.png)
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. 4.2 – Winston’s Fake News Factory
Winston Smith has a job so dystopian it makes Fox News look subtle. His role? To take history, crumple it up, toss it in a memory hole, and replace it with whatever Big Brother feels like today. Enter: Comrade Ogilvy, a war hero so patriotic and brave that he definitely existed yesterday. Jennifer and Dan break down Orwell’s bureaucratic nightmare, debate whether Winston is a tragic hero or just a really dedicated intern, and explore how 1984’s Ministry of Truth might have been the original “alternative facts” factory. Meanwhile, Robot investigates the conspiracy that is… hairy ears.
Things To Listen For:
- Winston’s job: historical revisionist or propaganda grunt?
- How to get vaporized at work (spoiler: just be competent).
- Jennifer and Dan's deep philosophical question—why do authors pick the worst names?
- Orwell’s dystopia vs. today’s accidental dystopia—spot the differences!
- A brief but essential investigation into hairy ears, testosterone, and why the red caps might be triggered.
Bingeworthy Podcast:
If reality is getting too bleak, Good News for Lefties is here to remind you that some things are still going right. Beowulf Rochlen delivers the progressive wins you need to stay sane. Listen wherever you get podcasts!
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Do the right thing before history gets rewritten again—rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Disclaimer:
We read banned books and make fun of censors because someone has to. This episode contains readings from 1984, commentary, and irreverent disbelief at how Orwell somehow underestimated 2025. To experience the book in full, grab your own copy here.
Topics Covered:
1984, George Orwell, Ministry of Truth, political propaganda, fake news, historical revisionism, censorship, dystopian bureaucracy, book bans, Orwellian nightmares.
Don’t forget, you can grab a free ‘I Read Banned Books’ decal at BannedCampPodcast.com/stickers. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait.