Podcast Summary: "Notting Hill + Having Regrets"
Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone
Dear Media | November 26, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, besties and comedians Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone reunite in London to deliver their signature playful, irreverent commentary about life, pop culture, and existential moments. From riffing about dream alter-egos and wild hypothetical dates to a loving deep-dive on the classic rom-com Notting Hill and an honest conversation about living with (and learning from) regrets, this episode is a hilarious and heartfelt exploration of self-embracement, nostalgia, and refusing platitudes. Expect witty banter, personal anecdotes, and plenty of quotable gems.
Key Topics & Discussion Highlights
1. London Vibes and Glam Realities
[00:46–02:51]
- Benito and Mary Beth record from London, fresh from the GQ Men of the Year party and battling hangovers.
- The joys and woes of constant glam for events, and how good it feels to go makeup-free.
- Trend: Prolonged enjoyment of beverages (Benito’s six-hour iced coffee habit surprises the Brits).
- Quote:
"I'm nursing it ‘cause I don’t want it to end. Once it’s gone, honey, it’s gone." – Mary Beth [02:40]
2. The “Deddy” Dream-Date Bit
[05:35–09:59]
- Mary Beth invents an outlandish alter ego “Deddy,” imagining what she'd do if she could embody a wildly unrestrained woman for a day.
- Includes showing up to a date in a corset, pasties (X’s, hearts, or shamrocks), Uggs, and demanding Disney trips and tiramisu.
- The bit evolves into Deddy being a political assassin with a gun, enormous areolas, bruised "ketchup" lips (from fillers), and mercurial accents.
- Quote:
"I show up at the dinner in a corset with pasties on, crotchless panties, and Ugg boots to my thigh." – Mary Beth [06:10]
"First you forgot what I ordered for dinner. Dog talking. Strawberry banana smoothie. Then I take two shots and oysters." – Mary Beth [06:38] - Benito and Jamie (the producer) can barely keep it together.
3. GQ Party Recap and Creative Flow
[04:21 & 09:43]
- Both recount how hungover and depleted they felt after the GQ party, but also how inspired they are creatively.
- Benito claims to feel in full “flow state,” riffing with ease.
- Quote:
"I've never been more... I'm in creative flow." – Mary Beth [09:45]
"You're in flow state, yeah." – Benito [09:49]
4. "Notting Hill" – The Ultimate Rom-Com
[20:12–33:15]
- Mary Beth dubs Notting Hill "the best romcom of all time," sparking a loving, detail-rich discussion.
- Family histories with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.
- Reflections on Hugh Grant's tabloid scandals and Jude Law/Sienna Miller drama.
- Summary of the film’s plot, charm, chemistry, and why its magic is rare in today's rom-com landscape.
- The cast’s authenticity, sharp script, and large ensemble praised.
- Wistful longing for genuine, big-budget, character-driven rom-coms vs today's overproduced, algorithm-driven films.
- Line readings and references to iconic moments, like:
- Quote:
"I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy..." – Mary Beth [31:12] "If they don’t end up together... I would have burnt this city to the ground." – Benito [27:34]
- Quote:
- Discussion expands to Love, Actually, The Holiday, and Serendipity as other favorites.
5. On Regrets and Rejecting Platitudes
[36:54–41:29]
- Mary Beth rides for “having regrets”—challenging the cliché of “no regrets.”
- Admits everyone has done things they wish they hadn’t, and that’s normal.
- Expresses frustration with unsolicited advice and platitudes, especially about being single and building a fulfilling solo life.
- Quote:
"I hear people say all the time, like, ‘I have no regrets.’ And I'm like, that literally cannot be true. We've all done stuff that we wish we didn't do." – Mary Beth [36:57]
- Benito echoes the sentiment, critiquing the social pressure for hot takes and constant advice.
- Both discuss how some regrets teach them valuable lessons, and sometimes, with time, things once regretted no longer feel that way.
- Quote:
"I think to have them is fine and to understand that you don't need to feel terrible about them, but that you learn from them… is kind of beautiful." – Benito [44:32]
- Quote:
- Refer back to Lucille Ball:
"I'd rather regret the things I have done than the things I haven't." – Mary Beth [40:43]
6. The State of Modern Rom-Coms
[27:21–29:47]
- The duo laments the decline in thoughtful supporting characters and the rise of clichéd, offensively shallow gay roles.
- Quote:
"The gay guys I've auditioned for in these movies are... monkeys. I messaged back and I'm like, 'Oh, I forgot to tell you, I'm not an animal.'" – Benito [28:18]
- Describes the overused “busy for love” trope and how algorithm-casting trumps chemistry.
7. Merch, Show Production, and Upcoming Projects
[42:17–44:44]
- Show off their new merch, tease improvements and upcoming limited editions.
- Hint at future collaborations and charitable efforts tied to inside jokes (“Come On Kerplunk” and butt plug tail).
Memorable Moments & Quotes
- Deddy’s Daydream: Mary Beth’s fully-formed fantasy date skit becomes a running gag. [05:35–12:06]
- On Notting Hill's Cultural Impact:
"This movie is just a perfect movie in every way... Julia and Hugh, you're literally like, I believe that these two people. And if they don’t end up together... I would have burnt this city to the ground." – Benito [23:53, 27:34]
- On Regret:
"I completely agree. And I think... everyone kind of forcing the ‘having no regrets’ thing, I'm like, 'Oh, well, now I feel bad.' Like, I do have a few also." – Benito [37:32]
Key Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 00:46 | London check-in and event glamour talk | | 02:29 | Cultural habits: slow coffee and British reactions | | 05:35 | Mary Beth's “Deddy” fantasy date bit | | 09:43 | Post-GQ hangover and creative “flow state” | | 20:12 | Notting Hill love letter and analysis | | 27:21 | Modern rom-com critique and issues with representation| | 36:54 | Regrets: embracing them and challenging platitudes | | 41:43 | Favorite products and life simplifying | | 42:17 | Merch drop and show tease | | 44:32 | Closing thoughts: Regrets as learning |
Takeaways
- The magic of Notting Hill is in genuine characters, heartfelt scripts, and unmatched chemistry—qualities missing from modern rom-coms.
- Regrets are not only normal, but vital to growth; enforced positivity or constant advice often isn’t helpful.
- Mary Beth and Benito’s humor is rooted in honesty and the willingness to parody their own experiences.
- The duo’s chemistry and knack for callback jokes (Deddy, “Beautiful, fly, hot and sexy,” “Come On Kerplunk”) keep the show light but thoughtful.
For Further Listening
- Next episode promised a very unexpected special guest.
- Listener call to share regrets on their Reddit community.
If you haven’t listened, this episode is an affable ride through nostalgia, personal truth, and the gleeful absurdity of modern life—with plenty of laughs, friendship, and unfiltered cultural critique.