Slaughterhouse-Five | Ch. 9.1 - Valencia’s Last Ride and Billy’s Woke Math

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

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In this episode, Jennifer and Dan dive into Chapter 9 of Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, where Valencia’s catastrophic final car ride steals the show—complete with mufflers falling off and a fateful hospital arrival. They also explore Vonnegut’s reflections on the Dresden bombings, Billy Pilgrim’s encounters with a larger-than-life historian, and a fact-check by Robot on exaggerated wartime death tolls. Along the way, the hosts share their own wild tangents, including Jennifer’s gardening mishaps and Dan’s latest plumbing horror story.

Things To Listen For:

• Valencia Merble’s chaotic last drive.
• Billy Pilgrim’s surreal hospital stay alongside a pompous historian and his go-go dancer wife.
• Robot fact-checking Dresden death tolls and crushing historical myths.
• Jennifer’s accident with pruning shears and Dan’s unforgettable tale of mixing blood and plumbing disasters.

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Featured Clips

This episode includes a segment from Jimmy Kimmel Live! (produced by Jennifer Sharron, directed by Andy Fisher, and distributed by ABC Studios) comparing Obama and Trump’s speeches about the deaths of Osama bin Laden and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. And a short snippet of Memories by Maroon 5 (produced by Adam Levine, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and The Monsters & Strangerz) These clips are used for commentary and educational purposes under fair use. No copyright infringement is intended.

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 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. We do not claim any ownership over the original work, and all copyrights remain with the original copyright holder. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase copies of the discussed works to appreciate them in their original context fully.

This podcast is not endorsed by Kurt Vonnegut, his estate, or the publishers of Slaughterhouse-Five. Any monetization of the podcast is separate and not derived directly from the copyrighted material discussed. Our intent is to engage in, promote, and support critical and educational discourse around these works within the framework of fair use.

Topics Covered:

Slaughterhouse-Five, Valencia Merble, Dresden firebombing, Harry Truman, Osama bin Laden, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Jimmy Kimmel Live, presidential speeches, pruning accidents, banned books, censorship, empathy, Vonnegut’s absurdity.

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