Author: Ryan Lichten

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Episode 27: Beanie Babies Part 2

We are officially deep in the depths of this Beanie Baby Dump. We document the huge surge in popularity of Beanie Babies. The “retirement” of certain beanies created a scarcity in the market that drove collectors into a frenzy as the prices surged. Beanie Babies were no longer simply a kids toy, but a completely risk free 100% guaranteed way to earn tons of money! Kinda sounds like NFTs. As more households received The Internet, websites like Ebay began to flourish, which only added to the Beanie Bonanza. Since this is Culture Dumps; we tell you all about the weird shit that founder Ty Warner was up to during this madness. Let’s just say he is not nearly as cuddly as the toys he creates.

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Episode 26: Beanie Babies Part 1

Here it is folks, the first installment of our coverage of one of the biggest Culture Dumps in history. Ty Beanie Babies. What became the biggest toy crazy of the 1990’s, the first internet shopping craze, and ultimately a long term investment with no pay off started in the mind of one man, Ty Warner. Unlike beanie babies, this episode is not understuffed!

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Episode 25: Spring Break

Spring Break is one of the most iconic rites of passage for the bright, young scholars of the USA. Filled with underage drinking, bad decisions and memories to last a lifetime, Ryan and Parks breakdown just how spring break leaves its mark as a Dump. The concept of spring break has its roots in Ancient Greek culture, but continues still to this very day. Ryan also nabbed an amazing interview with Kraig, who played in mega popular 2000’s act Crazy Town.

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Episode 24: Four Loko

Alcohol has been around for thousands of years, it is rare to to see a new variation of the devil’s juice. In 2010  a new monster was released into the world and drinking would never be the same. Fourloko is one of the scariest beverages ever created and we have the proof. We also sit down around the fire for some good ole’ fashioned scary stories. 

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Episode 23: The New Monkees

The Monkees are a pop culture anomaly, a multi-platinum selling band created by television producers. While The Monkees hold a special place in American music history, their rebooted counterpart, The New Monkees do not. The New Monkees are all but forgotten and with good reason. We don’t need reboots of everything and this proves it. 

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Episode 22: 10 Cent Beer Night

We go back to the ballpark this week with Ten Cent Beer Night! One of the wildest nights in baseball and sports history in general. What could go wrong giving thousands of heated baseball fans unlimited ten cent beers during a grudge match? Well, a riot for one. Also stick around for the end to hear a drunk Eddie Vedder sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame!” 

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Episode 21: The Swing Revival

The swing revival movement of the 1990’s was one of the biggest alternative movements in pop culture history. Big bands, gin, dancing, fedoras, and pretentious older punk rockers, it had it all! We dive into what Swing was and what it became, get your truckin’ shoes on and get ready to go back in time to the 1940s, in the 1990s, we guess. This is also one of the most fan-requested dump topics. 

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Episode 20: Go Ask Alice

The Culture Dumps crew tackles our first book, Go Ask Alice. “Alice” is the supposedly real diary of a teenage girl lost in a downward spiral of drug addiction. The book was a huge success upon its release in the 1970’s; at a time when drug use and experimentation was peaking. The harrowing details from an “anonymous” author capitalized on the fear that these tragic circumstances could happen to any average American. The book remained popular among teenagers for many generations, as the controversial contents of the book guaranteed its “banned” book status. However, this was also at a time when people were more willing to take things at face value. Culture Dumps peaks behind the curtain of Alice, and finds that the whole story was a bunch of baloney!

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Episode 19: Culinary Dumps – KFC Double Down

Ryan and Andy dissect one of the most notorious menu items in fast food history. The mad scientists of KFC pushed the limits of fast food excess, laughing in the face of anyone attempting to be conscientious of their health. The lesson to be learned from this? If you are met with opposition in your life, double down and do your own damn thing.

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Episode 18: Y2K

As the year 2000 approached, the world was in a panic. It was believed that the computer systems that were heavily relied upon for almost all basic functions of modern society would seize to exist. Planes would fall from the sky, banks would lose all their money, nuclear reactors would fail. Well, that didn’t happen. Guess it’s good thing canned foods last a long time, because people had tons of it in their at home bunkers. 

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