Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship
Love banned books? Hate censorship?
Same. You’re our kind of people.
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. 18.1 - Welcome to the Place with No Darkness
Winston’s in the Ministry of Love now—where the lights never turn off, the telescreens scream at your pockets, and your cellmate might be a footnote from Rudyard Kipling. Jennifer tracks the collapse of Winston’s thoughts as hunger, fear, and silence begin to unravel him. Dan wonders if resistance could be as simple as taking a leak on a telescreen.
Things To Listen For:
• Why “God” got a poet arrested
• Who the proles really are in this story
• Vomiting prisoners, smuggled bread, and the worst roommate intro ever
Banworthy to Bingeworthy:
For good news you’ll actually want to hear, check out Good News for Lefties. And for sharp political coverage from someone who’s been in the room where it happens, stream The Best People with Nicolle Wallace.
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Disclaimer:
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of 1984 by George Orwell for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines. Some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing, but we remain faithful to the author’s intent. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the full text.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to George Orwell’s estate or his publishers. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation, critical thought, and community engagement around banned and challenged books.
Topics Covered:
1984, George Orwell, Ministry of Love, telescreens, Winston Smith, room 101, sodomy laws, book bans, censorship, religion and authoritarianism, Pride Month, poetry, Ampleforth, political prisoners