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. 8.3 - Trinkets of the Past
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan explore Chapter 8.3 of 1984, where Winston returns to the junk shop and stumbles upon relics of a forgotten world. From an antique paperweight to a banned nursery rhyme, beauty becomes dangerous—and so does sentimentality. When a familiar girl appears on the street, Winston's illusion of safety shatters, and so does his digestive system.
Things To Listen For:
- Winston’s dangerous craving for anything old—or beautiful
- That moment when antiques become contraband
- Victory Gin and post-spying bowel distress
- The girl from the Fiction Department shows up… again
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
🎧 Good News for Lefties
Your daily dose of progressive wins, smart analysis, and zero despair. Hosted by Beowulf Rochlen.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
🎧 The Baggage Podcast
Real conversations about the emotional clutter we carry—and how to unpack it.
Available on all podcast platforms.
🎧 Open Book with Jenna Bush Hager
MSNBC’s Jenna Bush Hager dives deep into the stories behind the stories with authors and readers.
Find it on MSNBC or your favorite app.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Disclaimer
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, Winston Smith, banned books, junk shop, Mr. Charrington, telescreens, nostalgia, coral paperweight, thoughtcrime, censorship, forbidden beauty, childhood rhymes, oranges and lemons, Victory Gin, the girl with dark hair, fear, surveillance, repression, freedom of thought
Don’t forget, you can grab a free ‘I Read Banned Books’ decal at BannedCampPodcast.com/stickers. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait.