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When Banned Things Happen To Good People is a podcast about censorship and the arts. Hosts Todd Sullivan and Peter Aman examine books, films, and more that have been banned or challenged in the past.
Episodes
Sep 1, 2025
Sep 1, 2025
1 hr 20 min
We've made it to the end of 1984, experiencing life in Oceania, and learning what Room 101 contains, and now it's time to finish things up with our final thoughts on whether this book was a decent predictor of what the today's United States of America might start drifting towards (short answer, yes; longer answer, just listen to the podcast, okay?) Todd and Pete share their take on this dystopian novel while answering a few pointed questions from the live audience.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Aug 21, 2025
Aug 21, 2025
59 min
In this look at Part Three of George Orwell's 1984 we finally see the inside of the Ministry of Love, and eventually even get a look at room 101. But will the Ministry of Love live up to its name? Will there be a heart-felt reunion between Winston and Julia? Will Goldstein overthrow Big Brother? There's only one way to find out! Well, there are more than that, but one of them is listening to this podcast.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Aug 6, 2025
Aug 6, 2025
1 hr 4 min
In the second part of our look at George Orwell's 1984, love, or something like it, blooms in the grey-dusted despair of Oceania as Winston meets and gets to know, yes in the biblical sense, Julia, and our pair dabbles in revolution. Surely nothing terrible could happen in this dystopia.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Jul 21, 2025
Jul 21, 2025
1 hr 6 min
It's time to get a little dystopian up in here as Todd and Peter begin their look at George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984. As we gaze at the news south of the Canadian border, it's kind of hard to believe how prescient this book is until you remember it was written following a previous attempt at fascism when the dangers were fresh in the mind of the author. And if you think we're looking at this book without making some comparisons to recent events, you'd be mistaken.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Jun 16, 2025
Jun 16, 2025
59 min
Todd and Pete dig into some media controversies ripped from the headlines, including the the arrest of Daddy's Little Toy author, Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa, and Kanye West's release of the song Heil Hitler. How much is too much, and do either of these works cross a line? Join us for the conversation.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
May 5, 2025
May 5, 2025
50 min
We're doing something a little different this week as we invite producer Allyson Rice to join us as we discuss her new documentary Banned Together. The film is a look at the in book bans and challenges in the United States in recent years, particularly under the hand of the Republican Party. We talk about the film, the weaponization of language, and how things are likely to get worse before they get better.
Watched Banned Together here: https://watch.eventive.org/bannedtogether/play/680946b470d7a15f473ad676
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Apr 1, 2025
Apr 1, 2025
1 hr 12 min
It's movie night at 'Banned Things' headquarters so Todd and Peter decided to check out what is almost certainly the funniest movie about fascism that's ever graced the silver screen, Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator. This film, which was released before the United States had joined World War II, satirized Adolph Hitler's rule over Germany at a time when few people were giving the man a second thought.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Mar 18, 2025
Mar 18, 2025
1 hr 31 min
Todd and Pete wrap up their look at 'The Chocolate War', the controversial 1974 young adult novel by Robert Cormier, in which a catholic school's annual chocolate sale becomes a battleground for freedom. Do we dare disturb the universe? Well, we do, but you may have to make up your own mind.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Feb 10, 2025
Feb 10, 2025
1 hr 23 min
Todd and Pete glide through the second half of Robert Cormer's The Chocolate War to reach the controversial ending, as well as the true answer to the question "Do I dare disturb the universe?" And no, you probably don't want to know what the answer is.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia
Feb 5, 2025
Feb 5, 2025
1 hr 11 min
After some delays, we're BACK (we hope) to a more regular release schedule starting with this episode, part one of our look at Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War. This 1974 young adult novel sees what should have been a standard high school fundraising chocolate sale turned on its head when one student asks the question, "Do I dare disturb the universe?" The answer might surprise you! Or maybe it won't! You could probably google that answer.
Email: bannedthingshappen@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bannedthingshappen
Web: https://blahblahblahmedia.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/blahblahblahmedia