. No subscriptions. No subscriptions. God, I hate you, Benny. Just support that fits your life and your budget.

[Mary Beth Barone]

If you've got insurance, you might already have therapy coverage and not even know it. Grow makes it easy to check in seconds. Book A therapist who takes your plan and start in as little as two days. Therapy is not only for when you're in crisis. Grow Therapy is here for all the moments when you decide you want more. More support, more clarity, more tools. Mental health health isn't a destination you reach. It's something you build. And grow makes that easier. Grow connects you with thousands of high quality licensed therapists across the US Offering both virtual and in person sessions, nights and weekends. You can search by what matters like insurance, specialty, identity, or availability and get started in as little as two days.

[Benito Skinner]

If there's something in your life you'd like to change, Grow Therapy can help you start. The therapist you want takes your insurance on. Grow grow accepts over 125 insurance plans. Sessions average $21 with insurance, and some pay as little as $0 depending on their plan.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Visit growththerapy.comride today to get started. That's growtherapy.comride growththerapy.com ride availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan.

[Benito Skinner]

So I went to the invitation.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's called the invite.

[Benito Skinner]

God, my brain doesn't work. Yeah, and this girl had a coughing fit in it. I felt so bad for her.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, in the middle of the movie?

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, you should probably excuse me. Excuse yourself.

[Benito Skinner]

I say go, baby. Yeah, I saw the Odyssey. We'll talk about it. Season six.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I have it on the notes today.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, really? You want to talk about it?

[Mary Beth Barone]

You had written it in the.

[Benito Skinner]

What did I say? I knew what I was gonna say.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Calling a guy. It's an ick the second it happens.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, I love this. I think this is so fun. So if you're on a date with a guy, another challenge. Anything he does that you don't really with, just go. That's such an ick for me.

[Mary Beth Barone]

That's such an ick for me.

[Benito Skinner]

Just call it out in the moment happens. It's so up.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, I love that.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, my God.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Ick. Ugh. Oh, I just got the ick.

[Benito Skinner]

That's such an ick for me.

[Mary Beth Barone]

The ick in real time. Don't save it for the group chat. Just fucking speak on it. Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

So you can. It's kind of like psychological warfare where you're kind of making them embarrass themselves by brushing their shoulders off but also feeling emotional.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And then you say, that gave you the ick.

[Benito Skinner]

And then you go, that gave me the ick.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, my God. Wait. You know when you're in an interview and then you accidentally have this, like, existential moment? I was doing a video with Betches.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, that just, of course you're gonna have a decision.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I mean, I saw God in there. Yeah. They asked me, what's a deal breaker for you? And in that moment, I realized I don't have any. And that's the problem.

[Benito Skinner]

Did you say that?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I did.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, well, I had an interview. And she goes, what are you scared of? And I go, losing my fucking mind.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

And the face that looked back at me, I thought, oof. That wasn't. She thought I was going to say,

[Mary Beth Barone]

sharks don't ask questions. You don't want the answer.

[Benito Skinner]

Which, of course, I'm scared of sharks. Seeing these fricking white cakes in the. They're looking at that, saying, whoa, dessert.

[Mary Beth Barone]

They said, wait, it's giving dessert.

[Benito Skinner]

They said, I already ate a dolphin, but that looks pretty freaking good.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah. So it's just something to think about. I want some deal breakers. Maybe I'll find some this year.

[Benito Skinner]

I can find some for you.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Okay.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah, cool.

[Mary Beth Barone]

We'll get into that later.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, I haven't talked about acupuncture.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, yeah, go on.

[Benito Skinner]

So in and around the booty, as you were saying. So I went and got acupuncture yesterday. It was incredible. Shout out Cynthia at Aura Studio. Aura is fabulous. I think it's a noho. Yeah. It's right across from SoulCycle, the one that we went to for the overcompensating class.

[Mary Beth Barone]

That was at 19th street, but go on.

[Benito Skinner]

She always embarrasses me. How do I. How do I continue on? And it's been just kind of crazy ever since. I would say I just feel very relieved. No, well, I've. I've definitely. You know, I've gone to the shitter multiple times, but I feel like such a release in my whole body. It's been incredible.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It can really. It can. It's that girl.

[Benito Skinner]

And the inflammation's down. And I was a little nervous about something I'm doing later today, and it totally relieved it.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, good.

[Benito Skinner]

Today's a big day.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I think you shouldn't be nervous at all.

[Benito Skinner]

I think it's gonna be fun.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's gonna be, like, groundbreaking.

[Benito Skinner]

Some big changes are happening.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's florals for scoring. Groundbreaking.

[Benito Skinner]

It's florals for spring. Us and the Devil wears Prada, too.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

Is she really wearing that? That was gonna be my big line.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah. I didn't have a line. I just went, ugh.

