Author: Ryan Lichten

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Special Interview: Valarie Jones from True Crime Trading Cards

Valarie Jones is a legend in the world of true crime. In 1992 the notorious “True Crime Trading Cards” were released to the public and a wave of backlash followed closely behind. Valerie found themselves at the center of a media firestorm, being blamed for the decline of society and was deemed responsible for perpetuating the celebrity profiles that notorious murderers often acquire. Never to be one to listen to the mainstream they kept at it, creating another important trading card set the “AIDS Awareness Trading Cards.” The career of Valerie Jones is as eclectic as it is interesting and Ryan sits down with them to hear the whole story.

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Episode 63: Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim was a true American folk hero. His distinct falsetto and ukulele playing found him the unlikely celebrity in the late 1960s. He was both a singer and a musical archivist; forever in love with the music from the 1930’s and before. Tiny Tim was often misunderstood; his love for the past could easily manifest into unintentional comedy for TV audiences. While some saw took his androgynous appearance as signs of queer empowerment, in reality he was a staunch catholic whose views on marriage were about as dated as the music he loved so dearly. The Dumpy Boys go digging and find as sorts of strange happenings in the world of Tiny Tim

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Episode 62: Joe Camel

Smoking cigarettes is bad for you… unless you make it look as good as Joe Camel did! In the early 90s, images of this anthropomorphic bad boy, leather jacket, cig smoking camel were everywhere. Donning a range of costumes, from James Bond-esque tuxedo to recently divorced dad on a motorcycle, this ad campaign was a huge success. Funny thing is, kids love cartoons. Studies showed that the Joe Camel ads created a strong brand recognition with cigs and the cartoon in children. Was Big Tobacco trying to get kids to smoke? If you had to guess, it seems pretty obvious.

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Episode 61: Gary Glitter

Gary Glitter is a British Glam Rock star. His most famous song is “Rock and Roll Part 2” a song that probably have heard but might not have known who sang it. That ubiquity came in part from the song being adopted as a chant at major sporting events. Glitter established himself as a major UK celebrity in the 80s and 90s. However, the superstar had some dark secrets. His fall from grace has been spectacle due to his multiple convictions of child pornography, child sexual abuse and sex with underage women.

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Episode 60: The Passion of the Christ

The Passion of the Christ is a highly controversial 2004 biblical drama directed and produced by Mel Gibson. Gibson at the time was a huge A-list celebrity and had enjoyed success directing and starring in Braveheart. Yet with no prior Christian affiliations, his decision to depict the brutal crucifixion of Jesus Christ seemed odd. The film garnered controversy for its extreme violence and anti-Semitic themes. While the film shocked and offended some, it managed to be a blockbuster success. Passion remains one of the top 10 highest grossing rated-R films.

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Episode 59: Tickle Me Elmo

The 1996 release of the Tickle Me Elmo doll created an outrageous consumer frenzy. Supply could not meet up with demand, causing fights and stampedes in department stores. Scalping occurred, even John Gotti had to pull some strings to get a box of these to fall off the back of the truck. The Dumpy Boys also dive into the disturbing allegations of Kevin Clash, the puppeteer in charge of Elmo.

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Special Guest: The Beavis and Butthead Collector

Sean Beard owns the World’s largest collection of Beavis and Butthead memorabilia. From whoopie cushions to toilet seat covers and even after shave, Beard’s collection is impressive. Ryan conducts an interview that gets to the heart of this collector’s obsession. Plenty of pop culture to learn here; from the show’s early controversy to Beard’s very personal story of his fandom. Essential listening for the you Dump heads.

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Episode 58: Riverdance & Lord of the Dance

This is the story of a 90s Irish traditional song and dance phenomenon that captivated a worldwide audience. Modern stage production mixed with traditional dance to create a dynamic for of entertainment that had mothers and Ren Faire geeks swooning. The rockstar of it all, Michael Flatley, eventually found himself dissatisfied under creator Bill Whelan’s wing. Flately broke off and created his own show, The Lord of the Dance; which positioned its star as some sort of Celtic dance god sex symbol. This much power always creates a little drama, as we know too well here in dumpville.

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Episode 57: Tila Tequila

Tila Tequila was one of the first internet celebrities and could very well be credited with being the first “influencer.” She is also one of the most controversial reality TV stars. MySpace changed the way we interacted with strangers, especially famous people. This was never more true than with the case of Tila Tequila. Her success landed her her own tv show and kept her in the spotlight just long enough for her to suffer a tragic fall from grace. Dinah Rankin, herself no stranger to the celebrity lifestyle, returns to the show to give us a much welcomed sprinkling of panache.

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