Film posters that were doctored by a mysterious, unofficial censor. Check out IMDb for originals.
S10 E10 Censorship by Sharpie (Film season)
S4 E9 The McGahern Affair Part 2, the scandal
When The Dark was banned in 1965, John McGahern’s life changed dramatically. A story of vengeful clerics, useless unions and disinterested civil servants that stands as the greatest censorship scandal in modern Ireland.
S3 E10 Mass perversion: Comfort, ‘The Joy of Sex’ (1972)
JoS was the bestselling sex guide that captured the spirit of the 70s sexual revolution. Although it was banned in Ireland, it was openly on sale here. How does censorship work if nobody pays any attention to the law?
S3 E4 Perverty Stuff: Salinger, ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ (1951)
Holden Caulfield’s swearing and sex talk has offended many since 1951. This book is now a modern classic but why is a story of a poor little rich kid still read and enjoyed today?
S1 E5 Joseph Heller, ‘Catch-22’ (1961)
An instant bestseller in Britain, ‘Catch-22’ was banned in Ireland from 1962 to 1974. There’s lots of sex in this book but the first sentence was the reason it was banned.
S1 E4 Kathleen Winsor, ‘Forever Amber’ (1944)
Forever Amber is the original bonkbuster, whose commercial success led to Peyton Place (1956) and Riders (1985).
Banned in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Massachusetts as indecent, it sold millions of copies in the 1940s. Restoration England was the perfect backdrop for a lush, romantic romp but does the book deliver smut galore?
S1 E1 Brendan Behan, ‘Borstal Boy’: solitary comforts
What shenanigans did Brendan Behan get up to in prison and borstal between 1939 and 1941? He enjoyed baiting the Brits, warm cocoa, snuggly blankets and … other things.
In episode one, I’ll tell you about the rude bits in a book whose banning in Ireland and Australia provoked derision.