[Benito Skinner]

Exactly.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But I would have nailed that.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah, I know you would've.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Stealer next for people DMing me that Pinky's nails Are too long. Then come over and cut them. Cause I'm not doing that.

[Benito Skinner]

That'd be scary.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I'm not fucking doing that.

[Benito Skinner]

That's interesting on parenting, like getting notes for parenting. Because I remember one time I had my niece in a story and her seatbelt was just down when I just went to the car to give her like a doll. I think I was giving her like a Moana doll. Moana. Moana. Shoot me.

[Mary Beth Barone]

That's. There goes the podcast.

[Benito Skinner]

There goes the fucking podcast. And so I went and brought her a doll. And the amount of comments I got just from like, where her seatbelt was placed, I was like, oh, if I had a kid, I certainly would never post it on the Internet.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No.

[Benito Skinner]

Like driving me to psychosis.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You shouldn't be parenting on a platform at the comment section. That just feels really dangerous to me, I think.

[Benito Skinner]

Is something wrong with me? I have no opinions to give to strangers.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No. Oh my God.

[Benito Skinner]

Is something right with me?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I have no.

[Benito Skinner]

I don't care. Well, also, unless you're taking rights away from innocent civilians, totally. I really have no. I don't care.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I think people need to just, like, practice. Like, again, I'm saying put the phone down, close the app, text a group chat. Text your like, closest confidants about your thing.

[Benito Skinner]

I will say my one opinion, though. Let's. Let's stop with the hate of slow walkers. Like, some people just can't walk fast.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Who's saying, where's this hate?

[Benito Skinner]

I just feel like that's such a thing where they're like, oh my God, I'm trying to walk on the sidewalk. Nothing makes matter than slow walkers. And it's like, well, that person is like, you know, aging.

[Mary Beth Barone]

They could be differently abled.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's just.

[Benito Skinner]

It's like, I don't know, some of these things that are kind of like, everyone needs to. Bye, honey.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, please calm down.

[Benito Skinner]

And by the way, bye, bye, honey.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, it's. Yeah, there's too much discourse, period.

[Benito Skinner]

What else? Nancy Drew?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I'm moving. I just wanted to say.

[Benito Skinner]

So I don't live here anymore.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Exactly. Me to brand. Sending me pr. Sorry.

[Benito Skinner]

Let me re flip flops.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Let me needs to lose my address. I will say this because I don't want anything they sell. I never signed up for your.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, you've never had lemme bloat. Because I love a lemme bloat.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I don't do that. Placebo effect is one thing. I ain't going near that stuff. I don't know how you got My address. We never did ads for you on the podcast. We don't know. We don't know where it's coming from. You tried to DM on social. I don't want your stuff. I just want you to know what's happening with your stuff. I'm putting it outside my apartment. I'm taking a picture of it. Jake is putting it on the building. Group chat. And someone's coming to take it for free. Yeah, that's.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, someone in your building is deep loaded.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Someone in my building is this big.

[Benito Skinner]

They said, let me serve.

[Mary Beth Barone]

They said, let me serve. You saw the Odyssey and they switched the big screen to FIFA.

[Benito Skinner]

Holy shit. I feel like I've talked a lot about shooting, but hey, I'm back in America and I have to say what I have to say.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Hey, when in Rome.

[Benito Skinner]

That's right. Do is the Roman. Me and the Odyssey. Come on. Come on, boy.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Make it home.

[Benito Skinner]

So I'm in London and I go to this theater called the Hackney Picture House. And I go to the Odyssey and oh, my God. So at first I'm in this theater and it's huge, it's massive. And I think, well, this is exactly what Christopher Nolan wanted for me. Shot all on imax, shot on an iPhone, me around all these straight guys at the gym. It was shot on IMAX cameras and they're all cheering for me. And then I started doing a jazz standard rendition of something of anything. Of Travis Scott's Astroworld.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah, so now that I would love to see.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, of course, and you might later. So then FIFA is playing on the screen when I walk into the movie theater. And I went, okay, well, this must just be playing until the commercial start. No, it kept going. And then re looked at my ticket and I was like, okay, I'm gonna go see. So I go and I check with the ticket taker and he's like, no, we actually switched screens because of the FIFA World Cup. And I went, okay, the theater I'm about to go to better be the same size, if not bigger.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Bigger. It's definitely.

[Benito Skinner]

It was a closet. Yeah, I saw it on a regular screen. Smaller than a screen. It was one of those, like, little tiny, like, you know how the Angelica has like the small. Come on, New York.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So are you gonna sue?

[Benito Skinner]

Well, I just thought if they had done that to a straight man in America. Shooting.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Shooting for sure.

