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
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 30 - Huck's Escape: The River's Cunning Child!
In this episode, Jen and Dan dive into Chapter 30 of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Phil Vecchio from the Mandarian Orange podcast joins in, offering his unique perspective on the book's theme…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 29 - The Great Graveyard Gamble!
Welcome back to Banned Camp! In this episode, Jen and Dan divw into Chapter 29 of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." This chapter unravels a thrilling and chaotic showdown in a graveyard, revealin…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 28 - Truth and Consequences: Huck's Critical Choice
Welcome back to Banned Camp! In this episode, Jen and Dan dive into Chapter 28 of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." We explore Huck's inner turmoil as he grapples with a pivotal decision: to reve…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 27 - A Casket of Surprises!
Episode Summary:
Join Jen and Dan as they dive into the twists and turns of Chapter 27. This episode of Banned Camp is filled with eerie dreams, moral quandaries, and a touch of the absurd. Unpack the…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 26 - The Art of the Scam: Huck in the Hot Seat!
Jen and Dan dive into Chapter 26 of Huckleberry Finn, where Huck faces a moral quandary amidst a comical charade of lies and deceptions. Meanwhile, the episode's playful banter about gym cracks and h…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 25 - The Great Wilks Swindle: Tears and Trickery!
Jen and Dan read Chapter 25 of Huckleberry Finn. In this episode, "The con is on with gold, grief, and giggles galore as the duke and king spin their web of lies." Meanwhile, Jennifer's struggle with…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 24 - Painting Jim Blue: Twain's Absurdity Unleashed!
Jen and Dan jump into Chapter 24 of Huckleberry Finn, where Twain's hilarity hits a new high with Jim painted blue and masquerading as a "sick Arab." Meanwhile, Jen's stubborn pronunciation of 'wigwa…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 22 & 23 - The Great Shakespearean Scam!
Jen and Dan read Chapters 22 and 23 of "Huckleberry Finn." In this episode, we witness the duke and king's hilariously inept attempt at Shakespeare, complete with horse folding and humping mysteries.…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 21 - Huck's Encounter with Theatrics and Tragedy!
Jen and Dan delve into the comedic chaos of the duke and king's Shakespearean scenes in Chapter 21 of Huckleberry Finn, enhanced by Ol' Puddin' Fingers and murder ballads. The episode also features a…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 20 - Huck, Jim, and the Art of the Scam!
Jen and Dan read Chapter 20 of Huckleberry Finn. In this episode, Huck and Jim encounter the devious duke and king, who turn a camp meeting into a profitable scam, while Jen and Dan ponder whether Hu…
Huck Finn | Chapter 19 - Huck Meets the Con Kings: River Shenanigans!
Jen and Dan read Chapter 19 of Huckleberry Finn. In this episode, Huck and Jim's nude escapades on the river lead them to encounter the most royal of scammers, the Duke and the Dauphin, while our hos…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 18 (pt 2) - Love, Loss, and Lessons in a Bitter Feud!
Jen and Dan read Chapter 18 (Part 2) of Huckleberry Finn. In this episode, a family feud turns fatal, leaving Huck heartbroken and yearning for the raft's relative safety. Meanwhile, Jen's charming s…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 18 (pt 1) - Feuding and Mysterious Messages!
Jen and Dan delve into part one of Chapter 18 of 'Huckleberry Finn,' where Huck gets entangled in the Grangerfords' grandeur and their grim feud with the Shepherdsons; meanwhile, they can't help but …
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 17 - Huck And The Grangerford Goth!
Jen and Dan read Chapter 17 of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."
In this episode, Huck finds himself in a Gothic-like setting, reminiscent of meeting a character straight out of an Addams Family …
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 16 - A River of Doubts and Decisions!
Jen and Dan dive into Chapter 16 of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." In this episode, Huck grapples with his conscience, and Jim dreams of freedom, while Dan hilariously confuses snake skins wit…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapters 14 & 15 - Treasure Troves and Foggy Nights!
Jen and Dan read Chapters 14 and 15 of "Huckleberry Finn." In this episode, our duo navigates through treasures, debates on royal wisdom, and a dense, separating fog. Meanwhile, Jennifer's valiant at…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 13 - Ferryman's Fable: Huck's Heroic Hoax!
Jen and Dan dive into Chapter 13 of Huckleberry Finn. In this episode, they explore Huck's moral compass during a daring river rescue, while off-air, Banned Camp celebrates being a top comedy podcast…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 12 - Huck's Daring Steamboat Adventure: The Night of Narrow Escapes!
Jen and Dan read Chapter 12 of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In this episode, Huck and Jim navigate moral quandaries and Mississippi mysteries, while Dan reminisces about his wigwam organ recit…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapter 11 - Huck's High-Stakes Masquerade: The Island Escape!
Jen and Dan read Chapter 11 of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' In this episode, Huck Finn, disguised as a girl, gathers crucial information about the search for him and the runaway Jim. Learnin…
Huckleberry Finn | Chapters 9 & 10 - A Deadly Snake Prank and Riverfront Real Estate Dreams!
Jen and Dan read Chapters 9 and 10 of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."
In this episode, Huck and Jim's river adventures turn into a mix of domestic bliss and eerie discoveries. Meanwhile, Dan li…