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, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and 1984 by George Orwell.
This season, we’re diving into Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. It's a dystopia built on pleasure, not fear. People are engineered, drugged, and distracted into obedience, and they’re taught to love the system that controls them. It’s funny, creepy, and disturbingly familiar. And like all great banned books, it makes you question the world you're living in.
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!
- Update frequency
- every 3 days
- Average duration
- 27 minutes
- Episodes
- 249
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 6 Chapters 7-12 - Punching Nazis & Life Lessons
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan tackle the heavy-hitting Chapters 7-12 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. As Ari wrestles with famil…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 6 Chapters 4-6 - Ari’s Fury Unleashed: Violence & Confessions
In this intense episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapters 4-6 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
Ari’s rage boils over as he confronts one of Dante’s attac…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 6 Chapters 1-3 -Love, Violence, and the Cost of Truth
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan delve into the turbulent emotions that follow Ari and his father’s intense trip to Tucson. As they return to El Paso amidst stormy weather, Ari wrestl…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 5 Chapters 14-18 - Lesbian Revelations & Fireworks
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapters 14-18 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari learns more about his family’s hidde…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 5 Ch 11-13 -Road Trips, Family Tensions, and Coffee
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan continue reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe with Chapter 11. Ari and his dad head out on a road trip to Tucson, sparking…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 5 Ch 8-10 -When Worlds Collide
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan read chapters 8 and 9 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. The awkward blending of Ari and Dante’s social circles leaves Ari d…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 5 Ch 5-7 - The Kiss Experiment: Unspoken Feelings
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan delve into Chapters 5-7 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari and Dante’s friendship takes an inten…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 5 Ch 2-4 -Dogs, Trump, and Uncomfortable Truths
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan explore Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, diving into themes of friendship, love, and the innocence of dogs. The hosts contras…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 5 Ch 1 -Summer Dreams and Burger King Nightmares
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapter 1 of part 5 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Summer has arrived, bringing both f…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 31 - Ari's Desert Night: Secrets Under the Stars
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapter 31 of part four of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. As Ari navigates the awkward and introspective moments …
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 29-30 -Dante's Big Reveal and Ari's Love Lessons
In this emotionally charged episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan read Chapters 29 and 30 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Ari's struggles with teenage love and unreci…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 26-28 -New Year’s Secrets and Uncomfortable Letters
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapters 26 through 28 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari tries to escape the awkwardn…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 22-25 -Ari’s Adventures with Legs and Letters
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapters 22-25 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari reflects on his reluctance to join h…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 17-21 -Ari’s Adventures with Legs and Letters
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan read chapters 17-21 of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari's new dog, Legs, becomes the star of his …
Defending Your Shelves: Banned Camp's Guide To Stopping Book Bans In Your Community
In this special episode of Banned Camp, Dan goes solo to tackle a serious and timely issue: how to combat book-banning groups like Moms for Liberty in your local community. With Jennifer and Robot te…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 11-16 -Ari's Dream Dilemma & Brother's Secrets
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan explore Chapter 11 of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari's recurring dreams make him question his…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 7-10 -Dreams and Discoveries
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan explore Chapter 7 of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. From discussing Ari's crutch-filled return to…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 4 Ch 1-6 -High School Dilemmas and New Beginnings
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapter 4 of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari navigates the first day of school with …
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe _ Pt 3 Ch 6-11 - Struggles, Secrets, and Self-Acceptance
In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapters 6 through 11 of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Ari navigates through a tumultu…
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Pt 3 Ch 3-5 -Rules, Gratitude, and Hospital Stays
Jennifer and Dan read chapters 3 to 5 of part three of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, where Ari's hospital recovery is fraught with emotional and …