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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
1984 | Ch. 3.1 – The Party is Gaslighting You
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan unravel the latest Orwellian nightmare in Chapter 3.1 of 1984. Winston is shocked to discover that the Party’s propaganda machine is working as intended—kids are snitching on their parents, war is peace, freedom is slavery, and reducing chocolate rations is… good? Also, Dan’s personal Orwellian nightmare continues, as his rescue dog Beatrix refuses to recognize his benevolence.
Things To Listen For:
- The Party’s “good news” announcement: chocolate rations are going down!
- Why Orwell’s depiction of youth indoctrination sounds disturbingly modern.
- Jennifer’s Jojo Rabbit comparison: How humor makes dystopia even more terrifying.
Featured Clips:
This episode includes a short segment from YMCA by The Village People, used for a satirical discussion about national anthems and patriotism. Additionally, a few seconds from Proud To Be An American (performed by King Karaoke, originally written by Lee Greenwood) are played to contrast the debate. All rights and copyrights are the property of their respective owners and are used here for entertainment and educational purposes under fair use guidelines. No copyright infringement is intended.
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
For more news without the nonsense, check out:
Good News for Lefties – Daily progressive news updates with Beowulf Rochlen.
The Blueprint with Jen Psaki – MSNBC’s deep dive into Democratic messaging and strategy.
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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. 1984 by George Orwell is shared under these principles. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase the book in full: Buy Here from Penguin Random House.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to George Orwell’s estate or publisher. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation, critical discussion, and educational engagement—because we all know what happens when people let governments decide what can and can’t be read.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to George Orwell’s estate or publishers.
Topics Covered:
1984, George Orwell, Winston Smith, Big Brother, book banning, government surveillance, thought police, indoctrinated youth, Hitler Youth, Jojo Rabbit, chocolate rations, telescreens.
Don’t forget, you can grab a free ‘I Read Banned Books’ decal at BannedCampPodcast.com/stickers. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait.