Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship
Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship
Jennifer Davis and Dan Schulz turn books banned in schools into a comedy book review podcast, reading challenged literature cover-to-cover to find out exactly what got each book banned.
The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 8: The Most Honest Liar on the Train | Banned Books Comedy
30 minutes Posted Feb 19, 2026 at 5:01 am.
The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 8: The Most Honest Liar on the Train | Banned Books Comedy
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The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 8 | Banned Books Comedy Podcast
Holden Caulfield hates phonies. He's been cataloguing them for seven chapters. So why does he spend an entire train ride lying through his teeth to make a stranger feel good about her bully son? Chapter 8 is where Salinger quietly reveals that Holden is more complicated — and more kind — than anyone gives him credit for.
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 introduces himself as Rudolph Schmidt — the name of his   janitor — to avoid giving his real identity to a stranger on a train- The mother describes her towel-snapping bully son as "sensitive" and   Holden has to keep a straight face- Dan correctly identifies this as Holden's technique — butter up the   older ladies, glue them to their seat- The lies snowball from "he's shy and modest" all the way to a brain   tumor that can be removed in about two minutes- Jennifer calls it pathological. Dan calls it personable. Robot thinks   they're both describing the same thing from different angles- Holden sends Mrs. Morrow off at Newark thinking her son is a humble   genius — then immediately tells her he's going to South America with   his grandmother
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The book has been challenged and banned for over 70 years for its frank teenage voice, casual profanity, and portrayal of a young person who questions authority, rejects institutions, and sees through adult hypocrisy at every turn.
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- **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.
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DisclaimerBanned 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 JD 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 JD 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, JD Salinger, Chapter 8, Holden Caulfield, Ernest Morrow, Mrs. Morrow, Rudolph Schmidt, Stradlater, Allie Caulfield, lying, identity, kindness, phonies, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast