Camp Shame
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About This Podcast
Camp Shane—one of America’s longest running weight loss camps for kids—promised extraordinary results. Campers who began the summer in heavy bodies were often unrecognizable when they left. In a society obsessed with being thin, it seemed like a miracle solution.
But there were some dark truths behind Camp Shane’s facade of happy, transformed children. Kids were being pushed to their physical and emotional limits as the family that owned Shane turned a blind eye. More than 50 years after its founding, host Kelsey Snelling is bringing the real story of Camp Shane to light.
In this eight-episode series, she unpacks and investigates stories of mistreatment and reexamines the culture of fatphobia that enabled a flawed system to continue for so long. Along the way, she reveals and weighs the heavy price of shame.
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Recent Episodes
S1E8 Episode 8: Losing Isn't Everything
Camp Shane is back… and as dysfunctional as ever. Kids are running around unsupervised, counselors are dropping out like flies, and medical supervision is pretty much nonexistent. After an accident…
S1E7 Episode 7: Nobody Believes the Fat Kid
Though Camp Shane is falling apart, kids still love spending their summers there, largely because of the limited parental supervision and endless romantic opportunities. Some counselors do their best…
S1E6 Episode 6: When the Sh*t Hits the Fan
By the mid 2010s, things at Camp Shane are going downhill: campers are arriving with serious mental health needs, counselors are stretched thin, and untrained “health experts” are running the show.…
S1E5 Episode 5: Live, Laugh, Lose
**Audio Updated 7/17/25 What do you get when you mix disordered eating, soap-laced Jell-O, and a diet camp stuck in the past? A summer from hell. In this episode, Kelsey returns to 2011, her first…
S1E4 Episode 4: As Big as it Gets
The new millennium brings new trends, new technologies and new ways to spread toxic beauty standards. And Camp Shane is reaping the benefits. The camp grows to new heights and capitalizes on positive…
S1E3 Episode 3: The Real Heavyweights
Camp Shane is under new leadership: Selma’s son, David Ettenberg. In the 1990s, David’s reign brings with it more campers, more money, and even a Disney movie inspired by the camp itself. But as diet…
S1E2 Episode 2: A Fat Girl's Vision
To understand Camp Shane, we first need to examine the society that created it. America’s obsession with size had evolved over time, creating a demand for a weight loss camp like Shane to exist by…
S1E1 Episode 1: Welcome to Camp Shane
Welcome to Camp Shane — one of the first weight loss camps for kids. In its 50+ years of operation, Shane was a haven for children who felt discarded by the real world. Kids who were bullied,…
Introducing: Camp Shame
Camp Shane—one of America’s longest running weight loss camps for kids—promised extraordinary results. Campers who began the summer in heavy bodies were often unrecognizable when they left. In a…
Frequently Asked Questions
Camp Shame has published 9 episodes since April 2025, covering topics in Documentary, Health & Fitness.
Camp Shame is currently dormant with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 44m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Camp Shame, including email and social media links.
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