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

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

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

By: Jennifer Davis and Dan Schulz – culture war censorship critics satirical storytellers banned books defenders and irreverent humorists exploring challenged literature and book bans
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 If you think banning books is stupid, so do we.Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books and try to figure out why they were banned in the first place.If you’re new here, don’t sweat it. You can start anywhere. We’ll get you oriented fast (and if you get confused, there’s a good chance we’re confused too).Here’s what makes us different: we actually read the book out loud, every chapter, cover to cover, and we’ve never read it before. So you hear us stumble through the text, mispronounce names, miss obvious foreshadowing, and slowly piece together what freaks Moms for Liberty and the pudding-fingered politicians out.Our listeners are called The Scary Book People. You’ll fit right in.Past seasons: 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, Slaught...© 2026 Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship
Episodes
  • The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 12: Holden's 2 AM Cab Ride & the Duck Debate | Banned Books Podcast

    The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 12: Holden's 2 AM Cab Ride & the Duck Debate | Banned Books Podcast
    Mar 10 2026
    Holden Caulfield climbs into a late-night cab that smells like vomit and strikes up a conversation with his driver, Horwitz — who has very strong opinions about fish. Meanwhile, New York City feels lonesome and enormous, and Holden still won't go home. Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us. Things To Listen For: Holden asks cab driver Horwitz about the Central Park ducks — Horwitz doesn't care about the ducks, but he has a passionate, completely wrong theory about how fish survive winter through their poresJennifer nails the loneliness of this chapter: Holden's in the vomit cab going nowhere in the dark, watching couples laugh on the street, with nobody to go home toDan makes the case for just ripping the bandaid off — go home, tell your parents you got kicked out, and get it over withBeowulf Rochlen brings good news: a California school district reversed its ban on the dystopian novel Scythe — and the show gets into whether banning AI counts as censorship Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The novel has been challenged repeatedly for its language, themes of teenage alienation, and what many school boards have called a corrupting influence on young readers — which is a solid reason to read it out loud on a podcast. If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers). Banworthy to Bingeworthy While we're all out here reading dangerous books, here are two podcasts worth your time: Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlen's show, bringing you the news stories from the left that actually deserve your attention. Find it wherever you get your podcasts.MSNow Presents Clock It! — Simone Sanders Townsend and her co-host position themselves at the intersection of culture and politics, breaking down what's happening in the news so you can start to clock it too. New episodes drop Thursdays. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us! 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. The material used from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 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 J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 12, Holden Caulfield, Horwitz, Phoebe, Robot, Beowulf Rochlen, teenage alienation, loneliness, censorship, Dunning-Kruger effect, Scythe, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, literary analysis, comedy podcast
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    35 mins
  • The Catcher in the Rye Chapter 11: Jane Gallagher and the Checkerboard Tear | Banned Books Podcast

    The Catcher in the Rye Chapter 11: Jane Gallagher and the Checkerboard Tear | Banned Books Podcast
    Mar 5 2026
    The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 11 | Banned Books Comedy Podcast Holden can't sleep. He's sitting in a vomit-looking chair in the hotel lobby thinking about Jane Gallagher — the girl who lost eight golf balls that first afternoon and never made him feel like his hand was sweating. This chapter is one long, tender flashback to the summer they spent together, and the moment a tear landed on a checkerboard and changed everything. Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us. Things To Listen For: Jennifer's read on why Jane kept her kings in the back row — and what it might mean about herDan's theory on unrequited love and why Holden would protect Jane but can't get close to herRobot drops in to explain why even Spielberg couldn't get the rights to make a Catcher in the Rye movie — and why Salinger said no to everyoneThe checkerboard tear scene — one of the most quietly devastating moments in the book so farHolden kissing Jane everywhere except her mouth, and what Jennifer thinks that says about both of themThe hand-holding description that made both hosts go quiet for a second Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter is a perfect example of the hypocrisy — a teenage boy having innocent, tender feelings for a girl he genuinely cares about. No sex, no violence. Just swearing and emotional honesty. That's apparently enough. If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers). Banworthy to Bingeworthy While you're here, check out this show worth bingeing: MS NOW Presents Clock It — Simone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels position themselves at the intersection of culture and politics, talking about what they see and hear in the news so you can start to clock it too. New episodes drop Thursdays. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us! 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. The material used from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 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 J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 11, Holden Caulfield, Jane Gallagher, Stradlater, Mr. Cudahy, unrequited love, loneliness, innocence, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast
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    30 mins
  • The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 10 Part 2: You Just Missed Him + Book Banning News

    The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 10 Part 2: You Just Missed Him + Book Banning News
    Mar 3 2026
    The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 10 Part 2 | Banned Books Comedy Podcast Holden Caulfield dances with all three women from Seattle, buys them drinks he can't really afford, tricks one of them into thinking she just missed Gary Cooper, and feels terrible about it immediately. Then they leave to get up early for Radio City Music Hall — and somehow that's the thing that breaks him. Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us. Things To Listen For: Holden almost kisses Bernice on the top of her head right where the part is — exactly the way he'd kiss Phoebe — and Dan catches it immediately and connects it back to last episode's Phoebe descriptionDancing with Marty is described as dragging the Statue of Liberty around the floor, so Holden invents a Gary Cooper sighting to get through the song — she nearly has a breakdown when she finds out she missed him, then goes back to the table and tells the other two she caught a glimpse of himThe three women work at the same insurance office in Seattle and spend the entire night scanning the room for movie stars instead of talking to each otherLaverne keeps asking Holden to call his father and find out if he has a date tonight — four times — and Holden notes she was certainly wittyDan cannot figure out why Radio City Music Hall depresses Holden so much — Jennifer can't either — and neither of them realizes they just identified the most important moment in the chapterDan says Holden definitely thinks he has women figured out and he's not so sure he does — Robot files this under things Dan accidentally got right Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter is a perfect example of what makes censors nervous — a teenager alone in a nightclub, buying drinks for older women, using words like "horry" and calling people ugly. What they miss entirely is that Holden feels more for the people he dismisses than he ever says out loud. That's the complicated part. That's the dangerous part. If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers). Banworthy to Bingeworthy While you're here, check out this show worth bingeing: MS NOW Presents Clock It — Simone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels position themselves at the intersection of culture and politics, talking about what they see and hear in the news so you can start to clock it too. New episodes drop Thursdays. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us! 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. The material used from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 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 J.D. Salinger, their estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 10, Holden Caulfield, Phoebe Caulfield, Bernice Krebs, Marty, Laverne, Buddy Singer, Gary Cooper, loneliness, failed connection, teenage isolation, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast
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    23 mins
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