Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship

By: Jennifer Davis and Dan Schulz – satirical storytellers critics of book bans and irreverent humorists exploring banned literature challenged books and other cultural controversies.
  • Summary

  • Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books and try to figure out why they were banned in the first place.

    Every season, we tackle a new banned book, reading it chapter by chapter (out loud, because we’re thorough like that). Then, we break it all down and ask, “What in this chapter made someone clutch their pearls and scream, ‘BAN IT!’?” Spoiler: it’s rarely what you’d expect.

    One thing stands out: the people banning these books rarely seem to have read them. Sure, we find a few eyebrow-raising moments here and there, but nothing that screams, “This should be banned!”

    We think banning books is dumb, but the quest to uncover their so-called controversies keeps us going.

    Join us—and our listeners, "The Scary Book People"—as we explore why some dum-dums seem so eager to drag us back to the dark ages, one banned book at a time.

    In past seasons, we’ve covered 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, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

    This season, we’re diving into Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

    By reading books like these, we can find answers to big questions like:

    • Why are banned books important?
    • What does “banned books” mean?
    • What does “challenged” books mean?
    • How does banning books affect students?
    • What is the most banned book?
    • How do book bans work?
    • Should book banning be allowed?
    • Are book bans constitutional?
    • Which books are banned in the US?
    • What is the most challenged book of all time?
    © 2024 Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship
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Episodes
  • Welcome to Banned Camp, the banned book podcast.
    Mar 6 2023

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    What’s with all this book banning?

    We had that question too, which is why we started Banned Camp—a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter, out loud, and try to figure out why they were banned in the first place.

    Turns out, the people pushing to ban these books usually haven’t even read them. It's all about some ridiculous political agenda.

    So far, we've read:

    • To Kill a Mockingbird (Season 1)
    • Fahrenheit 451 (Season 2)
    • The Outsiders (Season 3)
    • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Season 4)
    • A Wrinkle in Time (Season 5)
    • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Season 6)

    Whether you're here to discover new perspectives or to hear us make fun of the clueless politicians and groups who want to ban books, there's always something to enjoy. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Thursday! Come for the banned books, stay for the laughs, because banning books is just plain stupid.

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    1 min
  • To Kill a Mockingbird | Chapter 1 - Slow Life and Sweaty Teacakes
    Mar 7 2023

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    Jen and Dan kick off this season by reading chapter 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird.

    Dan seems to identify with the slower pace of life in a sleepy town, but Jennifer can't stand that phrase 'Ladies bathed before noon after their three o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.' It's like they're being compared to baked goods covered in sweat and talcum powder. That's just not right -- or is it?

    Join the fight against book banning in your local community, and get your copy of The Book Ban Battle Plan, our grassroots guide, at https://www.bannedcamppodcast.com/battle.

    DISCLAIMER: This podcast, Banned Camp, features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment in accordance with fair use guidelines. The material used from the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. We do not claim any ownership over the original work, and all copyrights remain with the original copyright holder. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase copies of the discussed works to appreciate them in their original context fully.


    This podcast is not endorsed by Harper Lee, her estate, or the publishers of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Any monetization of the podcast is separate and not derived directly from the copyrighted material discussed. Our intent is to engage in, promote, and support critical and educational discourse around these works within the framework of fair use.

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    47 mins
  • To Kill a Mockingbird | Chapter 2 - Hot for Teacher, Cold for Clutter
    Mar 10 2023

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    Jen and Dan read chapter 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird.

    Jen is considering taking Atticus’ advice to use bartering to clean her house.

    Join the fight against book banning in your local community, and get your copy of The Book Ban Battle Plan, our grassroots guide, at https://www.bannedcamppodcast.com/battle.

    DISCLAIMER: This podcast, Banned Camp, features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment in accordance with fair use guidelines. The material used from the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. We do not claim any ownership over the original work, and all copyrights remain with the original copyright holder. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase copies of the discussed works to appreciate them in their original context fully.


    This podcast is not endorsed by Harper Lee, her estate, or the publishers of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Any monetization of the podcast is separate and not derived directly from the copyrighted material discussed. Our intent is to engage in, promote, and support critical and educational discourse around these works within the framework of fair use.





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    28 mins

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