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Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books and try to figure out why they were banned in the first place.
Each season, we tackle a new banned book, reading it chapter by chapter and asking: What made someone clutch their pearls and scream, "BAN IT!"? (Spoiler: It’s rarely what you’d expect.) One thing is clear—the people banning these books often haven’t read them. While we uncover some eyebrow-raising moments, nothing truly justifies censorship.
Join us—and our listeners, "The Scary Book People"—as we explore the strange, hilarious, and sometimes baffling world of banned books.
Past seasons have featured classics like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut.
This season, we’re diving into 1984 by George Orwell—a dystopian warning that feels eerily real today. From thought control to banned books, its message is more relevant than ever, and that’s exactly why it remains one of the most challenged books of all time.
By reading these books, we ask big questions: Why are banned books important? What does “banned” mean? What does “challenged” mean? How do book bans affect students? Are book bans constitutional?
Come hang out with us and have some laughs while we dig into the drama behind banned books—you might even learn something cool along the way!
Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship
Slaughterhouse-Five | Ch. 9.3 – Billy Pilgrim Walks Into a Times Square Bookstore...
Billy Pilgrim sneaks out of bed rest and takes an impromptu trip to New York City—because of course he does. His itinerary? Wandering into a seedy Times Square bookstore, buying a Kilgore Trout novel, dodging a Shetland pony scandal, and accidentally landing himself on a radio talk show. Oh, and he may have spotted Montana Wild Hack in the back of a magazine. So it goes.
Things To Listen For:
- Billy Pilgrim’s foolproof plan to get on TV (spoiler: it fails).
- The weirdest bookstore scene in literary history.
- A sci-fi take on Jesus that’s just asking to be banned.
- The infamous hand-drawn boobs that make this book a “bad influence.”
- Jennifer and Dan trying to process whatever the hell just happened.
Banworthy to Bingeworthy: Check out Good News for Lefties! Start your day with uplifting news and sharp commentary that cuts through the chaos. Visit goodnewsforlefties.com or find it on your favorite podcast app.
Featured Clips
This episode includes a short clip from the MyPillow jingle, owned by MyPillow, Inc. and used here for entertainment, commentary, and discussion under fair use guidelines. All rights remain with the original copyright holders. No copyright infringement intended.
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Disclaimer:
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment in accordance with fair use guidelines. The material used from Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. We do not claim any ownership over the original work, and all copyrights remain with the original copyright holder. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase copies of the discussed works to fully appreciate them in their original context.
This podcast is not endorsed by Kurt Vonnegut’s estate or the publishers of Slaughterhouse-Five. Any monetization of the podcast is separate and not derived directly from the copyrighted material discussed.
Topics Covered:
Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim, Kilgore Trout, Times Square bookstores, banned books, censorship, Jesus, Tralfamadorians, radio talk shows, alien zoos, satire, Moms for Liberty, book banning debates, and Vonnegut’s infamous boob drawing.
Don’t forget, you can grab a free ‘I Read Banned Books’ decal at BannedCampPodcast.com/stickers. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait.