In this episode of Banned Camp, Winston and Julia’s secret love nest gets less romantic and more... rodent-infested. Jennifer and Dan wade through Orwell’s sensual rebellion: contraband jam, lipstick resistance, and an entire kilo of “hot bean felony.” But just when things seem safe, reality bites—literally. There are rats. And bugs. 

Things To Listen For:

• Why makeup might be the most subversive act in Oceania
• “Hot bean felony” – Robot’s street name for contraband coffee
• A full Orwellian takedown of Trump’s facial expressions
• Rats, bedbugs, and lipstick: the worst Airbnb ever
• Winston’s dream of love, still stuck in surveillance
• That one creepy moment where even Robot hesitates

Banworthy to Bingeworthy:

Need some smart, progressive news to balance out all the fascist rats in your life?
 🎧 Check out Good News for Lefties—a daily hit of wins, resilience, and hope. Beowulf Rochlen delivers the stories that prove the fight isn’t over. Find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Also featured: Making Space with Hoda Kotb. If you like hearing people talk about truth, discovery, and transformation without rats or telescreens, this is your vibe.

Robot’s Scorecard

Want to decide for yourself if a book deserves to be banned?
 Download Robot’s BAN-WORTHINESS Scorecard—a completely unscientific, weirdly satisfying way to evaluate every chapter.
Get it now at band camp podcast dot com slash scorecard

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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. 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. 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. Our goal is to foster literary appreciation, critical discussion, and educational engagement within the fair use framework—because we all know what happens when people start letting governments or corporations decide what can and can’t be read.

Topics Covered:

1984, Winston and Julia, surveillance, bugs in the wall, banned books, contraband coffee, lipstick rebellion, authoritarianism, rats, free expression, censorship