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. 8 - Winston Kicks a Severed Hand and Calls It a Day
In Chapter 8 of 1984, Winston skips out on mandatory fun and wanders into the “prole” section of London, where the smell of real coffee gives way to rocket bombs, severed limbs, and prole drama over lottery numbers that probably don’t exist. Dan and Jennifer reflect on solitude as rebellion, make a regrettable joke about “steamers,” and try to figure out if Winston has ever actually seen the people he thinks will save the world.
Things To Listen For:
- That moment when Winston literally kicks a severed hand into the gutter
- Jennifer’s critique of “tired-looking vegetables”
- Dan’s confusion over what a “steamer” really is (spoiler: not a fetish)
- The proles' passionate belief in a fake lottery
- Robot's clarification about bombs, bodily fluids, and Orwell’s intentions
- Beowulf’s heartfelt library rant (with only minor Trump jokes)
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
If you like your podcasts with political bite and progressive heart, check out Good News for Lefties and Open Book with Jenna Bush Hager. One brings facts and fire, the other brings comfort reads and cool guests. Find them wherever you listen.
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Featured Clips
Featured clips include a few seconds from Mary Poppins (Dick Van Dyke version), produced by Walt Disney Productions, and a short segment from Life Accordion to Trump by Huw Parkinson. All rights and copyrights belong to their respective owners and are used under fair use for commentary and education.
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. To ensure the best listening experience, some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing. However, we always stay true to the author’s intent and encourage listeners to purchase the book in full.
The material used from the book 1984 by George Orwell is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to George Orwell, his estate, or the publishers of 1984. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation, critical discussion, and educational engagement within the fair use framework—because we all know what happens when people start letting governments or corporations decide what can and can’t be read.
Topics Covered:
1984, George Orwell, Chapter 8, Winston Smith, proles, Newspeak, censorship, lottery, propaganda, solitude, rocket bombs, severed hand, ownlife, Little Free Libraries, political dystopia, book banning
Don’t forget, you can grab a free ‘I Read Banned Books’ decal at BannedCampPodcast.com/stickers. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait.