Episode 131: Danielle Steel

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! Patreon.com/culturedumps

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!