Flushed Away From Memory
For this incredibly bleak dump Ryan is joined by comedian and smoker Ian Fidance to discuss the backwards world of anti-smoking ads. Big Tobacco has a long history of questionable advertising but none more questionable than their “youth prevention” programs. How does one advertise how bad a product is while simultaneously advertising how cool that product is? Tune in to find out!
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It had to happen, we had to cover one of the most infamous internet figures of all time, Harambe. Join us as we discover how a tragic day at the zoo became the stuff of internet legends for years to come. Ryan is joined by James Ford to discuss the brief, yet impactful history of the most memeable gorilla of all time.
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Following the fall out of 9/11, America turned its guns toward Afghanistan and Iraq. France, a long time ally, did not sanction or support the US’s interest in fighting Iraq and Saddam Hussein. In an effort of Bush era lunacy, Americans started renaming French Fries in “Freedom Fries.” In an act of Patriotic fervor, the trend of Freedom Fries quickly took hold. In true dump fashion, the entire phenomenon seems completely silly in retrospect
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Chyna was and is the most recognizable woman in professional wrestling, but she was so much more than that! Chyna aka Joanie showed us that women can be strong, intimidating, and entertaining, The story of Chyna teaches us many things, things we should have known years ago… Maybe through hearing her story we will finally appreciate what we had, and what we lost.
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Fabio is a manly man! His luscious long hair and Italian accent made him a sex symbol of the 90s. But what did Fabio even do? Handsome as he was, there was something very silly and funny about Fabio’s appearance. He was the winking joke for the “bored housewife” who dreamed on a shirtless man on the beach to take her away from suburban life. His benign ubiquity and iconic look made him something of a walking meme.
If he looked like the model on the cover of trashy grocery store romance novels, that’s because he was that guy! Fabio even started writing his own sultry pulp fiction. Eventually Fabio transitioned into acting, music and advertising, most famously for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. His tale is truly an American success story, and if we could learn anything from Fabio, it is how to laugh at ourselves, especially if you are super hot.
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What was initially promoted as a therapeutic device for kids and adults alike quickly became one of the world’s biggest distractions. Fidget spinners burst onto the scene in 2017 but the history of the stupid little toy stretches back over 20 years before that. This is a classic story of a small idea being misappropriated in a big way.
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On this very special edition of Culture Dumps Ryan sits down with Leroy Patterson aka The Human Tackboard to discuss backyard wrestling, death match wrestling, extreme videos of the late 90’s and early 00’s, and most importantly, his appearance on the 2000 episode of MTV True Life I am a Backyard Wrestler.
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You asked for it, we are dumping it. The McRib is one of the most divisive sandwiches of all time, but why? Furthermore, where did it come from? Why did it come from? And just what in the hell is it made of? Ryan is joined by Eric D of Methsyndicate to find out!
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For the final dump of 2023 we are uncovering the story of one of the biggest and worst nerds in history, Ben Stein. Ben cut his teeth as an economist and professor, not to mention presidential speech writer, but what he is best known for is his strange and surprisingly consistent acting career. Through bit parts, spokesperson gigs, and finally, his time as an emmy award winning game show host, Ben Stein became one of the most recognizable character actors of the 80’s and 90’s. However, as of late he is best known for racist rants and more than questionable political opinions as well as some really sketchy personal behavior.
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