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

1984 | Ch. 19.3 - You Do Not Exist (But Big Brother Does)

In Chapter 19.3 of 1984, things go from bad to flesh-zombie worse. O’Brien continues Winston’s psychological beatdown with Orwell’s signature brand of state-sanctioned gaslighting. Jennifer has a theory about promotion to the Inner Party, Dan gets haunted by the return of the dove from Season One, and Robot wants to know if you saw five fingers… or just forgot how math works. The torture is brutal. The dialogue is chilling. And somehow, it still turns slightly erotic.Things To Listen For:Dan’s theory that O’Brien is just a sadistic ex with a God complexJennifer wondering if Winston’s basically a “flesh zombie” nowWhy martyrs don’t matter in Orwell’s world—and why that matters nowBanworthy 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.Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts:👉 Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!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, torture as truth, psychological manipulation, O’Brien’s madness, martyrdom, political gaslighting, Party loyalty, Julia’s fate, identity erasure, censorship, banned books, flesh zombies, room 101

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.Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts:👉 Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!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

1984 | Ch. 19.1 – Confess Everything, Even the Stuff You Didn’t Do

Winston’s torture officially begins, and it’s brutal. Dan and Jennifer read through Orwell’s stomach-churning description of physical beatings, psychological torment, and Orwell’s scarily precise understanding of how to break a human being. Meanwhile, Robot weighs in on the sadism of cats, Jennifer confesses her love of surgery, and suspects Turning Point USA might’ve borrowed their name from something way darker than they realize.Things To Listen For:Jennifer insists she likes surgery, which… okay?Dan compares cats to serial killers, and Robot agrees—aggressively.The Party’s real weapon isn’t fists, it’s gaslighting.A deeply Orwellian quote: “Now the turning point has come… I shall make you perfect.”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.Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts:👉 Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!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, George Orwell, torture, gaslighting, psychological manipulation, Room 101, Turning Point USA, cats are evil, book bans, authoritarianism, banned books, free speech

1984 | Ch. 18.2 – Loudly, Abundantly, and Very Strongly

In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan finish Chapter 18 of 1984, and it’s a brutal one. Winston meets a series of broken people—including the tragically loyal Parsons—and we get a chilling glimpse into the cruelty of Room 101. There’s blood, betrayal, and even an unflushable toilet. Jennifer wonders how far people will go to save themselves, Dan can’t stop fixating on cabbage water and prisoner hierarchy, and Robot just tries to survive the smell.Things To Listen For:Parsons proudly turning himself in for thoughtcrime… committed in his sleepA child ratting out her dad, and him being proud of itOne of the bleakest betrayals in the book so far—and that’s saying somethingBanworthy to Bingeworthy:If you need a little sanity after that, check out Good News for Lefties and The Best People with Nicolle Wallace. Both remind us that truth still matters.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 1984 by George Orwell for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines. Some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing, but we remain faithful to the author’s intent. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the full text.This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to George Orwell’s estate or his publishers. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation, critical thought, and community engagement around banned and challenged books.Topics Covered: 1984, Room 101, thoughtcrime, Parsons, authoritarianism, torture, betrayal, Orwell, banned books, free speech, cult behavior, family surveillance

1984 | Ch. 18.1 - Welcome to the Place with No Darkness

Winston’s in the Ministry of Love now—where the lights never turn off, the telescreens scream at your pockets, and your cellmate might be a footnote from Rudyard Kipling. Jennifer tracks the collapse of Winston’s thoughts as hunger, fear, and silence begin to unravel him. Dan wonders if resistance could be as simple as taking a leak on a telescreen.Things To Listen For: • Why “God” got a poet arrested • Who the proles really are in this story • Vomiting prisoners, smuggled bread, and the worst roommate intro everBanworthy to Bingeworthy: For good news you’ll actually want to hear, check out Good News for Lefties. And for sharp political coverage from someone who’s been in the room where it happens, stream The Best People with Nicolle Wallace.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 1984 by George Orwell for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines. Some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing, but we remain faithful to the author’s intent. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the full text.This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to George Orwell’s estate or his publishers. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation, critical thought, and community engagement around banned and challenged books.Topics Covered: 1984, George Orwell, Ministry of Love, telescreens, Winston Smith, room 101, sodomy laws, book bans, censorship, religion and authoritarianism, Pride Month, poetry, Ampleforth, political prisoners

1984 | Ch. 17.7 - No One Escapes the Iron Voice

Winston and Julia thought they had a secret — a room, a routine, a bit of freedom. But the telescreen was listening the whole time. In this brutal end to Chapter 17, Orwell rips away the last illusion of safety. Dan and Jennifer react in real time to one of the novel’s darkest turns: betrayal, surveillance, and state violence crashing through the walls. Things To Listen For:the moment the telescreen answers backjennifer’s call to fight back — even if it’s hopelessdan’s theory on using bodily fluids as weaponsBanworthy to Bingeworthy:Check out Good News for Lefties, the daily podcast that delivers progressive wins and cultural pushback — now featuring a new collab with Banned Camp!And don’t miss Nicolle Wallace’s new podcast, The Best People. It’s smart, relentless, and a great listen after crawling through a dystopia like 1984. Available wherever you get your podcasts.Rate, Review, & Follow:Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!Disclaimer: Banned Camp features readings and discussions of 1984 by George Orwell for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines. Some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing, but we remain faithful to the author’s intent. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the full text.This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to George Orwell’s estate or his publishers. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation, critical thought, and community engagement around banned and challenged books.Topics Covered:1984, george orwell, telescreens, betrayal, surveillance, state violence, winston and julia, thought police, glass paperweight, resistance, book bans, censorship, banned books

1984 | Ch. 17.6 - The Party Makes You Forget You Forgot

In this episode of Banned Camp, Jennifer and Dan read the next section of Goldstein’s manifesto—and it gets bleak. Orwell explains how the Party rewrites reality so often that people forget they ever believed anything else. Jennifer recounts a formative memory about civil rights and force. Dan loses it over Orwell’s ode to giant butts. Things To Listen For:Julia’s boob gets a brief cameo.Robot’s log includes a genuinely haunting thought about forgetting the truth.Beowulf Rochlen brings good news from a prison vineyard in Italy.Banworthy to Bingeworthy:Check out Good News for Lefties for daily progressive updates—and listen to The Best People with Nicolle Wallace if you want smart conversation without yelling. Find both wherever you get your podcasts.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. Some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing, but we always stay true to the author’s intent and encourage listeners to purchase the book in full.The material used from the book 1984 by George Orwell 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 George Orwell’s estate or publishers. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation and critical discussion within the fair use framework—because we all know what happens when people let governments decide what can and can’t be read.Topics Covered:1984, Goldstein’s manifesto, doublethink, memory manipulation, Connie Rice, civil rights, Julia’s body, Orwell’s beauty standards, proles and war, propaganda, diaper line poetry, banned books, censorship

1984 | Ch. 17.5 - The Dumb Masses vs. the Baby Elephants

Jennifer and Dan return to Orwell’s nightmare to decode the Party’s obsession with eternal control. This chapter dives into the rigid social hierarchy, the myth of Big Brother, and the dark genius of “protective stupidity.” Along the way, Dan breaks out a baby elephant metaphor and Jennifer predicts exactly how paramilitary violence might squash any real revolt. It’s a deep, disturbing look at the architecture of power—and what keeps people from walking away.Things To Listen For:The horrifying function of “protective stupidity”Orwell’s breakdown of how power survives itselfBanworthy to Bingeworthy:If you're not already listening to Good News for Lefties, you’re missing out on Beowulf Rochlen’s smart, daily antidote to right-wing nonsense. Find it wherever you get your podcasts.Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple PodcastsRate, 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. Some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing, but we always stay true to the author’s intent and encourage listeners to purchase the book in full.The material used from the book 1984 by George Orwell 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 George Orwell’s estate or publishers. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation and critical discussion within the fair use framework—because we all know what happens when people let governments decide what can and can’t be read.Topics Covered:1984, Big Brother, social hierarchy, censorship, protective stupidity, thoughtcrime, rebellion, book banning, propaganda, free speech

They Fired the Librarian. We Called a Children’s Book Legend.

Dr. Carla Hayden—America’s first Black woman Librarian of Congress—was just fired by Trump’s goons.So we called Jon Scieszka.Yes, that Jon Scieszka—author of The Stinky Cheese Man and the first national ambassador for young people’s literature. What followed was funny, furious, and full of heart.We talk about banned books, stupid censorship rules, Catholic school trauma, the power of kids’ stories, and why literacy might be our last line of defense.Also… yes, there’s a farting dragon.And if you're looking for something that doesn’t make you want to scream into a pillow, check out Good News for Lefties—a daily podcast with real wins, hopeful headlines, and actual reasons to stay in the fight. Find it wherever you listen.

1984 | Ch. 17.4: - Big Brother Is... AI?

In this episode, Jennifer and Dan continue rteading Goldstein’s Manifesto and wrestle with the mind-melting logic of 1984’s most infamous slogan: "War is peace." Jennifer proposes Big Brother might be AI (terrifying but plausible), while Dan can’t stop picturing meerkats. From fake wars to real propaganda, they explore how the Party wages war not against enemies, but against its own people. Oh, and Julia? She falls asleep about 20 seconds into the forbidden book. Classic.Things To Listen For:Jennifer’s theory that Big Brother is secretly AI.A brutal breakdown of Orwell’s “War is peace” slogan.Julia’s very on-brand reaction to Winston’s book club.The return of Jennifer’s elderly dog and his... mouth noises.Dan’s theory that humans are dumber than meerkats.Banworthy to Bingeworthy:If you're tired of doomscrolling, check out Good News for Lefties — real wins, smart commentary, and a reason to keep fighting. Hosted by Beowulf Rochlen, our favorite news speaker and truth seeker.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. To ensure the best listening experience, some sections may be lightly abridged for clarity and pacing. However, we always stay true to the author’s intent and encourage listeners to purchase the book in full.The material used from the book 1984 by George Orwell 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 George Orwell, his estate, or the publishers of 1984. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.Topics Covered:1984, George Orwell, war is peace, propaganda, Big Brother, AI theory, class structure, Goldstein’s manifesto, Julia, censorship, fake wars, meerkat society, political manipulation