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. 19.2 - The Price of Truth Is Pain
Winston says four. The Party says five. The pain dial says... crank it to 90.
This chapter is Orwell at his most brutal, and Dan and Jennifer are not okay.
Gaslighting gets an upgrade, truth gets memory-holed, and we all learn the Party’s favorite math trick: reality = whatever they say it is.
Dan considers giving in. Jennifer basically volunteers to die on this hill.
Welcome to the moment Winston starts loving Big Brother... and not in a cute, enemies-to-lovers fanfic way.
Things To Listen For:
- The four fingers test that broke the internet (or would’ve, if the Party allowed internet).
- Jennifer’s very calm and rational theory that O’Brien used to be just like Winston.
- Dan’s descent into “why not just lie if it saves your skin” mode.
- The terrifying moment where Winston confuses his torturer for his protector.
Banworthy to Bingeworthy:
Check out Good News for Lefties, the progressive daily podcast fighting fascism one fact at a time—and The Best People with Nicolle Wallace for behind-the-scenes dirt on the Trump years.
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Disclaimer:
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of 1984 by George Orwell for the purposes of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines. Some passages may be lightly abridged for pacing, but we remain true to Orwell’s intent. To experience the full work, purchase a copy here. We are not affiliated with Orwell’s estate or publisher.
Topics Covered:
1984, gaslighting, authoritarianism, memory holes, reality denial, torture scenes, O'Brien, censorship, banned books, four fingers test, thoughtcrime, Winston Smith, Jennifer's moral backbone, Dan’s survival instincts, Robot’s historical resistance shoutouts