[Benito Skinner]

There's kind of just no other way casualties. So I just couldn't believe it. Someone with more verve would have fought for a free ticket. But I just Couldn't believe they did that. It just felt so disrespectful to Christopher Nolan.

[Mary Beth Barone]

How big of a TV do you really need to watch soccer?

[Benito Skinner]

That's what. And also, the theater was totally empty. Like, no one was. They should have done it on the other one. It would have been great.

[Mary Beth Barone]

They could have felt like there would have been community.

[Benito Skinner]

Exactly.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Two things I want to say about the Odyssey. One, I agree with Christopher Nolan on just about everything, but he banned Uggs on set, which. That. Sorry. Okay. There's no such thing as the perfect man.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, and my thing is there are easier ways to say you don't want Mary Beth Barone on your set.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Right. Like, I get it.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Two, lest we forget that, I believe it was season one. We almost, like, manifested this movie being made because we brought up how Homer told the story of the Odyssey when he took a really long time in the bathroom. He had to explain why he'd been gone for so long.

[Benito Skinner]

So, Christopher, what's mine is mine. Okay? I can tell you're listening.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I'm obs with people being mad that it's not, like, truer to the book, where I'm like, oh. All of a sudden there's like, the Odyssey stands. Purists being like, he didn't focus on that enough.

[Benito Skinner]

Relax. Imagine caring about that. That's the opinion thing, where I'm just like, God, I saw it and it's unbelievable. It's like, it's a feat. The whole thing is a feat.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I'm waiting till, like, August for sure.

[Benito Skinner]

I'm going again to Metro Private Cinema. Have you been there? Oh, I'm kind of burning cash at Metro Private Cinema, but you go, and

[Mary Beth Barone]

they cost thousands of dollars.

[Benito Skinner]

They have full meals there. You have a meal during the movie, and you have a private screening room for, like, as many friends as you want to bring.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Where is it?

[Benito Skinner]

And it's like, as far as pricing, it's not cheap, but it's also not as insane as you would think it would be for what it is, but. Oh, my God. Metro Private Cinema. You gotta check it out. I'm going on Friday. I'm seeing the Odyssey for the second time. Huge endorsement, and the screen's gonna be kind of the same size it was before, but I'm going to be right up close with it, eating lamb and food.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I mean, you're going to have rack of lamb.

[Benito Skinner]

I know.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Lamb, Lamb.

[Benito Skinner]

Okay. I make lamb.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Silent of the lamb.

[Benito Skinner]

Silent of the lamb.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So I wanted to shout out Megan Patsall, our new Social media manager. She's doing such a fabulous job with the clips and with the roundups of all your guys. Art that you make out of this podcast.

[Benito Skinner]

Full art. It's seeing art being made like that. It's just so. It's just cool.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, it's really cool. And we're so. We are actually happy to be back, if you can believe that.

[Benito Skinner]

Yes. Should we get into what we write for Carpet?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I actually think we should.

[Benito Skinner]

We have so much more that I

[Mary Beth Barone]

know this is going to be. Yeah, we'll get into this tomorrow.

[Benito Skinner]

Cool.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, actually, one more thing. Stomach bug. With the stomach bug that's making people 40 times a day.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Make America healthy Again has been real quiet.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah. Are we healthy yet? Okay, so something about me is if you're going to boink me, it's going to be on a Brooklyn Bedding mattress.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Okay.

[Benito Skinner]

Just deal with that. So I've started thinking about my mattress as a part of my recovery routine. So since switching to my mattress from Brooklyn Bedding, my spine feels supported, my body fully relaxes when I sleep, and I'm not fighting to get comfortable at night. I fall asleep faster and I wake up feeling genuinely restored. This shift has made a real difference in how I feel every day. And sometimes I wake up and don't want to slap the first person I talk to. Brooklyn Bedding designs and assembles a every mattress in their Arizona factory. Zona Girls rise. No middlemen, no gimmicks. Just top tier quality, honest pricing and real American craftsmanship for a better night's sleep. Brooklyn Betting is an all American success story. Just like Mary Beth Barone. A guy named John started a doll in Arizona. He learned the trade and trade and built his business from the ground up without a college degree. Just like amb. Fast forward to today and it's still family run right here in the usa. Brooklyn Bedding no sleep isn't one size fits all. That's why they offer mattresses for everybody. Every sleep style, even in hard to find sizes. Sleep hot. Brooklyn Bedding uses Glaciotex, which is what I have. These are covers and they're copper infused foams and temperature regulating materials to help keep you cool and comfortable all night long. So daddy sweats and he wakes up in a pool of sweat and sometimes he thinks it's pee, but it's not. It's sweat. So Glaciotex really helps me. Not sure you can take Benny Drama's word for it. Well, Brooklyn Betting has been awarded the best hybrid mattress by wire cutter go to BrooklynBedding.com and use my promo code ride at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. That's BrooklynBetting.com and promo code RIDE for 30% off sitewide. Exclusive with my code Brooklyn Betty.com promo code RIDE.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You know that feeling when you're invited to a wedding, a birthday party and a work thing all in the same month and suddenly you realize you have nothing to wear? You could spend hundreds of dollars on new outfits for everything or you could rent your clothes from Nuuly for just $98. Nuuly is a subscription clothing rental service that lets you pick six styles every month for just $98 a month and you get your choice of any six styles. Rent for whatever you have going on. You could get dresses and fancy stuff or some things for just every day. Like if you go to work if that's something that you do. Access to thousands of styles from hundreds of brands. Newly carries labels like Free People Reformation for Love and Lemons Lisa says G Damson Matter and of course our favorite Hill House. It also has inclusive sizing with options for a plus petite small. Oh, I said small, but I actually meant tall. I think I had petite on the brain. And maternity fast. Free shipping and returns plus professional dry cleaning and laundry and the option to buy what you love at a really great discount. The great thing about Nuuly is you get to wear more while spending less. Curb that must buy something new feeling you get when there are events on the calendar and still feel excited about your wardrobe. The great thing about Nuuly is it helps you have fun and get creative and explore your style without making commitments. God, we all hate commitment. I mean right? Free your closet of impulse purchases and skip the nothing to wear spiral by renting instead. There are also no late fees, damage fees or fees to to pause or cancel. You can wear the hell out of these clothes so no big deal if you lose the button, spill something or just need to take a break. Nuuly is a great value at 98amonth for any six styles. But right now you can get 28 off your first month when you sign up with the code ride. Just go to n u l y.com and enter the code RIDE at sign up to get 28 off your first month. That's n u l y.com newly with two U's and get code RIDE for 28 off your first month. Newly subscription clothing rental. Change your clothes. Let's get into what we ride for.

[Benito Skinner]

Today is a carpool and we will be Riding for Taken.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Liam Neeson's Taken. I'm riding for the first movie. I'm not riding for the franchise. If you want to ride for the franchise, that's up to you.

[Benito Skinner]

No, we're just doing the first movie.

[Mary Beth Barone]

First movie.

[Benito Skinner]

I think the first movie. It's clean. Drop two and three. It's cleaner.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's cleaner.

[Benito Skinner]

So I haven't. I think I saw those and I was entertained. But like the first one felt like a like zeitgeist cultural moment for me.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

And I have so many stories to tell you about this film.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, I do want to just shout out post 911 media.

[Benito Skinner]

Exactly.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Obviously.

[Benito Skinner]

And we think that's what this is.

[Mary Beth Barone]

We were never more at risk as a people, as a society and I, or I guess as like the human race of just like everywhere you look, there could be somebody that's trying to kill you.

[Benito Skinner]

Exactly. Especially if you're a virgin.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Okay.

[Benito Skinner]

Virgin. Exactly.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

Me being single again. Prime real estate. Sorry, that's fucked up. It actually taught me a lot about sex trafficking.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Me too.

[Benito Skinner]

And so I actually think it's like an important film because I. I don't know if in Idaho that really had crossed my desk yet when I was in. I think this. I was in middle school when it came out because I remember seeing it when a bunch of guys were going to sleep over at my house. I'm going to bleep this. But it was the night the came out and so.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So that sleepover.

[Benito Skinner]

That sleepover was like, it was. Everyone was talking about, oh, it was like I threw the sleepover of the century, of course. But me and just a couple of the guys went and saw this. Liam, Lucy.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, you went to the theater?

[Benito Skinner]

We went to the theater, yeah. In Bodo. Boise. Downtown. Woo. Mom, dad, drop us off in Bodo.

[Mary Beth Barone]

One ticket, please. Straight to Bodo.

[Benito Skinner]

Six tickets for six boys that smell like shit. An axe kilo. We'll be going to taken. It was so like, oh my God, this film. So if you haven't seen it, oh my God. Liam Neeson has a daughter who by the way, there's a total like side story of she wants to be a pop star.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, of course.

[Benito Skinner]

Which I'm so glad that they were like in the writers room where the writers were like, the fuck would his daughter want to be?

[Mary Beth Barone]

They go, yeah, I guess, like, she wants to be a singer. Singer, yeah, yeah, yeah. Singer. Yeah, write that down.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah. And then. And then. And they go, and can we put Katie Cassidy in it and ask something? Yeah, we'll kill her, of course. But spoiler alert, Liam Neeson is separated from his wife. Okay.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Who I just want to note, I have seen in three different cities. I have run into this actress in Toronto, Los Angeles, and I'm not kidding you, three days ago, I drove past her. I was in a taxi, and she was on the. On the corner. Like past lives or something. Like something is pushing us together and we will meet. And I don't know what's gonna happen when that.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, I can't wait.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But I just wanted to say that possibly taken for. Possibly a reboot of the franchise.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, she's, by the way, X Men. She's mutant and proud.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, honey, what's her name? Jane in the movie.

[Benito Skinner]

What's her name in X Men? Do you know?

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, Jean Grey.

[Benito Skinner]

Jean Grey. Oh, my God, I love that you knew that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I watched X Men recently on a plane back to Paris. I love X Men where, you know, a lot of bad stuff happened.

[Benito Skinner]

It was one of those romantic trip, you know, it's very. Romanticize your life, but everything goes wrong.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Okay, so essentially we meet these characters.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, you're gonna kill this.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And, like, the world has brought them together, right? So like Liam Neeson, he's divorced. He was obviously a workaholic. And what we gather is that this man is like security.

[Benito Skinner]

He's CIA.

[Mary Beth Barone]

He's CIA. Something special ops, MI15 or whatever.

[Benito Skinner]

He has a special set of skills. So there's this special skill.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So there's this special set of skills.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So he has this daughter who he cares about more than anything in the world, even though maybe he wasn't the best dad all the time.

[Benito Skinner]

She has a weird way of running. That's all. I'm gonn. There's just a moment where she's running in the airport and at her birthday party that I think about a lot for some reason. But I think she's a fabulous actress.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Totally. So essentially we meet them when I think she's like, she's a teenager, and she basically presents this idea like, I want to go to Europe with my rich friend, and we're going to stay in her cousin's apartment, and it's going to be totally safe, and the cousins are there and it's all going to be good, and we're only going to one city. So they sell Liam Neeson on this. I mean, it's a bill of goods at the end of the day, by the way.

[Benito Skinner]

I mean, these. These bitches trick Liam.

[Mary Beth Barone]

These sluts, these skanks, these teen slugs, these skanks this was also, I do want to point out, the Liam Neeson, like, renaissance. This was like the rebirth of his career in this really beautiful way. And he gives amazing interviews. Talk about faux pas. I mean, this man on a press tour is like, he is giving. So essentially, the. The daughter gets to Paris, I believe.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah, I think I have to take it from here. It might be too much for you.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, And I'm just.

[Benito Skinner]

So they're at the airport, by the way. Liam Neeson drops her off and he finds out she's going to see six U2 concerts throughout Europe.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And he finds.

[Benito Skinner]

So much for. Hey, so much for one fucking little Parisian trip with your rich friend.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But he finds it out because he finds a paper map with cities circled, if I'm not mistaken.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah, of course. Oh, she leaves a paper trail.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah, she would never do that.

[Benito Skinner]

These friends that own this apartment in Paris, they won't be there. The girls are alone in this fabulous Parisian apartment, might I just add.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And they share a cab with a young man.

[Benito Skinner]

They land and they immediately get spotted by a sex trafficking.

[Mary Beth Barone]

The kind of, I don't know, the bottom feeder. The one that needs to, like, charm

[Benito Skinner]

the girls and trust. Liam Neeson. Kills him early on, I'd say, in our first act. So they get to this apartment, and immediately Liam Neeson's daughter, she's taken.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Okay, well, but she calls him first. She says, dad, like, it's not what I thought it was.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, she tells him that she's made it to the apartment and he was really stressed. Cause he got her a phone to call him, and he was like, call me when you land. Call me in. He's tracking all this. I mean, she's a total fool for not, like, texting him 15 times.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But she lied to him. And then she was also lied to. So it's like, what a tangled web we weave.

[Benito Skinner]

I know. She got really stressed because Katie Cassidy is there having a grand old time in her Uggs. And she's like, jumping on, like, sofas and stuff, and it's all fun. She then gets taken, and it's truly, like a terrifying scene. Yeah, like, it's. It's kind of. It's beautifully done my way. Just sad.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's gripping.

[Benito Skinner]

He has her go under the bed. I learned a lot. I don't know if any of it's like, what you're supposed to do, but she, like, puts the phone out so that they. She can hear everything. And he says, describe the men to me.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah, everything you see, she sees a Tattoo.

[Benito Skinner]

Then this big moment. I just got chills.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

This big moment. Liam Neeson gets on the phone with the man who's taken her and he's like, I have a special set of skills.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

And I will find you and I will kill you.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

And the guy says, good's luck, Sabrina.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Madonna.

[Benito Skinner]

I've got something I want to talk about. It's very that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's very that.

[Benito Skinner]

And so then Liam Neeson's like, okay, I'm gonna be in Paris and I'm gonna kill not 200 men to save my daughter.

[Mary Beth Barone]

He goes, I'm gonna clock your T.

[Benito Skinner]

He said, you cool if I clock your tea?

[Mary Beth Barone]

By the way, sheer amount of damage. Sorry. He's. He's driving cars through construction zones.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

He's doing high speed chases on the highway. He's causing people to ultimately jump to their death. That sort of thing. Yeah, it's.

[Benito Skinner]

He's shooting, like innocent wives of guilty men in the thigh.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Right? Like, not to kill. Not shoot to kill. Just shoot.

[Benito Skinner]

Of course it's a flesh wound.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah, it's a flesh wound.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But I think what's not a monster, what's impressive? One thing that's impressive about this movie to me is the car chases. Those scenes, unbelievable. Choreographing them getting all the cars in the right place. I just can't even fathom it.

[Benito Skinner]

We film in a car in season two. Oh, God, here I go. I'm such a fucking narcissist with this show. You are filming in a car is just, oh, my God, it's so hard.

[Mary Beth Barone]

So just imagine all that.

[Benito Skinner]

So to do that and then, oh, my God, in his fighting sequences, he is incredible. And he is so riveting in this. Truly, you are entertained from the second it starts, the second it ends. And this, like, tale of revenge. And also, like, he saves this woman along the way who his daughter was really nice to and, like, gave a jacket to which I like, love that scene.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Katie Cassidy found dead.

[Benito Skinner]

So Katie Cassidy, ultimately, she had to be punished because she put our sweet, innocent, virginal girl in trouble. So our loving Katie Cassidy of Gossip Girl fame, she did meet her demise. But I will say, it really did teach me about, like, European travel.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I know it's really dangerous.

[Benito Skinner]

It was really scary. Exactly. So that aspect of it. And then it was like, after that, I started to see those signs in airports where they were like.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Like, if I love the ones, obviously have a stand up joke about how it's like they say it's up to you to put an end to human trafficking, which is like me.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I don't think I can do that.

[Benito Skinner]

But you're like, I just bought Us Weekly at Hudson.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, I'm wearing a lip combo.

[Benito Skinner]

Exactly.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But.

[Benito Skinner]

And so am I.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But I love that they're like, if you're being trafficked, call this number. You think they let them have phones? There has to be a better way to prevent and protect. I know we haven't quite landed on it yet, but something else I really like about this movie is that Liam Neeson and the actress playing his daughter are playing father and daughter. I don't know if we're seeing. So I actually did get an audition for a Richard Gere Diana Silver's vehicle where they are playing a couple. I got an audition to play Diana Silver's boss. So I am officially too old to play Richard Gere's love interest, which was obviously just good information for me to have. Of course.

[Benito Skinner]

And your team.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And my team. Yeah, we were. We were alerted of this.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And I decided not to audition. I said, I just don't think this is a story I want to be part of telling.

[Benito Skinner]

I did see photos of that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

There's photo and video.

[Benito Skinner]

A video. The video didn't land on my desk

[Mary Beth Barone]

yet, but there's a lot of video.

[Benito Skinner]

Whoa.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's all happening. I'm seeing all these, like, older guys dating like 24 year olds. And I just. Yeah. As a 35 year old, knowing what I was like at 24, I know that these are like sentient women who can make their own choices. It's just a bit. It's a bit odd.

[Benito Skinner]

It's hard to see anything that makes being a woman seem fun. But it does seem like you all are still finding the joy and finding. You're buying Labubus, you're going to movies,

[Mary Beth Barone]

you're wearing lip combos.

[Benito Skinner]

You're wearing lip combos. Of course, like all of that. You're buying dupes of the lip combos. Like, that can be fun too.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Totally.

[Benito Skinner]

To kind of stick it.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Challenge yourself.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah, of course. Challenge it to.

[Mary Beth Barone]

We're going to Galaxy Green Bell. It's like we're trying to have. We're trying to create these spaces where we can have fun. But yeah, it's. It's scary out there. Let's talk about the third act of this movie.

[Benito Skinner]

So in the third act. Well, at this point, the kill count is well into the triple digits. I mean, Liam is not even. He has. I mean, so we watched this. Got. We got to watch this over Two vermicelli bowls when we had whatever new strain of COVID that we got didn't show up on a test in Toronto. Couldn't. I mean, it couldn't. No. They were like, wait, but just stay inside.

[Mary Beth Barone]

They said, please don't interact with anyone. But you don't have Covid.

[Benito Skinner]

You can go to the Chanel in Yorkville.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I guess that's it.

[Benito Skinner]

That's it.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And that's it.

[Benito Skinner]

We were watching it and it was just. It did make me feel a little better. And I just remember, like, I don't know, there's something about it that I do think it is a feminist film is how I'm leaving it.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

Because, like, yes, it has. And of course it's supposed to be like American heroes and there is kind of a post 911 media to it, but there's something about the men that they're talking about at the end. It's like billionaires. And they're at that billionaire guy's house and he shoots that guy in the elevator. It's my favorite. And when he goes, please don't. And Liam just pop, pop, pop. And then the elevator opens and this billionaire who's definitely been running this ring. Oh, my God, the whole party. One girl drops a drink.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, it's wish fulfillment.

[Benito Skinner]

It's definitely wish fulfillment.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's not only feminist, it's wish fulfillment as a Scorpio.

[Benito Skinner]

Watching it, I definitely leave it being like, well, that was amazing.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Totally.

[Benito Skinner]

How was that for you? Oh, my God. To Liam Neeson.

[Mary Beth Barone]

You know what I liked about it as far as being sick was it made me sweat. And I think that helped us get better faster.

[Benito Skinner]

It is very. It's a stressful watch.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Even when you know what happens at the end, it's still tense.

[Benito Skinner]

It did have like a crazy kind of, you know, a butterfly flaps its wings effect where I know that, like, my sister, a lot of women, they're like, it is kind of a scary film. And I wonder if there's some way to track like a. A decline in European solo female travelers. Yeah. And I know that we're all being more careful at the airports when we're getting in the cars. And I'm happy for that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

No, it's good.

[Benito Skinner]

I mean, happy to be alerted of that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It was sort of like exposing this thing that was happening that felt really far fetched. Like, this is all fiction. But, like, now we know that these billionaires, like, are really, like, auctioning people off.

[Benito Skinner]

And I know, I wonder at that table in Hollywood, they were like, what could be right about? And they're like, well, one of my friends does this thing.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Thing, right?

[Benito Skinner]

And they were like, oh, yeah, he's

[Mary Beth Barone]

kind of junior level.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah. He's like mid tier.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I'd say we don't have to follow him, but yeah, what we could do is, like, create. Yeah. So she wants to be a pop star.

[Benito Skinner]

Let's pretend it's just in Europe, right?

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, no, totally. And it's all European people.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah, of course. Cheaper to shoot there. Taxes.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And they also. Taxes.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

My only conspiracy theory that I believe, because I came up with it, is that I don't think Jeffrey Epstein was killed or died. I think he's alive.

[Benito Skinner]

Ride the pot out of context is going to go crazy with this.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And you're welcome. Yeah, I'm just like, so he's gone. Right? Right. All those people didn't just stop doing that. So it's like, who's taken over for Jeffrey Epstein? Is my question. Because it's not like they were just like, okay, so he's gone. So we'll just stop. Like, somebody has to be the new kingpin or whatever. I'm like, we should find that person.

[Benito Skinner]

You know what's crazy? All those pages, not one trans person. Oh, isn't that crazy?

[Mary Beth Barone]

It makes you think.

[Benito Skinner]

All those names.

[Mary Beth Barone]

All those names.

[Benito Skinner]

Not one trans.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Thousands. Thousands of names.

[Benito Skinner]

Thousands. Right?

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

It's interesting.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's just interesting. I don't know.

[Benito Skinner]

It's just.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah, no, it's just interesting. Wait, I just thought of something.

[Benito Skinner]

Oh, yeah. But here's my thing with all of it taken is it was one of those films that could unite all of us. It could teach us. It could get the incels in seats and maybe they learn a thing or two. We can all rally around Liam Neeson, of course, and root for him. Cause, my God, do we love him or what? And it just was really. Oh, is he problematic?

[Mary Beth Barone]

No. He's like, okay, imagine if your dad did a press tour.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, right.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Like, of course they're gonna say some things that you would be like, oh, don't say that. But I just think he's, like, such a treasure that we've sort of forgiven him. I'm not saying I agree with everything he's ever said. And these, again, all the views expressed on this podcast are mine and mine alone, of course. Except if I'm quoting someone. But I just think, yeah, I think he's fabulous. And the movie is a blockbuster.

[Benito Skinner]

That's my thing. It's like, it's a movie. It's a movie.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It's a movie.

[Benito Skinner]

It's a movie. And I just remember being in Bodo, all my guys with me. I'm still kind of thinking they think I'm straight. Right. And it was just a real. It was a real gift. It was a great boys night and getting to finally just come full circle and get to watch it with you wearing. At the time I was wearing Disneyland Paris merch.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

That felt really special. And to get to share that film with a friend. And it was beautiful. I think for anyone just return to that piece. As long as it doesn't, you know, scar you. Obviously huge trigger warnings with this film. But hey, it's nice to see a happy ending and some. Some real fucking carnage and vengeance. Which I think can feel just so good.

[Mary Beth Barone]

It can feel good because there's so little of that in the world.

[Benito Skinner]

Well, you just never experienced experience that.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And I just want you to know that if you got taken, I would be on the flight.

[Benito Skinner]

I can't stress enough. If you got taken, I would finally get to release this special set of skills that I have. Because you know, I've been boxing and given what I'm about to look like after today, big, big thing. Imagine me, I would still find time to get you and vintage shop in Paris.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Here's what I would predict you would. You would get on the flight.

[Benito Skinner]

Premium number one. They have this like these three seats on air France that are like just. You have like a room.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, there's like a thing you can put on for like clean oxygen or something.

[Benito Skinner]

They have like Jacques mousse pajamas.

[Mary Beth Barone]

They have everything pajamas. But I think you would land. You would get there, you would obviously shower, you would set up the electronics.

[Benito Skinner]

The last thing I want is a rosacea type 2 breakout while I'm trying to find my bestie.

[Mary Beth Barone]

But then as soon as you. You're doing this on the towel on your hair, you hear and you open the door and it's me and I go, they brought me back. Should we go shopping?

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah. Well, it's fallen. Dior. Carrie and Dior. When she slides into third base, she slides into. Unbelievable.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

Yes, I agree. If they would have kept you for like two more hours though, I would have found you.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I think so too. It wouldn't be hard.

[Benito Skinner]

And I would have left all those places with all my new girls. Girls.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh yeah. Well, it's. And that's community and it's family.

[Benito Skinner]

And on the way out, they would be like, where are you going? I'd shoot them in the leg and Go. Best believe we're still bejeweled.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Bye.

[Benito Skinner]

And then we'd walk out.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Wow. I love this movie. I think it's really fun to watch with the family because there's not that much. Like, there's a lot of violence, which obviously we don't care about in this country, but there's not a lot of sex stuff. So it's, like, cool to watch, like, with the parents.

[Benito Skinner]

Yeah.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And also your partner's parents.

[Benito Skinner]

I agree. That's such a good point. Such a fun one to recommend with your partner's parents, I think. Yeah. It's just cool to be excited about a kill count in a movie.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I wish I hit my chin on the mic. I wish I could see it again for the first time.

[Benito Skinner]

I know, but it felt like that with you because I had kind of waited maybe, like eight years or so. It had been a while.

[Mary Beth Barone]

And what you don't even know, we haven't even touched on is that Liam Neeson was doing security for a pop star and got her card to, like, maybe connect his daughter with. And at the end of the day, she comes to the house. It's like, not only. I mean, God, that's like father of the year. Hello.

[Benito Skinner]

No, I know.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Not only did I just save you, and yeah, obviously the mom was super thankful with her rich new husband, but now I'm gonna bring a pop star over.

[Benito Skinner]

I think Jean Grey could have been a little bit more thankful.

[Mary Beth Barone]

I think so, too. And can I just say, fall on the sword a little bit. You knew. She knew that they were traveling and she didn't tell him.

[Benito Skinner]

You know, what stresses me out is I think about that couple. Well, I guess maybe it's in taking two and three, but I forget. I did see those in theaters. Not with the guys. They had, you know, kind of dropped me from the group at that point.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, yeah, I know why, but I

[Benito Skinner]

do think, what a nightmare for that woman for the rest of her life, you know, this fictional character, but her being anything she says. He goes, I'm just thinking of. What is it? Paris.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, yeah. Fuck Paris.

[Benito Skinner]

Sorry, I'm just. Oh, my God. What did you say about Paris?

[Mary Beth Barone]

I care. Here's the thing about the actress. I just think her name is something that I couldn't pronounce correctly, so I'm just not trying.

[Benito Skinner]

But I love her and I think she's such a smile.

[Mary Beth Barone]

She's so talented.

[Benito Skinner]

She's so talented.

[Mary Beth Barone]

The X Men franchise. God. Fuck. It's so good.

[Benito Skinner]

It's so good. Well, thank you so much for tuning in today to our carpool. So happy to have you in the car. I probably would bring a couple bronies with me to find you in Paris. Yeah, we rip it out.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Well, we need the girls on the case to, like, you know, zero in on my location or whatever.

[Benito Skinner]

Me and little Mini Cooper.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Oh, you're. You're. You're leaving. You're doing figure eights.

[Benito Skinner]

Where is she? Where is she?

[Mary Beth Barone]

But you do this. You have a finger gun. Yeah. Yeah.

[Benito Skinner]

It's not real. Yeah. No. I carry blades.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah. Ooh. Ninja star.

[Benito Skinner]

Ninja stars. And then I have nunchucks.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Yeah, but you just dance with them.

[Benito Skinner]

I just pimp slap these guys. Where is she?

[Mary Beth Barone]

Come on. Brush your shoulders off. All right. We love you guys.

[Benito Skinner]

Hey, everybody. Oh, my. Exit.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Benny, babe. Eyes on the road.

[Benito Skinner]

Benny. We go.

[Mary Beth Barone]

Ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride.