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. 25.1: The Kid Who Asked a Ghost for Permission to Keep Existing | Banned Books Comedy
39 minutes Posted May 19, 2026 at 6:00 am.
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Grand Central Depression
Hold the Sonuvabitch Up
Twenty Pairs of Shoes
Allie, Don't Let Me Disappear
Going Out West
Robot's Sound Off
Heading to Phoebe's School
PPP
Robot's Closing Thoughts
News With Beowulf
Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game
Here's The Scoop: Supreme Court Edition | NBC News
Stay safe and resist when it matters
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Show notes
🎉 SEASON 11 ANNOUNCED: Banned Camp will be reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, starting June 9th. The scary book people have spoken.
Holden has nowhere to go. He sleeps at Grand Central, reads a magazine that convinces him he has cancer, walks down Fifth Avenue at Christmas, and starts begging his dead brother Allie not to let him disappear. Then he builds the most detailed escape fantasy you've ever heard — complete with a cabin, a deaf-mute wife, and children hidden in the woods.
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 theory about why Antolini married an older wealthy woman — and what it might mean about what happened on that couch
Dan's observation that Holden's first instinct is to protect the man who may have violated him
The moment Holden starts talking to Allie at every crosswalk — and thanking him on the other side
Holden's ridiculously detailed escape fantasy vs. Dan and Jennifer's 10-year-old plan to become lumberjacks
Jennifer's bathroom pass observation about the space between being told what to do and having to decide for yourself
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The curriculum sanitizers will complain about the language. They always do. They'll miss the part where every adult institution in a teenager's life collapsed — and the kid kept walking. A book that shows children the system can fail completely, and you survive it anyway.
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 If you liked Banned Camp, check out these podcasts we think you'll enjoy:
Why Is This Happening? The AI End Game — Chris Hayes speaks with leading experts about artificial intelligence, what it is, what it isn't, and what the end game looks like. A special miniseries from MS Now.
Here's the Scoop: Supreme Court Edition — NBC News senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett talks to legal experts about the biggest Supreme Court cases still left to be decided this term. New episodes every Saturday.
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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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The Catcher in the Rye has been one of the most frequently challenged books in America since its publication in 1951, and was the most censored book in the U.S. from 1961 to 1982. It's been removed from schools and libraries for profanity, sexual references, and "anti-social behavior" — but the deeper reason is that Holden Caulfield gives teenagers permission to question authority, reject conformity, and say out loud that the system feels broken. That's the part that actually scares book banners.
Is there a podcast that reads The Catcher in the Rye chapter by chapter? That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 10 covers The Catcher in the Rye, and every epis