Culture Dumps

This is a Patreon preview! For the full episode please subscribe to Patreon.com/culturedumpsRyan and Kaylin discuss their Mt.Dumpmores of animal stars! Yes, but with one stipulation, no fully cgi or animated characters, we are talkin’ real ass animals here, Mr. Ed vibes if you will.

The term “fitness guru” gets thrown around a lot these days, but it was never more fitting than in the case of Richard Simmons. A life-long food addict with a heart of gold, Richard soared to the highest echelons of fitness fame and helped the world lose an estimated three million pounds! But the darkness he defeated as a young man would come back to haunt him in his old age…

The Little Rascals are best known now for the 1994 film that has gone on to be a multi-generational classic. In fact, there is almost nothing really dumpable about it. However, when you look back just a little further in time, you will find that the same cannot be said for the original Little Rascals cast, aka Our Gang. What started as a macabre Hollywood joke, the Our Gang curse soon became an undeniable tragic force with about a dozen tragedies attached to the gang. AND HOW!

IMPORTANT! It is highly recommended that you watch the film “Gypsy 83” before listening to this episode!

Todd Stephens is the critically acclaimed writer and director that brought us such seminal pieces of queer cinema as “Edge of Seventeen,” “Gypsy 83,” and “Swan Song.” Todd recently released the 25th anniversary director’s cut of his 2001 goth-roadtrip masterpiece “Gypsy 83.” Ryan sits down with Todd to fan out, talk growing up goth, the impact of queer cinema, and why small towns are both heaven and hell.

This is a preview of a patreon exclusive episode:Are the Island Boys a dump? That is the question of the day on this edition of “Is It a Dump?” Ryan is joined by Audio Andy to discuss the viral sensation turned tragic tale of excess and fame gone awry. From their 2021 hot tub video to their 2022 documentary, their 2023 kissing videos, to their present day downfall, this episode will have you asking, “are the Island Boys a dump?”

Listen to the full episode on patreon.com./culturedumps

This episode concludes our two-part series on the rise and fall and fall of Carlos Mencia. A wise person once said “a thief is a thief is a thief.” Well, case in point. Ryan and Eric discuss the notorious night at the comedy store that saw the destruction of one monster career and in many ways, the birth of another. And, as an added bonus, it turns out, Carlos still be stealing.

Carlos Mencia was a standout star of the 00’s, but accusations of joke stealing brought him down lower than the level of those he was accused of stealing from. Accusations of joke stealing were nothing new in the world of comedy when Mencia was on top of his game, but the rise of the internet and social media would bring the once industry-only rumors to the public. Ryan is joined by Eric D of Methsyndicate to uncover the whole story.

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On this edition of Dumps Revisited, Ryan is joined by fellow documentary enthusiast and Podcast 99 alumni, Audio Andy to discuss what could be considered the sequel to the previously-dumped documentary “Living with Michael Jackson.” On the heels of the wildly successful biopic “Michael,” Netflix released “Michael Jackson: The Verdict” which, for a documentary about an innocent verdict, sure makes the guy look guilty!

It is here folks, the ultimate millennial dump. MySpace was not the first social media platform, but it was the first to truly infect the youth of the world and change the way people interact forever. MySpace was vastly different than the platforms we have now, it felt exclusively young and fresh, it was fully customizable, and extremely vulnerable to misuse.

This is the first episode of a new side series exclusively available on our Patreon!

Ryan is joined by his baby brother to discuss whether or not the now iconic 1990’s Batman films directed by Joel Schumacher are in fact, dumps. Despite being a part of one of the biggest franchises of all time, these two films garner mixed reviews from die hard and casual Batman fans, but why?

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PATREON PREVIEW: Mt. Dumpmore Reality TV Edition

THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A PATREON EXCLUSIVE! FOR THE FULL EPISODE SUBSCRIBE TO PATREON.COM/CULTUREDUMPS

Ryan and Kailyn sit down to discuss their Mt.Dumpmores of reality television. There are deep cuts, no brainers, and head scratchers galore. ENJOY!

We are throwing (get it!?) it back to episode 55 and revisiting the short-lived pro sports experiment THE XFL. One part WWE and no part NFL, the XFL was the brain child of Vince McMahon and Dick Ebersol, two titans of entertainment with no one to answer to. A more violent, sex fueled, dramatic version of pro football, what could go wrong? This topic needed the absolute full dump treatment folks.

This is a monster (literally) of a DocuDump. Ryan sits down with returning guest of the show Mike Connelly to discuss the best of the best in the world of true crime documentaries. Inspired by their recent viewing of Monster: The Ed Gein Story, Ryan and Mike, being somewhat of experts on the subject, decide to reveal their lists of the greatest true crime documentaries of all time.

This is a dump hiding in plain sight. Some skeptical dumpers might say that the best selling author of all time does not qualify to be a dump, but they would be wrong. The woman who has personally impacted the romantic expectations and fantasies of an estimated 1 billion readers, has also lived a life plagued by scandal, secrets, and dumpable moments. There is also some really sad stuff too. RIP Nick, long live Link 80. Danielle might not have made the best choices, but we mean no disrespect.

This is the first dump of 2026 but has been one of our longest requested dumps. We are continuing to build our Mt.Dumpmore of small stars with the addition of Verne Troyer. Verne’s rise to fame was inspirational to say the least, but his downfall ravaged his legacy.

THIS IS A PATREON SNEAK PEEK

Ryan starts the new year by discussing last year with James Ford of the Stay in School Podcast. 

WE HAVE MADE THIS EPISODE AND ITS SECOND PART AVAILABLE FOR ALL TIERS!

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In the fourth installment of our “Banned Toys” series, Ryan discusses some of the most tasteless and controversial video games of all time. The one thing all these games have common? SEX! Yes, the games discussed are all notorious for their blatant sexual themes. They are not as hot as they sound. 

This edition of SQUIRTS! is all about memories. Ryan is joined by frequent guest host and avid listener of Culture Dumps Bret Berg to discuss their favorite episodes of Culture Dumps in attempt to construct, MT. DUMPMORE.

This is a preview of the latest episode of our Patreon exclusive side-series, Dumps Revisited. For the full episode visit patreon.com/culturedumps

On this edition of Dumps Revisited we revisit episode 20 which was all about the book “Go Ask Alice. ” The notorious y/a novel that has become required reading in some schools and banned in others has been the center of controversy for decades. In more recent years, the controversy has become centered around the book’s author, Beatrice Sparks. On this episode Ryan discusses the books “Unmask Alice” and more importantly, “Jay’s Journal.” Hail Satan.

As we conclude our coverage of the notorious Dr. Kevorkian we dive into his treatment of over 130 terminally ill patients, his imprisonment, his run for congress, his art, and as always, what it all means. 

This week on Culture Dumps we begin our series on Dr. Jack Kevorkian, aka Dr. Death. While he is best known for his work in the field of physician assisted suicide, this man was truly a jack of all trades and what some might even call a renaissance man. Kevorkian may be one of the most misunderstood public figures of the 1990s, but his story begins long before that so beloved decade. 

This is a special preview of “The Jared Letters.” This is a Patreon-exclusive episode where Ryan reads actual letters from Jared “The Subway Guy” Fogle. How and why he got these letters is something you will have to listen to the episode to find out. To hear the complete episode and watch the video version visit Patreon.com/culturedumps

Ryan is joined by returning guest Adam Papagan to discuss his new book “Behind the Scenes in Los Angeles, A Pop Culture Tour.” This is a guide to some of the most well known Los Angeles landmarks as well as the best and weirdest hidden gems. Come see Ryan and Adam perform live August 24 at the Philosophical Research Center in Los Feliz!

On this episode e conclude the saga of the ill-intentioned and ill-fated television network known as Spike TV. We dive into their selection of programming and find that Spike wasn’t SO bad. But not being so bad is not enough to thrive in the world of television, and we will learn that lesson in this episode.

This is part one of our coverage of the “network for men” Spike TV. From the ashes of The Nashville Network came a new television channel that aimed to cater to the world’s biggest douchebags. With borderline x-rated content a la Maxim magazine, Spike TV gave guys a place to be guys, for better or worse. This episode also marks the return of Freaky P himself, Parks Miller!

It had to happen, we are dumping the most infamous piece of fitness equipment of all time, the Shake Weight. The Shake Weight, like most things we dump, was created with the best of intentions. Its creator wanted to help women sculpt their arms in order to keep up with the fitness trend of the day, but what happened became one of the most viral sensations of the last 15 years. Endlessly parodied but rarely studied, this is the Shake Weight.

Today’s special guest interview is with musician, author, artist, and adult superstar Chad Fjerstad, aka Chad Alva. Chad has released dozens of albums with various projects over the years, he threw the first Nu-Metal club night in Los Angeles, and he has appeared in over 1,300 pornographic films. This interview gives us a rare glimpse into the adult film industry through the eyes of one it’s most humble and multi-faceted stars.

WARNING THIS EPISODE CONTAINS EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

Ryan sits down with prolific video creator and juggalo icon Sean Barrett aka Uncle Juff. Sean not only is a well of knowledge of internet trends, but has also been brought into the fold of the Dark Carnival. Having MC’d at multiple Gathering of the Juggalos festivals, let’s just say he has seem some things… Oh yeah, ERIC D of Methsyndicate joins us at the dump table.

This episode marks the conclusion of our dump of Gary Coleman. Gary finds himself in court, sitting opposite his parents in an ugly financial dispute. After an attempt at leaving the spotlight, Gary learns that fame is forever, no matter how ugly. Finally, after a highly publicized arrest, he finds love in Utah, and unfortunately, that is where the story ends.

This is part one of two of our coverage of the tragic life and times of one Gary Coleman. Gary was beloved around the world for his angelic appearance and impeccable comedic timing, but a lifelong illness would forever plague Gary and keep him from reaching his ultimate potential. After landing a starring role on what would become one of the biggest sitcoms of all time, Gary learned a hard lesson about money and the poisonous effect it had on those closest to him. 

For our third installment of our Banned Toys series Ryan is joined by Eric D of Methsyndicate to discuss some of the most controversial board games of all time. From misunderstood attempts at activism to downright racist jokes in game form, this episode is sure to keep your attention more than, well, playing a board game. 

Scoring this interview was MAJOR for us here at Culture Dumps! Roy is a seasoned television producer who worked on such masterpieces as Jersey Shore, Next, Battlebots, Tool Academy, Real Housewives of Atlanta, Date My Mom, and so many more! This episode is really a catchall for so many things we have wanted to cover on this show and we can’t thank Roy enough for stopping by. 

Waterbeds, a harmless, sleazy thing of the past? Or a pit of danger awaiting their next victim??? YOU BE THE JUDGE! Ryan is joined by Shawn Kohne of KFLX Fiction Radio to dive into the pool of nonsense that is the history of waterbeds. 

This episode is brought to you by Magic Mind, for 45% off of the new 24 Hour Pack, visit magicmind.com/CDJAN.

Ryan is joined once again by Museum of Home Video’s Bret Berg to discuss the tragic experiment in reality tv known as “Kid Nation.” This ambitious show put 40 children in a western ghost town in attempt to see if kids could run society better than adults. Spoiler, they could not. 

This episode of Culture Dumps is brought to you by Magic Mind. For 45% off of your order of the new 24 Hour Pack go to magicmind.com/CDJANThis episode marks the epic conclusion of our coverage of American Gladiators. Johnny Ferraro, the eccentric mind behind the show, takes “his” creation on the road and eventually to a dinner theatre. Steroid use runs rampant and the cracks start showing as ratings drop and tensions run high. Eventually, the whole thing comes crashing down. Much like Malibu during the cannonball event in season one. 

This is a special preview of our exclusive Patreon side series “Ryan’s Report!” This is our current events show where Ryan covers current dumps. On this special edition of Ryan’s Report, Ryan is joined by Kyle Rodrick Gridley to recap all of the most dumpable moments of 2024! To listen to the rest of the over hour-long episode go to Patreon.com/culturedumps.

This episode of Culture Dumps is brought to you by Magic Mind. For 45% off of your order of the new 24 Hour Pack go to magicmind.com/CDJAN

We are back with part one of a new double dump! Ryan and Parks dive into the sensation that was American Gladiators. Forged from longstanding down home competition, an Elvis impersonator and arm wrestling champion take their small town dreams to Hollywood and end up creating one of the most talked about shows of the late 80’s and early 90’s. But behind the all American image, there was turmoil and treac...

Mike Diana is the only artist in the history of the United States to be convicted of artistic obscenity. In the early to mid 1990’s Mike’s trial was international news. His story was born out of the ashes of the satanic panic and serial killer craze that held the country, particularly the state of Florida, in its clutches. Mike’s now infamous comic book series “Boiled Angel” landed him in jail and was the catalyst of a multi-decade legal battle, a battle in which Mike would be declared the victor. This is a story unlike any other and is easily...

In our second edition of the banned toys series, Ryan is joined by comedian Liz Hader to reflect on several Barbie mishaps and forgottens. From single mother dolls to NSA threats, this episode has it all. While not all of these dolls were banned, they all call for the proper dump treatment.

On our last dump, we began the saga of Charlie Sheen’s Winning Era, a low yet VERY high point in his lengthy career. After becoming the highest paid actor in television history and also one of Hollywood’s once again most eligible bachelor’s, Charlie found himself drifting back to his old ways, and after a bomb shell 20/20 interview, he reinvented himself to become the Warlock with Tiger’s Blood. Oh, and things come crashing down. Ryan is joined once again by Eric D of Methsyndicate to tell the tale.