Between 2021 and 2022, internet personalities and self-proclaimed best friends Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone hosted the Spotify original pop-culture-focused podcast “Obsessed.” The comedians released a new episode each week where they brought one of their current obsessions to the table. Ranging from traumatic kid literature to love languages, no topic was off the table; episodes centered the hosts’ fascinations with pop culture scandals, fandoms and icons. At the end of each 20-minute episode, Skinner and Barone would reflect on the other’s topic and confirm whether or not they too, were obsessed.
For many fans, the podcast brought to light ideas everyone was thinking about but never voiced out loud. The hosts’ bold opinions and hot takes were adored by an army of fans called the Baronies, but to their dismay, the podcast ended almost a year ago on March 7, 2022. There was no clear reason why the show ended after 50 episodes.
However, the Baronies may be in luck after all. With the promise of future plans mentioned in the last episode, as well as recent allusions to something new coming up on both stars’ Instagram stories, there is hope that fresh work from the iconic duo will have the Baronies, once again, obsessed.
How better to prepare for such a monumental event than to look back on the gems of their “Obsessed” past?
In the second episode, Skinner and Barone confidently dive into potentially divisive territory with their choices of obsessions — Barone mulls over the Kardashian legacy and Skinner adores his boyfriend’s family’s practice of kissing each other on the lips.
Perhaps more notable than the latter, the Kardashian family has been a hot topic for over a decade. Barone discusses it as an era in history and reminisces about some of their most significant moments, including their leopard print phase, Khloe Kardashian’s DUI and the infamous Kris Jenner line “You’re doing great, sweetie.”
Opting for creative rather than classic, Skinner might as well have dropped a bomb for his second episode’s obsession. Revealing his discovery that his boyfriend’s family does in fact kiss each other on the lips, Skinner wonders why the practice isn’t more common. He leans into it and expresses his appreciation for the action, even admitting that he started initiating kissing his own mom on the lips as a result of seeing his often-mentioned boyfriend, photographer Terrence O’Connor, doing the same. To Skinner, it is all about affection, which he can’t get enough of. Hence, he became obsessed.
Similar to every episode, Skinner and Barone end by disclosing their own thoughts on the other’s obsessions. As is the case most of the time, they both are moved by one another’s admiration for their respective concepts. Skinner admits he never needed convincing on Barone’s obsession, affirming his love for the Kardashians. Though not explicitly at the end, Barone confirms her respect for Skinner’s obsession throughout the episode, appreciating the notion of acceptance.
In the fourteenth episode, released on June 21, 2021, the hosts make some daring social commentary in the span of just 20 minutes. Coming in courageous, Skinner is captivated by the way straight guys talk about cryptocurrency. Barone, perhaps making a callback to her second episode obsession with the Kardashians, brings up the phenomenon of vocal fry and explains why it captivates her.
Skinner, incorporating an element of sarcasm into his offering, notes how, at the time, straight men in his circles couldn’t stop talking to him about the new form of currency and by default, wanted to teach him about it. Surprisingly, Skinner physically stuck around to hear them out but, for the life of him, could not understand any of it. Instead, his mind went to “outfit picking” and “makeup looks.” Such inattentive thoughts sum up the headspace of most unknowing listeners subjected to straight-guy crypto rants. Even as Barone tries to explain her knowledge of it to Skinner, he reiterated, “Again, I just left.” An interesting perspective, Barone agreed, “First of all, you should give consent before someone tries to teach you something” – wise words I’m sure will fall on deaf straight male ears.
Moving on to Barone, she explores vocal fry’s negative connotation and tries to justify why it is actually a demonstration of “culture,” as Skinner put it. Put simply, in Barone’s terms: “Vocal fry is when you’re speaking and your voice goes down,” lowering her register on the last word to exhibit the change in tone. She acknowledges the gendered use of vocal fry, giving evidence as to why it should be more widely accepted as a modern social norm. She considered it to be just another of many “linguistic features that women have,” pointing out the creativity and intention behind the use of vocal fry. She aims to fight the vilification of women by examining vocal fry as an obsession. Skinner deemed Barone’s choice an “incredible obsession,” displaying his agreement and even labeling it as “hot.” Another episode and another pair of fabulously original obsessions from a pair of equally marvelous hosts.
The four aforementioned obsessions make up only a select few of almost 100 interesting, comical and superb opinions delivered by Skinner and Barone. Although consensus is not necessary to enjoy the show, the Baronies and listeners alike can’t help but be convinced by the end. There is no doubt that Skinner and Barone’s fans were left with a certain absence when the show ended. However, whatever the dynamic duo has in store for the future is sure to be the next best obsession.
