Podcast Summary: Ride with Benito Skinner & Mary Beth Barone

Episode: TOTALED: Carrying Things + Lines Outside Stores
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Dear Media

Main Theme / Purpose

In this “totaled” episode, best friends and comedians Benito Skinner (Benny Drama) and Mary Beth Barone take a hilariously candid dive into the small but persistent annoyances of daily life. Centering their witty banter on “carrying things” (both literal and metaphorical) and “lines outside stores,” they reflect on the exhaustion of adulthood, the absurdities of city living, and their pop culture fascinations. The episode is a mix of playful venting, personal stories, and cultural commentary, all through their signature irreverent, self-aware lens.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Wicked, Pop Culture Bits & The Joy of Sharing References

Timestamps: 00:36–04:00

• Benito and Mary Beth open with a running bit about “flip it around, Wicked Witch,” referring to Michelle Yeoh’s press tour for Wicked as Madame Morrible.
• They revel in the giddiness of introducing friends and family to internet memes and new pop culture touchstones.
• Notable Quote

  “Some people wait a lifetime for that one special case, but to get to show you this... that’s what it felt like.” — Benito (03:00)

2. Holiday Spirit & Childhood Anecdotes

Timestamps: 04:04–06:00

• Despite their initial grumpy energy, Mary Beth shares embracing the holiday spirit as a distraction from the state of the world.
• A tangent leads to stories about going to school in a mall and “lies of a child,” highlighting how childhood imagination blurs into adulthood quirks.
• Discussion of proximity to Santa morphs into a riff on “friends of Dorothy.”

3. The Wizarding Language of Wicked & Theater Experiences

Timestamps: 06:20–07:52

• Barone admits to being fascinated with the idea that in Wicked, learning the magical language is all you need to cast spells.
• They debate Glinda’s willingness to learn compared to “Rosetta Stone style”—and their love for theater snacks.

4. Life on Set and Perceptions of Occupation

Timestamps: 08:02–12:21

• The duo riff on what doormen or neighbors think they do for work, with Benny recounting a Toronto stay that left the doorman believing he was a sex worker due to odd hours and glam transformations.
• The two bond over Toronto smoothie shops, odd customer service dynamics, and stories about breaking ice machines in Airbnbs.

5. Carrying Things: Personal Pain Points & Aspiration for Help

Timestamps: 26:00–30:25

• Mary Beth passionately hates carrying things, particularly due to chronic body pain (“the body keeps score”).
• She fantasizes about having a “boyfriend or stud girlfriend” to help carry her stuff.
• Notable Quote

  “I’m a delicate flower, and I don’t want to carry stuff.” — Mary Beth (27:08)

• Benito, by contrast, enjoys being the “stud girlfriend” who helps out, especially on set.

6. The Myth of the Perfect Bag

Timestamps: 30:05–32:00

• Mary Beth realizes the ideal bag is one someone else carries for you; they riff on luxury bags and shopping aspirations.
• Notable Quote

  “The perfect bag is a bag that someone else is carrying for me.” — Mary Beth (30:19)

7. Carrying Things: Mental & Emotional Loads

Timestamps: 31:12–34:04

• Carrying things extends into the metaphorical—Mary Beth discusses emotional baggage, chronic pain, and the need for new kinds of self-care.
• Notable Quote

  “There’s just a lot of narratives I’m clinging on to that I need to let go of so I can free myself.” — Mary Beth (31:24)

8. Republican Takes & Boutique Fitness Expectations

Timestamps: 18:02–20:17

• Mary Beth’s “most Republican take” is not wanting to wipe down equipment after expensive workout classes, believing staff should handle cleanliness given the price.
• Memory Lane: She enjoyed camaraderie while working at SoulCycle, but draws a distinction between paid staff and high-paying participants.

9. Lines Outside Stores: A Rant Against Manufactured Exclusivity

Timestamps: 39:18–42:55

• Benito rails against the trend of shops (like Supreme, Mejuri) purposely creating queues to foster “exclusivity,” even when the stores are half-empty.
• Mary Beth ties this to broader “optics of exclusivity” and discusses practical reasons (loss prevention) versus the frustrating customer experience.
• Notable Quote

  “If you have to fake it, it’s not exclusive. Come on now.” — Benito (41:53)

10. Fatigue—Events, Holidays, and Adulthood

Timestamps: 43:07–44:25

• Both hosts admit to holiday/event fatigue, questioning the number of “must-attend” gatherings.
• They encourage meaningful connection and venting among friends—a healthy “wreck of the week” to counter toxic positivity.
• Notable Quote

  “Sometimes you gotta just... My favorite person to... is a person who’s wrapping presents. Get that bitch in a room.” — Benito (49:43)

11. Social Etiquette Gripes: Planes, Parties, Lines

Timestamps: 46:00–47:58

• Benito sounds off on airplane deboarding etiquette—those who rush up from the back of the plane without a connection invite his wrath.
• Mary Beth recounts the kindness of women in bathroom lines, and they share quick solidarity moments with strangers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Benny on childhood lies:

  “I just loved— I was obsessed with proximity to Santa. Like, who knew Santa?” (05:52)

• Mary Beth on body pain:

  “I have a lot of shoulder pain, chronic neck pain... I had to change how I sleep... after 34 years. It’s like, give me a fucking break.” (26:21)

• On Lines Outside Stores:

  “You sound insane right now with the bouncer. I’m trying to get a chain bracelet!” — Benito (40:07)

• On sharing emotional labor:

  “I’m carrying a load... Let’s share this load.” (49:12)

Important Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------|--------------| | Michelle Yeoh “Flip It Around” Bit | 00:36–04:00 | | Childhood Lies / School in the Mall | 05:00–06:00 | | Wicked Language / Theater Snacks | 06:20–07:52 | | Sex Worker Misunderstanding in Toronto | 08:02–12:21 | | “Most Republican Take”: Wiping Gym Equipment | 18:02–20:17 | | Carrying Things (Literal & Metaphoric) | 26:00–34:04 | | Lines Outside Stores Rant | 39:18–42:55 | | Social Etiquette (Airplane, Parties) | 46:00–47:58 | | Encouragement for Honest Venting | 49:22–50:28 |

Tone and Style

The tone is fast-moving, openly playful, and full of inside jokes, pop culture references, and little riffs. The dialogue is candid and sometimes veers into absurdity, but always returns to a core of genuine friendship and empathy. Both hosts oscillate fluidly between sarcastic, self-deprecating humor and real vulnerability, particularly around chronic pain and emotional overwhelm.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode distills the essence of Ride: two close friends mixing irreverent social commentary, personal drama, and niche pop references, while giving listeners permission to vent their own irritations. Whether it’s the burden of self-care, the performativity of exclusivity, or just the literal and figurative weight we all carry, Benny and Mary Beth make it OK to crash, burn, and laugh about it together.

Skip to the segments on “carrying things” (26:00) and “lines outside stores” (39:18) for the episode’s classic riffs!