Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone

Episode: ENCYCLOPEDIA of RIDE PT. II

Release Date: December 31, 2025
Podcast Network: Dear Media

Overview

In "ENCYCLOPEDIA of RIDE PT. II," Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone return with a playful, freewheeling deep dive into the inside jokes, catchphrases, and signature bits that have become central to the "Ride" community. Part love letter, part lexicon, the episode breaks down their personal vernacular, favorite cultural moments, and the spirit of gratitude and community undergirding the show. The hosts riff on everything from fast fashion's apocalypse to iconic quotes from Gossip Girl, weaving jokes and banter in their signature irreverent (and at times earnest) style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflecting on 2025 & the Holidays

• Both hosts express relief at the end of a turbulent year, acknowledging personal challenges while maintaining gratitude and situational awareness.
  • "The worst year on record for me and a lot of people... but also some people have it worse than me. Two things can be true." (Mary Beth, 02:12)
• They encourage self-care, especially during the holiday season, and humorously recommend listening to the podcast hiding in a closet away from family.

2. Fast Fashion Apocalypse (03:18)

• The duo jokes that the true threat to humanity isn’t climate change, but drowning in fast fashion debris.
  • "We're all gonna drown... not from sea levels rising, but in fast fashion... it's gonna fill the room." (Mary Beth, 03:18)

3. Listener Gratitude & the ‘Army of Love’

• The show frames its listeners, the ‘Baronies,’ as part of the “army of love.”
  • "Our intentions going into next year are all about just trying to lead with empathy, love, and kindness and pass that on... Army of Love, to me, is so special and important." (Mary Beth, 06:25)
• They propose writing a “manifesto” and encourage kindness, especially when tempted to lash out at loved ones.

4. Iconic Catchphrases, Terminology, and Cultural References

A large section is a rapid-fire rundown of the show's beloved lingo and its origins:

• Me Love (05:02):
  • Derived from “my love,” used to refer to close pals or favorite listeners.
  • Spelling matters: “It’s spelled M-I-L-U-V.”
• Don’t Call Me Angel (07:14):
  • Celebration of the song and the mood of refusing unwanted labels.
• Man Jobi (07:51):
  • Playfully created from Britney Spears’s “Mind Your Business.” Hosts simulate her delivery and laughter.
• “I Gotta Go, Dan" / “It’s What I Do” (09:14):
  • Iconic Gossip Girl references woven into podcast’s humor DNA.
  • “Famous line reads in history should be immortalized. We have to teach them to our kids because history isn’t done.” (Mary Beth, 10:01)
• If I’m So Crazy, Then Leave (16:29):
  • Reenacted as a sassy, empowering gesture (tiny middle fingers up, toes pointed in).
  • Signature delivery from Benito’s comedy.
• You Broke My Heart, Carrie (17:13):
  • From And Just Like That/SATC—a recurring, melodramatic quote.
• Daisy the Coyote (17:53):
  • Mary Beth jokes about being surrounded by LA coyotes; Benito claims to have one, named Daisy, as a pet.
• Chickens Are Fashion (18:51):
  • Discussion of the staggering global chicken population and their inclusion in Ride merch.
  • “Chicken can be fashion.” (Mary Beth, 19:17)
• So Amigo / No Amigo (19:41):
  • A riff from a Zed/Metro Station lyric—expanded into custom merch and memes.
• Fabulous (20:45) & Stinky
  • “Fabulous” elevates mundane purchases. “Stinky” is a term of playful endearment; hosts delight in pronouncing it with extra rasp.
• Sebastian: “I Want to Show You Something… Unbelievable.” (21:42):
  • A Eurotrash persona created by Benito; a character who promises to reveal something “unbelievable.”
• Oh Yeah (23:28):
  • Once an in-joke, now tinged by a real-life heckler, but originally meant as a comedic, resigned response to bad luck.

5. Redefining ‘Traditional Family Values’ (24:22)

• The hosts reclaim and redefine “traditional family values” as inclusivity and community—distinctly anti-TERF and anti-exclusion.
  • "Having your own traditional family values is traditional family values." (Mary Beth, 25:16)

6. Making Art, Making Trouble: The Cruella Touch (25:41)

• Share inspiration from the film ‘Cruella,’ particularly the line “I want to make art. I want to make trouble.”
  • “Because it is us and it is what we're doing here on Ride.” (Benito, 26:02)

7. Ride Heritage & the Roots of Their Lexicon (26:41)

• "Ride heritage" is the category for recurring jokes, episodes, and themes that shape the show’s core:
  • Dear Media, Love Corn:
    • A joke stringing together “Love Corn” snacks and the iconic YA dramas “Love, Simon” and “Love, Victor.”
    • "You start with Dear Media. You're writing a letter to media. You write what you have to write and then you sign it: Love Corn." (Benito, 29:03)
  • Early episode staples: pranking, traditional family values, French manicures, gambling, “Ferrero Rocher moms,” and more.

8. Celebration of Community & Inside Jokes

• The show increasingly leans into its own densely packed, playful language—almost daring new listeners to “put in the work” to decode it, creating a club-like atmosphere.
  • “This might be an absolutely impossible podcast to listen to by season two. And that's what we want. It's for our... Baronies. Put in the work, commit, community. Enunciate the fucking words.” (Benito, 30:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fast Fashion Apocalypse:
  • "We're all gonna drown... not from sea levels rising, but in fast fashion..." (Mary Beth, 03:18)
• On Listener Gratitude:
  • "We're putting these out so you'll be more grateful when we record new stuff." (Benito, 04:29)
• On “Army of Love”:
  • "You have to salute to the army of Love. Because we know that love conquers all evil." (Benito, 06:03)
• On Paris Hilton, Chickens, and Fashion:
  • "Chicken can be fashion." (Mary Beth, 19:17)
• Reclaiming Values:
  • "Having your own traditional family values is traditional family values." (Mary Beth, 25:16)
• On Community Rituals:
  • "This might be an absolutely impossible podcast to listen to by season two. And that's what we want..." (Benito, 30:18)
• The Cruella Philosophy:
  • "I want to make art. I want to make trouble." (Cruella/Emma Stone, cited by Benito, 25:41)
• On Ride Heritage:
  • "You start with Dear Media... you write what you have to write and then you sign it: Love Corn." (Benito, 29:03)

Key Timestamps

• 02:09 — Reflecting on surviving 2025 and self-care during holidays
• 03:18 — Fast fashion apocalypse riff
• 05:02 — “Me Love” term explained
• 06:25 — ‘Army of Love’ and intentions for next year
• 09:14 — Gossip Girl: “I gotta go, Dan” / “It’s what I do”
• 16:29 — “If I’m so crazy, then leave”
• 17:53 — LA coyotes and Daisy the coyote
• 18:51 — Surprising number of chickens alive and chicken fashion
• 19:41 — “(So) Amigo/No Amigo” and Metro Station reference
• 21:42 — Introduction of Sebastian (“something unbelievable”)
• 23:28 — “Oh yeah” and surviving hecklers
• 24:22 — Redefining “traditional family values”
• 25:41 — “I want to make art. I want to make trouble.” (Cruella)
• 26:41 — Ride heritage and inside jokes
• 29:03 — The “Dear Media, Love Corn” legacy
• 30:18 — Building a club-like community

Structure & Flow

• Episode seamlessly weaves playful banter, cultural critique, origin stories of jokes, and moments of genuine gratitude.
• Running theme: transformation of lived experience and pop culture into a tight-knit (if intentionally confusing) community vernacular.
• Hosts maintain an upbeat, irreverent rapport mixed with genuine encouragement for empathy, gratitude, and re-examining tradition.

For New Listeners

While laden with in-jokes and references, this episode stands as both a playful glossary and a celebration of community, where listeners are invited to join the "army of love," redefine traditions, and revel in collective inside jokes—just be ready to “put in the work”!

Contact Segment:
For “follow-up questions,” the hosts encourage listeners to email “Encyclo, Dear Media.”

Closing Note:
The show signs off with energy, affection for listeners, and the final rally cry:

• "If you stand for nothing, you will fall for everything—and you're going to hear me RO." (30:30)
• “Party on. Turn it up. It's your favorite song... dance, dance, dance to the discovery.” (Benito, 31:13)

*Ride at dawn!